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 […]

Best taxicab service 2013: Wahooptie

Wahooptie 466-9463 wahooptie.com Runner-up: Yellow Cab 295-4131 cvilletaxi.com According to Urban Dictionary, a “hooptie,” is any vehicle for which the driver must enter through the passenger side; that has three different brand and size tires; that only gets one AM station on the radio… The list goes on. And maybe Wahoopties start out that way, […]

Best Mediterranean 2013: Orzo Kitchen & Wine Bar

Orzo Kitchen & Wine Bar 416 W. Main St. 975-6796 orzokitchen.com Runner-up: Aromas Cafe Barracks Road Shopping Center 244-2486 aromascafecville.com Mediterranean food is enthusiastic about ingredients de la mer, and why shouldn’t it be? The Mediterranean Sea takes over an area of 965,000 miles—that’s a lot of room for inspiration! Orzo, in the Main Street […]

Jess Martin: Superfan

We all know that fan—the one who can rattle off concerts dates and set lists, detailing the lineup, the between-song banter, and even the attire of her favorite band or musician. Jess Martin is of that tribe. The 30-year-old Charlottesville resident has more concerts under her belt than some aging rock stars, and she’s just […]

Wendy Fisher: The life of an adminstrator

Wendy Fisher fell in love with Montessori through the experience of her children. Fisher, now head of school at Mountaintop Montessori on Pantops, spent so much time in the classroom of the school in Washington, D.C. that the oldest of her five kids attended that the head of school suggested Fisher explore getting certified to […]

Best pediatrician 2013: Piedmont Pediatrics

Piedmont Pediatrics 900 Rio E. Ct. 975-7777 piedmontpediatrics.net Runner-up: Paige Perriello 1011 E. Jefferson St. 296-9161 charlottesvillepeds.com It takes 11 years to become a pediatrician, which means that, all together, this year’s winners (five doctors at Piedmont Pediatrics) and runner-up have 66 years of medical experience between them. That’s a lot of expertise looking after […]