Best of Medford 2025, Part One:
Another year, another Best of Medford. If life is merely “enjoying the passage of time,” a philosophy that was explained to me during a late night bull session at the frat house in college, then I’ve been a very happy person for the last 37 years, when I first introduced this readers’ survey to Southern Oregon with the first “Best of the Rogue Valley” in the Grants Pass Sneak Preview. Now everyone and their brother wants to cash in on the action, and some of them take it very very seriously.
It is what it is, I suppose. After 37 years, though, I’ve realized that readers’ surveys are extremely subjective and open to all kinds of statistical errors. They are, however, very accurate at gauging the sentiments of the readers who took the time to fill out the categories and/or stuff the online ballots with one submission after another. One positive outcome is that it helps recognize a lot of people, organizations and businesses that might somehow slip through the cracks.
So without further ado … the 2025 “Best of Medford.”
MEDIA
FAVORITE LOCAL RADIO PERSONALITY OR DJ
As a radio host or DJ, it can sometimes become a “Ground Control to Major Tom” moment. You stare into the control booth where your producer gives you the thumbs up and you begin to wonder, “Is anyone even tuned in to this show? Am I talking into the void? Where is my mother?” Then, the lights start flashing because you have 52 callers wanting to join the show or request their favorite song from the summer of ’69, and voila, life is good again.
This category proved the power of Jefferson Public Radio, as quite a few radio personalities were named, including their number one favorite Danielle Kelly with her “Open Air” show.
FAVORITE LOCAL TV ANCHORPERSON
From the latest drug bust and five-alarm fire to the sex scandal at City Hall, our local TV news anchors have to approach each story with a dispassionate demeanor, letting the viewer make his or her own decision on the merits of the story. It’s not always easy to do, and our hats are off to local news anchors for not letting their personal opinions get in the way of the news.
Winning this spot with our readers was Hailey Gravitt, of KDRV-12.
PEOPLE/BUSINESS
BEST NEW BUSINESS IN TOWN (LAST YEAR)
Ah, the joys of opening one’s own business. I was in the same boat 37 years ago, and to be truthful, the first couple of years were tough. It was definitely a 24/7 commitment, but in the end, it paid off. Our hats are off to anyone who makes the plunge.
Number one on their minds actually came from a business outside of Medford: The Phoodery in Phoenix where you can choose from five unique food truck options and a wide variety of drinks from the taphouse. They also have spacious outdoor dining, with rooftop views and games for the whole family.
FAVORITE DENTIST
I still remember that scene from the TV series “Alias” (which also starred my friend and Grants Pass High School graduate David [Holt] Anders), where Jennifer Garner is about to be tortured, and the guy comes at her with a pair of pliers and forces her mouth open. I was sweating bullets watching that scene, but Garner calmly said, “If you could, I’m having problems with this back molar,” then she got him in a choke hold with her legs and wrestled the keys out of his belt for a great escape. It was an outstanding move, but don’t try that with your dental hygienist when you’re getting a cleaning.
A lot of dentists were mentioned in this survey, and we’d love to list all of them. The top two vote getters were Summit Dental and Exceptional Dentistry with John R. Linstrom DDS.
Also landing at the top of the list were:
• Wu Family Dentistry
• Cascade Dental
FAVORITE FAMILY DOCTOR
I’m reading a textbook on Immunology right now, and it is extraordinary how our immune system keeps us safe every second of the day. Right now there are billions of unique antibodies coursing through your blood cells just looking for foreign invaders to destroy. There are dozens of different kinds of cells willing to do the dirty work, not to mention helper cells and cytokines that identify the invaders and guide the soldiers to the battlefield. It is amazingly complex, and I don’t know how doctors can keep it all straight. Thankfully, they’re on top of it.
And in that regard, our readers have their favorites, including Southern Oregon Pediatrics’ Dr. Mary Hough.
FAVORITE ACUPUNCTURIST
Our readers once again chose Alexandria Guasco, LAc, MAcOM, Dipl.OM at Epic Wellness.
FAVORITE CHIROPRACTOR
Cracking himself to the top of the list this year was Dr. Casey Frieder.
