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From auto service to wine selection, interior design to outdoor dining, Lakers let their voices be heard during six weeks of online voting. The results are in and winners have been crowned in 44 categories in the Best of Smith Mountain Lake Awards for 2013. We offer congratulations to the champs and thanks to all who voted!
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2013 Award Winners Best New Business ɶɶJake’s Place Sweet Frog Premium Frozen Yogurt Spa La La Blue
Best Customer Service ɶɶCapps Home Building Center Blackwater Cafe Halesford Harbour Inn
Best Auto Service ɶɶWestlake Auto Service Team Coachworks Tom and Mike Gordon, Jake’s Place
TNT Auto Body Repair & Service Center
Best Marina
Best new business: Jake’s Place A waterfront view, by-boat access, spacious bar and an eclectic menu are just a few of the reasons readers voted Jake’s Place at Halesford Harbour
Bayside Marina and Yacht Club
Best Dock Builder ɶɶTurner’s Building, Inc. Plyler Homes & Docks Michael Dillon Custom Docks
Awards. Since opening in January 2012, the family
Best Home Décor Store or Service
owned and operated restaurant has built a loyal
ɶɶInteriors By Kris
who enjoy boating to the eatery and dining on the expansive outdoor deck. Owner Tom Gordon – whose other area restaurant, The Blackwater Cafe, is a perennial Best of SML winner – said he and son Mike, the general manager, plan to build on the ealry success of Jake’s Place by refining the menu, adding a separate outdoor smoking area, planning Gold
Webster Marine Center
top new business of the year in our Best of SML
clientele by catering to locals as well as tourists
ɶɶPlatinum
ɶɶBridgewater Marina
more special events and creating specialty pizzas.
Silver 36 January • February 2013 | SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKER
The Cottage Gate Capps Home Building Center
Best Interior Designer ɶɶKris Willard, Interiors by Kris Miranda Shotwell, Designer Solutions Pat Cundiff, PAC Interiors
Best Landscaping & Lawn Care ɶɶSeven Oaks Landscape & Hardscape D&P Landscaping Lakescapes Nursery Top Notch Lawncare Crockett Lawn Maintenance
Business Best place to buy an sml souvenir: Gift’s ahoy Best Clothing Boutique ɶɶKara’s Closet
In
Bridgewater Sportswear Goodwill
Best Hair Salon or Stylist ɶɶEric & Company Premiere Salon Eddie Blankenship, Salon One BBC Hair Studio of Westlake
Best Skin Care or Day Spa
New Category
addition
to
its
popular
homemade fudge, Gifts Ahoy is filled with a variety of products customized with reference to Smith Mountain Lake. Readers voted the store, which has
ɶɶWestlake Massage & Spa
operated at Bridgewater Plaza for
Spa La La Blue
more than 20 years, as the Best
SML Massage & Spa
Best Manicure/Pedicure ɶɶModern Nails
Place to Buy an SML Souvenir. Glasses, postcards, stickers,
Mimi Nails
cups, coffee mugs, coozies and
Westlake Salon & Spa
key chains are just a few of the
Best Jewelry Store
distinctive SML-related items for
ɶɶHaywood’s Jewelers, Westlake
sale at Gifts Ahoy.
Carter’s Fine Jewelry and Gifts
Best Gift Shop ɶɶGift’s Ahoy The Cottage Gate The General Store
Best Pet Care ɶɶWestlake Veterinary Medical Smith Mountain Lake Animal Hospital Bark Avenue Grooming
Best Place to Buy Art ɶɶThe Little Gallery Artfully Framed at the Lake SML Gallery
Best Place to Buy an SML Souvenir ɶɶGifts Ahoy Bridgewater Marina The Cottage Gate SMITHMOUNTAINLAKE.COM
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Food and Drink ɶɶPlatinum Gold Silver
Best Frozen Treats: Sweet Frog Premium Frozen Yogurt Sweet Frog, the lake’s only frozen yogurt franchise, leaped to victory in the new category of Best Frozen Treat and finished second in voting for Best New Business. Since opening in March
Best Chef ɶɶBruno Silva, The Landing Restaurant Cara McLaine, The Blackwater Café Jason Hardy, Kroger
Best Restaurant Service ɶɶThe Blackwater Cafe The Landing Restaurant
2012 at Westlake Towne Center, the shop has
Old Oak Cafe
become a popular spot for patrons of all ages. At
Best Breakfast
Sweet Frog, customers can fill their cup with one
ɶɶOld Oak Cafe
or more frozen yogurt flavors and embellish it from an extensive buffet of toppings such as fresh fruit, candy, nuts, chocolate and colorful sprinkles.
