Readers Poll:
Arts & Entertainment

Best Annual Party

Eeyore's Birthday A few years back, this annual fundraiser for the YMCA was being sneered at as "Too Old-Austin Hippie." Of course, that was before bellbottoms became hip again, as did this celebration named for A. A. Milne's doleful donkey. Tiggers also welcome. Pease Park in late spring. YMCA: 912-5080

Best Art Gallery

Austin Museum of Art at Laguna Gloria Last year, Spike Gillespie wrote, "Gorgeous landscaping for art's sake on the outside. Art for your sake on the inside." We think that comment about AMOA@LG is just as appropriate this year. 3809 W. 35th, 458-8191

Best Artist

Amado Peña Peña's spare yet voluptuous images grace the walls of so many businesses around town (and the state, for that matter) that even if you don't know his work, you've likely seen it. His canvasses symbolize the rich cultural background of Austin in pastel and earth tones and mark the artist as one of our treasures.

Best Book by a Local Author

First Comes Love, by Marion Winik There is little of essayist Marion Winik's life that isn't public record, and the living drama that is her life is beautifully documented in First Comes Love, the story of her marriage to a gay man who died of AIDS. Words like "touching" and "emotional" seem too trite for this book, which melds love with bohemian lifestyle and a true passion for writing. Pantheon Books, 800/726-0600

Best Bar to Drink Alone

Horseshoe Lounge If you walk into this place, you probably won't know anyone, which is reason enough for readers to give the nod to this unpretentious working class bar. We wish we could say the same for our beloved Lala's on the northside, but ever since Quentin Tarantino hung out there, those jingly elves at the bathroom door haven't been the same. 2034 S. Lamar, 442-9111

Best Neighborhood Bar

Crown & Anchor Pub A clear favorite of our readers, this university-area pub is a popular spot to "sit outside and hang," according to an SXSW staffer who's a regular there and who also gives it high marks for good beer on tap and cheap, tasty burgers. We're headed there now. 2911 San Jacinto, 322-9168

Best Downtown ClubBest Place to Smoke a Cigar

Cedar Street Okay, this whole cigars-and-lounge-music routine is getting just a little too precious for some of our tastes, but readers think that when the smoke clears, Cedar Street will still be pumping the hottest jazz in town. After all, it's home to Jon Blondell, who's as ready to drop in a riff from "Pipeline" as play Duke Ellington. Smoooooooth! 208 W. Fourth, 708-8811

Best Non-Downtown Club

The Continental Club You can talk about your Junior Browns, your Toni Prices, your 8¹/2 Souvenirses. You can wax philosophic about the atmosphere, the murals, and the pool table. But nothing, nothing takes the place of the Continental's annual Graceland Revues headed up by Ted Roddy. Here's the Rule and the Drill: Rule -- You must have a bottle or glass (doesn't have to be alcohol) in your hand until Elvis sings "Viva Las Vegas." Drill -- When he sings the title twice in the chorus, raise the bottle/glass both times. Repeat three times at the end. 1315 S. Congress, 441-2444

Best Cover Band Club

Maggie Mae's Austin's alterna-crowd is passing up a great beer selection as they frequent other clubs, but readers think Maggie Mae's bands have something that keeps their crowds happy. Clearly, familiarity breeds regulars. 512 Trinity, 478-8541

Best Tejano/Conjunto Club

Tejano Ranch Now, something is really happening here at this premiere Tejano showcase club disguised as a margarita-swilling disco. Some of the hottest names in Tejano music have been seen here over the last year and the readers are paying attention. 7601 N. Lamar, 453-6616

Best Place to Dance Country

Broken Spoke This longtime Southside venue has played host to Ernest Tubb, Bob Wills, Willie Nelson, and many other C&W legends, and it has cheap chicken-fried steaks. What more could you possibly ask for, except a little Dale Watson, Cornell Hurd, Alvin Crow, and possibly the best dance floor anywhere? They've got that? Subject closed. 3201 S. Lamar, 442-6189

Best Rock Dancing Club

Emo's We confess to never having seen any bona fide "dancing" here, at least not in any traditional sense, and since Don Walser's shows fall a wee bit outside the realm of rock, they don't exactly count. Readers' opinions rule, though, and if they say it's the best here, it must be. 603 Red River, 477-EMOS

Best Dance Music Club

Area 52 If you close the door, the night could last forever at this wild club known for its afterhours scene. Last year's winner, Paradox is second. 404 Colorado, 474-4849

Best Gay Bar

Oilcan Harry's Year after year, Oilcan keeps getting the votes. Why? Um, you'll just have to take a look for yourself -- and no one will care who you're with! 211 W. Fourth, 320-8823

