We at Creative Loafing have decided it’s time to take our relationship with Charlotte to the next level. Get to know each other a little better, if you know what we mean.
That’s right: Get Naked!
The critics who make up our illustrious panel for the 2005 Best of Charlotte have taken it upon ourselves to disrobe the Queen City, take a good hard look and find her absolute best features. And to help us achieve that goal, we stripped down the ballot, removing numerous categories so that readers know that if something won an award, then it truly is the best of the best.
Plenty of you readers got into it, analyzing Charlotte’s finest on your own and sending us your votes. We don’t know how into the naked theme you got, but for those who included photos of how they were inspired, we send you a hearty thank you. And for those who engaged in ballot-stuffing – well, you know who you are. And now we know who you are, as evidenced by the dozens of fraudulent ballots we had to discard.
As always, this issue wouldn’t be possible without the combined efforts of various people: the vote tabulators, critics, sales people, designers, writers, photographers, editors, bean counters and distributors.
Take these recommendations and enjoy – check out the best sides of Charlotte, take another look at the city you know and love, and always keep in mind that a little exposure can go a long way.
Critics’ Panel / Copywriters: Sam Boykin, Matt Brunson, Tricia Childress, Timothy C. Davis, Samantha Gellar, John Grooms, Mark Kemp, Scott Lucas, John Schacht, Tara Servatius, Karen Shugart, Samir Shukla, Perry Tannenbaum, Linda Vespa, Brooke Weihe, Ann Wicker.
Editorial Assistants: Lauren MacLeod, Christina Rumbaugh.
Photography: Paul Clark, Catalina Kulczar, Chris Radok.
Models: Kevin Aronhalt, Buddy Daigler, Marcos de Paula, Ailen Jardines, Felicia Robinson.
Print Design: Creative Services.
Online Design: Edward Adams, Aaron Karp, LauraFries.com, Alejandro Leal.
Table of Contents
- After Dark: Critics’ Picks
- After Dark: Readers’ Picks
- Arts & Entertainment: Critics’ Picks
- Consumer Culture: Critics’ Picks
- Arts & Entertainment: Readers’ Picks
- Media: Critics’ Picks
- Consumer Culture: Reader’s Picks
- Food & Drink: Critics’ Pick
- Food & Drink: Readers’ Picks
- Media: Readers’ Picks
This article appears in Aug 3-9, 2005.
