RESTAURANT
Bizou
There is something pretty special about a restaurant that can defeat not one, but two upscale French cuisineries (C&O and OXO) in a close race, only to have our unpaid intern stand up and declare, “That’s where I’m going for lunch!” Bizou is the bread-and-butter for restaurateurs Tim Burgess and Vincent Derquenne. The Downtown demi-diner is a place to hash out simple, affordable standby recipes with just enough nouveau influence to keep it interesting.
NEW RESTAURANT
Zocalo
A swinging nightlife (head bartender Ted Norris recently graced the “C-VILLE 20” list of influential locals), classy setting, generous portions and a central location spell out the right formula for success for the eight-month-old, Latin-inspired Zocalo—for the record, it’s pronounced Zo-ca–lo. The only problem is finding a table, which at least one voter suggested by writing in “No-va-co.”
BREAKFAST
The Tavern
A ballot-stuffing initiative for “KFC” couldn’t keep The Tavern, “where students, tourists, & townpeople” have been meeting together for the past half-century, from its rightful glory.
BRUNCH
Blue Bird Café
We were a little astonished last year when the Blue Bird received “Best Sunday Morning Eggs Benedict” laurels from our voters, though its Eggs Benito bore only a passing resemblance to the delicacy. Confusion cleared, the since-redecorated café is still easy like Sunday morning when choosing where to go for brunch.
LUNCH
Bodo’s Bagel Bakery
Though surprisingly few voters could decide, Bodo’s won in the end by a large margin. Now for an update on the opening of its highly anticipated Corner location: …Aw, forget it.
DESSERT
Arch’s Frozen Yogurt
Among many tantalizing choices for the best sweets-serving establishment, Arch’s has it. And for whoever wrote in “cheesecake”: We like it too.
LATE-NIGHT MENU
Littlejohn’s Delicatessen
Where else can you go to get your Wild Turkey sub at 4am? The 24-hour Corner mainstay offers basically its full menu all the time for those willing to wait in line.
BUFFET
Wood Grill Buffet
Its sneeze-guard is also unsurpassed.
BAKERY
Albemarle Baking Company
Main Street’s “ABC” takes the proverbial cake, narrowly edging out the cross-town competition at Chandler’s Bakery.
GOURMET TAKE-OUT
Hotcakes
When our voters go for gourmet take-out, they want somewhere that caters to their every need, from the stinkiest French cheese to the perfect Virginia wine. The tally included two shops in the Main Street Market, two grocery stores and one very nice gas station. But it was Barracks Road’s Hotcakes, with specialties like the Torta Rustica (smoked turkey, grilled summer squash, roasted red peppers, Gruyere and Parmesan cheeses in a puffed pastry) that won.
PLACE TO TAKE THE KIDS
C’ville Coffee
Inexplicably, many of you threw your support to the Virginia Discovery Museum (not a place to eat—though be sure to check out the “Outback and Down Under: G’day from Australia” exhibit through the summer). In the food industry, C’ville Coffee climbed over pizzerias and ice-cream palaces to the top, with one nod from a nursing mother going to Atomic Burrito.
CUP OF COFFEE
Mudhouse
Last year’s winner for “Best Barista” can now replace the plaque at its Downtown, central branch, with a shiny new one. Even though we counted all the votes for nearby rival “Higher Grounds,” “Kaffe Bistro” and “Café Cubano” as one, the House of Mud still had the lead in the end.
PATIO
Bang!
It’s not uncommon for pedestrians to see co-owner Tim Burgess shirtlessly pruning, landscaping and tending garden around the brick building on the corner of South Street and Second Street SW. Looks like all the extra care paid off as the Asian tapas haven trumped Downtown and Corner locales for the best place to drink and dine al fresco. The hot waitresses probably didn’t hurt either.
FRIENDLIEST SERVICE
Bizou and Rapture
While it’s best to stay clear of the paths of these wait staffs as they make their way from restaurant to patio carrying a tray full of drinks on a busy night, the two Mall eateries didn’t falter to receive the votes.
