2009 Best of Jackson Hole Editor's Picks

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

By PJH Staff

Jackson Hole, Wyo.-The valley’s favorite political leaders, eccentrics andbusiness people seized Planet JH’s ‘Best Of’ poll, while multiple categoricalappearances by a few residents is a reminder that this remains a smallcommunity. It seems Jackson Hole truly appreciates its quirky activist andperennial political candidate, Capt. Bob Morris. Capt. Bob won four categoriesand placed in another. 

Traditionally known for the cabins and lodges thatdominate the structural landscape, Jackson Hole evidently also embraces themodern, and overwhelmingly voted the Center for the Arts for BestArchitecturally Designed Building.

Other winners include people with a voice on the worldstage, like Dick Cheney and Harrison Ford. Yet Jackson Hole ‘Best Of’ voters,perhaps skewing younger and pragmatic, preferred a lawyer who can get them offcharges that stem from a late night arrest to one known to champion civilliberties. Maybe that’s why the young David DeFazio, Esq. edged out the famedtrial attorney, author and champion of the common man, Gerry Spence.

Best Place to ‘Get Mystical’

Ahh, the Snake River, an ever-changing beauty. Braidedmaiden from Teton County’s more glaciated days, the Snake River has bountifulchannels that weave through endless levies and banks of cobblestones. Thechannels host adventure for paddlers, fishers, inner-tubers and swimmers alike.And the stones that shift with the seasons bounce off one another at the bottomof the river, at times making a sound like champagne bubbles bursting. Andwhether one wants a quick swim on the dike or a vision-quest excursion frompoint A to point C, the Snake’s emerald channels provide a brand oftranscendent refreshment that can’t be found anywhere else in the valley. Onits upper stretches, the Snake’s channels weave and merge to make challengingwhitewater and tight squeezes.

Best Artist over 30

If you noticed that there was a conspicuous absence ofaging curmudgeons from the Best Of JH Readers' Poll, you are correct. So, let'stake care of that right now - seriously, renowned and beloved landscape andwildlife (and figure) painter, Greg McHuron is our pick for best artist over30. Despite recently overcoming a devastating loss of his left eye to cancer,McHuron continues to grow, evolve and just get better at what he does.McHuron's paintings are complex: what seems like a simple sketch in gauchemelts away to reveal a serene and sometimes brooding scene. If he's not thebest artist we know, he's definitely the crabbiest. Check him out at TrailsideGallery in downtown Jackson.

Best Politician

We don’t know how he does it. Keith Gingery forpresident! As journalists, we appreciate the fact that Keith is so accessibleto his constituents and the press. He is a regular blogger on PlanetJH.com,taking his own time to fill readers in on topical local issues.  As a politician, well, Keith was madeto be a public servant. He works tirelessly as House District 23 Rep., fightingthe good fight in Cheyenne. Keith’s peers got hip to his acumen, recentlynaming him House Judiciary Chairman.

Most Influential Local Republican

Move over Dick Cheney and get ready for a kindler,gentler local Republican powerhouse. Sweet and low-key, Jan Larimer could be mistaken for your best friend’smom.  She would probably let youraid the refrigerator and eat all the Oreo’s, but don’t fool yourself intothinking this woman is a pushover on the issues that really matter. Larimer hasrisen to the #2 position in the National Republican Party through hard work,team building, problem solving, and a steady determination to explain andpromote her conservative principles.

Best Camp to Avoid

When we’re pressed for time and a long weekend far off inthe mountains just isn’t possible, we like to sneak away to our favorite spotin the Gros Ventre. Did we say favorite? We meant: it sucks.

Just short of the Red Hills Ranch, on the right, is acrummy dirt road that plummets perilously toward the Gros Ventre River. Don’ttry it if you don’t have four-wheel drive. In fact, don’t try it at all. Afterall, that would put you under this ugly old cottonwood tree on the banks of theriver right where it widens out and slows up enough to make a disgustingswimming hole on a hot July day.

The fishing is terrible – the trout are way too heavy tolift out of the water. Downstream a bit, is a cute mini-waterfall where youcould take a shower if it wasn’t so cold. All around there is nothing to lookat but drably magnificent lava-rouge walls of sandstone, if that’s what you’reinto. Above you, two miles as the crow flies, is Grizzly Lake. Probably one ofthose bears will come down and eat you in your tent if you go to this lousycampsite.

