Homeland Ho

Will new security measures on Lake champlain make us safer -- or just more fearful?

And They're Off!

Inside Track

Fright School

Crank Call

Batterer Up

An inside look at a domestic-offenders program

Higher Ground, the Sequel

State of the Arts

Mean Cuisine

Theater Review: Dinner With Friends

Troubled Waters

Theater Review: Seascape With Sharks and Dancer

Tracking Vermont's Mini-Moterheads

Flour Grab?

Edible Complex

'Ramble' Rouser

Lee Anderson uses his 'bean' to stir up creative activism

Site Reading

A Mozart Festival fan gets his first run-through

De-Dissappointing

Flick Chick

Best bartender

Seth Wise (135 Pearl, Burlington) & Matt McCarthy (Charlier O's, Montpelier)

Best large live music venue

Higher Ground

Best restaurant if you're paying

A Single Pebble (Burlington) & Black Sheep Bistro (Vergennes)

Best attraction for out-of-town guests

Echo Center (rain) & Burlington Boathouse (Sun)

Best Internet service provider

Adelphia

Best bike trail

Burlington Bike Path

Best women's casual clothing store

Sweet Lady Jane (Burlington) & Everywear

Best print/online journalist

Peter Freyne

Best florist

Kathy & Company Flowers

Best TV newscast

WCAX Ch. 3

Best place to dance

Club Metronome

Best restaurant if they're paying

A Single Pebble (Burlington) & Fire and Ice (Middlebury)

Best place to "spy" or be "spied"

Church Street Marketplace

Best public golf course

Rocky Ridge Golf Club

Best women's evening-wear store

Ecco (Burlington) & Salaam Boutique (Montpelier)

Best brewpub

Vermont Pub & Brewery

Best cocktail hour

The Waiting Room

Best meteorologist

Tom Messner

Best copying/office supplies

Kinko's

Best vocalist

Tammy Fletcher

Best bowling alley

Spare Time

Best ski/ride slope

Stowe Mountain Resort

Best place to buy women's sportswear

SkiRack (Burlington) & Onion River Sports (Montpelier)

Best aprés-ski

Matterhorn Restaurant

Best menswear

Michael Kehoe (Burlington) & Forget Me Not Shop (Johnson)

Best coffee shop

Muddy Water

Best salon

Indigo

Best local radio DJ

Corm & the Coach

Best Sunday brunch

Penny Cluse Café (Burlington) & Main Street Grill & Bar (Montpelier)

Best local band

Phish

Best downtown

Burlington

Best cross-country ski area

Trapp Family Lodge

Best shoe store

Stella (Burlington) & Paseo

Best place to get body art

Yankee Tattoo

Best radio station

WNCS, VPR, WCPV

Best breakfast/brunch

Penny Cluse Café (Burlington) & River Run (Plainfield)

Best wine shop

Wine Works

Best musician

Paul Asbell

Best lunch

Cobblestone Deli (Burlington) & Eat Good Food

Best Karaoke

JP's Pub

Best in-state weekend getaway

Stowe

Best secondhand clothing

Greener Pastures

Best health club/fitness studio

The Outdoors

Most notable VT politician

Howard Dean

Best local hero

Howard Dean

Best club DJ

DJ A-Dog

Best restaurant service

NECI Commons

Best place to take a hike

Camel's Hump

Best children's clothing store

Zutano

Best wellness practitioner

Sergio Corrales, massage therapist

Best resort spa

Stoweflake Mountain Resort & Spa

Most noteworthy Vermont news story

Howard Dean

Best visual artist

Katharine Montstream

Best place to get late-night food

Nectar's

Best eyeglasses store

Eyes of the World

Best place to buy jewelry

Grannis Gallery

Farthest-reaching Vermont news story

Civil Unions

Best art gallery

BCA Center

Best pizza (restaurant)

Leonardo's Pizza

Best beauty-product purveyor

Soapdish

Best caterer

NECI Catering

Finest art classes

Burlington City Arts Center

Best Vermont craft gallery

Frog Hollow

Best pet-supply store

Pet Food Warehouse

Best bakery

Mirabelles

Best musical-instrument store

Advance Music Center

Best food cart

Lois Bodoky, the Hot Dog Lady

Tastiest takeout

New World Tortilla

Best arts-and-crafts supplies

Michaels Arts & Crafts

Best movie theater

Merrill's Roxy Cinema

Best record store

Pure Pop (Burlington) & Buch Spieler (Montpelier)

Best bookstore

Barnes & Noble Booksellers (South Burlington) & Bear Pond Books (Montpelier)

Favorite gourmet goodies shop

Cheese Outlet/Fresh Market

Best Vermont festival

Burlington Discover Jazz Festival

Best housewares store

Pier 1 Imports

Best natural foods market

City Market

Outstanding outdoor art

"Whale's Tails" by Jim Sardonis

Best Vermont writer

Chris Bohjalian

Hippest hardware store

Gregory Supply & Hills Hardware (tie)

Best vegetarian fare

Zabby & Elf's Stone Soup

Best first-date spot

The Waiting Room

Best poet

Seth Jarvis

Best toy store

Learning Express

Best actor

Rusty DeWees, "The Logger"

Best furniture store

Pier 1 Imports

Best lighting store

City Lights

Grooviest gift shop

Grass Harp

Best camera store

PhotoGarden

Best place to rent a movie

Waterfront Video

Best bridal shop

Sewly Yours & Once Upon a Bride

Best outdoor outfitter

Outdoor Gear Exchange

Best auto dealer

Lewis Motors

Best garden center

Gardener's Supply Company

Best place to buy a pipe

Full Tank

Best adult toy store

Imago

Best place to do your banking