Quit Yo’ Bitchin’… The Weekly’s Best Of issue is almost here. Each year – this is either my eighth or ninth one – the community inevitably gets all in a snit about the selections. Stop it. First of all, the votes are all counted fairly, based upon how many forms come back filled in. Secondly, the votes are all counted fairly based upon how many forms come back filled in. Simple formula. Naturally, if your business has way higher volume than another, with especially loyal customers eager to fill in your name as best this or that, you win. It’s all fun and games, a reason to shoot a little more breeze around the water cooler.

Obviously there will be disagreement – that’s the whole point of any list audacious enough to name some thing greater than another. Back (way back) in the day I used to be part of a magazine about college basketball. One of the things I did each issue was a Top 50, ranking collegiate teams based on my supposed understanding of their relative strengths and weaknesses. Hah. Neither I nor anyone reading the thing really had any clue about how to go about dealing with something like that. But it was always fun and controversial. And therein lies the beauty. The difference here is you had your chance to have your say. So sit back, have a beer or a coffee at the establishment you’re convinced should win and have some fun arguing.

Burp… Chris Nelson, aka The Beer Geek (thebeergeek.com), and wife Meredith, longtime beer travelers (Gulper’s Travels?), just visited another great beer producing event, as they do every month. Meanwhile, they’ve had radio stations interested in their quest and they’ve been out on the Associated Press wire. Chris’s friend and co-conspirator, Kerry Winslow, has been after me to get this in for some time. (In fact, Kerry’s wine blog, grapelive.com, has been gaining momentum also.)

Chris and Meredith just returned from The Beer Drinker of the Year contest in Denver, where, as anticipated, some entertaining antics took place. Visit thebeergeek.com (with the “the,” which we goofed last week) and see what I mean.

Spore Report… The local flu bug that has been knocking people out took a swing at me this week, so I couldn’t make the Big Sur Chanterelle Cook Off, but Mark C. Anderson tells me it was appropriately epic. More on that next week.

Different Dish… Anthony Calamari (love that name), who cheffed down at Ventana, has moved on and would like to send out a little farewell: All I wanted to do was say thank you to the people that I have worked with and had the pleasure to meet in Big Sur, Monterey and all the surrounding areas. I am just taking some time off to reflect on what I would like to do next. I thanked the people of Big Sur personally when I attended the Big Sur Chanterelle Event Cook-Off this year. Also I will be sending out personal letters to some restaurants and chefs. Ciao, Anthony Calamari…(Cooking is passion!) So is saying thank you… thank you.

Back At It… Well, what can I say, ol’ Bill and Theresa Lee have gone and done it again – this time out in the valley, across the street from the Running Iron. Think pan-Asian fare, tropical drinks, stunning patio, casual, fun, festive. I envy Bill “A Daddy?” Rammel. He lives about a six-iron away from Billy Quon’s Volcano Grill and Mai Tai Bar (I think that’s the name) – he might as well set up a charge account there. I know I would. Man, those warm valley evenings, stars, mai tais, a few friends… life really can’t get a whole lot better than that.

Been hearing great things about the food at Citronelle, out at Carmel Valley Ranch, also about the stunning décor. Looks like the Valley has another destination dining spot that will surely bring in folks for extended stays, sprinkling them into the community at large as well. Everybody wins, baby, everybody wins.

Dem Flavors… Got a nice e-mail from local writer Mari Lynch Dehmler (catch her stuff at finewordworking.com and elsewhere): Glad you included Melange in your PG roundup this week. I have had so much fun at their dining bar on solo supper outings. Dorothy and Ryan are a particular kick! And David’s meals are scrumptious and satisfying in every way. I especially like the warm goat cheese salad, and was surprised that basil syrup is yummy on vanilla bean ice cream. Thanks Mari.

Missed the friends and family soft opening at Primo, in P.G., right next to Petra on the way toward Monterey on Lighthouse (where I heard the cinema is coming back). Will be sure to try it soon.

Pac Rep… Cal “Rachmaninoff” Stamenov has been nominated as one of the 16 finalists for the James Beard Foundation Best Chef, Pacific Region. The judges will narrow the list down to five finalists soon and then choose one of them for the award. I just missed the cut, coming in at number 17 for my specialized Breakfast Sandwich à la Napolitano.

Still Going… Thanh and Christine Truong own and operate An Choi, the well-done modern Asian concept restaurant down Lighthouse in PG near 17-Mile Drive. They just celebrated one year of business with a fun party for their regulars and friends. Had fun hanging out with Doug “What was I saying?” McCall (love ya Doug); the party was a blast. Check this place out for a surprisingly delicious venture into a tasty world across the sea, 372-8818… Really interesting to see the IMAX theater almost up, also the Intercontinental Hotel down on Cannery Row… This just in: there has been a Bruecker sighting (that’s Keith, of course), as in Erhman Hall. If you don’t know about Keith, contact my man Stuart Thornton at stuart@mcweekly.com, he’ll tell you. Shoot, I’ll tell you, anybody’ll tell you, erhmanhall.com will tell you.