Best Yoga Instructor
It’s no stretch for Maxine Munro to be named Best Yoga Instructor. Along with her husband, she owns and runs Coburg Therapeutic Approach. Not only does she teach yoga there three days a week, but you can also find her gentle yoga guidance at other SuperCity locations. 6090 Coburg Road, 429-3303 Runners-up: Silver Firth, David…
Best Fries
The tide is fries, friend, and Bud the Spud is surfing the crest of it for the fourth year straight. And with this year’s uncommonly, greenhousily warm autumn, you’ve been able to indulge your taste for the best even longer than usual. Usually parked in front of the Spring Garden Road library Runner-up: McDonalds Just…
Best Getaway Within an Hour of the SuperCity
What do you do on a Saturday afternoon in July when it’s like a sweaty jail cell in your apartment and Spring Garden Road is bereft of all but the tourists? You hop in a car, anybody’s car, and drive an hour and a bit to glorious Peggy’s Cove. This type of getaway makes you…
Best Drag Queen
Also known as Chuck Gillis, Lulu lights up the room wherever she goes. In fact, just last summer, Lulu’s alter-ego, Betty Bottomley, lit up The Coast’s Hot Summer Guide cover. Many of you wondered where we found the lovely lady who modelled for us. It’s just a testament to Lulu’s Bestness. Runner-up: Dita Parlow
Best Bakery
When your sweet tooth comes a callin’, you go straight to Julien’s to answer it. Julien’s has every type of honeyed treat to satisfy even the pickiest of sugar addicts. I once bought a cheese croissant there that became a chocolate croissant half way through my eating it. Ah, the best of both worlds. Hydrostone…
Best Hairstylist
Cut. Colour. Perm. Jay Wells, at Christopher Cromwell’s, is the best at what he does. His talents don’t come cheap but he will make your hair do things that you can only dream about. Runner-up: Christopher Cromwell 5639 Spring Garden Road, 422-0110
Best Coffee
Ah, that most Canadian of Canadian institutions. Maybe it’s the temperature of the water or maybe it’s the way the beans are ground. Whatever the reason, you’d travel far and wide to get their coffee. But, fortunately, since it’s Tim’s, your next coffee is always just around the corner. So many locations, we can’t even…
Best Actor
You tell the folks back home that you see him all the time in the big city, and they’re impressed. They see him all the time on This Hour Has 22 Minutes and Made In Canada and on upcoming episodes of Power Play. Let’s face it—he’s funny, and that works on this coast. Mercer’s face…
Best Musician
His porn name is Jingles DeLong, but that’s not what’s so great about this guy. He’s young and he’s having fun—oh, and he’s kind of a musical virtuoso, too. He’ll remember your name, and a little something about you even if he only meets you once. And talk! He can really talk. For his day…
Best New Restaurant
You’re impressed with Victor Syperek’s latest venture, even though you have to walk down the street to get to it—rather than just stumbling through one of those arty doorways in the culture dome. The seafood is fresh and toothsome, and the puffy shirts on the waitstaff—oh, my, dear. 5218 Prince Street, 423-8816 Runner-up: Joe’s Fish…
Best Dressed
Well, they don’t call him Best for nothing. You may remember him from such comedy gigs as Birdy Num Num and the now-defunct 22online. Or you may recognize him as the nattily dressed guy in the modishly-checked car coat. When you see him on the street, be sure to check out what he’s wearing—he is,…
Best Radio Jockey
What a set of lungs on that guy! This was not an overly popular category, with lots of you saying Halifax radio sucks. Don Connolly was, however, able to make an impact on some of you. Runners-up: c100 Breakfast Club, q104 Morning Crew
Best Club Sandwich
The masses have spoken. According to you, for two years running no one tops a Med club. And who can blame you. Real turkey and crispy bacon with a side of scrumptious, crunchy fries, followed by a visit from the paramedics. Yum. 1571 Barrington Street, 423-4403 Runner-up: Bluenose II Restaurant 1824 Hollis Street, 425-5092
Best Retail Music Supply
