What happens when you have 60 vendors fill the Receptions Hall in Erlanger, offer all-you-can-eat samples of the finest foods in Northern Kentucky and the music never stops?

A celebration of Northern Kentucky, clearly.

More than 700 people joined NKY magazine one evening this spring to vote for the best of everything — from childcare to landscaping, fried chicken to personal trainers, spa treatments to celebrities, dry cleaners to beer selections, music lessons to nursing homes.

Votes were cast for the three finalists in 63 categories in NKY’s inaugural
Best of NKY and these are the results.

Multiple locations
(859) 442-3400
www.barleycorns.com

Tops No Matter What the Topping

Whether you top it with Gouda cheese and BBQ sauce or you choose Cajun spices, bacon and homemade bleu cheese dressing, NKY readers say Barleycorn’s makes the best damn burger. Big, juicy and just special.

You don’t have to go far to get one. The locally-owned favorite has restaurants in Cold Spring, Lakeside Park, Florence and even Dayton, Ohio. Owners Ken, Joe and Rick Heil have been twice recognized by Cincy magazine as Tristate Success Award winners for growing revenue and jobs. It’s clear why: outstanding customer service and fabulous food.

OK, back to the burgers. Go ahead, smother it with onions or choose a Juicy Lucy with jalapenos.

BEST Master Stylist - Anie Agee (Divine Salon & Day Spa)





3955 Alexandra Pike, Cold Spring
(859) 781-2282
www.divinesalonanddayspa.com

It’s a Calling, An Art

When Anie Agee was a little girl, she remembers breaking into tears every time her mother came home from the hair salon.

“When my Mom would get her hair done, I would cry because I wanted to go to the hair salon so badly with her,” says the now-owner, manager and stylist at Divine Salon & Day Spa in Cold Spring. “I felt that I definitely was, for sure, meant to do this. I’ve always been interested in hair, ever since I was a little girl.”

Agee attended medical technical school to work in pharmaceutics. At her graduation she remembers telling her mother she would “give it a year” and if she didn’t like it, she’d become a hair stylist. That’s what she did.

“A lot of people made fun of me. They told me I wasn’t going to make any money,” Agee says.

But that didn’t stop her. “Everything happens for a reason, and working in the pharmacy made me stronger. It made me want to do hair even more and want to prove myself.”

Three years before she opened Divine, Agee says she started buying décor, pillows and pictures to hang on the walls of her dream salon. “A lot of people thought I was crazy, but I had a vision.”

Perhaps it’s that vision mixed with true passion that made Agee the “Best Master Stylist of NKY.” Or maybe it’s the fact that she tries to make every client feel beautiful and special.

“I give a thorough consultation for every client. A lot of people don’t do that,” she says. “I want to give my clients 100 percent of my talent. You need to keep this industry professional.

“Any woman does deserve to feel pampered and good about herself. This industry is about making you feel better from the inside out,” Agee says.

“…It’s all about making people feel good.”

Recipes STAND TEST OF TIME

It’s like taking a step back in time. Walking into Pompilios, you can let yourself imagine Mrs. Pompilio (better known as “Mama”) stirring a pot of her delicious homemade marinara sauce in the kitchen, or a group of neighborhood men crowding around the cherry-wood Back Bar enjoying a couple of drinks.

Newport’s Italian restaurant, famous for a major role in the Oscar-winning movie “Rain Man,” is cozy and enticing with the smell of great food.

Reminders of the restaurant’s rich history linger. The bar, with its tile floor, beveled-glass windows and hand-carved Back Bar, is classic. Families and couples sit at tables and booths hidden away in alcove-like seating while they devour plates of magnificent linguini, spaghetti and other Italian staples.

Celebrating 79 years in 2012, Pompilios has been passed through the hands of several different families since its opening in 1933 by Colonel and Mrs. Pompilio.

In 1982, the Mazzei and Argento families took over the restaurant’s ownership, continuing the tradition of quality Italian food and Mama Pompilio’s time-tested recipes. According to owner/operator Larry Geiger, there have been few changes.

“When the Mazzeis took over, they brought some more high-end cuisine, but we kept the same sauce, the same types of sausages… it’s all Southern Italian, your more traditional meals,” he says.

“Our most popular dish is probably the Italian Sampler,” Geiger says, also mentioning the lasagna and rigatoni (though he admits his personal favorite has to be the meatballs). “All our meats are still hand-prepared and everything’s made fresh.”

