The last “Best of Ashland” was in January/February 2013, and since then we’ve had a presidential inauguration, a royal pregnancy (and birth), a new Pope, a leak within the National Security Agency (they should be bugged!), the Obamacare website imploding, Miley Cyrus twerking, and pure craziness in Syria and Iran. I almost feel as if I’m in a time warp.

Locally, we had the ACH-Asante merger (a good thing), the Plaza remodel (botched by the City if you listen to a lot of people), the City’s crackdown on vacation rentals (more of the Mommy State, in my opinion), the Road Diet experiment (half love it, half hate it, but that’s democracy), and the Normal Avenue Neighborhood Plan (the City wants to squeeze as many people as possible into that box).
This is the 24th running of the “Best of Ashland,” and it continues to grow in popularity, as we received over 400 responses this year. Yes, there were 144 categories, but we only asked that people answer the ones they were most knowledgeable about.

The comments ranged from “Wow, this takes some thinking; thanks!” and “Always fun; I look forward to it”; to a suggestion for a new category: “Local newspaper with ‘Best Of’ survey that has far too many categories to the point of it being absurd.”

Counting the submissions was painstaking but fun (a bottle of Old Granddad helped), and I did my best to ferret out the ballot-stuffing.

Some people have suggested that we make the balloting available online, but in my expert opinion, it would open the system up to voter fraud. Uncle Jimmy wants Aunt Sally to win “Favorite Mud Wrestler,” so he sends a link to the ballot to 343 of his relatives strewn across the U.S., and voila, ol’ Sal is the winner. I personally don’t mind counting the ballots, so for now, the system will remain in the Dark Ages.
Anyway, onward and upward … the 2014 “Best of Ashland,” our 24th annual Readers Survey.

DEMOGRAPHICS

We asked the question, “How many years have you lived in Ashland?” As expected, newer arrivals predominated.
1-5 years: 17%
6-10: 22%
11-15: 15%
16-20: 16%
21-25: 9.5%
26-30: 8.5%
31-40: 8%
41-66: 4%

MEDIA

FAVORITE RADIO STATION

The first AM radio station began transmitting on August 31, 1920, out of Detroit. Despite challenges from television and the Internet, we all still have our favorite radio stations. Whether driving to and from work, relaxing at the beach, or background entertainment while preparing that 7-course French dinner for friends, we want to hear the latest top songs, old classics, and scintillating news coverage.
Winning this category for the 23rd year in a row were our friends over at Jefferson Public Radio, where KSOR and KSMF rule the roost.

Other favorites included:

• KISS-FM (107.5).
• KMED-AM (talk/news).
• KBOY.
• KDOV.
• KCNA (The Drive).
• KCMX (Lite 102).
• KSJK-AM (Local).

FAVORITE DJ

The genetics of being a great deejay is well researched in biological literature. First, you need a strong voice (chromosome 5), a sense of humor (chromosomes 6 and 7), the desire to be listened to (#13) and, at the same time, the ability to shake off mistakes and move onto the next part of the schtick (the X chromosome). The action is fast and furious, and you have to be ready.
Broadcasting his way to the top this year was Don Matthews at KSOR (Jefferson Public Radio). Not only is he the host of the Classical Music programming, but he’s also a member of the Southern Oregon Repertory Singers, is a guest soloist with the Rogue Valley Chorale and the Siskiyou Singers, and has appeared in numerous theatrical productions.
The list also included:

• Gemineye at KISS-FM.
• Geoffrey Riley at JPR.
• Eric Teel at JPR.
• Maria Kelly at JPR.
• Bob & Tom Show on KBOY.

BEST LOCAL TV NEWS STATION

Want to hear about the latest mayhem on I-5? Or that 5-alarm fire in the wee hours of the morning? How about the latest machinations at City Hall? Or a heart-warming story about an adopted woman who found her birth mother in a jail in Zimbabwe after a ten-year search. Our local news stations work overtime to keep us informed about late-breaking news, and we all appreciate their efforts.
This category tightened up a little this year as perennial favorite NewsWatch 12 (KDRV) was given a good run for its money by KTVL (Channel 10), followed closely by KOBI/Channel 5. Public television, SOPT (Channel 8) also received a number of votes.

FAVORITE TV WEATHER PERSON

You gotta love a weather person who reports on the latest hurricane warning while standing next to a levee with 20-foot waves crashing behind him or her, with small cows and large Buicks flying through the air. That’s why most weather people you see reporting the news have huge scars—the result of too much debris hitting their faces … just kidding, by the way.
And when it comes to intrepid weather people ready to sacrifice life and limb to bring us the news, our readers most often turned to the team at KTVL—Kevin Lollis and Milt Radford.
Also mentioned a lot were:

• Jeff Heaton (KOBI).
• Megan Parry (KDRV).
• Liz McGiffin (KTVL).

FAVORITE REPORTER AT THE DAILY TIDINGS

Who knows what’s going on at the Daily Tidings/Mail Tribune. I subscribe to the print version of the Tidings (mainly because it’s one million times easier to read than the web page), and twice in the last year they have failed to report on major events relative to Ashland. When I called to complain, they said that the news had been reported online and in the Mail Tribune. Seriously? So local print subscribers are chopped liver?
Anyway, moving right along and trying to stay positive, our readers named John Darling as their favorite reporter this year. John is a freelancer who specializes in human interest stories.
The list also included:

• Vickie Aldous.
• Joe Zavala, sports.
• Mandy Valencia.
• Chris Honore.
• Greg Stiles.

BEST ADS IN THE SNEAK PREVIEW

Things have sure changed over the last 23 years. Instead of flipping through clip-art books, making copies, then using scissors and wax sticks to literally glue the images onto paper, the whole thing is done digitally on a computer screen. Life is infinitely easier, and the Sneak Preview looks a million times better. While we’d like to take credit for all the cool ads in the paper, most of them are done by graphic artists or even the clients themselves.
Quite a few of the ads were mentioned in this survey, starting with the creative writing of the diarist in the Breadboard ads. Each month a humorous diary entry is presented, combining topical events and restaurant news.
Also popular are:

• The ads from Friends of the Animal Shelter.
• Ads with restaurant coupons.
• Anderson Auto Body & Paint.
• Love Revolution.
• Real estate ads with listings.
• Brothers Restaurant.
• Bloomsbury’s holiday ads.

PEOPLE/BUSINESS

BEST NEW BUSINESS IN TOWN (LAST YEAR)

The free enterprise system doesn’t revolve around Wall Street and the stock market. Its bread and butter are creative and innovative individuals who are willing to take a chance and open their own businesses. And the system is alive and well in Ashland, as our readers named quite a few new businesses, including Caldera Brewery & Restaurant, located at 590 Clover Lane on the other side of Exit 14, which won this category for 2014.
Also mentioned a lot were:

• Sammich, at 424 Bridge Street.
• Manzanita, an offshoot of Flower Tyme, located at 90 N. Main.
• Bella Terra, a jewelry store at 60 E. Main.
• Salame, a restaurant on the Plaza.
• Revive Home Décor, an upscale consignment shop at 264 4th Street.
• Oberon’s, a restaurant on the Plaza.
• Spice & Tea Exchange at 88 N. Main.
• Hill Station, a gallery and gift store at 287 4th Street.

FAVORITE BUSINESSPERSON

Life at the top ain’t easy. You have to unlock the door every morning, turn on the A/C, make sure the till is adequately stocked, oversee “x” number of employees (all of whom have their own personal life stories and/or foibles, by the way), place orders, organize the store room, hold clients’ hands, etc., etc. The list is endless.
After all the votes were counted, our readers reserved their number one appreciation for Doug and Becky Neuman, who were featured on the front page of the Sneak Preview in December. Doug and Becky recently bought the Ashland Hills Inn, with the intention of turning it into a first-class convention center. When you add in the Ashland Springs Hotel, Lithia Springs Resort, and the Inn at the Commons in Medford, the Neumans have definitely made their mark on southern Oregon.
Others high on the list were:

• Pam Hammond at Paddington Station.
• Jared Rennie of Noble Coffee.
• Sheila Burns and Karen Chapman of Bloomsbury Books.
• Ken Silverman of Nimbus.
• Jim Mills of Caldera.
• Kathy Curtis of Thread Hysteria.
• Daniel Greenblatt of Greenleaf.

FAVORITE MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER

The last job I had before starting the Sneak Preview in 1986 was as a substitute teacher at Lincoln Savage Middle School outside Grants Pass. For the lesson plan, the teacher arranged for a movie to be shown, and I thought it would be something boring like a documentary on the “Mating Habits of Pine Martens” or something. Instead, it was my favorite movie of all time, Back to the Future, and I watched it five times that day.
Winning this category for 2014 was Diana Warner, who teaches drama and directs a couple of productions each year at the Middle School.
Other favorites included:

• Larry Hansen, 7/8 Math.
• Joann Pinder, 6th Math.
• Bob Julian, 7/8 Social Studies.
• Karl Pryor, 6th Language Arts.
• Dick Streng, 6th Language Arts.

FAVORITE SCHOOL SECRETARY

Yeah, the principal might sit at the Big Desk and make Important Decisions, but it’s the secretary who really runs the school. Our readers were able to name a few of them, including Meg Wright of Bellview Elementary.
Also receiving a fair amount of votes were:

• Sheila Holtey at the high school.
• Callie Mercer at the high school.

FAVORITE LOCAL SPORTS COACH

By all rights, the Quiz Bowl team should get as much coverage as sports, but that ain’t the world we live in. When the Super Bowl is the most watched program in the entire year, you know that football reigns supreme.
Once again, SOU football coach Craig Howard won this category, as he led the Raiders into the playoffs for the second year in a row, despite getting off to a slow start.
The list also included:

• Charlie Hall, AHS football.
• Abdi Guled, AHS boys soccer.
• Robin Akpan, AHS volleyball.
• Lynn Kennedy, SOU women’s basketball.
• Jeff Schlecht, AHS boys basketball.

FAVORITE INSTRUCTOR AT SOU

They’ve made the news recently because of budget cuts and a small dip in enrollment, but 2014 promises to be a good year for Southern Oregon University. Their new dorm complex is state-of-the-art, and the curriculum and teaching staff provide students with a quality education and a useful degree.
A number of SOU faculty were named by our readers, including this year’s number one, James Edmondson, at SOU’s Ashland Center for Theatre Studies.
Also featured were:

• Mary Russell-Miller, Psychology.
• Dennis Slattery, Business.
• Mike Rousell, Education.
• Alexander Tutunov, Music.
• Erik Sol, Physical Education.
• Paul French, Music.

FAVORITE DENTIST

I used to go into a panic attack when visiting the dentist, but with all the innovations that have been developed over the last twenty years, it’s like a walk in the park these days. I even received a complimentary hand-paraffin dip at the last dentist I visited.
Nineteen different dentists were mentioned by our readers, and in the end perennial favorites Gary McGraw and Dan Jackson came away as winners. Gary has won this in 1991, 1998 and 2010, while Dan has been named in 1992, 2008 and 2011.
The vote was very close, however, and the Top Ten featured:

• Brady Frank.
• Medhi Ghavam.
• Eugene Robbins.
• Edward Warr.
• Joe Cochran.
• Pete Schwarzer.
• Mike Henneman.
• James Benson.