ASIAN
Thai ’99
You’ve gotta love a place that asks you if you want your food mild, medium, hot or “Native Thai.” Patronizing? Yes. Damn good? Oh yeah. Give us our Gang Som (sour curry with fish, shrimp and vegetables) and spice it up to a 50—we’re American, after all.
MEXICAN
Guadalajara
Though Amigos owner Rudy Padilla may have declared himself “el rey del taco,” our voters thought differently, leaving him trailing in second place to The Guad’s three locations on Market Street, Fontaine Avenue and Greenbrier Drive.
ITALIAN
Vivace
The secret is out. Tucked away on Ivy Road, Vivace’s off-the-beaten-path location makes for a primo romantic, candlelit dinner.
SEAFOOD
Blue Light Grill
If Blue Light backer Coran Capshaw ever felt like stirring things up, he might consider opening a Red Lobster franchise, which came in a solid third place (after Tiffany’s). For now, Blue Light remains one of the few local restaurants specializing in seafood that doesn’t look suspiciously like it was dredged from the Rivanna River.
BURGER
Riverside Lunch
For another year running, thumbs up go to the High Street grease pit known for putting its digitally imprinted seal of approval on every burger.
HOT DOG
Jak ’N Jil
Quite “frank”ly, we were disappointed by the lack of crude and funny responses on this one. Against its main competitor, Downtown cart vendor Mark Deaton, Jak ’N Jil’s foot-long dogs measured up.
WINGS
Wild Wing Café
While plenty of loyal supporters turned out for Barracks Road’s Buffalo Wild Wings, our readers decisively answered the burning question on everyone’s mind by declaring Main Street’s Wild Wing Café the best wings in town.
BBQ
Big Jim’s Bar-B-Que
Survey says: Bigger is better, as Big Jim’s easily smoked Jinx’s Pit’s Top and Wolfie’s.
PIZZA
Christian’s Pizza
No surprises here. In other news, Mellow Mushroom came in second.
SPORTS BAR
Buffalo Wild Wings
What wings? With multiple huge-screen, wall-mounted TVs and plenty of smaller ones to go around, B-Dubs is the place to guzzle beer while satisfying any and all of your playoff-watching needs.
BOTTLED BEER SELECTION
Court Square Tavern
Offering 130 bottled brews (plus or minus) from all over the world, the numbers stacked up in favor of the pub located across the street from the General District Court and frequented by municipal bigwigs.
DRAFT BEER SELECTION
Mellow Mushroom
Quality vs. quantity need not be an issue at the psychedelic pizzeria with 39 beers of all tastes and colors on tap. Local breweries South Street and Starr Hill came in second and third, respectively.
WINE LIST
C&O Restaurant
In fine dining, people don’t throw words like “sommelier” (meaning wine steward) around lightly. With specialist Elaine Futhey at the helm, ready to pull you a $35 bottle of South African Thelema Sauvignon Blanc or a $50 Napa Valley Swanson Merlot from the cellar, you can rest easy knowing that your wine will perfectly complement the French country fare in front of you.
MARTINI
Bang!
One of the simplest drinks to make is one of the simplest to botch, too. But Bang’s staff has the right formula and technique whether you like yours dry or dirty. The restaurant offers concoctions from a full martini list, in practically fishbowl-sized martini glasses…and did we mention the hot martini waitresses?
MARGARITA
Continental Divide
A selection of about 50 top-shelf tequilas and freshly squeezed lime juice are the not-so-secret ingredients for Continental’s margarita.
YOGA STUDIO
Studio 206
Bikram Yoga Charlottesville’s opening in January, practicing the popular, patented techniques of Los Angeles guru Bikram Choudhury, didn’t make Studio 206 sweat much. Last year’s winner for “Best place to realign your chakras,” the 5-year-old fitness center, which offers everything from meditation to martial arts, held its position again this year.
