By Joy Taylor

Updated, Nov. 1, 2018

The menu has been announced:

Partial menu, according to the presenting sponsor, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse-W. Hartford: 
-Prime rib station
-Lamb chop lollipops
-Prime meatballs
-Bacon wrapped scallops
-Crab puffs
-Sweet & sour eggplant crostinis
-Apple & blue cheese flatbread

After overwhelming response to the voting for best pizza, coffee, hair salon, home improvement, and much more, the 2018 winners of The Best of West Hartford will be revealed on Nov. 5, 2018 at Flemings in Blue Back Square.

This wouldn’t be possible without the support of the community. “An unprecedented almost 400 percent increase in voting is something we never expected,” stated Tom Hickey of WHMedia, an organizer of the Best of West Hartford (BOWH) event.

“We assume it is because our fellow publishing companies worked along side us on a media blitz unlike anything West Hartford has ever seen. Along with West Hartford Magazine, We-Ha.com, and Experience We-Ha, we also had the Connecticut Jewish Ledger, West Hartford Life, and West Hartford Press (the latter two both Turley Publications) which all boosted the vote by including the fourth annual BOWH in all their traditional, digital, and social media products,” Hickey said.

The businesses were also very engaged via social media this year helping generate interest. Only 20 percent of the total vote was repeat. This was the first year that votes could be cast more then once (awaiting a next day requirement) and you did not have to vote for all 44 categories. Many of the races were very close and we even have a few ties.

Hillary Pasternak (Connecticut Jewish Ledger) and Jeff Lovanio (Experience We-Ha) were the masterminds behind the scenes who simplified the entire voting process via Google, which was new this year.

Awards Show is on November 5, 5:30-8:30 p.m. at Flemings, and is part of the #wehaevents, produced by WHMedia

Fleming’s is the 2018 presenting sponsor for the fourth annual Best of West Hartford awards night. Liz Kiyak and Bentley Torres from Fleming’s promise to make it a night to remember. All food and beverages will be prepared by Flemings, according to Kiyak. Torres said that the Fleming’s bar will be a cash bar but with a happy hour theme.

Wait until you see how the restaurant is transformed with a dazzling ice sculpture sponsored by Uber Dog, setting the mood for the awards to be handed out. Cheese board and vegetables are being provided by Crown Market and dessert is from Hartford Baking Company.

Parking is free for the night of the event via the Blue Back Square valet parking at 51 Isham Rd., (across from Barnes & Noble).

Event tickets should be purchased in advance as space is limited. Use this Eventbrite link. Ticket purchasing and the registration process has been streamlined by sponsor Andrew Moran, Merchant Solutions. There is also an option to buy raffle tickets in advance.

Experience We-Ha, KAOUD and Keating Insurance are introducing an innovative photo booth concept – “Mirror Mirror” –  to the area.

As always, the BOWH event committee is keeping the winners a secret until the night of November 5th. (A complete list of finalists is included at the end of this article). Another big draw promises to be the raffle (to date valued at more than $3,000), with special thanks to committee chairs Charles Hilborn from Sheehan-Hilborn-Breen Funeral Home and Karen Fillian from EDENS. Some of the items already announced are:

• Home Design District, Various Home Improvement items, valued at $500 .
• Harvey and Lewis, Ray Ban Sunglasses, valued at $250.
• Jerry’s Artarama, $250 gift certificate.
• Artisan at Delamar, dinner for two, $100 value.
• Fifth Annual Best of West Hartford, 2019, Two (2) Tickets, $96.
• French Cleaners, $50 gift certificate.
• WeHaHA! Comedy Night,  two (2) tickets, $40, Tuesday, Dec. 18, “Ugly Sweater” theme. At WOB, Blue Back Square.
• Taste of Bishops Corner, 2019: two (2) tickets, $50 value.
• Taste of Elmwood, two (2) tickets, $50 value.
• Taste of Blue Back Square & The Center 2019: two (2) tickets, $50.
• and much more…

A big surprise raffle item, courtesy of Elmwood Community Center, will be announced at the event. Beneficiaries of the raffle include all of the local business and neighborhood associations, including Bishops Corner Neighborhood Association, Elmwood Business Association, Park Road Association, Home Design District, West Hartford Center Business Association, and Blue Back Square.

