And in this corner…

Scene: the refrigerated dressing room of Kid California, a fighting piece of sushi past his prime. It’s after midnight. Kid’s trainer, Salm Salmon, is rubbing him down.

Salm: “Look at you, Kid. Rice everywhere. You’re sliding out of your seaweed. Every night you get the eel knocked out of you, and what for? Tell me, what for?”

Kid: “Top of the Town Awards are coming, Salm. City Pulse readers vote for their favorites in dozens of categories. I’ve waited all my life for this chance.”

Salm: “Yeah, yeah, you said the same thing last year, and look where it got you.” 

Kid: “But this year they’re changing it up, see? They’re splitting voting into two rounds. The first one determines the top three in each category. It starts today and goes until Feb. 5. Round 2 starts March 6 and will decide the ultimate winner, which will be announced April 3 at the Lansing Center. I want to hear my name on that list, Salm.” 

A lovely, naked delta of raw white tuna quietly slides into the room. It’s Kid’s girlfriend, Sashimi.

Salm: “Hey, Sash, I’m trying to talk sense to the Kid. Tell him to wrap it up already, OK? He listens to you. And put something on, willya, honey? You’re distracting me.”

Kid (to Sashimi): “Don’t mind him. You look swell, Sash.” 

Sashimi: “We can get by without this award, Kid. How much longer can you take this?”

Kid: “This is the state capital, Sash. Make it here and you can make it anywhere.”

Sash: “But what about our future?”

Kid: “That’s what I’m worried about, Sash. Pretty soon I’ll start smelling funny. Without this award I’ll be lucky to end up in cat food.”

Salm: “What about state government? It stinks pretty bad already.” 

Kid: “Listen, Salm. There are a lot of categories in these awards. Best lawyer, coffee shop, bar, record store, chiropractor, TV personality, whatever. The food categories go from breakfast to hamburgers to chili to Italian, you name it. That’s not me. All I know how to do is be a piece of sushi.”

(The Kid looks into the distance.)

“BUT I WANT TO BE THE BEST.”

Salm looks down despondently and spots a small business card on the floor.

Salm: “Kid, was the fish syndicate here? Did they tell you to throw the fight?”

Kid (sheepishly): “Uh … yeah, I guess so.”

Salm: “And you said no, you sucker?”

Kid: “I just can’t do it.”

Sashimi (frowning): “But … didn’t they offer you a lot of money?”

Kid: “Who cares? I may be a lousy piece of fish but I don’t take dives.”

Salm: “Damn it, they’ll come back and roll you for sure! Then it’s the deep fryer for you!”

Sashimi: “That’s enough, Kid. You’ll never change. I’m cutting out of here while I’m still fresh.”

Salm and Sashimi walk out and leave Kid California alone, punching the locker room wall and muttering to himself.

Kid: “Top of the Town, huh huh, Top of the Town, Top of the Town, huh, huh, huh, Top of the Town.”

2013 CATEGORIES - click here to vote now.

Best Dining
Dessert
Fries
Bar Food
BBQ
Bread/Bakery
Breakfast
Burger
Casual Dining
Chili
Cocktails
Coney Island
Diner
Gourmet Restaurant
Happy Hour
Italian
Mexican
New Restaurant Patio
Pizza
Sandwich/Deli
Seafood
Steak
Sushi
Vegetarian/Vegan
Gluten Free

Best Hangouts
Coffee Shop
Dance/Club Scene
Gay/Lesbian Bar
Happy Hour
Karaoke
Movie Theater
Open-Mic Night
Place to be Seen
Place to Meet Singles
Pub/Tavern
Sports Bar

Best Local Music
Cover Band
Live DJ
Original Band/Solo Artist
Radio Station
Hip Hop artist
Venue

Best People
Bartender
Environmentalist
Local Politician
Local Radio Personality
Local TV News Personality
Spartan Athlete