PLACE TO WORK OUT
Atlantic Coast Athletic Club
Some of us, working hard to perfect that bulging beer gut, can empathize with the person who chose local Anheuser-Busch wholesaler J.W. Sieg as the best place to get buffed. For those who actually enjoy sweating, lifting and healthy living, ACAC cleared the bar. UVA’s Aquatics and Fitness Center, which has the added benefit of being free for students of the school, came in second.
SPA
Oasis Day Spa And Body Shop
Facials, body wraps, massages—those are only the beginning at Oasis, your one-stop feel-good shop that also offers waxing, manicures and many fancy lines of skin-care products, just a block from the Mall.
SALON
Moxie
By a vote of almost 3 to 1, the Garrett Street business staged a successful coup against former winner Bristles. Will next year’s contest get nasty? Only your hairdresser knows for sure.
BARBER
Staples Barber Shop
We were only looking for the shop, though several of you put your actual barbers’ names. The shop name that came up the most was Staples Barber Shop, the 80-year-old establishment headed by Ken Staples in Barracks Road Shopping Center.
TATTOO AND PIERCING PARLOR
Acme Tattoo
Nearby shops like Mincer’s, Eljo’s and Dixie Divas all have nice gifts for the family—but a Thomas Jefferson tat from Acme is the perfect college memory for the diehard UVA fan in you.
JEWELER
Angelo
In a close race, Lee Angelo Marraccini’s Downtown business, offering custom designed rings, made the cut over Fashion Square’s Glassner Jewelers.
BOUTIQUE
Eloise
Mother-daughter team Cyd McClelland and Amy Kolbrener’s fancy wears in a renovated building on Water Street may be the nicest things you’ve ever bought out of an old garage.
PLACE TO BUY A MAN’S SUIT
The Young Men’s Shop
Once a Downtown tradition, The Young Men’s Shop, boasting one of the largest inventories in Virginia (with labels like Hart, Schaffner & Marx and Burberry) for males of all ages, since 1997 has occupied a spot in Seminole Square Shopping Center.
SHOE STORE
Scarpa
People seem to get a little crazy around the time of a Scarpa sale—with 60 brands of fancy footwear like the kicky, flower-inspired fashions of Kate Spade, Australian Ugg boots and luxurious Donald J Pliner sandals, who could blame them? Look for Scarpa to go up against itself in next year’s “Best of” contest, as the store opens a second store, Great State Of, also in the North Wing of Barracks Road.
VINTAGE CLOTHING
Bittersweet
If you’re looking for a corduroy jacket that might have been found on the set of the original “Starsky and Hutch” TV series or a pair of hip-hugger jeans that might have turned eyes at Studio 54, head to Bittersweet, where you’re guaranteed to find authentic vintage getups at a price any hipster can afford.
ATHLETIC OUTFITTER
Blue Ridge Mountain Sports
In a close four-way race with Downtown Athletic, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Ragged Mountain Running Shop, the rugged hiking-and-camping specialists Blue Ridge Mountain Sports emerged victorious.
LAUNDROMAT
Suds Unlimited
A good laundromat isn’t just somewhere to clean your dirty delicates—you might meet your future husband, as one voter claims to have done at the Maury Avenue Suds Unlimited.
DRY CLEANERS
Brown’s Dry Cleaners
C-VILLE’s crack team of ballot counters began to wane here, with what was unofficially declared “Worst Category Ever.” Voters, however, responded with more interest, giving the “Best Dry Cleaner” distinction to Brown’s, whose five locations keep the town spotless and starched.
HARDWARE STORE
Martin Hardware Co.
We were happy to see Preston Avenue’s Martin defeat chain superstore Lowe’s in the neck-to-neck race.
WINE STORE
Market Street Wineshop & Grocery
The atmosphere, expertise and selection offered by owner Robert Harllee at the flagship Market Street store and a second location in Shoppers World Court (near Whole Foods) triumphed over the corporate grocery-store goliath.
