Ace Best of Lexington 2002 9.26.2002

-Dennis Miller

 

Welcome to the sixth annual REAL Best of Lexington.

We added the “Real” in the first year, because everybody had a Best of Lexington poll of some sort: tv, radio, and so on.

Then they tapered off.

Then they came back.

Now you see billboards all over town proclaiming “Kentucky’s best” or “Louisville’s best” Seems like everything from newsletters to webzines to shoppers and ad-rags have gotten in on the act.

To that, we respond with one word (two, if you pronounce them correctly): WHAT. Ever.

We’ve been at this for years now. We can spot a stuffer a mile away. We know when a dog is doing the voting at your house. We know your kids’ names and we ruthlessly disqualified them. (Read the rules: you had to be 18 to vote. Just like in America. And you had to sign your name. Just like in America.)

You also had to fill out half the ballot. That meant you had to know, and care, a little bit about this town. You couldn’t just fill in the name of your buddy’s band and slide 14 ballots under our door.

If you did that we threw them in the trash. Hundreds of them.

In an unprecedented break with industry practice, we also outlawed online voting this year. You’d be amazed how many people have the time to invent 432 email addresses for themselves just in order to vote for their favorite book.

To vote, you also had to have a little bit of discretionary income and initiative: enough for an envelope and a stamp anyway.

Now. Do people campaign for votes (as one disgruntled eye surgeon wrote in to complain about last year, after he lost)? As far as we can tell: yes. Presumably because they care what Ace readers think.

We noticed many establishments promoting “pick up an issue and vote in Ace’s Best of Lex.”

Great. Voting is to be encouraged. Again, just like in America. We wanted a cross-section of the populace, and we got one. This year’s oldest voter (at least the oldest one to disclose her age) was 71. Every neighborhood in Lexington was represented in the voting (along with some outlying counties). Professions included students, doctors, lawyers, bankers, architects, hairdressers, plumbers, and everyone in between.

No votes were fixed or solicited to favor an advertiser, a cousin, a boyfriend, or anyone else. The process wasn’t mobbed up. And no one on the staff was allowed to vote. (No conspiracy theories to be found.) Ballots were tallied by interns and contract labor (who were kept sequestered in dark rooms, uninfluenced by the outside world. We turned the lights off and on every few hours like they do at poultry factories to increase their productivity).

Yes, you’ll meet some “regulars” on the following pages. You will find some shocking upsets as well. OK…maybe not shocking, but possibly unexpected.

Other polls will come and go, but we (and the interns, who still have the shakes from nicotine and caffeine withdrawal) have, as always, worked very hard to ensure that this poll is a true reflection of the Ace readers’ votes for the REAL Best of Lexington.

We hope you enjoy it. The voting commences again throughout August of next year. With the winners, again, announced the last issue in September.

See ya every Thursday, till then.

With utmost sincerity,

~Yer Pals at Ace Weekly

 

Arts and Entertainment

---

 

BEST CHOICE FOR NEW LACC DIRECTOR

Frank Walker

George Zack

Cory Weatherford

(Jim Clark has been named since the poll; the position is now titled President)

 

BEST ART GALLERY

Wingspan Gallery

Ann Tower Gallery LTD

UK’s Singletary Center Art Gallery

 

 

BEST VISUAL ART EXHIBIT IN LAST YEAR

Nude 2002

Headley Whitney’s Tibbs exhibit

(the late) Reverend Howard Finster at Cerlan

 

BEST PHOTOGRAPHER, ARTISTIC

James Archambeault

Mark Kidd

Greer Photography

 

BEST LOCAL VISUAL ARTIST

Robert Tharsing

Arturo Sandoral

Statistical tie: Bob Morgan/ Charles Jolly

 

BEST BOOK BY A KENTUCKIAN IN THE LAST YEAR

In the Presence of Fear by Wendell Berry

Clear Springs by Bobbie Ann Mason

No Heroes by Chris Offutt

 

BEST LOCAL THEATRE PRODUCTION IN LAST YEAR

Actor’s Guild’s Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change

The Three Musketeers – Shakespeare in the Park

 

