Best Women’s Clothing

State of Grace

11 Second st., Troy

State of Grace has all that we look for in a cute women’s boutique: beautiful hand-selected clothing, bags, jewelry, and hands-on service. The feminity of the place cannot be denied; it’s seeping out every which way. They always have new styles in stock, and the friendly staff will help you put together the perfect outfit for any occasion.

Main Street

322 Main St., Great Barrington, Mass.

Tucked into a former bank on a downtown street corner, Main Street is a real find for fashionistas seeking out the extraordinary, or at least the cure for mall-store sameness. Sleek, often unusual cuts in a sumptuous array of fabrics and, usually, unexpected detailing, all by little-known designers like Barami, await the intrepid shopper. City-style service—and we mean that in the best way!—enhances the boutique feeling of this retail treasure.

Best Men’s Clothing (Designer)

Christopher’s Clothing Store

Crossgates Mall

A perennial winner in this category, Christopher’s high quality European cut suits, custom-made shirts and one-of-a-kind ties make this location the wardrobe revamping headquarters. The staff is extremely helpful, and the selection is outstanding.

Best Men’s Clothing (Casual)

Cohoes

Crossgates Mall

Dolce & Gabanna jeans, a Von Dutch T-shirt and a Sean John denim jacket—now that will get you noticed out in clubland. Since Cohoes brought in some new buyers, their men’s department has exploded with a fashion-forward look, and it’s all discounted.

Best Vintage Clothing

Steve’s Vintage Clothing Warehouse

Route 9W, Coxsackie

Steve’s isn’t the kind of place where you can just drop in and pick an awesome vintage cowboy shirt off the rack (although they have plenty of those). But, if you have an afternoon to kill, take the drive down and ruffle through their racks and racks (and racks) of shirts, jeans, coats, suits, shoes, hats, and whatever other apparel ends up stocking the shelves. We guarantee you’ll walk out with something—if not 10 things.

Best Men’s Footwear

Cohoes

Crossgates Mall

A full selection of Kenneth Cole, Steve Madden, Cole Hahn and many other designers, as well as casuals from Sketchers, Rockports and others, make this department store a footwear paradise. The selection is extraordinary; the stylings are Soho-esque without the prices, and the end-of-season sales are amazing.

Best Fabric Shopping Experience

Cohoes Mill End Fabrics

Saratoga and Pine streets, Cohoes

Fabric shopping should feel kind of like going through Grandma’s attic, but with more choices. Unlike some craft-marts, at Cohoes Mill End, the best discoveries come from noticing a spot of color and heaving aside the rolls on top of it. The rolls of fake fur, cheesecloth, theatrical fabric, and everything in between—plus a generous seconds section and real honest-to-god manual cash register make every trip here feel like an expedition that could result in real treasure.

Best Musical Instrument Store

Parkway Music

1602 Route 9, Clifton Park

Parkway has been on top of this category for seven of the last eight years, and we’ve seen no reason to change our minds on the topic this year. However, the musically inclined among us would love to see someone step up to the challenge: Would anyone care to try and overthrow them? Good luck and godspeed, soldiers.

Best Flower Shop

My Favorite Things

309 Hamilton St., Albany

Too often, flower arrangements arrive stiff, contrived, and wedged into dinky vases, hunks of green Styrofoam, or this month’s FTD special container. You’re almost afraid to touch them, let alone enjoy them. Not so with the spectacularly natural creations that come by way of My Favorite Things. Abundant and rich looking, no matter your price range, this shop holds to the all-too-oft-forgotten credo that flowers are, well, living things. Everything looks just picked, perfectly thrown together in a way that would make Mrs. Dalloway—or Martha Stewart, for that matter—mighty proud.

Best Free Videos

Upper Hudson Library System

Albany and Rensselaer Counties

Whether your choice in home-video fare is a well-aged classic or this year’s science-fiction blockbuster, there’s a good chance that the local library system has you covered. While the selection at each library varies (Albany’s main branch has a little bit of everything, while the libraries in Bethlehem and Guilderland have slightly more focused, yet extensive, collections), you can just sign-on to the library system’s Web site (http://www.uhls.org/uhls/cat alog.cfm) and request the titles that never seem to find their way to your local library’s shelves. (Note: The main branch doesn’t lend their titles out.) Keep in mind, however, that the shelves often clear out on the weekends.