FLORIST
University Florist
When you need a dozen “I’m sorry” red roses, a wedding bouquet of freesias or some “Here’s to you” lisianthus, University has the colorful, aromatic solution. Three central locations and almost 70 years in the business make them a familiar name for local romantics.
HEALTH FOOD STORE
Whole Foods
Even though Whole Foods is a national chain, based in Austin, Texas, it still feels like it’s a locally based business. A lot of that has to do with its huge organic selection. The farm-raised fish, mountain-spring soda pop and free-range blueberries taste the same, but offer that guilt-free sense that you probably benefited the environment some way or another by your purchase.
GROCERY STORE
Whole Foods
Two words: sample central.
TOY STORE
Shenanigans
Toys apparently meant different things to different people, as scientific knick-knack store Copernicus and sex shop Ultimate Bliss each garnered votes. The real race, though, was between Toys R Us’ warehouse atmosphere and the more homespun Shenanigans, in the North Wing of Barracks Road. With educational toys like LEGOs, Corolle dolls, collectible Brio train sets and a large selection of books, Shenanigans gave the right good-parenting vibe to our voters.
CD STORE
Plan 9 Records
Evidently Plan 9 is what a record store should be: The Richmond-based company’s two local branches offer the best of a neighborhood shop—allowing you to sell used CDs and listen before you buy—as well as a diversity of choices to flip through.
FURNITURE STORE
Under the Roof
While the $100 gift certificate that goes to one lucky voter may only buy a Florence wall mirror or retro end table at the Main Street store, Under The Roof’s open showroom of modern styles can help her plan how to redecorate, for the next time she decides to go “Trading Spaces” on her bedroom.
ANTIQUE STORE
Circa
The Allied Street store, where “Naugahyde” and “Formica” aren’t dirty words, features a constantly changing, wall-to-wall array of antiques and more modern items.
BIKE SHOP
Performance Bicycle Shop
We’re a city that loves (and in some cases loves to hate) our bikers. The votes were divided among five specialty bike shops, with an additional outside-the-box vote going to Preston Avenue’s Vespa dealership. But it was Seminole Square’s branch of the Chapel Hill-based Performance that took the yellow jersey.
USED BOOKSTORE
Daedalus Bookshop
Let’s hope no Minotaurs are lurking at Sandy McAdams’ labyrinth of about 100,000 books in the three-floor shop on Fourth Street. If you don’t find a copy at Daedalus, it’s probably not worth reading.
GARDEN STORE/NURSERY
Ivy Nursery
Clare and George Carter’s seemingly endless greenhouse array of shrubberies, from orchids to orange trees, has been in business since 1975.
PLACE TO RENT MOVIES
Sneak Reviews
When you feel the urge to watch the 1984 made-for-TV version of Sam Shepard’s True West or Panos Karkanevatos’ 1999 shepherdy romance Homa ke nero, Sneak Reviews is the only place to turn, specializing in foreign, independent and documentary films.
PLACE TO BROWSE
Barnes & Noble Booksellers
Electronics mecca Best Buy, in its first year, had a notably small showing, with only one vote. Many threw their support to the Downtown Mall, or else to campy Downtown trinket shop Cha Chas. But it was last year’s winner, Barnes & Noble that you returned to again and again even when you weren’t looking to buy.
DOWNTOWN STORE
Cha Chas
The wire pink flamingo welcoming you into this Central Place shop pretty much says it all. Jewelry, shot glasses, librarian action figures and books about Getting in Touch with Your Inner Bitch are only a few of the assorted items at last year’s “Best place to buy birthday presents.”
BARRACKS ROAD STORE
Barnes & Noble Booksellers
Book-ended by two big grocery stores, Barnes & Noble manages to bind together the many boutiques at the center of Barracks Road. It’s impossible to resist stopping there during your weekend shopping spree, to thumb through the magazine rack or sit down for a latte.