BEST PLACE TO SHOOT POOL

Busters

Marikka’s

Yesterday’s

 

 

BEST NEW LOCAL CD

Club Dub’s Return Home

Birddog

Green Genes

 

BEST LOCAL BAND DUE FOR NATIONAL BREAKOUT

 

Barnhouse Effect

 

Voo Doo Symphony

Household Saints

 

 

Health, Beauty & Fitness

---

BEST HAIR SALON

Trademark Salon

J. Allen Studio

Statistical tie: Planet Salon/ Hair and Now

 

BEST MANICURE/PEDICURE

Hair & Now

Posh

Planet Salon

 

BEST WAX JOB

Mia Max-Jennie King

Posh

Super Hair & Nails

 

 

BEST SPA

Posh

Planet Salon

Hair and Now

(Fox Hollow disqualified. Not local.)

 

BEST PERSONAL TRAINER

Van Dinh at Gold’s Gym

Andrea at LAC

Jason at Jefferson Fitness Center

 

 

BEST YOGA INSTRUCTOR

Devon Querry

Wendy at Gold’s

Karen Lodes

 

BEST GYM

YMCA (Beaumont & Downtown receiving most votes)

LAC

Gold’s Gym

 

BEST MASSAGE (LEGAL PLEASE)

The Massage Center
(formerly known as Lexington Professional Massage)

Posh

New Day

 

BEST PERMANENT HAIR REMOVAL

Hair Today Gone Tomorrow

Dermatology Associates

Dr. Bark

 

BEST PLASTIC SURGEON

Dr. Vasconez

Dr. Martin Luftman

Two Brothers in a statistical tie:

Andrew M. Moore II, and

Michael Moore (but where’s Woody?)

 

BEST SHRINK

Woodland Group

Henry Cecil

John Joy L..C.S.W.

 

Eat & Drink

---

 

BEST NEW RESTAURANT

Roy’s East High Diner

TOMO RESTAURANT

Aladdin’s Mediterranean Cuisine 

 

BEST DATE RESTAURANT

Emmett’s

a la lucie

The Homestead Restaurant & Bar

 

BEST ETHNIC FARE

Alfalfa’s International Nights

Kashmir Indian Restaurant

Natasha’s Café

 

BEST HAPPY HOUR

Ramsey’s Diner

Cheapside Bar & Grill

Roy’s East High Diner

 

BEST CATERER

Kate Savage’s Bleu Ribbon Catering

South-Van Events

Tom Lundergan Catering, Concessions & Special Events

 

BEST BBQ

Billy’s BBQ

Tie: Corky’s/Tony Roma’s

Tally’s BBQ

 

BEST DIVE

Tolly-Ho

Meadowthorpe Café

And in third: a lot of fine-dining establishments that would probably sue for libel if named Best Dive. 

 

BEST RESTAURANT SERVICE

a la Lucie

Dudley’s Restaurant

Portofino

 

BEST VEGGIE-FRIENDLY RESTAURANT

Alfalfa Restaurant

Ramsey’s Diner

Oasis Deli & Bakery

 

BEST ROLE MODEL FOR A LEXINGTON RESTAURANT

Mulane’s (Cinci); Grillfish (Miami); Magnolia’s (Charleston, SC); Maisonette (Cinci); Zen Palate (NYC); Tristan (Charleston, SC)

 

 

BEST CUP OF COFFEE IN TOWN

Magee’s Bakery

Common Grounds

Starbucks

 

BEST KENTUCKY BOURBON

Maker’s Mark

Blanton’s

Labrot & Graham’s Woodford Reserve

 

BEST KENTUCKY BREWED BEER OR ALE

KY Ale

Limestone Ale

KY Queen

 

BEST PLACE TO SHOP FOR WINE

Liquor Barn

Thoroughbred Liquors

Shopper’s Village

 

Goods

---

BEST AUTO DEALER

Don Jacobs on Nicholasville

James Motors

Quantrell

 

BEST USED/NEIGHBORHOOD BOOKSTORE

Black Swan Books

Sqecial Media

The Thrifty Bookworm

 

BEST PLACE TO BUY/SELL USED MUSIC

CD Central

Pop’s Resale

Spy Records

 

