myBurbank Talks
myBurbank Talks
myBurbank's Best 2025: Unveiling the Winners
Discover the cream of the crop in Burbank as Craig Sherwood, Ross Benson, and Ashley Erickson unveil the winners of the fifth annual Burbank's Best awards. With participation skyrocketing—over 1,500 new voters this year—this celebration showcases nearly 240 local businesses that have captured the hearts and loyalty of community members.
The trio dives into category after category, revealing winners while sharing personal insights about many local establishments. From longtime Burbank institutions like Porto's Bakery and Bob's Big Boy to exciting newcomers like Bagel Boss and Bone Juice, the conversation provides a fascinating glimpse into the city's vibrant business landscape. The hosts' banter reveals authentic connections to these businesses—whether it's Craig's memories of getting his car detailed at Burbank Auto Detail or Ashley's experience with local beauty services.
What makes these awards special is their democratic nature. No judges, no sponsors picking winners—just pure community votes that identify truly beloved local establishments. The process is rigorous, with each business carefully verified as a legitimate Burbank establishment. The result is a genuine reflection of what makes Burbank unique.
Between the categories, listeners gain fascinating local trivia and heartwarming stories of resilience. Learn which hotel celebrities frequent, which florist creates arrangements for the Tournament of Roses, and how beloved establishments like Colony Theater and Bell Cottage bounced back from challenges with community support.
Whether you're a lifelong Burbank resident or new to the area, this episode serves as the perfect insider's guide to the best the city offers. Keep an eye out for those Burbank's Best decals displayed proudly in windows—they're hard-earned badges of community appreciation!
It's time to present the winners for my Burbank's Best. Your votes have been counted and we now present the results, so sit back, relax and enjoy. It's time to find out if any of your favorites have been voted.
Speaker 2:My Burbank's Best.
Speaker 1:Hello, burbank, craig Short here with you once again, along with, of course, ross Benson.
Speaker 2:Wow, we're doing this again.
Speaker 1:My Burbank's best, yep where did the year go? It seems like we just did this hours ago, and yet it's been a year. And, of course, with us is the person who makes all this work and puts this together for us Ashley Erickson. Hello, hello, happy to be here again, so we have a lot about 240 categories Holy, shally, and we have a lot of brand new businesses who never won one of my Brewery's Best decal before. Yeah so we're very excited about that.
Speaker 3:Yeah, we had over a thousand fifteen hundred new voters this year than we did last year. So with new voters means new businesses are being nominated and, uh, the way we we pick the winners is the most nominations and also if they're in burbank right and they have to be in burbank Right you know what we don't pick the winners.
Speaker 1:Yes, we just tally it up we tally up the numbers, but we confirm and vet that every business that wins is a Burbank business or a person's in Burbank.
Speaker 3:We spent almost two hours trying to go through every single business, making sure they're in Burbank.
Speaker 2:And nowadays, with days, with you know all these different sources, you know people can start a business and it's actually not a business. It's, yeah, a front, you know, and they vote for themselves and we go through. We make sure my burbanks best.
Speaker 1:yep, so well, without further ado, we're going to start our first category, which is so Ashley, get us going.
Speaker 3:All right For Best Appliance Repair, Big HNA. Best Attorney Law Offices of Adriano Fischetti what, Hopefully? I said that right, Adriano Fischetti.
Speaker 2:I will say Adriano. She's been practicing the name for a couple of minutes.
Speaker 3:I have been practicing that.
Speaker 1:So she basically practices the name like she practices law.
Speaker 3:But I could be practicing it wrong, so Well, we think it's all right.
Speaker 1:I'm sure she's happy to win.
Speaker 3:Best auto detailing. Burbank Auto Detail.
Speaker 2:Just look at my car. I will tell you they did it four or five years ago. They rub it out. I tell you, down to the. My car shines. Everybody around town says you get your car painted. No, I just went to Burbank Auto.
Speaker 3:Your car is everywhere around town yeah, so it's got mileage on it.
Speaker 1:I'm sure they do a little on the top of the head too, for you.
Speaker 2:They do, they've, you know, take care of A little wax on there, yeah. Wax on, wax off, but there's a lot of these mobile details and they have been in Burbank, burbank Auto Detail, for a long time and congratulations.
Speaker 3:Congratulations All right. Best bartender Harvey at Hotel Amarano.
Speaker 1:I bet you, harvey, can make a good wall banger huh.
Speaker 3:He's a great guy. Great hotel, great bar. It's a great guy, great hotel, great bar. Um. You know it's a hotel, but you can go use the bar.
Speaker 2:It's open to the public, it's beautiful inside um I just wonder how many people burbank residents yeah, don't need a hotel. I've had relatives stay there. Yeah, the food is good. You can do catering events there, yeah, I, oh, I think a wedding planning or something in there Full of food, the whole works and people should stop by and talk to.
Speaker 1:Harvey. They're a four or five star hotel too.
Speaker 3:Yes, yeah, it's like a boutique hotel and it's so tucked away. So when you're in there it's like you don't even feel like you're in a hotel. And you even feel like you're in a hotel and you don't even feel like you're in Burbank because it's kind of all blocked off.
Speaker 2:It's kind of secret For us. Long time people of Burbank good old Howard Johnson used to be there.
Speaker 1:I think a lot of celebrities actually stay there too, because they're close to studios also.
Speaker 3:Yeah, Alright, best bicycle.
Speaker 2:You're right. I was in there one day and I looked at the counter and Emeril Lagrasse was standing there no way. I winded up to him and I said bam. And he turned to me and said looked at me like that was great.
Speaker 1:Yeah, he's a doppelganger. Maybe that's funny.
Speaker 3:Okay, Best bicycle repair Burbank Bike Shop.
Speaker 1:Boy, they've been there forever, haven't they?
Speaker 3:Over there on Victory, yeah, victory, yeah. Best car wash, burbank Express car wash, which is a new win this year.
Speaker 1:We're trying to think about where that is, because we know, like Neue Car Wash and H&B Car Wash, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:So this one's quicker, it's express.
Speaker 3:It's express. So congratulations, Best dog trainer, UpDogLA.
Speaker 1:Oh well, we have a thing for that. Yes, we do. There we go, sorry about that.
Speaker 3:Down Fido, down God you take care of that that is so good over there, best doula midwife is Shannon Anderson. What?
Speaker 2:Something you don't need, and I wonder how many people in Burbank Didn't know that you can get those services.
Speaker 3:Best dry cleaner.
Speaker 1:Again, milton Eady is taking the win Again this year 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 65 days a year you know, if we had a fourth partner we could make our own little jingle for them.
Speaker 3:Best electrician secure electric. Best event wedding planner honey fits events. Best financial institution UME, credit union. We gotta speak financial institution, ume, credit Union In on the win.
Speaker 1:We got to speak up there on UME. We just had an event Police and Fire Service Day and they provided us some volunteers and every year we get volunteers from some business and halfway through they're gone. Thanks a lot for being here, but where'd you go? Those UME people stuck there the entire time. Gabriel was there with them, anita was making sure we get the people there and they were the best volunteer we've ever had at anything we've done.
Speaker 2:They're fun to be with the people that they sent. They were just really. And you know UME. Their motto is community service. You know their parking lot and movie nights coming up. I know from magnolia park merchants holiday in the park. What other credit union city, burbank, puts a ferris wheel in their parking lot?
Speaker 3:I mean, and I think what they're on their 85th anniversary, they're celebrating 80 style. They're gonna have a anniversary, I think, in june, and that's a tough category because you got a gain.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you got media city credit union 200 great credit uses city.
Speaker 2:No, logics tend to attend to color. There are like 10 credit unions.
Speaker 3:Well so yeah, congrats you maybe love.
Speaker 2:Congratulations to you and me. It goes to show you people vote yeah.
Speaker 3:And it pays off when you invest in your city and the community and they come out and they vote for you. Yep, all right. Best florist is Enchanted Florist.
Speaker 2:Oh, Kim, she has been. They used to be right here on Riverside Drive. We went to school together. I won't say how many years ago. She is a. Did you know? She is the official florist for the turn.
Speaker 3:I was just going to say that I was.
Speaker 2:Not a lot of people know that.
Speaker 3:Yeah, for the Rose Court, Right. Yeah, that's pretty impressive.
Speaker 2:Well, and if you wonder why somebody like that gets voted my Burbank test, there's a perfect example. Yeah. She takes care of the studios. I know she has done tons of jobs and just a sweetheart. Everybody in her shop is very sweet.
Speaker 3:Oh, it's such a pretty shop too. Best framing Four Corners Custom Framing.
Speaker 1:Oh, do you create a crime, so frame you.
Speaker 2:Well, you know, I got to say she is part of our Magnolia Park merchants and she has been a longtime Burbank, catalina Perez, longtime Burbank resident. Her daughter, Yesenia, who recently got married, sits on the Magnolia Park Merchants Board as our secretary. And she is just a Magnolia Park, she walks that boulevard and she um been in burbank, you wonder, 25 years I think, yeah, you know, and um, that's why you want something?