CORNER STORE
Mincer’s UVA Imprinted Sportswear
Fledgling businesses might take a lesson from Mincer’s. Originally called Mincer’s Humidor, the tobacco shop established in 1948 eventually came to realize that the things shoppers wanted on the Corner are sweatshirts, bumper stickers and bootie shorts emblazoned with the UVA logo. Following a few ACC championships from UVA teams, the Mincer’s stop is now more essential to some visitors than anything the Rotunda has to offer.
29N STORE
Wal-Mart
Runners up included Pier 1 Imports, T J Maxx, Marshall’s and, with two votes, locally owned car stereo mega-store Crutchfield.
OUTDOOR VENDOR
City Market
A confession: We didn’t know what sort of responses to expect from this category. Even as outdoor vendors add immensely to the energy and appeal of the Downtown Mall, they do so under a veil of anonymity. The hot dog guy (Mark Deaton), the Reeject Bush guy (Mac Schrader), the “Tibetan dudes” and the Java Hut each received votes, but couldn’t beat the collective of outdoor vendors at the City Market, which takes over the Water Street Parking Lot every Saturday from April through October.
CAR WASH
Express Car Wash
For more than 20 years, Express has led the fight against dirty cars through tough times (the city’s 2002 drought) and good—well, sorta—during the pollen boom this past April.
CAR DEALER
Brown Automotive Group
Maybe it’s the jingle. You loved the service at the Pantops dealership, which locally sells Hondas, Saabs, Toyotas, Dodges, Chryslers, Mercedes and Subarus.
MECHANIC
Charlottesville Imported Parts and Cole’s Import Specialist
Trustworthy mechanics are notoriously hard to find. But, according to your votes, there are plenty of them in Charlottesville— though apparently not so many for American-made vehicles.
ART GALLERY
McGuffey Art Center
Though a letter-writing campaign in last spring’s City Council election criticized a lack of artistic support from City officials for the more than 40-member art center, McGuffey’s supporters came through, crowning it “Best Art Gallery,” followed by former McGuffey tenant Second Street Gallery in second place.
MOVIE HOUSE
Vinegar Hill Theatre
If Charlottesville residents are spending their 29N time at Wal-Mart, at least they’re making up for it by absorbing some culture at Vinegar Hill. The single-screen theater emphasizes small-release artsy cinema, but still manages to pull an impressive share of box-office heavy-hitters, most recently gaining the rights to screen Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11.
PLACE TO DANCE
R2
Country line-dancing, salsa, swing and Irish ceili are all regular options for those with hot feet. The floors you favored, though, were the ones at members-only, gay-friendly dance club Club 216 and the DJ-spinning scene at Rapture’s R2, which led the pack. A big Martha-and-The-Vandellas hurrah goes to whoever wrote: “the street.”
LIVE MUSIC VENUE
Starr Hill Music Hall
In spite of a noble showing from beleaguered folk-music institutions The Prism and the Gravity Lounge, Coran Capshaw’s Starr Hill swept away the competition.
FOLK MUSICIAN/BAND
Terri Allard Band
While we didn’t include best bluegrass on the ballot, we probably should have, as twangy pickers The Hackensaw Boys, The Hogwaller Ramblers and King Wilkie all scored high marks. Allard, who plays a select few shows locally each year, topped the list with her rootsy country-folk.
ROCK MUSICIAN/BAND
Monticello Road
Go ahead, keep looking, but you’re not gonna find You Know Who on here. Space was running low in our closet due to the unclaimed plaques from your reigning favorite musician, so we threw the race. Making their first appearance in the “Best of” winner’s circle, this year we welcome eclectic college-pop rockers Monticello Road. Rounding out the top five were Sierra, Small Town Workers, Travis Elliott and Vevlo Eel.
CLASSICAL MUSICIAN/BAND
Charlottesville Municipal Band
Though the town is brimming with accomplished classical musicians, and opportunities abound, courtesy of the Tuesday Evening Concert Series and Charlottesville Chamber Music Festival, to see world-renowned performers, this category received few responses. Not exactly within the genre, the Municipal Band’s free concerts nonetheless racked up points. As for the person who wrote: “Beatevean,” you can be expecting a visit soon from C-VILLE’s classical music reviewer, Martin Picker.
