We asked and you answered! Listed below are the cream of the crop according to Xtra readers, the people, places and things that wowed you in 2009. They’re the friendly folks you turn to for products, services and inspiration in Toronto and beyond.
This year we turned the Xtra Best results over to a panel of your peers, a selection of some the fabulous people who keep our queer scene fresh and exciting. This fierce foursome weighed in on your picks, peppering the winners list with their yays, nays and uniquely colourful commentary.
Thank you to everyone who submitted to Xtra Best. You are the eyes and ears of the community and we all benefit from your insight. It’s because of you that we know the businesses and services proudly bearing the Xtra Best plaques and window stickers are those that are doing right by the gay and lesbian community. When you support those businesses know that you are supporting the people who support you.
Xtra would like to take this opportunity to thank all our readers and advertisers for their ongoing support. To all those winners of this year’s Xtra Best awards: Congratulations and thank you for your dedication to excellence. The contributions you make to Toronto’s queer communities are critical to our prosperity.
INTRODUCING THE XTRA BEST EXPERT PANEL!
CHELSEY LICHTMAN. Chelsey Lichtawoman is the Toronto-based cofounder of the fat activist and performance duo the Fat Femme Mafia. She really enjoys spending time smashing the patriarchy with whatever she can get her hands on.
RYAN G HINDS. Crossing genres, blending lines and mixing politics and art since 1979, award-winning performance artist Ryan G Hinds is recognizable from shows at Circa, Revival, The Gladstone, Goodhandy’s and many festival stages (including Nuit Blanche and Pride) and his tireless activism around issues that address queer youth and people of colour.
MANDY GOODHANDY. Co-owner of Goodhandy’s – Toronto’s pansexual playground – Mandy Goodhandy is a T-girl entertainer and the world’s most famous shemale spank star.
STEVE BUCZEK. Steve Buczek has been producing leather and bear events for more than seven and half years including Beef Dip, the annual event in Puerto Vallarta and Toronto. Buczek also produces Onyx and various weekly and monthly events in Toronto.
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EATS & TREATS
BEST RESTAURANT FOR A ROMANTIC DINNER
Fuzion
My idea of a romantic dinner is getting the chance to eat out, whoever she happens to be.
BEST RESTAURANT TO BE SEEN IN
Byzantium
BEST RESTAURANT FOR A BIG GAY PARTY
Zelda’s
Just don’t try to outshine Zelda – she’ll cut you!
BEST MORNING-AFTER BRUNCH
Zelda’s
BEST PATIO FOR PEOPLE WATCHING
O’Grady’s
Want him, want him, had him, had him, you can have him.
BEST COFFEEHOUSE
Starbucks
BEST CATERER
Daniel et Daniel
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FEEL GOOD FUN
BEST BATHHOUSE
Steamworks
I love that they have a DJ in the middle of all the debauchery.
BEST TELEPHONE CHATLINE
Cruiseline
BEST CRUISING WEBSITE
Squirt
Love Squirt.org. But I wish someone would list my house on there.
BEST SEX SHOP
Priape
BEST PLACE TO PICK UP MEN
Woody’s
BEST CONDOM BRAND
Trojan
BEST LUBE BRAND
Wet
BEST PLACE TO PICK UP WOMEN
Slack’s
No better place to feed my cougar fetish.
BEST ESCORT SERVICE
Rentboy.com
And all this time I thought Rentboy.com was a fansite for the 1996 Broadway musical.
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BEAUTIFUL BODY
BEST SPA TO BE SPOILED AT
Elmwood Spa
BEST PLACE FOR A NEW HAIRDO
Coupe Bizarre
BEST GYM
GoodLife Fitness
Going by Craigslist’s missed connections, Goodlife is certainly the place to be, but it doesn’t have famous arm choreography like the gym I go to.
BEST COSMETIC CLINIC (HAIR REMOVAL, INJECTION, SURGERY, ETC)
Southern Comfort Salon & Spa
***
AN APPLE A DAY
BEST WALK-IN CLINIC
Hassle Free Clinic
It’s good to have somewhere discreet to go, after being indiscreet somewhere else.
BEST DENTIST
Dr Kevin Russelo
BEST DOCTOR
Dr Fred Crouzat
BEST HEALTH/ SUPPLEMENT STORE
Ottway
BEST DAYCARE
Metro Hall Child Care Centre
BEST VETERINARIAN
Blue Cross Animal Hospital
This place must see so much pussy.
***
SHOPPER’S PARADISE
BEST OUTLET/CHAIN CLOTHING STORE
H&M
BEST MEN’S CLOTHING STORE
H&M
BEST WOMEN’S CLOTHING STORE
H&M
If I want accessories, I guess I get them here, but as for everything else nothing fits. Sorry, but H&M, get a clue.
BEST VINTAGE/ANTIQUES
Kensington Market
BEST SHOPPING NEIGHBOURHOOD
Queen WestEnder Artist
BEST SHOES
Aldo
Do you have the red ruby slippers in a 13?
