Best of Our Valley 2012 Winners

 
 
 

 

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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.

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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 Issueclick 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

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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

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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

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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

health and 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

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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

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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

food and resturants

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

nightlife and 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

home and 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

Stay and 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

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

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

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

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