GOTH MUSICIAN/BAND
Bella Morte
The band that helped get the struggling Goth scene off the ground eight years ago and continues to nurture it, Bella Morte won soundly, followed by In Tenebris. Take special note of third-place runner This Means You, which has been doing more than making the eardrums bleed of local hard-rock fans recently.
JAZZ MUSICIAN/BAND
John D’earth
We expected a decisive win from Miller’s Thursday-night trumpeter and weren’t let down. Percussionist Robert Jospé, who shares the stage with D’earth in UVA’s jazz super group the Free Bridge Quintet, came in second.
WORLD BEAT MUSICIAN/ BAND
Darrell Rose
Does the man ever sleep? You can find Darrell Rose seemingly every night of the week lending his African drumming talents to a broad range of musicians. Rose’s frequent collaborator Corey Harris also made the top five, along with Rose’s former project the Afrikan DrumFest, Richmond salsa group Bio Ritmo and, in second place, Baaba Seth (who, sources say, may perform another reunion show two years from now).
DJ
Quarter Roy
C-VILLE’s Paul Fain recently reported on a dispute that occurred between “allegedly inept DJ” Quarter Roy (a.k.a. Patrick Jordan) and Rhode Island native DJ Dingus (Jeremy Kilmartin) at Atomic Burrito. Voters rallied in support of Jordan, who can be heard regularly at Atomic and at Belmont’s Mas, spinning classic ’80s music, among other things. DJ Stroud’s milkshake also brought the boys to the yard, earning him second place.
ARTIST
Robin Braun
C-VILLE happily doesn’t even have to mail an announcement to this year’s best artist—she’s on our staff. McGuffey member Robin Braun’s oil paintings take the top slot, with honorable mentions going to fellow McGuffey artists Ros Casey, Rose Csorba and Lee Alter, and Cilli Original Design Gallery’s Monty Montgomery.
AUTHOR
John Grisham
A project close to heart and home, Grisham’s baseball flick Mickey, finally made it into theaters earlier this year. Christmas with the Kranks, a film based on his comic holiday tale Skipping Christmas, is slated for release around Thanksgiving. And his most recent novel Bleachers relives the glory days of high school football. Could “Hollywood John” finally be breaking away from his highly successful legal thrillers? We’ll ask him when he comes to pick up his plaque.
THEATRICAL PERFORMANCE
Angels in America
Part I: Millennium Approaches
Washington D.C.’s Music Association has its “Wammies”—now we’re pleased to present our very own Charlottesville “Chascar” for Best Theatrical Performance to Live Arts’ production of Angels in America Part I. The prestigious award joins a growing list of honors for Tony Kushner’s play, including the Pulitzer Prize and 21 Emmy nominations for the recent HBO miniseries. Be sure to catch Live Arts’ Angels in America Part II: Perestroika in September.
KIDS ENTERTAINMENT
Virginia Discovery Museum
Unless the person who wrote “TV” was referring to the red-bummed baboons on The Discovery Channel, there isn’t anything on the tube nearly as cool, fun and educational as the (unaffiliated) Virginia Discovery Museum. The Downtown museum offers rotating exhibits and regular hands-on programs for kids to explore for a mere $4 admission. Runners-up included Water Street’s Old Michie Theatre, and Jen Hoffman and Peter Jones’ storytelling “Tell Us a Tale” programs.
UVA ATHLETE
Matt Schaub
After an amazing 2002 season, UVA quarterback Matt Schaub was named ACC Player of the Year and was widely touted as a Heisman Trophy contender, until a shoulder injury benched him early in 2003. Schaub nonetheless closed his Scott Stadium career last November with a gratifying win over Virginia Tech, and was a third-round draft pick by the Atlanta Falcons. The glimmer of hope he gave to the mediocre football program overshadowed even outstanding recent performances by UVA’s baseball and championship women’s lacrosse teams.
