Best Alternative Health
Dr. Juli Mazi
What it is? Naturopathy is an alternative-medicine system based on the theory that diet, exercise and massage can be used to treat illness.
Natural Path Naturopaths treat diseases as diverse as anemia, anxiety and heart disease.
Now That’s Health Care For The People On Mazi’s Facebook page, she shares tips on health and wellness. The latest post? The benefits of eating chocolate. | Leslie Patrick
Best Chef
Scott Cater
Chef’s Special Typical lunch: Spinach salad with grilled chicken, avocado, chopped hard-boiled egg and balsamic vinaigrette.
A Rose by Any Other …On his coincidental surname (and his line of work): “It’s been mentioned to me a number of times. I don’t think about it much, but, yeah, it’s a little ironic and kinda cute. But I don’t like to cater. It’s a pain in the butt.”
Into the Fire Cater got his first restaurant experience in 1979 when, at 21 years old, he hitchhiked to Washington D.C. and got a job at a French restaurant.
Dry Times “I’m a little concerned this year—with the lack of rain—about the price of vegetables this summer.”
When It Rains Cater remembers the flood of 1982 just after he moved to Santa Cruz County and was working at the Casablanca Inn. The power went out, but the restaurant had a generator, so other restaurants started storing frozen foods at the tasty Beach Street destination. Carter did not make it home that night because of road closures, and from the restaurant, he saw the river mouth and beach fill up with driftwood and massive logs. | Jacob Pierce
Best Bartender
Stephanie Sanchez
When to Catch Her Sanchez works Sunday through Tuesday nights at Severino’s in addition to Friday during the day.
Vacation, All She Ever Wanted Sanchez also used to bartend at Suda: “It’s not like I quit. The hours are just a lot later there. I would work until 1 a.m. on Thursday and then had to work at 10 a.m. the next day. I’m also 32 weeks pregnant right now.”
Una Poca de Gracia She watched Lou Diamond Phillips sing La Bamba with his band while she bartended at Severino’s. The actor was in town shooting a film.
Beach Please Sanchez, 31, got her first cocktail-serving job at the Resort at Pelican Hill in Newport Beach. Her first bartending gig here in the county was at the Seabreeze Tavern in 2011.
Thick Skinned “Some people would probably hate it. It’s not for everyone. To have my job, the most important thing is to be positive but also keep boundaries with people. No one likes a grumpy bartender, right?” | Jacob Pierce
Best Customer Service
Chaminade
Three Decades of Relaxation Chaminade Resort and Spa opened in 1985.
Knuckle Raps to Back Rubs The main building at Chaminade was a Catholic boys’ school at the turn of the 20th century.
Service for the Service Chaminade has a partnership with the USO, and offers discounts to members of the armed forces and their families.
Everything’s Gone Green Chaminade is committed to sustainability by providing cloth napkins to minimize waste, using fluorescent lighting to decrease energy usage and donating leftover food to local homeless shelters. | Leslie Patrick
Category Winners & Runners-Up
Artist of the Year
Margo Mullen studiomargo.blogspot.com
Runners-Up Doug Ross, Julia Cunningham
Astrologer
Risa D’Angeles nightlightnews.com
