For the third year, AZFoothills.com has asked readers who and what their favorites are, offering thousands of nominees chosen by e-mailed nominations from the public, editors and focus groups. After millions of votes were casted at AZFoothills.com over the past 60 days, the winners have been determined and the best of each category this year will be featured in the March 2012 issue, a tell-all guide to the coolest people and places in the Valley of the Sun. Stay tuned because you are all invited to Scottsdale Quarter for the Best of Our Valley Finale Party!
With the wide variety of categories and a number of nominations, you are bound to recognize some of the names of your favorite Valley people, places and things. Find out if your favorite burger joint, golf community, radio personality or even a Valley resident is the winner for the Best of Our Valley. Check out the categories for Best of Our Valley 2012 winners.
Bret Michaels won with the total most votes and will be featured on the cover of the March 2012 Issue! Johnjay and Rich, from 104.7 KISS, came in second with just a few votes behind! This is the second year in a row that a male has won the cover, a different approach from always having a beautiful lady grace our pages.
Your favorite people in the Valley have been chosen. Alison Johnson, American Cancer Society, took the lead as the Most Fashionable Woman Over 30 this year. It was a close race, but William Smith, DJ, won Most Fashionable Men Under 30 with his amazing colorful Nike Shoes. If you are always looking for a good party, Steve LeVine, Owner of Steve LeVine Entertainment & Public Relations, is the man for the job, the winner for the Marketing Guru category.
We always want to know what rock stars are doing, and we found out thanks to Bret Michaels, who won Top Celebrity Twitterer with 70 percent of the votes. For the second year in a row, Bob Parsons, Founder and CEO of GoDaddy.com, won with 70 percent of the votes too in his category for Most Influential Man in the Valley. Parsons and Renee also won Favorite Valley Couple. Go Bob! Your vote for Most Influential Woman in the Valley is Kari Yatkowski, Founder and President of Haven Charitable Foundation. Father Reese, President of Brophy College Preparatory Academy, won The Most Influential in Valley Education.
The Best News Station this year is 3TV. From dawn to dusk, 3TV’s award-winning journalism team satiates the Valley’s local and national news cravings. Presenting news updates throughout the day and informative broadcasts at convenient hours, 3TV has earned a reputation as Arizona’s go-to news source. As a testament to the Valley’s appreciation for the news station, it took home 12 Best of Our Valley nods. News Anchor of the Year, Beverly Kidd, joined the 3TV family in August 2001. Starting off on the anchor desk for the weekend morning show, Kidd is now the evening news anchor and health reporter. She knows how to get our attention and tell us everything we need to know! For the third year in a row, your Favorite Local Morning Show is “Good Morning! Arizona.” Everyone dreads an early alarm clock, but Valley residents agree that the morning slump is easier to get over when “Good Morning! Arizona” is on. For the second year in a row, your Favorite Nightly Newscast is News at 10, 3TV. When looking to catch up on the day’s events, our voters chose 3TV’s News at 10 as the best broadcast to watch when the sun goes down.
We have to give the biggest shout out to Carey Pena, 3TV and Nadine Toren, KPHO TV. These lovely ladies battled it out for Most Fashionable News Anchor until the very end. Carey Pena took the win by only 0.66 percent. Congrats Carey!
Who was the winner that successfully helps drivers navigate rush hour? This year, the Best Traffic Personality is Jason Christopher from 102.5 KNIX. Although he is the co-owner of Muscleman Music & More, he makes it his priority to tell you where traffic is.
Lady La has more than three years of Phoenix morning show experience and nearly 50,000 MySpace, Facebook and Twitter fans/followers. Clearly, she has a loyal fan base that wanted to bring her to the top and be recognized as this year’s Best Local Radio Talk Show or DJ. Although the race was close between Johnjay and Rich 104.7 KISS morning show, she managed to take the win. However, Johnjay and Rich won Best Local Radio Talk Show or DJ: Morning Drive. The rush hour grind can put a damper on any day. Luckily, Johnjay and Rich blasts an epic lineup of sidesplitting segments like 'War of the Roses' and 'Second-Date Update' that make our voters want to stay in their rides longer.