Speaker 3:yep yep. Best gardener mike's lawn service. Best general contractor go adu construction Lawn Service. Best General Contractor Go ADU Construction. Best Graphic Designer is Bravo Design, bravo bravo. Best Handyman is John Berger. Best Housekeeper Mayday Home Cleaning. Best House Painter Keith Painting. Best interior design is RM Interior Design. Best insurance agency is Tom McDonald.
Speaker 2:Tom's been in Burbank now for many, many years, a Burroughs graduate.
Speaker 1:I graduated with his brother, Mike Yep. I mean, they're real lifelong Burbank now for many, many years.
Speaker 2:A Burroughs graduate. I graduated with his brother, Mike Yep. I mean, they're real lifelong Burbank people. His office is over there on Magnolia Boulevard. Wonderful Yep.
Speaker 3:Best lactation consultant. Also, something you don't need is Brandy Jordan.
Speaker 2:I'm not going to. Yeah, I'll say quiet, skipping you.
Speaker 3:Best landscaper Alvarez Lawn and Landscape. Best local nonprofit is Home Again LA, which is well-deserved. They do so much for this community.
Speaker 2:Yeah, they are a homeless situation in Burbank. They take care of a lot of people. There are old fire stations on Buena Vista. They're going to redo that as one of their places. Oh, okay, they're working with the city on Front Street for that homeless establishment and all they really do. And Home LA is.
Speaker 3:Yeah, they have a big gala coming up. This is a great organization to support if you have the means to Best Locksmith, golden State Lock and Key.
Speaker 2:Wow, again a long-time Burbank business there on Burbank Boulevard at Hollywood Way, next to 7-Eleven. I've watched these guys work and you call them out and they're done in five minutes, I mean or less. They're just that good.
Speaker 3:Best marketing agency is crowd boost marketing, which has been kind of taking social media by storm. They've been doing seminars with the city um, just for small businesses. They're doing free seminars. It's they've been really making a big splash in the social media world. It's a father-son operation.
Speaker 2:He does a good. Like I said, I could see why they got voted.
Speaker 3:Best mechanic auto repair is Tireman's Automotive and Suspension.
Speaker 2:Wow, another long, long time burbank business. They've been on magnolia about sparks here for, yeah, ages, ages it's nice seeing all these businesses who've been around.
Speaker 3:Now, you know, getting the title of best of burbank and it shows you that they have the clientele. Yeah now we, as we get more votes, more people are voting uh. Best mortgage broker, ca finance group that's the motorcycle repair is BMW motorcycles of Burbank.
Speaker 2:You know Burbank police department. They ride all BMWs. They get their bikes repaired there and great place. They moved from Hollywood to Burbank and and they are a very good motorcycle show.
Speaker 3:Thank God they did so. Now they can be the best, that's right. Best moving company Big Dave's Moving Company.
Speaker 1:Big Dave, big Dave, big Dave.
Speaker 3:Best oil change. Greg's Tune Up.
Speaker 1:That's an interesting business. It's been there a long time and the guy, Greg, sold it probably 40 years ago. They've kept the name for 40 years and every owner just keeps that name because people know it is as great as great.
Speaker 2:And it's funny If you go by the sign, it looks like it's been there for 40 years. It's a brick.
Speaker 3:I don't want to repaint it and people get lost.
Speaker 2:I can't want to repaint it and people get lost and can't find it again. Right, right, that's over on Victory Road across from 31 Flavors, don't?
Speaker 3:ask me how.
Speaker 2:I know that.
Speaker 3:Best party rentals. Anderson's Party Rentals. I'm guessing.
Speaker 2:if you want chairs, tables, linens, that's the place to go. They do it all Tents you need to cover, you know, a parking lot or something. Yep, anderson's been around for a long time best pest management mills pest management now, do you? Do you manage those pests one at a time, or is it a whole? You know, you destroy them all, oh wow.
Speaker 1:Kill, baby kill is what we want to hear.
Speaker 3:Pet groomer. Best pet groomer is Doggy Avenue. Best pet sitter walker is Ohana and Friends Pet.
Speaker 1:City. Oh, we have more dogs up here.
Speaker 3:Dodger.
Speaker 1:Hey Dodger.
Speaker 3:Those ears perked up over there. Yeah, they did Best. Family photographer portrait. Photographer is Christy Mastrolia Photography.
Speaker 2:Great photographer. I've stood next to her and there's a couple of kids that she brings over to a couple of local restaurants and I've photographed there. She's a great photographer.
Speaker 3:Best wedding photography is Hasselblad Studios. Best plumberland plumbing, best pool services.
Speaker 2:Aqua masters, you're gonna put a name for a pool aqua. Can't you just see that aquaman swimming around your pool making sure the algae is all gone and the tiles clean? Oh, I'm sorry.
Speaker 3:Does he show up in an Aquaman suit? I wonder.
Speaker 1:I think DC Comics will probably. Or is that a Mara who knows it's DC? Yeah, okay.
Speaker 2:Here in Burbank.
Speaker 3:Best printing Burbank printing.
Speaker 1:Another long-time Burbank business, burbank boulevard right that's my go-to spot for everything it's good how they've changed over the years and as needs have changed in the world, they've they've managed to, you know, figure out how to stay in business.
Speaker 2:So well, yeah, it's a technology is changing so rapidly and their business you know. You remember when printing PIP, printing these places that had Xerox machines, you'd go in and go over.
Speaker 3:Well, and they're just so good at adapting. I feel like the pen printers where you send something over and they're like we don't know how to deal this file or this. Tina, my girl over there. I sent her all of the things and she makes it always work. She figures it out. So thank you, tina. Um, all right.
Speaker 1:Best realtor is now council member chris rizzotti oh goodness gracious, he wins that every year with us.
Speaker 2:He does win every year, you know it's funny hollywood way, magnolia you make, make the turn. I wave to Chris Yep Buena vista.
Speaker 3:Magnolia, a Taco Bell right there, yep.
Speaker 2:I turn that corner. I wave to Chris.
Speaker 1:Wow, you know what? When I was in high school, we played right field. I used to wave. Get over there a little farther. Play the gap, would you please?
Speaker 3:Well, congrats, Chris, on being a city council member and being best realtor.
Speaker 2:You win the votes twice and he's the one that is pushing to bring my Burbank on parade back.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, all right. Best religious institution media city church.
Speaker 2:That's one up on Providence, right yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, Best tailor the bride's tailor Best tech repair New world Mac.
Speaker 2:What happens if you don't have a Mac? That's a great question. Yeah.
Speaker 3:Best waiter Zach at Nico Nico.
Speaker 2:Mmm, you're getting me hungry now yeah.
Speaker 3:Sushi at 1030 at night sounds great. Web designer, best web designer Once interactive. Best talent agency RPM talent agency and, last but not least, best travel agency Travel agency of Burbank.
Speaker 1:Well, fantastic, and everybody who won, we have a prize package coming for you. We have our decal and some opportunities to promote, and I think you will enjoy that. And plus, if you want to have a digital presence too, we have a digital sticker for it, I guess sticker or decal that Ashley can send you. So we'll give you instructions how you can send an email to her and get that. So, once again, congratulations to all those winners.
Speaker 3:And the list of all the winners will be on the website for Echo. That's right, okay.
Speaker 1:Let us right. Okay, let us move on. Now we're going to move on to something that, with a lot of big words, a lot of things that I probably don't even understand, that is now the section for all yours, ashley all right for best acupuncturist ryu acupuncture arch.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I'm a little afraid of that one. Best audiologist sound advice what did you say? Huh, what, what what best cardiologist cynthia fake. Best chiropractor stit chiropractor. Best dentist palm dental studio. Best pediatric dentist is grin garden, which we're big fans of in our house. That's dr ivy over there. Sure, I don't know if you. I'm sure you haven't been there, because why would you go to a pediatric dentist?
Speaker 2:but I can pull my tooth out and say I need it it is so cute in there.
Speaker 3:It's all green, it looks like a little garden. It's just decorated, it's so cute and that's why it looks like a palm. It's like a garden, grin garden. Oh yeah, you have palm dental and grin garden. So apparently, to win, you have to name your business after a plant. Best Dermatologist, david Friedman. Best Dietitian, jerry Evans, nutrition. Best ENT Studio, ear, nose and Throat Specialist. Best General Practitioner, richard Krupp. Best Genetic Counselor, kim Childers she's over there at the Roy and Patricia Family Cancer Center. Best health life coach, karen Knapp, coaching. And best massage therapist, eric Boguslavsky.
Speaker 2:Very good, very good, you've been practicing.
Speaker 3:Oh, thank you. Very good, very good, you have been practicing. Oh, thank you, I can sound words out Very well. I've done phonics I am an English major. Yes, best mental health services, mindset counseling and psychotherapy. Best neurofeedback provider, brain potential. Best ob-gyn is carlos flores. Best oncologist, dr maurice berkowitz. Best optometrist is burbank family optometry. Best orthodontist is sil Orthodontics, which is another favorite in our home. My son just finished his two years of braces.
