Best place for last-minute gifts 2013: Cha Cha’s

Cha Cha’s 201 E. Main St. 293-8553 chachawithme.com Runner-up: The Virginia Shop Barracks Road Shopping Center 977-0080 thevashop.net Talk about an impulse buy: Richard Burton once bought Elizabeth Taylor a $960,000 jet they had flown in the day before. You won’t find anything like that Downtown favorite Cha Cha’s, but you will find a few […]

Best live DJ 2013: DJ Stroud

DJ Stroud djstroud.com Runner-up: Derek Tobler djtobler.com A little-known fact about DJ Stroud? In addition to his love of music, he’s also an avid surfer with a collection of about 15 surfboards and paddleboards. There’s an obvious connection between ocean waves and sound waves, so we’re not surprised his passion for both thrills lands him […]

Carlos Pezua: Maestro

“I was working as a substitute teacher in an eighth grade science class while I was also taking my medical school prerequisites at UVA. There was no lesson plan for class one day, so I looked out the window to see if I could find a science project for us to do. And I said […]

Best chef 2013: Michael Keaveny at tavola

Michael Keaveny at tavola 826 Hinton Ave. 972-9463 tavolavino.com Runner-up: Angelo Vangelopoulos at Ivy Inn 2244 Old Ivy Rd. 977-1222 ivyinnrestaurant.com Once upon a time, a chef’s hat had 100 pleats to signify that he know how to prepare eggs 100 ways. You won’t see a traditional chef’s hat on winner Michael Keaveny (in fact, […]

Stephen Pollock: The guitar guy

The Beatles’ appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show” is to blame for Stephen Pollock’s love of music. “I was nearly 14 and had no idea what I wanted to do with myself until February 9, 1964,” Pollock said. “That was the evening of the first Beatles “Ed Sullivan” appearance. I, like a million other boys […]

Best kebobs 2013: Sticks Kebob Shop

Sticks Kebob Shop 917 Preston Ave. 295-5262 1820 Abbey Rd. 295-5212 stickskebobshop.com Runner-up: Ariana Grill Kabob House 909 W. Main St. 872-9906 arianakabob.com The Turkish words shish kabob literally mean “skewer” and “roast meat.” You can’t get much simpler than that, but, there’s hardly anything simple about readers’ love of kebobs. In fact, it’s so […]

Best Italian 2013: tavola

tavola 826 Hinton Ave. 972-9463 tavolavino.com Runner-up: Bella’s 707 W. Main St. 327-4833 bellas-restaurant.com Here’s a cultural difference our waistlines are thankful for: The average person in Italy eats 51 pounds of pasta each year, whereas the average person in North America eats 15. Of course, these two spots make it very hard to keep […]

Best place to buy a car 2013: Brown Automotive

Brown Automotive 1357 Richmond Rd. 817-3380 brownautos.com Runner-up: Carmax 1448 Richmond Rd. 295-6351 carmax.com The very first automobile race in the United States was held in Chicago in 1895, with Frank Duryea winning with the average speed of 71.5mph. All of the cars on offer at Brown Automotive reach that speed (and higher!), but the […]

Best lawn and garden care 2013: Snow’s Garden Center

Snow’s Garden Center 1875 Avon St. 295-2159 snowsknows.com Runner-up: Nigel Wood Tree Service 960-9575 nigelwoodtreeservice.com There are approximately 50 million acres of grass in the U.S. and readers have no doubt Snow’s Garden Center could trim every last blade. And then some. The 101-year-old company cuts ahead of the competition with residential and commercial services, […]