For more wins in media, your favorite Best Local Radio Talk Show or DJ: Daytime was Aaron Taylor, 104.7 KISS. Taylor is the reason fans don’t touch the dial during drive time. Taylor “represents DJ’s and people all over the world that dust off the hates and do what makes them happy regardless of what others say!” Super Snake, 101.5 KZON won Best Local Radio DJ: Afternoon Drive. Super Snake, the “Voice of the Valley,” has made his claim to fame as the top radio personalities in the country though his extensive history as a radio extraordinaire. His flamboyant voice keeps listeners intrigued. 92.3 KTAR won Best Talk Radio Station. When getting from A to B, Valley voters tune into 92.3 KTAR for all their news and talk radio fixations. However, country fans and Arizonians believe the Best Radio Station is 107.9 KMLE. Scooping up the nod for Best Radio Station, it is clear that listeners love to hear all things country. When you have the best hits all day, it makes it hard for people to change the station.
For three years and counting, Eddie Matney won Most Influential in Valley Food. We are proud to share that Matney, owner and chef of Eddie’s House in Old Town Scottsdale, has been a culinary force in the Valley since 1986. For those who visit him at Eddie’s House, he suggests his favorite: the mint Sumac-grilled lamb chops. When he isn’t sautéing, braising or searing, he loves spending time with his family and fly-fishing.
The Best Catering, Benedict’s Catering, won over second-place competitor, M Catering by Michael’s. As for more tasty treats, The Mint Bar and Lounge won the Best Sushi.
Luci's Healthy Marketplace won with 81.59 percent of the votes for Best Grocery Store and Best Cup of Coffee. For the second year in a row, The Best Speakeasy was Mabel’s on Main with 71.62 percent of the votes. The Best Bakery Classic Cakes & Confections won, the third year in a row, with an astonishing 76.08 percent of the votes. Your favorite yogurt place, Tasti-D-Lite, won again this year too with 74.52 percent of the votes.
The Mint Bar and Lounge also won for The Most Glamorous Place to Party beating out the competition by 41.76 percent. Smashbox was also another great contender for the best places to party in Scottsdale and ended up winning this category.
There were many close calls and fierce competition this year. We had many people who won by only a few percentages. Find out who won and proves to be the Valley’s Best.
The Best Dermatologist was a close call Dr. Burrell Wolk won by only 2 percent. Wolk had 50.87 percent of the votes, while his competitor, Dr. Paul English, had 48.4 percent of the votes.
The Best Department Store Dining only had two contestants, Café Nordstrom at Nordstrom and NM Café at Neiman Marcus. However, the competition was aggressive with Café Nordstrom winning by 2 percent, with 51.85 percent of the votes. NM Café was close behind with 48.15 percent of the votes. This clearly was no landslide, but our voters finally supported Café Nordstrom with the win.
The Best Home Accessory Store was the next category that had intense competition. Your favorite place to shop for lamps, sofas and decorations was between two fabulous stores. Copenhagen came in second place with 39.58 percent of the votes and Domestic Bliss won with 41.67 percent of the votes.
Best Custom Home Builder was also a huge contest between Argue Custom Homes, Desert Star Construction and Kitchell. Argue Custom Homes won with 37 percent of the votes, but Kitchell came in second with 7 percent of the votes behind them. Desert Star Construction stayed in the race coming in third with 27.7 percent of the votes.
All in all, it was an amazing contest this year, and we are excited to feature all of our winning contestants in the March Issue.
For now, take a look at all the winners:
To see the winners in the People category, click here.
To see the winners in the Media category, click here.
To see the winners in the Arts and Entertainment category, click here.
To see the winners in the Health and Self category, click here.
To see the winners in the Kids category, click here.
To see the winners in the Companies and Professionals category, click here.
To see the winners in the Food and Restaurants category, click here.
To see the winners in the Nightlife and Cocktails category, click here.
To see the winners in the Home and Design category, click here.
To see the winners in the Stay and Play category, click here.
To see the winners in the Escapes category, click here.
To see the winners in the Shopping category, click here.
To see the winners in the Transportation category, click here.
To see the winners in the Golf category, click here.
To download your Best Of Our Valley Winner Logos, click here.
To advertise in Best of Our Valley 2012 Issue, click here and click here.