Speaker 1:Let me tell you braces are. I went through four years of braces and one year of junior high and three years of high school and Milton Powers, over on Providencia, is where I went and I'll tell you what that was. You get those braces tightened and that one day and you forget about you bite into that cheeseburger and you just say, oh, the chicken burger is so good, my teeth are killed. I need to scream. It's joy and pain at the same time I couldn't wear braces they.
Speaker 2:I had them on and they kept falling off and my family just said forget it fell off your teeth. Well, they kept yeah, they wouldn't hook right. And look the crack I have on my teeth.
Speaker 3:Well, you should have gone to Silva, she would have done them right.
Speaker 2:Yep.
Speaker 3:Best pediatrician Blossom Pediatrics. Best pharmacy Magnolia Pharmacy, I wonder if they're on Magnolia. I hope so, that would be weird. Best Physical Therapist BSP Physical Therapy. Best Plastic Surgeon Dr George Orloff at Skin.
Speaker 2:Matrix. You want to know a secret about Dr Orloff? He has a door out the back of his office, so if you're a celebrity and you don't want to walk out the front door, you can slip out the back door and nobody knows that you're back.
Speaker 3:Well, they probably wouldn't recognize you. Anyway, it's about the back Jack and a new face. Best podiatrist Burbank, foot and ankle. Best senior care retirement facility Savant of.
Speaker 2:Burbank West. Craig, now we know where we're going to put you. Is that where your dad was?
Speaker 1:No, that's where I need to be Any day now.
Speaker 3:Best therapist counselor is Nancy Lozano-Steckick. She's a marriage and family therapist and a friend of mine, so I'm excited that she won Best urgent care Glen Oaks urgent care which hopefully means they have very good wait times, if they have one.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's interesting there are so many urgent cares. I wonder why that's. It's got to be the wait time.
Speaker 3:Wait time, because that's the number one problem in all those places 100% and cleanliness.
Speaker 1:Always important.
Speaker 3:Best urology, best urologist I think that should be called Armin Kasabian. Best veterinarian Rainbow Veterinary Hospital. And best weight loss center is Body Revolution, la. That's it for medical.
Speaker 2:Well, you know, we did confirm. Even though it says LA, they're located here in Burbank.
Speaker 1:Congratulations to all those medical winners. Let's do the hand for you right there. We appreciate all your service to our community and most people really don't want to use you, but they need you at times and we're glad that you're all there for us. So that's it for the, for the middle section. Now we're gonna move on to so we have Ashley the Beauty, and, of course, ross and I, who are the beasts. We don't have a beast category, unfortunately, so, once again, probably not a category I have a lot of experience in, because whatever they tried to do, it just didn't work. So take it away, ashley.
Speaker 3:All right. So we have barber and barbershop, but first for best barber is Art at Art's Barbershop. Good old Art For best barbershop is Fade Factory. They have two places on Magnolia, yeah, Fade Factory 1, Fade Factory 2. That's what it says when I book them for my kids.
Speaker 1:I'll give you a quick little story. My dad was about 98, 99, about 10 years ago, and he wanted a hair cut. He said I want to get a hair cut. I go, where do you? He goes, well, how about that place? And I brought him in there. I went back in a half hour and picked him up and he gave him a fade. And he goes. What have they done to me? And he.
Speaker 3:He had no idea what a fade was and he just went there. It's like you know all of a sudden walks out with a fade.
Speaker 2:I go, dad, you look hip. Yeah, he's one of the cool kids now. You know, I drive by there all the time. There are always people in those two places always they're really, really nice in there.
Speaker 3:We've loved them. We've been going for years. Best day spa, zen Sai Spa and no night spa. I don't think those are legal oh yeah. Not in Burbank. Best esthetician is Leona Bella Skin Care, which I just went to last week and she was amazing. She's helping me with my rosacea. She helps with all the skin issues.
Speaker 1:And I want to point one thing out we all saw the votes. It wasn't just Ashley who said I'm going to have my friend win, my friend no, we all use these businesses ourselves. But I can confirm that all of us saw the voting, and this is all. We are very serious when it comes to yeah yeah, yeah, very serious, because this means a lot to the businesses, you know, and a lot to us to make sure it's done right. So I don't want people.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah, there's a lot of people here suddenly the other winners. You know, I just have a lot of friends craig, yes, you do you are. You are pretty well known in this community. There is a a lot of people on here. I don't know.
Speaker 2:And that's the thing. You know, craig, and I have been here and lived in this community for I can say 60, for me some odd years. And these businesses, quite a few of them, have been around for a long time. You get to know. You know not that I use them, but I can see.
Speaker 1:I go there and people are. It's amazing how many businesses on our list here I've never even heard of.
Speaker 3:Same.
Speaker 1:And it's great to be exposed to them.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I'm actually. That's why it took us so long looking up some of these businesses, right, because we hadn't heard of them and we wanted to make sure they were in Burbank. Still, best eyelash services is Daisy Quimby at Kismet Collective.
Speaker 2:Now wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, Eyelash.
Speaker 3:Can they do anything for me? They can maybe install some for you. They can do a tent, a lift, what do you want?
Speaker 1:I'm trying a hair club for men too, Wow.
Speaker 3:Best eyebrow services.
Speaker 2:Now we're talking about eyebrows.
Speaker 3:Those are two different areas, that's different. You got lamination, tinting, lots of things.
Speaker 2:Can they do any threading on the back of my head so people don't know if I'm coming or going?
Speaker 3:Yeah, that is Nora Threading Salon. Best Hair Salon is Crimson. I think they just celebrated their 20th anniversary here in Burbank Congratulations. And Best Hairstylist is the owner of crimson, amanda rotano, congratulations. Best laser hair removal skin boulevard. La best nail salon sage nail studio. Best makeup artist is amy sparks. Her husband one handyman. Sage Nail Studio. Best Makeup Artist is Amy Sparks. Her husband won Handyman oh fantastic.
Speaker 1:That's a talented family. Yeah, they can fix your house and put makeup on you at the same time, or if they have any kids, they could go up in the big shoes there, you know.
Speaker 3:Yeah, well, they win.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Best Permanent Makeup Artist is Bella Browse. Yeah, what will they win? Yeah, uh, best permanent makeup artist is bella brows.
Speaker 2:Best spray tan is tan lines I'm not showing you mine, thank you best tanning studio is media city sun and best waxing the wax studio.
Speaker 1:And that's it for beauty and Best Waxing, the Wax Studio. And that's it for beauty. Well, once again, let's give everybody a nice hand. You won in that category. Ross and I have a lot of experience with some of those businesses, but I know you're familiar with them. But that's. What's great about this is that we all have our different areas, so you will be getting your package pretty soon with your winning stuff in it. So please look in the mail. We'll be mailing it out, probably in a week or so. If you're listening to this podcast late, then you've already gotten it.
Speaker 3:So anyhow, It'll be a surprise in the mail.
Speaker 2:You guys know the next section is probably my favorite.
Speaker 1:Yes, and I'm a British royal professional at it. So, without further ado, let's dig into this. All right, let's take a bite Best bagel, bagel Boss. Wow, that's interesting. There's every kind of a new business in Burbank and a lot of good bagel places, but it's a very nice, attractive place to go to. It's clean and bright and everything.
Speaker 3:Yeah, you can find it from the mural outside the wall.
Speaker 2:And you know I've gone in there quite a bit. I love their box bagel and cream cheese, but at the end of the day when they have extra bagels they give them to local elementary kids Different schools, not elementary but you can arrange for them, you know, so they don't go to waste for one. But they're also, like you say, a new business. Great to see them. Yeah. Really right there in Magnolia. I'm excited to try them. Tony's Bellavista used to be.
Speaker 3:Yeah, best bakery is the famous Porto's Bakery. Oh really, that thing is popular. I thought there was a line.
Speaker 2:Oh man, you know, I've knownty porto for many years. And uh, she's taking me in her kitchen and stuff out of the oven that is still hot. Are those little fruit tarts? Oh my gosh, everything they are. She's showing me their notebooks. Everything that goes out of there has to be exactly perfect it is very consistent.
Speaker 3:You think about it. I didn't even think about that very very, and she, uh great pr person.
Speaker 2:She sits on the magnolia park board. They're very, very um, you know, when you go to a city function, you see those betty, are those, uh, photo boxes?
Speaker 3:yeah, everyone's excited. They're like potato balls.
Speaker 1:And if you like to use the DoorDash or Uber, those things, there's always a group of four or five or six guys across the street watching their phones. As soon as you make an order, they run right in there and get it for you, so you don't have to wait too long to get your order, you know they're going to be in the new airport.
Speaker 2:Our replacement airport terminal, yep Porto's, has been invited to as one of the commissaries in there.
Speaker 3:They can get it right on your way out of the city or back in your way. Best banquet center is Arbat Banquet Hall. Best bar and grill Story Tavern.
Speaker 2:Great place up there, san fernando road. They people go in there. They have a lot of history. Um, they're they're hooked in with the uh burbank historical society and uh, I remember when they opened that used to be story tavern, the first hardware store in bura a lot of people didn't know that, and they also are very um to our police and fire department. They do events, uh, to honor them and so forth, and they have a lot of gluten-free food in there too oh nice.