All the ravioli, lasagna, soups and sauces are also homemade at Pompilios, and the onion rings are even hand-breaded to order. Geiger says this might be one reason the restaurant was voted “Best Italian Cuisine,” but another could be the simple fact that it has a rich history and family feel to it.

“Back when it [Pompilios] opened, there wasn’t really a restaurant where you went to… it was just you went over to your neighbor’s for dinner.”

That’s the family feeling Pompilios stays true to, he says.

“It’s still mainly families that come here and we have a lot of first dates here.

“It’s affordable, a good place to spark conversation… and love is put into the food.”

For Little Red School House Education Coordinator Danielle Corbin, it’s a passion. Education and curriculum development have always been at the top of her list. A Thomas More College graduate and Northern Kentucky native, Corbin develops curricula for Little Red School House, which offers preschool and kindergarten programs in 14 locations (12 in Kentucky).

“Ever since it [Little Red School House] was started by Jan Malley, it’s had a very hands-on approach. We’re not franchised, we run everything out of one office and we’re consistent,” Corbin says. That’s why, she thinks, Little Red won Best of NKY.

With more than 35 years of academic excellence, the school prides itself on helping children progress at their own rate and offers full, part-time or “design your own” schedule programs.

All of which are hands-on and fun for everyone, Corbin says.

As Jackson Florist General Manager Tony Works says, “If you didn’t have a quality product, you wouldn’t have lasted for over a hundred years. Quality is what we strive for. That and offering knowledgeable customer service.”

Works’ father, Jack, is the third-generation family owner of the iconic Covington flower and garden shop founded in the late 1890s.

And third and fourth-generation customers are still coming back. Works says people in the store often look around and tell him, “I was here with my grandparents when I was a kid.”

“I take pride in knowing our customers on a first-name basis,” Works says. “We thank them for their loyalty. We wouldn’t exist without them.”

BEST PLACE TO PAMPER YOUR PET - YOUR BEST FRIEND PET SALON

2940 Hebron Park Drive, Suite 102, Hebron
(859) 586-5100
www.yourbestfriendpetsalon.com

Just a Doggy Kiss

A true love for animals brought Amanda Atkins and Suzanne Whitaker together more than 10 years ago. Both are graduates of the Nash Academy of Animal Arts in Lexington, Ky.

“We met while grooming at very different places and we went to grooming seminars together,” says Whitaker.

In early 2003, the pair decided to open a grooming business, Your Best Friend Pet Salon, in Hebron, where they groom cats and dogs of all sizes (they can do everything from two-pound Yorkies to 200-pound Bull Mastiffs, explains Atkins).

“We said ‘let’s just do this ourselves and let’s do it right’,” says Whitaker. “We won’t hire anyone who is not an animal lover...one of us is always here.” The best part of the job? “The doggy kisses,” she says.

Bagel
Servatii

Bakery
Servatii

Beer Selection
The Pub

Bike Shop
Reser Bicycle

Birthday Party Location
Lazer Kraze

Bookstore
The Blue Marble

Bourbon Selection
Geez’l Pete’s

Car Wash
Johnny’s Car Wash

Catering
McHale’s Events & Catering

Charitable Race
Racing to Read

Chinese Cuisine
Casual Chinese

Dance/ Theater Instruction
Expressions Dance Theatre

Dry Cleaner
Widmer’s

Family Dinner
Sis’s Family Affair

Farmers Market
Boone County Farmers Market

Fitness Center
Town & Country Sports

Fitness Class Instructor
Melody Hoppius (Melody’s Boot Camp Fitness LLC)

Fitness Trail
Boone County Arboretum

Florist
Jackson Florist Inc.

Fresh Catch
Bonefish Grill

Fried Chicken
Colonial Cottage

Garden Center
Highland Garden Center

Gymnastics Center
Silverlake Family Fitness

Happy Hour
Grandview Tavern & Grille

Health Food Store
Healthy Alternative

Healthful Menu
Indigo Casual Gourmet Café

Home Remodeler
Corbin Custom Remodelers

Hot Brown
Greyhound Tavern

Ice Cream
Graeter’s

Independent Coffeehouse
Velocity Bike & Bean

Jeweler
Cleves and Lonnemann Jewelers

Landscaper
T.W. Landscape & Design

Local Female Celebrity
Tricia Macke ( FOX 19)

