Acupuncture
A trusted local practice, Annie Wang Acupuncture, combines traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture, herbal medicine, massage, lifestyle counseling and more to assist patients in maintaining health. The staff — which includes formally educated and California-licensed acupuncturists — cultivates a safe and supportive environment and works patiently with each client to determine the best course for treatment. The practice specializes in acupuncture for fertility issues, during pregnancy, and to manage stress and pain. It is in-network for some insurance companies.
895 Sherwood Ave., Suite 101, Los Altos, 650-468-3636; anniewanglac.com
Auto Care
Given the stress and expense of fixing a car, it says something when a community deems an auto-repair shop like Heinichen's Garage the best in town. The 27-year-old business strives to build relationships with its customers, and Yelpers praise its mechanics for sharp diagnoses, keeping customers informed and providing options, and delivering results. Its services range from tune-ups to lube services, brake and suspension repair, computer engine diagnostics, window glass repair and more.
960 High St., Palo Alto, 650-328-4488; heinichensgarage.com
Chiropractor
In dealing with mysterious chronic pain and healing injuries, the doctors at Health Logic have a wide suite of tools and strategies at their disposal that have earned them recognition by Palo Alto Weekly readers as the best chiropractors for the fourth year in a row. The practice provides care including spinal adjustments, instruction in corrective exercises, posture and gait analysis, the Graston Technique, custom orthotics and lifestyle advice, among other services. Personalized programs seek to bring patients back to their former health, or perhaps to a level of wellness completely new.
633 Menlo Ave., Menlo Park, 650-853-1800; healthlogicinc.com
Day Spa
Yes, you can find tranquility in the Silicon Valley. With eight private hot-tub rooms, a menu of massage and spa treatments and special deals for groups, Watercourse Way is Palo Alto's ultimate relaxation haven. They've been around for 35 years, and clients are still streaming through the doors. Inspired by the natural hot springs of Tassajara, Watercourse Way's pools and tiled rooms offer a rejuvenating retreat from the hustle and bustle of urban life. Soak away your stress.
165 Channing Ave., Palo Alto, 650-462-2000; watercourseway.com
Dentist
At the office of Dr. Christine Hansen and Dr. Roberta Jurash — which this year claims its second Best Of award in a row — the staff works to dispel any apprehension about dental work by communicating clearly about procedures and fees and making its patients as comfortable as possible. Blankets and iPods are available whether you're in for a regular cleaning or one of a myriad more-involved procedures offered. Hansen has practiced dentistry in Palo Alto since 1990, and both she and Jurash seek to run a community-focused business by doing charity work, participating in fundraisers and using environmentally friendly practices.
416 Waverley St., Suite A, Palo Alto, 650-326-3290; christinehansendds.com
Dry Cleaner
A repeat winner in the category (and former Hall of Famer), Charleston Cleaners has provided dry-cleaning and alteration services in Palo Alto since 1985. Cleaning of dresses, pants, jackets, coats, men's and women's suits and other items is all done on the premises, using an environmentally friendly hydrocarbon solvent. So whether some daily work clothes need freshening, or a special occasion demands a pristine outfit, Charleston Cleaners has you covered. Movie stars swear by it. So do the not-so-rich and not-so-famous. In recent years The Bar Method has developed a cult following. A typical class involves the use of light weights, abdominal exercises, cardiovascular work and stretching, all set to music. Based on interval training to burn calories and encourage long, lean muscle, the technique works the entire body. Best of all, it's fun. Though the classes are demanding, no experience is required; participants of all ages, shapes and sizes say they benefit from better posture, more core strength and increased flexibility. Feel free to stop by the Great American Framing Company and check out the variety of frames that are available. For more than 40 years, this store has specialized and taken pride in providing customers with quality frames. And for the last 25 years, the Great American Framing Company has been located downtown on Hamilton Avenue. But this summer, the store is moving to a new location: 3866 El Camino Real in Barron Park. Even though the location will change, the great service of the Great American Framing Company will remain the same. Longtime Palo Alto art store and frame shop University Art may have moved to new digs in Redwood City, but that hasn't changed readers' minds about the status of this local icon, which is in this year's Hall of Fame. It's still a favorite, offering expert framing for fine art and keepsake photos alike and a wide selection of frames for all wall-hanging needs from "petite to jumbo." They have also introduced "Custom Framing Lite" for the budget-conscious consumer, with a select suite of frames and mats. The store offers classes and gazillions of art supplies, so artistic types can create masterpieces