FAVORITE PHYSICAL THERAPIST
The top spot went to Dr. Eric Reed at Southern Oregon Chiropractic, with a close second going to Kathy Bowlin at Jackson County Physical Therapy.
FAVORITE OPTOMETRIST
According to our readers, Medford’s favorite is Taylor Oberly at Medford Group Eyecare.
Coming in second was Russell Horn of Clair Horn Eyecare.
FAVORITE NATUROPATHIC DOCTOR
Traditional medicine is very analytic and scientific in their analyses, but sometimes you just need to think outside the box. And the winner of this category once again was McClane Duncan at Siskiyou Vital Medicine.
FAVORITE NURSE PRACTIONER
Our readers were able to identify a number of local nurse practitioners. Topping the list was Kathryn Stringer of Medford Women’s Clinic.
FAVORITE SPA/SALON
This is always a popular category, with the top spot going to both The J Rose Salon and Gervais.
FAVORITE MESSAGE THERAPIST
Kneading his way to the top once again this year was Blake Knight – Epic Wellness.
FAVORITE HAIR STYLIST
Ah, the 1980s. Every time I see a movie from that period and notice the hair styles, I say to myself, “What could they possibly have been thinking?” I checked it out on Wikipedia, and “amongst women, large hair-dos, puffed-up styles, permanent waves, and softer cuts typified the decade. Big hair that was often permed to achieve the desire volume is especially associated with women of the mid-1980s as well as male rock stars of that era, especially of the glam metal genre.” Thankfully, we’ve put all that behind us, although in forty years we’ll probably look back at the tattoos and lip rings and say to ourselves, “What were we thinking?”
Anyway, haircuts are an important part of living in a civilized society, and our readers mentioned 30 different ones, with the Top Spot going to Erika Clogston at the J Rose Salon.
FAVORITE AESTHETICIAN
Our readers named quite a few, reserving their number one accolades for both Zoe Belovitch at Epic Wellness and Chelsey Graham at the Advanced Aesthetics Center
FAVORITE POLICEPERSON
Well, we might as well do a couple of police jokes just to make things even with the lawyers.
Cop: When I saw you driving down the road, I guessed 55 at least.
Woman: You’re wrong, officer, it’s only the hat that make me look that old.
And:
Police officer: I’m arresting you for illegally downloading the entire Wikipedia.
Man: Wait, I can explain everything.
Okay, fairly lame, but our readers were still able to name a strong cadre of police officers as their favorites, including this year’s picks, Ian McDonald and Steve Furst.
BEST AUTO REPAIR SHOP
Our readers appreciate the work of our local mechanics and mentioned quite a few shops in this survey, including their number one choice Star Collision. Also getting a lot of votes was Classic Collision.
BEST SELECTION OF WOMEN’S CLOTHES
Have you ever seen those runway shows in Paris where really skinny women wear some of the most outlandish and ridiculous outfits imaginable (think the TV show Emily in Paris). You have to wonder if there are runway shows where normal clothes being worn by normal-looking women get the spotlight. That’s probably too boring for the media, but those are the fashions that end up at clothing stores around the world.
Anyway, when our readers wanted to go shopping for women’s clothes, they love the selection at Volamos.
BEST PLACE TO BUY CHILDREN’S CLOTHES/TOYS
Here’s the thing about children’s clothes—you buy them something and within a year they’ve outgrown them. Growing up in a family of nine kids, my siblings and I got used to a lot of hand-me-downs, but it was always a treat when our mom would spring for something new (usually birthdays and Christmas). And, of course, toys only worked as hand-me-downs on a limited basis since most toys became community property anyway.
And when it came to toys (and clothes), our readers most often mentioned Kid 2 Kid.
FAVORITE BICYCLE SHOP
Spinning their way to the top was Medford Cycle Sport.
FAVORITE LOCAL RESTAURANT OWNER
When I first visited Medford in February 1976, there might have been three restaurants in the entire city. Now there about 100, and they come in all shapes and sizes, eager to feed a growing population.
This is always a popular category with our readers, as they named 23 different restaurant owners, starting with their favorite, Mike Sidon of 4 Daughters.
Second place went to Adam Benson at Tap & Vine. Third went to Alex Saucedo of Common Block.
