Best Pilates Studio

Momentum Pilates

A New Jersey native who's made a seamless transition to Slow-vannah - "I'm not one of the ‘Housewives of New Jersey,'" she laughs - Carol Daly is no stranger to winning this category. Why is she so successful?

"I really like what I do," she says simply. "From when I first opened, the majority of people who have been with me have stuck with me."

Besides her engaging personality, Daly's secret seems to be a real understanding of what Pilates is all about, as envisioned by founder Joseph Pilates.

"In the grand scheme, we're all aging," she says. "My passion is more about how we can do it as gracefully as possible."

Saying that Pilates is the "foundation for any type of physical fitness," Daly says "Joseph Pilates took from everything - yoga, gymnastics, diving, boxing, calisthenics. He saw what was good in everything. He came up with a way for you to learn how to work the body as efficiently as possible, with an emphasis on your core and your posture."

To get an idea of what Pilates is about, Daly urges novices to go to YouTube and look for videos with Joseph Pilates himself, some of which seem especially grueling by modern standards.

"It's a little kinder today," she laughs.

But Pilates isn't just something you do in class. "You're supposed to do your core exercises 20 minutes a day. Then you take these lessons and apply them to your daily routine," she says.

"You don't stop after 20 minutes - you take it throughout your day. You apply it to running, walking, sitting."

The bulk of Daly's classes comprise mat classes, with about 10-12 people per class. She also offers private and semi-private lessons (the latter with two or three people per session).

Momentum Pilates also has a wide range of the classic Pilates equipment, which contrary to popular opinion is actually easier to work on than the simple mat.

"Technically you're supposed to be very healthy to do mat work," she explains. "The equipment is a lot kinder, especially if you have an injury of some type."

About a year ago, Daly moved her studio from a spot at East Broad and Liberty to a more parking-friendly location just off Victory Drive, at 310 E. 41st Street between Lincoln and Habersham.

"I get more sunlight here, too," she laughs. - JM

Runner-up: Pilates of Savannah

Best Yoga Studio

Savannah Yoga Center

Kelley Boyd continues to own this category, winning for the third straight year. Her Savannah Yoga Center recently "moved" into a better space - actually right next door to the previous one on Bull Street just around the corner from

Brighter Day.

Runner-up: The Yoga Co-op at Ashram Savannah

Best Massage Therapist

Krysti Favorite

Glow MedSpa's resident masseuse is kneading up a storm.

Runner-up: Lenny Resnick

Best Fitness Club

YMCA

Six locations of the YMCA of Coastal Georgia. Don't forget to sign up for a summer camp.

Runner-up: JEA

Best Physical Therapist

Bryan Kist, Spine & Sport

This native New Yorker works at Spine & Sports' downtown location.

Runner-up: Mike Parson

Best Personal Trainer

Nathan Mikeska, Spine & Sport

This young Air Force veteran comes to Spine & Sport from Pennsylvania.

Runner-up: Neumann Dotterweich

Best Midwife

Jill Whitfield

This midwife with the Midwife Group and Birth Center on Chatham Parkway knows a lot about birthin' babies.

Runner-up: Amber Lampp

Best Local Sports Coach

Carl Carter

Savannah Christian Baseball

"With all of the great coaches in Savannah, this is a huge honor," says Carl Carter after being told of his win this year.

Carter is currently coaching baseball at Savannah Christian and has been for the past 21 years. In his many years of coaching, he's "been surrounded by good baseball players and great assistant coaches," he says. He says he's learned from them every step of the way.

"My favorite part about coaching baseball is the kids that I work with. I get to watch the boys develop into men," explains Carter.

"It's nice to see the boys give everything they've got for you, and it really shows on the field. When they leave, they appreciate it," he adds.

Throughout his coaching career, his teams at Savannah Christian have been to the state playoffs every year. With the past season recently coming to a close, the team is already looking forward to next year.

