Born in Oakland, CA., raised in Omaha, Ne. amidst a tightly knit Irish Catholic family whose matriarch, Margaret Fogarty, had a go to stable of patron saints; St. Anthony for lost things, St. Christopher for safe travels, and St. Jude for lost causes, she never knew of St. Bibiana, and with a family as dedicated to a good party as hers, we should have.
Next stop, NYU. Mid 80’s, Lower East Side, Film School. Yet another time I should have known St. Bibiana.
After graduation the plan was to move to Colorado, work for a season in the mountains, decide what I was going to be when I grow up and move back to NYC. That was over 30 years ago now.
It was just so damn fun! I consider this the apex of my party girl years. Working on the mountain and then as a DJ at the local radio station. In iconic mountain town fashion, the parties were a plenty, and it’s a wonder I survived it without knowing St. Bibiana.
This was all pre-adulting: pre-marriage and kids, pre-business (Lizzie’s Bagelry and Coffeehouse, True Source Wellness). When adulting seemed unavoidable I settled down and didn’t need the assistance of St.Bib’s, that is until, 2020.
Lockdown and Happy Hours became longer than hours. I was feeling the effects. Fortunately, my wellness center is anchored in an Apothecary which I used as a lab to research the best herbs to address this. We all needed a good project during this time, and this became mine; harnessing the power of plants to ease the bumpier bits of being human. St. Bibiana Hangover Tea was born.
It was so beneficial people were asking if we might create more blends to address all those other bumpy bits of being human. The answer, absolutely! My next chapter is about doing exactly that, and it is called Offerings Tea.
Stay Tuned!
Lizzie