pets we love

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This page: With a lime squeeze and a pinch of salt, Hiatus Tequila entices you to pause and enjoy the simple pleasures of life.

Hiatus Tequila takes its sweet time—not only to harvest its blue Weber agave into timeless tequila, but to pause and enjoy the simple pleasures of life. Brittany Mattie

SOMEWHERE ALONG THE ROLLING HILLS OF TEQUILA VALLEY IN JALISCO, MEXICO sits an estate-grown on the edge of an extinct volcano whose porous, fertile soil creates the heavenly foundation for Blue Weber agave plants to grow in abundance, living their best lives. Known as La Cofradía, this third-generation distillery of more than 50 years is where the coming-up tequila brand Hiatus calls its stomping grounds before being distributed across the United States—with a particularly strong presence here in Sarasota and the surrounding Tampa Bay area. Together, with La Cofradía, Hiatus founder Kristopher DeSoto crafted a smooth-as-silk spirit you’d rather not mask in a margarita. Raised in Texas, where the ranch water flows like the Rio Grande, DeSoto was introduced to tequila early days. You could say the love for tequila springboarded his many travels throughout Mexico, including one trip that lasted seven years. In that time, DeSoto noticed that the most sought-after tequilas south of the border were often different from those found on U.S. shelves—the flavors and aromas, he shares, more robust and expressive. Such a tequila (all-natural in taste and production) should also be available in the United States. And luckily, a strong presence happens to be right here in Sarasota, with DeSoto having ties to the area, spending his time between here and New York.

“There’s a lot of mystery surrounding tequila. It’s made from a plant the ancient Aztecs deemed sacred, and the spirit itself is centuries old. We believe that’s where the mystery should end,” said DeSoto. “We’ve created a tequila with full transparency—ensuring that the spirit in the bottle is a true expression of what tequila should be by using only fully mature agave, taking our time to cook them slowly in masonry ovens, and double distilling to maintain the earthy agave notes that make tequila unique, before filtering out the unsavory finish that defines many tequilas. It may be a slower process, but we prefer quality over speed.”

Produced with the same tools and methods of ancestors centuries past (entirely by hand), La Cofradía’s hardworking jimadores harvest the agave using a primitive tool called a coa to slice the perennial succulent’s fleshy, thick and spiny leaves just the right way to extract the desired piña (the heart of the plant). The jimadores then remove and replant the baby agaves for propagation. Not sacrificing taste or quality for quickness and convenience, Hiatus Tequila harvests its agave only once it has achieved optimum ripening—at roughly 7-8 years of age. Many big brand tequila companies have been known to cut corners by harvesting their agave before fully ripe, or not using real blue agave at all. Harvesting prematurely often leads to a bitter, harsh taste of unwanted flavors (cue the pursed lips and furrowed brows followed shortly after an emptied shotglass). The piñas filled with sweet agave nectar are then hand loaded onto trucks for their final journey to the distillery. From there, they are weighed, sampled, slowly baked, handmilled, fermented, distilled twice, filtered, oxygenated, bottled and then aged (no aging required for blanco; six months for reposado; a full year for añejo).

Sipping Hiatus neat, or in a craft cocktail, you’ll experience a top-shelf quality that furtively plays with your senses—luxurious mouthfeel, clean aromatics, complex tasting notes and a flawlessly clear (almost undetectable) liquid. Collectively, this grass-to-glass spirit creates a pure, elevated head high, rather than a sloppy, double-vision inebriation largely conspired from mass-produced, “house” labels that have earned the mantra, “one tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor.” On its own agenda, Hiatus does just what it sets out to do—interrupt the continuity of time, maybe even disrupt the status quo. When life gives you limes, make a paloma—because “going on hiatus” means seeking balance from life’s hectic schedule. And if escaping the daily grind is not in the cards for you, at least opt for a tequila you don’t have to chase. SRQ

A ROUNDUP OF THIS YEAR’S PAW-SITIVELY PAW-SOME ANIMAL FRIENDS.

Pets We Love

It’s hard to put into words what our pets mean to us. It doesn’t matter what species, breed or age, where we find them or how we find them—they become part of you, your family and your home. You love them hard, and they love you back even harder. Well, cats might be another matter, but as long as we feed them, right? From a number of dog rescues and a munchkin kitty to a vivacious parrot and farm-family donkey, it’s time to honor our furry and feathery friends for their endless adoration and entertainment. Give a warm welcome to SRQ’s 4th Annual Pets We Love Contest winners. We thoroughly enjoyed reading through all the heartwarming submissions—including purrfect personalities, funny quirks, naughty habits, impressive tricks and adorable traits. You’re all in for a real treat…

compiled by arianna boenker | photography by wyatt kostygan + wes roberts

Special Thanks To Presenting Sponsor

THE 1-YEAR-OLD WANNA-BE CAT. GOLDEN DOODLE

“[Cooper]trots around the neighborhood like he’s the mayor of Charlotte Ave. [He] loves riding in the Jeep with the top off and sits on top of the couch like he’s a cat,” says owner Tyler Duncan. On his perfect day, find Cooper in the Jeep on his way to the dog park.” Shown on the previous page.