You can brag about your success by ordering reprints, postcards, or wood plaques, click here for your order form and click here for the website.
We are now accepting nominations for Best of Our Valley 2013, click here.
People
Best Arizona Foothills Cover Model | August Issue: Eden Viza |
Best Twitter Picture from AZFoothillsMag Followers: Men | @John_R_Scott |
Best Twitter Picture from AZFoothillsMag Followers: Women | @bbellecouture |
Favorite Couple in the Valley | Bob and Renee Parsons |
Marketing Guru | Steve LeVine, Owner of Steve LeVine Entertainment & Public Relations |
Most Fashionable in the Valley Over 30- Men | Micah Johnson, Founder and Executive of MediaStars |
Most Fashionable in the Valley Over 30- Women | Alison Johnson, American Cancer Society |
Most Fashionable in the Valley Under 30- Men | William Smith, DJ |
Most Fashionable in the Valley Under 30- Women | McKenna Wesley, Model |
Most Influential in Valley Education | Father Reese, President of Brophy College Preparatory Academy |
Most Influential in Valley Food | Eddie Matney, Owner, Eddie's House |
Most Influential in Valley Nonprofit | Debbie Gaby, Nonprofit Owner and Philanthropist |
Most Influential in Valley Politics | Sheriff Joe Arpaio |
Most Influential Man in the Valley | Bob Parsons, Executive Chairman and Founder of GoDaddy.com |
Most Influential Woman in the Valley | Kari Yatkowski, Founder and President of Haven Charitable Foundation |
Top Celebrity Twitter | @bretmichaels |
Media
Best Anchor- Weekends | Tess Rafols, 3TV |
Best Country Radio Station | 107.9 KMLE |
Best Jazz Radio Station | 95.5 KYOT |
Best Local News Website | azfamily.com |
Best Local Radio Talk Show or DJ | Lady La 101.5 KZON |
Best Local Radio Talk Show or DJ- Afternoon Drive | Super Snake, 101.5 KZON |
Best Local Radio Talk Show or DJ- Daytime | Aaron Taylor, 104.7 KISS |
Best Local Radio Talk Show or DJ- Morning Drive | Johnjay & Rich, 104.7 KISS |
Best News Station | 3TV |
Best Radio Station | 107.9 KMLE |
Best Rock Radio Station | 98 KUPD |
Best Talk News Radio Station | 92.3 KTAR |
Best Today's Hits Radio Station | 101.5 KZON |
Best Traffic Personality | Jason Christopher, 102.5 KNIX |
Favorite Afternoon or Evening Show | Valley Dish, 12 News |
Favorite Anchor Team | Carey Pena & Fields Moseley, 3TV |
Favorite Local Blog or Website | Phoenix Bites |
Favorite Local Daytime Show | Your Life A to Z, 3TV |
Favorite Local Morning Show | Good Morning! Arizona, 3 TV |
Favorite Meteorologist or Weather Personality | April Warnecke, 3TV |
Favorite Nightly Newscast | 3TV News at 10 |
Favorite Sportscaster | Tim Ring, 3 TV |
Favorite TV Personality- Afternoon or Evening News- Female | Linda Williams, FOX 10 |
Favorite TV Personality- Afternoon or Evening News- Male | Marc Martinez, FOX 10 |
Favorite TV Personality- Morning or Daytime- Female | Destry Jetton, 12 News |
Favorite TV Personality- Morning or Daytime- Male | Scott Pasmore, 3 TV |
Most Fashionable News Anchor | Carey Pena, 3TV |
News Anchor of the Year | Beverly Kidd, 3TV |
Arts and Entertainment
Best Annual Charity Event | Compassion with Fashion, AZ Humane Society |
Best Annual Fashion Event | Scottsdale Fashion Week |
Best Annual Gala | Suns & Stars Gala, Phoenix Suns Charities |
Best Annual Valley Event | Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction |
Best Automobile Auction | Barrett-Jackson |
Best AZ Cheerleaders or Dance Team | ASU Cheerleaders |
Best Concert Venue | US Airways Center |
