Best of the Best
The 2014 Family Choice Awards
Welcome, readers — and thank you. We asked for your participation and your enthusiasm showed, casting your votes on our website last month for our annual Family Choice Awards. Each year, we ask readers to vote on their favorite family-friendly places, those organizations and professionals around the city that provide everything families use, from pediatricians and schools, to great escapes both near and far.
We hope you’ll enjoy discovering the results as well as visiting the places mentioned here. We also hope vendors recognize the important role parents play in supporting our local economy. Parents spend a significant portion of their budgets caring for their families. We are lucky when we have business owners and nonprofits that also recognize our value and continue to raise the bar in their service to the pubic.
Congrats to all of the Family Choice Award winners. You are tops in our book.
EDUCATION
Best Day Care
Gold: Memphis Jewish Community Center Early Childhood Center
Silver: TIE • Roulhac's Daycare & Lindenwood Christian Child Care Center
Bronze: Christ United Methodist Church
One of the top requests we receive is to help parents find quality day care. Thankfully there are more good centers today then there were a decade ago. So what makes these centers best of the best? Caring professionals, a stimulating environment, and the assurance that your baby will be number one.
Best Parent’s Day Out Programs
Gold: Memphis Jewish Community Center
Silver: Holy Rosary
Bronze: Mullins United Methodist
Perfect when children are young and mom (or dad) needs a breather during the week.
Best Preschool
Gold: Memphis Jewish Community Center
Silver: Miss Lee’s Preschool at Grace St. Luke’s
Bronze: St. Agnes/St. Dominic
Best Public School
Gold: White Station High School
Silver: Campus School
Bronze: Richland Elementary
We had a bonanza of votes in this category, with lots of schools getting notice. But ultimately, White Station High continued its rule as the city’s most popular public high school, winning Gold again by an impressive margin. Campus School successfully grabbed the Silver (edging out Grahamwood), and Richland Elementary zoomed in to nab the Bronze. Congrats to these fine schools.
Best Private School
Gold: Holy Rosary
Silver: TIE • Woodland Presbyterian & Grace St. Luke’s
Bronze: TIE • Lausanne Collegiate School & St. Agnes Academy-St. Dominic School
This is another popular category, with many shout-outs to favorite schools. This year, Holy Rosary roused its supporters to grab the Gold, bumping Woodland Presbyterian into the Silver position, shared by the ever popular Grace St. Luke’s. The Bronze position also resulted in a tie between a new entrant, Lausanne Collegiate School, and St. Agnes Academy/St. Dominic School. Congrats to all.
Best Music Lessons
Gold: School of Rock
Silver: Music for Aardvarks
Bronze: University of Memphis Community Music School
Memphis’ musical heritage is in good hands with these fine music programs.
Best Dance Lessons
Gold: Ballet Memphis School
Silver: New Ballet Ensemble
Bronze: TIE • Roudnev Youth Ballet and Children’s Ballet Theatre
Best Theatre Program
Gold: Playhouse on the Square
Silver: Theatre Memphis
Bronze: Germantown Community Theatre
Whether it’s working on stage or off, exposing your children to the arts will build their self-confidence while shaping their love of theatre and dance.
HEALTH CARE SERVICES
Best Pediatrician
Gold: Dr. Chris Hanson, Laurelwood Pediatrics
Silver: Dr. Ashley Miller, Laurelwood Pediatrics
Bronze: TIE • Dr. Robert Eiseman, Drs. Segal, Kronenberg, Tsiu, and Eiseman Pediatric Care, & Aimee Christian, Memphis Pediatrics
Dr. Chris Hanson must have a very loyal following, as this is his fourth year to grab the Gold for Best Pediatrician. But Laurelwood colleague, Dr. Ashley Miller, nipped at his heals to land the Silver. And close behind were the Bronze winners, Drs. Robert Eiseman and Aimee Christian.
Best Orthodontist
Gold: Dr. Brad Wilkinson, Pediatric Dental Specialties
Silver: Dr. Danny Weiss, Weiss Orthodontics
Bronze: Dr. Cooper Sandusky, Sandusky Orthodontics
Put your best smile forward. Parents needing orthodontic care need look no further than these award winners.
Best Pediatric Dentist
Gold: Dr. Brad Wilkinson, Pediatric Dental Specialties
Silver: Dr. Michael Blen, Pediatric Dentistry with Dr. B
Bronze: Dr. Betsy Barcroft, Dentistry for Children
Best Pediatric Asthma & Allergy Specialists
Gold: East Memphis Allergy & Asthma
Silver: Allergy and Asthma Specialists of Memphis
Bronze: Allergy and Asthma Care
PARTY VENDORS
Best Kids’ Party Destination
Gold: Memphis Botanic Garden - My Big Backyard
Silver: Memphis Zoo
Bronze: Pump It Up
Kids love being active. So whether it’s exploring My Big Backyard, this year’s Gold winner, spending a day at the Memphis Zoo, or bouncing at Pump It Up, we think you’ll agree, these destinations offer opportunities for exploring, learning, and exercising.
Best Kids’ Party Entertainment
Gold: Children’s Museum of Memphis
Silver: Sky Zone Sports
Bronze: Pump It Up
Best Bakery for Birthday Cakes
Gold: Muddy’s Bake Shop
Silver: Frost
Bronze: Miss Muff’n Bakery
Muddy’s Bake Shop continues to please our readers’ sweet tooth, earning the Gold by a landslide. If you haven’t tasted the goodies of these award winners, you’re in for a treat.