Best Used Bookstore

Dove and Hudson

296 Hudson Ave., Albany

When you visit this bookstore, there’s rarely a picked-over feel to its offerings. In fact, you’re likely to find hardcover editions of books you’ve always meant to add to your collection. True bibliophiles will be hard-pressed to leave this little cornershop without at least one book they simply couldn’t pass up. A friendly atmosphere and helpful staff also help to make this one of the region’s most satisfying little bookshops, as likely to provide you with the book you’re looking for as the one you didn’t realize you needed.

Best Children’s Book Store

The Little Book House

Stuyvesant Plaza, Albany

When it comes to bringing up kids, whether your own or someone else’s, having lots of books around the house is a greater determinant of a lifelong love of reading than actually reading to them. (At least according to Freakonomics.) Either way you look at it, books are essential to a child’s enrichment and development, which is why we love the Little Book House at Stuyvesant Plaza so much. All the latest titles, plus a staff that is equally friendly and knowledgeable. What’s more, they get what Charlie Bucket understood about candy—it’s not so much what you’ll learn or get out of it, as much as how much you’ll enjoy it. The Little Book House delivers on the promise of that enjoyment.

Best Book Store (Ancient)

Lyrical Ballad

7-9 Phila St., Saratoga Springs

Enter this old bank vault to find bibliophilic riches galore. A book lover’s paradise, Lyrical Ballad is more than just a used book store—it’s almost a museum of literary history. Better still, it’s full of surprises; on any given day, you might stumble across an intriguing early volume of military history, a rare antique map, or a first edition of a literary classic. Signed, maybe. Harry Potter can only dream of one day being this worthy.

Best Book Store (Current)

The Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza

Stuyvesant Plaza

A small independent can’t compete with the sheer size and corporate buying power of the big boxes, but neither can they compete with the intimacy, personal service and general reader-friendliness of the Book House. The selection is well-chosen, the staff recommendations are educated and extremely helpful, and the staff themselves will help you find or order anything you want. Good visiting authors, too.

Best Toy Store

Tom’s Toys

307 Main St., Great Barrington, Mass.

We like toys, and what’s more, we like toy stores that let us indulge our fantasies of lost youth. Tom’s Toys in Great Barrington is that kind of place, where no matter how often you go in, you find something that reminds you of how great it is to be a kid, to play. From all manner of games, to an astonishingly high quality selection of dolls and accessories, train stuff, books, stuffed animals, crafting supplies, and what have you, Tom’s is a veritable Santa’s workshop of goodies. Just try to leave without buying a little something, and then just insist it’s really for the kids . . .

Best Jewelry (Eclectic)

Dana Rudolph & Company

209-211 River St., Troy

Dana Rudolph’s store, located in the quaint row of antiques stores on River Street in Troy, is a bright, beautiful space, perfect for Rudolph to show off her massive collection of loose beads, ingenious creations, and the jewelry she brings in from other artists. Don’t forget to check out her assortment of bags, sunglasses and other accessories, too. Rudolph would be happy to assist you in your choosing.

Best Jewelry (Handmade)

Elissa Halloran Designs

225 Lark St., Albany

We all know that you can get much more at Elissa Halloran’s distinct jewelry shop than just jewelry, but oh, the jewelry! Halloran’s tasteful, classic designs have been garnering oohs and ahhs from area women for years now, and Halloran’s apprentice Theresa Albanese’s designs are becoming more and more abundant in the store’s jewelry cases, as well. Halloran also sells items like handbags, picture frames, greeting cards, candles and pottery by other local artists, but the jewelry itself—necklaces, rings, earrings and more, all made from the finest metals, jewels and stones—is the reason to go and check out the store.

Best Gift Store

Wit’s End Giftique

Parkwood Plaza, Clifton Park

Can you name one good reason to drive to Clifton Park? We can—this monster gift emporium. Collectibles, knick-knacks, Christmas ornaments, jewelry and more than the mind can imagine. All very neatly displayed, with a very attentive friendly staff; it’s worth fighting the suburban sprawl and traffic. Go now for that special gift, but make sure you return to see the most amazing Christmas decorations.

Best Downtown Shopping

Great Barrington, Mass.