Best Haunted House | Dark Scares, Mesa |
Best Local Band/Musician | The Walkens |
Best Museum | Musical Instrument Museum |
Best Pro Sports Team | Phoenix Mercury |
Best Special Event Venue | The Boulders Resort |
Best Sporting Event | Waste Management Open (Phoenix Open) |
Best Wedding Venue | The Farm at South Mountain |
Favorite Special Event DJ | Mr. P-Body, DJ |
Most Elite Men's Group | Phoenix Thunderbirds |
Health & Self
Best Alternative Exercise Option & Personal Training | The Body Lab Pilates + |
Best Alternative Spa Treatment | Bliss Spa, W Scottsdale |
Best Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon | Dr. Patti Flint |
Best Day Spa or Nail Salon | Bliss Spa, W Scottsdale |
Best Dentist or Dental Team | John Harman Dental Care |
Best Dermatologist | Dr. Burrell Wolk |
Best Facial | Bliss Spa, W Scottsdale |
Best Family Doctor | Dr. Jan Zieren |
Best Fertility Doctor | Dr. Daniel Rychlik, MD, FACOG |
Best Gym | Mountainside Fitness |
Best Hair Extention Stylist | Lisa Fresa Palacios, Sachi Salon |
Best Hospital Group | Scottsdale Healthcare |
Best Mani/Pedi | Bliss Spa, W Scottsdale |
Best Massage | Bliss Spa, W Scottsdale |
Best OBG/YN | Dr. Tara Brodkin |
Best Orthodontist | Dr. Ben Larrabee |
Best Pediatric Dentist | Desert Ridge Pediatric Dentistry |
Best Resort Spa | Golden Door Spa,The Boulders Resort and Golden Door Spa |
Best Salon | Zolton's Salon and Day Spa |
Best Waxing | Bliss Spa, W Scottsdale |
Best Yoga Studio | Sutra Midtown Yoga |
Kids
Best Birthday Party Spot- Kids | Great Play Children's Gym |
Best Kid-Friendly Hotel | Arizona Grand Resort |
Best Kid's Clothing | Urban Kidz |
Best Kid's Entertainment Indoors | Great Play Children's Gym |
Best Kid's Entertainment Outdoors | Wildlife World Zoo |
Best Kid's Restaurant | 18 Degrees |
Best Private High School | Nortre Dame Preparatory High School |
Best Private or Charter School | Mesa Preparatory Academy |
Best Toy Store | Auntie Em's Miniatures |
Companies & Professionals
Best Advertising Firm | Zion & Zion |
Best Bankruptcy Law Firm | Lewis & Roca LLP |
Best Catering | Benedict's Catering |
Best Data Centers | PhoenixNAP |
Best Estate Planning & Trust Administration Law Firm | Joseph M Udall, PLC |
Best Event Design & Decorations | Creative Occasions |
Best Florist | White House Design Studio |
Best Graphic Design | Zion & Zion |
Best Intellectual Property Law Firm | Lewis & Roca LLP |
Best Investment Firm | Morgan Stanley |
Best Job Search Web Site | Jobing.com |
Best Laundry/Dry Cleaning/Alterations | Fifth Avenue Alterations |
Best Modeling Agency | Empire Talent & Modeling Agency |
Best National Valley-Based Company | GoDaddy |
Best Photographer- Commercial | Chadwick Fowler, Chadwick Fowler Photographics |
Best Photographer- Events | Michael Levack, Levack Photography |
Best Photographer- Family & Portraits | Michael Levack, Levack Photography |
Best Photographer- Fashion & Beauty | Christos Sewell, Christos Sewell Photography |
Best Photographer- Real Estate & Interiors | Dan Raustadt, Bigger Picture Images |
Best Photographer- Weddings | Chadwick Fowler, Modern Wedding Scenes by Chadwick Fowler |
Best Private Banking | National Bank of Arizona |
Best Public Relations or Marketing Firm | Zion & Zion |
Best Real Estate Law Firm | Lewis and Roca LLP Lawyers |
Best Realtor- Ahwatukee | Pam Eagan |
Best Realtor- Chandler | Amy Jones |
Best Realtor- Glendale | Susan Ramsey |