Best Services
Alternative Health
Auto Repair
Bank / Credit Union
Barber Shop
Bicycle Shop
Catering
Chiropractor
Electrical
Health/Fitness Club
Hotel/Bed & Breakfast
Lawyer
Maid Service
Movers
Nails
Pet Care/Services
Photographer
Plumber
Restaurant Wait staff
Salon/Spa
Tanning Salon
Tattoo Parlor

Best Shopping
Antique Shop
Art Gallery
Bookstore
Butcher
Consignment Shop
Florist
Grocery
Jewelry Store
Liquor Store
Musical Instrument Store
Produce
Record Store
Sporting Goods
Wine Shop

Best Whatever
Annual Event/Festival
Best-looking Bar Staff/Wait Staff
Local Theatre Group
Place to go on First Date
Place to take Out-of-Towners

2012 Winners

Appetizers
1. Houlihan’s
2. Applebee’s
3. Tavern on the Square

Atmosphere
1. Golden Harvest
2. Dusty’s Cellar
3. Ukai Japanese Steakhouse, Okemos

Bar Food
1. Crunchy’s
2. Bonnie’s Place
3. Dagwood’s

BBQ
1. Smokey Bones
2. Backyard BarBQ
3. Turkeyman

Bread/Bakery
1. Panera Bread
2. Great Harvest Bread Co.
3. Roma Bakery

Breakfast
1. Golden Harvest
2. Soup Spoon Cafe
3. Flap Jack Restaurants

Burger
1. Bonnie’s Place
2. Five Guys Burgers and Fries
3. The Peanut Barrel

Casual Dining
1. Soup Spoon Cafe
2. The Knight Cap
3. Sansu Sushi & Cocktails

Chil
1. Wendy’s
2. Beggar’s Banquet
3. Harrison Roadhouse

Cocktails
1. The Exchange
2. Tavern on the Square
3. Soup Spoon Caf

Coney Island
1. Sparty’s Coney Island
2. Zeus’ Coney Island
3. National Coney Island

Cup of Coffee
1. Biggby Coffee, W. Allegan St.
2. Biggby Coffee, W. Ottawa St.
3. Decker’s Coffee

Dessert
1. Grand Traverse Pie Company
2. Bake N’ Cakes
3. Sugar Shack

Diner
1. Fleetwood Diner
2. Golden Harvest
3. Soup Spoon Caf

Fries
1. Five Guys Burgers and Fries
2. Dagwood’s Tavern and Grill
3. McDonald’s

Gourmet Restaurant
1. Dusty’s Cellar
2. Troppo
3. Soup Spoon Caf

Happy Hour
1. Houlihan’s
2. Crunchy’s
3. Art’s Bar and Grill

Italian
1. DeLuca’s Restaurant
2. Emil’s
3. Bravo!

Mexican
1. El Azteco
2. Cancun Mexican Grill
3. Los Tres Amigos

Middle Eastern
1. Woody’s Oasis
2. Sultan’s Restaurant
3. Aladdin’s

New Restaurant
1. Fork in the Road
2. Bagger Dave’s
3. Xiao China Grille & Lounge

Patio
1. The Peanut Barrel
2. El Azteco, East Lansing
3. The Tin Can Bar

Pizza
1. DeLuca’s Restaurant
2. Pizza House
3. Jet’s Pizza

Sandwich/Deli
1. Jersey Giant
2. Jimmy John’s
3. Soup Spoon Caf

Seafood
1. Mitchell’s Fish Market
2. Red Lobster
3. Soup Spoon Caf

Steak
1. The Knight Cap
2. Texas Roadhouse
3. Outback Steakhouse, Okemos

Sushi
1. Sansu
2. AI Fushion Sushi & Grill
3. Ukai Japanese Steakhouse, Okemos

Takeout
1. Gourmet Village
2. House Of Ing
3. Famous Taco West

Vegetarian
1. Woody’s Oasis
2. Purple Carrot Truck
3. Travelers Club

Open Mic Night
1. Dagwood’s Tavern and Grill
2. The Green Door
3. Connxtions Comedy Club

Place to be Seen
1. Old Town
2. Macs Bar
3. Golden Harvest

Place to Meet Singles
1. The Green Door
2. Macs Bar
3. Stober’s Bar

Pub/Tavern
1. Irish Pub & Grill (tie)
1. Stober’s Bar (tie)
2. Tavern on the Square

3. Moriarty’s Pub

Sports Bar
1. Nuthouse Sports Grill
2. Buffalo Wild Wings
3. Reno’s West

Weeknight Hangout
1. Mac’s Bar
2. The Green Door
3. Soup Spoon Caf

Wi-Fi Hot Spot
1. Gone Wired Caf
2. Panera Bread
3. Espresso Royale

Blues Band
1. Root Doctor
2. Frog & The Beeftones
3. Steppin’ In It

Cover Band
1. Starfarm
2. Showdown
3. Tripple Lindy

Live DJ
1. DJ James
2. DJ Rachael P
3. John Cruz

Original Band/Group
1. Frank and Earnest
2. Steppin’ In It
3. Croatone

Radio Station
1. Impact 89FM
2. 97.5 NOW FM
3. 94.1 The Edge

Solo Performer
1. Jen Sygit
2. P.H.I.L.T.H.Y.
3. Joe Hertler

Venue
1. Macs Bar
2. The Green Door
3. The Loft

Bartender
1. Craig Doepker
2. Kevin Angell
3. Kelly Love

Environmentalist
1. Pat Lindemann
2. Julie Powers
3. Rory Neuner

Local Politician
1. Virg Bernero
2. Gretchen Whitmer
3. Joan Bauer

Local Radio Personality
1. Tim Barron
2. MoJo
3. Alabama

Local TV News Personality
1. Evan Pinsonnault
2. Jason Colthorp
3. A J Hilton (tie)
3. Jane Aldrich (tie) 

Spartan Athlete
1. Kirk Cousins
2. Draymond Green
3. Jerel Worthy

Alternative Health
1. Just B Yoga
2. Creative Wellness
3. Hilltop Yoga

Auto Repair
1. Liskey’s Auto & Truck Service
2. Brogan’s Tire & Auto Service
3. Eagle Auto Clinic

Bank/Credit Union
1. Michigan State University Federal Credit Union
2. Lake Trust Credit Union
3. LAFCU

Barber Shop
1. Jude’s Barbershop
2. Old Town Barbershop
3. Douglas J Aveda Institute

Bicycle Shop
1. Riverfront Cycle
2. Velocipede Peddler
3. Denny’s Central Park Bicycles

Cab Company
1. Big Daddy Taxi
2. Green Cab
3. Shaggin’ Wagon Taxi

Catering
1. Amy’s Catering
2. Roma Bakery
3. Grand Traverse Pie Company

Chiropractor
1. Total Health Chiropractic
2. Rassel-Daigneault Family Chiropractic
3. Delta Chiropractic Center of Lansing

Electrical
1. Capitol City Electric Co.
2. Hager-Fox Electric Co.
3. FD Hayes Electric Co.

Health/Fitness Club
1. MAC
2. Planet Fitness
3. YMCA, Westside Community

Hotel/Bed & Breakfast
1. English Inn
2. Radisson Hotel
3. Wild Goose Inn

Lawyer
1. Foster Swift Collins & Smith
2. Joe Brehler
3. Jeff Hank

Maid Service
1. Molly Maid of Lansing
2. Merry Maids
3. Maid in Lansing

Movers
1. Two Men and a Truck
2. EJ & Sons Moving Services
3. B&J Moving & Storage

Nails
1. Douglas J Aveda Institute
2. Kiss Nails
3. Studio 109

Pet Care/Services
1. Doggy Daycare & Spa
2. AnnaBelle’s Pet Station
3. Wag’n Tails Pet Resort

Photographer
1. McShane Photography
2. Chris Holmes
3. Autumn Luciano Photography

Place to Pamper Yourself
1. Douglas J Aveda Institute
2. Douglas J Okemos
3. Studio 109

Plumber
1. Michigan Plumbing
2. Mark Woodman Plumbing & Heating
3. Meridian Plumbing

