laura.haraldson@tigeroak.com's blog

You'll have to wait for our July issue to find out who won our annual Best of the Plymouth readers' survey, but here's a sneak peek at the three finalists in each of the 25 categories.

(Note: These finalists were the top three vote-earners as determined by our readers in an open-ended online survey, which ran January 1 through February 29. Finalists are listed in alphabetical order in each category.)

Best Caterer
D’Amico & Sons
Famous Dave’s
Lunds Read more »

Well, I've learned my lesson about the need to fact-check EVEN your own opinion. In my February editor's note, I reference the Top 5 spa/salon insider tips of the month--and specifically I note that our 2010 Best Mani/Pedi spot, Hair for all Seasons, is leaving town, so you better get the city's best pedicures soon (so voted by our 2010 readers in the Best of Plymouth survey). Read more »

Happy 2012, Plymouth!

Here at the magazine, we rang in the new year cloaked in purple, the color of our annual Best of Plymouth readers' survey ballots. Now through the end of February, you and your friends (and family and coworkers and anyone else you can wrangle) should vote for your favorite people, places and services in town by clicking here or on any of the countless ads on this website. Read more »

Fast fact: European Wax Center is the No. 1 fastest growing franchise in the nation, so named by Inc. Magazine, and Minnesota regional developers Alicia Wagner and Laura Kottke open just the second Minnesota location in Plymouth last week with the help of franchisee Cindy Yared Turner. (Salons in Minnetonka and Roseville will be joining the Uptown location and this one soon.) I just checked out the unique spa for myself, and let me just say you have to check out my full review in our February issue.

Best Overall
Pylons at Medicine Lake by Liz Ansley

Readers’ Choice
Fire Dance by Anjelica Martino

Activities
First place: Night Swinging by Danny Dobrin
Second place: Plymouth Wayzata Baseball by Kirsten Busse

Readers took the photos. Readers submitted the photos. Now it’s only appropriate that readers get to vote for their favorite photos in the Picture Plymouth photo contest.

View the lineup of photos here, and vote for as many photos as you’d like once every day through September 30. The readers' choice winner, given to the photo with the most votes, will get a gift certificate to a local shop or restaurant. Read more »

It’s August, and for all you photographers out there, that means it’s time to let your lens do the talking. Plymouth Magazine is partnering for the second time with city of Plymouth to sponsor the Picture Plymouth photo contest, giving all you photo enthusiasts—whether you consider yourself a pro, amateur, hobbyist or beginner —a chance to display your work on the pages of this magazine and many city promotional materials. Read more »

Don't miss the grand opening celebration of one of Plymouth's newest retail establishments, Any Lab Test Now, a national franchise focused on offering thousands of lab tests in the convenience of a walk-in retail setting.

Among the company's services are blood, urine and hair-follicle analyses for tests including drug, paternity and STD/HIV. Any Lab Test Now also provides pre-employment drug testing, background searches and wellness discount programs for local employers.

Of note: Customers can receive $10 off any lab test through June 30. Read more »

Braaivleis! A new-to-you way to grill from food and wine aficionado Roy Goslin.

Grilling is a fundamental part of South African cuisine. With long summers, South Africans get out and grill as often as possible. While each person has their own style and sometimes their own recipes, we generally grill over wood coals or charcoal. Very few people grill on a gas grill—in fact, to us natives, that practice seems somewhat like sacrilege. Read more »

Tonight is opening night for the 15th annual installment of one of Plymouth's premier springtime events, Primavera, celebrating the arts from vocal to visual and beyond.

If you can't make this evening's festivities (5 to 9 p.m. at Plymouth Creek Center, 14800 34th Ave. N.), never fear! There are four more days filled with oil, watercolor and acrylic paintings, graphite drawings, metal sculpture, pottery, photography, fiber art, and mixed media. Read more »