Best Drag Show:

Cootchie Tuscadero at Area 52 Cootchie, that's who! Charlie's fine ladies pumped in at second. 404 Colorado, 474-4849

Best Free Entertainment

Auditorium Shores Summer Concert Series This is one place where you don't hear people complaining about the silliness of Austin being called "The Live Music Capital of the World;" it's living proof of that. Town Lake... the downtown skyline... the bats at dusk... plus that fabled Austin music. 397-1463

Best Inexpensive Date

TIE: The Bats & Zilker Park Watching the bats at dusk and going to Zilker Park tied this category for our readers, but honestly, the two activities are located so closely together, you can combine both for the best bargain and heart-winning effect. Bat Hotline: Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau, 478-0098; Zilker Park: May we recommend the Botanical Gardens? 477-8672

Best Happy Hour Drinks

El Arroyo That place with the smart-aleck marquee, El Arroyo inexplicably became rather fratty a while back but that hasn't diminished its oh-so-Austin appeal to our readers. Indoor/outdoor dining and an obvious sense of humor add to the buzz brought on by those happy hour 'ritas and brews. 1624 W. Fifth, 474-1222

Best Happy Hour Food

Serrano's Check out one of Serrano's many locations for your happiest "hours" d'oeurves! 1111 Red River, 322-9080; 321 W. Ben White, 447-3999; 3010 W. Anderson Ln., 454-7333; 12636 Research, 250-9555; 3300 Bee Caves, 327-4100; 6406 N. I-35, 323-2555; 12233 N. 620, 918-8181; 6510 W. 290, 891-0000

Best Happy Hour Music

The Continental Club Nothing screams "best of the best" like the CC's happy hours. No-cover sets by the likes of 8¹/2 Souvenirs, Pete Gordon, Rocket 69, Glover Gill, and the utterly charming, inimitable Toni Price, all in the comfort of that famed Continental ambiance. 5pm never sounded so good. 1315 S. Congress, 441-2444

Best Jukebox

Casino El Camino From lounge to "grounge," this juke rules! If you run out of change, try Casino's free weekend movies. 517 E. Sixth, 469-9330

Best Library

John Henry Faulk Central Library The recently rechristened Central Library -- aptly named for local raconteur and freedom fighter John Henry Faulk -- was closed much of the year to clear out some pesky asbestos, but that didn't deter our readers from recognizing it as the locale for catching up on all things readable. Too hot for Zilker? Head up Guadalupe for the library's cool confines. Eighth & Guadalupe, 499-7599

Best Movie Theatre Facilities

Arbor 7 Living proof that our readers don't all live in Hyde Park and South Austin, Arbor 7 has handily snagged this category for the last three years. Pass the popcorn, please. 10000 Research Blvd., 346-6937

Best Movie Theatre Programming

Village Cinema Art We're fortunate to have two theatres in town (three when you count the UT film program) that cater to the indie film audiences. The Village again gets the nod from the people for its steady diet of impressive foreign fare and many of the tastiest nuggets from U.S. indie filmmakers. 2700 W. Anderson, 451-8352

Best Movie Theatre Concession Stand

Dobie Theater Forget the mad dash to the convenience store and stuffing Big Reds and Milky Ways in the purse. We're writing this with a bag of Gummi Bears leftover from our last visit to the Dobie, where you can also pick up such goodies as chocolate-covered espresso beans and Snapple, plus the best buttered movie show popcorn in town. Maybe we'll stay for the second feature.... 2021 Guadalupe, 472-3456

Best Photographer

Andrew Shapter Check out his b&w splendor in any of the gorgeous By George's ads.

Best Place to Hear Poetry

Ruta Maya Coffee House Poetry -- or its Nineties incarnation, "spoken word" -- has never been stronger in Austin, and the word really resonates in Ruta Maya's comfy concrete confines. Oh yeah -- smoking is allowed. 218 W. Fourth, 472-9638

Best Place to Dress Up

Bass Concert Hall This town offers more than enough excuses to get dolled-up, but our readers designate "Bass Concert Hall" as their favorite for breaking out the sequins and dress jackets. The crown jewel of UT's Performing Arts Center routinely hosts world-class artists and such high-tone local faves as the Symphony, Lyric Opera, and Ballet Austin that just make you feel like dressin' to the nines. 510 E. 23rd, 471-2787

Best Place to Drink Outdoors

Shady Grove We love those little vibrating pagers you get when there's a waiting list here, and the yuppie trailer-trash ambiance of this Barton Springs Road eatery is undeniable. Undeniably Austin, anyway. 1624 Barton Springs Rd., 474-9991