Hot Shots Jake’s Place
Best Lunch ɶɶJake’s Place Hot Shots Moosie’s Restaurant Old Oak Cafe
Best Buffet ɶɶJonathan’s Restaurant Joe’s Pizza & Italian Restaurant Chopsticks Chinese & Sushi
Best Sandwich ɶɶMoosie’s Restaurant Nobologna Sub and Deli Hot Shots
New Category
Best Burger ɶɶThe Blackwater Cafe Hot Shots Jonathan’s
Best Pizza ɶɶTuscan Tavern Joe’s Pizza & Italian Restaurant New York Pizza
Best Steak ɶɶThe Blackwater Café The Landing Restaurant Sweet Frog owner June Smith and mascots 38 January • February 2013 | SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKER
Casa D’ Amici
Best Coffee
New Category
The LakeHouse Beanery Perfect Blends (now CJ’s Coffee & Sandwich Shop)
Jeff and Rhonda Schott (above) opened Hot Shots, their full-
Best Outdoor Dining
service restaurant and family fun
ɶɶJake’s Place
center, in 2007 but didn’t start
Mango’s Bar & Grill
Best Seafood
Best Coffee: Hot Shots
ɶɶHot Shots
The Landing Restaurant
offering specalized coffee until 2010 when another local coffee
ɶɶThe Landing Restaurant
Best Place to Come by Boat
The Blackwater Cafe
ɶɶJake’s Place
shop
Jonathan’s
Bridgewater Plaza
demand increased. “We have a
Best International Cuisine
The Landing Restaurant
ɶɶThe Landing Restaurant
Best Bar Atmosphere
Jonathan’s
ɶɶJake’s Place
Tuscan Tavern
Mango’s Bar & Grill
Best Desserts
Waller’s
closed
and
customer
lot of folks who make this their regular java stop,” Jeff Schott said. Almond Joy and White Chocolate Mocha are among the favorite wintertime concoctions
ɶɶThe Blackwater Café
Best Cocktail
The Landing Restaurant
ɶɶThe Blackwater Café
while iced coffees like Caramel
Jonathan’s
Waller’s
Sweet Frog Premium Frozen Yogurt
Jonathan’s
Frappe tend to be more popular
Best Frozen Treats
Best Wine Selection
ɶɶSweet Frog Premium Frozen Yogurt
ɶɶThe Blackwater Café
Dairy Queen
Kroger
Homestead Creamery
The Landing Restaurant
in the summertime, he said.
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My Hospital, My Treatment
“I never had any heart issues before, so I was extremely scared when I arrived at BMH. But the people there were so gentle, sweet and efficient – it really put me at ease.” Minerva Johnson, Bedford, Va.
As a self-described child at heart and a regular volunteer at Bedford Memorial Hospital (BMH), Minerva Johnson knows the impact heartfelt care can have on a patient. After a severe heart attack, Minerva was taken to the BMH Emergency Department and its accredited chest pain center where she experienced that level of care firsthand. “It was all a blur, but I do remember someone holding my hand and what a difference that made. I felt like I was their top priority. I can’t give them enough praise.” For patients like Minerva, BMH is more than a hospital. It’s a place where a knowledgeable, caring team provides high-quality care with a specialized touch.
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Lifestyle Gold
Best Place to Work Out: Smith mountain lake YMCA
Silver
When it comes to burning calories and toning muscles, readers
ɶɶPlatinum
voted the YMCA at LakeWatch Plantation as their top spot. In addition to cardio and weight areas, members of the SMLY have Best Place to Stay Overnight ɶɶBernard’s Landing
access to a full-length baskeball court, indoor walking track, indoor
Mariner’s Landing
tennis courts, racquetball court, a wide variety of instructor-led
Halesford Harbour Inn
fitness classes, childcare services and a “tween”
Best Place to Take a Visitor
room complete with Wii game system. Andrea
ɶɶBridgewater Plaza
Fansler, who directs the facility, said members
Booker T. Washington National Monument
also enjoy the family atmosphere.
New Category
Out on the water Peaks of Otter
Best Kid/Family Outing ɶɶHot Shots Smith Mountain Lake State Park Bridgewater Plaza
Best Local Band ɶɶBarefoot West Dragonfly The Worx
Best Place to Hear Live Music ɶɶMango’s Bar & Grill Jake’s Place The Landing Restaurant
Best Place to Work Out ɶɶSmith Mountain Lake YMCA Undergound Fitness Curves
Best Private Golf Course ɶɶWater’s Edge Country Club The Waterfront Golf & Country Club
Best Public Golf Course ɶɶThe Westlake Golf & Country Club Mariner’s Landing Golf & Country Club
CONGRATULATIONS $100 GIFT CERTIFICATE WINNERS! A Shade Brighter: Jan Beckner, Hardy • The Little Gallery: Lisa Martin, Moneta Capps Home Building Center: Rachel Clayton, Moneta The Landing Restaurant: Tabitha St. Clair, Bedford Haywood’s Jewelers, Westlake: Dan Robertson, Roanoke Jake’s Place/The Blackwater Cafe: Mickey Johnson, Moneta Names were chosen at random from all eligible entries. SMITHMOUNTAINLAKE.COM
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