The shops along Main Street and Railroad Avenue might seem a bit too New York-pricey on first glance, but they’re not all so elite; tucked in among the art galleries and restaurants are quite a few worthy retail stores that do, in fact, serve the needs not just of the weekenders but also of the folks who live and work here. Like Saratoga, it’s a great walking downtown; unlike Saratoga, it’s not yet infested with chains. We challenge you to spend a day Christmas shopping here and see whether you find it more productive (and infinitely more pleasant) than a day frantically ping-ponging from mall to big box and back again.

Best CDs

Music Shack

1272 Central Ave., Colonie

Although the consolidation of their Troy and downtown Albany locations into a plaza next to Soccer Unlimited worried some rabid music enthusiasts, it seems to have done nothing but concentrated their excellence. Whether you are looking for an obscure indie release, the debut CD of a local metal act, the latest hiphop single, or an industrial dance track to explode your P.A., you will find it at Music Shack. For pricing that often rivals Best Buy’s and a used-CD selection that’s current and fresh, Music Shack should be your first stop for compact discs in the region.

Best Vinyl

Last Vestige

173 Quail St., Albany

The problem that has plagued Last Vestige’s used CD racks for years now—the fact that the racks are still stocked with CDs that were there since you were in high school—you know, the ones labeled “You’ll dig this if you like 7 Marry 3”— is the very thing that has made their vinyl section the best in the area. They’ve got the records your parents will remember from high school, and that is a good thing. From T.Rex’s Slider to Thelonius Monk With John Coltrane, there’s a good chance you will find the blast from the past you’ve been looking for.

Best Comics Store (West of the River)

Earthworld

537 Central Ave., Albany

This year, we were torn about the comics nod. Thankfully, the river has provided us a great opportunity to recognize a pair of the region’s best shops. On this side of the Hudson River, there’s no better place to sate your comics cravings than Earthworld. Our perennial winner is still the champ when it comes to making sure you can find issues of your favorite series on the shelf and helping you discover a new soon-to-be-favorite series. Oh, and if you’re the chatty type, shop owner J.C. Glindmyer knows the industry better than anyone these days and doesn’t mind sharing what he’s learned. Whether you’re a fan of capes and tights, hard-boiled crime or slice-of-life sagas, Earthworld has what you’re looking for.

Best Comics Store (East of the River)

Aquilonia Comics

412 Fulton St., Troy

Located across from Shalimar’s Troy location and next to the Fulton Street Gallery, Aquilonia Comics is in a perfect location to foster a comic collector’s paradise. Walk in during the week for discussions on the latest comic-book movie adaptation, the merits of Frank Miller’s or Mark Millar’s latest work, or just to do a little Bush bashing. Whether you’re looking for the latest issues of Ex Machina or ancient issues of X-men, Bob and Mark will be happy to point you in the right direction and convince you to read at least 100 other books if you let them. Thankfully there is a sizeable discount for subscribers.

Best Sporting Goods

Goldstock’s Sporting Goods

98 Freeman’s Bridge Road, Scotia

This family-owned sports enthusiasts’ mecca was once part of a thriving Schenectady downtown. Now just over the Mohawk and in roomier digs, they still do a lot of things better than the big boxes; most importantly, the service is great. They know their stuff and can speak from experience. They have a plethora of skiing (downhill and cross-country)—racquet sports, golf, and of course BBF (baseball, basketball and football) gear. And a large selection of fishing gear, centered around an extensive fly-fishing department. Bigger isn’t always better, but better is always better.

Best Bike Shop (Hard-core)

The Downtube

466 Madison Ave., Albany

There are many places to buy great bikes in the area, but there are two things that set this place apart—service and knowledge. Whether you’re an experienced cyclist looking to trade up to the next level or a novice buying an entry-level ride you are treated with the same uninterrupted, focused attention. They will even let you test drive before you buy in Washington Park across the street, and if necessary give you a lesson on how your bike works. They also offer bicycle repair and maintenance classes if you’re really ambitious.

Best Bike Shop (Family Core)

Wheel World

281 Sand Creek Road, Colonie

If you’re looking to make the family outing a pedal-powered affair, look no further than Wheel World. From tricycles, training wheels and wagons to hybrids, tandems and touring bikes, this shop has everything you need for the family wheels. Of course, that’s not to say that the BMX and mountain-bike crowd can’t get theirs at Wheel World, too—just take a look at the shop’s obsessively updated Web site (www.wheelworld bikes.com) to see all of the full-suspension Jamis and pro-style GT bikes in stock. With prices that won’t make your knees weak and service that keeps your bike running smooth.