OUTDOOR RECREATION SITE
Walnut Creek
For only a nominal fee during the summer, the park, located off Route 29S, offers something for everyone: 15 miles of well- maintained hiking trails, a new 18-hole disc golf course, freshwater fishing and a sandy beachfront where you can scout for potential off-duty Bang! waitresses.
SWIMMING POOL
Fry’s Spring Beach Club
A social club dating back to the 1920s, Fry’s Spring recently renovated its facilities: a seven-lane, 50-meter lap pool and two smaller pools for the kiddies to play in. Runners-up included Washington Pool, off Preston Avenue, and ACAC.
OUTDOOR EVENT OR FESTIVAL
Fridays After 5
Aw shucks. The 17-year-old event boasts on its website to be “a perennial winnerof many local ‘Best of’ awards”—and we didn’t forget it this year. We’ll watch with interest what happens next year as the Downtown Amphitheater’s free concert series falls under the supervision of local real estate mogul and rock-star manager Coran Capshaw.
TOURIST DESTINATION
Monticello
Some of the more interesting responses included Downtown bar Miller’s and Staunton’s Blackfriars Playhouse. But the house that Jefferson built, from its lofty height, looks down on all the rest.
TV PERSONALITY
Norm Sprouse
For once, UVA political pundit Larry Sabato (who recently teamed with Montel Williams for Showtime’s upcoming “American Candidate” series) couldn’t forcast the election. The news team at NBC 29 stormed the ballot, led by weatherman Norm Sprouse. The channel currently enjoys a competitive edge as the only local network affiliate—not so for next year’s contest when CBS and ABC stations join the fray.
RADIO PERSONALITY
WWWV’s Big Greasy Breakfast
Hoowah! That’s what I’m talkin ’bout. The delightful banter of 3WV’s Rick Daniels and the surnameless Max “In the Morning” sizzles up your morning commute like a heaping pile of sausages for the ears.
PRINT JOURNALIST
Bob Gibson
We see how it is: Week after week of selflessly serving the reader, only to be slapped in the face by The Daily Progress’ 18-year veteran reporter Bob Gibson (who, incidentally, made the “C-VILLE 20” list earlier this year). Of 109 votes cast, Gibson received 18, followed by our very own John Borgmeyer (12), DP columnist Bryan McKenzie (11), sports writer Jerry Ratcliffe (7) and several writers tying for fifth. The DP also led the overall tally with 56 votes to C-VILLE’s 33.
PUBLIC SERVANT
Maurice Cox
Slighted again! Most voters thought of Charlottesville’s City Council and police department come polling time, with our dutiful paper receiving only a single vote. The winner, former mayor and UVA professor Maurice Cox, might agree, however, with the two votes cast for some of the hardest-working folks in the community: the UVA janitors.
PHILANTHROPIST
Dave Matthews Band
What? You’ve heard of them before? DMB’s gifts to the Charlottesville area through the Bama Works Foundation amount to more than $2 million since 1998. Their most recent round of grants in June included $10,000 to Children, Youth & Family Services for its Play Partners pre-literacy program, and $5,000 each to United Way and the Community Mediation Center of Charlottesville.
PHYSICIAN
Dr. Gregory Gelburd
Dr. Gregory Gelburd of Downtown Family Health Care isn’t like the UVA Hospital hotshots constantly making national Top 100 lists. But a great bedside manner no doubt led voters to choose the osteopathic physician from a broad and diverse pool of doctors. Gelburd spent time in Ohio and New Jersey before making his way to Charlottesville 15 years ago. On his approach to medicine, Gelburd says he’s always ready to try a new approach when something isn’t working: “I don’t take ‘no’ for an answer.”
TEACHER
Tricia Lopez
Lopez, 25, a graduate of West Virginia’s Fairmont State College, was as surprised as we were that she received the “Best Teacher” nod, after only two years of teaching in the Albemarle school system. A language arts and science teacher for regular and special education students at Sutherland Middle School, Lopez has enthusiasm, dedication and discipline, however, which more than compensate for her pedagogical freshness. “She’s continually striving to improve who she is as a teacher,” says Sutherland principal Kathryn Baylor.