Speaker 3:And they have a new cider place next door too. That's right. Best barbecue wood Barbecue. Oh, you're getting me hungry. Best Boba. It's Boba time.
Speaker 1:Okay, well, I think we talked last year About Boba, didn't we?
Speaker 3:We did. You were supposed to go try it.
Speaker 1:You know what I didn't?
Speaker 3:Do you know what a Boba is? I don't know. I beg your pardon.
Speaker 1:I don't know what a Boba is and you know what I do. Really want to try it.
Speaker 3:We're going to have to bring you one. You're going to have to Uber Eats one. There you go. Best bread, random acts of breadness. Best breakfast the Great Grill.
Speaker 1:I was surprised on that one. I thought you know they must have a good following. You know we remember when they used to have them all around the city. I used to love the one at Edison in Burbank. They had the old car wash on Glen Oaks and Orange Grove.
Speaker 2:One by Glendale College. I didn't know there was so many.
Speaker 1:Yeah, there's another one on.
Speaker 2:Burbank Boulevard yeah, the one on Burbank by the other car wash, magnolia car wash. There's another one on Burbank Boulevard. It's always green, yeah. Then one on Burbank, yeah, by the other car wash, magnolia Car Wash. Yeah, but again great breakfast place. People don't know. Yeah, you can get your eggs anywhere you want.
Speaker 3:Well, now people will go there. Best breakfast burrito is Larry's Chili Dogs.
Speaker 2:I gotta say you know Larry's breakfast burrito is Larry's chili dogs. I gotta say you know Larry's breakfast burrito, if you have a dietary restriction you tell John, he'll make your burrito. And the other thing, people don't know if you like your breakfast burrito, instead of with hash browns you'll put tater tots in.
Speaker 2:Oh, it's like a hidden menu. Oh yeah, but people know that one and my son works in the industry and um a couple of big shows, and he'll call john at five in the morning, say, john, I need 35 breakfast burritos. John will have them ready for him 6, 30 and they're still hot. They put them in a you know, warming crate, matt him to work and he is the best-known boss on that job, I mean, and John is a great guy.
Speaker 1:I've heard people say they wait in line and he sees them in line and starts making their order, but he doesn't order it.
Speaker 3:That's wonderful, all right. Best brewery is Brews Brothers. Best brunch is BB's, not Best brunch is Bebe's. Not to be confused with Bebe, I was going to say not for you.
Speaker 1:Bebe Cafe Bebe's on Pass Avenue in the Vons parking lot B-E-A, B-E-A. Not the one at Burbank and Buena Vista Both delicious brunch spots the old convoys.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yes, and Bebe's breakfast here on used to be a 76 station for you old folks, and now next to Handel's Ice Cream oh, that's right, which is opening this week, sweet yeah.
Speaker 3:All right, best buffet is Smokehouse.
Speaker 2:I tell you I have eaten there. This buffet, it is a block long.
Speaker 1:It's a little pricey, but you do get top quality food.
Speaker 2:You get prime rib. You can get everything Eggs benedict, French toast, anything you can imagine almost.
Speaker 3:Do they put the garlic bread?
Speaker 1:in there. Oh, yeah, they do, they do, and the chefs are right there making everything too, at the table.
Speaker 3:That's amazing. All right, best burger is Smashburger.
Speaker 1:Cheeseburger, cheeseburger, cheeseburger. Can't resist that. They won our best Smashburger on our video also.
Speaker 3:Oh, okay.
Speaker 1:We did five different places and won videos with different categories, but I was amazed how good that Smash were and they're very friendly there. So, yeah, and you know what, they're open like 10 or 11 o'clock at night so you can go there later at night and when the parking's a little better then you get in there. Where are they? They're on Olive, just between Orange Grove and they're on San Fernando, between Olive, between Orange Grove and San Fernando, between Olive and Orange Grove On the east side.
Speaker 3:Best cake is Martino's Bakery.
Speaker 1:You have your cake and you eat it too. Huh.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I remember Martino's, when they were on Magnolia Boulevard where UME Bank Credit Union is now, and those windows on the corner I think that's Florence and Naomi, one of those streets and you can watch those ladies making those sheet cakes, each rose, each dollop, each carnation. There were ladies there doing a mid-smile.
Speaker 1:I actually remember when they were at Alameda and Maine and I went to Stevenson we did a field trip and walked the entire bakery one time.
Speaker 3:Oh, wow.
Speaker 2:Best tea cakes around, oh yeah.
Speaker 3:It's like Porto's with the Martino's box and you're like, oh please, I want to be tea cakes. Best catering is Wild Carvery. Best chili is Chili John's.
Speaker 2:They're at Keystone and Burbank Boulevard and they just opened a tapestry room right next door. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Now, what is a tapestry room?
Speaker 3:I think they're serving alcohol there. Yeah, tapro.
Speaker 2:Oh, okay, different flavors, beer and stuff, yeah, and he also has some. I know he was working on little plates of food you know, like brisket, yep, exactly Little that you can have with your beer, and so forth. Yeah, longest Burbank business, they were the Army Corps of Engineers. It was the first business. That's who built that building. Yeah, iconic building 1940, 1940 something.
Speaker 3:Best Chinese cuisine is Western wok.
Speaker 2:Oh so.
Speaker 3:Best coffee shop and there are a lot of them in Burbank is Three Sisters Coffee. Wow of them in Burbank is Three Sisters Coffee.
Speaker 1:Wow, that's a hard category to win.
Speaker 3:There is a line out their door on the weekends and she does pop-up shops in there. They have hair tinsel, they make charm necklaces, they got booksellers. She's really big in the community and it's a family operation.
Speaker 2:That's what's nice. Her daughters work there. I know a car driven through their front and people had to go through the back yeah, to get in. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah they were. They're busy all the time like yeah, super popular best cocktail bar is the broken compass they're on burbank, have you? Been in there not, since they've remodeled it.
Speaker 3:It's like a whole other world. It's like you can't believe that it's Burbank. It's so cool inside, yeah, their whole bar is like a pirate ship and their whole ceiling is like a pirate map. It's really cool. They set cocktails on fire. What, yeah, so cool?
Speaker 2:We went in there they used to be, for they have specialty items on their menu and every so on. Yeah, very, very, I could see why they got the bloated.
Speaker 3:Yes, really really cool place. Best cookie business is Crumble, which is right across the street from.
Speaker 2:Gordo's and there's a power box there for that. You know that is decorated, sponsored my burbans.
Speaker 3:That's right, there we go how did I not know that?
Speaker 2:yeah, there's a background of the house. Is we in my burbank?
Speaker 1:we we donated the funding for that to the city news to me we give, give back. That's exciting. I didn't know that. You know, what we just take. We give back too.
Speaker 3:Best deli sandwich is Submarine King.
Speaker 1:Oh, submarine King. He's at Sun. Sun is the owner and I go in there usually every Saturday and let me tell you about Submarine King. Yeah, they have the standard submarines but they have a Korean sandwich, korean, he does. King, yeah, they have the standard seven rates, but they have a korean sandwich, which is, uh, he does. He'll do a roast beef once in a while. He does a pastrami. You know different times of year as specials and they're amazing. And here's the thing that, the thing that I love about it the bread, yeah, and I asked him one time yeah, it's his recipe and he hasn't somebody make it for him, but the bread is so soft and fresh I have never, never been there, I'm so excited to try it.
Speaker 1:I'll give you a little trivia for everybody. He's into little cartoon characters and stuff. The whole shop is located with all kinds of little Wow.
Speaker 3:What's the look like when you get in there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, what a friendly guy too, that's at Victory.
Speaker 2:and Olive, right next to 7-Eleven yes, guy too, and that's at the victory. And all of right next to 7-eleven yes, and been there for ages and he has some straight.
Speaker 1:Uh, the hours are kind of limited yeah, I know, instead I don't go inside. He closes at three on saturdays and I was up there kind of rushing it over there to get that, that saturday sandwich. But that korean barbecue uh sandwich is just. Oh, can you? Yeah, you're in the city and I going to really try Absolutely All right, best dessert shop is Choco Fabberries.
Speaker 3:Did you say that again? For me, choco Fabberries, it's like cups with strawberries covered in chocolate. And where is?
Speaker 1:that that's in the mall. Okay, walking is not my forte.
Speaker 3:Best donut shop is Dad's Donuts.
Speaker 2:Been there at Victory and Buena Vista for years and a lot of people. You can go in there at four in the morning and get hot donuts that are just cooked and they're just like wow.
Speaker 3:You know donuts are my favorite dessert. I would pick that over anything, Really.
Speaker 1:Good place. Oh man, I would love to hear that.
Speaker 2:That's an inside joke, you're right.
Speaker 3:Best frozen yogurt is Menchie's. Best gluten-free is Wild Carvery. Best happy hour is Inkwell Tavern.
Speaker 2:Huh, a lot of people don't know. Inkwell Tavern is San Fernando, over by Alameda Mm-hmm, and they have a chef in there that does wonders and they also, I guess, play some live music in there.
