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The Best of Coronado 2003

This year’s Best of Coronado winners included some old standbys, a few new kids on the blocks and some real surprises. Some of your answers had us scratching our heads, but in other instances saying, “Of course! Why didn’t we think of that?” We also sneaked in a couple of our own favorites under “Editor’s Picks.” And your advice on how to beat the traffic ranged from giving tactical pointers to ornery retorts. So here you go, Coronado, your takes on the best our city has to offer for 2003.

PACK YOUR BAGS

• Favorite Hotel (300+ Rooms): Hotel Del Coronado. It’s better than ever following Lowe Enterprises’
remodel and the introduction of the Windsor Lawn overlooking the Pacific. Will new owners KSL carry on with the Lowe Enterprises master plan approved by our city? Stay tuned!

• Best Hotel under 300 rooms: John Spreckels former home, the Glorietta Bay Inn, once again takes the honor.

EDITOR’S PICK
• Most Improved Hotel Property: Crown City Inn. Owner Melissa Warren Miller comes from a family of hoteliers (visit Marina Riviera in Santa Barbara or El Bonita Motel in Napa Valley’s St. Helena). Working with St. Denis Architects, Melissa’s Crown City Inn has been enlarged with a spacious new lobby, new mini-suites with Jacuzzis and enhanced with new landscaping, architectural detailing and paving. It’s lovely!

• Best in-town escapes: It’s a tie: Hotel Del Coronado or Loews Coronado Bay Resort. Decisions, decisions...

• Best out-of-town escape: Head for the hills — Julian, to be exact. (But a lot of you also like the desert: Palm Desert, Palm Springs and Rancho Mirage in particular.)

AT YOUR SERVICE

• Friendliest waitpersons: Mollie Lopez at The Brigantine, Jimmy Hunt at Swaddee’s and Tracy Taylor at McP’s are the hoofers you say deserve the biggest tips.

• Maitre d’s: Oh, we do love it when these gorgeous Italians kiss us hello on both cheeks: Giorgio Tegami of Il Fornaio and Randy Rosa of Primavera.

• Friendliest merchants: These merchants will always take the time to shoot the breeze with you, but make no mistake; they also know their stuff! Congratulations to Greg Walker, del Coronado Jewels; Sydney Clark, Sydney’s; Phil Hammett, Coronado Hardware; Pat Hornbeek, Treasures from the Heart and Jenna McDonell and Joan Adessa, Viva Nova Health Foods.

• Favorite Supermarket Checker: Albertson’s Suzanne Manuel, still on strike at press time! Good thing she has her “Baskets and More” gift basket business on the side!

• Favorite City Employee: The finest of Coronado’s Finest, Lt. Mike Lawton of the Coronado Police
Department.

• Best Service Club: Rotary Club of Coronado.

• Best Plumber: Mike Kephart, Kephart Plumbing.

• Best Auto Mechanic: Tony Prete and his El Cordova Garage Gang

• Best Bank: Washington Mutual.

ISN’T IT ROMANTIC?

• Best place to Pop the Question: Just like last year, you directed us to our local beach: “While walking on the beach... At sunset... In front of the Hotel Del Coronado,” you said. Seems many of you have had firsthand experience.

EDITOR’S PICK
• Best place to Pop the Question: On a gondola ride at Loews Coronado Bay Resort. Those
gondoliers can help out a shy groom with a message (and a little bauble) in a bottle that “happens” to float by,
or even with a scuba diver making a special delivery.

• Best Place to Get Married: Hotel Del Coronado. So many venues that are simply picture-perfect.

• Most Romantic Restaurant: Chez Loma. Twinkle lights, French cuisine, soft music, a quiet table, champagne, desserts to die for and that nice chef-owner Ken Irvine visiting you at your table to make sure all is well.

GOOD EATS

• Best Hotel Restaurant: Azzura Point, Loews Coronado Bay Resort. The restaurant’s newly appointed Chef de Cuisine Martin Batis (who trained with former Loews’ chefs Jeff Tunks and James Boyce) is now creating
sensational seasonal menus where the emphasis is on freshness and flavor.