Best Yoga Studio

Soluna Yoga

2317 Balltown Road, Niskayuna

The studio space is bright, clean, and climate-controlled, and there are a wide range of classes offered—everything from prenatal and gentle yoga to more demanding vinyasa flow classes. Ample parking is a plus, too.

Best Massage Therapist

Tommy Raus

Center for Neuromuscular Therapy, Schenectady

Tommy’s specialty is neuromuscular therapy, and he is out to cure what ails you. Be prepared for a vigorous and long hour of deep massage that may leave you feeling a little sore. But the next day you’ll be dancing like the Tin Man after a date with his oil can.

Best Pet Pampering

Pet Spas of Delmar

318 Delaware Ave., Delmar

Child day care, yes, we get that; doggie day care, OK, we kind of get that, but cat day care? That’s a stretch. Still, the cattery at this location is, well, a feline festival. Scratching posts, hammocks, play toys and outdoor views will give Morris that extra-special love. That is just one element of this place’s pet-pampering facilities. They also have some of the most experienced groomers, supplies and a very friendly staff; you can tell they love what they do.

Best Hardware Store

Country True Value Hardware

2 Troy Road, East Greenbush

Owned by three brothers, Joe, Nick and Tony Gross, this family-run hardware store is something of a dying breed. Upon entering the store, you are met by a friendly, experienced staff that is not only there to greet you, but to help you. The store may not be as expansive as some of its larger competitors, but they can accommodate anyone’s needs, from the beginner “do-it-yourselfer” to the more experienced builder. In addition, the operation also offers a full line of rental equipment to suit just about any need. In an ever-sprawling suburban atmosphere, this hardware store has managed to keep its small-town feel.

Best Appliance Store

Marcella’s Appliances

735 Crane St., Schenectady

Appliances, or “white goods” as they are known in the business, are the kind of thing you only think about buying when they break or when that burnt-orange stove just ain’t cuttin’ it with the new cabinets. This place has the good, better, best concept nailed down. If you need the newest state-of-the-art fridge with the LCD screen in the door, or the newest double oven with convection cooking or even a simple microwave, this is place. They boast a very helpful, knowledgeable staff, and when shopped against the competition and the big-box retailers, they win hands-down on price.

Best Custom Home Electronics

Hippo’s Home Entertainment

Stuyvesant Plaza

Since 1930, when Charles Jenkins was issued the first television license, watching the tube has changed dramatically. Now your home can be equipped with an actual home theater with surround sound and special seating to feel the complete movie experience. LCD panels can be installed anywhere: under counter tops, in the bathroom, in your sunroom. Plasma flat TVs can be installed like a picture frame, without a wire in sight. New or existing construction poses no problems to the installers at Hippo’s; they live by the creed “Yes we can.”

Best Co-op (Urban)

Honest Weight Food Co-op

484 Central Ave., Albany

You want your co-op to be as close to a one-stop shopping experience as possible, while still being highly selective about its purchasing. Located centrally enough to be the workhorse grocery store for thousands, Honest Weight takes this balancing act seriously—and pulls it off well. From the local and organic produce to bulk grains, gourmet cheeses, soy everything, special-order natural meat, and milk in returnable bottles, you’ll find here nearly everything you need for a healthy, earth-friendly week of meals and snacks.

Best Co-op (Suburban)

Niskayuna Consumers Cooperative Inc.

2227 Nott St., Niskayuna

Cooperatively owned by shoppers, staffed with bright and helpful people, and stocked with an excellent variety of products, the Coop is not only an institution, it is a first-rate grocery store. Well-known for its in-house butcher shop and high quality meets, as well as its tasty deli sandwiches.

Best Farmers’ Market

Saratoga Farmers Market

High Rock Park, Saratoga Springs

There are plenty of good ones—you just can’t beat food that’s fresh from the farm—but we like Saratoga for its pleasant location in a park just a squash’s throw from Broadway, for extras like performers, and most of all for the best selection of produce and other specialty foods that we’ve seen at such a Saturday (or Wednesday) gathering. From the jams and breads to the Parisian-style onions, the gorgeous fresh-cut greens and tender squashes and sweet peaches, it seems each farm has a distinct style all its own—which makes the choosing that much more difficult, and the bagfuls in your car that much more than you can possibly eat over the next week.

