01/25/2026
Everyone’s sharing their 2016 highlights, but I want to take a moment to reflect on my 2020.
Six years ago today, I was in NYC with my bestie doing some “market research” for Durham’s first dry bar + lounge ().
•••
|| Rewind ⏪
Back in October 2019, when I was only 3 months sober, I got this idea of creating an alcohol-free space that had all the energy of a classic Toronto nightclub, minus the morning-after hangover.
I shared the idea with Carly in December and she was all in (of course) 🫶🏼
4 weeks later, we were heading to NYC for some booze-free bar hopping + business meetings .
We came back ready. We locked in the space, the sponsors and the menu …
•••
🌎 Then March 2020 hit. A month before our launch date the world shutdown ⏸️
Carly ended up moving. I went back to school. And all planning was paused.
•••
In 2022 things started opening back up. Craig went into remission for the first time. And I started working on opening up again, this time with even more new ideas to add to the bar (like mental health resources & courses). Things felt good.
On Sep 23, 2022 I told Craig about a vision I had that the launch of the Unity Social would be dedicated to him. He loved that 🥹
He got sick again in 2023.
Planning paused again.
•••
|| Fast forward ⏩ January 2026
So in my vision Craig was right in the centre of this big dance floor and we were all dancing around him. At the time I didn’t really know what it meant. I realize now it meant that Craig will always be at the centre of everything I do. And now I have even more clarity and conviction with what I am supposed to be doing.
The Unity Social is so much more than a booze-free bar, it’s about finding joy, even when (especially when) our world is falling apart 🤍
Join us for a low-key, soft launch at The Souk!!!
🗓 Friday Jan 30
⏰ 6PM-10PM
📍 .whitby