Speaker 3:They do Monday night karaoke too.
Speaker 1:Oh is that what it is? Do we know what kind of food they serve in their happy hour and all that? I do not know.
Speaker 2:Oh.
Speaker 3:We'll have to try it. Yes, oh, and best hot dog is back to chili dog, larry's chili dog.
Speaker 1:Larry's chili dog, of course. I wonder how that happened, Boy. I'll tell you what. You go have a Larry's chili dog and that chili is smooth. That hot dog pops snaps, yeah, it pops, you bite it right into it. Pops and you can bite into it. Oh my goodness.
Speaker 2:I had a chilly dog tonight thinking of Larry's at bat, but I tried to make my own.
Speaker 1:I wish he could be open later at night. I really do, because he closes, let's get around 3 o'clock every day. He only works 10 hours a day. He gets up so early, but it'd be a great night spot to go to.
Speaker 2:Well-deserved uh. Hot dog joint yes all right. Best kid-friendly restaurant is tequila's burbank, oh, which I love to take my kids to that's funny because I have taken my granddaughters there more than once and I can tell you my youngest, nora, has to have um, oh, uh. You know what's she? Oh, the other one likes chicken nuggets. But she made a recommendation to the owner for kids they should make mini chicken tacos.
Speaker 3:Oh cute.
Speaker 2:And I think they're going to try to make them for kids.
Speaker 3:You know, Patricia is another one of those businesses where she's so invested in the community. She gives back constantly fundraisers to organizations.
Speaker 1:Yeah, she's got a nice pattyware on the back too. Yeah, it's a great place to eat.
Speaker 2:In fact, I noticed our new chief of loans there today has a big swearing in with 300 people. Family went to Tequila's. I said that I texted Patricia and she said what an honor.
Speaker 3:It's a place to go with your family. Yep, all right. Best ice cream is Sliders.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, he does a good job in there, doesn't he?
Speaker 1:That's a place where you go to Larry's, you have the chili and you really get it. He's walking next door and there you go for Sliders.
Speaker 3:Yep, chili, and yeah, you really get it. I think he's walking next door and they're here for sliders, yep, but he makes custom ice cream, uh, with uh people. I remember he made, yeah, natalie and justin. They made their little anniversary ice cream. It was very sweet, but it's family-owned.
Speaker 2:It was sweet both ways, yeah but uh, josh is, uh again a a great entrepreneur in that shop. He just really makes custom flavors. And his wife those cookies, his little tiny pies, yeah, yummy, we're getting hungry.
Speaker 3:We're going to get to this food category. All right. Best Italian cuisine is Ma's Italian Kitchen Right here on Pass Avenue next to Vaughn's.
Speaker 2:Very, very. I've been hearing a lot about that. We're going there, All right. Best Italian cuisine is Ma's Italian Kitchen Right here on Pass Avenue next to Vaughn's.
Speaker 3:Very, very. I've been hearing a lot about that. We're going there. All right, let's do it. Best Indian cuisine is Flavor of India.
Speaker 2:Now, is that Flavor of India? Is that which one? Because I know there was one on Burbank Boulevard is Florence, you're not sure where I don't know.
Speaker 3:I just always Grove Hub at my house. I've never gone in. It's so good though. Best Japanese cuisine Gyukaku Japanese barbecue. Can you say that one? Maybe they didn't say that one. Right, I didn't practice that one. You say that.
Speaker 2:Forget it. Yeah, can we go to Japanese barbecue?
Speaker 3:Gyukaku Japanese barbecue Like that, maybe, I don't know, all right Juice shop.
Speaker 2:Bone juice. You know that's great to see that people voted for bone juice Brand new business. Yeah, I hear you. Who's gone in there?
Speaker 3:I just tried them at the Merchants Association mix, so that was my first time I ordered bone juice. It's next to Romancing the Bean on.
Speaker 2:Magnolia Played people in there.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:A guy makes his own and it's just nice to see a new business. Yeah, like that farming.
Speaker 3:Yeah, already making a splash Yep. Yeah, like that farming. Yeah, already making a splash, yep.
Speaker 2:Literally Best late night restaurant is Bob's Big. Boy oh here we're getting hungry. Yeah, you know, I saw today somebody posted somewhere chili spaghetti. Oh, yes, oh, it is delicious there. You can't. You know, bob's a big boy.
Speaker 1:Our combination is Well, that was our best corporate burger. Interesting side note you can't do Uber or any food delivery from Bob's. They don't want it because they were too busy. Yeah. They were already too busy, like how could you not want more business? But that's how busy they really are, yeah.
Speaker 2:But now let's tell the truth. Did the Beatles happen?
Speaker 1:to this. Oh, the Beatles were there. Al Pacino's been in there and Drew Carey's I mean you can David Lynch, who just recently passed away from Twin Peaks, that's right.
Speaker 2:And there was a memorial outside. Yeah, and you know who has a picture there Mike Rousseffo. Thank you very much. Great Now, Mike. He owes us for that.
Speaker 3:All right, Best Latin cuisine is La Bamba. Best Mexican cuisine Los Amigos Bar and Grill.
Speaker 2:Over there on Olive.
Speaker 3:That's a lot of new winners this year. Yeah, best Middle Eastern cuisine is soda.
Speaker 2:Oh, they all eat also.
Speaker 3:Best omelet, Eaton Park.
Speaker 2:Now I got a question. You've gone there.
Speaker 3:I think I just had their omelet a couple months ago.
Speaker 2:By yourself.
Speaker 3:No, it's the size of a country. It's huge, it's giant. It's huge, it's giant.
Speaker 2:It's amazing I have every time I go to you I don't know how many eggs they use for that one omelet. And it's I mean well that was huge.
Speaker 1:And then, for you trivia fans, there used to be an A&W root beer.
Speaker 3:Yeah, they told me that when I was there.
Speaker 1:It was really cool. Should I give the real quick one there?
Speaker 2:go ahead, yeah, you gotta do it for many years a burbank police officer used to check off at eaton park check out me. He used to stop for where he would go for lunch or dinner or whatever eaton park and ask him where are you eaton park? Well, burbank has a street, eaton drive. I drove up and down eaton drive looking for a park and there's no park on eaton drive. So if one day I ask this officer, Frank Roth, who has now passed away like where in the hell is Eaton Park? He said like they're a part of Estonetree. I felt like such eat and park, Eat and park. There's no park on Eaton Drive in Burbank, All right.
Speaker 3:Best outdoor dining is Castaway Good view, great view of the city, and you pay for it. Yep Pet-friendly restaurant. Best pet-friendly is Morrison.
Speaker 2:They have water down and treats oh, that's sweet.
Speaker 3:Best pizza the Slice House.
Speaker 2:Well, that's one of our advertisers now. Pizza the Slice House Well, that's one of our advertisers now. I'm told they're a lunch special and it's right there along the flash for medium seat, but their pizzas they have the different types Chicago, new York, sicilian, and all that. You can get one slice and get the whole thing.
Speaker 3:This is a hard category, just like coffee, because there is a lot of pizza shops.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean absolutely.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so congratulations to slice out Best pokey, all about pokey. Have you had pokey? No?
Speaker 1:I had pokey either we're bringing you pokey and boba. The only pokey I know of is Gumby's pokey, Gumby's partner.
Speaker 3:Punky the Little Pony, we're going to go out for pokey. Yes, we will Best ramen, silver Lake Ramen. Best romantic restaurant is Urban Press Winery Right, which is a really beautiful place.
Speaker 2:You know it's tiny, it's what? 20 feet wide, I mean, I can hardly do it.
Speaker 3:Have you been to the? Outdoor patio upstairs yeah, then it opens up now for long-time burbank people.
Speaker 2:That used to be a magazine shop, yeah, newspaper shop. That was just tiny for years and then now it's the the guy that owns it makes wine. And I remember when he, you know, literally right, right there- yeah, delicious.
Speaker 3:Best seafood, the boiling crab. Best smoothie is Base Camp.
Speaker 2:Really Now, a lot of people you say Base Camp over there at the American Revolution we actually won our best burger.
Speaker 1:The best burger, that was how do you say it? It was a cheap burger, okay, affordable, a really good quality burger for a cheap price, more bang for your buck? Oh, absolutely, and the people are very friendly, it's a cute little spot too. It really is.
Speaker 3:You can watch the horses walk by, yeah and there's outside seating and everything. Yeah, best soup is Coral Cafe, best sports bar is Champs.
Speaker 2:Boy.
Speaker 1:They've been on Burbank Boulevard for ooh 40, 35, I think, I think, I think John Taff did a bar rescue in there one time. He did, you're right.
Speaker 3:They're pretty popular. I walk by them all the time. There's karaoke. They have pool championships.
Speaker 1:Well, I will say this their food used to suck. It really did, and I was there recently, maybe six months ago, and it was really good, oh yeah, really good. So they've really stepped up their game.
Speaker 3:Well, that's why they're winning Best Sports Bar. And then we have another winner for Smokehouse it's Best Steakhouse.