BEST WOMEN’S CLOTHING

Bella Rose

Isle of You

Ann Taylor Loft 

 

BEST MEN’S CLOTHING

Logan’s

Howard Miller

Banana Republic

 

BEST ECLECTIC JEWELRY

The Black Market

Artique

Paisley Peacock

 

BEST FINE JEWELRY

Shelia’s Fine Jewelry

Corbett-Frame

David Hungerford

 

BEST NEW STORE

White Wash

Coach Leather

Ann Taylor Loft

 

 

BEST GIFT SHOP (funky/eclectic)

Third Street Stuff

Artique

Hemp Universe

 

BEST GIFT SHOP (fancy/schmancy)

Crystal on Vine

L.V. Harkness

Decoratifs

 

BEST STORE YOU WISH LEXINGTON HAD

Nordstrom’s; Pottery Barn; REI; Crate and Barrel; Brooks Brothers; Bloomingdale’s; Neiman Marcus; Saks; Ikea; Prada; Anthropologie.

 

Sex and the City

---

BEST ELIGIBLE BACHELOR IN LEX

Marvin Bartlett

Gatewood Galbraith

(Scott Padgett received MANY votes… and no longer lives in Lex.)

 

 

BEST BACHELORETTE IN LEX

Alexa Gromko

(no other serious contenders for the title)

 

 

BEST POWER COUPLE

Alan and Kathy Stein

Brian and Cathleen Collins

 

Mr. And Mrs. Tubby Smith

 

SEXIEST LOCAL BAND

Club Dub

Barnhouse Effect

(the defunct for now) Catawampus

 

SEXIEST LOCAL NEWS ANCHOR (male)

Marvin Bartlett WDKY

Scott Padgett (not an anchor, but at WLEX)

Sam Dick WKYT

 

SEXIEST LOCAL NEWS ANCHOR (female)

Jennifer Nime WKDY

Alexa Gromko WTVQ

Nancy Cox WLEX

 

SEXIEST RADIO PERSONALITY (male)

Sticky WCDA

Freak Daddy WKQQ

Jack Pattie WVLK

 

SEXIEST RADIO PERSONALITY (female)

Suzy Boe WXZZ

Jill at WXZZ

Andrea Sayre WBUL FM

 

SEXIEST ELECTED OFFICIAL

Bill Farmer

Kathy Stein

Ernesto Scorscone

 

Home & Garden

---

BEST ARCHITECTURAL FIRM

Pohl Rosa Pohl

Sarah Tate House Architect

Guyon Architects LTD

 

BEST INTERIOR DESIGNER

Hubbuch & Co.

Holly Hanna Interiors LLC

Ann Greely Interiors

 

 

BEST LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT/GARDEN DESIGNER

Hillenmeyer Landscape Services

Rett’s Landscaping

Henkel Denmark Inc.

BEST CONTEMPORARY/MODERN FURNISHINGS

Modern Details Inc.

Alteriors

Statistical tie: Bluegrass Bazaar;

Lexington Furniture 

 

 

BEST ANTIQUES

Greentree Antiques & TeaRoom

Heritage Antiques

Medusa

 

BEST PLUMBER

Tommy Taylor

Estes Plumbing

Gibson Brothers

 

BEST HOME INSPECTOR

Pruitt (landslide)

 

BEST GENERAL CONTRACTOR

Phase IV

A Coppler Const.

Tom Padgett 

 

BEST HONEST ROOFER

J.D. Harper

Odessa

Pickett Roofing

 

BEST REALTOR

Mary Cherrey at Prudential

Becky Reinhold at Reinhold Group

Janice Brock at Prudential 

 

BEST LUXURY APARTMENT COMMUNITY

Park Place

Grand Reserve

Park Plaza

 

Services & Professionals

---

 

BEST BANK

First Security Bank of Lexington

Bank of the Bluegrass & Trust Co.