Best Yoga Instructor

You really think we would be so foolish as to single outone of this valley’s literally dozens of yogis and yoginis, many of who couldrough us up, or at least run us down? We might as well weigh in on the ‘BestMassage Therapist,’ while we’re at it. In this community where thoseoccupations must rank among the most popular, declaring the top in either iscertain to raise some ire among the Jackson Hole holistic set. But, whatever:everyone knows Karen Rasmussen is the best massage therapist and Kelli Jonesand Karla Steinmeier co-reign as yoginis numero uno. But, girls, you three nowhave to protect us from your colleagues.

Best (and Worst) Ways to Save Rent Money in Jackson

Jackson’s rental market has long been a high-densityroommate situation for blue-collar workers. Having five or more people livingin a three-bedroom house is not uncommon, with friends sharing a small bedroomdivided by only a sheet and some ski gear. In summer, some of these vagabonds(we’ve been there) squat in the national forest during the warmestmonths—Curtis Canyon, Shadow Mountain, Mosquito Creek and, if one has a camper,in town.  The lifestyle can beinconvenient, but who cares when you’re 20-something, right? The worst of thebunch are the couch-surfing skids that bounce around from place to place, butcan’t seem to pitch in their share—failing to realize that the lease bearersare struggling too. You’re probably reading this…because it’s free.

Best Barisatas

In some coffee shops around Jackson Hole, a five-personline can equal a 15-minute wait, but a wait 15-people deep at Pearl StreetBagels will disappear faster than you can say “just a schmear please.” Alsoknown for their genre-bending latte art, these women (and token man) expeditecaffeination with friendly and at times inviting smiles. But don’t be fooled.Many a Jackson man has asked for a Pearl Street Bagels barista’s digits, andmany have been politely turned down. Others still have found love, but datingone of these women is like using a net to catch the wind. They aren’t to betied down by some coffee-swilling skid or be-chai-latted real estate greenhorn, their beauty and grace is to be shared by all. “Joe Regular” has aconfession to make: he doesn’t go there everyday for the coffee. He has alove-affair with his friends and caffeinators; the PSB baristas.

Best Example for Other Waitresses

In a job market chalk full of jaded college gradsreluctantly waiting tables, service can really suck in Jackson Hole. Often, thepeople serving you would rather be doing something else and you can tell by theconstipated look on their face as they take your order. Bubba’s BBQ waitressesnever have that vibe. They are on point and ready to hook you up. Never have weever, had to wait around for a waitress at Bubba’s. They’re always right therewith what you need—which is typically really good food served up with old-schoolsass one would expect at any BBQ joint worth mentioning. Thank you for settingan example for other waitresses here in Jackson. PJH salutes you.

Best Physical Trainer

Jackson Hole is home to many an enviably hard body. Butthere’s one man in this valley who can chisel even the most pre-toned buttocksinto shape like no other: Rob Shaul. Since Shaul founded Mountain Athlete, akind of primitive training center designed around his study of various schoolsof physical training, he has attracted some of the valley’s higher achievingmountain athletes, including snowboarder/mountaineer Stephen Koch and a cadreof Exum guides. But Shaul also trains the hockey moms who have been with himsince the beginning. At Mountain Athlete, be prepared to endure a workout consistingof varsity-style exercise like dumbbell swings, box jumps, pull-ups, lunges,heavy tire flips, rowing machine sprints and more. But the suffering isshort-lived, and Shaul will help you move faster over whatever mountain in lifeyou’re trying to get on top of.

Best Public Place to Get Some

If you view Jackson Hole Mountain Resort with your mindin the proverbial gutter, your eyes have probably recognized many a spots forsome outdoor bow-chick-a-wow-wow. With its high profile, easily shakable stature,the gondola is perhaps the most risqué love-makin’ locale on the mountain. Butif you and your mate succeed during the approximate 10-minute ride (heh),without flagging the attention of families flying down Sundance, overworkedgondi operators or jibbers in the terrain park, what bragging rights you willhave. We, of course, cannot speak from experience.