Speaker 1:Prime Rib of the Smokehouse. Yeah, boy, prime Rib and Garlic Bread of the Smokehouse. It is nothing, you're in heaven, yeah.
Speaker 2:But you know, besides, you know Ste steakhouse, the shrimp scampi I've had in there, they have a, a seafood trio. You have a ton of stuff and it's all so good and you don't know what celebrity you're going to run into.
Speaker 1:I'll give you a little celebrity trivia here. When they used to shoot ER at Warner brothers, um, george Clooney used to go over to smoke house all the time. And now you look, and now he's become a huge producer of everything else, and when he produces something, it's called Smokehouse Productions.
Speaker 3:Oh, I didn't know that, Fun fact. Alright, best sushi spot is Nico Nico oh okay, that's up on San Fernando, yeah.
Speaker 2:San Fernando, cornell. The old Cornell Theater. The old Cornell Theater. Yeah, that's where I was a long time.
Speaker 1:We went there one time with Coach Bob Hart and I had a great, I think we ordered every sushi on the menu.
Speaker 2:Yes, I mean you could. Well, you almost had to be carried out $350 later. Wow, so we, the three of us. And it was delicious, I mean, not just California roll. Yeah, we got real salmon. Yeah, well, there we go.
Speaker 3:Just gotta do boba now. I try things. Yeah, I don't try. Okay, alright, best tacos is Guasados. Oh, best Thai cuisine, my little home Thai kitchen.
Speaker 1:Now have you? You know you've been there. I have not that right. There is a great little place. It's on Holloway, just above Clark and I went there one time. We did a review there and I went with our Lisa who was doing our review. It was really good view. It was really good. It was really good, so pretty well known. You drive by there it's a family. It's a family. You know she's in there cooking and, uh, they're, all you know, waiting on the tables and it looks like a little house.
Speaker 1:Is that why it's?
Speaker 3:called little. Yes, it's a burbank business. Great thing best vegetarian vegan food is tony's darts away now?
Speaker 1:are they only a vegan place, or is that they have other? Things yeah I actually today went to a vegan place and I tried coconut soup. I'd never had coconut soup before and it was absolutely amazing in a try. Amazing, no, I I amazing, absolutely amazing. I can't even open the can. Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 3:Alright, and then, last but not least, best Winery is also Urban Press Winery.
Speaker 2:We don't have too many wineries in town.
Speaker 3:We do not.
Speaker 1:Nope. Well, let's give everybody a round of applause here and to all the businesses out there who won in our food category. Very huge competition, yeah, because while some of us don't always use all the you know, the beauty spot and things like that, we all eat. So congratulations to every business out there who won in our food category. You'll get your sticker soon and, uh, please put that on your window, because people will say, oh, okay, that means something. It is, it really does. It's neat to see all those stickers on windows after the contest every year.
Speaker 3:Okay, All right, this is a short category.
Speaker 1:And, of course, the category is Ashley, take it away.
Speaker 3:All right Adult amusement. Best adult amusement is Fantasia Billiards.
Speaker 1:So let's explain this category. I'm glad you are going to.
Speaker 3:It's for things like billiards, darts, things that you would have fun. It's an amusement Like there's kids amusement centers, right? What else would you call it? We should probably change the name of that category.
Speaker 2:And it has been there up on San Fernando for many years. It's a cool spot. When's the last time you played pool?
Speaker 3:It was there, oh, and it was probably last summer.
Speaker 1:I know what you did last summer.
Speaker 3:Yep, I played pool. Best Art Gallery is Betsy Liu Creative Arts Center. That's a Burbank event as the downtown Burbank Cultural Market, which is every Friday, saturday, sunday.
Speaker 1:I started by Ramek.
Speaker 2:No, no, Ramek, actually he has this beer head. He was a fund they bring in. They make a donation to Home LA, all those vendors, that's one of the things. And it started off one day a week, Friday night. Yeah, Now it's going to the three and they make a healthy donation to Home LA every week. And Ramak was telling me Economic Development did a report over a million people in a year.
Speaker 3:Go in that area. Yeah yeah, that's a high, a high traffic area for sure.
Speaker 2:So it's really becoming. That's where Slice House is, that's where Boiling Crab is.
Speaker 1:Amc Theater and then soon, my Burbank Merchandise Department might be out there too.
Speaker 3:Alright, Best Children's Indoor Playground. This is a new business called Castle and Crown. Oh, so cute, Super cute. I really wish I had littles and I wish I had a little girl. And where's that? It's on Burbank, yeah.
Speaker 2:Right next to Tilly Jones. Oh, okay, and they are. It's a new business. I remember doing their opening. If you have young kids, they have different rooms and you can do parties. They're doing nice.
Speaker 3:Like a frozen ice castle, a cottage and a, a carriage and so many kids for the spaces for the kids to play in super cute yep. Very different than like the normal indoor playground with the ball pissed up like this is very different very curated to see a new business like that.
Speaker 2:She has a very big following. She's up on social media in quite a bit, but it's nice to see that there's a lot of young families in this community. That shows you right there. They voted for.
Speaker 3:Yeah, that's really a great space. All right, best event Entertainment is mad cat balloons. There is not a Burbank event that this company is at there. That was there.
Speaker 2:They did the balloons of my reunion that I they are at uh holiday in the park.
Speaker 3:They are great people, great people all right best hotel you can go see harvey over at hotel amarado there you go.
Speaker 1:It's kind of a hidden secret in burbank. Yes, it is best live theater.
Speaker 3:I'm a little biased, but this is is the Colony Theater my favorite place, my other work.
Speaker 1:I'm going to say this it went through some. There were some problems where just about lost their yeah, the lease, all those things with the city. The community really came behind them and ever since that got worked out, it's been a bustle of activity there. Play after play after play yeah, it worked out. It's been a bustle of activity there. Play after play after play yeah. It just seems like it's very busy and very, very neat.
Speaker 2:Always something happening, you know they have a really good PR person I understand that Really knows how to.
Speaker 1:No, I'm really happy to see that it's not only you know. Come back, really come back strong.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I'm going to plug just really quickly. We have only, you know, come back, really, come back strong. Yeah, I'm gonna plug just really quickly. We have the wedding singer, the musical comedy, coming up june 5th to 29th okay hilarious, great cast. Gotta come out and see right here they are co-sponsoring.
Speaker 2:Yeah, food truck friday night this coming, uh, may 30th, may 30th, and I hear they're gonna be the theme and there's going to be a stagels and yep sing it and do an 80s theme to kick off the wedding singer.
Speaker 3:We're all about the 80s where we're partnering with yumi credit union, their 80s anniversary.
Speaker 2:It's all about the 80s this year, so you know and with we have to say to the colony theater, they just lost. We lost the founder, barbara bethley, who, who pushed, brought it over from Silverlight and I remember many years ago where they wanted to put it. There was a museum in there and there was a whole mess of other stuff. She really just passed away and I know she's smiling down looking at every performance. Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 3:Best museum is the Mystic Museum, which is a really cool spot with rotating exhibits. Best place to take kids is Round One Bowling. That's a kids amusement.
Speaker 1:Okay, we're an adult amusement course.
Speaker 3:Well, I mean, I go there for date nights. Oh, okay, arcade, I love the arcade. Best place to see live music is Inkwell Tavern. And that is the end of our entertainment category.
Speaker 1:Oh, okay, well, fantastic, let's give everybody a hand, one money in that category. Entertainment's important. We are the media capital of the world here in Burbank, of course. So check your mail. Soon We'll have the certificates out to you and the stickers, and once again you can have an electronic one, and it'll be instructions on how you can get the electronic one also. So please, you know, watch out for that envelope. It's a big old 8x12 envelope or something, or an 8.5x11 envelope coming, so you'll You'll get a nice award certificate in there so yes, absolutely.
Speaker 1:And then please post the stickers and certificates on your walls. People love to see that stuff. So now we move on to something. Once again, it's a very, very competitive, and of course, that is so. Lots of stores, lots of different kinds of stores. Ashley, let's start running them down.
Speaker 3:Okay, and we have a lot of new winners in these categories too, which is exciting. So Best Antiques is the Blue Pig.
Speaker 2:And our friend who passed away, stan Lich. He used to go into this place all the time. Loved the Blue Pig Was very good friends with the owner.
Speaker 1:Where is the Blue Pig On Magnolia? Okay About Brighton. Okay, fantastic.
Speaker 3:All right. Best auto parts AutoZone, Best bath and body is Phoebe Peacock. You can make custom perfumes there.
Speaker 1:You can. I don't know what to do with that but Give them as a gift Again a long time Magnolia Park merchant yeah.
Speaker 3:Started as Clean Spa inside of Mindfulness. Right Then she got her own shop across the street on Magnolia. Yeah, we had the same birthday. Oh really, yeah, fun fact. Best beauty supply Namy's Beauty Supply. Best bridal shop is David's Bridal. Best bookstore is Barnes and Noble.
Speaker 1:Best car dealership is Community Chevrolet and good for them, because they do a lot for the community also. They're always, you know, doing hosting things and out there in the community and so yeah, part of the chamber.
