Not This Year

The last week of June is typically when the sales crew here at CV Weekly is in the thick of giving the winners of the Finest the good news that they or their business has “risen to the top;” that is, voted as the best in their category. It’s busy work, too, as nearly 160 winners are chosen each year by readers of the Crescenta Valley Weekly. 

For eight years CV Weekly has offered our readers the opportunity to showcase their favorite businesses and services. We put in the newspaper and online on our website the ballot with the various Finest categories that people could vote on – categories like cardiologist, patio dining, lawyer and more. It’s a wonderful chance to give a shout-out to those who have gone above and beyond in giving their customers the very best service.

After the tallying is completed – a daunting task considering that we typically receive over 10,000 votes – the winners are approached, given the good news and provided the opportunity to be part of the annual The Finest magazine (the magazine only features the winners).

The project culminates with a party for the winners. It was held at Deukmejian Wilderness Park for years then last year was moved to St. Luke’s of the Mountains, which has a gorgeous courtyard and a full kitchen, decorated by Bonner’s Equipment Rentals with food by Gail at Gourmet a go go. It was a true celebration of those who were recognized as the best in their field and one of my favorite parties that CVW hosts.

Sadly, this year we had to scrap The Finest. The decision was a tough one but, when it became apparent that so many businesses had to shut down, voting possibilities were greatly reduced. How could you vote for your favorite Chinese restaurant when it was closed? Especially in the beginning of the pandemic, prior to take-out service being established at many eateries.

So we look to 2021 (as many do for so many things) with the high expectations of another banner voting year for The Finest.

It’ll be interesting to see how some old favorites fare after coming out from under the restrictions of COVID-19.