From pa sound systems to music books and school band rentals to stage lighting products, Musicstop will have you making beautiful music whether you’re a professional musician or a casual hobbyist. Three Metro locations ready to help. Runner-ups: Halifax Folklore Centre 1528 Brunswick Street, 422-6350; Buckley’s Music, 2713 Robie Street 429-5588
Best Architect
One of the nifty little numbers he designed on Creighton Street is up for sale, it seems, so now’s your chance to buy a winner. In addition to nabbing Best Architect two years running, he’s also a Governor-General’s Award-winner. Runner-up: David Garrett
Best Coffee (Espresso-based)
As if the latté itself isn’t creamily tasty enough with just the right jolt of sanity-enhancing caffeine, that Paul guy at the Granville Street location will carefully and cheerfully pour the steamed milk in such a way as to make a lovely and delicate leaf appear at the very top. And that, Halifax, is what…
Best Place To Ice Skate
Just off Purcell’s Cove Road, there is an ice skater’s paradise. With lights to flood the pond and benches where you can sit and tie your skates in comfort, Frog Pond is a little bit of heaven. Runner-up: Dalhousie Memorial Arena 494-8833
Best Local Celebrity
Has there ever been a love as strong as the one Halifax feels for Rick Mercer? I think not. From his fast-paced, right-to-the-point streeters on 22 Minutes to the snake in the grass, talk-right-to-the-camera, conniving tv exec he plays on Made In Canada, Halifax has Mercer—or, rather, Mercer has Halifax. But wouldn’t it be great…
Best SuperCity Councillor
This former Coast cover boy called it quits last week, citing als as the reason for his departure. Uteck served as deputy mayor for close to a year and continues to coach the St. Mary’s Huskies football team. You would have made a great mayor, Larry. We’re all sad to see you go. Runner-up: Sheila…
Best Library
You don’t seem to mind that the main branch of the Halifax Regional Library is stretched to the limit. The staff is helpful, they’ll order in books they don’t have and they’ll will help you find all the answers. Runner-up: Alderney Gate
Best Newsstand / Magazine Store
This is the tiny little newstand that’s just the right size to house hundreds of magazines, newspapers, periodicals without overwhelming you—or breaking you. In an information age, this is an information-lover’s dream, and here in our rather chilly winter season, you know you want to curl up with a purchase from Atlantic News. 5560 Morris…
Best Artist
Alex Lively: Fascinated by technology, Lively is a self-taught artist whose works are extremely high-tech. He works with multiple sheets of glass, painting triangles, circles and squares only in primary colours. Lively’s work, when finished, is framed by chrome and looks like it is suspended in mid-air when hung. Marilyn McAvoy: Influenced by early Dutch…
Best Open Mic
Deep down under Spring Garden Road lurks an open mic you call the best in the city. Whether you’re interesting in scoping out new talent, or having your talent scoped out, Tickle Trunk is the place to do it. 5680 Spring Garden Road, 429-2582 Runner-up: Café Mokka 1588 Granville Street, 492-4036
Best Place To Skateboard
Even at 3am, you’re compelled to return to the bowl; to fly across that wave of cement and feel the adrenaline rush through your blood as you swerve and hope for the best. Whether you crash or not is irrelevant, this risk is worth it. Runner-up: Crash Café It used to be on Quinpool Road,…
Best Local Website
Oh cruel fate, why do you mock us? The very day we tabulated your votes that made 22online your favourite local website, Salter New Media pulled the plug on the satirical daily news site, sending its seven staffers packing without much more than a how-do-you-do, have your desk cleared out by noon tomorrow. Ah, the…
Best Video Rental Store
Even though my roomie is banned from Video Difference for life, she still likes their movie renting style. Movies galore. Super polite staff. Just a few reasons Video Difference is the best. 6086 Quinpool Road, 425-3029; 1239 Bedford Hwy, 835-0485 Runner-up: Blockbuster Pick up a flick at one of their many locations.