Speaker 2:Yep, bob Green over there, one of their sales managers and I've known Bob for a long time. Burbank PD has ordered 10 new tacos through Community Chevrolet. He's getting them all fitted and everything and it's kind of cool that Burbank PD is using instead of. You know they go out for a bid and they can buy them from wherever they're going right to keep the tax money in Burbank You're getting cars there and then they're getting their motorcycles repaired here in Burbank.
Speaker 2:That's right, You're getting cars there, and then they're getting their motorcycles repaired here in Burbank.
Speaker 3:Our best CBD store is your CBD store Yours, not mine, yours. Oh. Best collectibles Burbank, house of Hobbies. Best comic books. Emerald Nights Best dancewear is Front and Center Stage.
Speaker 2:You know, I have not used them yet.
Speaker 3:I hope not. I want to see you at a 2-2.
Speaker 1:Or a 3-3.
Speaker 3:Best discount store is Dollar King. Best ethnic food store is Monte Carlo.
Speaker 2:Oh, gotta go in there and get breadsticks.
Speaker 3:Best furniture store is West Elm.
Speaker 2:West Elm. Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 3:That's an empire center.
Speaker 2:Yes, well, it's not near Elm.
Speaker 1:Oh, okay, I've never heard of it, so I was kind of wondering where.
Speaker 3:I feel like it's fairly new and that's in the last couple years.
Speaker 2:Okay, he hadn't bought furniture in the last couple years, I'm sorry to say. Well, that's.
Speaker 3:Best Games is Geeky Tees and Games.
Speaker 2:And now they've moved. They used to be on Magnolia, yeah, now they're over. Where next to AAA?
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Over there on l have you been inside? No, but I hear they have.
Speaker 3:It's like a maze, like halls of rooms, and every room is decorated and designed like a theme, like a wizard room and a like a fairy room. It is the coolest thing ever and you go and then you play games in these school rooms wow. Wow, super neat. Actually, I went there yesterday to buy sparkly pink dice.
Speaker 1:Of course, every time I think of sparkly pink dice.
Speaker 2:It's Now. Here's one. Do you know where the AAA building is? Yeah, Do you know what that was? Originally? No, A Vaughn's Market. And you know what you do. You sat in the parking lot and picked up theater. Drive-in was across the street. Oh wow, so you could see the street. That's really cool For us old folks.
Speaker 3:Yes, Love it. Best gift store is Bell Cottage.
Speaker 2:And it's so nice to see that they have real doors back.
Speaker 3:I know the car went through their window. They're building us back together again.
Speaker 1:There's a community here together, some GoFundMe stuff.
Speaker 2:Yeah, help keep them moving and people. I was in there last week to talk to the owner, teresa Hanna, and her husband David. You want Burbank gifts, burbank cards, burbank coffee cups. A lot of people don't understand. You get them there.
Speaker 3:Yeah, they do. Kids onesies, magnets, stickers, ornaments yeah, all sorts of stuff.
Speaker 2:Former board. Member of the Magnolia Park. Merchant Sounder. That's right. Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 3:Best guns and ammo is Gun World. Best hardware home improvement is DIY Center.
Speaker 2:And I got to just mention. Can you go into DIY and do it yourself center and not pet a cat or look at smile when you see a cat? Yeah, I used to work there when it was a lumber city many, many years ago. I learned so much in the hardware business and so forth. In that store there's everything they will figure it out. It's a Johnny, you know they'll fix and have it all.
Speaker 3:Best hobby store is LA sports cart. Best home decor is hobby lobby. Best jewelry is Burbank Jewelry Outlet. Best kids clothing is wear it once, wear it twice.
Speaker 2:You can't wear it a third time.
Speaker 1:No, Now is that like a second-hand?
Speaker 3:store? Yes, it is. Yeah, it's only kids.
Speaker 2:People don't realize. I just heard from our recycle center who is freely pushing the second hand stores you think about, you know the tariffs and everything else that are going on. Instead of putting stuff in the landfill or throwing it away, buy something that has been used, you're, you know it's, it's.
Speaker 3:Burbank has a ton of thrift stores it does Alright. Best liquor store is Fancy Free Liquor. It's not free, but it's super fancy and super fun.
Speaker 2:Yeah, don't they also didn't we do a story once on?
Speaker 3:We had a podcast with Natasha here. Yeah, they do amazing, like cocktail kits to bring home Super cute spot. Best men's clothing is New Star. Best natural health food store is Sprouts. Best nursery garden is Tansy.
Speaker 2:Boy, I'm glad to see all our Tansy's. The owner's daughter, Ellis, it's on our Magnolia Park Merchants Association. Now there is another story. You go in there and you'll be blown away.
Speaker 3:You just want to be in there and live in there your whole life. You haven't been to Tansy, I'm sure. No, I have not been to Tansy. That needs to be on top of your list as well. Is that a boba? Maybe even more?
Speaker 2:It's so magical in there. When one of our writers, devin Horinda, was with us, she did many stories over there and I remember covering them and did you have an outside patio? They have room inside. They have a little coffee hut there.
Speaker 1:I think they use our calendar section a lot too.
Speaker 3:They do a lot of stuff going on there. Yeah, they do Great spot. Uh, best oddities is bearded lady vintage. Best party supply is urban party supply. Best pet supply is sentinella. Best record store is atomic records. Best shoes is shoe palace gear. Best sporting goods is big five. Best technology store is lapc networking. Best thrift store, which we know there is a lot of, is Chance Vintage. Next to Porto's. Best Tires is American Tire Depot. Best Toy Store is Blast from the Past. Best Vintage Clothing is Playclothes and a Pass.
Speaker 1:Street from one another. That's another child's thing. No, it's. All vintage clothing is play clothes that are passed through from one another. That's another child's thing. No, it's.
Speaker 3:No, it's all vintage clothing from like 40s, 50s, I think even earlier, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s.
Speaker 2:This is play clothing kids.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And have been in Burbank for ages.
Speaker 3:Yeah, iconic window where all the mannequins are crossed, always changing outfits. And, last but not least, best women's clothing store is Audrey Kay.
Speaker 2:Wow, again a long long time for my business.
Speaker 1:Well, once again, we're going to give a round of applause to all those viewers. Really good to have you join our MyBurysBest community, really good to have you join our MyBurgsBest community. And coming up in a second is our next category and our last category. Yes, and a lot of new names. Once again, ashley, take it over.
Speaker 3:Okay, best Adult Art Classes is Burbank Parks and Rec.
Speaker 2:That's kind of cool. You know they offer so much. They put out this booklet and I go through it every so long. I'll give you clay you can do dress you can do everything. It's really cool that Burbank Parks and Rec what they offer, I agree.
Speaker 3:Best art classes for kids is the Animation Academy. No, what are they? I've never. I think they used to be on Hollywood Way, but I thought they no. But I think they do animation classes for all ages too.
Speaker 2:Oh.
Speaker 1:Craig, we have a feature, there we go.
Speaker 3:Best acting school, which there is also quite a lot of acting schools in Burbank.
Speaker 1:You think Are they studios together?
Speaker 3:It's Brian Cutler Actors Studio. Best boot camp is Hardcore Fitness. You know, I did the Fit Guide last year and I toured a lot of places and I went to this place and it was pretty hardcore. It was pretty cool. They have a really cool mural of like the Rock and somebody else in it. It's like three characters, but it's a great spot.
Speaker 1:People love that stuff.
Speaker 3:Yeah, best Boxing Gym is Defiant Gym. Yeah, best boxing gym is Defiant Gym. Best community Facebook group is Magnolia Park Mamas.
Speaker 2:You know, I've tried, I keep trying, but they just won't let me in.
Speaker 3:Even when I wear my wig. Community member Mike Graceffo.
Speaker 2:I'm wondering how many people he paid off to venture.
Speaker 1:Mike Graceffo. He got a lot of good best coach last year, so he's moving up the ladder here, the social ladder. You know how?
Speaker 2:tall Mike Graceffo is.
Speaker 3:No, I've never met him.
Speaker 1:He's only this tall, so moving on up would be a great catalyst and, by the way, if you don't know that he's won this category, check Facebook, because he'll let you know every single day.
Speaker 3:But that's what we want. We want people to get into this contest right. We want people to reach out to their community and get people voting.
Speaker 2:And you know to be honest, craig and him coached together for years.
Speaker 1:We went to school together since third grade. He coached.
Speaker 2:I see his Facebook page Kids come up to him Grown Old. He has coached St Finbar, Bellarmine, Jefferson. I mean coached with you.
Speaker 1:He coached at Burbank. He coached at St Francis.
Speaker 2:You know, lifelong Burbank guy, and if you don't know, mike Graceffo, he definitely deserves.
Speaker 3:Well, he's got it, he wins community member.
Speaker 1:We're going to take that decal stick around his forehead.
Speaker 2:He can walk around with it. I'm going to put it on his car. Yes, I'm going to take one and put it on to that fancy car. It's got a gorgeous car, all right car.