to fit in those frames. Since its debut in 2009, the Oshman Family Jewish Community Center has become the top destination for health nuts, wellness freaks and gym rats seeking to become the world's strongest men and women. At the same time, one doesn't have to be an elite athlete to enjoy and benefit from the sprawling gym on the southern edge of the city. With its basketball courts, swimming pools, an army of personal trainers and more than 145 fitness classes — a list that includes Pilates Ballet, cycling, cardio kickboxing and 10 different types of yoga — the JCC caters to patrons of all ages, interests, fitness levels and ambitions. Prioritizing individuality and highlighting real beauty, Juut Salonspa has offered elegant customer service and high-quality, plant-derived products to Palo Altans since 1998. Whether it's a simple haircut, a relaxing massage or complicated make-up for a special event, Juut's professional stylists and expert artists promise to make you feel special during your stay while assuring you of the most stylish outcome before you leave the salon. Just back from a three-year break in the Hall of Fame, Hair International proves again how much the Palo Alto community depends on it to keep looking fresh. The hair salon delivers quality cuts to both men and women, families and college students, and the diverse staff brings with it a breadth of experience and a cosmopolitan flair. Among its many services are curling, flattening, highlighting, coloring, and eyebrow and facial waxing — as well as hairdos for prom, bridal services, and spa manicures and pedicures by appointment. Frequently picked as a favorite hotel, Rosewood Sand Hill carries on a three-year Best Of Palo Alto award-winning streak. Rosewood Sand Hill continues to be a leading hotel, dining and social destination for Silicon Valley. Named a five-star hotel by Forbes Travel Guide this year, the property's 121 guestrooms and suites, award-winning spa and Michelin-starred dining experience at Madera (the hotel's signature restaurant) make an appealing combination for the area's entrepreneurs as well as business and leisure travelers from around the world. The lure of exotic vacations in far-away places might make a getaway to a not-so-far-away place seem insignificant, but that doesn't have to be the case. The Garden Court Hotel in downtown Palo Alto, with its grand arches, luscious courtyard and Spanish-influenced terrace, will make your staycation a memorable and restful one. The boutique hotel's 62 guestrooms are furnished with endless comforts, including a fresh and fragrant gardenia beside each bed, Molton Brown luxury spa products, overhead rain showers, aerated spa-tubs and port-and-cookie service. Almost every room has a furnished balcony that looks out on the interior courtyard or the nearby streets. Next time you need a little pampering, head for La Jolie Nail Spa. Customers love the upscale salon for its soothing interior and emphasis on hygiene. La Jolie offers a wide range of mani/pedi options, from their quick "express mani" ($15 for a clean, shape, buff and polish) to the ultra-luxurious "peppermint pedi" ($55 including a mint oil bath, sugar souffl<0x00E9> scrub, shea butter massage and paraffin dip). Aficionados have their choice of acrylic, silk wrap and gel nails, and there's also a full menu of waxing options available. Palo Alto's Massage Therapy Center is one of the largest and oldest massage facilities in California, providing excellent service to the city for more than 30 years. It offers a number of services that allows customers to experience an inner sensate world, including a variety of therapeutic massage and clinical bodywork techniques and a complimentary sauna and tea. The therapy center also features a staff that takes pride in understanding that "touch is an elemental dimension of our human existence and absolutely necessary to enhance the creative, self-organizing healing potential in each one of us." See complete listing for Hair International under Hair Salon.
"Your smile is our top priority." Dr. Larry Morrill and his staff take this principle to heart, providing patients with excellent orthodontic care and leaving them with a beautiful smile on their faces. Established in 1974, Morrill's office has served generations of families, welcoming children and adults with any form of orthodontic problems for decades. If you're looking for medical expertise along with a caring, supportive and friendly atmosphere, Morrill's award-winning team is waiting for you. After years of receiving great smiles, patients of Mid Peninsula Orthodontics and Dr. Stacey Quo have returned the favor and lifted the team into the Palo Weekly's Hall of Fame. Quo began her practice in Palo Alto in 1997, and today she and her staff guide patients carefully through the orthodontic process, developing close relationships with the children, teens and adults they serve. The office employs SureSmile 3D software technology to create precise wiring for braces, shortening treatment times and decreasing the number of uncomfortable adjustments. Mid Peninsula Orthodontics is proud to provide not only great smiles but also better jaw function and teeth that are both easier to clean and more resistant to gum disease. See complete listing for Oshman Family Jewish Community Center under Gym.