FAVORITE DOCTOR

About a month ago my daughter and I got hooked on House reruns. The show always has one or two weird diseases that have to be diagnosed, and I almost feel as if I could hang my shingle somewhere and tell people, “no, you don’t have a muscle disorder; it’s merely a hole in your left ventricle that was not diagnosed.” Or something like that.
And when it comes to diagnosing and curing illnesses, our readers most often mentioned family practitioners John Delgado and Craig Mather.
Other favorites included:

• Richard Morris.
• Sylvia Chatroux.
• Jani Rollins.
• John Sager.
• Howard Morningstar.
• Karin Kuhl.
• Andrew Kuzmitz.

FAVORITE NATUROPATHIC DR./ACUPUNCTURIST

There will never be a House-type TV show centering around naturopathic doctors and acupuncturists because in most cases, afflictions can be explained by something very simple, like a lack of selenium in the diet.
And in that regard, our readers most often named naturopathic doctors Geoff Hougton (of Clear Creek Healing Arts) and Bonnie Nedrow (Healthcare for Women and Children).
Also mentioned a lot were: Linda Herrick, Gloria Schwartz, and Shandor Weiss.
On the acupuncture side of the ledger, it was a little more heated, as there are actually 28 acupuncturists in the Ashland area. The votes were spread out all over the place on this one, as it seems everyone has their favorite, so we’ll list the Top Ten in alphabetical order:

• Mark Abelle.
• Ken Bendat.
• Jenn Collins.
• Megan Doty.
• Kristi Heatherstone.
• Jody Herriott.
• Jason & Kara Miller of Jade Mountain Medicine.
• Lori Paiken.
• Molly Romero.
• Suzanne Sky.

FAVORITE OPTOMETRIST

Biologists believe that complex, image-forming eyes have evolved some 50-100 times over the last 600 millions years. A common ancestor in the vertebrates was probably some mollusk, with only the most basic photoreceptor cells. Then, well, evolution and/or God took over … your choice.
When it came to picking their favorite optometrist, our readers also had to make a tough choice. The top four were excruciatingly close, with Eric Dukes of Progressive Optometry, tying with Ken Ehlers of Optical Expressions.
But like I said, it was close at the top, as both Ken Harris (Ashland Optometric Clinic) and Ken Loftus (Ashland Eye Care) received a lot of votes.

FAVORITE PHYSICAL THERAPIST

The human body is chock full of hinges, pulleys and axles, each of which has to be in perfect harmony with the other. A lot of times, either because of accidents, injuries or general wear and tear, the system breaks down. And that’s where a physical therapist can set everything straight.
Taking down number one in this category for 2014 was Mike Siegl of Ashland Physical Therapy, followed by:

• Roger Bradshaw.
• Gavin Kleiman and Debbie Stamper of Kleiman & Stamper Physical Therapy.
• Timothy Palmesano of Jackson County Physical Therapy.
• James Yang.
• Rachael Resch of Synergy Physical Therapy.
• George Lescher of Jackson County Physical Therapy.

FAVORITE HAIR STYLIST

I always wondered who said, “It’s better to look good than to feel good,” so I looked it up. It was Fernando Lamas. Then I had to look him up. He was an Argentine actor who made it big in Hollywood playing “Latin lover” roles. And let me tell you … his hair looked good!
Where would Fernando go if he were in Ashland wanting to look good? Landing at the top according to our readers was Lezlie Green of Waterstone Spa. Lezlie was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, and began her hair design career thirty years ago as an apprentice in a London, Ontario, salon.
Others high on the list were:

• Julie Schmiess of Blue Giraffe.
• Mona Bernard of Hair City.
• Susan Zastoupil of Be Cherished.
• Edythe Westbrook.
• Stormy Dewitt at Plaza Salon.
• Sherrie Rockwell at Sunshine Salon.
• Linda Hood of Victoria’s Salon.
• Ann-Britt Malden of Renu.
• Drew McDermott at Salon Isabella.

BEST PLACE TO GET FACIALS/SKIN CARE TREATMENT

You’ve seen those before and after pictures, right? The lady on the left looks like she’d just walked across the Sahara Desert, fighting off snakes and pit bosses, then voilá, one visit to a beauty salon and a quick facial, and she suddenly looks like Michelle Pfeiffer at twenty.
Where to go for that perfect facial? Our readers most often picked the Blue Giraffe, followed by:

• Waterstone Spa.
• Pure Alchemy.
• Lilly Baty’s Facials at Sunshine Salon.
• Chloe.
• Recess.
• Serena Beach.
• Be Cherished.

FAVORITE MANICURIST

Last year we had the category, “Best Place to Get Manicures,” but this year we were looking for that one specific individual to give this a more personal touch. And in that regard our readers love the work done by Rachel Martin of the Blue Giraffe.
The list also included:

• Lee Pham at Recess.
• Ashley Blazer at Waterstone Spa.
• Kim Matthews at Sunshine Salon.
• Kelly Clary-Lamb of Abbinito.
• Tina Siegl at Be Cherished.

BEST LOCAL DAY SPA

Pamper, vt: To treat with extreme or excessive care and attention. Syn., see indulge.
That pretty much describes what happens at a day spa, and in that regard our readers most often named the Blue Giraffe as their favorite, followed by:

• Waterstone Spa.
• Chozu.
• Sunshine Salon.
• Plaza Salon & Spa.
• Chloe.
• Be Cherished.

FAVORITE AUTO REPAIR SHOP

Okay, this category got real confusing for the vote counters because there’s an Ashland Auto Repair and an Ashland Automotive, Inc. So when someone writes down, “Ashland Auto,” what do you do? If we counted their votes together, the winner was both Ashland Auto Repair, Greg Bailey’s shopat Lithia Way and Pioneer/Oak, and Zach Edwards’ Ashland Automotive, Inc., at 280 E. Hersey.
Individually, however, they were both edged out by Dan Dawson’s McClure’s Auto Repair at 1765 Siskiyou. Like I said, it got real confusing.
Others high on the list were:

• Siskiyou Import Auto Repair (1713 Siskiyou).
• Valley View Auto Repair at 460 Valley View Road.
• Butler Ford.
• Dan Wolff at 306 E. Hersey.
• Southern Oregon Automotive at the 76 Station at Exit 14.
• Henry’s Auto Repair in Talent.
• Miles Auto Repair in Talent.

BEST AUTO BODY SHOP

I bought my first-ever brand new car in 1985, and within three weeks some idiot at a grocery store left his or her shopping cart unattended, and it rolled down the hill, smashing into my car. It was a big bummer. I immediately called an auto body shop and had the dent removed and got a new coat of paint on the door … as good as new.
Where to go when something similar happens? Our readers most often picked Anderson’s Auto Body & Paint at 1383 Hwy 99 North, followed by:

• Star Body Works.
• South Valley Auto Body & Repair.
• N. Main Auto Body.
• Butler Ford.

FAVORITE ATTORNEY

All of the lawyer jokes go flying out the window after you’ve been sued and really need a lawyer. Then you’re ready to do bodily harm to anyone who even insinuates that your attorney isn’t the most wonderful person on earth. And when it comes to wonderful attorneys, our readers most often mentioned Gary Turner, who also won this category in 2008.
Others receiving lots of votes were:

• Allen Drescher.
• Jack Davis.
• Chris Hearn.
• Jeff McCollum.
• Joe Charter.
• Susan Bradley Krant.
• Bob Good.
• Alexis Packer.

FAVORITE POLICEPERSON

Making sure everything in a city of 22,000 people goes smooth as silk every day of the week is a little like herding cats. Something is always bound to go wrong, either through accidents, dumb decisions, or professional troublemakers. Our local police do their best to protect us from the unforeseen, and in that regard they have our undying gratitude.
Anyway, we appreciate everything they do, and this year our readers named Officer Malcus Williams as their favorite. Malcus has now won this category five times in the last ten years.
Also mentioned a lot were:

• Officer Bon Stewart.
• Officer Bobby Smith.
• Police Sergeant Hector Meletich.
• Officer Mike Vanderlip.
• Police Sergeant Art Le Cours.
• Police Chief Terry Holderness.

FAVORITE LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHER

The earliest known surviving photograph was taken in 1825, printed from a metal plate, which was exposed under an ordinary engraving and copied by photographic means. Now, 188 years later, digital photography and Instagram have made this process available to everyone at a fraction of the cost.
Yes, everyone can point and click, but it takes a professional to do it right. Our readers were able to name a few local photographers, and landing at the top was Bryon DeVore, followed by:

• Christopher Briscoe.
• Graham Lewis.
• Judith Pavlik.
• Pam Danielle.
• Sean Bagshaw.
• Jenny Graham at OSF.
• Mark Arinsberg.
• Ezra Marcos.

FAVORITE PERSONAL TRAINER

You just got a call from Hollywood and they want you for a part in the next Iron Man movie. It requires some killer abs, legs that won’t quit, and an upper body to die for. Then you wake up. It inspires you, though, to be as fit as possible. Who do you call? Our readers named several, starting with Tiazza Rose of Ashland Fitness Bootcamp.
Also receiving their share of votes were:

• Mike Sotos of Rogue Valley Fitness Center.
• Eric Acevedo of Snap Fitness.
• Judy Schaffer of Anytime Fitness.
• John Hacker at Hidden Springs.
• Andy Baxter of Baxter Fitness.
• Kit Crumb and Roz O’Riordan of Ashland Fitness Studio.

FAVORITE LOCAL RESTAURANT OWNER

This is a labor of love, but if you’re willing to put in the time and energy, it can be very rewarding. You definitely have to be a people-person, and you have to love food.
Our readers were able to name 26 different people in this survey, with the top nod going to Rob and Annie Harvey of Beasy’s on the Creek. Last year, Rob and Annie also bought the old Chateaulin, and if things go according to plan, they should be opening their new restaurant soon.
They were followed by:

• Neil Clooney of Smithfield’s.
• Crissy Barnett of Peerless.
• Alex Amarotico of Standing Stone.
• Tom and Lisa Beam of Sesame and Pasta Piatti.
• Marty Morlan of Martino’s/Macaroni’s.
• Pete and Kristal Foster of Breadboad.
• Billy Harto of Kobe and Thai Pepper.
• Bruce, Chris, Jen and James of Omar’s.

FAVORITE WAITPERSON

You don’t want to get between a waitperson with a tray of food and his or her table. The odds of being trampled are high; kind of like facing down a rhino on the Serengetti. They’re extremely focused and goal-oriented at that point in time. As soon as they land and unveil the “Mission Accomplished” banner, though, they revert back to the fun-loving people they are.
A total of 30 different waitpersons were singled out by our readers, reserving their number one accolades for Amy Wong, a long-time waitress at Martino’s.
The competition was fierce, though, and other favorites included:

• Monica Heiken at Martino’s.
• Jacqueline Vidalo-Singh at Loft.
• Pai Kim of Omar’s.
• Beth Crites at Wild Goose.
• Jim Bowen of Breadboard.
• Angie Mitchell at Beasy’s on the Creek.
• Chino Orozco at El Paraiso.