Best Laundromat
Let Bluenose do your laundry for you—they fold your underwear, you know—or use one of their 30 machines and do it yourself. Bluenose also has heavy duty washers so that you can finally clean that stinky blanket you’ve been hiding in the closet. 2198 Windsor Street, 422-7098 Runner-up: The Missing Sock Laundry Company 5576 Fenwick…
Best Desserts
La Cave eats up its fourth-out-of-five best dessert win. We don’t need to tell you why the Blowers Street eatery has the best dessert. Obviously, you already know. 5244 Blowers Street, 429-3551 Runner-up: Il Mercato Ristorante 5475 Spring Garden Road, 422-2866
Best Dim Sum
Is there anything better than dim sum? All those dear little bits of deliciousness swaddled in scrumptious dumpling dough and lovingly steamed are perfectly capable of curing whatever ails you. Hangover? Broken heart? Bored of pitas and pizza? Dim sum, friend. Oh, and get it at The Great Wall. 1649 Bedford Row, 423-2587 Runner-up: China…
Best Grilled Cheese
Home is where the heart, and the best grilled cheese, is. You like to butter your own bread, use your own special cheese and grill it up to your own unique taste. No one does it quite like you. Or, really, nobody does it quite like me. If I opened a grilled cheese-only restaurant, you’d…
Best Sushi Restaurant
Dharma rolls up to its fourth Best Of win. Sushi is, of course, the perfect food, what with its succulent scraps of fresh fish surrounded by tender rice and strands of seaweed. What? That doesn’t sound good to you? Well, that’s why they invented cucumber rolls and California rolls—so even the unadventurous can love sushi…
Best Meteorologist
atv’s Peter Coade is the meteorologist you trust when it comes to predicting the weather. When he says it’s going to rain, you take an umbrella. If he calls for snow, you don your winter boots. And the day he predicts sunshine, you call in sick. Runner-up: Cindy Day
Best Waiter
Is it the way they hold their trays that impresses you? Perhaps you love the way they deal with pissy customers. You love the way Pearl and Stan sling your hash—here’s hoping you’re tipping generously for a job well done.
Best Massage Therapist
If you want the knots in your neck kneaded out, call Judith Arisz and set her magic fingers to work. After one hour in her care, you will never have felt better. Inglis Street, 423-1628 Runner-up: Stacey Opalka 455-4300
Best Band
It doesn’t matter what they do, you love these hometown heroes. When the band released its latest, Between The Bridges, at City Centre Atlantic in September, several hundred of you showed up to do that Slo-oan thing you do. And even though the band was performing in the afternoon, in Halifax’s weirdest mall, Sloan still…
Best Late-night Food
When you’re hungry late at night, you like your food fast and the portions HUGE. Potato skins, chicken burgers, poutine. You name they’ve got it. The Apple Barrel stuffs a Best Of prize into its pockets for the second time in a row. 1726 Grafton Street, 425-0500 Runner-up: La Cave 5244 Blowers Street, 429-3551
Best Pool / Gym
It has an Olympic size pool, squash, badminton and volleyball courts and top notch cardio equipment. Granted, it is hotter than hell in the fieldhouse, but the Dalplex has so many amenities it easy to overlook the minor inconveniences. Just remember to drink a lot of water. 6260 South Street, 494-3372 Runner-up: ymca Lots of…
Best Movie Theatre
You know what it is? It’s the fact that you get to go there really, really late at night sometimes and check out a flick that a more mainstream theatre would rather burn than show. It’s the fact that you get to stand in a line-up outside, just like in the good ol’ days, and…
Best Acupuncturist
With a name like Stick, Kermit definitely picked the right career. And you feel the same way, for the second year in a row. When one Coaster suffered a sports-related blow to the head, Stick knew at a glance something was askance—more than that, he got right to work fixing said Coaster up. 2176 Windsor…
Best Sex-toy Shop
When you want answers to your sexual questions, Venus Envy’s book section can give you what you need. In fact, they’ve been the best at giving it to you for the past two years. 1598 Barrington Street, 422-0004 Runner-up: Sister Sarah’s Adult Store 6054 Quinpool Road, 423-0827
Best Diner
Order up! At this ‘50s style diner, the waitresses wear nurses uniforms, which is somehow fitting, as they dispense sweet, life-giving diner food and milkshakes that eat like a meal, all in a warm atmosphere peopled with laid-back folks. 6499 Quinpool Road, 423-7523 Runner-up: Athens Restaurant 6303 Quinpool Road, 422-1595
Best Photographer
Obviously one of Ingram Barss’s awesome photos shown at Mokka last year made its way into your mind for good. Since then you’ve been watching the walls for more, knowing that we’ve only just begun to see the best of this powerful photographer. Runner-up: Catherine Stockhausen
Best Spa
Ethereal music and heavenly surroundings. Shortly after you’reseated in their shabby-chic waiting room, a staff member offers you a drink and whisks you away for an hour or more of pampering. Ahhhh! Pure bliss. Park Lane, 423-3888 Runner-up: Interlude 58 Ochterloney Drive, 469-2700
