Ace Best of Lexington 2003 9.04.2003

WELCOME!!!
By Kevin Faris

Well, if you were not aware of it before, it should be perfectly clear. Ace Weekly has completely sold out to the man. Sad to say, but the corporate world has so infested our newspaper that I would be surprised if the front cover did not say, “ACE Weekly: Brought to You by Microsoft!” or Disney or some other conglomerate. The proof lies in the pudding, or in our case the Riblets. If the far-reaching claw of the evil empire that is Applebee’s was ever in doubt, than this “BEST OF LEXINGTON” issue should lay that firmly to doubt. Yes, the newspaper that once had bars that had been closed for years, (The Wrocklage), and movies that opened in the mid-90s, (100 Proof), receiving a substantial amount of votes has now awarded Applebee’s “Best Happy Hour.”

I should clear up a misconception. ACE Weekly did not award Applebee’s anything, you the reader did. One of the more humorous weeks on the calendar is the one that follows the “Best of” issue, where people accuse ACE of rigging the elections, of only awarding businesses that we like or have relationships with the prizes. Well, this should put any talk of that to rest. Trust me, if this were fixed, there is no way I would let Applebee’s win anything. Although, in their defense, they are a very well-run business that seems to be popular amongst a large percentage of people. I cannot bad mouth them too much, I have a liberal arts degree and may need a job someday.
The independent spirit of ACE, however, did show through in other ways. The ideas of what to do with the money pit that is Lexington Mall showed not only creativity, but just the right amount of destructiveness that I appreciate in any good idea. And before you think that I am some sort “Inside the Circle” snob, which, to admit, I kind of am, I have a confession. I love Starbucks. And apparently, so do a lot of you. It won, “Best Coffee.”

This “Best of” has a different feel from the others. The wide array of businesses and people that were named reflect on a growing readership of ACE. Although Lexington is not a big city, it is spread out enough that those of us in one neighborhood may not appreciate what lies elsewhere. We are growing up and growing out, suburbs here we come! To quote Vince Vaughn in Swingers, “Our baby’s all growns up!” And, in the end, it is not my opinion that counts, it is yours, and if you say Applebee’s is the best, than I say, “Bring on my Brewtus and Riblets! And don’t Bogart the wetnaps, my friend, because I am one messy dude.”

Arts and Entertainment

Art gallery

Wingspan

Ann Tower

Starving Artists

Visual art exhibit (in last year)
Dynamic Doors

All the Queens Horses

Nude 2003

Public art

Dynamic Doors

Saturday art in Phoenix Park

Pat Gerhard

Local visual artist

Pat Gehard

Arturo Sandoval

Blake Eames

Book by a Kentuckian (in last year)

Chris Offutt’s No Heroes

Thomas Clarke, 100 Years

Local theater production (in last year)

Dirty Blonde

Streetcar Named Desire

Othello

New local CD

Club Dub

Green Genes

C.O. Jones

Local band due for a national breakout

Club Dub

Supafuzz

Orange Whip

Music venue

The Dame

Starlight Music Club

The Phoenix

Place to geek out

Laser Quest

Joseph Beth

Comics & Collectibles

Thing to do in lex for under $10 bucks

Kentucky Theatre/Summer Wed. Night Old Movies

Fourth Friday

Keeneland
[there may be a debateas to whether it’s possible to spend less than $10 for a day at Keeneland, but the readers have spoken]

Beauty, Health, & Fitness

Hair salon

Planet Salon

Hair & Now

Hairport

Hair stylist

Mickey at Voçe

Douglas at Douglas & Assoc

Troy at J.Allen

Manicure/Pedicure

Nail Perfection

Planet Salon

Posh

Wax job

Hair & Now

Posh

Planet Salon

SUNLESS tan

Posh

Sun Spa

Sun Tan City

Yoga instructor

Lexington Athletic Club

Ford’s Fitness

YMCA

Gym

Gold’s

YMCA

Lexington Athletic Club

Basketball court

YMCA

UK (blue courts)

Shillito Park

Bike trail

Arboretum

Beaumont Center Trail System

Jacobson Park

Massage (legal please)

Lex Professional Massage/The Massage Center

Planet Salon

Posh

Permanent hair removal

Plastic Surgeons of Lexington

Hair Today Gone Tomorrow

Advanced Hair Removal

Plastic surgeon

Dr. Andy Moore

Dr. Robert S. Baker

Dr. Marty Luftman

Eye surgeon

Commonwealth Eye

Dr. William N Offutt IV MD

Dr. Abell

Eat & Drink

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New restaurant (opened in last year)

Le Deauville

Buddy’s

Johnny Carino’s

 

Date restaurant

Malone’s

A La Lucie’s

Ed & Fred’s Desert Moon

 

Business lunch

Dudley’s

Johnny Carino’s

Ed & Fred’s Desert Moon

 

New ethnic offering

Aladdin

Tandoor Indian

Cielito Lindo

 

Happy hour

Applebee’s

Cheapside

Ramsey’s

 

 

Best BBQ

Billy’s BBQ

Corky’s

Tony Roma’s

 

Dive

Buffalo & Dad’s

CCI

Tolly Ho

 

Wait staff

Ramsey’s

Emmett’s

Bella Notte

 

Bartender

Jesse Wright (at Atomic Café)

Brian (at Marikka’s)

Jacob Gonzales (at Jonathan At Gratz Park)

 

 

Caterer

Bleu Ribbon Catering (Kate Savage)

Dupree Catering

Donna Potter

 

Cup of coffee in town

Starbucks

Common Grounds

Natasha’s

Kentucky bourbon

Labrot & Graham’sWoodford Reserve

Maker’s Mark

 

Goods

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Auto dealer

Don Jacobs on Nicholasville

Lexus Store on Nicholasville

James Motor Company

 