Best Birthday Sweets
Gold: Yolo Frozen Yogurt
Silver: Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream
Bronze: Whimsy Cookie Company
TASTY EATS
Best Restaurant With Kids
Gold: Chick-Fil-A
Silver: Huey’s
Bronze: Mellow Mushroom
Chick-Fil-A knocked edged out Huey’s for the Gold position this year. Huey’s earned Silver, and the growing popularity of Mellow Mushroom earned them a Bronze.
Best Restaurant Without Kids
Gold: Restaurant Iris
Silver: Flight
Bronze: Folk’s Folly
Best Local Pizza Place
Gold: Memphis Pizza Café
Silver: Garibaldi’s Pizza
Bronze: Trolley Stop
This trifecta repeated in the exact positions again this year. Pizza makers, here is your competition.
Best Barbecue
Gold: Central BBQ
Silver: Germantown Commissary
Bronze: Corky’s
In a city known for its barbecue, it’s no small feat to wind up in the winner’s circle. Central BBQ, now serving it’s tangy fare in three locations around the city locations, continues to deliver. It serves pork that is smoky, juicy, finger-licking good.
Best Healthy Kids’ Menu
Gold: Chick-Fil-A
Silver: Jason’s Deli
Bronze: Holiday Ham
NEW • Best Farm-to-Table Restaurant
Gold: The Farmer
Silver: Hog & Hominy
Bronze: Trolley Stop Market
In a salute to the farm-to-table movement, this category recognizes restaurants that incorporate locally produced meats and vegetables into their fare. The Farmer (formerly The Elegant Farmer) was the Gold winner and a hands-down favorite here. We suspect it’s due to their sinfully delicious macaroni and cheese, collard greens, and pan-fried catfish. Yum.
NEW • Best Prepared Meals
Gold: Curbside Casseroles
Silver: Lisa’s Lunchbox
Bronze: Katie’s Kitchen
When you’re short on time (and energy), take-out services are the way to go. Curbside Casseroles creates delicious meals that will feed an army or two.
FAMILY SERVICES
Best Salon for Kids’ Haircuts
Gold: Sports Clips
Silver: Sweet & Sassy
Bronze: Fantastic Sam’s
Congrats to these steady favorites.
Best Spa for Mom
Gold: Gould’s Day Spa and Salon
Silver: TIE • Germantown Day Spa & Serenity Day Spa
Bronze: Massage Envy
Treat yourself to a day of replenishment. Gold winner Gould’s offers nine spa/salon locations for massage, mani-pedis, body wraps, and more.
NEW • Best Family Fitness
Gold: Memphis Jewish Community Center
Silver: YMCA
Bronze: Kroc Center
Getting fit as a family has never been easier. Gold winner Memphis JCC offers a beautiful swimming facility, and more.
NEW • Best Yoga or Pilates Studio
Gold: Midtown Yoga
Silver: Better Bodies Yoga
Bronze: TIE: Cardio Barre & Ballet Memphis
NEW • Best Children’s Photographer
Gold: Alex Ginsberg
Silver: Hal Jaffe
Bronze: TIE • Allison Rodgers & J. Herndon Photography
SHOP TIL YOU DROP
Best Locally Owned Children’s Store
Gold: Cotton Tails
Silver: Booksellers at Laurelwood
Bronze: The Village Toymaker
NEW • Best Kids Consignment Store
Gold: Once Upon a Child
Silver: Rhea Lana
Bronze: TIE • Summer Kids & Junior League Repeat Boutique
Best Store for Baby Gifts
Gold: Cotton Tails
Silver: Itty Bitty Bella
Bronze: Village Toymaker
Best Local Place to Buy Toys
Gold: The Village Toymaker
Silver: Knowledge Tree
Bronze: The Booksellers at Laurelwood
GET OUT THERE
Best Free Family Outing
Gold: Memphis Zoo, Free Tuesdays
Silver: Shelby Farms
Bronze: Levitt Shell Concert Series
Recognized as one the nation’s top zoos, Memphis Zoo continues to be a local family favorite. This year, the zoo won not one but four Gold awards for Free Best Family Outing, Kids Field Trip, Recreational Outing and Tourist Attraction. Congrats.
Best Field Trip for Kids
Gold: Memphis Zoo
Silver: TIE • Memphis Botanic Garden and Children’s Museum of Memphis
Bronze: Cedar Hill Farm
Best Overnight Summer Camp
Gold: Victory Ranch
Silver: Girl Scouts Heart of the South - Camp Kiwani
Bronze: TIE • Pinecrest & Space Camp, Huntsville, AL
NEW • Best Recreational Outing for Families
Gold: Memphis Zoo
Silver: TIE • Shelby Farms & Biking the Green Line
Bronze: Memphis Redbirds
Best Annual Event For Families
Gold: Starry Nights at Shelby Farms
Silver: Zoo Boo
Bronze: TIE • Germantown Festival & Zoo Lights
Best Tourist Attraction
Gold: Memphis Zoo
Silver: Graceland
Bronze: National Civil Rights Museum
Best Local Blog
Gold: East Memphis Moms (eastmemphismoms.blogspot.com)
Silver: I Love Memphis (Ilovememphis.com)
Bronze: Three Kids, a Minivan & a Mortgage (erikandkatekrull.blogspot.com)