Baltimore Living

Best Reason to Live Here: It's affordable

Best Reason to Leave Here: Crime

Best Neighborhood: Hampden

Best Area You'd Like to See Revitalized: The area around Patterson Park

Best City Service: Single-Stream Recycling

Best Bus Line: No. 3

Best Farmers Market: Baltimore Farmers' Market (under the JFX)

Best Landmark: Washington Monument

Best Eyesore: "Male/Female" by Jonathan Borofsky

Best Festival: Fells Point Fun Festival

Best Park: Patterson Park

Best Hiking or Biking Trail: Northern Central Railroad Trail

Best Place to Swim: Prettyboy Reservoir (note: swimming in city reservoirs is illegal)

Best Place to Bowl: Patterson Bowling Center, 2105 Eastern Ave., (410) 675-1011

Best Place to Take Visitors: Inner Harbor

Best Place to Take Kids: National Aquarium in Baltimore, 501 E. Pratt St., (410) 576-3800

Best Non-Art Museum: Baltimore Museum of Industry, 1415 Key Highway, (410) 727-4808

Best Day Trip From Baltimore: Washington, D.C.

Best Oriole: Nick Markakis

Best Raven: Ray Lewis

News & Media

Best Politician (Likability): Gov. Martin O'Malley

Best Politician (Job Performance): Mayor Sheila Dixon

Best Politician in Need of a Slap Upside the Head: Mayor Sheila Dixon

Best Do-Gooder: Anna Sowers

Best Troublemaker: Mayor Sheila Dixon

Best Local Scandal: The Sheila Dixon/Ronald Lipscomb affair

Best Use of Taxpayer Funds: Improving Baltimore City Public Schools

Best Misuse of Taxpayer Funds: Mayor Sheila Dixon

Best Print Journalist: Dan Rodricks, The Baltimore Sun

Best Local Issue We're Sick Of: Crime

Best Local Publication (Besides City Paper): Urbanite

Best Local Blog: BaltimoreCrime.blogspot.com

Best Baltimore-Related Web Site: CityPaper.com

Best Local YouTube Clip: Cop vs. Skateboarder

Best Local Radio Personality: Ed Norris, WHFS (105.7 FM)

Best Local TV Newsperson: Stan Stovall, WBAL (channel 11)

Best Local Sportscaster: Mark Viviano, WJZ (channel 13); ESPN Radio (1300 AM)

Goods & Services

Best Local Clothing Boutique: Doubledutch Boutique, 3616 Falls Road, (410) 554-0055

Best Local Children's Clothing Store: Corduroy Button, 1628 Thames St., (410) 276-5437

Best Shoe Store: Ma Petite Shoe, 832 W. 36th St., (410) 235-3442

Best Thrift Store or Consignment Store: Fashion Attic, 1926 Fleet St., (410) 276-0817

Best Eco-Friendly Business: Bluehouse, 1407 Fleet St., (410) 276-1180

Best Local Furniture Store: Su Casa, 901 S. Bond St., (410) 522-7010

Best Local Hardware Store: Falkenhan's Hardware, 3401 Chestnut Ave., (410) 235-7771

Best "Adult" Store: Sugar, 927 W. 36th St., (410) 467-2632

Best Independent Bookstore: Atomic Books, 3620 Falls Road, (410) 662-4444

Best Used-Book Store: Normals, 425 E. 31st St., (410) 243-6888

Best CD Store: The Sound Garden, 1616 Thames St., (410) 563-9011

Best Place to Buy Vinyl: The Sound Garden

Best Place to Rent Movies: Video Americain, 400 W. Cold Spring Lane, (410) 243-2231; 3100 St. Paul St., (410) 889-5266

Best Place to Buy Groceries: Whole Foods, 1001 Fleet St., (410) 528-1640; 1330 Smith Ave., (410) 532-6700

Best Liquor Store: The Wine Source, 3601 Elm Ave., (410) 467-7777

Best Auto-Repair Shop: Comprehensive Car Care, 923 Cathedral Street, (410) 539-1068

Best Tattoo Parlor: Baltimore Tattoo Museum, 1534 Eastern Ave., (410) 522-5800

Best Place to Get a Haircut: Sprout, 925 W. 36th St., (410) 235-2269

Best Place to Work Out: Charm City Yoga, 107 E. Preston St., (410) 234- 8967; 901 Fell St., (410) 276-9642

Best Animal Hospital/Veterinarian: Falls Road Animal Hospital, 6314 Falls Road, (410) 825-9100

Dining

Best New Restaurant: Woodberry Kitchen, 2010 Clipper Park Road, (410) 464-8000

Best Fancy Restaurant: Charleston, 1000 Lancaster St., (410) 332-7373

Best Cheap Restaurant: Holy Frijoles!, 908 W. 36th St., (410) 235-2326

Best Restaurant for Vegetarians: One World Café, 100 W. University Parkway, (410) 235-5777