Speaker 3:Yes, I'm going to take one and put it onto that fancy car. It's got a gorgeous car, alright. Best dance school Gary Dance Studio you know.
Speaker 2:I will say I have a granddaughter that's. She has a recital that I was sold. I better clear my calendar and she's. Both of them have been at Gary Dance Studio. They've been around for a long time. Yeah, I know the original owners of Gary Dance Studio. They've been around for a long time. Yeah, I know the original owners of Gary Dance Studio. They were on Bird Eagle for many years and it's nice to see Mary Beth and Megan now runs. It Runs a great show.
Speaker 3:All right. Best Day Care? A Bright Star Child Care? Best Elementary School? This is a tough category because burbank has all great schools, so um. But this year roosevelt elementary has won best elementary school, and did you?
Speaker 2:if you read my burbankedu column? They just won the green award from the state of california oh for their recycling, probably for quite a few things they do.
Speaker 2:It was a cover story if people want to read it. Those kids that I was there the day they had the assembly they presented a huge you know eight by ten, eight feet by ten feet, you know award that they were going to put up and then they said the kids go clean the campus. I walked out of that place. You couldn't find dirt out of place. I mean, they really that's awesome.
Speaker 3:And best elementary school teacher is Julie Barnhart at Jefferson.
Speaker 1:Now wait a second, Wait a minute. For those of you who don't know, julie Barnhart, that is Mike Rousseff's better half.
Speaker 3:No way.
Speaker 2:She's been up at Jeffersonfferson now. She's a great person. A lot of people again you talk about, you talk about my julie's name will come up yeah, I mean they go everywhere together.
Speaker 3:Oh, we have another couple winner. Yeah, the house, you know um. Best event meeting space satara wellness. Best early childhood education is our village preschool. Best fitness center is blink fitness. Best gymnastics studio is cal elite.
Speaker 2:Best high school is john burroughs high school you know, I I just have to say, john burroughs, they've, they've had some pretty good people. You know, ron howard went there, renee russo went there, fred sherwood went there, ross benson went there. You know, it's turned out some pretty not bad.
Speaker 3:well, my son's there, so hopefully we're on the long line of amazing people.
Speaker 1:They taught. They taught me how to take off my shoes and socks and use my toes when I came out to 20, actually my sister graduated from there too.
Speaker 2:They have a great uh, their music department, vocal music, in fact, I think tomorrow night uh, they're having their VMA and drama department.
Speaker 1:They're amazing there.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:All right.
Speaker 3:Best high school teacher, patrick Minimum, at Burbank High School Minimum.
Speaker 1:He is the former athletic director there and did an absolutely phenomenal job.
Speaker 2:But he made sure we got stuff. I oh, you know, you and I've been in this business alone.
Speaker 1:I stand on social media stuff and I mean just did a great job and we were so sorry to lose. We have a new ad there now, allison, who's very good also, but um, had your key, would he would.
Speaker 2:If a game changed, you knew he would let our sports guys know. That's somebody that I'm glad to see.
Speaker 1:Well, they just lost their principal. I'd love to see him move that ladder. I'm sure he can't promote that much, but what a great principal he'd be someday.
Speaker 3:Best higher education is New York Film Academy.
Speaker 2:You know what? I don't think a lot of burbank people know. Do you ride? Drive down riverside, drive right across from the tour office? Yeah, is new york film academy. There are tons of people. I had a roommate come out here from boston for four years and he moved away because of covid but he was attending class there, came out from Boston. People come out from all over. They live up in the Barham. Whatever the apartments are Oakwood's up there. They walk the class. That place is very, very popular. Yeah, for higher education, definitely that's great, I'm glad to see.
Speaker 3:Yeah, Best martial arts studio is beyond martial arts. Best middle school is Luther Burbank middle school.
Speaker 2:You know I get their principals emails every day.
Speaker 1:He you know a few few principals. That actually sends out continuous emails all the time to everybody, let's say to know what's going on.
Speaker 2:You know he had hard shoes to fill with Oscar letter, but he is doing. Mr Hubble is doing a great job.
Speaker 1:He really Well, he also knows that Oscar's his boss now too.
Speaker 3:So and best middle school teacher, Stephen James at Muir.
Speaker 1:I do not know him. Anybody know him?
Speaker 2:Yes, I have heard the name up there and I've been to a couple of different events, I believe.
Speaker 1:Is he the one that does the Japanese Day? I think it is. They have up there.
Speaker 3:That school does that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but they have some great, do great things like that together.
Speaker 3:Yeah, that was a really cool event. They do great things like that together.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that was a really cool event. They have a sister committee that kids from here go over to there, and when they come over here and they have a whole day, I mean it's really intense.
Speaker 3:Yeah, all right, and best music school is Guitar Ninjas. Best personal trainer is Kelly Hefner, which is is harvey's wife. Oh, we have a third couple absolutely that's. That's, that's amazing um best pilates studio is club pilates, best pottery studio is claytivity and if people don't know we did a story, they can look on my Burbank.
Speaker 2:We've done a couple of things over there. Remember when they did their opening? Yeah, we shot it together, you know.
Speaker 3:Best Private Gym is Conquer All Things Fitness, which just moved to a bigger location. They actually have a clothing launch opening this Friday.
Speaker 2:Oh really.
Speaker 3:Yeah, best private school is St Finbar.
Speaker 2:Been around this town for how long? And as we do that this weekend, I think their whole festival was last weekend. Every year they do a festival.
Speaker 3:Best private school teacher is Emery Thompson at Finbar. Oh, okay, best private school teacher is emory thompson at finbar.
Speaker 1:oh, really best sports sports coach is alan gregorian. Do you know? I have no idea who that is.
Speaker 3:I don't even know what sport he coaches I don't know, so someone needs to reach out, so we know who to send this to yeah, absolutely yeah, our best swim lessons, luc Lucille Cowell.
Speaker 2:Gotta say I just did their opening and my granddaughter, who is now in competitive swimming, started off at Lucille. Both my granddaughters have, and my oldest granddaughter is going for a regional competition in a couple of weeks up north. But, Lucy O'Callaghan, we just said May is Water Safety Month. If I can get my computer working again, we have a story that's going to jump online this week about water safety.
Speaker 3:Best Tutor is Mission to Math. Best Yoga Instructor is Kimberly Schultz.
Speaker 2:And, last but not least, yoga studio is stretch school, stretch, which is hot yoga oh, is that where? I'm at hot, yeah, yeah, I remember doing their opening too. It literally is really.
Speaker 3:I took it, I tried it during that fitness thing I was doing and it was hot.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, people go by and you kind of look at it and it's all steaming up in there.
Speaker 1:Well, let's give a round of applause there to all of our winners in the category and, once again, that is it. We have around 240 categories and it seems like a lot, but when you think about how many businesses are in burbank and how many different types of things there are, um, these are all these people have all earned. They've all earned their, their, their wins yeah you know, and you do it by customer service, you do it by taking care of people, by being a good, a good business owner, a good person. I mean.
Speaker 3:Nothing gets happened by accident here, so um, and if we missed a category, if you think of one that we don't have, we're. We're adding new categories every year factory.
Speaker 1:I know we had the bread category. This year.
Speaker 3:There's a couple new ones this year for sure, because we there are businesses we don't know about because we don't use them.
Speaker 1:So you know, let us know well, I got to ashley did a great job and putting this all together. If people don't know how much work you put into this, how many hours, yeah you know, and the more votes, the harder it is to tally like I said, we all, we all go through it too. So it's not, it's not just you. We know there's redundancies here, so it's important that people know that.
Speaker 2:So, um well, it's literally called my Burbank's Best. For a reason. And these are my Burbank's Best. You can tell by the numbers. You know your pestle tallying everybody up.
Speaker 1:I believe this is the fifth year we've done it now.
Speaker 3:The fourth or fifth year, I think. We started 2021.
Speaker 1:Okay, yeah, so this will be our fifth year doing it and it's become more and more popular every year, and it's something I think needs to be done in the community also. I've used it. If I need a business, I'll look who won my brewery's best yeah, so it'll help me. Draw business into your business is awesome this one.
Speaker 2:If people go into these stores and say I saw or they'll see the plaque on the wall or a door sticker, congratulate them because they really.
Speaker 3:They are my Burbank's best I get excited when businesses put them up, they put a sticker and I walk in and I'm like, oh, yay.
Speaker 2:We have too. We've gone to many places that they're probably displayed. Yeah.
Speaker 1:Well, I think that's it. If you've listened to this whole podcast, we appreciate it Always. We appreciate when you hit the old like button and you subscribe to our channel. We have a merch store here on the channel, so you want some my brain stuff? We've got it for you. So please support us the way we try to support everybody else, and that's kind of it for our show. So for Ross Benson as they say, cali.
Speaker 2:Oh, I said that at the beginning. Now I can say let's go.
Speaker 1:And for, of course, Ashley Erickson Good night, good night, god bless.
Speaker 3:It's been a long night.
Speaker 1:This is Craig Schert shirt, once again saying thank you very much for watching and listening. If you're in your car right now, keep both hands on the wheel. We'll talk to you next time. Bye.