FAVORITE BARTENDER
Back in the wild, wild West, bustling towns had 30 bars to every church. It wasn’t much different back in the Midwest, where I grew up in the 1950s/60s. There must have been a corner bar on every city block. The popularity of liquor in 19th century America can be easily explained. We were a country of immigrants from Ireland (whiskey), England (Scotch), Germany (beer), Italy (wine), and France (chartreuse). Is it any wonder that the Puritan ethic was quickly overwhelmed? The temperance people had their way from 1920 to 1933 with a constitutional amendment outlawing alcohol, but that was a disaster which was quickly overturned.
Want more information on this? Just ask your local bartender; they know everything. And in that regard, our readers were able to identify quite a few, with the top spot going to Yusef at Tap & Vine.
FAVORITE NOT FOR PROFIT
Here were the top five:
• Sparrows Club
• Maslow
• YMCA
• ACCESS
• Friends of the Animal Shelter
FAVORITE VETERINARIAN
Our readers’ favorite was once again Dr. Steve Poet at Best Friends Animal Hospital.
FAVORITE HOUSE PAINTER
Yep, you thought you’d save some money by slapping some paint on your house in one of your more inspirational do-it-yourself moments. Then, about six months later whole swathes of it started peeling off because you didn’t prep the wood. Oops, guess you should have read the manual, huh? Prepping and painting a house is not for the faint of heart, which is why most of us call a professional and have it done right.
Who to call in Medford when you need that job done right? Our readers most often mentioned both Brotherhood and Rick Stevens.
FAVORITE HEATING AND AIR COMPANY
Heating and cooling their way to the top once again was Advanced Air & Metal.
Followed by:
• Jahnke
• Caveman Heating and Air
• Metal Masters
FAVORITE STORE DOWNTOWN
Sinclair Lewis wrote the novel Main Street in 1920, depicting the downtown areas of small-town America as not only shopping centers but social places where the community gathered and exchanged information and local gossip. They are the glue that holds towns together, and that’s certainly true for downtown Medford with its outstanding array of shops, restaurants, bars and parks.
Our readers agreed and once again they were able to name 23 different downtown stores as their favorite. And this year’s favorite goes to Bumble & Wren.
FAVORITE CONSIGNMENT SHOP
Winning this category was ReFashion Consignment Shop.
BEST PLACE TO BUY FURNITURE
Winning this category was Garrison’s.
Followed by:
• Terra Firma
• ReStore
• LaZBoy
FAVORITE PLACE TO BUY JEWELRY
According to Wikipedia, “The earliest known jewelry was created not by humans (Homo sapiens) but by Neanderthals living in Europe. Specifically, perforated beads made from small sea shells have been found dating to 115,000 years ago in a cave along the southeast coast of Spain.”
Well, it’s good to know that our cousins were keeping themselves busy. Meanwhile, our local jewelers have advanced well beyond perforated beads, and our readers certainly appreciate their efforts. Winning once again was Father and Son Jewelry.
FAVORITE PLACE TO BY VITAMINS/SUPPLEMENTS
Boosting their way to #1 again was Healthway Nutrition Center.
FAVORITE GROCERY STORE
Winning this category was The Medford Food Coop, followed by:
• Grocery Outlet
• Cartwrights
• Sherms
FAVORITE PLACE TO BUY MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Winning this category was Tom’s Guitars.
BEST PLACE TO BUY SHOES
Taking the top spot was Paradise Shoes.
FAVORITE MARIJUANA DISPENSARY
The number one spot went to Wicked Flower Shop.
Followed by:
• Emerald Triangle
• Nectar
• Top Shelf
FAVORITE REALTOR
Our readers’ top pick was Kaliko Todd at Windermere Van Vleet.
FAVORITE FLORAL SHOP
Arranging their way to the top was Penny & Lulu followed by Susie’s Flower Shop.
FAVORITE ART GALLERY
Our readers’ favorite this year was The Rogue Gallery.
BEST PLACE TO BUY STUFF FOR THE GARDEN
Once again winning this category was The Grange Co-op followed by Southern Oregon Nursery.