FAVORITE BARTENDER

An older man walks into a bar wearing a stovepipe hat, a waistcoat and a phony beard. The bartender asks, “Going to a party?” He says “Yeah, a costume party. I’m supposed to come dressed as my love life.” The bartender replies, “But you look like Abe Lincoln!” The man says, “That’s right. My last four scores were seven years ago.”
Sorry for the PG-13 joke. I think I’ve been at the computer too long. Maybe I need a drink!
Anyway, this category features a surprise winner—Dave Clark, who sadly passed away last year at a young age. His death hit this community hard, and the outpouring of support at his memorial service was inspiring to everyone. Rest in peace, Dave, and we’ll have a drink in your honor.
Also high on the list were:

• Chris Arthur of Omar’s.
• Lucy Blackinton at Liquid Assets.
• Paul Schmeling of Martino’s.
• Steve Owsley at Peerless.
• Tonie Stewart of Alex’s.
• Ted Raymond at Smithfield’s.
• Chris Selden at Creekside.
• Austin Loreman at Red Zone.

FAVORITE CHEF

The kitchen at any restaurant is a great example of controlled chaos. Orders come in, refrigerators are opened, oven temperatures are adjusted, and condiments, slabs of meat and vegetables are flying in every direction. Above it all, like a maestro at a symphony, stands the chef, and every night he deserves a standing ovation.
A number of local chefs were mentioned in this survey, with Neil Clooney of Smithfield’s taking down top honors.
Others receiving plenty of votes were:

• Billy Buscher of Alchemy Restaurant.
• Jeremy Vidalo-Singh of the Loft.
• Billy Harto of Kobe and Thai Pepper.
• Andrew Will of Tot.
• Chandra Corwin of Sammich.
• Maggie Trujillo of Caldera Restaurant.
• James Williams of Omar’s.

FAVORITE GARBAGEMAN

One of the most memorable summers of my life was back in 1966 when I worked as a garbageman in Yellowstone National Park. Now, every time I hear the garbage truck out front on Monday morning, I want to go out and lend a hand.
And in that regard, our readers most often named Eli Savides at Recology Ashland Sanitary, followed by:

• Terry Larson.
• Steve R.
• Dan B. at the Transfer Station.

BUILDER/CARPENTER

From home remodeling to new construction, the industry is back on the move. The Great Recession is now becoming just a vague memory in the minds of a lot of builders, one that we hope will not be repeated.
And when it comes to builders, contractors, and carpenters, our readers named twenty different ones, starting with Darrell Boldt Construction.
The list also included:

• Walt Stokes.
• Kevin Federline.
• Brad Roupp.
• Dale Shostrum.
• Steve Dewey.
• Pete McBennett.

FAVORITE PLUMBER

I went to a wedding last summer held in the backyard of the bride and groom’s house. A half-hour before the wedding, the plumbing in the house went out and all the sewage was backing up. A plumber was called, and we could all see him on the roof putting a long “snake” down one of the pipes. It took about 45 minutes, but he saved the day.
And where do our readers go when they need their day saved? Topping the list this year were both Gerald Fowler of Economy Plumbing; and Dominic Smith.
Other receiving lots of votes were:

• The life-savers at S.O.S. Plumbing.
• John Latham.
• Greg Sprague.
• John at Drain Pros.
• Bob Hopkins.
• Scott Fitch.

FAVORITE LANDSCAPER/YARD MAINTENANCE

You keep having this recurring nightmare. You’re sitting in your patio garden having a vodka martini, and long vines suddenly crawl across your body, tying you to the chair, while a Venus flytrap named Audrey chugs down your drink. You wake up and immediately call your yard maintenance people to help restore your yard to sanity.
And when it comes to that, our readers named both Dan Graham of Yard Pros, and Alan Miller of Miller Renaissance as their favorites, followed by:

• Seth Barnard of Solid Ground.
• George Clark.
• Stacey Paige of Green Time Landscape.
• Ken Laidlaw of Sage Hill.
• Zack Williams of Regenesis.
• Dirty Boots.
• John Stadelman.

FAVORITE JEWELER

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder but nothing can trick the eyes when it comes to fine jewelry. The $2 million 20-carat diamond ring that Kris Humphries bought for Kim Kardashian just looks a lot better than that knockoff from Wal-Mart. Where to go when you want some good advice from a jeweler? Our readers named quite a few, with their top nod going to Rich and Ron Hansen at Gold & Gems.
Also receiving lots of votes were:

• Chuck Troutman at Art Fx.
• Rex Thompson at Bella Terra Fine Jewelry.

CUTEST BABY BORN IN LAST YEAR

Okay, before anyone calls for a Congressional investigation, I will come right out and admit that this year’s winner, Hunter Marks, coincidentally happens to be my grandson. But you’ll have to admit he’s cute.
Anyway, the five other really really cute babies were: Isla Clooney, Miles Donovan, Opal Eden Tejada-Ingram, Brandon Wong and Alexia Marylu Hillegas.

FAVORITE STORE DOWNTOWN

It is used by small towns all across the Pacific Northwest as an example of how they want their downtowns to look. Of course, not many of them have the largest theater group in the United States in their midst, but who’s counting?
There are a lot of different stores in downtown Ashland, and our readers were able to name 27 of them as their favorites. This year they selected both Paddington Station, located at 125 E. Main; and Bloomsbury Books (290 E. Main) as their favorites, followed by:

• Papaya Living on the Plaza.
• Tudor Guild Gift Store (15 S. Pioneer).
• Earthly Goods, located at 142 E. Main.
• Renaissance Rose on the Plaza.
• Webster’s on the Plaza.
• Travel Essentials at 252 E. Main.
• Village Shoes (369 E. Main).
• The Paddington Jewel Box at 180 E. Main.
• Outdoor Store at 37 N. 3rd.
• Gold & Gems on the Plaza.

FAVORITE STORE OUTSIDE DOWNTOWN

What’s nice about Ashland is that even if you’re downtown, you’re only five or six minutes away from stores “outside the downtown” area. And in that regard, our readers once again chose Déjà Vu, a clothing consignment store in the Ashland Shopping Center, as their favorite, followed by:

• Rare Earth (340 A Street).
• Ashland Artisan Emporium in the Ashland Shopping Center.
• Bi-Mart.
• Goodwill Store on Tolman Creek Road.
• Ace Hardware (249 A Street).
• Spirit of Shakti, located at 471 A Street.
• J. Austin Coin & Jewelry, in the Ashland Shopping Center.
• Bombshell, a clothing consignment store at 340 A Street.
• Ashland Recycled Furniture at 258 A Street.
• Revive Home Décor, located at 264 4th Street.
• Nature’s Pet, across from Albertson’s.
• Get n Gear, an outdoor consignment store at the corner of 3rd and A.

CUTEST PET

We had four eligible contestants this year (repeats from last year were disallowed), and once again I lined all the pictures up and had my entire family vote on them. In the end, Rossi Gabrielson (dog) won in a close vote over Moll Tejada (cat); Lucy Alexander (“the love dog”); and Chewy Long (dog). Pictures of all contestants are printed here.

BEST PLACE TO BUY GIFTS FOR MOTHER’S DAY

I don’t know why the Vatican is spending so much energy trying to decide whether to confer sainthood on Pope John Paul II when everyone knows my mom deserved sainthood.
Where to go when I want to buy something special for St. Hazel? Most of our readers recommended Paddington Station and Ashland Artisan Emporium (located in the Ashland Shopping Center).
Also mentioned a lot were:

• Flower Tyme on the Plaza.
• Nimbus at 25 E. Main.
• Crown Jewel, now located at 266 E. Main.
• Papaya Living.
• Rare Earth.
• Bloomsbury Books.
• Tudor Guild Gift Store.

BEST PLACE TO BUY GIFTS FOR FATHER’S DAY

Most dads aren’t into frou-frou gifts, but get him that new weedeater or a dozen Titleist Pro V1’s, and he’ll just get ecstatic.
And in that regard, the majority of our readers named Ashland Ace Hardware and Bi-Mart as a good place to start, followed by:

• Northwest Nature Shop at 154 Oak Street.
• Outdoor Store.
• Mountain Supply on the Plaza.
• Summit+Fields Men’s Shop at 116 Lithia Way.
• The OLCC Liquor Store.

BEST PLACE TO BUY TOYS AND/OR CHILDREN’S CLOTHES

Children are amazing creatures. Every second of every day is a process of learning about the world they were brought into, and toys are a great facilitator in that education. And, of course, you need to make sure the little fellers have an ample supply of clothes. Where to go when you want to find toys and/or clothes for the kids? Most of our readers were impressed with the selection at both Bug a Boo (40 N. Main)and Small Change (on the Plaza).
Also mentioned were:

• Unicorn Gifts & Toys (242 E. Main).
• Tree House Books on the Plaza.
• Earth Friendly Kids (505 Siskiyou).
• Paddington Station.
• Rare Earth.

BEST PLACE TO BUY FURNITURE

The first time early humans found a cave, they immediately built some lounge chairs to sit around the fire and drink grog. The home entertainment center was a few years down the road.
Where would our friendly cavemen go to find furniture today? The overwhelming choice was Ashland Recycled Furniture, located at 258 A Street.
Also receiving a lot of votes was Revive Home Décor, followed by:

• Ashland Artisan Emporium.
• Goodwill store.
• Garage sales.
• Hospice Unique Boutique, at 1618 Ashland Street.

BEST PLACE TO BUY GIFTS FOR BACHELORETTE/BACHELOR PARTIES

Sure you can buy them placemats for the dining room or cooking gadgets for the kitchen, but most bachelorette gifts center around another room in the house. Where to go when you want to buy that perfect gift? The overwhelming choice was Love Revolution (111 E. Main, downstairs), which bills itself as “Ashland’s Sensuality Boutique.”
Also mentioned were:

• Paddington Station.
• Renaissance Rose.
• The $ Store.
• Rare Earth.

BEST PLACE TO BUY HOME DÉCOR ITEMS

A person’s home is his or her castle, and while those old knick knacks from the college dorm days, like the beer pong table and the Grateful Dead poster, may be wistful and nostalgic, it’s probably time to replace them with something else.
Anyway, where to go for some home decorating ideas? The top votegetter on this was Revive Home Décor, a vintage consignment shop that opened just last year at 264 4th Street, across from the Peerless.
Others receiving lots of votes were:

• Papaya Living.
• Ashland Recycle Furniture.
• Ashland Artisan Emporium.
• Paddington Station.
• Manzanita.
• Goodwill.

FAVORITE PHARMACY

Whether it’s prescription medications or over-the-counter drugs, pharmacies provide a valuable service for the community, and our readers appreciate their efforts. It was a close-fought battle, but in the end both Bi-Mart and Ashland Drug Store won our readers’ hearts.
They were followed closely by Rite-Aid, with Medicap Pharmacy in Talent also recording votes.