IF HE HAD A SHOW NAMED AFTER HIM, IT WOULD BE Bear Necessities

TIGGY

THE 6-MONTH-OLD BRINDLE AMERICAN MIXED BREED

“A few months ago Nate’s Honor Animal Shelter shared a picture of Tiggy (Hulu at the time) on their Facebook saying all of her siblings had been adopted and she was the last of her litter left. After seeing the post I immediately got in my car and drove straight to the shelter with an hour to spare before they were scheduled to close. I knew I would not be able to sleep that night knowing that the 2 month old baby would have to spend the night scared and alone for the first time in a shelter without her siblings,” says owner Bridget Prescott. Now Tiggy enjoys her life in her forever home. “We discovered Tiggy’s most ticklish spot was her armpits, which was while giving her the belly rubs that she loves. Giving her scratches under her armpits turns her into a wiggle worm with the biggest puppy smile on her face,” says Prescott.

IF SHE HAD A SHOW NAMED AFTER HER, IT WOULD BE The Pupchelorette: Finding the Pawfect One to Love

PICKLES

THE 3-YEAR-OLD CHIWEENIE FROM FOSTER TO FOREVER

“Pickles was only 8-weeks-old and living in a bad environment. I only had cats and didn’t want a dog and definitely had never heard of a Chiweenie. We fostered, and in the end she stole our hearts. Now three years later, she continues to be the love of our lives,” says owner Nickie Hartsock. “Pickles now enjoys a constant supply of petting and playing, and on her ideal day, she gets to eat chicken chips.”

IF SHE HAD A SHOW NAMED AFTER HER, IT WOULD BE Sweet Pickles

“Bessie May has been a part of my life since 2010 when I bought her as a teeny tiny puppy. She is not your typical small dog. She may be small but she is fi erce. With fi ve large dogs as her brothers and sisters she is defi nitely the boss of our house, we even do whatever she asks of us. Ha. As she has aged, she now spends most of her days snoozing and chasing chickens/ducks in her spare time or jumping in the horses water troughs for a nice cool swim. We are owners of an Appaloosa breeding program and she runs that roost too, bossing any horse that gets too close. She is the real deal ranch gal,” says owner Chelsea Thornton. “This little girl has traveled all across the country with Mom and Dad. She has been on road trips from Florida to Montana, Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina, she has even traveled to Alaska. Sweet Bess was even a part of the bridesmaid party during our wedding in Colorado. Can’t imagine life without this sweet munchkin.”

IF HE HAD A SHOW NAMED AFTER HER, IT WOULD BE Backwoods Bessie

THE 4-YEAR-OLD HOUND MIX

Kristina Ely gave Nash a second chance. “Nash is a rescue found after Hurricane Micheal. We saw a picture of Nash and fell in love when we heard his story. We went to meet him and as soon as he ran outside the door, he ran in the opposite direction of us and our hearts broke. We decided to take a chance and give the scared sweet boy a real home. Two years later Nash has been the most amazing fit for our family. He loves to do zoomies in the backyard, he has learned how to play fetch, he cuddles with his big sister Stella and has two cat sisters. His favorite thing to do is sit in the sun in the backyard with his mom. We are so lucky to have Nash and allow him to live the life he deserves,” says Ely.

IF HE HAD A SHOW NAMED AFTER HIM, IT WOULD BE Nash the Flash

SHAKER

THE 11-YEAR-OLD BROTHER OF FOUR. TUXEDO TOY POODLE

Originally an only child, Shaker (in the middle) is now one of five dogs. “Shaker thought he would be an only child but he ended up with four more siblings. Poodles are like potato chips. You can’t just have one,” says owner Sheila Nichols. IF THEY HAD A SHOW NAMED AFTER THEM, IT WOULD BE The Florida Fab Five: Enjoying Sunshine On Our Paws

THE 1 1/2 -YEAR-OLD PEMBROKE WELSH CORGI

Corgi obsessed mom, Lauren Suchan, found her perfect dog. “Winnie the Pooch” corgi has taken the world by storm in her little life so far. This wonder-loaf is often compared to a baguette because she is much longer than other corgis,” says Suchan. Winnie’s perfect day would include chasing her squeaky tennis ball and eating peanut butter flavored treats covered in pieces of chicken.

