Best of the Twin Cities: The Winners

THE CITY GRITTY

BEST LOCAL BOY GONE BAD Luke Helder

BEST LOCAL BOY MADE GOOD David Bloom
Readers' Choice: Josh Hartnett

BEST LOCAL GIRL GONE BAD Melissa Mowery

BEST LOCAL GIRL MADE GOOD Coleen Rowley
Readers' Choice: Winona Ryder

BEST CAREER MOVE Whither the Body?

BEST BOONDOGGLE The new Minneapolis Central Library

BEST BROKEN PROMISE The Brookfield Properties Default

BEST FARMERS' MARKET St. Paul Farmers' Market

BEST FOOD COURT South Food Court, Mall of America

BEST FESTIVAL PRIDE

BEST PLACE FOR A FIRST DATE Soo Line Railroad Bridge
Readers' Choice: Minneapolis Sculpture Garden

BEST PLACE TO DUMP SOMEONE Loring Park
Readers' Choice: Mall of America

BEST PLACE TO GET DUMPED Mall of America

BEST PLACE TO MEET SINGLE MEN (GAY) The Y'all Come Back Saloon

BEST PLACE TO MEET SINGLE MEN (STRAIGHT) Magers & Quinn (Hennepin Avenue location)

BEST PLACE TO MEET SINGLE WOMEN (LESBIAN) Boom

BEST PLACE TO MEET SINGLE WOMEN (STRAIGHT) Jitters at the Times

BEST PLACE TO PEOPLE-WATCH Minneapolis Chain of Lakes
Readers' Choice: Mall of America

BEST CHEAP THRILL Sexual Intercourse

BEST GADFLY Dan Cole

BEST POLITICIAN Tom Rukavina
Readers' Choice: Paul Wellstone

BEST MAYOR John Kysylyczyn of Roseville
Readers' Choice: R.T. Rybak

BEST SCANDAL The Joe Biernat Affair

BEST USE OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS Income Tax Checkoffs for Campaign Contributions

BEST LOCALLY GENERATED WEBSITE Cursor

BEST LIBRARY James J. Hill Library

BEST PUBLIC RESTROOM Tiburón Caribbean Bistro

BEST RENOVATION The Band Box

BEST VILLAIN Arlon Lindner
Readers' Choice: Norm Coleman

BEST VICTIM Kirby Puckett

BEST MONTH TO BE IN THE TWIN CITIES May
Readers' Choice: June

BEST PLACE TO TAKE OUT OF TOWN GUESTS Minnehaha Falls

BEST VIEW From the Mississippi River, beneath the Lowry Bridge, at night

BEST STATE FAIR FOOD Honey Sunflower Ice Cream, the Minnesota Honey Producers Association, Agriculture/Horticulture Building
Readers' Choice: Cheese Curds

BEST STATE FAIR RIDE Ye Old Mill

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

BEST LOCAL IMPRESARIO Jeremy Walker and Marsha Corliss - Brilliant Corners

BEST JAZZ RADIO PROGRAM 'Monday Evening Jazz with Tom Surowicz'

BEST FM RADIO PERSONALITY Joel Johnson
Readers' Choice: Remy Maxwell

BEST HIP-HOP RADIO PROGRAM '2 the Break-A-Dawn'
Readers' Choice: B96

BEST PUNK RADIO PROGRAM 'Radio Riot'

BEST AM RADIO PERSONALITY Ron Rosenbaum
Readers' Choice: Joe Soucheray

BEST SPORTS TALK RADIO HOST Chad Hartman

BEST RADIO STATION KFAI-FM
Readers' Choice: 93X-FM

BEST TV STATION KMWB-TV (Channel 23)
Readers' Choice: KARE-11

BEST TV NEWSCASTER Paul Magers
Readers' Choice: Paul Magers

BEST TV SPORTS ANCHOR Joe Schmit
Readers' Choice: Randy Shaver

BEST TV WEATHERPERSON Paul Douglas
Readers' Choice: Belinda Jensen

BEST DRESSED TV NEWSCASTER Robyne Robinson

BEST PUBLIC ACCESS CABLE TV PROGRAM 'The Prima-Donns'