BEST SELECTION OF WOMEN’S CLOTHES

It’s been confirmed by the Human Genome Project that the shopping gene is located on the X chromosome. In a related study, it was found that the obsessing-over-the-playoffs gene is definitely located on the Y chromosome.
Where to go to shop for women’s clothes? There’s actually a lot of variety in Ashland, and our readers most often chose both Earthly Goods (142 E. Main) and Kixx (264 E. Main), as their favorites, followed closely by:

• Thread Hysteria.
• Patina Soul.
• 250 Main.
• Nimbus.
• Déjà Vu.
• Red’s Threads.
• Avant Garb.
• Frederica Lawrence.
• Renaissance Rose.
• Rare Earth.
• Heart & Hands.
• Paddington Station.
• Hemporium.

BEST SELECTION OF MEN’S CLOTHES

The shopping options for men are not as extensive, and I won’t even get into the socio-cultural reasons why. Just point me in the right direction when I need some new jeans.And in that regard, our readers once again named Nimbus as their favorite.

• Also receiving votes were:
• Outdoor Store.
• Mountain Supply.
• Rogue Valley Runners.
• Bi-Mart.

BEST PLACE TO BUY SWEATERS

They’re like big, fluffy shirts, and they’re meant for the winter months and also to do some stylin’. Where to go for the best selection? Our readers most often chose Kixx, followed by:

• Earthly Goods.
• Thread Hysteria.
• Patina Soul.
• Mountain Supply.
• Déjà Vu.
• 250 Main.

BEST PLACE TO BUY LINGERIE

Victoria’s Secret gave local shops a run for their money, but when this category was reduced to the bare essentials, Thread Hysteria, located on the Plaza, narrowly edged out Love Revolution, at 111 E. Main, downstairs.

BEST PLACE TO BUY SPORTING EQUIPMENT

We are located in an outdoor sports paradise, with numerous mountain lakes nearby, the Rogue River within spitting distance, the Coast just a mere two hours away, and hiking trails and campsites galore. Where to go to make sure you’re properly outfitted?
The number one choice was the Ashland Outdoor Store, located at 37 N. 3rd Street.
It was a tough battle at the top, though, as Ashland Mountain Supply on the Plaza came in a close second.
Also mentioned were:

• Bi-Mart.
• Get n Gear.
• Rogue Valley Runners in downtown Ashland.
• NW Outdoor Store in Medford.
• Sports Authority in Medford.

FRIENDLIEST FLORISTS

Working around flowers will make anyone happy, and in that regard our readers most often appreciate the friendly service from Enchanted Florist, Brandon and Leslie Kirkland’s floral shop. Unfortunately, they lost the lease at their storefront in December and are currently working out of their house. As soon as they find a place, you’ll be the first to hear it in the Sneak Preview.
It was actually a three-way battle for first, as both Flower Tyme on the Plaza and Eufloria, located at 449 E. Main received a ton of votes.
Also mentioned were:

• Albertson’s.
• Ashland Greenhouses.
• Safeway.

FRIENDLIEST BICYCLE SHOP

The German Baron Karl von Drais introduced the first human means of transport to use only two wheels in tandem in Mannheim in the summer of 1817. Today worldwide “they are the most frequently used method of transport for commuting to work, school, shopping, and life in general” (Wikipedia). That also translates into an enormous win-win for the environment.
Here in Ashland, biking is extremely popular and, in fact, we host the United Bicycle Institute, which teaches people how to build, repair and maintain bikes.
With regard to bike shops, the favorite with our readers was Ashland Cycle Sport, located at 191 Oak Street downtown. They were followed by:

• Siskiyou Cyclery (1729 Siskiyou).
• Ashland Electric Bikes at 302 E. Hersey, #7.
• Ashland Bicycle Works (1660 Siskiyou).
• Bear Creek Bicycle at 1988 Highway 99 N.
• Get n Gear at the corner of 3rd and A.
• Flywheel Bicycle Solutions in Talent.

BEST PLACE TO BUY PET FOOD AND/OR STUFF FOR YOUR PET

It’s almost 5:00pm, and both my dog (Brody) and cat (Mau Mau) are sitting here looking at me with woeful eyes. They know that the 5:00 bird from my Audubon bird-calling wall clock will soon chirp, which signals feeding time. That leaves me a few minutes to go out for a quick pet food run. Where to go? This one ended up in a tie between Nature’s Pet, located across from Albertson’s, and Grange Co-op on A Street in the Railroad District.
Also receiving lots of votes were:

• Ashland Pets in the Ashland Shopping Center.
• Bi-Mart.
• Shop N’ Kart.
• Rite Aid.
• Pet Smart in Medford.

FAVORITE GROCERY STORE

Most grocery stores are like mini social events, as you can almost always run into friends, neighbors and family. A quick stop for a few essentials can turn into an hour-long gossip session.
Where do our readers like to go to socialize and shop for food? The number one choice this year was Shop N’ Kart, located next to Bi-Mart.
The battle for number one was fierce, though, as Ashland Food Co-op, came in a close second. Market of Choice and Albertson’s also received a lot of votes, as did Safeway.

BEST PLACE TO BUY VITAMINS AND SUPPLEMENTS

I’m a big fan of everyone taking personal responsibility for his or her health. If we relied more on vitamins and supplements in this country instead of our insane addiction to prescription drugs, I’m convinced health care costs would drop dramatically, and we would all be a lot healthier.
Where to go to help you maintain optimal health? The runaway winner in this category was Shop N’ Kart, although Ashland Food Co-op was also mentioned a lot.
Others receiving votes were:

• Bi-Mart.
• All’s Well, located at 107 Oak Street.
• Heartsong, in the Market of Choice Shopping Center.

BEST PLACE TO BUY BATH & BEAUTY PRODUCTS

We’re basically talking about stuff that goes on skin, which just happens to be the largest and most impressive of organs. Not only that, but every day two-to-three billion skin cells are shed, and every 3-5 weeks a person’s skin is completely renewed. So it’s important to take care of it!
Where to go to find great bath and beauty products? This one ended in a tie between Pure Alchemy at 253 E. Main, and Be Cherished, an AVEDA Hair Salon and Retail Store at 393 E. Main.
The list also included:

• Ashland Food Co-op.
• Paddington Station.
• Waterstone Spa.
• Emz Blendz.
• Blue Giraffe.

BEST VENUE FOR WEDDINGS, RETREATS, PARTIES, ETC.

Having a party in the abandoned field behind the Shell station might have worked back in the frat house days, but our readers were looking for something a little classier in this category. And in that regard, they most often picked the beautiful facilities at the Ashland Springs Hotel, followed by:

• Lithia Park.
• Lithia Springs Resort.
• Grizzly Peak Winery.
• Paschal Winery.
• Willow Witt Ranch.
• Greensprings Inn.
• Mount Ashland Lodge.

BEST DAY CARE CENTER

In this hustle-bustle world, which often requires incomes from both parents, finding the exact right day care center is fairly important. Our readers were able to pinpoint a few that they preferred,including this year’s winner, Lil’ Rascals Daycare at 188 Garfield.
Also mentioned a lot were:

• YMCA Daycare.
• Childrens’ World at 175 N. Main.
• Sarah’s Family Daycare on Maple Way.
• Memory Lane Preschool at 1615 Clark Ave.
• Stone Soup Playschool at 782 Park St.

FAVORITE GAS STATION

The world’s first purpose-built gas station was constructed in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1905 (the second one was in Seattle). Today, there are 118,756 of them in the United States. So fill ‘er up, boys.
Where to go when you want to be part of the 118,756? Our readers most often mentioned the Lithia Way 76 Station downtown at Oak & Lithia Way, followed by:

• The Astro station downtown.
• Ashland Valero at Exit 14.
• The 76 Station at Exit 14.
• Texaco station downtown.
• ARCO AM/PM.
• Valley View 76.
• Shell Station on Walker Street.
• Texaco at Exit 14.
• Chevron at Exit 14.

FAVORITE STORE IN MEDFORD

When our readers just have to get out of town, they most often go to CostCo and Trader Joe’s in Medford, closely followed by:

• Pier One.
• Macy’s at the Mall.
• REI.
• Fred Meyer.
• Sportsman’s Warehouse.
• TJ Maxx.
• Blackbird.
• Ross for Less.

POLITICS

FAVORITE CITY COUNCILOR

Nothing really earth shattering happened in Ashland last year with the City Council, which is probably a good thing. The Plaza remodel and the Road diet were probably the most controversial (see survey below), but other than that, it was just the same old routine of approving liquor licenses and honoring retiring city employees.
All six councilors were mentioned in this survey, with Dennis Slattery coming out of top, followed by:

• Pam Marsh.
• Carol Voisin.

FAVORITE COUNTY COMMISSIONER

It’s extraordinary how isolated we are here in Ashland. This category was probably the least answered question in the entire survey, and I would surmise that the vast majority of Ashlanders wouldn’t be able to name all three county commissioners. One name they do know, however, is Don Skundrick, who came out on top in this survey.

BEST THING GOVERNMENT HAS DONE IN THE LAST YEAR

Just to prove how divided the community was over the Road Diet, this was named as “best thing government has done in the last year.” But as you will see in the next question, not everyone agreed.
Other “good things” included:

• Obamacare.
• Redoing Guanajuato Way.
• Allowing chickens in town.
• Putting blinking lights for pedestrians on Siskiyou.
• ACH-Asante merger.
• Flower baskets on Plaza.

WORST THING GOVERNMENT HAS DONE IN THE LAST YEAR

The Road Diet topped the list as “worst thing government has done,” but the Plaza Remodel wasn’t far behind. The City Council just seems to love controversial projects that fail to get significant public input.
Also mentioned were:

• Shutting government down in Washington.
• Reducing food stamps.
• Paving Peachy Street.
• Failing to snow plow the streets.

A VERY UNSCIENTIFIC POLITICAL POLL

Each year we ask our readers to answer four political questions just to gauge the mood of the community. These answers are “relatively” accurate since very few people stuff the ballot for them.

1. Should the Normal Avenue rural area be turned into high-density housing? Someone pointed out that it wasn’t that high density. I agree and disagree. While parts of it will be zoned low to medium density, there are two huge tracts that will be designated high density. That means 15 units per acre, which is squeezing a lot of people in. Some people in the area who happen to own land there want to put in ¼-acre single-family units, and the City won’t let them! Does that seem right? Not to our readers.

• Yes, it should be high-density: 36%
• No, bad idea: 64%

2. Do you think the Plaza redesign was a good one? Despite all its good intentions about involving the public in the design of the Plaza, most of the recommendations were made by a small committee of City Council members and staff. The one design element that has driven everyone crazy, the grey pavers, was made by … wait, we still don’t know how that decision was made, or who was involved. There has been some massive buck-passing on that one. As it stands now, the City Council admits mistakes were made and that some tweaking of the Plaza is necessary. That’s probably all it needed in the first place, but hey, it’s only money. Needless to say, a lot of the citizenry isn’t happy.