FAVORITE YOGA STUDIO
Downward Dogging their way to #1 was The Flow Yoga, located at 810 Biddle Rd.
BEST PLACE TO ENTERTAIN THE KIDS
Winning this category once again were the friendly folks at The Children’s Museum of Southern Oregon.
FAVORITE STORE IN ASHLAND
The top spot in Ashland according to our readers is Paddington Station, followed closely by Northwest Nature Shop.
Best of Medford 2025, Part Two:
Part II of our annual readers’ survey, “The Best of Medford,” is scheduled to hit the mailboxes just after, February 2, aka Groundhog Day. It’s hard for people to wrap their heads around the fact that this is also the first day of spring. Yeah, I know, you’ve been told all your life that March 21 is the start of spring, but that is actually the middle of spring. Think about it logically: winter theoretically starts on December 21, which is the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. It is when the rays of the sun are as far away as possible and you’re smack dab in the middle of winter. Which means six weeks before December 21 and six weeks after are really the dates for winter. And six weeks after December 21 is February 2, which means that is the start of spring. The calendars can say whatever they want, but the rays of the sun are on my side in this discussion.
In the meantime, enjoy Part II of the “Best of Medford.” Any category where the results were separated by only a few votes will be awarded as ties. It’s the only fair way to do it.
But first a correction from Part I: Dr. Reed, who is a chiropractor at Southern Oregon Chiropractic was listed as a winner of the wrong category. Dr. Reed tied for Medford’s Favorite Chiropractor. And Kathy Bowlin at Jackson County Physical Therapy was supposed to be the winner of Medford’s Favorite Physical Therapist. Our apologies for the error…and congratulations to Dr. Reed and Kathy Bowlin!
Now on with the show…
RESTAURANTS
BEST NEW RESTAURANT
The concept is simple: prepare great food for a hungry public and hope for the best. It’s not as easy as it sounds, and our hats are off to those who follow their dreams and makes it happen. It was a slow year for new kids on the block, as our readers were only able to name three new restaurants. Their number one choice was The Phoodery, located in downtown Phoenix.
BEST BREAKFAST
The in-laws are in town and your mother-in-law has been hovering over your shoulder every morning while cooking breakfast. “You’re not cooking those eggs right!” “You need to turn the timer down on the toaster; they’re getting too burned.” “Where’s your coffee maker?” “How do you turn the thermostat down?” “What’s the capital of Zimbabwe?” It’s literally driving you crazy, and the only solution is to pack everyone into the station wagon (do they still make those?) and head to your favorite restaurant for breakfast.
Once again this was a tough decision, and same four restaurants always land near the top in this category. Edging out a win this year was Buttercloud.
Coming in a close second was Tartine.
Rounding out the top four was Over Easy and Punky’s Diner.
BEST LUNCH PLACE
This was probably the most popular category in the entire Best of Medford, as 29 different restaurants were mentioned. Apparently, people like to eat out for lunch, and I suppose it’s better than leftovers and cold turkey sandwiches on white bread, which is my go-to lunch when stuck at home. Thankfully, there’s always ketchup to liven things up. I’m one of those guys who puts ketchup on ketchup, so don’t judge me.
Landing at the top in this survey for 2025 was Squeeze Inn Sandwich Shop
Also landing near the top was Kaleidoscope Pizzeria.
The Top FIVE featured:
• Rogue Salad Company
• Ruby’s
• Jasper’s
BEST OMELETS
Just for fun, I went to the Guinness Book of World Records and typed in “largest pancake ever made,” and it turns out that on August 11, 2012 a group of 55 chefs from Santarem, Portugal made an omelet out of 145,000 eggs. It took over six hours to cook completely.
Where to go when you don’t have time to cook a 14,225 pound omelet? Our readers most often mentioned the omelets at Punky’s Diner.
BEST FISH & CHIPS
This originated in England and is considered Britain’s “national dish.” It first appeared in the 1860s and by 1910 there were 25,000 fish & chips shops across the U.K. The government safeguarded the supply of fish & chips during both world wars, and it was one of the few foods not subject to rationing during the wars. If only the U.S. could have a national dish to rally the red and blue states together. A double chili cheeseburger, maybe?
