Hold the Hooch: Eight “Dry” Mom Dates in Detroit

Did you know that it’s possible to build relationships with your #momsquad sans spirits? Modern mom culture is wine-obsessed. I see it in my newsfeed every day- memes, t-shirts, and socks glorifying drinking as a means to survive motherhood. Oftentimes moms lean on the grapes for some liquid courage to make friends and sustain friendships. How many events are you invited to where the centerpiece of the invitation is wine? A large part of our momma community has become dependent on cocktailing as a vehicle to connect with one another. Whether you’re pregnant or sober as a judge, this list of eight “dry” dates will give you fresh ideas to bond with your besties without the booze this summer.

1. Take a Flower Arranging Class: Alice’s Table teaches women how to create floral arrangements in a private party setting at a location of your choice. They supply the flowers, aprons, and more for $65 per participant with a 10 person minimum. Events normally last 1.5 to 2 hours. Enhance your experience with a lemonade bar. Provide the lemonade, and request that each guest bring their favorite fruit, syrup, or fizzy to add in lieu of wine.

2. Plan a Scavenger Hunt: Last year, a girlfriend and I divided our group into two teams of five. She and I, the team captains, exchanged five location clues. Each team had to drive to the location and text a photo of their team in front of the landmark for approval to move onto the next spot. The first team back to the starting location won. I can vouch for the entire group when I say we have never laughed as hard or had as much fun together as we did that night.

3. Go For a Hike: Bird Island at the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House is an ideal spot for a mom-venture. Pack a picnic and hike the beautiful grounds whilst taking in panoramic views of wildflowers, Lake St Clair, and extraordinary birds.

4. Consignment Shop: The Detroit area is a treasure trove of new and gently used pieces to add sparkle to your closet. Boro Resale offers a quirky assortment of high end and designer items for men and women that are easy on the pocketbook. Venture north to Hips Resale Boutique in Clawson to shop women’s size 12+ clothing, shoes and accessories. Honorable mentions go out to Lost and Found Vintage, THRIFT on the AVE, and Avenue Boutique.

5. Detroit People Mover Food Crawl: The People Mover offers a 2.9-mile travel loop through Detroit’s central business district. For 75 cents per ride (or purchase a monthly pass for $10 here), you can hop on and off the air-conditioned trains at 13 different stops. Don’t forget your cameras- each of the DPM stations boasts a major work of Instagram-worthy art. My favorite stops include Michigan- Roast; Cadillac Center- Standby; and Greektown- Firebird Tavern.

6. Target and Starbucks: Put the kids to bed, grab your bud, order a Frappe, and hit the aisles at the greatest store in the history of the world. Stalk every single end cap for those red and yellow sale tags. What could be better than a Target run alone? Having a wing woman to divide and conquer it with.

7. Dessert Progressive: If you’re unfamiliar with the concept of a Progressive Dinner, it is a dinner party with successive courses that are prepared and consumed at different homes to keep the party moving about town. This iteration would encourage your group of ladies to select a themed dessert for their home, ie. chocolate, pie, five ingredients or less, etc. to make and serve. Each location should include the recipe card as a takeaway. So go on, cut the cocktails and put some whip on it. 

8. Nighttime Bike Ride: There are a few weekly bike-riding engagements throughout the metro Detroit area. Detroit Slow Roll started the peddling craze in 2011. It’s a great opportunity to get physical and see the city from the unique perspective of your two-wheeler. You’ll enjoy an evening of exercise, matching outfits, and tricked out bikes. Don’t own a bicycle? Detroit’s MOGO is a bike share program whereby people can rent one for the evening. 

Get creative with your crew! Unwind and un-wine together. Play Bunko at a local ice cream shop; learn how to cook Vietnamese street food at Sur La Table; ride the Grosse Pointe K-Line Trolley up and down Kercheval; immerse yourselves in Detroit history with a Tea Tower at The Whitney. Of sound mind and sobriety, you’ll rethink hitting the sauce at future rendezvous. Without beers… cheers! 

What would you add to the list for an epic night out without alcohol?