Editor’s Picks: food, goods & services

We could argue at length about the order of winners underthis category, but altogether, there were few surprises – although with someserious oversight (where’s Blu Kitchen and Grand Teton Brewing Company?).

With exceptions, Jackson demonstrated a preference forthe trendy upscale in restaurants, such as Rendezvous Bistro in severalinstances. They also favored restaurants in Jackson over Teton Village, thoughDornan’s in Moose edged out both The Granary at Spring Creek Ranch and Couloirat Jackson Hole Mountain Resort as Best Restaurant with a View. Interestingly,long-gone favorite Anthony’s, made an appearance for best Italian, though notenough for the top three.

Where national chains have presence in the valley,residents singled out local proprietors as the best, as in Best Produce winnerJackson Whole Grocer.

In one category, however, a local business owner cleanedhouse because he owns all three local establishments that offer movie theaterpopcorn.

Best Fine Dining at the Bar 

Jackson Hole has many fineupscale joints to eat steak or elk medallions. Those same places also offerjuicy beef and buffalo burgers – but they are also generally crowded, loud anddifficult to get into without a reservation. Nary an occasion have we walkedinto Burke’s Chop House and had to wait for a seat at the bar – perfect for asolo meal or a casual bit before a show at the Center for the Arts. In thespace formerly occupied by the greasy spoon LeeJay’s (R.I.P.), the intimate,upscale steak house murmurs comfortably with the restaurant din and thebartenders (almost exclusively female) are easy on the eyes (and good-mannered,too). Though we have veg-head friends, they find plenty to eat, and the meat isalways tender in our experience, if a little rich, but that’s where thehand-cut fries come in. Often, we walk out so satisfied that we’re unsure we’lllast through a show.

Best Locally Made Ice Cream

Moo’s Gourmet Ice Cream, located on Town Square in backof Beaver Creek Hat Company. Proprietor Rick Bickner takes real pride in usingonly natural ingredients to make old-fashioned ice cream without cutting anycorners. For Bickner, a Jackson Hole native who grew up working in restaurantkitchens around the valley, selling delicious and unpretentious ice cream amongthe fancy retail shops along Town Square is a way to preserve a piece of thevalley’s past, recalling a time before second homes, when everyone visited theSquare not only for a treat but also for day-to-day needs. Bickner himself is aliving resource on many things Jackson Hole. Stop by for a scoop, shake orsorbet. Stay to chat up the avid paintballer about local caving and theRockefellers.

Best Sure Thing

In Jackson Hole, restaurants come and restaurants go. Butunlike other towns, lousy places can stay open in Jackson for years under theguise of “fine dining.” They subsist on the pocketbooks of un-knowing touristswho rarely go for any listing over two-dollar-signs in the AAA guidebook, butare forced to on most Jackson summer nights because Merry Piglets has atwo-hour wait and the Brew Pub is hard to find.

“Wow honey, that was a really delicious $40 plate,” theysay, so proud of themselves for splurging they were blind to the bad service,low quality food and schizophrenic menu of the average “fine dining” place inJackson. But everyone knows that the Snake River Grill is no poser. Localscelebrating anything from an anniversary to a bar mitzvah aren’t let down bythe Grill, as are most tourists who have money and savvy friends or savvybellboys.

Best Specialty Retail

‘Star Trek Nerds Welcome Here!’ Hero's Comics is ourfavorite specialty store. Though Hero's owner, Stan Kucharski, is a bitstealthy at first, he is an expert at this stuff and is keen on sharing hisknowledge. Head up the narrow and slightly foreboding staircase ("I hope Idon't leave with a tattoo.") and you'll find this pleasant shop stuffed withvintage and new comic books, the hippest graphic novels, hard-to-findTransformers and Star Trek collectibles, model airplanes and military toycollectibles, obscure puzzles and games, collectible cards (with gum!), Gothaction heroes, posters, toys  forlittle kids (Hello Kitty and Bob the Builder) and tons of weird stuff you'venever seen before. So if you're 47 years old and covet your unopened, mintcondition Dungeons and Dragons game, maybe it's time you paid Stan a littlevisit. Hero's Comics is located just off the west side of the Town Square up along staircase.