Just got me some hot pink Keds at Aldo! Watch out! I’m a fat bitch with neon shoes!
BEST LEATHER
Northbound Leather
You can never have enough leather or PVC. My mother told me so.
BEST CAR BRAND
Toyota
BEST CAR DEALER
Downtown Toyota
We have dealers downtown for cars too?
***
PLUGGED IN
BEST COMPUTER STORE
Apple
BEST INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER
Rogers
BEST CELL PHONE BRAND
iPhone
There’s an app for everything, including picking up with Grindr.
BEST PHONE SERVICE PROVIDER
Rogers
BEST RADIO STATION
Proud FM
BEST RADIO DJ
Deb Pearce
BEST LOCAL MUSICAL ENTERTAINER
Kay Pettigrew
***
HOMO HOMES
BEST MOVER
Manhattan Moving Service
They might be good movers but are they good shakers?
BEST HOME ACCESSORIES/ FURNITURE
Ikea
It’s aMAZEing!
BEST INTERIOR DESIGNER
Brian Gluckstein
***
QUEER DOLLARS
BEST BANK
TD Canada Trust
BEST INVESTMENT ADVISOR FIRM
TD Waterhouse
BEST LAWYER
Kirk Cooper
Can he get me a green card? Or on Judge Judy?
BEST CREDIT CARD
Visa
No such thing as a good credit card. Ask Charles Lyall.
Visa is so good at what they do I owe them $12,000.
BEST ACCOUNTANT
Charles Lyall
BEST REAL ESTATE AGENT
Owen Kirby
***
DREAM DESTINATIONS
BEST DESTINATION FOR A DIRTY WEEKEND
Montreal
Voulez-vous coucher avec moi et mon ami?
BEST DESTINATION FOR A ROMANTIC RETREAT
Montreal
BEST QUEER-FRIENDLY GETAWAY
Montreal
BEST QUEER FAMILY GETAWAY
Niagara Falls
BEST QUEER TRAVEL-PLANNING RESOURCE (AGENT, ONLINE, ETC)
Conxity
***
OUT IN THE CITY
BEST MIXED BAR
Crews/Tango
Open? Closed? Open? Closed? I can still see the ghost of my underage self haunting the second floor.
BEST BAR FOR MEN
Woody’s
BEST BAR FOR WOMEN
Slack’s
BEST BAR FOR TRANS FOLKS
Goodhandy’s
BEST CLUB EVENT FOR MEN
Grapefruit
BEST CLUB EVENT FOR WOMEN
Cherry Bomb
BEST CLUB EVENT FOR TRANS FOLKS
Goodhandy’s
BEST COMMUNITY EVENT
Toronto Pride
They brought my favourite band the Indigo Girls one year. That was the best Pride ever! But let’s can the E-list straight celebs for next year, okay?
BEST DANCE CLUB
Fly
BEST SPOT FOR A QUIET DRINK
Hair of the Dog
BEST STRAIGHT (MAINSTREAM) CLUB FOR QUEERS
Circa
***
CREAM OF THE CROP
BEST BARTENDER
Dave Martynowski at Woody’s
BEST RESTAURANT SERVER
Andrew Dunn at Churchmouse & Firkin
BEST LOCAL ARTIST/PHOTOGRAPHER
Tanja-Tiziana Burdi
BEST TATTOO ARTIST
Jay Decator at Passage Tattoo
BEST PIERCING ARTIST
Blair McLean at New Tribe
BEST LOCAL MUSICIAN/BAND
People You Know
BEST LOCAL DJ
Shane Percy
BEST DRAG PERFORMER
Sofonda Cox
BEST COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION
AIDS Committee of Toronto
BEST ACTIVIST
Chelsey Lichtman
BEST BEHIND-THE-SCENES CHAMPION
Todd Klinck
Thank you Todd for providing me with the space to have a foursome. What a great story that made.
Todd is a champion in front of the scenes also.
***
ON THE SCENE
BEST THEATRICAL PRODUCTION
The Sound of Music
BEST NIGHTCLUB TO BE SEEN IN
Fly
BEST MOVIE THEATRE
AMC Yonge & Dundas 24
Theatre seven, back row centre.
BEST INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE
Glad Day Bookshop
BEST INDEPENDENT ART GALLERY
O’Connor Gallery
BEST STRIP CLUB FOR WOMEN
Brass Rail
BEST STRIP CLUB FOR MEN
Remington’s
This was tough, so many to choose from.
***
PRIZE WINNERS
Levi McCulloch & Nora Kelly: Winners of the grand prize – two scooters, courtesy of Totally Scooters
John Zinck: Winner of a Blackberry and accessory package, courtesy of Global Wireless
Alison Carson, Fariz Ahmadov & Pam Sloan: Winners of a 12 CD prize pack, courtesy of Universal Music