Best Realtor in the Valley | Pam Eagan |
Best Realtor- Paradise Valley | Ronnie Gilbert |
Best Realtor- Phoenix | Wendy Walker |
Best Realtor- Scottsdale | Gilbert Houseaux |
Best Realtor- Tempe | Thomas Tokoph |
Best Social Networking and Online Media Firm | Zion & Zion |
Best Web Design, Programming or Management Firm | Silverleaf Design |
Best Wedding Planners | A Day to Cherish |
Family Law | Gloria Cales |
Most Philanthropic Company | GoDaddy.com |
Food & Restaurants
Best Asian Cuisine & Sushi | The Mint |
Best Bakery | Classic Cakes & Confections |
Best Breakfast | First Watch |
Best Burger | Smash Burger |
Best Business Lunch Spot | Bistro 24, The Ritz-Carlton, Phoenix |
Best Comfort Food | Eddie's House |
Best Culinary Event | Scottsdale Culinary Festival |
Best Cup of Coffee | Luci's Healthy Marketplace |
Best Date Spot | The Mission |
Best Department Store Dining | Cafe Nordstrom at Nordstrom |
Best Farmers Market | Phoenix Public Market |
Best Frozen Treat- Ice Cream, Gelato, or Custard | Gelato Dolce Vita |
Best Frozen Treat- Yogurt or Low-Cal Alternative | Tasti-D-Lite |
Best Gluten-Free Menu | The Melting Pot |
Best Grocery Store | Luci's Healthy Marketplace |
Best Health Food or Vegetarian Food | Fresh Mint |
Best Italian | Nick's |
Best Juicy Steak | Durant's |
Best Lunch Spot - Fun | The Herb Box |
Best Mexican Food | Black Chile Mexican Grill |
Best New Restaurant | Black Chile Mexican Grill |
Best Outdoor Seating | Carefree Station Grill & Bar |
Best Place to Watch the Big Game | Arcadia Tavern |
Best Private Dining Room | Table XII, Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort and Spa |
Best Resort Restaurant | Deseo, Westin Kierland Resort & Spa |
Best Seafood | Mastro's Ocean Club |
Best Slice | Venezia's Pizza |
Best Spa Cuisine | Golden Door Spa Cafe at The Boulders |
Best Sunday Brunch | Carefree Station Grill & Bar |
Best Tea Spot | The Ritz-Carlton, Phoenix |
Best Valley Food Truck | Epic Hot Dogs |
Most Amazing Restaurant Interior | AZ88 |
Old Favorite | Pinnacle Peak Patio |
Nightlife & Cocktails
Best Arizona Craft Beer | Four Peaks Brewing |
Best Arizona Winery | Pillsbury Wine Company |
Best Bartender | Sarah Aguirre, The Roxy |
Best Biker Bar | Dirty Dogg Saloon |
Best Cocktails | The Mint |
Best Comedy Club | Stand Up Live |
Best Cougar Bar | Blue Martini |
Best Gay Bar | BS West |
Best Happy Hour | Postino Winecafe |
Best Margarita | Carefree Station |
Best Nightclub or Lounge | American Junkie |
Best Place to Stock Up on Alcohol | Total Wine & Spirits |
Best Pub and Brewskis | Four Peaks Brewery |
Best Speakeasy or Hidden Spot | Mabel's on Main |
Best Spot for Drinking Activities | Geisha A Go Go |
Best Wine Bar | Postino Winecafe |
Most Glamourous Place to Party Best Place to Party in Scottsdale |
The Mint Smashboxx |
Home & Design
Best Architect | Erik Peterson, PHX Architecture |
Best Condo Development | The Landmark |
Best Custom Cabinets | Goodall Wood Creations |
Best Custom Homebuilder | Argue Custom Homes |
Best Design Firm/Designer | Danielle Jacques Designs LLC |
Best Design Firm/Store | Ethan Allen |
Best Flooring Company | Craftsman Court Ceramics |
Best Furniture/Home Store -National | Ethan Allen |
Best Furniture/Home Store-Local | Parnian Contemporary Modern Furniture |
Best Home Accessory Store | Domestic Bliss |
Best Homebuilding Company | Rosewood Homes |
Best Landscaping | Berghoff Design Group |
Best Luxury Rentals | Desert Parks Vista at DC Ranch |