Best Egg Roll

Some people only go to the movies for the popcorn, weonly go to Asian restaurants for the egg rolls. The best egg rolls found in JHare at  Bon Appe Thai on PearlStreet. When asked to describe her experience eating the fried egg rolls at BonAppe Thai, a friend just closed her eyes, wrinkled her nose, raised her fistsand said, "it's just ... I can't describe...  it's crispy, sweet, ... amazing." These gems,deep-fried to perfection, are served four-to-a plate with a delicate sweet andtangy sauced and garnished with cilantro. The perfect amount of egg roll, witha dab of sauce and bit of cilantro all balanced in one mouthful is a skillmastered after some time, so practice often.

Best Scene During the Morning Rush

Jackson Hole Roasters is great. Jack, who runs the place,is super cool and roasts his own beans on site. Now that he has a newlocation—right next door to his old location—you can actually sit downcomfortably, eat a pastry, use free Wi Fi, read both local newspapers and sayhi to everyone you know who walks through the door. There’s a great sceneduring the morning rush, but if you can’t wait in line and are too groggy toform a sentence, help yourself to the pour-your own coffee station and payusing the “Honor Jar.”

Best Place to Take Your Mother for Breakfast

Our breakfast dining opinions are engrained – hangoversare treated with the alcohol absorbing D.O.G. burrito; when we’re pressed fortime we hit Pearl Street for a bagel and schmear.  But where do you take your mom for the most important mealof the day? An enjoyable coffee-sipping soiree could dethrone you from yoursuspected ‘least favorite’ status. So we suggest Shades – a neighborhood,intimate, conversational-friendly breakfast and lunch haven. 

The tiny King St.eatery breathes an air of small town charm and big city tastes, enough to wowmom no matter if she hails from the Big Apple or Alpine. During the warmermonths, grab a table on the shaded patio or check out live musicians on briskdays, tucked inside during early a.m. hours. Treat your mom to their healthfulbreakfast burrito on whole wheat tortilla; eggs tomavo, steamed and layeredwith avocado. You’ll also score points with Shades’ flaky, fresh baked quicheor a gooey, warmed pastry.

Best Rack

It’s difficult to determine the owner of this accolade,amid many valley females’ loose-fitting, triple-insulated ski jackets, soinstead, we’ll give a nod to the other type of rack, once donned with a fleeceas white as snow. A refurbished little home on Millward Street houses Blue Lionrestaurant. 

Many dishes on its fine dining menu will entice the mostdiscerning of palates - i.e.: the cream cheese crab-stuffed mushrooms or gingerlime ahi tuna. But it is the rack of lamb that makes us drool.

The New Zealand lamb is seasoned with Dijon mustard andbread crumbs, baked to tender perfection and coupled with the Blue Lion’screamy peppercorn-rosemary sauce and jalapeno-mint sauce. While it’s certainlyeasy to overcook or under-season a lamb dish, The Blue Lion has hunted down asucculent, belly-warming technique.

Most Bests

Best place to cure a hangover, best locals’ spot in town,best place to see your friends at noon after a big party, best place to seefrightened tourists, best place to eat Nepalese food outside, best New Jerseyaccent, best dreds, best reggae… and the list goes on.

Down on Glen is the most best because it serves moreessential functions than any other place in town, including the government. Andwe’ve heard at least one head chef of a fancy restaurant in town say that theD.O.G. burrito is the only truly unique flavor in Jackson Hole. We also knowplenty of other chefs at fancy restaurants that have slayed a couple hundredD.O.G. burritos in their days. 

But it is the intangible things like the “Youdis dre you dis yourself motherf**ker” sticker and the sign (which has sincedisappeared) reading “cash, check or interesting trade” that really sets D.O.G.apart. And OUR favorite part about D.O.G. is hearing Dawn’s voice in ourhungover ears say, “That’ll be 15 minutes, hon.” Then, a few high-fives andtwo-hours later, we’re soaking in the plasma of a feng-shui summer day with afew friends that all pile in a car and head to a swimming hole or a backyardbarbeque.

Best Import Business

Fresh fish and seafood, good recipes and kindly advice –all in one Jackson Hole location? Until Hole Fish Co., it was difficult to findeven the latter two in the same place. With a counter at Jackson Hole Grocer,Hole Fish’s Jack Goldstein boasts modern packing and shipping methods, as wellas employees who care about preparation and service to offer regional favs,such as salmon, but also mouth-popping crustaceans. We go for the shrimp,sometimes (however rarely) dissuaded by a fishmonger telling us the latestshipment wasn’t the freshest; is there something else we’d prefer?

