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Readers’ choices: The Best of Whistler, 1997 The snow has been flying and so have the days. We asked fellow Whistlerites and visitors who briefly grace our village what they liked best about Whistler in 1997.

Readers’ choices: The Best of Whistler, 1997 The snow has been flying and so have the days. We asked fellow Whistlerites and visitors who briefly grace our village what they liked best about Whistler in 1997. Here are their choices for the Best of Whistler. Around town Subdivision to call home: Anything north of Bayshores, south of Emerald Estates. Place for a romantic stroll: Lost Lake. Place to watch the snow fall & fall & fall & ...: At home before a hooting big fire. Runners up: The top of Whistler Mountain, The Rendezvous on Blackcomb. Public place for a roll in the hay: Whistler Village and/or Creekside Gondolas. Runners up: any Whistler park or golf course. Place to tie the knot: On top of the mountains. Runner up: Edgewater Inn Place to break up: Top of the Peak chair on a dump day. Runners up: Crab(by) Shack, Black Chair. Replacement mayor: (tie votes for) Nancy Wilhelm-Morden, Susie Mortensen, Kathy Barnett, Rick Clare, the Flebbe brothers (as a tandem), Paul Fournier and Seppo. Most horrific intersection: Nesters/White Gold and Highway 99. Bus ride: The "I just arrived in Whistler tour" with Gary the Whistler Transit driver. Runners up: "To the Pem Ho!," West Side Road route. Place to spend the last $10 in your savings account: (tie) Phoning Mom, B.C. Liquor store. Worst trend: Orthopedic surgery scar competitions. Best trend: (tie) Snow biking, snow blades, snowboard park expansion. Public bathroom: Chateau Whistler. Runner up: Are there any? Place to watch the World Cup: Dusty's (run-away winner). Hotel lobby to hang out in: Chateau Whistler (very popular choice). Secret about Whistler: You give me this, I'll give you that; or do me this favour and I'll be back with a six of your favourites. Runner up: "I'm not telling." Public place during a blizzard: Being entertained by Colin Pine at Citta's as he pours a frothy one. Public place to be overcome with joy: (tie) Boot Ballet, any Pique news-stand on Friday, seasons pass office, on the mountain. Sports and Recreation Hot tub: Meadow Park Sports Centre. Runner up: any freshly-cleaned one Run on Whistler or Blackcomb Mountains: A tie for any Creekside run on Whistler Mountain; for Blackcomb, Horstman Glacier to Benchlands via Crystal Traverse, Ridgerunner, Cruiser, Merlin’s "It's not the most technical, but it's got spectacular views." Outdoor sport (besides skiing or snowboarding, please): Mountain biking. Indoor sport: Sex. Runners up: darts, hockey/skating, do-it-yourself drinking festival. Run to learn to snowboard on: Magic Chair (on Blackcomb), Olympic (on Whistler). Run to learn to ski on: Couloir Extreme Mountain view: On the shore of Wedgemount Lake to be surrounded by eight mountain peaks (and you gotta cough up a lung to get there). Runner up: the dock at Rainbow Park. Food & Beverage Place for scotch: (unanimous favourite) Black's Pub (but especially when Marge is pouring). Place for cigars: A tie between Bear Foot Bistro and "no where." Runner up: Savage Beagle Place for draft selection: Black's Pub (especially... see above). Restaurant wine list: (tie) La Rúa, Araxi's. Runner up: B.C. Liquor Store. Place for steak: The Keg. Runner up: anywhere on a barbecue. Place for oysters: (tie) Crab Shack, Rim Rock. Runner up: in bed. Place for burgers: (tie) Ingrid's, Citta's, South Side Deli. Place for pasta/pizza: Caramba!. Close runner up: Mondo Pizza. Place for desserts: Peak Pastries. Runners up: Chateau Whistler, Araxi's. Place for vegetarian fare: (tie) Ingrid's, Wok On, Grass Roots Café, Bernard's, Sushi Village. Winter patio: Longhorn Saloon. (But sentimental favourite: Crystal Hut on Blackcomb). Restaurant when someone else pays: (tie) La Rúa, Rim Rock, Wildflower, Citta's, Sushi Ya, Sushi Village. Place for friendly service: (tie) Boot Pub, Peak Pastries, La Tortilleria, Sushi Ya, Monk's Grill, Caramba! Most unique staff: Grabbajabba. Runners up: Longhorn Saloon. Place for a quiet latte: (tie) Grabbajabba, Blenz, Whistler Cookie Co. Runners up: Second Cup, Peaks Coffee House. Place for lunch under $5: Are there any? Runner-up: La Tortilleria. Nightlife Disc jockey: Spincat/Spun K/Scott Arkwell (each of his alter egos received votes). Place to cut a