Best of Virginia 2017: The statewide guide to all that is best in Virginia, from dining to shopping to doing.
Illustrations by Alicia Malesani
One of my favorite things about our online readers’ survey this year, other than the fact that we set a new record with more than 50,000 ballots cast, turned out to be the Wild Card category. In the last question of our survey, we asked you to write in any “bests” we hadn’t yet covered. Even though we offered you 105 categories to vote in—from best steakhouse and best farmers’ market to best performing arts company and best motorcycle dealer (new this year)—you came up with some pretty terrific ideas.
There were votes cast for best roller derby, best record store, best dog trainer, best “dive” bar and even for best boss. But because we could only have one Wild Card winner in each region, the competition was tough, and there were many great “bests” that didn’t make it into the issue. Here are a few standouts:
Best Kick-Ass One-Day Loop Hike, Three Ridges Wilderness, Montebello: Beginning at Reeds Gap, the trail heads south along the Appalachian Trail past small waterfalls and pools and on to incredible mountaintop vistas. Best Afghan Restaurant, Panjshir, Falls Church: Owned and run by three generations of the Niazy family, a menu fave is kadu palow, a dish of sautéed pumpkin topped with seasoned yogurt and tomato sauce, and served with spinach rice and chunks of lamb. Best Juice Bar, White Birch Juice Co., Abingdon: Owner and founder Nicole Dyer uses fresh produce from the area to make yummy cold-pressed juices like Ruby Red, a combination of beets, apple, carrot, ginger, pineapple and celery, and more. Best Husband, Dan A. Mulhern, Fredericksburg: Indescribable.
This is why we love Best of Virginia—because it’s our chance to hear from you about the places, and people, you love in our state.
Alongside our winners, you will find stories in this issue that explore our theme this year—style. As Virginians, we express our unique style in many ways—through fashion, of course, but also in the way we live and in the traditions we cherish. We introduce you to tastemakers throughout the state, extraordinary shops and boutiques, gardens and art galleries. We visit beautiful resorts and hotels, top restaurants and specialty food purveyors, and we feature photos from galas in support of charitable organizations.
Our talented art director Sonda Andersson Pappan had a tall order in visualizing our theme. Classic yet bold, and sophisticated yet eclectic and down to earth—our style is also timeless. Always on point, Sonda, and fashion illustrator Alicia Malesani, captured it beautifully. I hope you’ll be as delighted with the result of their collaboration as we are. This is Sonda’s last Best of Virginia issue—she is retiring this month. Sonda has taken us on some amazing visual journeys in Best of Virginia over the years. We will certainly miss her singular style.
It takes the entire Cape Fear Publishing team to bring you Best of Virginia—from sales and circulation to creative services and accounting. Even Rex, our publisher’s English Springer Spaniel, has a role, tasked with keeping up office morale (he does an excellent job, we all agree). Thank you everyone for your hard work.
And readers, I can’t wait to see what you come up with next year. I hope you enjoy the issue!