Best Outdoor Dining: Ambassador Dining Room, 3811 Canterbury Road, (410) 366-1484

Best Late-Night Dining: PaperMoon Diner, 227 W. 29th St., (410) 889-4444

Best Cup of Coffee: Daily Grind, numerous locations

Best Brunch: Miss Shirley's Café, 513 W. Cold Spring Lane, (410) 889-5272

Best Place to Get Ice Cream: Cold Stone Creamery, 3201 St. Paul St., (410) 889-0488; 2500 Boston St., (410) 522-0353

Best Place to Get a Sandwich: Attman's Delicatessen, 1019 E. Lombard St., (410) 563-2666

Best Pizza: Matthew's Pizza, 3131 Eastern Ave., (410) 276-8755

Best Crab House: Mr. Bill's Terrace Inn, 200 Eastern Blvd., Essex, (410) 687-5994

Best Crab Cake: G&M Restaurant, 804 Hammonds Ferry Road, Linthicum Heights, (410) 636-1777

Best Greek: Samos, 600 Oldham St., (410) 675-5292

Best Indian: Ambassador Dining Room

Best Italian: Amicci's, 231 S. High St., (410) 528-1096

Best Japanese: Matsuri, 1105 S. Charles St., (410) 752-8561

Best Latin: Arcos, 129 S. Broadway, (410) 522-4777

Best Middle Eastern: The Helmand, 806 N. Charles St., (410) 752-0311

Best Thai: Thai Arroy, 1019 Light St., (410) 385-8587

Nightlife

Best Local Beer: Resurrection, Brewer's Art, 1106 N. Charles St., (410) 547-6925

Best Cheap Drinks: The Dizz (formerly Dizzy Issie's) , 300 W. 30th St.

Best Happy Hour: Bay Café, 2809 Boston St., (410) 522-3377

Best Neighborhood Bar: The Dizz

Best Dive Bar: Mount Royal Tavern, 1204 W. Mount Royal Ave., (410) 669-6686

Best Upscale Bar: Pazo, 1425 Aliceanna St., (410) 534-7296

Best Drunken Hookup Bar: MaGerks Pub, 1061 S. Charles St., (410) 576-9230

Best Sports Bar: ESPN Zone, 601 E. Pratt St., (410) 685-3776

Best Hipster Bar: Rocket to Venus, 3360 Chestnut Ave., (410) 235-7887

Best Bar for Smokers: Havana Club, 600 Water St., (410) 468-0022

Best Gay Bar: The Hippo, 1 W. Eager St., (410) 547-0069

Best Lesbian Bar: Sappho's, 1001/1003 N. Charles St., (410) 752- 7133

Best Karaoke: Nevin's Cross Street Station, 31-33 E. Cross St., (410) 468-4078

Best Jukebox: Club Charles, 1724 N. Charles St., (410) 727-8815

Best Bartender: Adam Thomas, Dionysus, 8 E. Preston St. (410) 244-1020

Best Strip Joint: Scores, 615 Fallsway, (410) 528-1117

Best Dance Club: Sonar, 407 E. Saratoga St., (410) 783-7888

Best Club DJ: K-Swift

Best Club Night or Event: My Crew Be Unruly (Paradox)

Arts

Best Band: Fools and Horses

Best Solo Music Artist: Dan Deacon

Best Rock Club: The Ottobar, 2549 N. Howard St., (410) 662-0069

Best Place to Hear Hip-Hop: Sonar

Best Underground Music Venue: Floristree

Best All-Ages Venue to See Bands: Pier Six Pavilion, 731 Eastern Ave., (410) 547- 7328

Best Local Music Festival: Whartscape

Best Local Music Blog: AuralStates.com

Best Local Internet Radio for Music: WTMD.org

Best Radio Station for Music: WTMD (89.7 FM)

Best Movie Theater: Charles Theatre, 1711, N. Charles St., (410) 727-3456

Best Movie Festival/Series: Maryland Film Festival

Best Local Theater Company: Center Stage, 700 N. Calvert St., (410) 332-0033

Best Dance Company: The Collective, 3618 Falls Road, Suite 200, (443) 257-3844

Best Drag Performer: Justin Credible

Best Multiuse Arts Space: Creative Alliance at the Patterson, 3134 Eastern Ave., (410) 276-1651

Best Place to See Art: Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Drive, (410) 396-7100

Best Visual Artist: Brady Starr

Best New Book by a Local Author: Another Thing to Fall, by Laura Lippman

Miscellaneous

Best Reason to Pick Up City Paper: To know what's going on in the city

Best Reason Not to Pick Up City Paper: The advertisements

Best Reason We Should Invite You to the Best of Baltimore Party: 2 words--fat chick, we never get invited anywhere.