Runners-Up Denise Elizabeth Byron, Rob Brezsny, Kayla Garnet Rose
Attorney
Mike Tunink
Runners-Up Nicole Lambros, Ben Rice
Bank (local)
Santa Cruz County Bank sccountybank.com
Runners-Up Lighthouse Bank
Bartender
Stephanie Sanchez
Runners-Up Kelly Vaillancourt, Josh Youngblood
Caterer
Affordable Chef Services 325-6924, affordablechef.info
Runners-Up Barbara and Company Catering, Feast for a King Catering
Carpenter
Richard Singer
Runners-Up Aaron Raif, Rudy Medina/Scott Sommers
Chef
Scott Cater, Executive Chef Paradise Beach Grille 215 Esplanade, Capitola, 476-4900, paradisebeachgrille.com
Runners-Up Mark Gallagher, Affordable Chef Services, Zachary Mazi, Chef/Co-Owner Food is Medicine
Chiropractor
Duncan Mccollum, 3555 Clares Street, Suite WW Capitola, 459-9990, mccollumfamilychiropractic.com
Runners-Up Dr. Katie Griffin, Dr. Thomas E Smith, Surf City Chiropractic
Construction Company
Elite Construction 225 Ocean View Ave., Santa Cruz, 234-5052, discoverelite.com
Runners-Up John Fuch’s Construction, Boyd & Sons
Contractor
Elite Construction 225 Ocean View Ave., Santa Cruz, 234-5052, discoverelite.com
Runners-Up John Fuch’s Construction, Medina Project Construction Corporation
CPA
Stephen Fournier 2601 41st Ave., Ste. E, Soquel, (831) 476-2452
Runners-Up Linda Contreras, Randy Reynolds
Credit Union (local)
Bay Federal Credit Union 420 River St., Santa Cruz, 479-6000, bayfed.com
Runners-Up Santa Cruz Community Credit Union, Petelco Credit Union
Customer Service Hospitality
Chaminade 1 Chaminade Lane, Santa Cruz, 475-5600, chaminade.com
Runners-Up Hotel Paradox/Dream Inn
Customer Service Retail
Nourish 130 Walnut Ave., Santa Cruz, 429-9355, nourishsantacruz.com
Runners-Up Stripe, Shopper’s Corner/Patagonia
Dentist
Dr. Kevin Ippisch 9000 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz, 476-3200, advanceddentistry.org
Runners-Up Dr. A. Gavin McClure, Dr. Alan Heit, DDS
General Practitioner
Michelle Massie/Rachel Abrams/Ianna larsh
Runners-Up Adam Yarme, Robert Chen
Insurance Agent
Sean Rovai, Rovai Insurance Agency 6990 Soquel Drive, Aptos, 462-3222, rovaiinsurance.com
Runners-UpTina Andreatta, Farmers Insurance, Suess Insurance Agency
Landscaper
Jerob Chop Passiflora Landscaping
je*******@gm***.com
, 831-247-2930
Runners-Up Dreamscape Creative Landscape Solution, Terra Bella Landscaping
Lasik
Furlong Vision and Correction 2107 N 1st St #101, San Jose, (408) 453-5600, furlongvision.com
Runners-Up Plager Vision and Laser Center
Life Coach
Janette Valentino, Valentino Coaching: Santa Cruz Life Coaching valentinocoaching.com
Runners-Up Yarah Sutra, Ken Gray Coaching
Martial Arts Instructor
Master Matt Salisbury, Lightspeed Martial Arts Academy 5004 Scotts Valley Dr, Scotts Valley, 438-6068, lightspeedmartialarts.com/instructors/master-salisbury
Runners-Up Sensei Sean Sanford, Sanford’s Martial Arts, Alex Ross, Santa Cruz Mountain Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
Massage Therapist
Melanie Sargent, Essentials BodyMind Clinic 1509 Seabright Ave., Santa Cruz, 345-2233, essentialmindbodyconnection.blogspot.com/p/welcome.html
Runners-Up Inara Sophia/Yarah Sutra, Maria Willis, CMT/Awaken Massage Therapy
Mortgage Broker
Kane Silverberg, RPM Mortgage, Inc. 4510 Capitola Road, Capitola, 475-5626, loanwiz.net