BEST COLUMNIST Ruben Rosario
Readers' Choice: Dara Moskowitz

BEST BOOK BY A LOCAL AUTHOR 'Was It Beautiful?' by Alison McGhee

BEST READING IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS McSweeney's vs. They Might Be Giants

BEST ACTOR Terry Hempleman

BEST ACTRESS Stacia Rice

BEST DIRECTOR Casey Stangl

BEST THEATER FOR DRAMA The Jungle Theater

BEST THEATER FOR COMEDY Bryant-Lake Bowl

BEST INDEPENDENT THEATER Mary Worth Theatre Company

BEST THEATER FOR NEW WORK Center for Independent Artists

BEST STAGE PRODUCTION 'Sunday in the Park with George'

BEST OPERA 'The Last Five Years'

BEST DANCE PERFORMANCE OF THE PAST 12 MONTHS Vincent Mantsoe

BEST DANCER Susan Scalf

BEST CHOREOGRAPHER Cynthia Stevens

BEST ART GALLERY Joan of Art Gallery
Readers' Choice: Walker Art Center

BEST SINGLE-ARTIST SHOW Aaron Spangler, 'Dissident Aggressor'

BEST MUSEUM EXHIBITION "Ultrabaroque"

BEST MUSEUM Minneapolis Institute of the Arts
Readers' Choice: Science Museum of Minnesota

BEST ARTS ORGANIZATION Springboard for the Arts

BEST BUDGET MOVIE THEATER Parkway Theatre

BEST FILM 'Detective Fiction'

BEST MOVIE THEATER Oak Street Cinema
Readers' Choice: Lagoon Cinemas

BEST ART CINEMA Walker Art Center

OUT & ABOUT

BEST PLACE TO WATCH A MOVIE OUTDOORS Loring Park (Summer Music and Movies)

BEST GOLF COURSE Baker National Golf Course
Readers' Choice: The Wilds Golf Club

BEST BATTING CAGE Rice & Arlington Sports Dome

BEST BOWLING ALLEY Falcon Bowling Lanes
Readers' Choice: Bryant-Lake Bowl

BEST TENNIS COURTS 30th Avenue S. and E. 46th Street, Minneapolis

BEST PUBLIC PARK Como Park
Readers' Choice: Como Park

BEST BEACH Bare Ass Beach
Readers' Choice: Lake Calhoun

BEST FISHING HOLE The Minnesota River near Chaska

BEST PLACE TO BIRD-WATCH Hawk Ridge Nature Preserve

BEST PICNIC SPOT A Grassy Field off Winchell Trail

BEST PLACE TO CAMP Whitewater State Park

BEST PLACE TO CANOE St. Croix River

BEST BIKE TRAIL The Gateway Trail

BEST PLACE TO ICE SKATE Milwaukee Road Depot Ice Rink
Readers' Choice: Milwaukee Road Depot Ice Rink

BEST SLEDDING Powderhorn Park

BEST PLACE TO CROSS-COUNTRY SKI Baker Park Reserve

BEST SIGN OF SPRING Flesh

BEST PLACE TO HIKE Minnehaha Park

BEST PLACE TO JOG Harriet-Calhoun-Isles Chain of Lakes

BEST PLACE TO ROLLERBLADE Rollerdome at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome

BEST PLACE TO LEARN TO DANCE Dance Dance Revolution at GameWorks

BEST COACH Glen Mason
Readers' Choice: Flip Saunders

BEST COLLEGE ATHLETE Janel McCarville
Readers' Choice: Lindsay Whalen

BEST HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETE Kris Humphries

BEST LYNX PLAYER Katie Smith
Readers' Choice: Katie Smith

BEST TIMBERWOLVES PLAYER Kevin Garnett
Readers' Choice: Kevin Garnett

BEST TWINS PLAYER Eddie Guardado
Readers' Choice: Torii Hunter

BEST VIKINGS PLAYER Randy Moss
Readers' Choice: Randy Moss

BEST WILD PLAYER Marian Gaborik
Readers' Choice: Marian Gaborik

BEST DAY TRIP The Great River Road to the Harbor View Cafe

BOUGHT & SOLD

BEST FLEA MARKET Elko Trader's Market

BEST FLORIST Martha's Gardens

BEST GARDEN CENTER Gertens
Readers' Choice: Bachman's

BEST HARDWARE STORE Seven Corners Hardware
Readers' Choice: Ace Hardware

BEST SPORTING GOODS STORE Galyan's Trading Company

BEST BIKE SHOP Freewheel Bicycle
Readers' Choice: Erik's Bike Shop

BEST TOY STORE Hub Hobby Center
Readers' Choice: Toys R Us

BEST COMIC BOOK SHOP Comic College

BEST CHILDREN'S BOOKSTORE The Red Balloon Bookshop

BEST BOOKSTORE (NEW) Ruminator Books
Readers' Choice: Barnes & Noble

BEST BOOKSTORE (USED) Book House
Readers' Choice: Half Price Books

BEST CD STORE (NEW) The Electric Fetus
Readers' Choice: The Electric Fetus

BEST CD STORE (USED) Cheapo Discs (Uptown location)
Readers' Choice: Cheapo Discs

BEST ELECTRONICS (AUDIOPHILE) Audio Perfection

BEST ELECTRONICS (PROLETARIAN) Audio King

BEST MUSIC STORE Groth Music Company

BEST DVD RENTAL Video Universe

BEST PLACE TO RENT FOREIGN FILMS World Beat & Video

BEST VIDEO RENTAL Nicollet Village Video

BEST PLACE TO BUY VINYL Let It Be Records

BEST PAWNSHOP Best Pawn

BEST USED FURNITURE (VINTAGE) Theatre Antiques

BEST THRIFT STORE Salvation Army
Readers' Choice: Savers

BEST CLOTHING STORE (VINTAGE) Ragstock Warehouse Store

BEST USED CLOTHING (DOWNSCALE) Disabled American Veterans Thrift Store

BEST USED CLOTHING (KIDS) Savers

BEST BABY GOODS STORE Enchanted Treehouse

BEST BODY PIERCING Saint Sabrina's Parlor in Purgatory

BEST TOBACCONIST Golden Leaf

BEST TATTOO PARLOR Electric Dragonland

BEST ART SUPPLIES Wet Paint Artist Materials & Framing, Inc.

BEST BOUTIQUE Fun Sisters Boutique

BEST BED & BREAKFAST The VanDusen Center

BEST HOTEL The Saint Paul Hotel
Readers' Choice: The Saint Paul Hotel

BEST HOUSEKEEPING SERVICE Nook and Cranny Services

BEST CAR WASH T & Y Car Wash
Readers' Choice: The Downtowner

BEST MALL Apache Plaza Shopping Center
Readers' Choice: Mall of America

RESTAURANTS

BEST POWER LUNCH Aquavit

BEST NEW RESTAURANT Heartland
Readers' Choice: Babalu Restaurant

BEST SERVICE AT A RESTAURANT Tiburón Caribbean Bistro
Readers' Choice: Manny's Steakhouse

BEST RESTAURANT TREND Mexican Power Surge

BEST MEXICAN RESTAURANT Chino Latino
Readers' Choice: La Cucaracha Mexican Restaurante

BEST BREAKFAST Grandview Grille
Readers' Choice: The Uptown Bar

BEST DINER The Diner

BEST CHEAP EATS Little Tijuana Restaurant
Readers' Choice: Chipotle Mexican Grill

BEST RESTAURANT FOR GLUTTONS Kramarczuk East European Deli

BEST VEGETARIAN-FRIENDLY RESTAURANT Birchwood Café
Readers' Choice: Café Brenda

BEST INDIAN RESATAURANT New Delhi Bar and Restaurant
Readers' Choice: Taste of India

BEST JAPANESE RESTAURANT Nami
Readers' Choice: Fuji Ya Restaurant

BEST KOREAN RESTAURANT King's Restaurant

BEST THAI RESTAURANT Chiang Mai Thai
Readers' Choice: Sawatdee Thai Restaurant

BEST VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT Jasmine Deli
Readers' Choice: Quang Restaurant

BEST CHINESE RESTAURANT Chan's Seafood Restaurant
Readers' Choice: Rainbow Chinese Restaurant