The team he worked with this year was young, with only two seniors, but that means that there will be a lot of returning players. Their talent will be easy to build upon, as Carter is anxious to "get ready to swing for next year."

"I really feel like now our goal is to really work hard in the summer and in the fall during fall ball. We're going to work as hard as we can until we come back and have an even better year. We want to make state playoffs again next year," he says. - AS

Runner-up: Chief Geronimos, Derby Devils

Best Hospital

St. Joseph's/Candler

Savannah's faith-based facility combines St. Joseph's Hospital (formerly downtown) and Candler Hospital, Georgia's oldest hospital.

Runner-up: Memorial Health

Best Doctor

Dr. Ramon Ramos

This beloved pediatrician has a busy office on Eisenhower Drive, and wins in this category for the second year in a row.
Runner-up: Ben Hubby

Best Nurse

Margaret Buice

The school nurse at Islands Elementary was a co-winner of the 2009 Instructional Support Person of the Year award for Savannah/Chatham Public Schools.

Runner-up: Katie Newell

Best Chiropractor

Bart Wetherington

Show some spine, people. No, literally.

Runner-up: Whelan Chiropractor

Best Dentist

Ronald Smiley

This aptly-named dentist specializes in cosmetic and restorative dentristry.

Runner-up: Stephanie Skinner

Best Eye Doctor

Elizabeth Miller

This ophthalmologist will make you see the light.

Runner-up: Donald Watson

Best Veterinarian

Case Veterinary Hospital

This century-old local institution combines respect for tradition with an eye towards the most modern treatment techniques.

Runner-up: Central Animal Hospital

Best Hair Salon

Best Colorist

The Color Box

Nikki Friedhoffer

Colorist Nikki Friedhoffer and the gang will give you a ‘do to die for.

Runner-up, Salon: Towne

Runner-up, Colorist: Debbie Peckeroff

Best Barber Shop

The Barber Pole

Need a haircut? That's what you'll get at The Barber Pole, Savannah's Best Barber Shop.

The Barber Pole does "haircuts for men and boys, and the occasional boy cut for the girls," says Gary Foust, owner of the Bull Street shop just south of Broughton Street.

They also do "beard trims, fuzzy eyebrows and hairy ears," but no shampoos, blow drying, coloring or highlighting.
Customers at The Barber Pole range from servers and construction workers to attorneys and bankers, bartenders, retirees and students.

"Walk in the shop, sign in, grab a magazine and wait your turn" for a haircut that costs $16.

Mike Chesnut has been getting his flat top haircut at The Barber Pole every two weeks since Foust's dad was part owner of the shop. He doesn't have a regular haircut day, but drops in "any day but Friday. Gary doesn't work on Fridays."

Foust, a third generation barber, has been licensed for 26 years. He and his father opened the shop as partners in 1998.

When the elder Foust retired, Gary Foust took over sole ownership of the three-chair shop. A fourth chair is set aside for shoeshines by Wilbert Boyce. The shop serves as a drop off point for shoe repairs by Crazy Jack Gilmore.

"We're consistent with our service and we're good at what we do," says Foust. "We do a lot of work that old fashioned barber shops didn't do. We have to stay on top of that. And it doesn't take very long to get in and get out. Ten minutes and a shave on the neck."

The Barber Pole is open Monday through Friday, and has a location on Wilmington Island that's open Tuesday through Saturday.

Foust's shop was featured in a 2009 business book, The Mom and Pop Store: How the Unsung Heroes of the American Economy Are Surviving and Thriving, by Robert Spector. From time to time, celebrities drop in for a quick haircut, like last month when actor Justin Long was in town, passing through after attending a concert. He'd been in Savannah late last year during filming of The Conspirator.

"He and Drew Barrymore came in," says Foust. "It was a lot of fun cutting his hair, and her telling me how to do it." - RWG

Runner-up: Mr. Haircute

Best HairStylist

Renata Duran

Renata Duran of Park West Salon says she's "stoked" to have won this year's vote as Best Hairstylist. Although she has professionally styled hair for 11 years, her people skills are what have set her a part from all other stylists.