Anyway, when it comes to fish & chips, our readers most often mentioned the ones at The Wharf.
RESTAURANT WITH BEST APPETIZERS
Winning this category was Tap & Vine.
BEST SALADS
This category ended in a tie between Kaleidoscope Pizzeria and Rogue Salad Company.
FAVORITE DINNER HOUSE
Sure, you can slave away in the kitchen for a couple of hours prepping and getting everything ready for dinner, only to see the entire family gobble it down and head to the TV room to watch the latest episode of “Real Housewives of Medford,” while you do the dishes. OR you can head down to your favorite dinner house and let them do the work.
According to our readers, the best place to go in Medford was a Tap & Vine.
RESTAURANT WITH MOST ROMANTIC ATMOSPHERE
I suppose you don’t have to have an Italian guy strolling through the restaurant playing the violin and singing love songs, but it does help that there’s not a 55-inch TV showing the latest football game with guys from the local softball teams screaming on every play. We’re talking about ambience, where attentive waitpeople calmly read the daily specials, soothing music wafts from the speakers, and the décor/ambience is soft and inviting.
Leading the way in this category for 2025 was Porters.
BEST STEAKS
Here’s a sobering thought: about 890,000 cattle are slaughtered every day to feed the overpopulated billions of humans on earth. It is what it is, and you’re probably thinking that all the butcher has to do is slice and dice and get the food on the table. Wrong. I went to Wikipedia and counted over 15 different areas of a cow that need to be delicately cut and separated from its neighbors. The best cuts are tenderloin, strip, rib-eye and t-bone, while the toughest are chuck, brisket, flank and ribs. And don’t forget the brain, tongue and hoof!
Our readers were able to single out a few places where steaks reign supreme, and once again winning this category was Porters.
BEST SEAFOOD
You gotta love our fellow vertebrates under the deep blue sea. In a way, it’s a fairly stress-free life since you don’t ever have to worry about drowning. You do, however, have to worry about getting eaten by bigger fish. Even if you’re lucky enough to avoid that fate, one day that tasty looking morsel flicking in front of your face just might be attached to a hook, and all of a sudden you’re someone’s supper on land. I suppose it’s all part of the web of life.
Seafood has enjoyed a pretty good reputation as a healthful alternative to other forms of protein, and when our readers wanted to enjoy some really good seafood dishes, they most often turned to The Wharf.
FAVORITE MEXICAN RESTAURANT
When I first moved to the area in 1988, the only Mexican restaurant was Taco Bell. Today, our readers submitted 14 different ones as their favorites, and they have certainly made Medford a more fun place to be.
Taking down top honors this year was El Molcajete
It hard to exactly measure popularity, as they all received their fair share of votes. The Top Five included:
• El Paraiso
• Luna
• Magueys
• Comal
BEST BURRITOS
Wrapping to the top once again was Senor Sam’s.
BEST MARGARITAS
I don’t know if Jimmy Buffet’s song “Margaritaville” in 1977 had anything to do with the burgeoning popularity of this drink in the United States, but it certainly couldn’t have hurt. Personally, I was a banana daiquiri man back then, but how could you resist these lyrics: “I blew out my flip-flop, stepped on a pop top, cut my heel, had to cruise on back home. But there’s booze in the blender and soon it will render … that frozen concoction that helps me hang on.” Classic.
And when our readers wanted to taste that concoction (frozen or not) to help them hang on, where would they go? Most picked the margaritas at El Paraiso.
BEST FOOD TRUCK
Driving to the top was Fatsos Cheketos, followed by Wok Star and Peruvian Point.
FAVORITE ASIAN RESTAURANT
Did any of you see the video of the President of South Korea when he was in Washington for a state dinner last winter and sang the opening lines to the 1971 song “American Pie” by Don McLean? It was pretty impressive. “But February made me shiver with every paper I’d deliver; bad news on the doorstep; I couldn’t take one more step. I can’t remember if I cried, when I read about his widowed bride. Something touched me deep inside, the day the music died.” He was referring, of course, to Buddy Holly, but to see the President of South Korea sing it with some heartfelt emotion was very powerful. I encourage you to Google it.