BEST DIM SUM My Le Hoa

BEST SUNDAY BRUNCH New Uptown Diner

BEST COFFEE HOUSE Coffee News Café
Readers' Choice: Dunn Bros Coffee

BEST NEIGHBORHOOD CAFÉ (MINNEAPOLIS) French Meadow Bakery & Cafe

BEST NEIGHBORHOOD CAFÉ (ST. PAUL) Saigon Restaurant & Bakery

BEST RESTAURANT FOR APPETIZERS Auriga

BEST RESTAURANT FOR DESSERT Crema Café
Readers' Choice: Cafe Latté

BEST RESTAURANT FOR LATE-NIGHT DINING Tiburón Caribbean Bistro
Readers' Choice: Pizza Lucé

BEST PLACE TO EAT OUT WITH YOUR KIDS The Egg & I

BEST RESTAURANT FOR A FIRST DATE Bryant-Lake Bowl

BEST RESTAURANT FOR ROMANCE W.A. Frost and Company
Readers' Choice: Loring Pasta Bar

BEST RESTAURANT FOR OUTDOOR DINING Black Forest Inn
Readers' Choice: Black Forest Inn

BEST WINE LIST Chiang Mai Thai

BEST WINE BAR Bar Lurcat
Readers' Choice: Zander Café

BEST LOCAL CHEF Alexander Dixon - Zander Café

BEST FRENCH RESTAURANT La Belle Vie
Readers' Choice: Vincent

BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT (CHEAP) Broders' Southside Pasta Bar
Readers' Choice: Buca Di Beppo

BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT (NOT CHEAP) Pane Vino Dolce
Readers' Choice: Buca Di Beppo

BEST GREEK RESTAURANT It's Greek to Me

BEST MIDDLE EASTERN RESTAURANT Emily's Lebanese Delicatessen

BEST STEAK HOUSE Manny's Steakhouse
Readers' Choice: Manny's Steakhouse

BEST STEAK HOUSE ON A BUDGET erté

BEST SEAFOOD RESTAURANT The Oceanaire Seafood Room

BEST RESTAURANT WHEN SOMEONE ELSE IS PAYING Aquavit
Readers' Choice: Manny's Steakhouse

BEST RESTAURANT IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE Easy Creek Bistro

BEST RESTAURANT (MINNEAPOLIS) Vincent

BEST RESTAURANT (ST. PAUL) Zander Café <!-_-Cafe--->

BEST STAR CHEF EXPERIENCE Steven Brown - RockStar

FOODSTUFF

BEST SOUL FOOD Lucille's Kitchen

BEST BAKERY Patrick's French Bakery
Readers' Choice: Wuollet Bakery

BEST COFFEE (BY THE POUND) Peace Coffee
Readers' Choice: Caribou Coffee

BEST WINE AND LIQUOR STORE Surdyk's
Readers' Choice: Surdyk's

BEST TAKEOUT French Meadow Bakery & Café
Readers' Choice: Tie: Chipotle Mexican Grill and Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que

BEST BARBECUE Scott Ja-Mama's Barbecue
Readers' Choice: Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que

BEST HOT DOGS The Wienery

BEST BURGERS Ike's Food & Cocktails
Readers' Choice: Matt's Bar

BEST FRIES Café Barbette
Readers' Choice: McDonald's

BEST FRIED CHICKEN Nardie's Café

BEST PIZZA Punch Neapolitan Pizza
Readers' Choice: Pizza Lucé

BEST BURRITOS El Burrito Mercado

BEST CHEESE SELECTION Surdyk's Cheese Shop

BEST ITALIAN GROCERY Delmonico's Italian Foods

BEST MIDDLE EASTERN GROCERY Bill's Imported Foods, Inc.

BEST ASIAN GROCERY Shuang Hur Oriental Market

BEST FRESH PRODUCE Wedge Community Co-op
Readers' Choice: Wedge Community Co-op

BEST APPLE ORCHARD Fischer's Croix Farm Orchard

BEST CANDY STORE Candyland

BEST CHOCOLATE River Chocolate Company

BEST ICE CREAM PARLOR Grand Ole Creamery

BEST DOUGHNUTS Sarah Jane's Bakery

BEST BREAD Turtle Bread Company

BEST MIDDLE EASTERN BREAD Holy Land Bakery & Grocery Deli

BEST SCONES Bakery on Grand

BEST BAGELS Bruegger's Bagels
Readers' Choice: Bruegger's Bagels

BEST DELICATESSEN Zaroff's Delicatessen Restaurant

BEST SALAD Cafe Latté
Readers' Choice: Olive Garden Italian Restaurant

BEST NATURAL FOODS GROCERY Mississippi Market
Readers' Choice: Wedge Community Co-op

BEST GOURMET GROCERY Buon Giorno Italia
Readers' Choice: Byerly's

BEST LATINO GROCERY El Burrito Mercado

BEST INDIAN GROCERY Asia Imports Inc.