• Yes, good design: 35%
• No, bad design: 65%

3. Should residential homes be allowed to rent to tourists by the day? This whole issue boils down to two issues: If we allow residential homes to rent out to tourists by the day, will it a.) completely destroy the integrity of the neighborhood? And b.) will it reduce the available rental housing available to citizens? Vacation rentals by owners (VRBOs) have been extremely popular lately, and many Ashland homeowners have taken advantage of that by renting out their homes and/or smaller units on their property. Should we allow them to do that? Our readers think so.

• Yes, let them rent out their homes: 66%
• No, don’t let them: 34%

4. Was the Road Diet a good idea? This is all relatively moot since the City Council voted unanimously to keep North Main in its 2-lane configuration. Was it a good decision? The citizenry was split down the middle on this one.

• Yes, good idea: 52%
• No, bad idea: 48%

* * * * *
And there we go. That only took three fingers of Old Granddad. Part II of the “Best of Ashland” will include Restaurants and Entertainment and will be featured in our February issue. Later! —C.H.

 

BEST OF ASHLAND 2014, PART 2

Since Part I of the “Best of the Ashland” hit the stands, the world seems to have stood still. Except for the Seattle Seahawks winning the Super Bowl, not much has been going on in the world. It’s as if everyone is patiently waiting with bated breath for Part II to hit the mailboxes.
So let’s get right to it: Part II of the “Best of Ashland,” featuring restaurants and entertainment. As always, multiple ties will be awarded in any category where the votes had a difference of five or fewer at the top.
    

RESTAURANTS

BEST NEW RESTAURANT

If our readers are staying on top of their culinary game and actually know what they’re talking about, then there were officially only five new restaurants in Ashland last year.
The voting for the top spot was neck and neck this year between Jim Mills’ Caldera Brewery & Restaurant (at 590 Clover Lane) and Sammich,a new sandwich shop at 424 Bridge Street, where Chef Chandra Corwin and Master Taster Melissa McMillan work their wonders.
Others mentioned a lot were:

•     Salame on the Plaza.
•     Mystic Treats in the Tolman Creek Shopping Center.
•     Stonetop Pizza at 570 Clover Lane.

The Campus Grill in the Ashland Shopping Center opened after the ballots were turned in and will be eligible for next year’s balloting.Two other “new” restaurants (Alchemy and Umi Sushi), merely changed their names.

BEST BREAKFAST

There’s no denying that the top three in this category all have a strong following of loyal customers, because once again they all received their fair share of votes. In alphabetical order, they were:

•     Breadboard, located at 744 N. Main.
•     Brother’s (95 N. Main).
•     Morning Glory at 1149 Siskiyou.

The following three were also pretty close:

•     Wild Goose (2365 Ashland Street)
•     Ruby’s at 163 N. Pioneer.
•     Dragonfly, located at 241 Hargadine.

Other popular breakfast spots include:

•     Oak Tree at 2519 Highway 66.
•     Greenleaf on the Plaza.

Also mentioned were the Sunday brunches at Alchemy Restaurant (25 S. 2nd) and the Sat-Sun brunches at Smithfields (36 S. 2nd).

BEST LUNCH

You have an appointment scheduled with the head of the Chinese delegation in order to discuss your idea to sell widgets in China (sell one billion of them for a dollar each, and you’re suddenly a billionaire). Hoping to make an impression, you look through the list of outstanding restaurants in Ashland that offer lunch, and if you’re anything like our readers, you’ll have to decide between FORTY-SEVEN different ones. Seriously, there were 47 restaurants mentioned, and I guess the competition is good for everyone.
As you can imagine, the votes were spread out all over the place on this one, with the top three being a tie between:

•     Lark’s, located in the Ashland Springs Hotel.
•     TOT (310 Oak Street).
•     Sammich.

The Top Ten in this category featured:

•     Greenleaf on the Plaza.
•     Ruby’s.
•     Dragonfly.
•     Pangea (at 272 E. Main).
•     Morning Glory.
•     Black Sheep on the Plaza.
•     Breadboard.
•     Wild Goose.
•     Brother’s.

BEST OMELETS

If you like eggs, you’re going to love omelets. They take three eggs and stuff them with things like cheese, vegetables and meats, then flip them over to produce the perfect breakfast entrée.
Where to go for perfection? Most of our readers went gaga over the omelets at Morning Glory and Brother’s, followed by:

•     Breadboard.
•     Wild Goose.
•     Dragonfly.
•     Oak Tree.

BEST BLT SANDWICHES

Bacon is almost an aphrodisiac for some people, and the perfect combination is to add some lettuce and tomatoes to it, making it America’s all-time favorite lunchtime sandwich. Seriously, Google it.
Our readers were all over the bacon landscape on this one, reserving their top nod for Greenleaf on the Plaza.
Others receiving a lot of votes were:

•     Breadboard.
•     Omar’s, at 1380 Siskiyou.
•     Sammich.
•     Morning Glory.
•     Food Co-op.

BEST SOUPS

Sometimes you just don’t feel like going for that 2,500-calorie lunch or dinner. You want something that will be filling yet not a total protein-bomb. A fresh, homemade soup is just the answer, and our readers most often mentioned both TOT and Pangea, followed by:

•     Greenleaf.
•     Standing Stone, at 101 Oak Street.
•     Food Co-op.
•     Loft, at 18 Guanajuato Way.
•     Thai Pepper (84 N. Main).
•     Tabu at 76 N. Pioneer.
•     Sammich.

BEST SALADS

Back in the Caveman days, there wasn’t a whole lot of refrigeration. You just couldn’t pull a mastodon thigh out of the freezer at night as leftovers from that hunt two months previous. Half the time you had to resort to … vegetables and salads!
Where does our friendly Caveman go when the mastodon cache has run out? These votes were spread out fairly evenly at the top with Martino’s/Macaroni’s, located at 58 E. Main,tying with the Food Co-op.
The list also included:

•     Lark’s.
•     Greenleaf.
•     TOT.
•     Creekside Pizza, at 92 ½ N. Main.
•     Standing Stone.
•     Smithfields.

FAVORITE DINNERHOUSE

The next best thing to eating at home for dinner is to find a restaurant that makes you feel as if you’re right at home. And when it comes to that, our readers mentioned 25different local restaurants, with Loft (18 Guanajuato Way), Peerless (265 4th), and Smithfields (35 S. 2nd) taking down top honors.
It was very close, however, as both Omar’s (1380 Siskiyou) and Amuse (15 N. First) received a lot of support.
Other favorites included:

•     Alchemy Restaurant (at Winchester Inn).
•     Cucina Biazzi at 568 E. Main.
•     Lark’s.
•     Beasy’s on the Creek at 51 Water Street.
•     Alex’s (which has unfortunately closed).
•     Salame, on the Plaza.
•     Dragonfly.
•     Sesame, at 21 Winburn Way.
•     Pasta Piatti (358 E. Main).
•     Martino’s/Macaroni’s.

RESTAURANT WITH BEST GLUTEN-FREE OPTIONS

If you’re an adherent of the paleo diet, or even a student of human evolution, you KNOW that our ancestors never ate wheat. That didn’t happen until humans started settling down in cities and needed mass-produced quantities of food. Thanks to those paleo ancestors, quite a few of us are sensitive to wheat and gluten, and restaurants are keeping up with the trend, offering a wide variety of entrees that are gluten-free.
And in that regard, our readers named both Greenleaf on the Plaza and Sauce in the Ashland Shopping Center as leaders in the field.
Others high on the list were:

•     Pasta Piatti.
•     Thai Pepper.
•     Lark’s.
•     Mystic Treats Pizza.
•     Taroko.
•     Pangea.

•     Playwright, at 258 A Street.

MOST ROMANTIC RESTAURANT FOR DINNER

The list of people who have written us letters over the years thanking us profusely for recommending a romantic restaurant for dinner, which then turned into marriage proposals, is too long to even count … just kidding. Our readers were, however, in a romantic mood when they filled out this category, as they named both Amuse at 15 N. First and Alchemy Restaurant (in the Winchester Inn) as their favorites, followed by:

•     Peerless.
•     Cucina Biazzi.
•     Loft.
•     Beasy’s on the Creek.
•     Martino’s/Macaroni’s.
•     Salame.
•     Sesame.
•     Smithfields.
•     Kobe.

BEST SELECTION OF STEAKS

Red meat sometimes gets a bad rap from cardiologists, and you probably don’t want to eat it morning, noon and night, but a nice juicy steak a couple of nights a week has to be good for you. It just tastes too good and is packed with necessary proteins.
Anyway, taking down top honors in this category was a veritable tie between perennial favorite Omar’s (1380 Siskiyou) and Smithfields, located at 36 S. 2nd.
Others mentioned a lot were:

•     Beasy’s on the Creek.
•     Peerless.
•     Amuse.
•     Coquina (542 A Street).

BEST SELECTION OF SEAFOOD

Water covers over two-thirds of the earth, and the amount of wildlife under the ocean is staggering. Here’s hoping that commercial fishermen know what they’re doing and are replenishing what they remove, because having a tasty halibut or ahi or red snapper is one of the comfort foods of life.
Our readers agreed and named 15 different establishments that serve great seafood, including the number one choice, which ended up being another tie with Beasy’s on the Creek(51 Water Street) and Omar’s (1380 Siskiyou), followed by:

•     Loft.
•     Kobe.
•     Black Sheep.
•     Star Sushi.
•     Umi Sushi.
•     Bonsai Teriyaki.
•     Peerless.

BEST PASTA DISHES ON MENU

Pasta is a type of noodle and a staple food of traditional Italian cuisine, which dates back to the first century BC. It’s typically made from an unleavened dough of wheat flour mixed with water. Wikipedia can sure make someone seem smart, can’t it?
And when it comes to pasta, our readers are very smart, choosing Pasta Piatti (located at 358 E. Main), as their favorite.
The list also included:

•     Wiley’s World, at 1606 Ashland Street.
•     Cucina Biazzi.
•     Martino’s/Macaroni’s.
•     Martolli’s, across from the Plaza.
•     NW Pizza & Pasta, at 1585 Siskiyou Boulevard.

BEST CHICKEN DISHES ON MENU

They’re descended from a beautiful bird called the Red Junglefowl and were probably first domesticated in Southeast Asia back in the day. Thanks to humans, they have expanded to 24 billion birds worldwide, providing us with both meat and eggs.
Where would Friends of Red Junglefowl like to go locally when wanting to partake in some really good chicken dishes? Number one this year was the Peerless, located at 265 4th Street, followed by:

•     Loft.
•     Dragonfly.
•     Caldera Restaurant.
•     Lark’s.
•     Taj, at 31 Water Street.
•     Taroko, located at 62 E. Main.
•     Omar’s.
•     Salame.