The Fourth Annual BOWH host sponsors have many surprises for the guests. Thank you to Direct Line Media Productions and EDENS for the video presentation.

The Fourth Annual BOWH committee members include Matt Banever, Cheyney Barrieau, David Chmielewski, Amy Cholawa, Donna Edelstein, Todd Fairchild, Karen Fillian, Mark Hatch, Tom Hickey, Charles Hilborn, Leslie Iarusso, Ryan Keating, Liz Kiyak, Barbara Lerner, Jeff Lovanio, Renee McCue, Andrew Moran, Ronni Newton, Lisa Oster, Robyn Rifkin, Joy Taylor, and Bentley Torres.

#wehaevents sponsors are Blue Back Square, CCSU, Eagan Donohue Van Dyke & Falsey, French Cleaners, Robin Gebrian (Wm Raveis Real Estate),  Marcum (formerly Filomeno CPA), Lux Bond & Green, Mercy Community Health and Sheehan Hilborn Breen Funeral Home. Other partners include: Jewish Ledger, Direct Line Media, Eat in CT, FLOW, Merchant Solutions, Roy Web Design, SnapSeat Photo Booths, T&T Sound, Taylor Rental Party Plus, Todd Fairchild/Shutter Bug CT, West Hartford Chamber of Commerce, West Hartford Press, West Hartford LIFE, West Hartford Magazine, Town of West Hartford, and Experience We-Ha.

Without further ado, here are the finalists in alphabetical order, for the 2018 Best of West Hartford. Winners will be revealed on Nov. 5!

