Power to the people

Welcome to SN&R’s Best of Sacramento 2011, our biggest issue of the year! As always, you readers voted on your favorite places for our annual readers’ poll while we writers waxed poetic about our local love interests, from art galleries to zoning laws.

But what makes your favorite comic-book store, sandwich, yoga class or cocktail so great? People, of course. Behind every fantastic feature of the Sacramento region is someone’s hard work and ingenuity, and this year, we’re honoring those individuals who make our city the best.

Every person in Best of Sacramento 2011 brings something to our community that no one else does—be it Pete Eckert’s blind photography, Urijah Faber’s crushing mixed martial arts skills, David Garibaldi’s inspiring performance painting, or Lisandro “Chando” Madrigal’s delectable street tacos. Remember that these superstars are also the people in your neighborhood. When you walk down the street, smile with pride. You live among the very best!

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Celebrating the people who make SN&R’s Best Of Sacramento a success:

Art Directors: Priscilla Garcia, Kate Murphy

Photographers: Larry Dalton, Ryan Donahue, Taras Garcia, William Leung, Gabor Mereg, Louise Mitchell, Anne Stokes

Editor: Becca Costello

Writers: Talecia Bell, Hugh Biggar, Kimberly Brown, Jeff Chinn, Becca Costello, Lovelle Harris, Rachel Leibrock, Garrett McCord, Maxwell McKee, Jonathan Mendick, Nick Miller, Kel Munger, Andrew Phillips, Stephanie Rodriguez, Ann Martin Rolke, Shoka, Sarah Sol, Melinda Welsh

Copy Editors: Kimberly Brown, Kyle Buis, Shoka Shafiee,

Design Manager: Kate Murphy

Design: Melissa Arendt, Brennan Collins, India Curry, Priscilla Garcia, Mary Key, Marianne Mancina, Sharon Wisecarver, Skyler Smith

Web: Kelsey Falle

Online Best of Voting: Aaron McCormack

Sales Department Manager: Rick Brown

National Accounts Manager: Carla Holder

Sales Team: Rosemary Babich, Josh Burke, Lute Engle, Vince Garcia, Dusty Hamilton, April Houser, Cathy Kleckner, Rosemarie Messina, Dave Nettles, Olla Ubay, Joy Webber and Kelsi White

Sales Support: Shawn Barnum, Mirinda Glick, Will Niespodzinski, Rachel Rosin

Special kudos to: Greg Erwin and the distribution team for putting out the biggest issue of the year, Kevin Tuuaga and the events department, the operations department, the accounting department, executive assistant Cathy Long, director of first impressions Jeff Chinn for tallying the ballots, and SN&R owners Deborah Redmond and Jeff vonKaenel.