I didn’t understand shrubs until I made one… (Now they’re one of our go-to tools for grounding, flavor, and mindful drinking.)
I used to think shrubs were either too fussy or too niche — something reserved for bartenders, fermentation people, or anyone with a pantry full of mysterious jars. Then I made one, and everything shifted.
There’s something disarming about the process: the chopping, the macerating, the way sugar softens fruit into syrup before vinegar brings everything alive. It’s simple, but not simplistic — a tiny technique that opens up an entirely new corner of flavor.
What surprised me most wasn’t just how good it tasted, but the way the whole process felt.
Shrubs pull you into your hands. They slow your thoughts. They create a small pocket of attention where the rest of the world fades out for a moment. And once I understood that — the simplicity and the power — they became something I reach for when I want to reset my nervous system or bring a little more intention into what I’m drinking. Thank you, Charlie, for showing me the way!
This weekend, we’re building space for that same experience. A hands-on evening designed to help you reconnect with your senses, learn something new, and ease into the holidays with a little more presence.
Make It, Mix It, Master It — Saturday, 11/22
The Library at Nora Café • 5–8 PM
Shrub Workshop (5–6 PM)
Learn what shrubs are → watch a live demo → build your own ~12oz custom shrub → bottle it in a pour-spout bottle → taste your creation.
Intermission (6–6:30 PM)
Snack board for bundle guests → a quiet reset → connection before class two.
Mixology Workshop (6:30–8 PM)
Taste through NA spirits → learn cocktail formulas + techniques → make three full-sized zero-proof cocktails → leave with recipes + skills for the season.
Tickets: $29 Shrub • $59 Mixology • $79 Bundle (with snacks)
If you’re craving a tactile, grounding moment before the holidays, this evening was designed for you.
Holiday Gift Basket Preview — Friday, 11/21
Umbrella Bottle Shop inside the Self-Care Marketplace • Downtown Raleigh • 5–8 PM • Free RSVP
We’re releasing a collection of holiday gift baskets this week — thoughtful, flavor-forward, and easy to give.
On Friday night, you can taste through components from each basket, learn what’s inside, and get your gifting handled early (calmly, beautifully).
✨ Pathfinder Rooted Basket
Pathfinder • Portland Syrups Root Beer • Dram Black Tea Cardamom Bitters
✨ Little Saints Ember Basket
Little Saints St. Ember • Portland Syrups Mango Habanero • El Guapo Love Potion Bitters
✨ Holiday Chill Basket
Your choice: Dromme Calm or Calmezzi Spiced or Soul Hum Unwind
Plus: El Guapo Holiday Pie Bitters • El Guapo Spiced Cocoa Bitters
✨ Canna Curious Basket
Artet Mini Aperitif (5 mg) • Brez Mini Social Spirit (5 mg)
Four Artet Spritz cans (5 mg each) • Three Brez cans (Drift/Social/Amplify — 5 mg each)
Full-sized Calmezzi Original Lemon Spirit (5 mg THC / 5 mg CBD)
If you haven’t heard, Congress tucked a hemp-derived THC provision into the recent government funding bill — a move that could restrict many intoxicating hemp products starting next year. The change comes with a full one-year runway before anything takes effect, and while the headlines sound dramatic, I’m genuinely not worried; the blowback is already so strong that we’ll almost certainly see clearer, more thoughtful rules emerge long before the deadline, with the focus on curbing bad actors rather than limiting responsible, well-made products.
✨ Minis + Sampler Basket
All The Bitter 3-pack (1 oz) • Dromme Calm + Awake minis • Three Spirit 3-pack • additional curated minis
This Week at a Glance
Friday: Gift Basket Preview & Tasting — 5–8 PM, Umbrella’s Bottleshop 12 W Martin St, Downtown Raleigh
Saturday: Make It, Mix It, Master It — 5–8 PM, The Library at Nora Café, North Raleigh
Both designed to bring you back to yourself — gently, beautifully — before the holidays pick up speed.
More soon,
Meg
