differ* — longer entries
Field Notes
What to say, what to order, and how to handle the room.
Latest
Most Indian Weddings Don't Serve Alcohol. The Ones That Do Are Spending More Than Ever.
55% of Indian weddings are dry. Couples who do serve are budgeting over ₹5 lakh on it. Both numbers are climbing, the two big surveys disagree by thirty poin...
Drinking less
The Third Drink Problem
Ask anyone about a night that went badly and they'll tell you about the end of it. But it was decided in the middle. ...
Choice
A Short List of Reasons Not to Drink That Are Nobody's Business
Fifteen reasons people don't drink on a given night — and the point that most of them are medical, religious, financi...
Field Notes
What "Sober Curious" Actually Means (And Why We Don't Use It)
Ruby Warrington coined the phrase in 2018 and it filled a real gap in the language. Then it became a trend category, ...
Category
Why Everything in the Non-Alcoholic Aisle Tastes Like an Apology
Zero. Free. Without. Alcohol-removed. Every product in the aisle is named after something that isn't there. Here's wh...
Field Notes
How to Host a Party Where Not Drinking Isn't a Whole Thing
Hosting well isn't about having more options. It's about making none of the options a statement. Put everything on on...
Field Notes
The Office Party: A Field Guide
The office party is the only social event where the people watching you drink also decide your appraisal. How to hand...
Dating
Date Night, Second Round, No Drink
The second drink on a date isn't about thirst. It's a signal that the evening is continuing — which is why ordering s...
Bars
How to Find a Bar in Mumbai That Won't Make It Weird
You can tell within ninety seconds whether a bar has thought about drinks without alcohol. Menu layout, technique wor...
Drinking less
Dry January Is a Performance Review
Dry January works — the evidence is good. But it's built like an appraisal: fixed term, pass/fail, public declaration...
Choice
What to Say When Someone Asks Why You're Not Drinking
Nine things you can say when someone asks why you're not drinking — and why the shortest answer is always the best on...
Batch 001 — the list
Read enough. Decide.
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