Ellington

This year at least doubled the number of ballots we had to contend with for the Best of Jackson 2005 reader poll and for that we are eternally grateful to you, our beloved readers.

(For the actual counting, we're eternally grateful to Lynette Hanson, who counted the ballots, and Knol Aust, who wrote the back-end database interface that was leaps and bounds ahead of last year's "print 'em out and count 'em" approach we took to the online ballot.) In this, our third year of the Best of Jackson reader poll, we're starting to see some trends. First, some things don't change—like how much y'all seem to like Barbie Bassett's hair. I don't quite get that one—but, I know, we're the ones who asked the question in the first place.

Other things do change, like the race-to-the-finish we had in the Best Bartender category. And kudos to Aladdin for placing in the Best Late Night Dining category when you consider they were only open for about a week when the two-month ballot period ended. That goes to show how badly we needed an all-night Mediterranean-breakfast joint in Fondren.

There were some interesting shifts this year, some split decisions and some sustained campaigns that we think may have gotten results. Hey—it ain't ballot stuffing if all you're doing is asking people for their vote. That's democracy. And some businesses have clearly been doing some asking.

What we feel strongly about this year is that in almost every case, when the readers have spoken for the 2005 poll, they've really hit upon the people and places that represent the Best of Jackson, and all of the people and places mentioned in this issue are part of the unique landscape that makes Jackson the place we want to call home. True—there are one or two exceptions to that rule, but we, of course, wouldn't call them out for fear of offending someone.

OK—just one. Orley Hood is not the best columnist in Jackson. He's a dork, and I hereby challenge him to wrassle alligators to prove me wrong.

Best of Jackson 2005: Community

Best of Jackson 2005: Urban Living

Best of Jackson 2005: Food & Drink, Part I

Best of Jackson 2005: Food & Drink, Part II

Best of Jackson 2005: Nightlife