"Honestly, I'm very much a people person. I'm one of those people who values my clients and definitely appreciates them for getting me to where I'm at," explains Duran.

"I've always had the train of thought that without my clients, I wouldn't have a home and a job, or any kind of quality of life. So, I'm very thankful and fortunate to have them," she says.

Duran first started styling hair at the age of 9, when she would highlight her mother's hair - which she refers to as "backstage frosting." For her, styling hair was "more of a calling than anything else," she comments.

"The best part of my job is definitely the people. I have an opportunity to learn about people's quirks and what really makes them tick. It never feels like work. I just kind of get to play, have fun, and be creative," she says.

"It really is fun coming into work everyday. I used to be one of those job-to-job, trying to find myself type of people. Until, I decided to just accept the calling and go with it. It's funny because when I think about it, you know, it's been 11 years, but it feels like something new and exciting everyday."

Being artistic, hairstyling came naturally to Duran.

"I'm more of a crafter than I am an artist. I kind of realized that hair was this incredible craft; you could build on it, take away from it, and add color to it," she says.

"I compare it to crafting because it's like a sculpture. You are constantly building, taking away from, and changing it from its regular appearance and making it more manageable and easier to work with. So, it's enhancing, without completely destructing it," she explains. - AS

Runner-up: Nikki Friedhoffer

Best Nail Salon

Golden Nails

Manicure? Pedicure? It's all good.

Runner-up: Sassy Nails

Best Day Spa

Savannah Day Spa

A real gem of a friendly facility on Oglethorpe Avenue.

Runner-up: Vanilla Day Spa (closed)

Best Tanning Salon

Tantastic

Because cloudy days happen.

Runner-up: Sol

Best Piercing Parlor

Planet 3

A perennial winner in this category.

Runner-up: Black Orchid

Best Tattoo Shop

Black Orchid

This relative newcomer to the scene is located at Victory and Whitaker.

Runner-up: Anonymous

Best Outdoor Outfitters

Half Moon Outfitters

This Broughton Street mainstay has 3 locations in Georgia and 5 in South Carolina.

Runner-up: Bass Pro Shops

Best Golf Course

Southbridge

Challenging and reasonable - what more could you ask for?

Runner-up: Savannah Golf Club

Best Tennis Courts

Bacon Park

These 16 lighted hard-courts, extensively renovated in 2006, are state-of-the-art.

Runner-up: Forsyth Park

Best Bowling

Victory Lanes

Two free games for kids all summer, every day!

Runner-up: Frames and Games

Best Marina

Isle of Hope Marina

Abutting a National Historic District, this is one of the most picturesque marinas in the Southeast. A recent renovation also makes it one of the most complete and advanced.

Runner-up: Hogan's

Best Place to Paddle

Little Tybee

This short run from Tybee proper is best enjoyed when you have time to hang out on Little Tybee itself for awhile.

Runner-up: Tybee

Best Sports Park

Grayson Stadium

Icons who've played there over the years include Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, and Jackie Robinson. An extensive, much-needed facelift has made it more user-friendly and pleasing to the eye without compromising the amazing history within its walls.

Runner-up: Daffin Park

Best Local Pro Team

Sand Gnats

This New York Mets franchise is now under new ownership.

Runner-up: Savannah Derby Devils

Best Local College Team

SCAD Bees

Baseball, softball, lacrosse, swimming, soccer, golf, volleyball, equestrian, tennis, cross country... who has time for art?

Runner-up: GSU Eagles

Best Local High School Team

Savannah Christian football

The Red Raiders' perfect season ended with a loss in the state championship this past December, but they were still the only Savannah team to reach a state finals game in 40 years.

Runner-up: Calvary baseball

Best Sports Event of the Year

Savannah Tire Hockey Classic

This popular collegiate weekend tournament included USC and the Citadel for the first time this year.

Runner-up: Legends of Golf