• Best Restaurant: McP’s! Mc’Ps? Yes, you heard right — McP’s Irish Pub! Your votes told us “expensive” doesn’t always mean “best.” You’re looking for a big menu that’s affordable, a restaurant that serves food till the late hours, where you can dine inside or out on a “Paddy-O,” and where you’ll find entertainment every night of the week. A place where locals mingle with Navy and young and old find common ground. McP’s also took top honors for “Best Place to Meet the Fleet,” “Best Bar” and “Best Nightlife.” How’s that for luck o’ the Irish!

• Best Caterer: Southern Hospitality, owned by Casey Aegerter. You told us you love her fabulous themed desserts at every Coronado Coffee. And others told us that Casey’s the caterer to call when a memorial service is planned. “When so many other things hit us at once, it was a relief to know that Casey would provide ‘comfort food’ beautifully presented for our family and friends who traveled so far to be with us.”

• Best Mexican and Best Margarita: Miguel’s Cocina. There’s more to a good margarita than you might think.

• Best Seafood and Best After-Theatre Dining: The Brigantine, shining bright in their 30th year here.

• Best View: Il Fornaio. Sit out on the patio, savor the San Diego skyline and watch the day float by while you indulge in regional Italian fare.

• Best Breakfast: Crown Bistro at the Crown City Inn. So much goodness packed inside this itty-
bitty eatery.

• Best Lunch: Tartine. Sensational salads, super sandwiches and, go ahead, have a little dessert.

EDITOR’S PICK
• Best Prime Rib: Tent City Restaurant. Only offered Thursday through Sunday nights, the meat is grilled on
an impressive barbecue just outside.

• Best Take Out: Clayton’s Mexican Take-Out wins again!

• Best Asian: Swaddee Thai Restaurant. Chef-owner Tasna Pondsuwan hails from Thailand and brought
plenty of fabulous foods with her.

• Italian: Primavera Ristorante, the only eatery in Coronado to specialize in elegant Northern Italian cuisine.

• Pizza: Two homegrown winners: Alexander’s (have it delivered!) and Village Pizzeria (bring the family down).

• Best Hamburger: It was a slam-dunk: Danny’s Slamburger.

• Ice Cream: Mootime Creamery. You’ll find their super-premium ice cream at the Del, on Orange Avenue, at many of Coronado’s best restaurants and, heck, it’s even at Qualcomm Stadium.

• Beer: Coronado Brewing Company

• Yogurt: It’s no stretch to say that Stretch’s has the best.

MORNING MUNCHIES

• Best Bagels: Bruegger’s Bagels. Baked fresh every hour!

• Coffee: Starbucks. (Psst... did you hear a second Starbucks is coming to town???)

• Best Pastry and Muffins: Villa Nueva Pastry Caffé (formerly known as Primavera Pastry Café).

• Best Doughnuts: Village Donuts.

• Best Sunday Brunch: Another tie: Azzura Point at Loews Coronado Bay Resort and Hotel Del Coronado in the Crown Room.

• Best place to join the early morning (2 a.m.) crowd: Nite ‘n Day Café.

AN APPLE FOR OUR FAVORITE TEACHERS

• Dee O’Hara: Village Kindergarten.

• Laura Noonan: 6th and 7th Grade Science, Coronado Middle School.

• Brad Couture: Biology, Marine Biology and Weight Training, Coronado High School.

SHOP TILL YOU DROP

• Best Gift Shop: Treasures from the Heart.

• Best Jewelry Store: del Coronado Jewels.

• Best Women’s Apparel Shop: The Armoire.

• Best Men’s Apparel Shop: Brady’s (at the Hotel Del Coronado).

• Best Book Store: Bay Books. Now that was a big surprise.

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS AND HERE’S WHO TO TURN TO:

• Best Real Estate Firm: Napolitano/GMAC Realty.

• Best Real Estate Agent: Debbie Riddle.

• Best Architect: Tom Vaughn (The Jackman Group).

• Best Interior Designers: It’s a tie: Sheryll Jackman, ASID, The Jackman Group and Linda Kaufman, ASID, Linda Kaufman & Associates.

• Best Builder: Harry Jackman, The Jackman Group.

