Best of 2025

Album of the Year – Different Strokes for Different Folks

 

Mammalian Attraction of the Year – Rats Playing Basketball Science Museum of Virginia 

 Read of the Year – Red Scare: Blacklists, McCarthyism, and the Making of Modern America

Podcast of the Year – Atlanta Is...

Southern Thing of the Year – Dr. John House (NOLA)

Coffee Shop of the Year – Vela Coffee (San Antonio TX)

Time Waster of the Year – Discography of American Historical Recordings

Cookbook of the Year – To Die For

Viral Content of the Year – Atlanta Snow Day

 B2B Marketing Sage of the Year – Lashay Lewis

 

Atlanta Hallway of the Year – 634 North Highland Avenue

Georgia Book of the Year – Civil Sights: Sweet Auburn
 

Kid Pic of the Year – WVCW

 

 

YouTube Find of the Year – Mime Talk

Post Office of the Year – Avondale Estates, Georgia

Record Store of the Year – Plan 9 Records

New Atlanta Restaurant of the Year – Communidad

Cemetery of the Year – Chanhassen Pioneer Cemetery (MN) 

 

Condiment of the Year – Busha Browne’s Traditional Jerk Seasoning Rub

Christmas Tree Ornament of the Year – Geoduck

RIP Tom Robbins 

Best of 2024

Miniature Golf of the Year – Hotel Greene (Richmond, VA)

 

Atlanta Sandwich of the Year – The Sham Sham Hudson and Alphonse

 

 
Viral Content of the Year – Possums After the Storm

 

Book of the Year – 3 Shades of Blue: Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, and the Lost Empire of Cool

 

Gig of the Year – Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives

 

Time Waster of the Year – BBC Sound Effects Archive

 

Quest of the Year – Ocky Way at Family Food Center (Brooklyn)

Parenting Hack of the Year – Dental Floss Easter Eggs

 

Appetizing of the Year – Irish Smoked Salmon at Sable’s (Manhattan)

 

Cemetery of the Year – Greenmount Cemetery (Burlington, VT) 

 

Crate Dig of the Year – Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers – First Flight to Tokyo @ Low Yo Yo Stuff Records (Athens, GA)

 

Shoes of the Year – Converse All Stars

 

 

Kid Pic of the Year –Waffle House (Avondale Estates, GA)

Guilty Pleasure of the Year – It’s Florida, Man

 

Southern Thing of the Year – Johnny Blue Skies

 

Atlanta(ish) New Restaurant of the Year – Smiley's Burger Club

 

YouTube Find of the Year – Buena on 2 Meter Sessions

 

Georgia Book of the Year – UnStuck

 

 

Wisdom of the Year – Rick Steves "Culture Shock is Constructive" 

Stand Strong Award for 2024 – Ropeadope Records

 

 

Business Book of the Year – Cold Calling Sucks

 

 

Atlanta Urban Space of the Year – Gordon Park

 

 

Song We All Need in 2024 – Richard Petty

 

 

This year’s list dedicated to the memory of my mom Lucy Lee. Thank you for passing on your love of eccentric people and strange places.

RIP John Mayall

Best of 2023

Atlanta Environ of the Year  -  Everything Elvis Museum (Cordelia, GA)

Southern Thing of the Year  -  Alabama Astronaut

Read  of the Year  -  Cosmic Scholar: The Life & Times of Harry Smith

Showstopper of the Year  -  Russian Decorative Arts, VMFA (Richmond, VA)

Album of the Year  -  The Mexico City Experiment

Cold Thing of the Year  -  Imperial Woodpecker Sno-Balls  (NOLA)

YouTube Find of the Year  -  Conjunction Junction, KTLA

Far Out Place of the Year  -  The Cryptozoology & Paranormal Museum (Littleton, NC)

Time Waster of the Year  -  nixontapes.org

Bookstore of the Year  -  Blue Bicycle Books (Charleston, SC)

Audio of the Year -  The Quest for a Homemade Hovercraft

Atlas Obscura of the Year-Superman (Metropolis, IL)

Biscuit of the Year  -  Country Ham Biscuit, Bomb Biscuit Co.

Business Book of the Year  -  Busting Silos

Falafel of the Year  -  King Tut’s Food Truck (Nashville) 

Best Thing From 25 Years Ago -  Combustication  -  MM&W

Retro Gaming of the Year  -  Southern-Fried Gaming Expo

Coolest Monument - Maplewood Cemetery (Mayfield, KY)

Guilty Pleasure of the Year  -  Cocaine Bear

Geocache of the Year - No Rest For The Weary 

Confusing Mural of the Year  -  Grove's Chill Tonic (Paris, TN)