Best Neighbourhood
The South End feels safe. The streets are lined with trees and heritage homes dot the sidewalk. Plus, South Enders are close to everything. What more could you ask for in a neighbourhood? A little funk, perhaps, but then, you can always visit the runner-up. Runner-up: North End
Best Bank
Like Halifax radio, you are none too fond of banks. But since banks are the only place to stash your cash (other than under your mattress) you have to put it somewhere and Royal is your first choice. Billions of locations for winner and runner-up Runner-up: Scotiabank
Best Place To Buy Shoes
A few people wanted to see Toronto or Montréal walk away with this category but we decided to go with something closer to home since this is the Best of HALIFAX. Aldo fit the bill. Halifax Shopping Centre, MicMac Mall Runner-up: Tannery by dj 5472 Spring Garden Road 429-0565
Best DJ
He cannot be stopped. He has a handful of names to go by, famous friends in high places and a kick-ass recent recording with Jerry Granelli. He may have only come in second at the dj Olympics this year, but he comes first in your heart. Runner-up: Michel Deveau
Best Theatre Company
Neptune, purveyor of fine theatrical fare, swept this category. With its generally-solid mainstage offerings and frequently quirkier studio theatre series, Neptune helps out with that big city culture injection Halifax so deeply needs. Runner-up: Birdy Num Num
Best Swimming Hole
What could be better than night swimming in the middle of August when it’s so hot you can’t think, let alone sleep? Why, night swimming at William’s Lake, of course. Runner-up: Chocolate Lake
Best Parking Spot
The best things in life are free, including parking. Runner-up: you’re not telling
Best Comics Store
Now, don’t get fooled into thinking that just because Strange Adventures is a super store all it sells are the illustrated tales of superheroes. Ah, no. There’s much more to comics than guys in tights and capes. If you’ve never been you might want to get over there, faster than a speeding bullet, and see…
Best Retail Bookstore
You need a car to get there, and even though there are some great, locally owned bookstores downtown, when it comes to buying books, you’ve decided big is best. Bayer’s Lake Power Centre, MicMac Mall Runner-up: Entitlement 5675 Spring Garden Road, 420-0565
Best Festival
It must be all the lights, camera and action surrounding this September festival. Yep, it’s low-key as film festivals go, but for Halifax, it’s a glamourama. And you dig that, you really, really dig that. Runner-up: Busker’s Festival
Best Patio
It’s Halifax’s quintessential rooftop patio. Its downtown location puts it within convenient stumbling distance of, uh, downtown. Pubby pub food, cold, refreshing beer, lots of shade—you picked the Moustache as the perfect place to grab a drink, catch some rays and people-watch to your heart’s content. 5686 Spring Garden Road, 423-6766 Runner-up: Economy Shoe Shop…
Best Tennis Court
When my pal recently rediscovered his love of tennis, he took that love to the courts at the Commons. He took it there often, at all hours of the day. Apparently, you do the same. Runner-up: Waegwoltic Club 6549 Coburg Road, 429-2822
Best Place To Feel Like You’re Not In Halifax
There are trees and dogs and scavenging squirrels, not to mention fantastic military ruins and exciting Shakespeare productions! Venture off the gravel covered paths, into the forest and suddenly you’re not in Halifax anymore. Runner-up: Dartmouth
Best Breakfast
Get there before 11am and this award winning breakfast sets you back a mere $2.99. After 11, it only costs $3.99 and for this you get two eggs, choice of meat, hashbrowns, toast and coffee. No wonder you voted the Med to be THE place to be for breakfast. 1571 Barrington Street, 423-4403 Runner-up: Ardmore…
Best Retail Clothing Store
One summer, there was a dress I loved a lot at Biscuit—but I had to save up to buy it. So while I socked away cash, I’d stop in about once a week, just to visit with the fabulous frock. The staff was always very understanding, and every week, I saw something else I felt…
Best Falafel
The extra ingredient is love, y’all. And the pickled cabbage and famously, Lebanesely spiced falafel balls, of course. Ray’s had this category all wrapped up for as long as there’s been a best falafel category. Scotia Square Mall, 492-0233 Runner-up: Mediterraneo 1571 Barrington Street, 423-4403
Best Pita Sandwich
When it comes to stuffing stuff in pitas, the Pita Boys are still the best, according to you. Sure, the pita war may have mellowed out, but Pita Boys are still purveyors of some fine rolled sandwiches. 1701 Barrington Street, 429-7482; 6249 Quinpool Road, 429-8666 Runner-up: Mikey’s Wraps and Juice Smoothies 5680 Spring Garden Road,…
Best Vegetarian Burger
You’ll be wiping the drool from your chin when you get a whiff of this scrumptious culinary delight. They don’t call it the Cashew Divinity Burger for nothing, you know. It may even be better than the real thing. 1463 Brenton Street, 429-3499 Runner-up: Harvey’s Countless Metro locations to serve you.