 

Used/neighborhood bookstore

Black Swan

Book Cellar

Morgan Adams

 

Place to buy/sell used music

CD Central

Spy Records

Pop’s

 

Women’s clothing

Bella Rose

AJ’s Casuals

World’s Apart

 

Men’s clothing

Logan’s

Howard & Miller

Banana Republic

 

Eclectic/artsy/funky jewelry

Artique

Black Market

Isle of You

 

Fine jewelry

Farmer’s Jewelry

Shelia’s Fine Jewelry

Corbett Frame

 

 

New store (opened in last year)

Wild Oats

General Eccentric

Luli’s

 

Gift shop (funky/eclectic)

3rd Street Stuff

Paisley Peacock

Artique

 

Gift shop (fancy/schmancy)

For Friends

LV Harkness

Mulberry on Lime

 

Place to buy gift to get out of doghouse

Shelia’s Fine Jewelry

Avant Travel

Best of Flowers

 

Store you wish Lexington had

Prada

Pottery Barn

Ikea

 

Sex & The City

---

Eligible bachelor in Lex

Jesse Whitaker

Marvin Bartlett

Jim Gray

Eligible bachelorette In Lex

Alexa Gromko

Courtney Walker

Mollie Baker

Power couple

Alan and Kathy Stein

Thomas Dysarz and Michael Meehan

Brian and Cathleen Collins

Hon. Mention: Paul Patton & Tina Conners

 

Sexiest local band

Club Dub

G Funk

Orange Whip

 

Sexiest local news anchor (male)

Marvin Bartlett

Sam Dick

TG Shuck

Sexiest local news anchor (female)

Dia Davidson

Jennifer Nime

Alexa Gromko

 

Sexiest elected official

Ernesto Scorsone

Chuck Ellinger

Teresa Isaac

 

Home & Garden

---

Architectural firm

Pohl Rosa Pohl

Fitzsimons Office of Architecture

Sarah Tate, Tate/Hill/Jacobs/Architects INC.

 

Interior designer

Holly Hanna Interiors LLC

Hubbuch & Co.

Ann Greely Interiors

 

 

Landscape Architect/Garden Designer

Hillenmeyer’s

Henkel Denmark

Four Seasons

 

Contemporary/modern furnishings

Modern Details

Arhaus

Bluegrass Bazaar

 

Antiques

Heritage Antiques

Greentree

Belle Maison

Plumber

Cannon Plumbing

John Johnston

Tommy Taylor

 

Home Inspector

Pruitt Property Inspection Inc. (Steve Pruitt)

John Bain, Bain Property Inspection Inc.

Kenny McLaughlin

 

General contractor

Atchison & Heller

Phase IV

Sawhorse Construction

Honest roofer

Burnett & Sons

Ben Harper

Reliable Roofing

 

Realtor

Rick Queen

Becky Mobley

Donna Woodward

 

Luxury apartment community

Grand Reserve at Pinnacle

Park Place

The Resort

 

Services & Professional

---

Bank

First Security

Fifth Third

Community Trust

 

Veterinarian

Chevy Chase Animal Clinic

Gainesway Small Animal Clinic

Todd Marcum

 

Law firm

McBrayer McGinnis Leslie and Kirkland

Stites & Harbison

Stoll Keenon & Park

 

 

Local charity

Makenna Foundation

Habitat for Humanity

Humane Society

Florist

Michler’s

Best of Flowers

Stephen Hein

 

CPA

Dulworth, Breeding & Karns

Potter and Co

Foster Financials

 

ISP provider (local!!)

QX.net

Blue One

 

Mechanic

Lowell’s Bluegrass Automotive

Charlie’s Foreign Auto

Alpine Motors

 

Car wash

Jeff’s Car Wash

Jazzy’s

Soapy Joe’s

 

Cleaning crew

2 Ladies and a Bucket

Merry Maids

Molly Maids

 

Local Color (people & places)

---

 

Activist

Bruce Burriss

Gatewood Galbraith

Frank Walker

 

Eccentric

Don Pratt

Gatewood Galbraith

Mike Scanlon

 

Use for Lexington Mall’s current carapace

Larger Farmer’s Market

Outlet Mall

Drive-in movie theater

 

 

Thing to happen to downtown this year

Seabiscuit Premiere

Civic Center Remodel

Dynamic Doors

 

Local politician you love-to-hate

Ernie Fletcher

Teresa Isaac

Mike Scanlon

 

Council member

Bill Farmer

Bill Cegelka

Gloria Martin

 

State legislator

Kathy Stein

Ernesto Scorsone

David Williams

 

Idea you’d like to share with LFUCG

Buy the Water Company

Don’t buy the Water Company

Fix Roads/ hire a traffic engineer to time all the lights/traffic/
public transport

Isaac out, Gray in

Connect Man O’ War

Pay raise for cops and firemen

 

 

Annual Charity Fundraiser

Lexington Ball

High Hope Steeplechase

Bluegrass Bachelor Auction

 

Place to Shower during ice storm

YMCA

Gold’s Gym

Planet Salon
Media

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Billboard

Maker’s Mark

Chick Fil-A

Central Baptist Hospital

Evening newscast

WLEX 18 NBC

WKYT 27 CBS

WDKY Fox 56 news at 10

 

News hair

Alexa Gromko

Dia Davidson

Marvin Bartlett

 

Local meteorologist

Bill Meck

Brian Collins

TG Shuck

 

Local radio talk show

Tom Leach & Al Greenwood

Kruser and Crew

Sue Wylie

 

DJ

Andy Mason

Freakdaddy

Cousin Deek

 

Radio station

WRVG

WUKY

WLAP

ACE cover story (in last year)

Democracy, Whiskey, Sexy

Heir to McClanavan

Seabiscuit