Best gym 2013: ACAC

ACAC 200 Four Seasons Dr. 978-7523 111 Monticello Ave. 984-3800 Albemarle Square Shopping Center 978-3800 1015 Heathercroft Cir., Suite 100 (Crozet) 817-2055 acac.com Runner-up: CrossFit 1309 Belleview Ave. #2 260-0209 crossfitcharlottesville.com All the best things come in threes. At least, that’s true of ACAC, with locations in Downtown Charlottesville, Crozet, and Albemarle Square to maximize […]

Best place to buy wine 2013: Market Street Wineshops

Market Street Wineshops 311 E. Market St. 305 Rivanna Plaza Dr., Suite 102 964-9463 marketstreetwine.com Runner-up: Trader Joe’s Stonefield Shopping Center 974-1466 traderjoes.com For nearly 30 years, Market Street Wineshops have served as not only the best place to buy wine (there’s more than 1,200 wines in stock), but also to learn about it, through […]

Best park for kids 2013: Pen Park

Pen Park East Rio Road Runner-up: McGuffey Park Corner of Second Street NW and Jefferson Street What’s a three-letter word for fun that isn’t “fun”? Pen. As in, Pen Park. Readers say it’s the best place for kids to play around, and no wonder—its 280 acres boasts eight tennis courts, a Little League baseball field, […]

Best foot race 2013: Women’s 4-miler

Women’s 4-miler Runner-up: Charlottesville 10-miler There are many benefits to running the women’s 4-miler (supporting UVA’s Breast Care Program, improving your health and stamina), but perhaps the most interesting component of the Labor Day weekend run is its training program, which begins two months before the 4-miler and ensures your readiness for the big day. […]

Best dermatologist 2013: Bonnie Straka

Bonnie Straka 3350 Berkmar Dr. 923-4646 signaturemedspa.com Runner-up: Anna Magee 600 Peter Jefferson Pkwy., #230 984-2400 Since your skin is the largest organ in (or, rather, on) your body, it makes sense that you’d want to treat it well. Bonnie Straka is the answer, readers say. The dermatologist has been serving patients in Charlottesville since […]

Best bookstore 2013: Barnes & Noble

Barnes & Noble Barracks Road Shopping Center 984-0461 barnesandnoble.com Runner-up: Daedalus Bookshop 121 Fourth St. NE 293-7595 The Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., contains 28 million books and has 532 miles of shelving. If you’re looking to build your own collection, readers say there’s no better place to start than Barnes & Noble, where […]

Best nursery 2013: Ivy Nursery

Ivy Nursery 570 Broomley Rd. 295-1183 ivynursery.com Runner-up: Fifth Season Gardening Co. 900 Preston Ave. 293-2332 fifthseasongardening.com During the 1600s, tulips were so valuable in Holland that their bulbs were worth more than gold. The craze was called tulip mania, or tulipomania. You can find the valuable flowers (and more!) at Ivy Nursery, where readers […]

Best dentist 2013: David and Rebecca Swett

David and Rebecca Swett 900 Rio Rd. E, Suite B 979-3940 swettdentistry.com Runner-up: David Dalley 901 Preston Ave. #200 296-8034 The longest tooth ever pulled, belonging to Singapore resident Loo Hui Jing, measured in at 1.26″. There’s never been quite as big an extraction at the Swetts’ practice (Mr. Jing continues to the world record), […]

Best contractor 2013: Advantage Handyman

Advantage Handyman 817-7222 advantagehandy.com Runner-up: Jeff Easter 295-9911 jeffeasterremodeling.com During World War II, Vesta Stoudt, a mother of three naval officers, invented duct tape when she noticed the paper tab used to rip open a box of rifle cartridges was inefficient. It’s this kind of attention to detail and creativity that’s expected when it comes […]