ACTIVIST
Stratton Salidis
The utter profusion of change-minded individuals in such a city as Charlottesville, teeming with noble causes and more than a few that are farther afield, made voting for Charlottesville’s best activist a daunting task apparently. With so many to choose from, it was Salidis, a teacher and musician in his spare time, whose outspoken opposition to the Meadowcreek Parkway paved the way to “Best of” victory.
POLITICIAN
Maurice Cox and Al Weed
Out with the old, in with the new? That appears to be the theme in voters’ toasting the two Democrats, former mayor Maurice Cox and Congressional candidate Al Weed. However, we remain mildly skeptical about Weed’s chance of dethroning good ol’ boy incumbent Virgil Goode in November, just as we do that Cox really bowed out of city affairs at the end of his term in June.
BIG SHOT
Coran Capshaw
So maybe, contrary to an April 27 caricature illustration on C-VILLE’s cover, the Dave Matthews Band manager doesn’t really drive around town with a license plate that reads “It’s All Me.” The man still has plenty of moolah and isn’t afraid to show it. Since Capshaw confirmed with the paper in April his almost $50 million in local property interests, he’s gone on to reveal himself as the financial muscle behind a planned redesign of the Downtown Amphitheater, wrangle with the City on the commercial development of a property off Fifth Street, and break ground for the mixed-use renovation project in the former Ivy Industries complex. Cha-ching, cha-ching, cha-CHING.
LOCAL HERO
Dave Matthews Band
Being a local hero can mean many things: someone whom we all admire, who leads by example, turns good fortune back to the community, makes the best of a bad situation or who routinely rescues puppies from burning buildings. Officially, it was Dave Matthews Band who won. (Voters may have taken a cue from the band’s recent “C-VILLE 20” write-up, in which they were referred to as none other than “The Local Heroes” for their Bama Works philanthropy.) Coming in second place was civic activist Tom Powell, whose good deeds include helping save the Fourth of July fireworks display and founding the annual Kids Lift holiday toy drive.
POWER COUPLE
Todd Toms and Mike Herzog
The owners of Garrett Street’s Moxie (voted Best Hair Salon), Toms and Herzog certainly succeeded in getting out the vote. Other dynamic duos included Tim and Susie Burgess, declared by USA Today in September to be “the most energetic couple in America,” political players John Conover and Virginia Daugherty, high rollers Patricia Kluge and Bill Moses, and Bert and Ernie.
VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION
Computers4Kids
More than just a close race, the vote for this one was completely split between paper and online ballots. Among those who mailed in their responses, it was the Charlottesville-Albemarle Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals that ran the vote. But the online survey showed differently, giving the award to C4K, an organization dedicated to bringing technology and training to underprivileged local youth. Hmmm. We guess that means it must be working.
PLACE TO LIVE
Belmont
Last year’s “Best of” issue declared Belmont “the new neighborhood.” With the chic slightly worn, the old new neighborhood is once again old, but no less the neighborhood. In spite of skyrocketing real estate prices, it continues to be a local arts district, our equivalent of New York’s SoHo—though SoCSX doesn’t have quite the same ring for the area bordered to the north by the railroad tracks, Morse Creek to the east and south, and Sixth Street to the west.
DEVELOPER
Gabe Silverman
Wherever there is a part of Charlottesville with untapped potential, Gabe Silverman is there to give it a new face. With his business partner Allan Cadgene, the developer has proven his commitment to adaptive reuse—renovating existing structures rather than razing them—on properties like Market Street’s Michie Building, Main Street’s Union Station and several locations on the Downtown Mall. The looming question is how he and his fellow developers will tackle the 300,000-plus square-foot Frank Ix Building, a currently gutted structure off Monticello Avenue that promises to play a major role in revitalizing the area south of Downtown.