Best Place To Have A “Talk” With Someone
Looks like Point Pleasant is good for everything. Take your dog for a walk when you need to get away from it all and, while you’re at it, bring along the someone that’s no longer so special and have that talk you’ve been meaning to have. Runners-up: Public Gardens, Waterfront
Best Cop
Joe Fougere must be doing something right. People have trouble looking past a uniform to see the person underneath, but Fougere managed to get through. And you like him for it. Runner-up: Barb Eye
Best Retail Furniture Store
You will shell out for the trend-setting furniture and funky odds and bobs at Attica and when you step back and see how cool the turtle drawer-pulls look on your bedside tables, it makes it all worthwhile. Besides Attica isn’t a mere furniture store—it also offers local artisans a place to hawk their wares. Maybe…
Best Fish & Chips
Joe’s is new to the Halifax food scene but it’s made quite an impression on you since opening. The golden-hued, lightly battered fish and tasty fries are out of this world. And Joe’s takes the humble cole slaw to a new level with the addition of peppercorns. 1520 Queen Street, 423-8435 Runner-up: John’s Lunch 352…
Best Writer
Halifax’s most prolific writer—he’s produced fiction, non-fiction, poetry and books for kids—is also a noted surfer. In fact, Choyce leads a band called the Surf Poets, which is the perfect marriage of his two loves. And you just love him for it, for the second year running. Runner-up: Stephen Kimber
Best Weekend Brunch
This small, cosy dining room seats 40 people and on weekend mornings every one of those chairs is taken. You may be able to find a cheaper brunch in this town but Libertine’s food is worth the extra expense. 1463 Brenton Street, 429-3499 Runner-up: Athens Restaurant 6303 Quinpool Road, 422-1595
Best Place That Won’t Let You Forget You’re in Halifax
The beautiful sailboats on the water. The people milling around you on the boardwalk. The used condoms floating in the harbour. Yep. There’s just no place like home. Runner-up: Citadel
Best Dentist
Apparently, not even the fact that Dr. Legallais has his office in MicMac Mall can deter you from loving him. Well, I guess once you get past the fact that he’s a dentist, anything’s possible, huh? He’ll happily fill your cavities, scrape your plaque and fill your mouth with cotton—and when the freezing wears off,…
Best Second-Hand Bookstore
You’re more than willing to go where many other book lovers have gone before—beyond the stacks of volumes up front by the counter, beyond the shelves of books by title, subjects, writers, beyond the winding staircase at the back and the crammed attic—you’re willing to look, and look hard at jwd, knowing you’re excavating the…
Best Art Gallery
What started as a small public collection existing in the bowels of nscad in 1988 has grown into a huge cultural collection situated in the heart of downtown. Plus, it has a nifty little café inside. 1723 Hollis Street, 424-7542 Runner-up: Anna Leonowens 1891 Granville Street, 494-8223
Best Pizza Pie
This is definitely the Best Of’s most hotly-contested category, with the decision always teetering between Salvatore’s and Tomasino’s. But for the second year in a row, you’ve decided Tomasino’s is the upper crust of Halifax’s pizza throwers. Will Salvatore’s rise again? Tune in next year. 5173 South Street, 425-7111 Runner-up: Salvatore’s Pizzaiolo Trattoria 5541 Young…
Best Activist
Lawyer Anne Derrick—your choice for Best Activist—is protected by the best office bureaucracy, it seems. We called the office to let Derrick know about her most-recent, least-publicized victory, but the secretary said she’d have to check with the office manager before she could release any info about Derrick. Ah well. The activist-lawyer has left her…
Best Place To Walk Your Dog
No other venue even came close to getting as many votes as Point Pleasant as THE place to walk your pooch. Even those of you who don’t have a dog said it would be the place to be if you did have one. Runner-up: Commons