Local Male Celebrity
Cris Collinsworth

Manicure/Pedicure
Sableux Salon & Spa

Music Instruction
Music House

Nursing Facility
St Elizabeth Healthcare

Place to Buy Outdoor Fitness Equip.
Bob Roncker’s Running Spot

Patio Dining
Chez Nora

Pizza
Mellow Mushroom

Place for a Spa Day
Cloud 9 Salon & Spa

Place for Home Accessories/Antiquing
Florence Antique Mall

Place to Buy Fitness Gear
Bob Roncker’s Running Spot

Place to Have a Wedding
The Madison Event Center

Place to Pamper your Pet
Your Best Friend

Preschool
Little Red School House

Restaurant
Grandview Tavern & Grille

Sandwich Shop
Izzy’s

Smoothie
Reality Tuesday

Steak
Dee Felice

Sunday Brunch
Keystone Bar & Grill

Sushi
Miyako Sushi and Steak

View from a Restaurant
360 Restaurant at the Radisson

Wine Store/Tasting
Party Source

Women’s Fashion
Donna Salyers

Yoga Studio
Covington Yoga

Kettlebells Balance Exercise and Life

In the middle of a bright blue room filled with ropes, tires and a rainbow of kettlebells, Joe Daniels holds the tiny hands of his 14-month old daughter SadieBel and guides her on top of a bosu ball.

She giggles, her eyes gleaming brightly as she gracefully balances atop the workout ball. Then, suddenly she wants off, scampering away in her flowery dress to the colorful kettlebells, where she squats and attempts to pick up a lighter pink weight.

“Sometimes I use her as an example of how our bodies should work,” Daniels says. “See how she squats down? They say that’s bad for your knees, but that’s just how your body works naturally… we all start as a baby, go through life and then end up old, kind of like a baby again.”

Works at Any Age

But it doesn’t have to be that way, says the 32-year-old, who is owner of Daniels Fitness Training LLC and Swing This. Kettlebell studio in Covington.

In fact, Daniels says he has 60-year olds in the studio doing his kettlebell workouts, which is proof kettlebells can be beneficial for anyone.

“We have people in here that are 35-years old and they say they are in the best shape of their life, more than even when they were in high school,” he says.

A former bodybuilder, Daniels says it was a shoulder injury and the birth of his daughter that made him reprioritize his exercise routine. That’s when he entered the world of kettlebells and became a believer.

“Kettlebells teach you coordination, they teach you balance. They’re all about proprioception, your body’s ability to adapt to the environment,” Daniels explains while he nonchalantly demonstrates one legged squats on top of the bosu with the other leg extended straight out in front of him. (And what’s even more impressive—he can do this while holding Sadiebel in his arms, too.)

Endurance & Balance

Daniels uses walking on ice in the winter as an example. “You’re still walking, you just have to adjust the way you’re walking. That’s what kettlebells are about.”

According to Daniels, kettlebells strengthen the whole body, not just certain muscles. And, they don’t just help with gaining strength; they improve muscular endurance, balance and overall athleticism. “This stuff [kettlebells] wasn’t really around 15 years ago… you just had machines and no one knew how to properly move your own body.”

While he does believe in strength and weight training, Daniels says kettlebell exercises can apply to real life scenarios more. He lifts a crescent-shaped Bulgarian training bag over his right shoulder and starts doing squats.

“Say you’re walking up the stairs with something heavy,” he explains, as he switches the bag to his other shoulder. “Then you get tired and switch sides… kettlebell workouts are much more multi-planar. You’re not stuck in the same line of motion… [with machines] people only train front to back.”

So when someone new comes into the studio, Daniels helps teach them to use kettlebells and their bodies’ own natural movement to gain strength. He varies the workout for each person, because everyone has different bodies and different goals. “I try to work with you on how you can improve whatever is tight on you, working on your weak links to make your body more balanced,” he says. “That’s what kettlebells are about.”

Take it from the guy who’s learned to balance on the bosu doing squats while holding his baby girl.

One Levee Way

Newport
(859) 491-6200
www.jeffersonhall.com

Live, Loud & Rocking

It’s a ho-hum Tuesday night in River City. Where the heck do we go for live music?

Jefferson Hall. For six years the club has been rocking Newport on the Levee, since moving from Over-the-Rhine.

At a time when DJs seem to have taken over much of the club scene, there are still plenty of club-goers who appreciate a steady diet of live music. And Jefferson Hall provides it, one of the few venues in the region committed to live bands.

