FFWD Weekly
Copyright © 1998 All Rights Reserved.
| BEST OF CALGARY POLL 1998 The results are in, and we've confirmed something we always knew: our readers are a young, hip, urban crowd with impeccable taste. Unlike results from other surveys in the city, Fast Forward readers have shown a desire to find the gems of the city no matter how big or small they may be. They've also show an overwhelming appreciation of locally owned businesses - the number of chain stores are surpising sparse. They are obviously proud Calgarians who are proud of other Calgarians. The results also show that Fast Forward readers have an appreciation for the good things in life - wine, a view of the stars, international foods and good clothes - while still being able to appreciate the value of a $3 late-night greasy eating experience. You helped choose them, so here they are, the results of our first annual Best of Calgary readers' poll. In each category, the winner is listed first with the runner-up following. In cases of a tie (for either first or second), all the choices are listed. The City Best new trend 1. Martini bars 2. Coffee houses Worst new trend 1. Body piercing 2. Cigars Best kept Calgary secret 1. The pathway system 2. Sandy Beach Best park 1. Prince's Island Park 2. Fish Creek Provincial Park Best place to watch the stars 1. Nose Hill 2. Scotsman's Hill Best in-town getaway 1. Palliser Hotel 2. The Zoo Best tourist attraction 1. The Calgary Stampede 2. The Calgary Zoo Best festival 1. The Calgary Folk Music Festival 2. The Jazz Festival Best free event 1. The Lilac Festival 2. Stampede breakfasts Best charity/fundraising event 1. The Eddies 2. 24-hour relay Best landmark 1. Calgary Tower 2. Statues at the Calgary Board of Education Best neighborhood 1. Mission 2. 17th Avenue S.W. Best place for a romantic walk 1. Prince's Island Park 2. Elbow River pathway Best place to get married 1. Devonian Gardens 2. Heritage Park Best place to break up 1. The Ship & Anchor 2. Nose Hill Best reason to stay in Calgary 1. The people 2. Chinooks Best reason not to stay in Calgary 1. The weather 2. Growth of the city Best place to see a celebrity 1. Palliser Hotel 2. Teatro Best place to people watch 1. Stephen Avenue Walk 2. Prince's Island Park Calgarians Most honorable Calgarian 1. Premier Ralph Klein 2. Musician Jann Arden Most embarassing Calgarian 1. Premier Ralph Klein 2. Reform leader Preston Manning Best dressed Calgarian 1. Campbell Mcdougall (owner of Oxygen and Fritz Lang) 2. Tara McCool (A-Channel) Worst dressed Calgarian 1. Cal 2. Alderman Sue Higgins Coolest scenester 1. Eric Francis (Calgary Sun) 2. Darr Maqbool (A-Channel) / Mike Bell (Fast Forward) / Denise Clarke (One Yellow Rabbit) Best politician 1. Mayor Al Duerr 2. Premier Ralph Klein Best local author 1. W.O. Mitchell 2. Thomas Wharton / Janet Sisson Sexiest man 1. Musician Paul Couts (The New 1-2) / Country singer Paul Brandt 2. Brock (Megatunes) / Dave Sapunjis (Calgary Stampeders) / Dave Kelly (A-Channel) / Chris Gailus (Channel 7) Sexiest woman 1. Tara McCool (A-Channel) 2. Julianna Thiessen (beauty queen) / Devora Brown (The Ship & Anchor, Ming) / Denise Clarke (One Yellow Rabbit) / musician Jann Arden Favorite television personality 1. Darr Maqbool (A-Channel) 2. Dave Kelly (A-Channel) Favorite radio personality 1. Gerry Forbes (CJAY 92) 2. Roger Rhodes (Power 107) Best Radio station 1. Power 107 2. CJSW / CKUA Best television station 1. A-Channel 2. Calgary 7 Most active activist 1. Milton Born-With-A-Tooth 2. Greenpeace Best local band 1. Zuckerbaby 2. Huevos Rancheros Best athlete 1. Speedskater Catriona LeMay Doan 2. Calgary Flame Theo Fleury Best export 1. Musician Jann Arden 2. Kid in the Hall Bruce McCulloch Most popular panhandler 1. Cal 2. Bob Best local busker 1. Dan the One-Man-Band 2. Artie the Jester Best graffiti artist 1. Jimmy 2. (inconclusive) Shopping Most useful shopping district 1. 17th Avenue S.W. 2. Downtown / Stephen Avenue Walk Best sports store 1. Sport Chek 2. Sport Swap Best bicycle shop 1. The Bike Shop 2. Bow Cycle & Sports Best discount store 1. Winners 2. Liquidation World Best flea market 1. Crossroads 2. Black Market (Hillhurst / Sunnyside) Best antique/retro store 1. Retro Ville 2. Blue Light Special Best video store 1. Blockbuster 2. Video & Sound Best Internet service provider 1. Cadvision 2. Shaw-Wave Best retail record store 1. HMV 2. A&B Sound Best indie record store 1. Megatunes 2. Sloth Best used record store 1. Hot Wax / Recordland 2. Tramps Best musical instrument store 1. Long & McQuade 2. Guitarworks Best retail book chain 1. Chapters 2. Coles Best specialty book store 1. Pages 2. Books & Books Best comic / fantasy / SF store 1. Phoenix Comics 2. The Sentry Box Best used book store 1. Author Author 2. Fair's Fair Best sex toys / fetish wear 1. Just For Lovers 2. The Love Shop Best place to buy condoms 1. Shoppers Drug Mart 2. Rubber Rainbow Best electronics / computer store 1. A & B Sound 2. Future Shop Best hair salon / barber 1. Neo 7 Hair 2. Jeromes Best magazine selection 1. With the Times 2. Daily Globe Best Laundromat 1. O'Henry Laundromat 2. The Wash House Best toy store 1. Toys 'R' Us 2. Livingstone & Cavell Best travel agency 1. Travel Cuts 2. Co-op Travel Best health food store 1. Community Health 2. Earth Harvest Best international food store 1. Real Canadian Superstore 2. Sunterra Market / New Asia Supermarket Best piercing shop 1. To the Point 2. Quinn's of Kensington Best men's clothing store 1. Fritz Lang / Oxygen / Harry Rosen 2. Anthony's Best women's clothing store 1. Primitive 2. Holt Renfrew Best skateboard shop 1. The Source 2. Freewheelin' Best ski equipment shop 1. Ski Cellar 2. Ski West Best outdoor gear store 1. Mountain Equipment Co-op 2. Crown Surplus Best footwear 1. Arnold Churgin 2. Aldo / Divine Decadence Best shoe repair 1. Moneysworth & Best 2. Alpine Shoe Service Best club wear 1. Divine Decadence 2. Aluminum Planet Best vintage clothing 1. Blue Light Special 2. Polka Dots & Moon Beams Best optical 1. Brass Monocle 2. Eyeclectic Best leather boutique 1. Boutique of Leathers / Danier 2. Leather Ranch Best lingerie store 1. La Senza 2. The Cat's Pyjamas Best pet store 1. Petland 2. The Humane Society Best place to get pampered 1. Swizzle Sticks 2. Oasis Spa Best florist 1. Grower Direct 2. Peaseblossoms Nightlife Best bartender 1. Jon (The Mercury) 2. Sean (The Night Gallery) Best drink 1. Martini 2. Crantini Best place to dance 1. The Palace 2. Embassy Best DJ 1. DJ Rice 2. DJ djewel Best place to catch a live band 1. Republik 2. The Night Gallery Best jazz / blues venue 1. Kaos Jazz & Blues Bistro 2. The King Eddy Best nightclub 1. The Palace 2. The Night Gallery Best club atmosphere 1. Embassy 2. The Palace Best country / folk club 1. Cowboys 2. Ranchman's Best place to play pool 1. Deisel 2. The Garage Best place to watch sports 1. Schanks 2. Melrose Best martini bar 1. The Mercury 2. Ming Happiest Happy Hour 1. The Ship & Anchor 2. Barley Mill / Republik / James Joyce Best gay/lesbian bar 1. Detour 2. Victoria's Best bar patio 1. The Ship & Anchor 2. Earl's Best bar to spend a whole day in 1. The Ship & Anchor 2. Schanks Best pub 1. The Ship & Anchor 2. James Joyce Best pick-up spot 1. Cowboys 2. The Ship & Anchor Best place to drink alone 1. At home 2. The Ship & Anchor Best dive bar 1. The Cecil 2. The National Best looking restaurant/bar staff 1. The Mercury / The Ship & Anchor 2. Cowboys Best value restaurant 1. Earl's / Denny's 2. The Old Spaghetti Factory Hippest restaurant 1. Criterion / Teatro 2. Mortal Coil Best restaurant atmosphere 1. Mescalero / Teatro 2. Jack Astor's Best wait staff 1. Earl's 2. The Mercury Best bagel 1. The Great Canadian Bagel 2. Bagels & Buns Best late-nite 1. Husky House 2. The Wicked Wedge Best pizza 1. The Wicked Wedge 2. Chicago Deep Dish Best pizza slice 1. The Wicked Wedge 2. Humungous / Pizza by the Slice / Papa John's / Varsity Pizza Best Nachos 1. The Keg / Smiles 2. Earl's Best wings 1. Ed's 2. Earl's Best deli 1. Spolumbo's / Sunterra 2. Sam's Deli Best bakery 1. Glamorgan Bakery 2. Calgary Italian Bakery Best burger 1. Peters' Drive-In 2. Burger Inn Best Chinese 1. Silver Dragon 2. Singapore Sam's Best Japanese 1. Japanese Village 2. Kyoto 17 Best Thai 1. The King & I 2. Thai Sa-On Best Indian 1. Rajdoot 2. Taj Mahal Best Italian 1. Buon Giorno 2. La Dolce Vita Best Greek 1. Pegasus 2. Paros Best Mexican 1. Juan's 2. El Sombrero Best International 1. Sultan's Tent 2. Istanbul Café Best Breakfast 1. Galaxie Diner 2. Nellie's Kitchen Best Sunday brunch 1. Palliser Hotel 2. Glenmore Inn Best vegetarian 1. That's a Wrap 2. Community Health / Anpurna / Rajdoot Best ice cream 1. Forbidden Flavors 2. My Favorite Ice Cream Shoppe Best dessert 1. Cheesecake Cafe 2. Decadent desserts Best place for chocolate 1. Bernard Callebaut 2. Purdy's Best cup of coffee 1. Starbucks 2. The Second Cup Best restaurant for a first date 1. Mortal Coil 2. Calgary Tower Best restaurant patio 1. 4th Street Rose 2. Earl's Best wine list 1. Escoba 2. Teatro Best beer selection 1. Bottlescrew Bill's 2. The Barley Mill Best Alberta craft brew 1. Big Rock Brewery 2. Mission Bridge City Life Best Art Gallery 1. Triangle Gallery 2. Glenbow Museum / Muttart Public Art Gallery Best theatre company 1. One Yellow Rabbit 2. Alberta Theatre Projects Best first-run movie theatre 1. The Globe 2. Westhills Best repertory movie theatre 1. The Plaza 2. The Globe Best local getaway 1. Banff 2. Bragg Creek Best place for a quiet date 1. "My house" 2. Prince's Island Park Best place to read a book 1. Chapters 2. At home Best place to play video games 1. Cinescape (Eau Claire) 2. The University of Calgary Best fitness facility 1. Heavens Fitness 2. Lindsay Park |