Fifth Third Bank

 

BEST VETERINARIAN

Chevy Chase Small Animal Clinic

Remmele Animal Clinic

All Creatures Great & Small Animal Clinic

 

 

BEST LAW FIRM

Stoll Keenon & Park LLP

Stites & Harbison

Greenebaum, Doll & McDonald PLLC

 

BEST TATTOO ARTIST

Tattoo Charlie’s of KY INC

Skinfinity

Club Tattoo

 

BEST ISP

QX Networking Design

Netzero 

 

BEST FLORIST

E. Stephen Hein Florist & Party Productions

Best of Flowers

Originals By D’An Florist

 

BEST CPA

Dean Dorton & Ford PSC

Dulworth, Breeding and Karns CPAS

Potter & Company LLP CPAS

 

BEST BROKER

James Wombles at Merrill Lynch

Betsy Brooks Bulleit at Hilliard Lyons

Buzz Carmichael at Hilliard Lyons

 

BEST MECHANIC

Lowell’s Bluegrass Automotive

Quality Firs Auto Care

Motorsports of Lexington LTD

 

Local Color

---

BEST WRITE-IN CANDIDATE FOR MAYOR

Jim Gray

Chuck Ellinger Jr.

Jim Amato

Honorable Mention: Anita Madden 

 

 

BEST USE FOR LEXINGTON MALL CURRENT CARAPACE

An outlet mall

Drive-in movie

Luxury mall 

 

BEST USE FOR WOOLWORTH SKELETON

A year-round farmers’ market

Pottery Barn

Apartments

Honorable Mention: a “new Lynagh’s music club”

 

 

BEST THING TO HAPPEN TO DOWNTOWN THIS YEAR

Lexington Art Center

The Block Party/Jazz Alley

More music and nightlife downtown 

 

BEST POLITICIAN YOU LOVE-TO-HATE

Scott Crosbie

Pam Miller

Gatewood Galbraith 

 

BEST COUNCIL MEMBER

Jennifer Mossotti

Bill Farmer

Richard Moloney 

 

BEST STATE LEGISLATOR

Kathy Stein

Ernesto Scorsone

Ernie Fletcher (uh. His office might want to issue a press release about what it is he’s been elected to do-since he isn’t a state legislator.)

 

BEST IDEA YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH LFUCG

In no particular order:

restore old courthouse for museum/major touring shows; more infill downtown; better mass transit; encourage more residential and retail downtown with financial incentives; buy the water company; don’t buy the water company.

 

Media

---

 

BEST EVENING NEWSCAST

WLEX 18

WDKY Fox 56

WKYT 27

 

 

BEST NEWS HAIR

Jennifer Nime

Alexa Gromko

 

Marvin Bartlett

 

BEST LOCAL METEOROLOGIST

Brian Collins wkyt

Scott Padgett WLEX

T.G. Shuck WKYT

 

BEST LOCAL RADIO TALK SHOW

Tom & Dave

(Tom Leach and Dave Baker) WLAP

Sue Wylie WVLK

Jack Pattie WVLK

 

BEST (RADIO) DJ

Sticky WCDA

Suzy Boe WXZZ

Tie: Andy Mason, WRVG / Rob Franklin

(Hot Burrito, WRFL) 

 

BEST RADIO STATION

WRVG 89.9

WUKY 91.3

WXZZ Z103

 

BEST PUBLIC ACCESS SHOW

Electric Toilet Brush

Clam Chowder Hour

Gov tv, Channel 3 

 

BEST ACE COVER STORY IN LAST YEAR

Resurrection Controversy

(Risen, and Risen Redux. Easter season)

Goats and Galaxies

Statistical tie: Chris Offutt, No Heroes/ Bluegrass Bachelors

 

BEST TOPIC YOU WISH ACE WOULD COVER

In no particular order, a sampling includes (all are direct quotes):

Stevie Ray Vaughn; the West Nile coverup; serial killers; Scott Crosbie; Gatewood; political improprieties; Lexington’s economic and racial segregation; UK sports; local club scene; combat veterans in Lexington; the Ace mastiff; scuba diving; UK parking; high school sports; and so on..

We’re on it.

Meanwhile, to tide you over: the Ace mastiff is alternately played by Martha, the editor’s dog, and Martha’s stunt-double, Jake, who belongs to Bluegrass Bachelor alum, Dr. Chris Marek.