Best Place to Meet People

UT Austin The fall semester brings a breath of fresh air to town -- not to mention enough apple-cheeked freshmen to put a smile on anyone's face. Ponder the academic community as a whole, however, and your heart will leap at the scope of intellectual delight our happy li'l college-town provides! If fresh-cut, thesis-driven apron strings aren't your style, you can always handle the apples at runner-up Central Market. Admissions Office, 475-7440

Best Place to Stay Cool

Barton Springs This place is so famous, people that have no idea who Stevie Ray Vaughan is know about it. And is there any phrase more wonderful to hear in the middle of July than "68-degree water"? 2201 Barton Springs Rd., 476-9044

Best Pool Hall

Ritz Rack 'em up, gang -- the Ritz is as hardy as an armadillo. This year it emerged as the best place to chalk up and shoot a few rounds. 320 E. Sixth, 474-2270

Best Comic

Kerry Awn If there were an Austin dictionary, Kerry Awn's face would be under the phrase "perennial favorite." Voted Best Comic for the umpteenth time by the readers, the man who gives us Buck Husky and Ronnie Velveeta, not to mention a mean Elvis, is more than deserving of the honor.

Best Choreographer

Lambros Lambrou The guiding hand of Ballet Austin has consistently expanded the city's notion of what ballet is, breathing fire into the form with a leather-jacketed Firebird, balletic riffs to jazz with artists like Acia Gray and Boyd Vance, and a ballet about a creator of ballets. Our readers know him as one choreographer who keeps them on their toes.

Best Dance Company

Ballet Austin The city's big ballet company keeps getting better and better, reworking old reliables such as The Nutcracker, constantly testing itself with new material, blending ballet with other forms of dance, such as tap and tangos, and adding dynamic performers such as Nadya Zybine to the troupe. Our readers know that a trip to BA these days can be electrifying. 3002 Guadalupe, 476-9051

Best Dance Space

NiaSpace South Austin holds many a hidden treasure and our readers believe one is this studio hidden in an unassuming building on South First. As host to classes in Power Yoga, bellydancing, drumming, art, acting , personal growth, and Nia Technique (hence the name), we figure there's a spiritual atmosphere in NiaSpace that adds excitement to dances there. 2810 S. First, 443-3013

Best Stage Director

Bonnie Cullum Cullum is not only the heart and soul of Planet Theatre (and its predecessor, the VORTEX Performance Cafe), she's one of our most fearless theatre artists. She boldly and unapologetically stages some of the most unconventional and experimental new drama in town, and as a result we're already getting a good look at the theatre of the 21st century.

Best Theatre Actor

Barry Miller A 10-year veteran of Austin's theatre scene, Miller has embodied dozens of characters, from the luckless Lucky in Waiting for Godot to the imperious Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest. No doubt our readers enjoy the sense of play and decency that Miller brings to his roles, spillovers from the personality of the actor. He's universally considered "the nicest man in Austin theatre."

Best Theatre Space

Zachary Scott Theatre Center With the combo of a surprisingly spacious 200-seat thrust stage auditorium (the Kleberg) and a cozily compact 120-seat arena theatre (the Whisenhunt), Zach gives us a one-two punch of theatrical intimacy and flexibility. For audiences who love being in the action -- our readers, obviously -- ZSTC is the space (er, spaces) to beat. 1421 W. Riverside/1510 Toomey Road, 476-0541

Best Theatre Actress

Shannon Sedwick

Best Theatre Company

Esther's Follies The Divine Miss S. and the grande dame of Austin comedy troupes are so inseparable, we opted to write about them together. Sedwick and the Follies typify Austin theatre -- and Austin in general -- at its best: smart, sly, not afraid to take a potshot at some sacred cow, and certainly not afraid to have a little fun (make that a lotta fun). Sedwick and the Follies have won our readers' hearts before; now, they're requesting an encore. 525 E. Sixth, 320-0553

Best Teen Scene/Hangout

The Malls Hey, they're clean, well-lit, and there's probably one near you. Just don't let those young'uns head to one with the credit card! The most telling cultural tale here, however, is that the runners-up this year were all coffeehouses, the new star on the teen scene horizon.

Best Video Store -- Specialty

Vulcan Video An old personal favorite of ours, too, this year saw Vulcan Video double its space and still not have enough room for all the cool -- and we mean kewl -- videos. 609 W. 29th, 478-5325

Best Video Store -- Chain

Blockbuster We gripe about the corporate censorship involved with Blockbuster's selection (remember when they wouldn't carry the benign The Last Temptation of Christ ?) and so do some readers. That's not stopping the votes, though -- they're the clear favorite of chain video stores. Twenty-four locations around town