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Readers Choose
‘Best in Milton’

By Phil Perry
Times Staff
3/4/10
Over the last few weeks you, our readers, have let your voices be heard and opinions known. The Best in Milton ballots have been submitted and tallied. Here’s what you told us.

Generally, people remain very pleased with Milton, mentioning its small-town feel and proximity to Boston as some of the reasons for why they enjoy living here. The parks, the concerned residents and the French Immersion program also received votes as elements of the town that make Milton great.

“It is a quiet, safe and friendly town with good service,” said one voter. Another effervescent Miltonian answered the “What else do you like about Milton?” question simply: “Everything!”

Suggested improvements to the town included better road conditions and a larger commercial tax base. The runaway, No. 1, top-of-the-wish-list improvement, however, was for more parking and less traffic in East Milton Square. Now, on to the “Best in” victors.

Like the members of the 2009 Division 2 basketball state-champion Milton High School Wildcats, the ninth annual Best in Milton awards includes both rookie champions as well as veteran winners.

The award for Best Shopping Area was won handily by East Milton Square with the Milton Marketplace and its “fresh produce, great products and friendly service” receiving the most votes.

Thayer Nursery’s Christmas gathering received a gaggle of votes to win the Best Annual Event category. Gazebo concerts, ¡Celebrate Milton! and our own Ed Baker’s fishing tournament also received high marks.

Best Ethnic Restaurant went to yearly favorite Mr. Chan’s.

Coldwell Real Estate won Best Real Estate Company, with Corcoran and Northeast Mortgage nipping at its heels close behind, earning honorable mention.

Fans of Milton’s new hair salon, Salon Matteo, cited its great products and “hip and trendy” atmosphere to give it the win in the Best Hair Stylist category. Eclipse won the category for Best Cutting-Edge Stylist while Salon D’Alessandro won Best Cuts and Color. Mellie’s won Best Youthful Approach, and Best Barber went to Albert Julian’s Milton Barber Shop.

Belle Visage edged out the competition to get the most votes for Best Massage. One voter for this category wrote in: “My husband! Great hands, free service!” It wasn’t enough to win Best Massage, but easily grabbed top honors for Too Much Information.

The award for Best Clothing Shop went to Glory Daze, while Earthly Possessions took the award for Most Unique Items.

Best Neighborhood was once again very competitive with everywhere from the Columbines to Rose Street to Bailey Avenue receiving multiple votes. Gulliver, Buckingham Road and Otis Street also garnered significant mention but the winner is the largest neighborhood of them all, East Milton, between Cunningham Park and East Milton Square, specifically.

“You can walk to anything,” said one East Milton voter. “It shoulders a good portion of the commercial tax base while keeping our friendly neighborhood feel,” noted another.

Dependable Cleaners took the Best Dry Cleaners category with its “good work and good prices.”

Milton’s Police and Fire departments ended in a dead heat for Best Town Department. One Fire Department voter admired the firefighters for their hard work, while a Police Department supporter cited officers’ quick response time and patient attitudes.

Citizens Bank took top honors for the Best Bank category. The frequently mentioned “friendly tellers and no lines” put Citizens on top once again this year.

Best Newspaper went to the Milton Times with readers lauding its comprehensive local news coverage as well as its ability to bring to light “stories you might not hear about.”

Helping the Times in both of those endeavors is repeat Best Columnist winner, Ed Baker, whose columns are so popular because they are “about Milton and fun!” according to one reader. Times staff writer Kathy Ferrari, editor J. Michael Whalen and reporter Scott MacKeen received votes in this category as well.

The award for Best Coffee Shop was hotly contested this year. Radio Coffeehouse received the award for Best Coffeehouse while Starbucks was voted Most Comfortable. Bruegger’s earned Quickest Service and Dunkin Donuts won for Best Coffee.

Shaggy Chic got its paws on the town’s Best Pet Service award.

The category that received the most overall votes was the contest for Best Passive Recreation Area. Cunningham Park took the honors with readers mentioning its “variety of year-round activities.”

“Where else can you walk the dog, skate, swim, bowl, lawn bowl, hike, play baseball and take the kids to play?” one reader asked.

Houghton’s Pond, Kelly Field, and Blue Hills – for its “natural beauty” – all received votes, as well.

The Forbes House Museum won the Best Museum category for the third consecutive year. Its tours and interesting collections received special recognition. It also won the award for Best Historical Site with the Suffolk Resolves, the cemetery and Lower Mills also receiving votes.

Milton’s two new restaurants both received votes in bunches, a testament to residents’ appreciation of the new dining options in town. Abby Park came away with Best Restaurant while 88 Wharf took Best Atmosphere.

Marketplace Café won for Best Lunch and Stella’s earned Best Breakfast.

The award for Best Gift Shop was none other than the Gift Garden. There, according to many readers, gifts can be found for everyone.

The Nutshell was named the Best Children’s Shop.

The town’s sandwich shops jostled for votes in a tight race that ended with Milton House of Pizza taking the victory as Best Sandwich Shop. Mozzarella’s and Tino’s received honorable mention.

In the category of Best School, we received votes from all over town. Nearly every school in Milton was represented. The Campbell School earned a close win over the Collicot and Cunningham elementary schools. Readers call Ann Campbell’s staff “unbelievably dedicated” and the school “a warm, nurturing place where parents are welcome.” Another said, “Moms and dads cling together in tears when their last child leaves the Campbell School and the experience ends. I’m dreading that day myself.”

Similarly, this year’s Best Teacher award will go to the Campbell School. Not one, but two of its kindergarten teachers, Patricia Sweeney and Mairead Keady, will share the award. “They make learning fun,” said one reader. Another noted that their students go on to have good first-grade reading levels. Last year’s winner, Anne McIntyre, also received many votes and received honorable mention.

Thayer Nursery won in the category of Best Business with one reader saying, “They have not heard one of my problems without having a great answer – and trust me, I have a lot of garden problems.”

The Milton Marketplace received honorable mention in the Best Business category and was noted for being generous, friendly and convenient.

Milton Hospital came away as the town’s Best Health Facility.

Running away with the award for Best Fitness Club was Fitness Unlimited. People acknowledged the staff as enthusiastic, smart and welcoming. Others praised the variety of its classes and its nice new facilities.

With the award for Best Jewelry Store is Grono & Christie. “They are so pleasant and helpful,” said one reader. Galatea received honorable mention.

Landscaping companies raked in all kinds of votes in another one of our tightest races. Town Tree earned Best Landscaper while Thayer Nursery received Best Lawn Installation.

Several of Milton’s civic organizations won votes for Best Civic Organization, but it was the Kiwanis Club that surpassed all others. People were impressed by the amount Kiwanis gives to the community and with what it contributes to college funds.

Some readers thought we might have left out a category or two, so they came up with their own.

The winner of the Best Oil Company is Veneto and Sons Oil.

A.F. MacIsaac Contracting won Best Contractor.

Best Martial Arts School goes to Boston Academy of Martial Arts.

Bent’s can boast Best Bakery.

A popular write-in category was Best Open Space, won by the Milton Cemetery.

Best Wine Shop went to Espirit du Vin. They were praised for having the best selection, helpful service and for not acting like “wine snobs.”

Congratulations to all.