In lieu of an Asian President singing your favorite song, you can visit any of the popular Asian restaurants to get a taste of the Far East. Pulling down the number one spot for 2025 was Bambu.
BEST JAPANESE DISHES
Winning the Top Spot was Star Sushi, followed by Bonsai and Oh’s Osaka.
FAVORITE ITALIAN RESTAURANT
Western Civilization is replete with empire building back in the day. First came Alexander the Great, some Greek/Macedonian dude who overran cities and states all the way to India from 356 to 353 BC. Not to be outdone, the Roman Empire stretched across all of Europe, including Greece and England, only to be destroyed by the Visigoths and Vandals around 476 AD. You gotta hand it to the Italians, though, they knew how to create an empire and held onto it for almost 600 years.
Where to go when you want to get the inside dirt on empire building while having some great Italian food? Our readers most often mentioned Cicily’s.
FAVORITE PIZZA PLACE
Ah, college, when living on pizza for a dollar a slice helped balance my budget. That was, of course, back in the Dark Ages. According to a news article from 2021, critics were bemoaning the death of dollar slices, which are now officially $2.50. Just doesn’t sound as romantic.
Here in Medford, we can still find great deals on pizza, and according to our readers, the first place to turn is Kaleidoscope Pizzeria.
BEST SALAD BAR
Topping this category was Rogue Salad Co.
BEST VEGETARIAN DISHES
Coming in first in this category was Rooted.
BEST ICE CREAM
Scooping to the top was Violets & Cream followed by Yogurt Hut.
BEST BAKED GOODS
Rising to the top was Great Harvest, followed by Artisan Bakery and Buttercloud.
BEST SELECTION OF BEER.
Pouring their way to the top was both Common Block and Jackson Creek Pizza.
FRIENDLIEST WAITSTAFF
A smile on your face can do wonders, and every waitperson knows that. A family of five comes in, and the dad apparently is having a bad day as he tries to keep the kids in line and it ain’t working. You can tell he’s ready to lose it, but as soon as the waitperson smiles and makes a joke, he melts and orders “drinks for everybody.” Just kidding about that, but you get the picture: a friendly smile can make the world a better place.
And in that regard, our readers most often named the friendly staff at Kaleidoscope Pizzeria.
FAVORITE “QUICK SERVICE” RESTAURANT
In a show of support for Ukraine, McDonald’s pulled all of its restaurants out of Russia. Burger King tried to do the same but apparently some Russian oligarch owns 30% interest in the franchise and is giving BK a hard time about it. Don’t be surprised if you hear about that guy falling from the 30th floor of his apartment building soon.
Here in Medford, we don’t have to worry about that international political stuff. Just give us our burgers, fries and chocolate milkshake, and we’re happy. Pulling down top honors in this category for 2025 was Sweet Tea Express.
BEST BURGERS & FRIES
Not everyone can create the perfect hamburger. Try going to Dubai or Singapore and you’ll come to appreciate the good old American burger. Of course, we’ve had 250 years to perfect the thing, and I’m sure some mistakes were made along the way, like the guy in Duluth who wanted to make the patties out of goat meat. Or that woman in Akron who thought daisy petals would make a good accompaniment. Now here we are: perfection. You gotta love it.
Where to go for that perfect burger and even more perfect fries? This is always a big battle every year, and this year was no exception as Jasper’s took down the top spot.
The list also included:
• Barney’s
• Five Guys
BEST SELECTION OF SANDWICHES
Dagwood Bumstead became famous for his sleep walking routines in which he would open the refrigerator at three in the morning and make a sandwich that was about two feet tall. Seriously, the guy looked like he weighed about 120 pounds, and the sandwich weighed more than he did. Today, a “Dagwood Sandwich” is on the menu in restaurants around the world, so he must’ve been doing something right. The cartoonist, Chic Young, died in 1973, and his son Dean took over the writing for the strip. That was 50 years ago and the comic strip, and sandwich, are still alive.
Anyway, where would Dagwood go in Medford if he wanted some really good sandwiches? Taking down top honors was perennial favorite Squeeze Inn Sandwich Shop.