IF SHEHAD A SHOW NAMED AFTER HER, IT WOULD BE Winnie the Pooch Corgi, Grumbling Through the Day

MOISHE

THE 9-YEAR-OLD SHIH TZU RESCUE

According to owner Iris Starr, Moshie is the true hero in this pet story. “He was a rescue, but I think he rescued me,” says Starr. His perfect day would be filled with naps, sleeping as close to Starr as possible.

IF SHE HAD A SHOW NAMED AFTER HER, IT WOULD BE The World of Moishe

ALEXICON

THE 12-YEAR-OLD DACHSHUND WITH A PASSION FOR LAW

“Alexicon was adopted at birth from a trusted friend and has been one of the representatives of Bates-Buchanan & Savitsky Law Group at events and meetings with clients, as well as being a loving lap warmer at home,” says owner Dawn Marie Bates Buchanan. “Alexi loves to come to work with me at Bates-Buchanan & Savitsky Law Group and likes to remind people why having a Pet Trust is so important. Alexi dresses up in her best dress for the office.”

IF SHE HAD A SHOW NAMED AFTER HER, IT WOULD BE Why Having a Pet Trust Is So Important to Keep Fur Babies Out of Kill Shelters

DJANGO A SUPER-HERO AT 9-YEARS-OLD. BRINDLE BULLMASTIFF. Not pictured.

“Django is a superhero.He is a therapy dog working with the state attorney’s office and the Child Protection Center. He assists abused children when they have to give depositions, interviews and testimony against the person that abused them. He visits the children at the YMCA Youth Shelter and he attends many community events to bring attention to the need to protect our children. He continues his show career showing in the veterans class in AKC dog shows,” says owner Lucia Topp. IF HE HAD A SHOW NAMED AFTER HIM, IT WOULD BE Therapy Dog Superheroes or The Magic is Real!

MISO

THE 16-WEEK-OLD DOBERMAN PUPPY

This puppy is convinced he’s a cat. “Miso is a dog that acts like a cat thanks to his kitty brother. He will stalk like a cat at the dog park. The other dogs look at him like he’s crazy,” says owner Lauren Ditaranto. His perfect day would be spent rolling around, specifically in cat tail bushes.

IF HE HAD A SHOW NAMED AFTER HIM, IT WOULD BE Stick Connoisseurs: Testing the Worlds Most Natural Play Toy

THE 3-YEAR OLD BROWN AND WHITE PORTUGESE WATER DOG

“We got Huck when he was just 8 weeks old and he has had the run of our house since,” says owner Morgan Tiefenthal. “My husband and I recently had our first child (7 weeks old this week) and Huck has become a big brother. All during my pregnancy he was glued to my side and rested on my tummy as I got bigger. Now that she has arrived he has gotten a quick education in newborn schedules (as have we). He no longer gets his uninterrupted beauty rest because of midnight feedings, his toys must be put away when not in use, and she gets her own bath time that does not include him. Despite all of these adjustments he has been a great big brother so far. He shares tummy time, looks forward to stealing her pacifier, and is always on guard in case the mailman comes unexpectedly.” Huck’s perfect day would include playing a long game of frisbee, taking a leisurely swim, stealing a pacifier or toy, tummy time and an afternoon nap. Huck loves having his ears

rubbed! IF HE HAD A SHOW NAMED AFTER HIM, IT WOULD BE The Adventures of Huck and Elizabeth: Who Stole the Pacifier

THE 8-YEAR-OLD VERY FRIENDLY MINIATURE DONKEY

JJ McLovin is a friend of humans and horses. “JJ was bought at a yard sale to be a companion for a rescue horse. He has become a best friend to everyone who meets him! He’s never more than a few feet from his horse. He’s chased dogs, cows and other predators off. He’s only a little guy,but his heart is huge,” says owner Lynn Ouellette. While learning to halter JJ, Ouellette learned that his ticklish spot is in his ears.

IF HE HAD A SHOW NAMED AFTER HIM,IT WOULD BE McLovin Ranch

MOET

THE POPCORN LOVING 2-YEAR-OLD BUFF TABBY

Moet would describe his perfect day as, “an approximate 4 am wake-up time for my mother via walking on her whilst sleeping, immediately getting kicked out of the bedroom, waiting anxiously at the door as I worry she’ll forget I exist and starve to death, finally getting fed at 7 am sharp, zoomies, snoozies, lovin’ for mom when she’s working from home, lots more snoozies and a panicked walk from 8-10 pm until exact feeding time. Many more zoomies and finally bedtime. Phew.” His mom, Sofie Wachtmeister says, “I think the weirdest thing about MoMo is that he is a fiend for SkinnyPop popcorn. So much so, that he knows exactly what the bag sounds like. He never confuses any other type of chip or snack bag with the sound of the SkinnyPop bag. The second it is even touched, he has awoken from slumber and appeared by my side. He will steal it out of any bowl/bag/hand. Absolutely ruthless.”