FAVORITE MEXICAN RESTAURANT

If only Congress could approach the immigration bill as efficiently as Mexican restaurants are run. They could sit down, order a margarita, write a couple of rough drafts over salsa and chips (with a side of guacamole), meet in full session with an order of macho burritos and chicken fajitas, then take the final vote with a complimentary serving of flan for dessert.
Our readers are very appreciative of all the great Mexican restaurants in Ashland as they named eleven of them in this survey. The number one choice was a tie between La Casa del Pueblo (1209 Siskiyou) and El Paraiso, located at 545 Clover Lane.
It was close at the top, however, as the Top Five featured:

•     Agave, at 92 N. Main.
•     El Tapatio, located at 1033 N. Pacific Hwy.
•     Tabu, at 76 N. Pioneer.

Also mentioned a lot were:

•     Sénor Sam’s, in the Ashland Shopping Center.
•     Milagros, in the Market of Choice Shopping Center.
•     Big Al’s (474 N. Main).
•     La Tapatia in Phoenix.
•     Inti in Talent.

BEST BURRITOS

These are so addictive they could easily be placed on the Attorney General’s list of banned substances. Just kidding, but when you stuff all kinds of goodies—from chicken, vegetables and rice—into a tortilla, you want to order more … and more … and more.
Where to go for great burritos? Our readers most often named Señor Sam’s, in the Ashland Shopping Center, followed by:

•     Milagros.
•     Ruby’s.
•     Tabu.
•     Big Al’s.
•     El Paraiso.
•     La Casa del Pueblo.
•     El Tapatio.

BEST MARGARITAS

They may not be the national drink of Mexico (that would probably be the “atole”), but it’s certainly taken the United States by storm. Our readers definitely love their margaritas, as they placed two different establishments at the top of their list: Agave (92 N. Main) and Tabu, at 76 N. Pioneer.
Others receiving lots of votes were:

•     La Casa del Pueblo.
•     El Paraiso.
•     Lark’s.
•     Alex’s.
•     Martino’s.
•     El Tapatio.

FAVORITE ASIAN RESTAURANT

We’re only separated by a teensy-weensy little ocean, so we’re practically neighbors to Japan, Korea, China, Vietnam and Thailand, which are the main Asian restaurants prevalent in Ashland. And when it comes to that, our readers named 16 of them as their favorites, and we will take the liberty of naming all of them.
We’ll start at the top, where Thai Pepper (and the upstairs Satay Bar) won top honors.
The Top Five were very close, and they included:

•     Kobe.
•     Sesame.
•     Taroko.
•     House of Thai Cuisine.

Others high in the standings were:

•     TOT.
•     Panda Garden.
•     Star Sushi.
•     Umi Sushi.
•     Bonsai Teriyaki.
•     Mihama’s.
•     Golden Dynasty.
•     Taj.
•     Anya’s Thai Bistro.
•     Yuan Yuan.
•     Dragonfly.

BEST THAI DISHES

Thailand has become such a popular tourist destination that the movie Hangover II was filmed there. Where will Bradley Cooper and Zach Galifianakis go when they’re stuck in Ashland while filming Hangover VII and want to reprise their roles in a Thai restaurant? It was extremely close at the top as Thai Pepper (and the Satay Bar) narrowly edged out House of Thai Cuisine.
The list also included:

•     Anya’s Thai Cuisine
•     Taroko.
•     TOT.
•     Yuan Yuan.

BEST JAPANESE DISHES

If you thought Japan was just a small island country in the north Pacific, you would be wrong. It’s actually an archipelago of 6,852 islands with over 126 million people. The greater Tokyo area, in fact, is the largest metropolitan area in the world, with over 30 million people.
That calls for some Japanese food to celebrate, and where would our readers go locally? Most said Kobe at 84 N. Main, but the list also included:

•     Bonsai Teriyaki.
•     Taroko.
•     Sesame.
•     Star Sushi.
•     Umi Sushi.

RESTAURANT WITH MOST FUN SUSHI CHEFS

The knives were out for this category, as the fun-loving crew at Taroko edged out Kobe.
Also mentioned a lot were:

•     Umi Sushi.
•     Star Sushi.
•     Bonsai Teriyaki.

FAVORITE ITALIAN RESTAURANT

This isn’t just pizza and pasta, but an ambiance that makes you think of Rome and Tuscany. A few original Michelangelo friezes would help, and some sculptures by Modigliani, but unless you have a couple of million dollars to spend on ambience, it’s not totally necessary.
When it comes to Italian restaurants, our readers once again mentioned both Cucina Biazzi (568 E. Main) and Pasta Piatti (358 E. Main), followed by:

•     Martino’s/Macaroni’s.
•     Martolli’s.
•     Wiley’s World.

BEST PIZZA RESTAURANT

I love the scene in Lady and the Tramp where the two dogs share a pizza together. Or was that spaghetti? Well, if it wasn’t pizza, it should have been, because this Italian delicacy has something to appeal to everyone.
Where would Lady and the Tramp go in the remake of that classic old movie? This one ended in a tie this year between perennial favorite Great American Pizza, located at 1448 Ashland Street, and Martolli’s at 38 E. Main (across from the Plaza).
The Top Four were pretty close as both NW Pizza and Pasta and Creekside have their loyal customers, followed by:

•     Giseppi’s.
•     Mystic Treats Pizza.
•     Papa Murphy’s.
•     Martino’s/Macaroni’s.
•     Stonetop Pizza.

BEST BUFFET/SALAD BAR

You have to bring a big appetite because it’s all-you-can-eat when you step up to the buffet line for the third or fourth time. And when it comes to buffet, our readers most often mentioned Taj, an Indian-style restaurant located at 31 Water Street downtown.
Also mentioned a lot were:

•     Food Co-op.
•     Great American Pizza.
•     NW Pizza & Pasta.

BEST VEGETARIAN DISHES

Believe it or not, you can get the exact same nutritional requirements from a vegetarian diet as you can from the traditional Western diet … you just have to work a little harder at it and use some creativity.
Where to go when you want to get creative? Our readers loved the selection at both Sauce, located in the Ashland Shopping Center, and Mystic Treats Pizza, in the Tolman Creek Shopping Center.
Others high on the list were:

•     Greenleaf.
•     TOT.
•     Dragonfly.
•     Pasta Piatti.
•     Mihama’s.
•     Taj.

BEST BBQ DISHES

I was at a party once and overheard a heated argument between two guys over which was better—Texas BBQ or Carolina BBQ. Apparently, it’s all in the sauce, but I thought there was going to be another Civil War on our hands.
You certainly don’t have to travel to Houston or Raleigh to get your hands on some great BBQ. Number one locally among our readers was TOT, located at 310 Oak Street in the old Cantwell’s building, followed by:

•     Taroko.
•     Smithfield’s.
•     Taj.
•     Thai Pepper.
•     Omar’s.

RESTAURANT WITH BEST APPETIZERS

You get to the restaurant famished and there is seriously no way you’re going to wait. You immediately ask for the appetizer menu and order buffalo wings, mushroom puffs, tomato and cheese skewers, and some bacon-wrapped pineapple shrimps. By the time dinner comes, you’re stuffed and move straight onto dessert.
Where to go to start dinner off right? Our readers most often named both Thai Pepper, located at 84 N. Main, and Alchemy Restaurant, inside the Winchester Inn.
The list also included:

•     Lark’s.
•     Peerless.
•     Smithfield’s.
•     Loft.
•     Salame.
•     Liquid Assets.

RESTAURANT WITH MOST EXOTIC COCKTAILS

One of my favorite books is Art of the Bar, written by two bartenders at the Absinthe Brasserie & Bar in San Francisco. They go through all of the most exotic drinks throughout time, from the Singapore Sling and Sazerac to the Mint Julep, Cosmopolitan and the Quarterdeck (rum, sherry, lime juice, angostura bitters).
Taking down top billing in this category for 2013 was Liquid Assets, located at 96 N. Main.
They were followed in the standings by:

•     Thai Pepper.
•     Lark’s.
•     Peerless.
•     Loft.
•     Tabu.
•     Alchemy Restaurant.
•     Martino’s.
•     Kobe.
•     Smithfields.

RESTAURANT WITH BEST DESSERTS

I grew up in a family of nine kids, and every night our mom had a dessert ready for all of us. That is just one of the reasons she was recently nominated for sainthood at the Vatican.
Where would St. Hazel go if she were to visit Ashland looking for some great desserts?
Our readers were most fond of both Amuse (15 N. First) and Mix (on the Plaza), so Jamie North must be doing something right.
Also mentioned a lot were:

•     Loft.
•     Lark’s.
•     Alchemy.
•     Omar’s.
•     Oregon Cabaret Theatre.

RESTAURANT WITH BEST SELECTION OF BEER

Back in my college days (you know, the 20th century), there were about three choices for beer, and none of them were great. Today, there are hundreds to choose from, and the competition has created some excellent beer.
And in that regard, our readers were most impressed with the creations and selection at Caldera Brewery and Restaurant, located at 590 Clover Lane (there’s also a Caldera Tap House downtown on Water Street).
Also receiving a lot of votes was Standing Stone Brewing Company on Oak Street, followed by:

•     Red Zone.
•     Martino’s.
•     Beau Club.
•     Oberon’s.
•     Black Sheep.

RESTAURANT WITH BEST OUTDOOR SEATING

As long as there’s not a flood (1997), a 100-year snowstorm (Dec. 2013), smoke from forest fires (Aug. 2013), or a plague of locusts (1872), sitting outside and enjoying your dinner can be quite fun. Where to go to have the most fun? Our readers were able to name quite a few places, reserving their top choices for Peerless (265 4th Street) and Dragonfly at 241 Hargadine.
Other top outdoor spots included:

•     Cucina Biazzi.
•     Thai Pepper.
•     Smithfields.
•     Loft.
•     Beasy’s on the Creek.
•     Caldera Restaurant.
•     Standing Stone.
•     Callahan’s.
•     Alex’s (sniff, sniff).

RESTAURANT WITH FRIENDLIEST WAITSTAFF

It may look like an easy job, but waiting tables can be extremely demanding and stressful, requiring the utmost in concentration. To the credit of waitstaff everywhere, they continue to show a smiling face amid all the chaos.
Our readers were able to pinpoint 26 different restaurants in this survey, reserving their most praise for the waitstaff at Standing Stone (101 Oak Street), followed by:

•     Lark’s.
•     Breadboard.
•     Wild Goose.
•     Omar’s.
•     Loft.
•     La Casa del Pueblo.
•     Louie’s.

BEST “QUICK SERVICE” RESTAURANT

They’re aren’t that many “fast food” restaurant chains in Ashland, so most of our readers improvised by naming restaurants that concentrate on getting the food out to you in a timely manner.
And in that regard, our readers named Señor Sam’s and Wendy’s as their favorites. They’re conveniently located next to each other in the Ashland Shopping Center just in case you’re real hungry.
Other favorites include:

•     Taj.
•     Milagros.
•     Big Al’s.
•     Taco Bell.
•     Bento Express.
•     Mihama’s.
•     Pita Pit.

BEST SELECTION OF BURGERS

There’s actually a secret to making great burgers, and I have been sworn to secrecy by a number of local chefs. A hint: it’s all in the wrist and how you flip the burger. No? Well, then, find your own mole in the restaurant industry if you don’t believe me.
Where to find that perfect burger? A lot of our readers turned to the creations at perennial favorite Louie’s on the Plaza, followed by:

•     Big Al’s.
•     Red Zone.
•     Caldera Restaurant.
•     Wendy’s.
•     Burger King.
•     Ruby’s.
•     Standing Stone.