BEST RESTAURANT TO TAKE THE WHOLE FAMILY
Winning this category once again was Kaleidoscope Pizzeria, followed by Clyde’s Corner.
FAVORITE BARISTAS
Once again Medford’s Favorite Baristas are those smiling (and caffeinated) faces at The Human Bean.
BEST PLACE TO GET COFFEE
Yeah, I remember when Dutch Brothers opened their first stand just down the street from my office in Grants Pass in 1992. When walking to Kacy’s Market, I used to see Travis and Dane Boersma there pouring coffee for a long line of people and thought, “Those guys can’t make enough money doing that to support two families.” Now that Dutch Brothers went public two years ago and is valued at $4 billion, I guess I was wrong, huh?
And when it comes to favorite coffeehouses, our readers first pick was The Human Bean
The list also included:
• Dutch Bros
• Outsider
• Solid Ground
ENTERTAINMENT
BEST CONCERT AT THE CRATERIAN LAST YEAR
Music is the spice of life, and that was evident last year as our readers mentioned numerous concerts and shows at The Craterian, included their favorite: The Little Mermaid.
BEST PERFORMANCE ARTS PRODUCTION
Winning this category was Studio Roxander’s Nutcracker.
FAVORITE LOCAL ARTIST
Here’s an interesting piece of trivia: “Van Gogh only sold one painting during his lifetime: ‘The Red Vineyard at Arles.’ The painting now resides at the Pushkin Museum in Moscow. The rest of Van Gogh’s more than 900 paintings were not sold or made famous until after his death.” Yet the guy kept plugging away; now that’s truly a commitment to one’s art. Here’s hoping our local artists are making some sales.
A number of artists were mentioned by our readers, and the number one choice was The Borther’s Reed.
BEST PLACE TO GET A WORKOUT
Pumping themselves to the top this year was Crunch Fitness.
BEST LOCAL PLAY
It may be fun to stream your favorite sitcoms and action movies, but there’s nothing that compares to live theater. When the actors embrace their roles and get all emotional, it’s almost as if you’re on stage with them, vicariously experiencing everything they’re going through.
Our readers agreed, and they totally loved CTP’s Baskerville.
BEST THEATER PERFORMANCE – MALE
The guys were working overtime last year with their performances and topping the list was Jake Roxander in Studio Roxanders production of Surealia.
BEST THEATER PERFORMANCE – FEMALE
Our readers also appreciated the work of local actresses, including this year’s winner, Tegan Kelley, in CTP’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
BEST LOCAL DIRECTOR
Winning this category was “The Roxanders,” at Studio Roxander.
BEST LOCAL MUSICIAN/SINGER
So for the last couple of years I’ve been having Alexa play the Top 100 Billboard songs while I’m making my smoothie in the morning and while taking showers. I started with the year 1960 and am now up to 1994. That’s thirty-three years worth of music and 3,400 songs I’ve listened to … some great, some so-so, and some outright horrible. Music is what makes the world go around, so I’m not complaining.
Our readers certainly appreciate music, and they named Rogue Suspects their favorite.
BEST HAPPY HOUR
Smiling and laughing their way to the top was Tap & Vine.
BEST SELECTION OF MIXED DRINKS
This category ended in a tie between Jefferson Spirits and Elements.
BEST SELECTION OF BEERS
Hopping to the top once again was Beerworks.
FREINDLIEST BARTENDERS
Our readers’ favorites are those at Jefferson Spirits.
BEST BAR TO MEET FRIENDS LATE AT NIGHT
After dinner and binge watching “The Big Bang Theory,” boredom can easily set in, and what better way to solve that dilemma than to pay a visit to your favorite establishment and hang out with some friends while listening to honky tonk music on the jukebox and maybe winning some money on the poker machines or pool tables.
And in that regard, our readers most often Rocky Tonk Saloon.
BEST WINERY
This is always a popular category, with the winner going to RoxyAnn Winery.
Followed by:
• Red Lily
• Eden Vale
• Kriselle
• Quady North
Phew! I spent two days on this, and now I have to respond to those 342 emails I’ve ignored. I hope they understand. If you have any suggestions for new entries next year, write to me at sneakpreview@medford.net. —N.H.