A Few Of Our Favorite Things

Before you start reading about this year's winners in our annual "Best of the Gulfshore" competition, let me congratulate you on winning some accolades of your own. New York's MRI, the nation's largest media research firm, recently surveyed our subscribers; and they tell us that our readers are the most affluent of all the regional audiences they study-including Boston, Chicago, San Francisco and Seattle, to name just a few.

Money isn't everything, of course-you also outscored other readers in education, travel, arts attendance and community service-but it's a measure of the region's growing prosperity that your annual household income is $367,000; average net worth is $1,894,400; and 47 percent own at least one vacation home. It's thrilling-and a little daunting-to be publishing for such an audience, so we appreciate that 95 percent of you say you read the magazine regularly and thoroughly and that 77 percent discuss what you read with others.

We want to keep giving you lots to talk about, so we're once again sharing some of our creative staff's personal "bests" about living along the Gulfshore. (With thanks to Dan Denton, Marsha Fottler, Ad Hudler, Tracy Jones, Katie S. Betz, Nanci Theoret and Tessa Tilden-Smith).

BEST FUNKY FUN: January's Mullet Festival in Goodland serves up an over-the-top taste of Old Florida.

BEST PLACE FOR A PICNIC: The shaded picnic tables at Delnor-Wiggins State Park in north Naples face a peaceful, sandy beach.

BEST PLACE TO MEET CREATIVE TYPES: Vision Naples, a new arts group that meets weekly, is the perfect scene for mixing and networking (435-7735).

BEST PLACE TO TAKE A VEGETARIAN: The spicy vegetarian dishes at Passage to India in Bonita Springs may convince you to give up meat.

BEST LUCK OF THE IRISH: At Dwyers in Fort Myers, you'll find a fun crowd, endless pints of Guinness, authentic food and Irish bands that rock the house.

BEST CHEESEBURGER: Sub and Pub on West First Street in Fort Myers.

BEST SUMMER DIVERSION: The Friday-night happy hour menus at Chops and Sanibel Steakhouse in Bonita Springs.

BEST WAY TO SEE ART FILMS: The Southwest Florida Film Society puts you in touch with local screenings and other movie buffs.

BEST GLOBAL MARKETPLACE: Sunday afternoons at Ortiz flea market, where Caribbean, Latin American and American cultures mix and mingle over hard-to-find produce and live animals.

BEST REASON TO LOVE THURSDAY: In season, Thursdays on Third in Naples offers evening strolling, shopping and people-watching.

BEST PLACE TO PET AN ALLIGATOR: At Everglades Private Airboat Tours in Everglades City, you can hold a baby 'gator, then zoom off to see the big ones.

BEST SMALL-TOWN FLAVOR: The Dairy Queen on 41 in Naples offers tasty treats and a sweet sampling of families, kids and local bigwigs.

BEST JERK CHICKEN: V and M Restaurant at the corner of Braman and U.S. 41 in Fort Myers.

BEST WAY TO MELLOW OUT WITHOUT SPLURGING ON A SPA: Waterside Shops in Naples. Try not to relax surrounded by all those soothing water features.

BEST ICE CREAM CONE: Love Boat Ice Cream on San Carlos Boulevard on the way to Fort Myers Beach.

BEST CUBAN SANDWICH: El Piñon in the strip mall at the corner of Colonial and U.S. 41 in Fort Myers.

BEST SCENIC DRIVES: Three Oaks Parkway extension through the Brooks, Port Royal or Gulf Shore Boulevard in Naples or along Orange River Road (where you can still catch a glimpse of old Florida).

BEST PLACE TO BUY SEAFOOD: For fresh-caught critters and fancy imports, foodies trek to Pine Bay Seafood just east of the Matlacha Pass Bridge to Pine Island.

BEST PLACE TO FALL IN LOVE: The Lee County Animal Shelter; bet you can't walk out without a new pet-or two.

BEST BARGAIN LIBRARY: Hospice Treasures in Naples, where stacks of low-priced books are organized by a crack team of retired librarians.

BEST PLACE TO FISH WITHOUT A BOAT: At Doctors Pass, you can catch snapper, mackerel, sheepshead, snook-and views of jumping dolphins and Technicolor sunsets.

BEST WAY TO UNDERSTAND YOUR DOG: Make an appointment with a pet psychic through Dudley's Dog Bakery in Fort Myers.

BEST ALTERNATIVE TO YOUR OWN YACHT: Sailing a remote-controlled boat at the lake at The Vineyards.

BEST PLACE TO TAKE VISITING ROYALS: High tea at the Ritz-Carlton Naples.

BEST PLACE TO FIND YOUR INNER ROCK AND ROLLER: Browsing the gently used and sometimes collectible instruments at Pine Island's Vintage Sight and Sound.

BEST ARTISTIC DESSERT: The chocolate piano-check out the white-chocolate keys-at Biddles on Summerlin Road in Fort Myers.

BEST PLACE TO MEET A SINGLE, WEALTHY MAN: Naples scored fifth in the entire nation in this category in a recent survey by a New York marketing firm. (If you thought I-75 was crowded before, just wait!)