Lions! Tigers! Oh, My!

Wild encounters at our animal kingdoms. Plus, the fierce woman of Sarasota and the ultimate guide to our stunning sandbars.

In this issue:

Eat & Drink

Drinking It In

Clara Robbins Is Florida's First Female Master Distiller

“I never felt like my voice mattered much until I made it matter. I know my value now.”

06/25/2024 By Megan McDonald

Home & Real Estate

Living the Dream

A Digital Nomad Turned a Crumbling Siesta Key Barracks Into His Ideal Beach Shack

The home was originally a tar paper pilot’s barracks at the Venice Army Air Base, where roughly 20,000 pilots trained during World War II.

06/26/2024 By Kim Doleatto

Gwak Star

Artist Joel Benham Delivers Sensory Overload at His Outrageous Vibe Villa

At the Desoto Acres casita, Benham indulges his inner child with his uproarious design choices.

06/06/2024 By Kim Doleatto

News & City Life

Nailing It

Camille Heltman Is Living Her Lifelong Dream as a Handywoman

"I can do everything a handyman would do. There’s just not a word for a handywoman in the dictionary.”

06/25/2024 By Megan McDonald

Going the Extra Mile

Erica Wright of Wright Heavy Haul Is a Unique Problem-Solver

Wright says she transports "anything big and weird."

06/25/2024 By Kim Doleatto

In Top Gear

Xpertech Auto Repair Owner Kathleen Callahan Embraces Standing Out

In a ranking of states with the most auto repair shops, Florida is among the top three, but only about 10 percent of people who work in the industry are women.

06/25/2024 By Kim Doleatto

Boldly Going

Atlantic TNG, LLC's Megan Kitchner Is Committed to Moving Forward

“Construction has always been predominantly male, but it doesn’t have to be. There’s a lot of work to be done, and women can do it.”

06/25/2024 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Reptile Rock Star

Katie Scaramozzino Shares Her Love of Reptiles Through Critter Club

Scarazmozzino says that her tortoises Radish and Sprout earn some of the most positive responses at events. But Spaghetti, her 5-foot-long boa constrictor, is the star of the show.

06/25/2024 By Lauren Jackson