Best Beer from a Place that Didn’t Win Best Of

For many discerning area beer drinkers, the discoverythat a Jackson Hole establishment pours beer by Wildlife Brewing is oftenfollowed immediately with, “I’ll have one of those.” Wildlife Brewing andPizza, located over the hill in Victor, makes great pizza and really good beer.Their Mighty Bison Brown Ale, a tasty drinkable brew, is found at a number ofvalley bars and restaurants. While Wildlife was at a disadvantage in the BestOf Readers’ Poll because they’re located outside of Jackson Hole, we thoughtthey deserved an honest mention.

Best “God Awful” Trend

Ugh! Just when it seemed the fashion world’s sniggeringover that cruel joke called Crocs was dying down, along comes the latesttravesty of footwear. Ladies: What exactly is it about Ugg boots that you findso appealing? The flat-footed clunkiness? That sexy ‘mukluk’ look that drivesthe Inuit crazy in Nome? Crocs were bad enough: why anyone would want to sticktheir sweaty dogs into a chunk of Swiss-cheesed, molded plastic only anAborigine knows. The winter version of bad shoe taste is certainly these Ugglythings. They’re ‘moon boots’ in suede. And look, Australia isn’t exactly thehotbed of fashion, mate.

Most Authentically Salacious Food, Staff

Want to taste some Old World flavor? Go no further thanthe be-dirndled beer-maidens of Stiegler’s Restaurant and the fine dining- andbar-food they serve there. The Austrian vibe was imported in the early 80’s byPeter Stiegler (brother of famous ski racer Pepi), who opened the restaurant inthe trellised coves of Teton Pines shopping center. The dining room isdefinitely up-scale, but the scene at the brilliant Zinc Bar is much morecasual. Dust off your favorite ski sweater and check out the bar menu, whichranges from $10 to $15, and is on a different playing field than the Americanbar food found elsewhere in Jackson Hole. Why scarf chicken fingers and nachoswhen you could wrap the Tyrolean flavors and flaky crust of a Stiegler’sSchnitzel around your tongue, or pierce the skin of a Stiegler’s ‘wurst andopen a gush of carnal pleasure from the pork or liver inside?

Best Ethnic Eatery that Could be

In this valley of transplants, many of whom areaccustomed to feasting on ethnic cuisines, a sad void remains. Some of thefamed plates of Mid-Eastern fare - hummus, tabouleh, baba ghanoush, chickenshawarma and grape leaves have as much trouble finding a home in JH as ski bum-dog owners. Sure, Whole Foods, Smith’s and Albertson’s offer their takes on afew of these recipes but dining on Mid-East cuisine should be an experience.

Imagine a dim eatery adorned with hookahs; warm, lightlybrowned pita bread that greets you at your table (a typically complimentarystaple, much like Mexican joints offer tortilla chips); aromas of curry,citrus, garlic and pepper percolating the air. Made-to-order fruit smoothiesand gyrating belly dancers are also welcomed amenities spotted in suchestablishments. So this is a formal call to entrepreneurs, food lovers and thefew Middle Eastern folk who (may) reside in JH: we are ready; bring us thehummus.

Best Place to See Fly-Fishing Shirts in the Summertime

You might think this Best Of winner would be some put-inon the Snake River, but no place collects dudes in fly-fishing shirts duringthe summer like 43 North.

Like a flock of seabirds heading north for the summer, a100-strong herd of Southern college student rolls in to town every June, andtheir need for a generic bar leads them to the only option within walkingdistance of the apartment their parents rented for them: 43 North! Sincefly-fishing is so popular amongst these libertines, this bar will be the bestplace to wrap your arms around some Simms, Orvis or Cloudveil synthetic bliss.That’s right, ladies; green, orange, yellow or blue there will be a dude in afly-fishing shirt there for you!

