1. Best candidate for mayor
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Look out, Paul! Incumbent Mayor Schell has the office, the city car, and the inside track on a reelection run next year, but he barely managed third place in the hearts of our readers, who instead endorsed his major declared rival, County Council member Greg Nickels. The second-place finisher in this category was maverick ex-City Council member Charlie Chong, the guy Schell beat in the 1997 mayoral final. Our instant analysis: Voters are either still stewing about those World Trade Organization street disturbances or they just like guys from West Seattle, the neighborhood both Nickels and Chong call home. Perhaps there's a rabble-rousing element among Seattle Weekly poll respondents as well: Scrappy City Council member Judy Nicastro finished just one vote behind Schell—and one vote ahead of former Mayor Norm Rice.
Rick Dahms |
Greg Nickels
County Council member, West Seattle resident
A few (well, three) of my favorite things about Seattle:
I love the fact that when we go home to West Seattle, we are away from the noise and hubbub of the big city. We can enjoy outdoor movies, live theater, and a farmers' market right in our neighborhood. Seattle has great neighborhoods. But unlike the suburbs, we are 10 minutes away from major-league baseball, world-class performing arts, and food from all nations. Seattle has a cosmopolitan feel and diverse character. Our son graduated from Garfield last year and our daughter will graduate from Franklin next year. Their experience has prepared them for a world filled with possibilities and opportunities.
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2. Best-dressed public official
This probably should have been a "most improved" award, but the breakaway winner in this category was Governor Gary Locke. And no, he doesn't just look better because his wife, lovely ex-TV reporter Mona Lee Locke, always seems to be standing next to him. Long known as an adherent of the "institutional uniform" approach to dressing (gray slacks, blue blazer, red tie), observers credit Locke's sartorial splendor to his well-dressed spouse. Gary's even been experimenting with European-cut suits. "She clearly took him into Mario's or Butch Blum and said 'Put some shoulders on this guy,'" confides one informant. Could a stylish haircut be next? King County Executive Ron Sims and Seattle Mayor Paul Schell deadlocked for second-place honors in this category. Sims has updated his wardrobe in recent years, but is still partial to dark suits and khakis for casual wear; Schell's "architect chic" look often features that Regis Philbin monochromatic shirt-and-tie trick—but almost always in gray.
3. Best activist/hell-raiser
He's put aside his past life as a perennial political hopeful after running for citywide office four times in five years, but our readers haven't forgotten former City Council member Charlie Chong. Exiled from City Hall for such heresies as criticizing downtown parking garages and sports stadiums (of the latter, Charlie once cracked: "I think there are cheaper ways to grow grass"), the formerly retired federal employee has retired once again, but has continued his role as Seattle's conscience by showing up at anti-WTO protests and speaking out at public hearings. Tied for second place were everybody's favorite pro-renter firebrand City Council member Judy Nicastro (who's sorry, by the way, for labeling one particularly vile group of landlords "greedy pigs") and anti-tax/anti-public transit crusader Tim Eyman, who actually lives in Mukilteo but would have been happy to drive his new SUV down for the awards ceremony.
4. Best municipal scandal
Rick Dahms |
You wanted a riot and you got it! Seattle's best municipal scandal of the past year is the World Trade Organization get-together, which was enough of a disaster that it managed to outdistance its closest competition by a margin of 10 to 1. For just $9 million and change, our city got tear gas, burning dumpsters, black-clad anarchists, black-clad police officers, broken windows, thousands of hours of live TV news feeds, and more tear gas. Wait, there's more: The city's only African-American council member was pulled from his car and thrown to the pavement by police (based, presumably, on his suspicious skin tone); Port Commissioner Pat Davis first received the 1999 World Citizen Award, then later also got the blame for allegedly telling WTO organizers that local government would pick up all security costs; and despite Mayor Paul Schell's gallant offer to take the blame for battles between police and protesters, Police Chief Norm Stamper is the guy who ended up resigning from his job. Second place in this category by a mile was the monorail (that alternative transportation system voters love, yet politicians fear), followed by that almost- forgotten Safeco Field.
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 Here's a tip: Want to remove the smell of cat urine from your carpet? Try a little baking soda and champagne. It's all Tip Wizard knows how to do! What do I know about Best of Seattle?
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5. Best off-leash area
Sure, it's in Redmond, but it's worth the trip from Seattle to visit Marymoor Park and what one dog owner calls "the Mercedes Benz of off-leash areas." This dog park has it all—water access, a large field, trails—and it's so big that it seldom feels crowded, even with hundreds of visiting dogs and their owners. The second-place finisher (and tops among off-leash areas within the city) was Magnuson Park. While nothing to write home about, Magnuson is the only Seattle off-leash area with water access (a small and fairly muddy swath of Lake Washington shoreline). Third place goes to Golden Gardens, a fenced-off hill deep within the uphill portion of the park, faraway from the popular beach (sorry, dog owners). One caution about Marymoor—unlike the Seattle Parks off-leash areas, it isn't fully fenced, so it's wise to keep your dog leashed when traveling to and from the busy parking lot. Arf!
6. Best nude beach
