Local Color - Reader' Picks
Best of Orlando 2012
This year's Best of Orlando issue was written, edited, tallied, combined and compiled with the blood, sweat and tears of Marcus Griggs, Holly V. Kapherr, Faiyaz Kara, Seth Kubersky, Bao Le-Huu, Billy Manes, Dave Plotkin, Eleanor Roy, Justin Strout, Erin Sullivan, Aimee Vitek, Katie Westfall and Jessica Bryce Young. Rob Bartlett of bartlettimage.com was our lead photographer for this issue, and our cover model is the wonderful Jose Melendez, better known as the Diamond Exchange's Mr. Gold Orlando. Thanks to all of our readers who submitted more than 6,000 (!) ballots in this year's Readers Poll, making it our most popular Best of Orlando Readers Poll yet. We couldn't have done it without you.
Best Kept Secret
1st The Geek Easy, 114 S. Semoran Blvd., Winter Park, 407-332-9636, acomicshop.com/geekeasy
2nd Central Florida Stamp and Sign, 139 E. Pine St., 407-423-2500, centralfloridastampandsign.com
3rd Al Fresco, 146 W. Plant St., Winter Garden, 407-654-5889, alfrescowintergarden.com
Best Charitable Organization
1st Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, 3319 Maguire Blvd., 407-898-0733, lls.org
2nd The Mustard Seed, 12 Mustard Seed Lane, 407-875-2040, mustardseedfla.org
3rd (tie) Second Harvest Food Bank, 3522 Mercy Drive, 407-295-1066, foodbankcentralflorida.org
3rd (tie) Give Kids the World, 210 S. Bass Road, Kissimmee, 407-396-1144, gktw.org
Best Local Cheerleader
1st Jeffrey Pfaff
2nd Mark Baratelli
3rd Buddy Dyer
Best Local Website
1st nerdyshow.com
2nd thedailycity.com
3rd support-small-biz.com
Best Local TV Newsperson
1st Martha Sugalski, WESH 2
2nd Lauren Rowe, WKMG
3rd Tom Terry, WFTV
Best Local Big shot
1st Tri-Force Mike (Pandel), Triforcemike.com
2nd Jim Philips, realradio.fm/pages/phile.html
3rd John Morgan, forthepeople.com
Best Local Blog
1st thedailycity.com
2nd geekrest.com
3rd analogartistinadigitalworld.com
Best Local Politician
1st Lawson Lamar
2nd Buddy Dyer
3rd Jeff Ashton
Best Local Politician in need of a slap upside the head
1st Rick Scott
2nd Buddy Dyer
3rd Alan Grayson
Best Local Publication
1st Orlando Weekly
2nd A Comic Book
3rd Wake Journal
Best Radio Personality
1st Jim Philips, Real Radio 104.1 FM
2nd Johnny Magic, XL 106.7 FM
3rd SBK, Real Radio 104.1 FM
Best Local Twitter Feed
1st @sbklive
2nd @thedailycity
3rd @thedropp
Best Local Writer
1st Scott Maxwell, Orlando Sentinel
2nd Billy Manes, Orlando Weekly
3rd Lindsay Hitchcock, lindsayhitchcock.weebly.com
Best Place to Take Out-of-Towners
1st Walt Disney World
2nd Park Avenue in Winter Park
3rd A Comic Shop,
114 S. Semoran Blvd., Winter Park, 407-332-9636, acomicshop.com
Best Reason to Live in Orlando
1st The weather
2nd A Comic Shop
3rd Walt Disney World
Best Reason to Leave Orlando
1st The weather
2nd Tourists
3rd Crime
Best Use of Taxpayer Money
1st Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
2nd Amway Center
3rd Lake Eola Fountain improvements
Best Waste of Taxpayer Money
1st Amway Center
2nd Citrus Bowl improvements
3rd Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
Personal Best
1st The Barter Network,
thebarternetwork.net
2nd Lake Eola
3rd A Comic Shop