Best Wine Happy Hour

Wine bars are abundant in California, but we’redisappointed to see that the trend has not caught on Jackson Hole. Sure, manyrestaurants here have nice atmospheres to enjoy a glass of wine, but if thelists aren’t similar, the wines are somewhat predictable. Then, we foundEnoteca Sicula at Nani’s Genuine Pasta House. The bar is intimately isolatedfrom the restaurant, and the wine list by the glass is ample, ranging fromaround $7 to $14. Much of the wine selection is geared towards the restaurant’sItalian cuisine – sangiovese, chianti, Italian regional’s – but that’s finewith us, because we rarely venture over without ordering the clams in spicytomato sauce or the antipasto misto. That said, they also carry a number oflovely varietals from Europe and the Americas. Happy hour, 5 to 7 p.m., and $10wine tastings, nightly.

Best Place to Bring Cosmopolitan guests

Because it consistently serves some of the tastiest foodin the valley, with ingredients traveling here from as far away as Tokyo’sfamous Tsukiji fish market. Because the dining room is sexy, yet comfortable,with lushly upholstered golden banquettes and a curving, translucent ceilingthat makes the whole place feel like a stylized gigantic mollusk. Because whenyou bring good company to Blu Kitchen, be they ski bums or New York City types,and the stars align, the best thing on the menu is the joi de vivre. And thejalapeno spicy margaritas are pretty good, too.

Best Sunday Breakfast/Brunch

The Bunnery breakfast is second to none … almost. Thecharm of its smallish size proves a detriment during tourist season when theplace is simply overrun with out-of-towners who got clued in to the decadentcoffee cake by some thoughtless newspaper mention. Oops. Bummer about theStarbucks coffee, though, when Jackson has three great local roasters.

(All apologies to Nora’s Fish Creek: nothing beats along, lingering, late breakfast at the base of the Pass. Service can be snobbyat times – it’s a Wilson thing – but if there is a better pancake on theplanet, we haven’t tasted it.)

 

ARTS, ENTERTAInMENT:

There doesn’t seem to be too many surprises in thissection. Winners included the stalwart personalities and places that havebecome synonymous with the valley’s arts and entertainment circles. Cases inpoint: rockers Mandatory Air and deejay Mikey Thunder, both among the hardestworking musical acts in the valley, won in the ‘Best Band’ and ‘Club Deejay’categories.

For showing Jackson Hole how to turn a commercial artspace into one of the valley’s most vibrant gathering places, Lyndsay McCandlessContemporary was awarded ‘Best Contemporary Art Gallery.’

Osteria, meanwhile, took the socially progressive honorof ‘Best Gay Hangout,’ though there is a rumor that employees there stacked theballots to win the category. For its great bar menu, beer selection and, mostimportantly, bounty of televisions, Sidewinders won ‘Best Sports Bar,’ provingJackson Hole can support a real sports bar on par with one even in a muchlarger community.

Best Community Center

They don’t have sushi restaurants in Victor, yet. Theyjust have the Knotty Pine Supper Club — hands down the best BBQ in the entireregion. The Knotty acts as Victor’s community center, everybody goes all thetime and you can tell who’s there by the full sized pickup trucks parked out front.Grab a Mighty Bison Brown Ale — made right down the street at Wildlife Brewing,order some burnt ends with a side of mac’n’cheese and decide whether you wantto chat it up with the sled-necks on your right, or the really hot yoga mom onyour left. It’s also one of the best places to see live music. The Knotty islegit.

Best Non-Bluegrass “Bluegrass Night”

Bluegrass Tuesday has been a tradition at the SilverDollar Bar for about three years now, spearheaded by defunct honky-tonkers OneTon Pig. The Pig managed to squeeze a shred of grass into their mostlyfolk-rock and country sets, and fattened the popular local’s night at thedowntown watering hole before handing down the residency to Bootleg Flyer,featuring the Miller Sisters. And while Bootleg Flyer is a great band—givingproper treatment to bar classics from Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, Tom Petty,Zeppelin, and a handful of originals—the grass has left the building.

Best New Tradition that Almost was (or Possibly Could Be)

The first-ever Jackson Hole Music Festival could’ve verywell been the best collection of bands in Teton area history — Wilco, The BlackCrowes, Ben Harper, Robert Randolph, Son Volt, Medeski Martin & Wood, TheAvett Brothers, Brian Wilson, etc. Concert production by The Festival Networkwas top notch, the music epic, but their priority “to serve the community bymaking this something that locals can count on yearly is not so concrete. Whatwas originally considered a “first annual” before the financial mess cutfunding for music festivals from coast to coast, this new Jackson tradition isin jeopardy. But keep your drumsticks crossed, there’s still hope that they’lltry to top the lineup in ’09.  

