Best of Tulsa 2016 - Editors' Picks

You had your turn. Now it’s ours.

Here are a few random highs, lows and pet favorites from the past year according to us, along with a few comments on your BOT choices. 

Best BOT campaign rivalry that was really a cuddle party
Tie: Best Album nominees Earl Hazard and Steph Simon;
Best Bartender nominees Derek Clark and Amelia Pullen

Favorite Voice social media joke that turned into a real thing
A few weeks ago on Facebook and Instagram, we pointed out our tongue-in-cheek call for letters to the editor in the form of haiku. We have since received dozens of haiku from all corners of the U.S.

Best way to escape the noise and excess of the multiplex and maybe learn something about the world
Go see a movie at the Circle Cinema, and become a member while you’re at it.

Best place to find that thing you didn’t know you needed
Retro Den

Best place to Christmas shop in the spring
Blue Dome Arts Festival

Best Bar in the Pearl
Lot 6 Art Bar

Worst Bar in Tulsa
The First Ward

Best Mark Duplass look-alike 
Mark Perkins (second year running)

Best Bar to watch the big (soccer) game
Empire

Most surprising case of latent gender bias
Your exclusion of ladies from the Best Bullshit Caller category. A few names off the top of our heads: Connie Cronley, Vanessa Hall-Harper, Ziva Branstetter, Violet Rush, Kylie Shelley. 

Best April Fools’ joke
Us. We had the best April Fool’s joke.

Most anticipated new restaurant/bar
Prairie Brewpub

Best Bar that can’t catch a break at the BOT Awards
Mix Co, which you nominated for Best New Bar despite the fact that it’s two years old. To add insult to injury, the good staff at Mixco actually conceived our new “Best Place for a Tinder Date” award, inspired by how many awkward match-meets they’ve witnessed since opening, only to be shut out of the category. We heart you, Mix Co.
Keep that Fernet flowin’. 

Best reason to create a “Best Tex-Mex” category
We love El Guapo’s friendly Tex-Mex fare (the Tony Collins dip is bomb), but Tulsa also has a great selection of super authentic Mexican cuisine, including Calaveras, El Rio Verde, Pollo al Carbon, Las Americas, Tacos Don Francisco, La Flama, Tacos El Rinconcito, La Hacienda, El Burrito, Mr. Tacos, Cancun, Los Primos, et al.

The Barry Friedman loyalty award
Mario’s New York Style Pizzeria, Old School Bagel Café, the elevator booth at The Rusty Crane.

Most perplexing BOT exclusion
Holy Mountain from the “Best Record Store” category. Holy Mountain is a proper record store. They also sell ‘zines and cassettes and true crime paperbacks, among other things. They’re opinionated and knowledgeable. Get to know them. 

Most magical workout
Studio POP

Most exciting thing to boost local art
The formation of Arts Alliance Tulsa

Most infuriating case of NIMBY mentality
The outcry against Iron Gate’s  proposed move to the Pearl District

Most justifiable case of NIMBY mentality
The outcry against the proposed Davenport Lofts, which would obstruct the beautiful view of downtown from Soundpony’s patio.

Most annoying case of age-ism
The outcry against Davenport Lofts on the grounds that the olds would move in and complain about the hellish sounds and smells emanating from Soundpony. 

Best stop for a running-late-to-work breakfast
Oklahoma Kolache Company

Best place to adopt a furry friend
Animal Rescue Foundation

Most perplexing case of voter apathy

The lack of turnout for the Vision vote and the Sheriff’s election.

Best TTV hatemail:

This:

On April 1, the 2016 Best of Tulsa finalists gathered at IDL Ballroom to celebrate this year's BOT awards with cocktails, hors d'oeuvres and merriment. Here are a few highlights.

BOT Bash
April 2, 2016 | Fassler Hall
Featuring Ester Drang, Sports, Oilhouse, and LABRYS

We’d like to give a big fat Tulsa Voice shout-out to the fantastic sponsors of the Best of Tulsa awards party and concert.

You know the routine—this event wouldn't have been possible without the help of...but it's true! 

A thousand Thank Yous to the following: 

To IDL Ballroom—Tom, Angie and the lovely staff—for graciously hosting our party. To Peter
Bedgood, for emceeing the evening. To Flash Flood Print for providing party favors for guests in the form of beautiful custom screen prints.

To Mr. Nice Guys and Glacier Confection for the mouth-watering gourmet appetizers and truffles. To The Umbrella Button for the custom BOT pins, and to Garden Deva for creating 112 BOT trophies for the winners.

Thanks to Fontaine, Andi, Tyler and the rest of the Fassler Hall staff for making sure the BOT Bash concert ran smoothly and everyone was well-hydrated (or beerdrated). To the amazing bands—Ester Drang, Sports, Oilhouse, and LABRYS: thanks for sharing your talent with Tulsa.

Thanks to photographer Valerie Grant of TulsaFood.com for documenting the evening, and for gamely following our BOT mascot all over town.

To all of the finalists and winners—thanks for all you do for our city. And to our readers: thanks for voting, and for your continued support and engagement.

Happy Best of Tulsa, Tulsa! Until next year.