BEST MILKSHAKES

Per the Third Law of Thermodynamics, it’s almost physically impossible to eat a hamburger and fries without a milkshake to go with it. Where do people go when they want to comply with the laws of physics? Most of our readers preferred the delicious creations at Zoey’s Café & All Natural Ice Cream (199 E. Main) although Big Al’s at 474 N. Main was also mentioned a lot.
Others receiving lots of votes were:

•     Louie’s.
•     Rogue Valley Roasting Company at 917 E. Main.
•     Wendy’s.
•     Ruby’s.

BEST SELECTION OF SANDWICHES

Making a great sandwich is actually an art. Rumor has it that Michelangelo had been admitted to the Sandwich Making College of Bologna before he realized he was actually good at painting murals on top of ceilings. Don’t believe me? Google it.
Anyway, where would Michelangelo go when he wanted to get really creative sandwiches? Many of our readers recommended the new kid on the block, Sammich, which recently opened at 424 Bridge Street.
They were followed by:

•     Big Town Hero, corner of N. Main and Granite.
•     Greenleaf.
•     Standing Stone.
•     Food Co-op.
•     Red Zone.
•     Pangea.
•     Deli Downstairs (107 E. Main).
•     Subway.

BEST RESTAURANT TO TAKE THE ENTIRE FAMILY

This doesn’t necessarily have to be the entire family. Some people, like the crazy aunt living in the attic, really don’t need to be seen in public … just kidding. But when you do pile everyone into the station wagon (do they still make station wagons?) for a night on the town, where would our readers recommend you go? Many of them chose the friendly confines of both Standing Stone (101 Oak) and NW Pizza & Pasta, at 1585 Siskiyou Boulevard.
Others high on the list were:

•     Caldera Restaurant.
•     Señor Sam’s.
•     Breadboard.
•     Black Sheep.
•     El Tapatio.

FAVORITE BARISTA (COFFEE SERVER)

This job is so important that it deserves a cabinet position at the White House. Secretary of Coffee Serving or Secretary of Offense (caffeine gets everyone going) … or something like that.
When it comes to baristas, our readers named quite a few, including this year’s winner Tristan Freechild of Mix. Also mentioned a lot were:

•     Danielle at Dutch Brothers.
•     Peter at Noble Coffee.
•     Rihanna Piddington at Human Bean.
•     Dustin Way at Rogue Valley Roasting Co.
•     Jenny at Starbucks.
•     David Light at Bloomsbury Coffee.
•     Katie Case at Case Coffee.

FAVORITE COFFEEHOUSE

This is a place where you can get coffee, mingle with friends, sit in the corner and write the Great American Novel, get caught up with all the local gossip by eavesdropping on conversations, and solve all the world’s problems with the able assistance of our good friend caffeine.
Our readers mentioned 14 different coffeehouses, and each of them has loyal customers. The voting was really spread out this year, and the top spot was a three-way tie between Noble Coffee(281 4th Street), Rogue Valley Roasting Company (917 E. Main), and Mix (on the Plaza).
The full list included:

•     Bloomsbury Coffee.
•     Starbucks (downtown and across from SOU).
•     The Beanery.
•     Case Coffee.
•     Boulevard Coffee.
•     Human Bean.
•     Dutch Brothers.
•     Café 116.
•     La Baguette.
•     Evo’s.

BEST RESTAURANT OUTSIDE ASHLAND

To all those who mentioned restaurants in Cabo san Lucas, New York City and Seattle, we thank you for your input, but we didn’t mean that much outside Ashland. We were thinking more along the lines of a 45-minute drive, tops.
Leading the way this year was New Sammy’s Cowboy Bistro, located at 2210 S. Pacific Hwy, between Ashland and Talent.
Also mentioned a lot were:

•     Inti in Talent.
•     The Talent Café.
•     La Tapatia in Phoenix.
•     Porter’s in Medford.
•     Kaleidoscope Pizza in Medford.
•     Callahan’s.
•     Greensprings Inn.
•     Arbor House in Talent.
•     Avalon in Talent.
•     Bambu in Medford.

ENTERTAINMENT

BEST LIVE CONCERT IN ASHLAND LAST YEAR

Our readers were all over the stage on this one before finally settling on last year’s eclectic performances of the Green Shows at OSF before the plays at night.
The list also included:

•     The Ashland City Band concerts in Lithia Park.
•     Rogue Valley Symphony performances.
•     Southern Oregon Rep Singers’ “Mozart’s Birthday Bash.”
•     An appearance in October by the Alejandro Ziegler Tango Quartet, part of the Siskiyou Music Project.
•     The Siskiyou Singers’ “Down the River to the Sea” concert in August.

FAVORITE CONCERT AT THE BRITT FESTIVAL LAST YEAR

It attracts some of the top names in the musical industry, and they pack them in practically every night during the summer months in Jacksonville. Our readers were definitely impressed, and they named an appearance by Chris Isaak as their favorite, followed by:

•     Michael Franti & Spearhead.
•     Brandi Carlisle.
•     Steve Miller Band.
•     John Prine.
•     The Classical Festival.
•     Robert Plant.

FAVORITE PRODUCTION AT THE CRATERIAN LAST YEAR

It’s one of the nicest venues in southern Oregon and even inspired Ginger Rogers to help get it built. With its ample stage, excellent acoustics and comfortable seating, it attracts top-name performers and traveling Broadway shows, and also serves as a venue for local productions.
Our readers were able to single out quite a few performances last year, including their favorite, the musical Annie, performed by the Teen Musical Theatre of Oregon.
Also mentioned were:

•     Pink Martini in December.
•     Pianist Rufus Wainwright in October.
•     Thomaseen Foley’s A Celtic Christmas.
•     The traveling Broadway musical West Side Story.

MOST FUN PLACE FOR FIRST FRIDAY ART WALK

Ashland has a wealth of artistic talent, and First Friday Art Walk is a chance for them to show off a little bit. It’s also a great social event, as downtown Ashland (and the Railroad District) is packed with people enjoying art, food, refreshments and entertainment.
Especially popular with our readers was Hanson Howard Gallery, in their new location at 89 Oak Street, followed by:

•     Ashland Art Gallery at 357 E. Main.
•     Illahe Gallery (215 4th Street).
•     Gallerie Karon at the corner of 4th & A.
•     Waterstone Spa at 236 E. Main.
•     The Black Sheep on the Plaza.
•     Plaza Salon, across from the Plaza.

FAVORITE LOCAL ARTIST

Quite a few local artists were mentioned by our readers, including this year’s winner, Betty LaDuke, who recently celebrated her 80th birthday with a retrospective exhibition at SOU last September.
Others mentioned a lot were:

•     Diane Erickson.
•     Bruce Barnes.
•     Sarah Burns.
•     Harriet Rex Smith.
•     Barbara Eshoo.

BEST FILM AT THE FILM FESTIVAL LAST YEAR

My how time flies. AIFF will be hosting its 14th film festival this coming April, and it just seems like yesterday that it was the new kid on the film festival block. Now that it’s older and wiser, we look forward to the upcoming season.
As far as 2013 is concerned, our readers were most impressed with Redwood Highway, the story of an elderly woman fed up with her retirement community in the Rogue Valley who decides to walk to the coast. It was filmed here in southern Oregon.
Also receiving lots of mentions were:

•     Masks.
•     The World According to Dick Cheney.
•     Jake Shimabukuro: Life on Four Strings.
•     Sparrows Dance.
•     FLO.

BEST EXHIBIT AT SCIENCEWORKS LAST YEAR

In 2001 founders John and Sharon Javna and Marge Bernard “brought life and vitality back into the long-closed Museum of Natural History.” As of this year, ScienceWorks has served over 350,000 visitors and school children, and nearly 1,700 Member families.
Every year they feature a number of unique exhibits, and our readers were able to name quite a few of them as being particularly fun. Topping the list was “Noise,” an exhibit that took the viewer into the world of the human ear and the nature of sound waves.
 Also popular were:

•     The Bee Exhibit.
•     The Bubble-ology Room.
•     The Water Rocket.
•     Tinker Fest, including “Car Take Apart.”

BEST PART OF THIS YEAR’S SANTA PARADE

It takes place the night after Thanksgiving and is officially the start of the holiday season in Ashland. The overwhelming favorite part of the whole night is the Lighting Ceremony, which takes place on the balcony of Alex’s.
Other favorite things about that night include:

•     The appearance of Santa Claus.
•     Santa’s reindeer.
•     The Grinch.
•     The parade performance by Dance Works.

And quite a few people mentioned the controversial unveiling of a banner atop Alex’s which castigated people for turning the holiday season into a materialistic ritual. Bah, humbug, I say!

BEST PART OF THIS YEAR’S HALLOWEEN PARADE

Why is there all of a sudden so much controversy over Halloween and Christmas? Doesn’t Sarah Palin have anything better to do, like shoot moose from the front seat of her pickup truck?
Anyway, I digress. Halloween in Ashland is probably one of the most popular events in all of southern Oregon. Topping the list of favorite things this year was a tie between all the great costumes and watching the kids have so much fun.
Specific things mentioned were:

•     The Samba dancers.
•     Stores that pass out treats.
•     Bagpiper on skateboard.

BEST PIECE OF PUBLIC ART

Ashland has a vibrant and active art community, complete with an Ashland Gallery Association and a Public Art Commission. Over the last 10-15 years a concerted effort has been made to include public art as part of any construction process.
Our readers appreciate the effort and named 15 different pieces of public art, including this year’s winner, the Native American Totem Pole, designed by Russell Beebe, that graces the entrance to downtown at the intersection of N. Main and Lithia Way. The original is now at SOU’s Hannon Library, and the bronze replica was installed in 2012.
Also making the list of favorites were:

•     The “Street Scene” sculpture near the Chamber of Commerce and Black Swan Theatre.
•     The mosaic at N. Mountain Park.
•     The Peace Wall at the library.
•     The sculpture in front of the new fire station.
•     The meter boxes.

BEST PLAY LAST YEAR (OFF-BARDWAY)

We’re definitely not a one-horse theater town, as there are plenty of options for local theatergoers.One of those is Camelot Theatre, with its new building in Talent, where last spring’s Sound of Music was named “Best Play.”
Others receiving nominations were:

•     Oregon Cabaret Theatre’s Dog Park: The Musical.
•     OCT’s The Wizard of Panto-Land.
•     Camelot’s Jekyll & Hyde.
•     Camelot’s Amadeus.
•     SOU Theatre Arts Department’s Avenue G.
•     OCT’s S’Wonderful.
•     Camelot’s Evita.
•     Ashland High School’s Lend Me a Tenor.
•     Le Cirque Centre’s Moulin Rogue: A Love Story.