rug: Garfinkel’s. Runners up: Tommy Africa’s and Maxx Fish. Place to see a live act: Buffalo Bill’s was the winner. The Boot, which has live bands every week, was runner up. Meat market (or worst, it depends how you look at it): Garf’s won, hands down. Best sound system: Garfinkel’s again. Place for a quiet after-work drink: The big Cinnamon Bear won this one, with Black’s a close second. Coolest staff: Maxx Fish, with the Savage Beagle and Garfinkel’s runners up. Place to shoot some stick: A tie between Cinnamon Bear and Buffalo Bill’s. The Longhorn was also in the running. Apres ski bar: Longhorn, far and away. Place for a first date after dinner drink: The Bear wins this one, too. The Chateau’s Mallard Bar was a close second. Media, Arts & Culture Local band: A tie between Sweaty Cheddar and the Hounds of Buskerville. Local musician: Pete wins this one, getting votes both as "Pete" and as "Pete & Chad." Dr. Andrew Hamson also garnered some votes in this category — actually, more than he received in the "Doctor" category." Local artist: No clear-cut winners here, as Vincent Massey, Paul Morrison, Izzy MacLaurin and the creative people at Toad Hall all received votes. Local radio personality: Kristen Robinson wins. Readers said it was her shy, subtle approach that so charmed them. Local newspaper writer: G.D. Maxwell, by a 3 to 1 margin. Event of the season: The World Cup ski races (which haven’t actually happened at Whistler since 1995) were number one, followed by the World Ski and Snowboard Festival. Annual event: The World Cup again, although events as diverse as Australia Day, the Father-Daughter Dance and Cornucopia all received votes. Best event of World Ski & Snowboard Festival: The Westbeach Classic Big Air event. Travel Place to go next: Warm places on various oceans were the popular choices, with Mexico getting the most votes. Local tourist spot: A tie between Lost Lake and the village. Canadian vacation spot (after Whistler, of course): Banff won this one; Portage la Prairie wasn’t a factor. Place in Whistler least like Whistler: A trick question. To answer this one you first have to decide what Whistler is — and this is open to considerable debate. Anyway, the places in Whistler least like Whistler ranged from the village to Creekside to Function Junction to muni hall to the Ancient Cedars. The library, The Gap and Footlocker also received votes. Place to take visitors: Depends on whether you want to show them what Whistler is or what Whistler isn’t, doesn’t it? Brandywine Falls and the tops of the mountains were the places of choice, although the Boot Ballet and the bears at the dump were also considered. Services Fitness facility: Meadow Park Sports Centre. Steam room: The Chateau Whistler. Runner up: Meadow Park. Massage: Whistler Physiotherapy (both locations got votes) was the winner, with the Chateau runner up. Dentist: Dr. James MacKenzie. Doctor: Dr. Jim DeMarco was the man of choice. An orthopedic surgeon at Lions Gate Hospital, Dr. Sabistan, was also in the running for his repair work on Whistler skiers and riders. Physiotherapy clinic: Whistler Physiotherapy Physiotherapist: Susie Mortensen topped this poll, with Kristy LaMantia, Bianca Matheson runners up. Hair salon or spa: Revolution edged the Blackcomb Barber Shop. Ski or board tuner: Wild Willies Shopping Men’s clothing store: An interesting collection of retail chains and one-of-a-kind local shops earned votes, with no clear-cut winner: Eddie Bauer, Chasmophile, Gap, and Evolution were all front runners. Women’s clothing store: Again, no clear winner. Chasmophile, The Gap, Eddie Bauer, Durango, Horstman Trading Co., Sports Shop, Willy’s, Inside Out, Levis store, McCoos and Sport Style were all mentioned. Ski or snowboard shop: A three-way tie among Wild Willies, Westbeach, and Showcase. Bike shop: Grinders was the bike shop of choice, with Evolution and the Glacier Shop runners up. Grocery store: Nesters Market, which advertises itself as the place where locals shop. Pharmacy: Pharmasave (with two locations) received the most votes, although some people didn’t realize there are other pharmacies in town. Hardware or building supply store: Home Hardware was the runaway winner. Book store: Hazel Ellis’ Armchair Books was almost everyone’s favourite. The library was a distant second. Florist: Senka Gift store: A tie between Skitch and Gazebo Gifts.



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