Best Burger
Bacon double cheeseburgers, Whoppers, Junior Whoppers and the Big King (wonder where they got that idea). You don’t care what they call it, you just like the way they cook ‘em. Edging out last year’s winner, Burger King takes best burger honours for the first time. Numerous locations in Metro to choose from. Runner-up Libertine…
Best Second-Hand Clothing Store
You know the best place in town to shop with less than 10 bucks. If you’re in the mood to mix and match, a trip to Value Village is never in vain. Whether you have money or not, and no matter how close it is to Halloween, you keep going back to this second-hand treasury…
Best Indie Filmmaker
Though he’s not originally from Halifax, we’re happy to claim him as our own, and as the best. After sweeping the nation with The Hanging Garden a few years back, and following up this year with Beefcake, Thom continues telling tales that fall somewhere between fiction and fact, and defying your former concept of the…
Best Basketball Court
ok, so the air quality may suck a little bit but when you go to the Dalplex to play bball, who cares. There is almost always a court available and with the unique floorplan of the Dalplex, staff can arrange and rearrange the layout to accommodate any special requests. 6260 South Street, 494-3372 Runner-up: Commons
Best Aesthetician
Drop into the Vitality Day Spa and let Cara Yhard make you look as beautiful on the outside as you feel on the inside. Everyone deserves to be pampered every once in a while. Spring Garden Place, 422-4475 Runner-up: Deanna Beals, Skin Deep 1518 Dresden Row, 492-2817
Best Public Space
I’ve always thought the Public Gardens would be the perfect place for a picnic. Unfortunately you aren’t allowed on the grass. But there are other ways to enjoy the Gardens. Feed the ducks, soak up some rays or just sit on a bench and take in the sights and sounds. Hey, is that one-legged duck…
Best Cafe
You go there for your coffee and cake, or to check out a current copy of The Coast, or to find a seat down back and write your epic á là laptop. When you’re finished (your coffee or your novel, which ever ends first), you go get a refill and meander into a dark corner…
Best Second-Hand Furniture Store
What is it about second-hand stuff that makes it somehow more valuable to you than the brand new stuff? When you walk into Urban Cottage, you love everything, from the old wooden rocking chair to the funky blue-rimmed mirror, to the helpful staff. You know you have to purchase something each time you visit the…
Best Live Music Venue
It’s the Saturday night thing. You go to the Marquee because you know you’ll hear some funky band in a space big enough for you to dance, and dark enough for you to sing along. And it will all go on until the wee hours—just like you want it to. 2037 Gottingen Street, 429-3020 Runner-up:…
Best Pub Food
The Granite’s pub food is so good, it’s hard to believe it’s pub food. Add to that the cosy atmosphere, excellent service and Peculiar Ale, and brother, you’ve got a rock solid good time. If you’ve never been, give it a go and be sure to try the avocado dip. 1222 Barrington Street, 423-5660 Runner-up:…
Best Bulk Food
Bulk food is bulk food, right? Nope. At Bulk Barn you can find a wide array of goodies and at reasonable prices too. Pick up your loose food at one of Metro’s many locations. Runner-up: Great Ocean 6485 Quinpool Road, 425-7400
Best Bagel
This marks Great Canadian Bagel’s first year as number one in the annual readers’ poll. With gcb’s wide variety of flavours, its 13 for $4.25 Wednesdays—and what with Bagel Works closing its doors—you decided it was finally time to honour the Great one. Various Metro locations to serve you. Runner-up: Yenta’s Bagels 6541 Quinpool, 429-4849
Best Doctor
Elisabeth Gold’s patients are her biggest cheerleaders. Dr. Gold is knowledgeable and listens to what you have to say. An excellent doctor is hard to find. Dr. Gold’s patients are lucky to have found her. 5880 Spring Garden Road, 429-5338 Runner-up: Jean Jim 1333 South Park, 420-0033