BEST THEATER PERFORMANCE (MALE) OFF-BARDWAY

The voting was fast and furious in this category, but as the last precincts came in, the winner was Paul R. Jones for his role as Salieri in Camelot Theatre’s Amadeus.
Also mentioned a lot were:

•     Galen Schloming for OCT’s S’Wonderful.
•     Robin Downward in Camelot’s Jekyll & Hyde.
•     David Gabriel in Camelot’s 45 Seconds from Broadway.
•     Chris Carwithen in OCT’s The Wizard of Panto-Land.
•     Don Matthews in Camelot’s Sound of Music.
•     Max Guttfreund in Camelot’s Amadeus.

BEST THEATER PERFORMANCE (FEMALE)

On the female side of the ledger, the winner was Rebecca K. Campbell for her stunning performance as Eva Peron in Camelot Theatre’s Evita.
The list also included:

•     Jillian Van Niel in OCT’s Dog Park.
•     Kelly Jean Hammond in Camelot’s Jekyll & Hyde.
•     Rose Passione in Camelot’s Sound of Music.
•     Kymberli Colbourne in OCT’s Patsy Cline and Nunsensations.
•     Britney Simpson in OCT’s S’Wonderful.

BEST PLAY LAST YEAR (OSF)

It’s one of the largest theater companies in the entire country, and they’re right here in our back yard. Our readers definitely appreciate it, as all twelve OSF productions were mentioned in this survey. The number one favorite last year was the musical My Fair Lady, which played to sold-out audiences the entire season.
The Top Five were:

•     The Unfortunates.
•     A Streetcar Named Desire.
•     King Lear.
•     Two Trains Running.

BEST THEATER PERFORMANCE (MALE OSF)

There were some outstanding performances turned in by the guys, with the number one nod going to Danforth Comins for his role as Stanley in A Streetcar Named Desire. He was followed by:

•     Anthony Heald as Alfred P. Doolittle in My Fair Lady.
•     Michael Winters as Lear in King Lear.
•     Jonathan Haugen as Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady.
•     Richard Elmore as the Earl of Gloucester in King Lear.

BEST THEATER PERFORMANCE (FEMALE OSF)

Our readers were a little torn on this one, but one thing was certain: Nell Geisslinger was the winner. But did she win for Kate in Taming of the Shrew or as Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire? Either one will do.
The Top Five also featured:

•     Robin Goodrin Nordli as Regan in King Lear.
•     Rachel Warren as Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady.
•     Vilma Silva as Goneril in King Lear.
•     Kate Mulligan as Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire.

BEST DIRECTOR (LOCAL THEATER)

Our readers were able to name both OSF and Off-Bardway directors in this category, with the number one nod going to Bill Rauch for his work in OSF’s King Lear. Also mentioned:

•     Christopher Liam Moore for OSF’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
•     Roy Von Rains, Jr., for Camelot’s Sound of Music.

FAVORITE LOCAL MUSICIAN/SINGER

He’s the driving force behind much of the local jazz scene and is instrumental in the Siskiyou Music Project, which was enough to get jazz guitarist/composer Ed Dunsavage voted as “Favorite Local Musician” this year.
Others receiving lots of votes were:

•     Singer Pat O’Scannell.
•     Danny Moore of the Turner Moore Band.
•     Guitarist Jeff Pevar.
•     Guitarist Robbie DaCosta.
•     Saxophonist Paul Schmeling.
•     Singer Karen Lovely.

BEST LOCAL ROCK ‘N’ ROLL BAND

It’s an amalgamation of blues, jazz, folk, country and soul, and it can definitely get your heart racing and foot tapping. A number of local rock bands were mentioned, including this year’s winner Hamfist, followed by:

•     The Robbie DaCosta Band.
•     The Rogue Suspects.
•     Buckle Rash.
•     Chapter II.
•     100 Watt Mind.
•     $8 Mountain.

BEST JAZZ BAND IN THE VALLEY

I was in New Orleans last October and took the Treme Tour, which is the music-rich district just north of the French Quarter. Our tour guide was a student of music, and he let us know that New Orleans was where jazz got its start in America. That night we hit a couple of jazz clubs just to get the feel of the place. It’s a great town!
Here in Ashland, we also love our jazz, and in this survey, the Ed Dunsavage Band narrowly edged out the Paul Schleming Trio.
Others receiving votes were:

•     The Paul Turnipseed Trio.
•     Southern Oregon Jazz Orchestra.

BEST NIGHTCLUB TO HEAR LIVE MUSIC

Well, big bummer … the winner of this category was Alex’s, which closed down for good in early January. I’m still holding out for some kind of miracle, but at this point in time, it doesn’t look good. For more on this topic, see the article by Scott Calamar on page 58 of this issue of the Sneak Preview.
In the meantime, you can also go to:

•     Wild Goose.
•     Playwright.
•     Paddy Brannan’s.
•     Martino’s.
•     Tabu.
•     Caldera Tap House.
•     Oberon’s.

BEST THING ABOUT THE 2013 4TH OF JULY PARADE:

The Chamber of Commerce does a great job organizing this parade every year, because it really is a lot like herding cats. Keeping it all together is a great logistical accomplishment, which our readers appreciate.
Taking down top honors in this category were the friendly folks at El Tapatio. Their “float” consists of cars, horses, vaqueros, dancing women with flowing dresses, soccer players, and lots of fun.
Also mentioned a lot were:

•     The “jets,” which this year consisted of some vintage airplanes from the Ashland Airport.
•     Samba Like It Hot drummers.
•     The College Band Directors.
•     The deer.
•     The Ed Snowden float.

BEST PLACE TO GET A “WORKOUT”

While this country’s health care industry hemorrhages money, most of us are working overtime to try and stay healthy. Yes, it takes some motivation and requires a little bit of work, but the health and monetary benefits in the long run more than make up for it.
Where to go to get a workout? Many of our readers chose the Ashland Family YMCA, followed by:

•     Snap Fitness.
•     Anytime Fitness.
•     Baxter Fitness.
•     Ashland Crossfit.
•     Ashland Tennis & Fitness Club.
•     Hidden Springs.
•     Local hiking trails.

BEST PLACE FOR A PICKUP BASKETBALL GAME

Being from Indiana, I love my b-ball, but did you know there are more emergency room visits due to basketball games than any other sport in America? The problem is that half the guys act as if they’re trying to break Dennis Rodman’s NBA record for most rebounds in a game, and there are elbows and kneecaps flailing everywhere. Me? I just stand out by the 3-point line and drill 3-pointers. Don’t need no stinking rebounds.
Where to go for great pickup basketball games? The top choice went to the court at Garfield Park, followed by:

•     The YMCA.
•     Railroad District Park.
•     The high school gym.

BEST PLACE TO GO DANCING

I met my wife at a singles dance back in 1988, and we ended up winning the dance contest that night, so I have a soft spot in my heart for dancing. Where do our readers go when they want to cut the rug and/or win some trophies? Unfortunately, the winner of this category was Alex’s, which officially closed down a couple of weeks ago. It was a sad day for Ashland, and we’re all crossing our fingers that something can be done.
The list also included:

•     Taroko.
•     Tabu.
•     Wild Goose.
•     Contra dance at the Grove.
•     Vinyl Club.
•     The Elk’s.
•     Dance Space.
•     Paddy Brannan’s.

BEST BAR TO MEET FRIENDS AFTER WORK

Whether you’re working on the chain gang or just punching the clock at Wal-mart, once the workday is over, you’re ready to meet with friends and get on with your real life.
Where to go? The most popular spots with our readers were Omar’s, Black Sheep and Tabu.
Also mentioned a lot were:

•     Standing Stone.
•     Creekside.
•     Beau Club.
•     Martino’s.
•     Caldera.
•     Thai Pepper Satay Bar.
•     Louie’s.
•     Playwright.
•     Red Zone.
•     Oak Tree.
•     Wild Goose.
•     Oberon’s.

BEST BAR TO MEET FRIENDS LATE AT NIGHT

Bars aren’t just a place to drink alcohol. I mean, you can do that in the comfort of your own home. Bars are actually places offering you a built-in venue for socializing. Just make sure you don’t drive while intoxicated!
And when our readers wanted to do some late-night socializing in a great, relaxing environment, they most often chose Creekside, Taroko and Thai Pepper Satay Bar, followed by:

•     Omar’s.
•     Martino’s.
•     Alex’s.
•     Black Sheep.
•     Liquid Assets.
•     iPub.
•     Beau Club.
•     Tabu.

MOST ROMANTIC BAR

This isn’t a place where there are 84 TV screens along the walls showing the latest Mixed Martial Arts brawl, with a lot of guys screaming and the jukebox playing “Take This Job and Shove It.” We’re talking a little more relaxing and romantic than that. And in that regard, our readers most often mentioned both Martino’s and Liquid Assets.
The top of the list also included:

•     Alchemy.
•     Lark’s.
•     Thai Pepper Satay Bar.
•     Peerless.
•     The Lounge.

BAR WITH BEST LATE-NIGHT MENU

The munchies can hit at any time, and in lieu of ordering those pickled pig knuckles that have been sitting behind the bar since the Great Depression, you just might want to have something a little more tasty.
And in that regard, our readers most often named the late-night menu at Martino’s, Tabu and Liquid Assets, followed by:

•     Black Sheep.
•     Omar’s.
•     The Lounge.
•     Red Zone.
•     Louie’s.
•     Thai Pepper.
•     Standing Stone.

FAVORITE PART OF THE GROWERS MARKET

All of the usual suspects—Fry Family Farms, Pennington Farms, Willow Witt Ranch, the Navickas Brothers, Sunstone Bakery and Blue Fox Farms—were mentioned, but if we had to single it downto specific “things,” here is how it turned out:

•     Fresh organic produce.
•     The vendors.
•     Maria’s tamales.
•     Donuts.
•     The sharpening service.
•     The music.

FAVORITE GOLF COURSE IN THE VALLEY

If we don’t get some snow and rain soon, not only will the folks at Mt. Ashland be pulling their hair out, but the golf courses will start looking a little brown this summer.
Where to play when you want to hit that perfect fairway wood off nice lush grass? Since we live in Ashland, Oak Knoll won this category, and they were followed by:

•     Centennial.
•     Stoneridge.
•     Eagle Point.
•     Quail Point.
•     Stewart Meadows.
•     Cedar Links.

BEST VINEYARD/WINERY

Southern Oregon is becoming a veritable mecca for grape growing, vineyards and wineries, so look out Napa Valley! Our readers agreed and named quite a few in this category,including the number one choice, Weisinger’s Family Winery, located here in Ashland out Siskiyou Boulevard.
The list also included:

•     Roxy Ann Winery.
•     Paschal Winery.
•     Red Lilly Vineyards.
•     Trium Winery.
•     Valley View Winery.
•     DANCIN Vineyards.
•     Grizzly Peak Winery.

* * * * *
Wow … 144 categories complete. If anyone wants me, they can call the Betty Ford Center for Editorial Abuse, where I am being treated for a bad case of dangling participles and misplaced modifiers. See everyone in 2015. If you have any suggestions for new entries next year, write to me at sneakpre@mind.net. —C.H.