Restaurant Waitstaff
1. Golden Harvest
2. Soup Spoon Caf
3. Texas Roadhouse

Salon/Spa
1. Douglas J Aveda Institute
2. Zoe Life Spa & Salon
3. Douglas J Okemos

Tanning Salon
1. Tanzmania
2. Tanfaster South
3. Cabana Sun Tanning

Tattoo Parlor
1. Splash of Color
2. Fish Ladder Tattoo
3. Vivid Ink

Antique Shop
1. Lamb’s Gate Antiques
2. Little Red Schoolhouse
3. The Mega Mall

Art Gallery
1. Lansing Art Gallery
2. October Moon
3. Mackerel Sky

Bookstore
1. Schuler Books & Music, Lansing
2. Schuler Books & Music, Okemos
3. Barnes & Noble, Lansing

Butcher
1. Merindorf Meats, Mason
2. Merindorf Meats, Williamston
3. Goodrich Shoprite

Consignment Shop
1. Second Time Around
2. Kellie’s Consignments
3. Plato’s Closet

Florist
1. Smith Floral and Greenhouses
2. Jon Anthony Florist
3. Horrock’s Flowers

Grocery
1. Horrock’s
2. Meijer
3. Kroger

Jewelry Store
1. H & H Jewelry Design
2. Becky Beauchine Kulka
3. Medawar Jewelers, Okemos

Liquor Store
1. Oade’s Big Ten Party Stores, Lansing
2. Tom’s Party Store
3. Big Ten Party Stores, East Lansing

Musical Instrument Store
1. Elderly Instruments
2. Marshall Music Co.
3. Music Manor

Office Supply
1. Office Max
2. Staples
3. DBI Business Interiors

Pawn Shop
1. Dicker & Deal
2. Capitol Discount & Second Hand Store
3. Cash 4 Anything Pawn

Place for Sweets
1. Fabiano’s
2. Sugar Shack
3. Sweetie-licious Pie Pantry

Produce
1. Horrock’s
2. Lansing City Market
3. Meridian Farmers’ Market

Record Store
1. Flat Black & Circular
2. The Record Lounge
3. East Grand Records

Sporting Goods Store
1. Dick’s Sporting Goods, Eastwood
2. Playmakers
3. Dick’s Sporting Goods, Meridian Mall

Thrift Shop
1. St. Vincent de Paul
2. Volunteers of America
3. Goodwill, W. Saginaw Hwy, Lansing

Wine Shop
1. Dusty’s Cellar
2. Goodrich Shoprite
3. World Market

Annual Event/Festival
1. Common Ground Music Festival
2. East Lansing Art Festival
3. Capitol City DJ Olympics

Best Student Publication
1. The State News
2. Impact 89FM
3. SpartanEdge

Best-looking Bartenders/ Waitstaff
1. The Exchange
2. Myjas Grey Wolf Inn
3. Soup Spoon Caf

Local Theatre Group
1. Riverwalk Theatre
2. Peppermint Creek Theatre Co.
3. Williamston Theatre

Place to go on a First Date
1. Old Town
2. Soup Spoon Caf
3. Tavern on the Square

Place to take Out-of-Towners
1. Old Town
2. Golden Harvest
3. Lansing Derby Vixens Bout

Welcome to the City Pulse/WLNS 2013 Top of the Town Awards!

This is where our readers vote for their favorite people and businesses in Greater Lansing.

This year we have seven categories and 88 subcategories. You must vote in at least 30 of them to have your votes count. Also, this year we are breaking up the contest into two parts. After the first round of voting in January, the top three contenders will then battle it out for the top spot during a second voting round in March.

Each time you vote, you can select one of the choices someone else has nominated or you can nominate your own by entering them on the ballot — but please check the list and make sure it’s not already listed. IMPORTANT: If the business you are nominating has more than one location, be sure to indicate as specifically as possible which location, such as “Cedar Street” or “West Lansing.”  

Visit lansingcitypulse.com/topofthetown to vote!