Claiming the Plumber category for the third year in a row, Palo Alto Plumbing Heating and Air has long been depended on by local residents to identify and fix all manner of plumbing problems as well hiccups in heating and cooling systems. Its specialties include repairing sinks, toilets, showers, bathtubs, dishwashers, water heaters and pipes, and it offers water-efficient products to save time, money and the environment. A 24-hour service is also available (at overtime rates) — an option that can clear headaches on a holiday or in the middle of the night. Village Cobbler is a family-owned-and-operated shoe repair and sandal shop. Since 1979, this shop has considered itself an industry leader and Palo Alto favorite. In addition to repair work on shoes, the staff can repair belts, handbags, luggage and baseball gloves. Shoe-care products range from leather creams, waterproof sprays and shoe polishes to leather cleaners, conditioners and dyes. Feel free to stop by this shop and enjoy the top-quality sandals and shoe-repair, shoe-shine and luggage-repair services. Midtown Shoe Repair has helped to keep local residents' shoes functional and looking spiffy for the past 36 years and earned a reputation for quality work that's placed it in the Weekly's Hall of Fame. The business resolves all kinds of issues with men's and women's shoes made of leather, cloth and other materials, in addition to doing work on luggage, jackets and other items. Shoe polish and insoles are also sold at the shop, encouraging proper maintenance for that favorite pair of dress shoes and those precious feet. SkinSpirit has been named by Palo Alto Weekly readers as one of the best places in town for aesthetic skin and body care. Through cutting-edge technology in a luxurious spa-like setting, experienced and skilled practitioners deliver natural-looking, safe and effective results with non-surgical cosmetic treatments. These experts use scientifically proven formulas to correct and prevent damage and bring out a person's best complexion. Products include powerful sunblocks, skin brighteners, and other spa products for daily maintenance. At SkinSpirit, the experts love the science, and the customer loves the results. Need a vacation? Or a paradisiacal escape? Look no further than the Creekside Inn, located along Matadero Creek just two minutes away from Stanford University, Stanford Shopping Center and downtown Palo Alto. For anyone who wishes to have a delightful stay at the Creekside Inn, what awaits you is an oasis of gardens and oak trees, a heated outdoor pool and lodging with quiet accommodations. This eco-friendly hotel allows you to simply relax and get away from the busy life in Silicon Valley. The experienced doctors at Adobe Animal Hospital have won consistent praise for their compassionate, comprehensive veterinary care. The 24-hour hospital is equipped with diagnostic radiology, endoscope and ultrasound machines, a 24-hour intensive care unit and an in-house diagnostic laboratory. Open for appointments from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week, Adobe Animal Hospital and its staff will help keep your furry, feathered, fishy or scaly friends healthy and happy. When entering YogaSource you are greeted with a blast of hot air. The sudden jump in temperature helps warm the muscles, so yogis can stretch more deeply and safely. The Palo Alto yoga center is not only a place to work on your tree or downward-facing dog poses but also a peaceful — and sweaty — sanctuary to connect with body, mind and spirit. YogaSource offers different methods of hatha yoga, including bikram, vinyasa, power yoga and restorative yoga, so any practitioner of yoga can find zen amidst the hustle and bustle of modern urban living.
3900 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto, 650-424-1113; charlestoncleaners.info
Fitness Classes
#151 Town & Country Village, 855 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, 650-329-8875; paloalto.barmethod.comFrame Shop
229 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto, 650-327-4521; facebook.com (search for "Great American Framing Co.")Hall of Fame: Third Year
2550 El Camino Real, Redwood City, 650-328-3500; universityart.com
Gym
3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto, 650-223-8700; paloaltojcc.orgHair Salon
240 University Ave., Palo Alto, 650-328-4067; juut.com
Hall of Fame: Second Year
#232 Stanford Shopping Center, 180 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, 650-324-2007; hairintl.comHotel
2825 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, 650-961-1500; rosewoodhotels.com/en/sand-hill-menlo-parkHall of Fame: Third Year
520 Cowper St., Palo Alto, 650-322-9000; gardencourt.comManicure/Pedicure
364 S. California Ave., Palo Alto, 650-322-8882; lajolienailspa.comMassage
368 S. California Ave., Palo Alto, 650-328-9480; massagetherapypaloalto.comMen's Haircut
Orthodontists
1000 Welch Road, Suite 201, Palo Alto, 650-322-2817; morrillorthodontics.comHall of Fame: First Year
965 High St., Palo Alto, 650-328-1600; orthoquo.comPersonal Trainer
Plumber
716 San Antonio Road, Unit F, Palo Alto, 650-856-3400; paloaltoplumbing.netShoe Repair
825 Emerson St., Palo Alto, 650-328-7698; villagecobblerinc.comHall of Fame: Second Year
2796 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto, 650-329-8171Skin Care
701 Emerson St., Palo Alto, 650-324-9600; skinspirit.comValue Hotel/Motel
3400 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, 650-493-2411; creekside-inn.comVeterinarian
4470 El Camino Real, Los Altos, 650-948-9661; adobe-animal.comYoga
158 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto, 650-328-9642; yogasource.com
