Episode 16 — The Summer Switch

June hits differently. Suddenly it’s graduations, backyard parties, weddings, long weekends, and endless invitations — and for many people, alcohol is still assumed to be part of all of it. In this episode, Maxine and Isabelle talk honestly about what it feels like to move through summer party season alcohol-free: the pressure of the social script, the lingering worry about how other people perceive you, and the strange guilt that can come with leaving early or seeming misunderstood.

They also explore the “rosé all day” culture of summer and what begins to replace it when alcohol is no longer at the center of the season. For Maxine, it’s tennis and early mornings. For Isabelle, it’s time in the garden and being fully present for long summer days.

They also correct a confused listener and take some constructive criticism to heart! Funny, thoughtful, and deeply relatable.

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In this episode, Maxine and Isabelle are talking weddings. They both had multiple weddings to their husbands but had totally opposite honeymoons! They take a hilarious walk down wedding memory aisle and discuss how alcohol shaped the whole experience in Ireland, Montreal, NYC, The Maldives and The Himalayas! No corner of the world is safe! Not to mention an excommunicated priest, and one of them still can’t pronounce the names of religions. You don’t want to miss this one!

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In this episode, Maxine and Isabelle respond to your questions—the real ones. The complicated ones. The ones that don’t have neat, tidy answers.

From loving someone whose drinking worries you… to being the only one not drinking in the room. What to say when the pressure’s on, why people suddenly tell you everything about their own drinking, and how to stay steady in those early, shaky days.

They also talk sugar, substitutes, and their colleague’s kid who calls them “the women who don’t know how to drink”, au contraire kiddo!

Real questions. Real (often hilarious) answers.

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After spending a lot of time on the road in recent months, Maxine and Isabelle unpack what travel really looks like without alcohol. From airport culture and in-flight drink carts to liquor stores in cities across the country, talking about it helps move the needle.  They explore why vacation has become so intrinsically linked to drinking (from the moment you arrive at the airport) and what happens when you replace that default. The result: new rituals, more energy, deeper presence, and no hangovers... even in paradise.  They share practical tips for navigating travel alcohol-free, from bringing your own options to advocating for better zero-proof offerings at bars, restaurants, and airlines. The conversation also highlights the growing sober and sober-curious movement—particularly the role women are playing as founders and consumers—and spotlights brands like Raising the Bar, making it easier to bring elevated alcohol-free experiences anywhere.

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From communion wine to Manischewitz, alcohol shows up in some of our most sacred and social rituals, but the
way we each experience it can be wildly different. In this episode, Maxine and Isabelle take a funny, honest look
at alcohol, religion, and tradition, from hosting styles (never wanting the party to end vs. leaving at 9:30 sharp) to
completely opposite feelings about Easter: the pastels, food, and clothing!
They explore the contradictions between what religion teaches and what culture practices, share stories of
navigating unfamiliar traditions (including a very eye-opening first Passover), and reflect on how their relationship
with alcohol has shifted - from cycles of fasting and overindulgence to something far more intentional and
CONSISTENT!
Along the way, they also touch on friendships, what falls away, what deepens, and amazing NEW community!

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In Happy AF’s first on-location episode, Maxine and Isabelle head to the unique and wonderful Dorset Union Store to chat with the store’s wine buyer and explore how the beverage world is evolving, FAST. What does a modern wine buyer see shifting in the industry? Are people drinking less? Differently? What’s selling now? Together, they taste and don’t have to spit! But they may have to because they are VERY honest about what they like and what they dislike! Just like alcoholic beverages, Maxine and Isabelle don’t always agree on what tastes good! From Main Street Vermont to global trends, they explore how shopping for wine and beverages looks very different than it did even five years ago.

The modern drink aisle isn’t just about alcohol anymore; it’s about intention and CHOICE!

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Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, when everyone’s suddenly Irish and green beer flows, Maxine and Isabelle ask the question: Who decided what our passports drink? From Irish pints to French wine, national identity and alcohol have been tightly linked. But where did those stereotypes begin? And the women have been travelling; Maxine does a pretty spot on impersonation of her drunk fellow passenger on flight to Palm Beach and Isabelle talks about overreaching corkage fees in NYC! They’ve got opinions, and they’ll make you laugh! 

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Alcohol comes with a lot of stories, the ones society tells us, the ones Big Alcohol sells us, and the ones we tell ourselves to keep everything feeling “normal.” In this episode, Maxine and Isabelle call out the biggest lies around drinking, and the universal habit of lying to your doctor!

With sharp humor and zero judgment, they laugh through self-soothing narratives that kept alcohol in place in their loves for years! Edgy, funny, and TOTALLY relatable.

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Valentine’s Day has long been wrapped in alcohol; first dates, liquid courage, breakup cocktails, and the infamous walk of shame. In this episode, Maxine and Isabelle take a funny, honest look back at how alcohol shaped their dating lives, relationships, sense of self and now their marriages! They talk about dating culture, lowered standards, blurred boundaries, and why so many romantic decisions felt normal at the time but look very different in hindsight! With humor, clarity, and zero judgment, this episode reflects on the alcohol era of love. They taste a VERY sexy AF champagne and Maxine tells us about an EPIC walk of shame! Not to be missed!
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In this episode, we’re answering the questions you’ve been asking us most about our alcohol-free lives — honestly, openly, and without pretending we have it all figured out.
 
We talk about why we chose to stop drinking, the hardest moments in the early days, and how our relationships and friendships shifted along the way — who surprised us, who stayed, and what we had to let go of. We also dive into what socializing looks like now, how we navigate dinners, parties, and how living alcohol-free has impacted our closest relationships in ways we didn’t fully expect.
 
As always, the conversation is real, personal, funny, and rooted in connection. 
 
If you’re sober curious, newly alcohol-free, or simply wondering what life can look like on the other side, this episode is for you.

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Please remember to subscribe to the podcast and to visit our website at:
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