Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Hilary Sheinbaum. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Hilary, thanks for joining us today. Let’s jump right into how you came up with the idea?
The idea for “The Dry Challenge” came about accidentally. In fact, it was a book that came about through random a bet I had with a guy friend. On New Year’s Eve 2016, I tipsy texted my friend “Happy New Year!” and initiated a Dry January wager, which entailed both of us abstaining from alcohol for 31 days — that meant no wine, beer, spirits, spritzes, shots, etc. etc. for the whole month. With that, I put down my drink as the New Year’s Eve ball dropped in Times Square. Eventually, my friend lost the bet. I won! And in Dec. 2020, The Dry Challenge was published by HarperCollins. It highlights the benefits of going dry, how to do it, and activities to partake in that don’t involve alcohol.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I started my career in public relations before switching over to journalism. For 5.5 years, I served as a red carper reporter for weekly entertainment magazines (at night), and during the day, I freelanced for a number of local, national and regional outlets covering food & beverage, wellness, beauty and more. These days, I focus on lifestyle and weddings (editorially) and also have copywriting clients in the beauty, food, and beverage spaces.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
One of the best parts of my job is discovering new products and learning new things! Since the start of my first dry challenge, I’ve been introduced to a number of nonalcoholic beverages — which would have come in handy during Dry January 2017!
Betera is made with all-natural botanicals, purified water, organic cane sugar, and citric acid. They have cool flavors like Ginger-Orange, Elderflower-Lime and more. I love these because it tastes like you’re drinking an elevated cocktail, minus the booze, muddling and mixing. Just pop open, and enjoy.
Starla is an alcohol-removed wines has three options: white wine, red wine and bubbly rosé. Their branding is super chic, the bevs are low calorie, and all three bottles make great hostess gifts for your most fashion-forward friend — or yourself. Bonus points: no hangovers!
Free Spirits Company makes non-alcoholic spirits that replace the real thing when mixing drinks and crafting cocktails. Their varieties include tequila, gin and bourbon. This way, you can keep sipping your Margarita, Martini or Moscow Mule without a buzz!
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
When it comes to drinking, or not drinking I should say, a lot of people believe that the latter isn’t fun or exciting. And I completely disagree. I think without alcohol, there are more opportunities to be creative (i.e. do a physical activity or get stuff done more efficiently, because you’re not suffering from a hangover).
And, beyond having a good time (without feeling sick the next day), there are so many ways in which non-alc activities are more inclusive, less expensive (booze are pricey) and healthier (given empty calories, drunken munchies, and more).
Contact Info:
- Website: hilarysheinbaum.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/hilarywritesny
- Twitter: twitter.com/hilary_she
Image Credits
Starla Wines