Best Master-Planned Community/Development | Vistancia |
Best Pool Company |
Mossman Brothers Pools, Inc. |
Stay & Play
Best Casino | Gila River Casino- Lone Butte Casino |
Best Dog Boarding Facility | Sonoran Desert Pet Resort |
Best Downtown Phoenix Hotels | Westin Phoenix Downtown |
Best Lobby Bar | The Ritz-Carlton, Phoenix |
Best Movie Theatre | Harkins |
Best Party Resort Pool | Hotel Valley Ho |
Best Relaxing Resort Pool | The Westin Kierland Resort and Spa |
Best Resort | Westin Kierland Resort and Spa |
Most Luxe Accommodations | Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort and Spa |
Escapes
Best Las Vegas Casino | Mandalay Bay |
Best Las Vegas Pool | Encore/Wynn- Encore Beach |
Best Las Vegas Resort | Wynn |
Best Los Angeles Resort | L'Ermitage Beverly Hills Hotel |
Best Orange County Resort | St. Regis Monarch Beach |
Best San Diego Resort | Tower 23 |
Best Travel Website | Kayak.com |
Shopping
Best Athletic Gear | Lululemon |
Best Boutique- Local | JAM |
Best Boutique- National or International | Kate Spade |
Best Cosmetics and Skincare | Saks Fifth Avenue |
Best Deal Web Site | Groupon.com |
Best Denim | Industrie Denim |
Best Department Store | Saks Fifth Avenue |
Best Discount Store | Nordstrom Rack |
Best Engagement Ring Store | Coffin & Trout Fine Jewelers |
Best Fashion Week | Phoenix Fashion Week |
Best Fragrance Selection | Saks Fifth Avenue |
Best Gift Shop | Do Me a Favor |
Best Glasses | LensCrafters |
Best Handbags and Accessories | Saks Fifth Avenue |
Best Local Fashion Designer | Angela Johnson, Angela Johnson Designs |
Best Local Jeweler | Coffin & Trout Fine Jewelers |
Best Local Jewelry Designer | Claudia Kretchmer |
Best Local Jewelry Designer Female | Jacqueline Nerguizian Fine Jewelry |
Best Local Jewelry Designer Male | Randy Coffin, Coffin and Trout Fine Jewelry |
Best Local Watch Selection | Coffin & Trout Fine Jewelers |
Best National Jeweler | Tiffany & Co. |
Best Outlets or Discount Shopping Center | The Outlets at Anthem |
Best Pet Shop | Oh My Dog! Boutique + Spa |
Best Place to Hoard Fashion & Accessories for Cheap | Charming Charlie's |
Best Shoe Shopping | Saks Fifth Avenue |
Best Shopping Center- Indoors | Scottsdale Fashion Square |
Best Shopping Center- Outdoors | Desert Ridge Marketplace |
Best Stylist | Shannon Campbell |
Best Swimwear Shopping | Aqua Beachwear |
Best Technology & Gadgets | Microsoft Store |
Best Vintage or Secondhand Store | Vintage by Misty |
Best Web Clothing Shopping | Saks.com |
Best Wedding Dress Shop | Mariee |
Best Year-Round Resortwear | Calypso St. Barth |
Transportation
Best Airlines | Southwest |
Best Dealer Service- Audi | Audi North Scottsdale |
Best Dealer Service- BMW | BMW North Scottsdale |
Best Dealer Service- Cadillac | Coulter Cadillac |
Best Dealer Service- Infiniti | Infinti of Scottsdale |
Best Dealer Service- Lexus | Bell Lexus |
Best Dealer Service- Mercedes-Benz | Scottsdale Schumacher Mercedes-Benz |
Best Limo & Sweet Rides | The Driver Provider |
Best Valet | American Valet |
Golf
Best 19th Hole | Bernard's Restaurant at Ocotillo Golf Resort |
Best Clubhouse Spa | Encanterra |
Best Golf Clothing & Shopping | Vans Golf Shop |
Best Golf Community | Mirabel |
Best Instructor | Donald Crawley at The Boulders Resort and Spa |
Best Private Club | Mirabel |
Best Pro Shop | The Boulders Resort |
Best View | South Course at The Boulders Resort |
Most Challenging Course | North Course at The Boulders Resort |