Best Live Concert That You Missed

We were pleasantly surprised by Tift Merritt’s ability tomake the Center Theater the most intimate of venues back in September. The 100or so audience members were rewarded when Merritt unplugged and walked to theedge of the stage to perform most of her set acoustic without a microphone. Thesame studio songs that had failed to grow on us the week leading up,immediately struck us as genuine. The local gals shined too. Anne Sibley andMargo Valiante teamed up for a rare set of strong, harmony-laced folk tunes,while Valerie Seaberg and Tom Turiano kicked the night off in fine jazz-bluesform.

Best Girl-On-Girl Action

The sport of ice hockey moves fast. Its allure lies inthe incongruent combination of equal parts grace and violence. It is a game forthe lionhearted. It is a game for men. If women tried to play it, well, itcould result in something men would pay to see. The recent annual Debra DoomCup tournament held in Jackson was the best-attended yet. The competition wassuperb. Men get excited watching ladies behave unlady-like, skating a game theyhave given teeth and blood to. Men get even more excited oogling the Women’sHockey Team calendar, printed every two years (next one in 2010). Flippingthrough the months of scantily-clad chicks with sticks brings new meaning tohockey violations like “holding,” “hooking” and “offsides.”

Best (Civilized) Apres-Ski Ambience

While flailing down Teewinot on a blustery day at JacksonHole Mountain Resort, we couldn’t help but notice the tranquil loungersunwinding on the heated patio of the Four Seasons Lobby Lounge. We staredlongingly, and then collided with a five-year-old child and his Jack Russellterrier. Sipping fine glasses of vino and throwing back brews to theirwind-wrinkled lips, après skiers at the Four Seasons receive a clear view tofledgling skiers and snowboarders and veteran snow shushers alike as theyarrive to the Resort’s base. Unlike other drafty après locales, a toasty firecrackles inside of the Lounge to defrost icy toes while toothsome eats fromfrothy soups to juicy hamburgers disappear into ravenous mouths.

Best Place to Get Your Booty-Pack on

Put your thumb out, grab a ride from a friendly face andcruise over to Shivers on Teton Pass. Hike Shivers’ mellow face, working yourway to the towers. Now check the wind direction and prepare for hang time. Butbe careful that your driver doesn’t hit the empassador’s car when they’re inthe parking process – his car got backed into recently, and dude, he isdefinitely not stoked.

Best Way to “Get Up and Get Hype” in the Afternoon

The brawn to armwrestle your afternoon fatigue is KMTN’sTerminator Matt, a.k.a. Matt Grabowski, with his “Get Up and Get Hype” radioshow. Tune in from 4 to 6 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays this month for theboisterous antics of the valley’s hypest voice on the radio. This cat – also afamiliar face to glimpse at the Boardroom and on the mountain - has an innateradio tone that could hype you after witnessing a cement truck run Fluffyover.  His name “stems from when Iwas like seven or eight,” Grabowksi remembered.?? “My brother and his friends listened to Public Enemy and thedeejay’s name was Terminator X, I was [also] the biggest kid in my class, andthe Terminator movies were out.” So Terminator’s brother and his friends coinedwhat would become a lasting moniker. When folks tune in to Terminator Matt’sarticulate airwave commentary he promises to “push people away from their desksto boogie oogie and get them home safe.”

Best Band for Wholesome Dancing

This valley has its fair share of live music: fromhip-hop deejays to live bluegrass, rock and Western acts. But, for my money,the Jackson Six is a band to check out when you’re looking for something alittle different. The band – a horn and string ensemble – mostly playsold-fashioned Dixie Land jazz, the music that originated in New Orleans in theearly 20th Century. The Jackson Six evokes not only a bygone era, but also aworld far beyond this valley, a place where original jazz is kept alive andwell.

 

 

 

 

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2009 Best of Jackson Hole Editor's Picks | Planet JH News Article: General News

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