Best Second-Hand Record Store
Let’s say you buy a cd—oh, like Ricky Martin, say—and the next day you begin to regret your impulsive purchase (that is to say, the cd sucks). Just take it—and your sorry self—to Urban and trade it in for something a little more, uh, classic than, say, Ricky Martin. That’s just an example, of course.…
Best Daily Newspaper
The handy tabloid format keeps your arm muscles from freaking out while you find out just what the hell happened last night, anyhow. Or maybe it’s the inclusion of both Ann Landers and Dear Abby. Or the scintillating wit of the Martello Tower. Or the high percentage of wacked out columnists. Whatever it is, you…
Best Bike Store
If you’re like me and have no affinity for things mechanical, the Bike People are happy to help you out. They’ll repair your bike, outfit you in all the latest gear and, if you’re lucky, help you out with the financing. 1471 Birmingham Street, 420-0777 Runner-up: Cyclesmith 6112 Quinpool Road, 425-1756
Best Columnist
It’s true, nobody does it better. When Dan Savage talks about sex—or anything, really—you listen. Maybe it’s his blunt approach to the “how’d that happen?” people, or maybe it’s his lack of sympathy for the clearly freakish “am I a freak?” folks. Maybe it’s the ribaldly hilarious way he writes about everything from golden showers…
Best Stand at the Farmer’s Market
For a gouda time, you head straight to That Dutch Guy. And then you hurry home, mouth watering all the way, dreaming of the extremely delicious grilled cheese you’ll whip up with some of That Dutch Guy’s creamy, sharp, cheesy goodness. Ah, if only Saturday came more than once a week. Runner-up: Steve-o-Reno’s
Best Chinese Restaurant
It’s hard to decide what to order from King Wah because absolutely everything on the menu is absolutely divine. From your basic chicken ball with that sweet and cleggy red sauce right on up to the real deal Chinese cuisine, a feed at King Wah is memorable indeed. 6430 Quinpool Road, 423-2587 Runner-up: The Great…
Best Veterinarian
It is fully staffed six days a week, with rates that are on par with other vets. But that’s not what’s so great about Woodbury. Whenever my Sparky starts acting weird—this does not include the middle of the night let-me-out-let-me-back-in shenanigans he’s pulling lately, mind you, though I wish it did—I haul him up to…
Best Local Film/TV Production
How could you not love this show? I would tune in just for the sheer pleasure of watching Americans demonstrate how truly ignorant they are about anything other than their own country—and most especially, about Canada. Runner-up: Street Cents
Best Restaurant (Established)
When you’re ready to put on the dog, you head to Halifax’s swankest room to do so. You don’t care if it takes half a paycheque, damn it. 1496 Lower Water Street, 423-0859 Runner-up: Il Mercato Ristorante 5475 Spring Garden Road, 422-2866
Best Columnist You Never Read
The master of gee-whiz, the king of doesn’t it make you mad when, the overlord of have you ever noticed this, have you ever noticed that has written himself a place in your heart—though not in your morning newspaper-reading routine. Duffy’s specialty seems to be the grab-bag column—a little of this, a little of that,…
Best Street
Whether you’re summer strolling to feed the ducks at the Public Gardens, putting in time on one of the many patios, grabbing some fries from Bud’s on your lunch hour, or hustling through the Christmas Eve crowds, Spring Garden has a charm all of its own—unless you’re a panhandler. But that’s another story. Runner-up: Argyle…
Best Cinnamon Roll
There is nothing better than starting, or finishing, your day with a cinnamon roll from Mary’s. Mary’s dominance in this category would explain the big ole line-ups for her wares at the market every Saturday. 1496 Lower Water Street, 423-2974 Runner-up: Certainly Cinnamon 1673 Barrington Street, 423-2466