IF HE HAD A SHOW NAMED AFTER HIM, IT WOULD BE Hairballs & Hot Takes, a show about the messes and cattitudes of a nine-part life

LOTUS

THE 2-YEAR-OLD AMERICAN STAFF MIX

There is no shortage of energy for two-yearold Lotus. “Lotus loves to run and chase things. She does 100-yard-dash chase events,” says owner Dale Barshinger. Her most ticklish spot is on her front paws and, “It’s tough to dry her paws when she’s muddy!”

IF SHE HAD A SHOW NAMED AFTER HER, IT WOULD BE Knucklodeon

IF HE HAD A SHOW NAMED AFTER HIM, IT WOULD BE The Grumpy Old Man: He Just Wants to Be Loved.

ROCKY

THE 66-YEAR-OLD YELLOW NAPE AMAZON

MR. PINEAPPLES

THE FAMOUS 7-YEAR-OLD BLUE EXOTIC CAT “We adopted Rocky from the Birds of Paradise Sanctuary in Bradenton. Rocky lived with his original family for 44 years and then was left to another family member in her will. He lived with this new family for 16 years. Unfortunately, when this owner passed away there was no one to take Rocky and he ended up in the Sanctuary. As you can imagine, Rocky would rather be with a family and was a bit grumpy at first but is now thriving with us,” says owner Ed Suchora. According to Ed, Rocky’s most Ticklish spot is, “ His ear holes. When you pet him near them it makes him yawn every time!”

Miguel Elasmar, owner of Mr. Pineapples shares, “he had to get permission from my divorce attorney to spend $900 on an exotic kitten.” Mr. Pineapples is, “The only pet that responds to his name in a house full of dogs. [He] has 2000+ followers and will soon be an NFT.” His most ticklish spot is right behind the tail. Elasmar says when he’s pet there, “he would start moving his mouth in a really weird way.”

IF HE HAD A SHOW NAMED AFTER HIM, IT WOULD BE Kibbler’s Buddies: a talent pet show hosted by Walther Kibblerthon Pineapples (his full name)

Like many young pets, “Cece was adopted as a pandemic pup to give us something to do and to fill the void left behind by our previous pups who passed 2 years earlier. We rescued her from a shelter and she rescued our hearts,” says owner Rebecca Curry. She loves the pool, walks, car rides and snacks. “Cece is a rescue that spent the majority of her first four years of life in shelters. She was rescued from the county shelter euthenasia list by Satchels Last Resort who provided her with lots of extra love and training. We adopted her during the early days of the pandemic and now almost two years later, we couldn’t be happier with this sweet and goofy pupper that fills our days with her antics,” says Curry.

IF HE HAD A SHOW NAMED AFTER HIM, IT WOULD BE Land Hippos Need Love Too

THE 2-YEAR-OLD HUMAN IMPERSONATOR. LABRADOODLE WOLFHOUND

Benny has an endless love for life. “Benny is obsessed with car rides—so much that he sits like a human in the front seat with his left arm on the center counsole,” says owner Karen Medford. If you scratch above his hip he may even start doing bicycle kicks in enjoyment.

IF HE HAD A SHOW NAMED AFTER HIM, IT WOULD BE Take Me With You

FINN THE 5-YEAR-OLD ICE CREAM LOVING MUNCHKIN Not pictured.

“I have always thought munchkin cats were really cute and have always dreamt of owning one. When I came across Finn on a Facebook page for munchkin cats, I knew I had to have her. She was the smallest, most vocal kitten in her litter,” says owner Stephanie Kent. “When I first brought Finn home, she was so small she could fit in a drinking glass. Despite her size and short legs, she took on every adventure including jumping on top of cabinets, drinking and playing in the sink, and going for walks around the neighborhood on her leash. My neighbors would always stop and stare because of her size and small stature. While she has grown (in the weight department, not height), she is still just as sweet and vocal as she was when I first brought her home five years ago. She loves to sit on the side of the bathtub while I bathe, share my cake batter ice cream with me, and loves sitting in the window to explore the outdoors! They say dogs are a girl’s best friend, but I think munchkin cats take the cake!”