Runners-Up Lisa Cardoza, American Financial Network, Inc, Opes Advisors
OB/GYN
Dr. Alexandra Klikoff, Aptos Women’s Health 3275 Aptos Rancho Road, Aptos, 688-8266, aptoswomenshealth.com
Runners-Up Dr. Anne-Marie Jackson, OB-GYN Associates of Santa Cruz, Dr. Laetitia M. Oderman, Harbor Medical Group Inc
Painter
T Paul Sek Eco-Painting 721 Seabright Ave., Santa Cruz, 588-4080, greenpaintingcontractor.com
Runners-Up Walls Painting, Inc, Duren Painting/Lombardi Pack Painting
Personal Chef
Mark Gallagher, Affordable Chef Services 325-6924, affordablechef.info
Runners-Up Zachary Mazi, Food is Medicine, Jonathan Miller, Eat Right at Home
Personal Trainer
Rocky Snyder, Rocky’s Fitness Center 4135 Portola Drive, Santa Cruz, 479-0867,rockysfitnesscenter.com
Runners-Up Elissa Gaynor, Danielle Killen, Farley’s Kickboxing Academy
Pest Control
O2 Termite, Inc 2559 Aaron Drive, Santa Cruz, 359-4627, o2termite.com
Runners-Up Cardiff Pest Control, 4 Less Termite, Inc
Photographer
Adriane White Photography 234-4604, adrianewhitephotography.com
Runners-Up Devi Pride Photography, John F. Hunter Photography
Plastic Surgeon
Dr. Steven L. Garner 3311 Mission Drive, Santa Cruz, 475-3076, slgarnermd.com
Runners-Up Dr. Marie Pletsch, Dr. Suzanne Kerley
Plumber
Bellows Plumbing, Heating, & Air 2652 Research Park Dr, Soquel, 477-9350, gregbellowsplumbing.com
Runners-Up Mr. Rooter Plumbing, Buddy Griggs Plumbing
Property Manager
Portola Property Management 1210 Brommer St., Santa Cruz, 475-1355, portolarentals.com
Runners-Up Real Estate Eight Three One, Wilder Associates, Inc.
Psychic
Serpent’s Kiss Magick Shop & Botanica 2015 N Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz, 423-5477, serpents-kiss.com
Runners-Up Denise Elizabeth Byron, Sacred Grove
Real Estate Agent
Lauren Spencer, Coldwell Banker 7979 Soquel Drive, Aptos, 688-6461, coldwellbanker.com
Runners-Up Gretchen Bach, Coldwell Banker, Santa Cruz, Sean Poudrier, Friday Realty
Real Estate Agency
David Lyng Real Estate 2170 41st Ave., Capitola , 476-0100 55 Penny Lane, Watsonville, 763-6700 129 Water St., Santa Cruz 458-2200 davidlyng.com
Runners-Up Friday Real Estate, Sereno Group
Real Estate Team
Mulhern & Gomes – http://www.mg4homes.com
Runners-Up Nancy Knuth and John Fuchs, Friday Realty Team
Spiritual Leader
Rene Schlaepfer, Twin Lakes Church 2701 Cabrillo College Drive, Aptos, 465-3300, tlc.org
Runners-Up Rev. Deborah L. Johnson, Inner Light Ministries, Baba Hari Dass
Solar Company
Allterra Solar 207 McPherson St., Santa Cruz, 425-2608, allterrasolar.com
Runners-Up Solar Technologies, Suns Up Solar
Surfboard Maker
Nick Palandrani, Source Surfboards For contact information visit sourcesurfboards.com
Runners-Up Travis Reynolds, Michel Junod Surfboards
Therapist
Rebecca Roth, Marriage & Family Therapist 200 Washington St., #105, Santa Cruz, 831-428-2938, rebeccarothmft.com
Runners-Up Dr. Elizabeth Esalen, Psychologist, Dana Blumrosen, LMFT
Veterinarian
Adobe Animal Hospital 1600 Soquel Drive, Santa Cruz, 462-5293, adobevets.com
Runners-Up Soquel Creek Animal Hospital, Capitola Vet Hospital
Writer (local)
Greg Archer For contact information visit gregarcher.com
Runners-Up David Jay Brown, Sally Wolf
Yoga Instructor
Victor Dubin 130 Walnut Ave., Santa Cruz, 429-9355, nourishsantacruz.com
Runners-Up Alice Kennedy, Hannah Muse
