Best Community Event (city specific)
SLO Downtown Farmers’ Market
Higuera Street, SLO
(805) 541-0286
@downtownslofarmersmarket
Best Movie Theater
Palm Theatre
817 Palm St., SLO
(805) 541-5161
@palmtheatre
facebook.com/ThePalmTheatre/?rf=1413260802299962
In a world of strip mall multiplexes, the Palm Theatre stands out. It’s a theater that strives to fill your mind, not just your eyeballs and earholes with the newest blockbuster. Proprietor Jim Dee carefully curates what you see by traveling to film festivals and finding the best in independent and foreign cinema. Dee’s been a cinephile since he was a Poly student in the ’70s, hosting special screenings at various locales until he opened his first theater in 1979. The Palm may not have stadium seating or reclining seats, but it’s where true film lovers have found a home.
—Glen Starkey
Best Theater Group
SLO Repertory Theatre
888 Morro St., SLO
(805) 786-2440
@sloreptheatre
Best Dance Company
CORE Dance San Luis Obispo
882 Ricardo Court, SLO
(805) 541-2669
@coredance.slo
Best DJ
Malik Miko
@djmalikmiko
Best Live Music Venue
Vina Robles Amphitheatre
3800 Mill Road, Paso Robles
(805) 286-3680
@vinaroblesamp
facebook.com/vinaroblesamphitheatre
Best Place to Catch a Band
The Siren
900 Main St., Morro Bay
(805) 225-1312
@thesirenmorrobay
Best Place for Karaoke
Bill’s Place
112 E. Branch St., Arroyo Grande
(805) 489-9989
Best Place to Buy Music
Boo Boo Records
978 Monterey St., SLO
(805) 541-0657
@booboorecords
Best Place to Buy a Musical Instrument
Lightning Joe’s Guitar Heaven
100 E. Branch St., Arroyo Grande
(805) 481-2226
@lightningjoes
facebook.com/lightningjoesguitarheaven
Best Photographer
Asia Croson
1242 Monterey St., SLO
(805) 888-7448
@asiacrosonphotography
Asia Croson mastered the art of preserving precious moments on film while making her clients look absolutely amazing. Her secret? She’s the best hype-woman and can literally make you feel like a million bucks in front of her lens. There are a lot of photographers on the Central Coast, but Croson stands out in the industry with her warm and bright photo hues, stunning angles, and naturally composed portraits. Need a new professional headshot, engagement session, senior photo, or maternity shoot? Croson does it all. You can trust that she’ll go to great lengths, even if that means lying on the ground, to get the perfect shot of you.
—Karen Garcia
Best Place for Camera Equipment
The Photo Shop
1027 Marsh St., SLO
(805) 543-4025
@photoshop_slo
Best Kids Arts Program
The San Luis Obispo Children’s Museum
1010 Nipomo St., SLO
(805) 544-KIDS
@childrensmuseumslo
Best Music School
Music Motive
SLO, Arroyo Grande, Paso Robles
(805) 543-0377
@musicmotive805
Best Visual Artist
Collen Gnos
141 Suburban Road, No. C4, SLO
(805) 441-8277
@gnosart
Best Art Gallery
SLOMA
1010 Broad St., SLO
(805) 543-8562
@slomuseumofart
Best Public Art
Kin Coffee Bar
847 Higuera St., SLO
@kin.slo
facebook.com/Kin-Coffee-Bar-108794720471273
Best Tattoo Artist
Danny Derrick (San Luis Tattoo Company)
390 Higuera St., suite E, SLO
(805) 704-9772
@sanluistattoocompany
Best Bookstore
Phoenix Books
986 Monterey St., SLO
(805) 543-3591
@phoenixbooksslo
facebook.com/pages/Phoenix-Books/121050681242482
Phoenix Books is a literature fanatic’s dream: novels stacked to the ceiling, a cozy maze of bookshelves with innumerable genres to peruse, overflow titles stacked on the floor in some places—a little bit chaotic, but in a comforting way, just like a good book. Look closer, and you’ll find there’s order among the chaos: If you’re looking for some Steinbeck, he will most certainly be among the S’s in the fiction section. Phoenix’s friendly staff is there to lead you in the right direction. Nineteenth century Russian literature, traditional Italian cookbooks, astrology for beginners—you name it, Phoenix probably has it. You might have to do some digging, but that’s half the fun.
—Malea Martin
Best Local Podcast
Your Own Backyard
yourownbackyardpodcast@gmail.com
@yourownbackyardpodcast
facebook.com/yourownbackyardpodcast
Although 2021 marks the debut of this category, last year’s votes showed that New Times readers were already eager to acknowledge Your Own Backyard, as the podcast took home 2020’s Best Controversy or Scandal award. In re-examining the 1996 disappearance of Kristin Smart, podcast creator Chris Lambert was credited by the SLO County Sheriff’s Office for helping find new witnesses, leading to the arrests of prime suspect Paul Flores and his father, Ruben Flores. Recently topping the charts on Apple Podcasts with nearly 10 million downloads to date, Your Own Backyard continues to bring worldwide attention to a case that’s haunted the Central Coast for more than two decades.
—Caleb Wiseblood
This article appears in Best of SLO County 2021.