Q&A with Melissa Ruebl of Marigold
"At Marigold we take a lot of pride to create a space that is welcoming, non judgmental, and full of education."
— Melissa Ruebl
People are responding like crazy to Marigold and the idea of having lovely things to drink that are alcohol free. Since you get to see it first hand, what has surprised you the most about this incredible sea change in our culture?
I think the most surprising thing to me is the variety of people looking for a change in the way they consume beverages, it is not just one or two demographics entering our shop. Moving towards Non Alcoholic beverages is now becoming a lifestyle change vs a trend or something people do for a month.
One of the most heartwarming moments that I am seeing more often is young adults bringing in their parents, aunts, uncles, and grandparents in the shop and giving them a mini tutorial on the different categories of NA Beverage options available. I see the shift in our society happening in real time and it brings me hope and excitement to see people becoming more conscious of what they are putting in their bodies. At Marigold we take a lot of pride to create a space that is welcoming, non judgmental, and full of education. I know that the environment we have created has assisted in the success of this movement and I can say I am honored to be a part of that.
Some of your beverages have CBD, many do not. I have also noticed a lot of them have adaptogens. Can you tell me about what that means?
We as humans have traditionally reached for an alcoholic beverage to help us unwind or to decompress. In the world of alternative non-alcoholic beverages we have options of plants that assist us in this ritual. CBD beverages help our bodies in different ways depending on the blend. CBD can boost happiness and mental clarity, help us rest and relax or assist in general holistic health.
Adaptogens are my favorite in the shop, it is fun because each of us who work at Marigold naturally have a category we are an expert in. I am the self proclaimed Adaptogen and Kava Queen, yup, that's me.
In the most basic sense adaptogens are natural destressors to the human body, they help us restore balance to stressful situations. I am a big advocate for incorporating routnines into our daily lives that help us calm our nervous systems, I honestly think we will start to see a large movement toward this topic. We live in a very busy, ever evolving society, where unfortunately we can not avoid toxins and or EMF's that can stress our systems out. However what we can do is find ways to decompress and assist in restoring our bodies. Adaptogens are an accessible easy way to incorporate that routine into your life. So, hell yeah, come learn about then and try them at Marigold.
If you were throwing a dinner party, what would you serve? Best dinner party or gathering tip?
Best question! I love this. So I would hit something from every category, cuz ya know why not. Here is the lineup.
Beer to start the gathering, beachside is prefered. I would go with Nonny Czeh Pilsner - light, crisp and delicious.
Appetizer alongside a Mocktail : Pentire Adrift with Tonic and a Rosemary Sprig. Pentire is a NA Botanical Spirit made by distilling plants from the coastline of the UK, Rock Samphire, Sage, Lemon, Cornish Sea Salt.
1st course gotta go with Wine :: Studio Null // Gruner Weis // Bright, dry, white wine from certified organic vineyard in Austria. You could fool me with this one.
2nd course we have to get the crew feeling good and opening up with an Adaptogen :: Three Spirit Livener - full of berries and a little heat to bring the energy up.
3rd course :: Dry WIt Salenger or Bruce depending on the pairing. We love Peder, and these will knock your socks off.
Lastly :: Bring it back to Adaptogen land. Muna - Small batch out of Brooklynn. Full of adaptogens to boost your libido. I like to approach it like a nightcap to get people in the right space to go home and enjoy the rest of the evening. ;)
Best gathering tip :: It is all about the table decor for me. Make it cute and special. I am a super nerd and love to add question cards to table settings to get the conversations going.