LOOKING GOOD, FEELING GOOD

• Best Workout Studio: This spring the Jazzercise gals (and guys) had to move out of the former Coronado Women’s Club to make way for the Glorietta Bay Master Plan bulldozers. No problem, Lois Hughes just march-ed her troops down to the Masonic Lodge where the Jazzercisers say those old wooden floors have more “give.” For workout times, call 435-1172.

• Best Hairdresser: Christopher Ryan, formerly of London and most recently with the Chicago salon that did Oprah’s do’s, is now at The Total Experience.

• Best Manicurist: Stacy Mycorn, The Total Experience.

• Best Massage Therapist: Cheri Paquin, Bamboo.

• Best Aesthetician: Judy Berman. Ask her about her microdermabrasion treatments; you’ll shine, you’ll sparkle, you’ll glow.

• Best Tailor: Yoon is happily tucked away and “in stitches” at the El Cordova Shops

BARGAINS!

• Best Bargain in Town: DVDs and video rentals at the Coronado Public Library.

• Best Freebie: Concerts in the Park. And thanks to those of you who said, “Coronado Lifestyle magazine!”
We appreciate it.

• Best Transportation Options: Coronado Ferry. Also scoring high: The Coronado Shuttle, biking and walking.

ARE WE HAVING FUN YET?

• Best Entertainment: Lamb’s Players Theatre. This talented theatre troupe is now in its 10th year in the Spreckels Building. How did this town get so lucky?

• Best Place for a Picnic and a Child’s Birthday Party: Spreckels Park.

EDITOR’S PICK
• Best Place for a Picnic and a Child’s Birthday Party: Awesome Artist! Let the kids show off their creative side — and have ton of fun, too.

• Best Teen Activity: Many of you said “the Skateboard Park,” but many of you also asked “What activities?” Our best answer: You just wait till that Community Center gets built!

• Best Surf Spot: You were all over the beachfront map, but the consensus was in front of the Shores.

• Best Place to Ride a Bike: Under the San Diego-Coronado Bay Bridge.

• Favorite Seasonal Event: Fourth of July — from the morning parade to the evening fireworks, it’s one
firecracker of a day.

LET’S TALK TRAFFIC AND INSIDER TIPS

• Best Way to Beat the Traffic is to: Bike, walk or stay out of town! • Go around golf course • Go before 2:30 p.m. • No 7 a.m. to 8 a.m.; No 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. • Stay home, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. • Use Ocean Boulevard • Jump down D • Side streets • Use B • Leave early • Shop after 7 p.m. • Electric scooter • Stay off Orange • Stay home!
• Speed!

• Best Insider’s Tip: Be polite • Get to know your neighbors • The library has it all.• Check out the Motion Center at Sharp Coronado Hospital. • No parking meter tickets given after 3 p.m. (Editor’s note: wanna bet?) • Jalapeño cream sauce at Miguel’s and Brigantine. • Free pie at Viva Nova on Friday. • Be careful — In this town, pedestrians do not have the right of way even when the lights indicate they do. • Can’t tell! If I told you, I’d never get a table at my favorite restaurant.

• Best Civic Improvement Project: Coronado Library Expansion was #1. Groundbreaking at Glorietta Bay was a close second. Lots to look forward to!

• Best Thing About Living in Coronado: Friendliness and small-town community was what most of you said. One of you mentioned, “You don’t have to vacation anywhere else.” But one person summed it up nicely; “Peace,” she said.

GOOD NEWS

Okay, so when we asked what you thought was the Best News of 2003, we were referring to the best news in town. We expected you to say things like “They finally broke ground on the Glorietta Bay Master Plan” or “The library and the high school are coming along.” But no, you looked way beyond our borders. A couple of you said, “The fires are finally out!” Amen to that.

But most of you zeroed right in on one item. You didn’t hold back one bit — you let it rip, you let out a collective scream; “Davis out, Arnold in!” Terminated.


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Reprinted with permission from Coronado Lifestyle, "the little magazine with the BIG impact."
For advertising or out-of-town subscriptions, call Kris Grant, publisher/editor, at 619-522-0900