Preschool/Daycare	Lollipop Tree Nursery School
Preschool/Daycare	Mandell JCC, Beatrice Fox Auerbach Early Childhood Center
Preschool/Daycare	Saint Joseph School for Young Children
Camp	Camp KO
Camp	Camp Shalom
Camp	Renbrook School Summer Adventure
Bakery	Classic Cakes
Bakery	Elmwood Pastry Shop
Bakery	Hartford Baking Co.
Breakfast Restaurant	Blue Plate Kitchen
Breakfast Restaurant	Effie’s Place Family Restaurant
Breakfast Restaurant	Quaker Diner
Tea	Café Sofia
Tea	Green Teahouse
Tea	Tea Break
Coffee	Café Sofia
Coffee	J. René Coffee Roasters
Coffee	SPoT
Brunch	Artisan
Brunch	Grants
Brunch	Pond House
Family Restaurant	A.C. Petersen Farms
Family Restaurant	Corner Pug
Family Restaurant	Effie’s Place
Fine Dining	Fleming’s Prime
Fine Dining	Max’s Oyster Bar
Fine Dining	Treva
Grocery Store	A Dong
Grocery Store	Crown Market
Grocery Store	Hall’s Market
Ice Cream	A.C. Petersen Farms
Ice Cream	Abby Dabby TIED Milkcraft
Ice Cream	Ben & Jerry’s
Pizza	Harry’s Bishops Corner
Pizza	Jimmie’s Pizza
Pizza	Savoy
Business Lunch	Max Oyster Bar
Business Lunch	Park & Oak Restaurant
Business Lunch	Restaurant Bricco
Wine Shop	Harvest Wine & Spirits
Wine Shop	Harvey’s Wine & Liquors
Wine Shop	The Wise Old Dog
Burger Restaurant	Corner Pug
Burger Restaurant	Max Burger
Burger Restaurant	Plan B
Ethnic Restaurant	Black Bamboo Chinese
Ethnic Restaurant	Bombay Olive
Ethnic Restaurant	Zohara
Exercise/Fitness	Mandell JCC Greater Hartford
Exercise/Fitness	Orange Theory Fitness
Exercise/Fitness	WIP
Hair Salon	Matthew Phillips
Hair Salon	Off Center Salon
Hair Salon	Salon Medusa
Barber Shop	Bristle & Blade
Barber Shop	Degra’s
Barber Shop	Final Cuts Sports Barber
Spas	Body and Sole
Spas	FaceRX Medspa
Spas	Touch of Bliss
Yoga	Mandell JCC
Yoga	West Hartford Yoga
Yoga	Yoga Shop
Home Health Care	Companions for Living
Home Health Care	Jewish Family Services (JFS Care at Home)
Home Health Care	Juniper Homecare
Best Assisted Living	Court of St. James
Best Assisted Living	Hoffman Summerwood TIED Chatfield
Best Assisted Living	The McAuley
Lawn/Landscaping Contractor	Chenail Lawn Care
Lawn/Landscaping Contractor	Eco Turf
Lawn/Landscaping Contractor	Trout Brook Landscaping
Pet Services	Pet Supplies Plus
Pet Services	UberDog
Pet Services	Woof Gang TIED Dogology
Pet Vets	CT Veterinary Center
Pet Vets	Petcare Vet Specialists
Pet Vets	Vet Specialists of CT
Real Estate Company	Coldwell Banker
Real Estate Company	HART Real Estate
Real Estate Company	William Raveis Real Estate
Wealth Management/Financial Planning	Charles Schwab
Wealth Management/Financial Planning	Northstar Wealth Management
Wealth Management/Financial Planning	Valerie Thomas TIED GYL Financial Synergies
Home Improvement Contractor	Bartlett Brainard
Home Improvement Contractor	Magee Companies
Home Improvement Contractor	McNally Home Improvement
Bank/Financial Institution	Farmington Bank
Bank/Financial Institution	KEY Bank
Bank/Financial Institution	Simsbury Bank
Garden/Florist	Butler Florist
Garden/Florist	Lane & Lenge Florist
Garden/Florist	Moscarillo’s Garden Shoppe
Law Firm	Eagan, Donohue, Van Dyke & Falsey
Law Firm	Stanger Stanfield
Law Firm	Weinstein & Wisser
Entertainment	Cinépolis
Entertainment	Playhouse on Park
Entertainment	West Hartford Symphony Orchestra
Happy Hour	Ocho Café
Happy Hour	Treva
Happy Hour	World of Beer
Late Night Spot	Barcelona West Hartford
Late Night Spot	Grants
Late Night Spot	Vinted Wine Bar & Kitchen
Eye Wear	Dr. Neil W. Kemp
Eye Wear	Harvey & Lewis TIED Central Optica
Eye Wear	Sight
Specialty Retail	Cookshop Plus
Specialty Retail	Penzeys Spices
Specialty Retail	Toy Chest
Gala (local event)	Children’s Charity Ball
Gala (local event)	Ron Foley Ron’s Run TIED Visions/Voice
Gala (local event)	The Children’s Museum “A Child’s World”
Fine Jewelry	Becker’s
Fine Jewelry	DeRobertis
Fine Jewelry	Lux Bond & Green
Sports Retail	Fleet Feet
Sports Retail	GOLFTEC
Sports Retail	Play it Again Sports
Men’s Local Retail	CT Custom Clothing
Men’s Local Retail	Daswani Clothiers
Men’s Local Retail	Jos A. Bank Clothiers
Women’s Local Retail	BK&Co.
Women’s Local Retail	Kimberly Boutique
Women’s Local Retail	Ooh La La Boutique
Home Décor	John Boyle Home Décor
Home Décor	Kaoud Oriental Rugs
Home Décor	Larsen ACE Hardware
Write In	Black Diamond Body Piercing/Tattoo
Write In	The Children’s Museum
Write In	White Rabbit

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