Best Fresh Food Market

Guido’s

1020 South St., Pittsfield, Mass.

760 S. Main St., Great Barrington, Mass.

We love the freshness and close-to-the-sourceness of our farmers markets. We love the healthfulness and community spirit of our urban co-ops. And we love Guido’s, which is a little bit farmers market, a little bit natural-food store and a little bit gourmet market, all under one roof (well, two, if you count both stores)—and with a more exhaustive supply of fine food and produce than you can typically find in any of the other aforementioned genres. The jaw-dropping array of produce takes center stage, but each location also features top-notch fish and (all-natural) meat counters, natural packaged goods, artisan cheeses and breads, and a deli.

Best Cheese Selection

Honest Weight Food Co-op

484 Central Ave., Albany

Cheese Manager Gustav Ericson has introduced a variety of cheeses hitherto unknown in the Capital Region, and just try to get away from the counter without sampling something. And it’s not just the variety: Here you’ll learn what complements your meal, or your wine, or simply your insatiable appetite for the cheesemaker’s artistry.

Best Chocolate Shop

Chocolate Gecko

540 Delaware Ave, Albany

When you think chocolate, chipotle pepper doesn’t always come to mind, but at the Chocolate Gecko—it’s not only acceptable, it’s delectable! With an array of homemade truffles and many other sweet delights, it is hard to resist trying one of everything. If parties are your favorite excuse for buying some chocolate, one-of-a kind chocolate designs and centerpieces can be custom made for any occasion. Orders can also be placed on their Web site. The cheerful staff are always making something deliciously gourmet behind the counter, and you can almost taste the sugar in the air.

Best Tobacconist

Edleez Tobacco Shop

Stuyvesant Plaza

Since JFK made the world’s best cigars off limits to us living in the United States some 40 years ago, the search has been on to replicate that hearty flavor. Well, the knowledgeable staff at this tobacco haven can’t get you Cubans, but they can give you the 411 on the leaf. Be you an aficionado or novice, they have everything you need to find the right smoke. Full selection of imported cigarettes and accessories.

Best Wine Store (Chaotic)

The Wine Shop

265 New Scotland Ave., Albany

Yeah, you can get the good stuff here—the store’s eastern wall is stocked with some serious treasures for the serious wine connoisseur—but it’s the pervading flea market atmosphere that makes us really love this place: boxes and boxes of wine, with no discernable rhyme or reason, and hand-made signs telling passersby what to expect from their (usually bargain-priced) purchase. But then, we’re not all that fond of rhyme and reason anyway, at least not in a liquor store.

Best Neighborhood Wine Store (Orderly)

Capital Wine and Spirits

348 State St., Albany

Rumor has it that Center Square residents are heavy consumers of wine. Whether or not this is true, it’s a good thing that Brad Junco’s lovely little store is so centrally located for the masses. Knowledgeable staff, wine tastings, cozy atmosphere, and a well-organized selection makes choosing a good shiraz a joy instead of a chore.

Best Wine Store (Selection)

All-Star Wine and Spirits

Latham Farms, Latham

Here’s the quote from their marketing materials: “If wine was a religion, this would be a church!” Well, we couldn’t agree more: racks upon racks, rows upon rows, boxes upon boxes of bottles of Mother Nature’s nectar very neatly displayed. Whether you are an oenophile or moved by the popularity of the movie Sideways, you will benefit from the knowledgeable, friendly staff. Add to that a huge selection of single-malt scotches and single-batch bourbons and you have a place to worship.

Best Beer Store

Oliver’s Beverage

105 Colvin Ave., Albany

This warehouse o’ beer not only boasts one of the most extensive selection of all things lager-and-hops in the region, but it’s been recognized by several prominent beer magazines (yes, there are such things) as having one of the most extensive in-house selections in Northeast America. More importantly, however, is the fact that Metroland’s resident brewheads can occasionally be found wandering the aisles of this recently refurbished beverage center drooling like hungry dogs and trying to decide which beer to bring home—and that sort of recommendation is hard to ignore. From local brews to our personal favorite, Brewery Ommegang’s Three Philosophers, Oliver’s has it all.

Best Liquor Store

Exit 9 Wine and Liquor Warehouse

54 Crossing Blvd., Clifton Park

Warehouse is the operative word in the name of this purveyor of potent potables. Boxes stacked sky high with Skky Vodka at unbeatable prices. If you have a big party coming, this is the place to stock your bar. Huge selection at great prices. Need we say more?