“Best of the Valley is no longer just one of our yearly cover stories. It resides in multiple dimensions now…”
We’re in a meeting attempting to verbalize the all-encompassing awesomeness of this annual publication of PHOENIX when one of my colleagues chimes in: “It’s the BOV-iverse.”
Yes. Yes, that’s it exactly. A universe of BOV.
Because here’s the thing: Best of the Valley is no longer just one of our yearly cover stories. It resides in multiple dimensions now, starting with an online Readers’ Picks vote that amassed more than 300,000 votes this spring, spanning 302 categories. (You’ve probably seen the logo in your favorite gelato parlor or pet grooming boutique.) This August, BOV will also assume the form of a wham-bam Downtown house party (pg. 188), featuring many of the restaurant dishes, beverages, couture and off-the-wall experiences included in the magazine. (Personally, I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a Best Wedding Donkey appearance.)
And there’s more. For the first time this year, we’re enshrining several perennial winners in a BOV Hall of Fame, reflecting the almost-25-year history of the issue. Soon, there will be BOV podcasts and merch options. And did you know there’s a BOV airport store at Sky Harbor now? It’s true!
Why, I have half a mind to launch a BOV multi-level-marketing company, or doula clinic, or something.
If this all sounds a little vainglorious, or even manic, well… yeah. This is such a fun and rewarding issue to put together, celebrating all the cool things people make, cook, do, sustain or otherwise create in Greater Phoenix, it’s a little hard to know when to stop. The entire BOV package is 62 pages this year. That’s a big package.
Even so, we had room for some other worthwhile content in this July/August issue of PHOENIX, including critic Nikki Buchanan’s reviews of several excellent new restaurants and writer Amy Silverman’s nimble biopsy of thrifting giant Goodwill. I also pitched in an enterprise-ish story about the Arizona-Napa wine connection. Does such a connection exist? I think so, but then, I’d had a few glasses of wine.
Oh, and for you smile junkies, there’s our Top Dentists feature, too. The best-ing rarely stops around here.