BEST FISH MARKET Coastal Seafoods

BEST SUSHI Origami
Readers' Choice: Fuji Ya Restaurant

SEX & DRUGS & ROCK & ROLL

BEST ACOUSTIC PERFORMER "Lonesome" Dan Kase

BEST ADULT VIDEO STORE Sex World

BEST ALBUM OF THE PAST 12 MONTHS 'Soft Rock' - Lifter Puller

BEST ALL-AGES VENUE Eclipse Records
Readers' Choice: First Avenue

BEST AVANT-GARDE ARTIST Cordell Klier

BEST BAND NAME Shave the Neighbor

BEST BAND NAME - SECOND PLACE It Was Just for You, That Light Show

BEST BAND NAME - THIRD PLACE Coach Said Not To

BEST BAND TO BREAK UP IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS Selby Tigers

BEST BAND TO LEAVE THE TWIN CITIES IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS Oddjobs

BEST BARTENDER Freddie Latenville - Rally Room

BEST BEER SELECTION IN A BAR William's Pub and Peanut Bar
Readers' Choice: William's Pub and Peanut Bar

BEST BLOODY MARY St. Paul Grill

BEST BLUES BAND Lamont Cranston Blues Band featuring Pat Hayes
Readers' Choice: Johnny Lang

BEST BLUES BAR Viking Bar

BEST CLUB DJ Jack Trash
Readers' Choice: Jake Rudh

BEST COCKTAILS Red Dragon
Readers' Choice: Chino Latino

BEST CONCERT OF THE PAST 12 MONTHS Destijl Festival of Music
Readers' Choice: 93X Fest

BEST CONCERT VENUE First Avenue/7th St. Entry

BEST DANCE CLUB The Quest Club
Readers' Choice: First Avenue

BEST GAY BAR Jetset
Readers' Choice: Gay 90's

BEST HAPPY HOUR Rudolph's Bar-B-Que
Readers' Choice: Lyle's Bar

BEST JAZZ ARTIST Carei Thomas
Readers' Choice: Happy Apple

BEST JAZZ CLUB Dakota Bar & Grill

BEST JUKEBOX Grumpy's Bar

BEST KARAOKE Staraoke
Readers' Choice: Tubby's

BEST LESBIAN BAR 'Dykes Do Drag' at the Bryant-Lake Bowl
Readers' Choice: Lucy's

BEST LIVE ARTIST The Bad Plus

BEST LOCAL MUSIC COMPILATION 'No Hold Back... All Attack!!! Twin Cities Hardcorepunkrockandroll'

BEST LOCAL RECORD LABEL Guilt Ridden Pop

BEST MARGARITA Margarita Bella

BEST MARTINI The Imperial Room

BEST NEIGHBORHOOD BAR--MINNEAPOLIS Palmer's Bar
Readers' Choice: Chatterbox Pub

BEST NEIGHBORHOOD BAR--ST. PAUL Muddy Pig
Readers' Choice: Sweeney's

BEST NEW BAND Revolver

BEST OPEN-MIC NIGHT The Artists' Quarter Monday-night open poetry with live jazz

BEST ROCK BAND The Midnight Evils
Readers' Choice: Slide

BEST ROCK CLUB Fine Line Music Café
Readers' Choice: First Avenue

BEST SONGWRITER Mike Gunther

BEST STRIP CLUB King of Diamonds
Readers' Choice: Déjà Vu

BEST VOCALIST (FEMALE) Arzu D2

BEST VOCALIST (MALE) Robert Skoro

BEST OLD BAND The Flamin' Oh's

BEST R&B ARTIST Next
Readers' Choice: Casablanca Orchestra

BEST HIP-HOP ARTIST Mooka
Readers' Choice: Atmosphere

BEST PLACE TO PLAY POOL Fat Boy Billiards
Readers' Choice: City Billiards