“People know we have live music five nights a week (Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday-Sunday). It’s all about consistency,” says owner Tony Cafeo. “A lot of our bands have great gimmicks — costumes, little skits. It’s a party feel.”

It helps that the bands Cafeo books are some of the most entertaining cover groups around like the Websters, The Personnel, Swagg and, of course, Naked Karate Girls, who hold court every Wednesday night with their rowdy, party band vibe.

BEST Men’s Fashion - flow-a shop for men

621 Scott Blvd., Covington
(859) 291-3569
www.facebook.com/flowformen

flow - a shop for men finds its niche

There’s an industrial and modern feel to flow – a shop for men. From the minute you step through the door to the new shop on “The Boulevard” in Covington, it hits you. Against a brick wall and a bright blue painted panel are racks of designer clothing. Some consignment pieces, some brand new, but all under $100.

An old barber’s chair occupies one side of the shop and bowties sit neatly atop an antique sewing machine. In back is a protruding box which functions as the fitting room. Thirty-year-old owner Jerod Theobald says it can also act as a recording booth (the walls are soundproof).

Found a Niche

The space, according to Theobald, originally belonged to a photographer who was storing equipment there and not paying his rent. One day, Theobald ran into the landlord and after a bit of negotiation, the space became his. He transformed it, taking inspiration from his love for fashion and hip hop culture.

“I saw this space and thought about how there was a niche that was really missing here in the area… a men’s clothing store that offered a mix of new and consignment clothing, with reasonable prices,” he says.

There are many parts to this shopkeeper. Theobald works part-time as a project manager for The Merlot Group, utilizing his Bachelor’s in Psychology/Communications and his M.S. in Sport Studies.

“Most guys in college, like me, wore sweats and a hoodie. Fashion just wasn’t something you really thought about. You wore shorts in the winter… but fashion has always been a side passion of mine,” says Theobald, who was a baseball player at Wilmington College.

A Plan

And so, that’s how flow came to be. Theobald first worked with a coach from SCORE to develop his business plan and traveled to different cities across the U.S. to trunk shows and stores looking for possible consigners, but he wasn’t always lucky with his finds. “Sometimes I’d go somewhere and not see anything I liked,” he says.

Finally, in late 2011, things came together. Flow now holds a room full of simple and sophisticated clothing for men, featuring styles and accessories from independent designers and labels from all over North America (like Unbranded, Life After Denim and Dorsia).

“I wanted new and original stuff,” Theobald says. “The stuff here, you can’t find anything like it around, like at Nordstrom or Macy’s. This is the only place that has this stuff in Cincinnati.”

He hopes by fall to also incorporate a couple more clothing lines and “beef up” the accessories by adding funky socks, more bowties and sunglass frames.

Says Theobald: “We’re only seven months in and it takes most businesses two to three years to establish themselves… but people so far have welcomed it [the shop] with open arms.”

BEST CHEF - Chris Weist (McHale’s event & catering)

1622 Dixie Highway
Park Hills
(859) 442-7776
www.kycater.com

It started when Chris Weist first learned to cook a steak at perfect temperature, and from that point on, there was no turning back. Weist was going to be a chef.

“There’s just something about roasting a great cut of meat,” he says. “I worked in a lot of smaller restaurants, until my uncle decided I should learn cooking the right way.”

So, Weist graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in New York, working under talented chefs from New York to California, and even spending time cooking in Hawaii. When he returned, he got into the catering business and is now executive chef at McHale’s Event and Catering in Park Hills.

“All my experience was a la carte up until about 10 years ago,” Weist says. “It [catering] is a little more predictable, but there are very different challenges… with catering, you have to be more proactive and anticipate problems, like equipment failure or employees taking off. It’s much more forward thinking.”

But, if everything goes well, Weist says his team can do anywhere from eight to 10 weddings on a given Saturday. “We set it up like a party. That’s what we do at every event.”

When he’s not catering parties, Weist likes to cook with his kids (ages four and seven).

“My favorite thing to cook is anything with my kids. I don’t know what it is about cracking eggs, but they love it… my daughter knows everything that’s in hummus so I like making that with her.”

And its not just his own kids Weist is teaching to cook. He also teaches cooking classes at Cooks’ Wares on Montgomery Road in Cincinnati.

“I love to teach and I love cooking with kids, so I definitely see that in my future… and you know, with McHale’s, the sky’s the limit.”