Here in our annual The Best of Monterey County issue, we at the Weekly proudly welcome our fellow flag-waving, hometown-loving neighbors to join us in celebrating the stuff that makes this the best damn county on earth. Sure, other counties have their place in the world. Many of the really good ones even have weekly newspapers that publish "Best Of Wherever" issues. But do they have stiff competition in the "Best Beach" or "Best Place to Watch the Sunset" categories?

No.

Do they have 35 variations on the "Best Restaurant" category?

No.

Is the winner of their "Best High School Athlete" category the quarterback of the State Championship football team and a great center fielder to boot?

N

That''s because these other counties and cities are not the best damn county in the world. Monterey County is the best damn county in the world. And that''s the gospel truth.

You see, God (or a fortunate conspiracy of random natural events) gave us here in Monterey County a spectacular coastline, rich topsoil, and oak-studded hills. The men and women who came before us, and who live among us now, built the farms and the communities, the hotels and the theaters, the cafes and the bistros, the linens stores and the self-service dog-wash establishments, the strip malls--er, the shopping centers and the places to buy arts and/or crafts that make this county so great that when you tell someone from somewhere else that you live in Monterey County, their eyes get big and they look like they want to just weep from envy and despair.

In "The Best of Monterey County" issue, we honor these people and places that make life here so great, and we bestow on the best of these the Monterey County Coast Weekly Readers'' Seal of Approval. And as we do, we invite you to join us in song.

[Music swells.]

Oh beautiful

for sea and sky!

For ripe green fields of grapes!

For Big Sur mountains

and Gavilans

above the fields of lettuce!

Oh Monterey! O Salinas!

God (or a fortunate conspiracy of random natural events) shed his grace on thee!

And crown thy good

With wine and food

From the Valley to the Sea!!!