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Best of Whistler 2012: Bars, Clubs and pubs

Favourite Local's Hangout Dubbed the "local's living room,"  Tapley's  is the place Whistlerites like to hang. This neighbourhood pub is a go-to spot for après, music, sports or just to kick back an enjoy a pint.
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Favourite Local's Hangout

Dubbed the "local's living room,"  Tapley's  is the place Whistlerites like to hang. This neighbourhood pub is a go-to spot for après, music, sports or just to kick back an enjoy a pint. Other suggestions from the locals: Dusty's, which came in second, and the GLC, earning third place.

Best Après

After a long day on the mountain all you want is a relaxed place to kick back, unwind and regroup before doing it all over again. Ask a Whistlerite for the best après spot and, chances are, they'll point you towards the  GLC . "We strive to have different things happening here with some of our programming with The Hairfarmers and having DJs playing during the après and creating an environment that people like to come down and hang out on the couches and listen to music — and sometimes dance on the couches," says Mike Wilson, the venue's general manager.

Last year, Dusty's inched ahead of GLC, but the exact opposite happened in 2012, with the Creekside hot spot trailing slightly. Coming in third: the Dubh Linn Gate Old Irish Pub.

Best bartender

Sure, slinging pints is an important part of being a good bartender. But the top-notch type stand out as much for their mixology skills as their welcoming personality. This year, Pique readers chose Brandy's  Aaron Hopps  as their favourite. "A lot of people in Whistler (bartend) to pay the bills, whereas I really love it and I think it shows," Hopps says. "It's quite an honour."

The passionate mixologist also recently helped Peter Roberts open the new Savage Beagle, where he works on Tuesdays for Local's Night. He attributes the win to his background in bartending, coupled with his co-workers and love of the job.

Hopps adds: "Brandy's bartenders are a tight-knit team, and we all bust ass to be the best bar in town."

Best doorman

Doormen are traditionally strict creatures, keeping unruly patrons in line and restoring order when necessary. But there's a way to be both stern and lovable, and this year's winner, Moe Joes'  Mike Brew , is returning the love lavished on him by voters. "Thank you all. I love you all so much," he says to his fans. "Now please smoke down the stairs."

Sweet, succinct and no-nonsense, just the way we like it.

Coolest staff

What makes someone cool? Style? Talent? Attitude?  GLC's' general manager Mike Wilson isn't too sure either, but he's glad to hear his staff has been voted the coolest in Whistler again this year. "Trying to define cool is a tough one, but being recognized in that way is a great honour," he says. "I'm super proud of the staff we have here. I think they're people who love the jobs they do. They love having fun at work and they let that spill over to the people they serve every day."

Other noteworthy cool kids can be found at Citta Bistro and the Dubh Linn Gate.

Best Local DJ

Whistler loves its DJs. Head on over to our listings section a few pages from here and you'll see an endless array of booty-shakin' DJ parties. But out of all that top-notch talent voters chose  Mat the Alien  as their pick of 2012. Spinning a crowd-pleasing mix of dubstep, glitch-hop and drum and bass, Mat keeps the party going throughout the week all winter long. Coming in second place is Tim Livingstone with Ace MacKay Smith, a.k.a. Foxy Moron, nipping at his heels.

Best Live Act

Live music is at the heart of a great night out. It sets the mood, rouses listeners to their feet and provides the soundtrack for a party.

 The Hairfarmers  swept the Best Live Musician category for their epic and frequent performances. But the real secret behind their win: loving their job.

"You have to love playing live, the music, the performing the people — all of it— and that will come through in your performance," says Greg "Grateful Greg" Reamsbottom. "(Our fans) continued support really means a lot, and we'll keep playing our butts off for them until we drop. We couldn't do it without you!"

Fiddle guitar duo Ruckus Deluxe, meanwhile, took second place while rock-reggae staple Kostaman came in third.

Best Patio

We know your mind is on the snowy, snowy mountains, but cast it back to summer for a second. Remember lounging in the sunshine, enjoying a pint or even late dinner? The setting for this distant memory was probably one of the several restaurant patios in Whistler. For Pique readers one spot in particular stands out: the patio at  Citta' Bistro .

"Winning best patio in Whistler is an honour considering how many patios there are," says Scott Gadsby, general manager at the bistro. "I feel like our location, with 16 heaters, awnings, wind shelters and HD TV make our guest experience as comfortable and entertaining as possible."

Best Place to See a Live Act

Great concert venues take care of a couple basic senses: sight and sound.

The  Garibaldi Lift Co.  has won best live concert venue again this year for keeping this in mind while pulling big name acts into their cozy venue. "The acoustics in the room are great and there's a lot of great sightlines," says manager Mike Wilson. "There's not a bad seat in the house."

The talent isn't too shabby either. This year, they managed to get everyone from Xavier Rudd to Beats Antique to hop on their stage. "A lot of times people have access to a band that plays bigger venues in the city in a more intimate setting here," Wilson adds. "We want to try and put on great shows here and take chances on some new stuff."