ou've now accessed the single greatest collection of information about everything cool, weird, fun, hip, annoying and satisfying in Greater Cincinnati. The sheer volume of the 2001 Best of Cincinnati issue is staggering:

Once again, this is the largest issue of CityBeat ever, 140 pages. Each time we've done a "Best of" -this is our fifth annual - we've set a record for page count, and this year is no exception.

Inside, you'll find winners of 150 Reader Picks, compiled from more than 750 valid ballots collected online and through the mail (after the stuffed and mass-produced entries were tossed out). Since this is our fifth "Best of," we've included a list of previous years' Reader Picks winners.

The staff contributed 338 Staff Picks, commenting on people, places and things our readers might have missed. We also offer nine feature stories, ranging from favorite sushi restaurants and diversity-minded churches to profiles of Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, Eddie Fingers and Bob Huggins.

Dozens of Tristate communities merited mentions from readers and staff - from Florence, Rabbit Hash and Maysville to Middletown, Oxford and Mason; from Sayler Park, Cheviot and Bridgetown to Milford, Oakley and Cherry Grove. Clifton, Over-the-Rhine and Covington were mentioned a few times, too.

Tons of people contributed to making this issue the best Best of Cincinnati ever. Thanks to the overworked art direction and production staff: Sean Hughes, Becky Lomax, Geoff Raker and Patty Robisch. Thanks to the overheated sales staff: Jim McIntosh, Chuck Davis, Katie Gilday, Betsy Hodges, Joellen Ivey, Phil Morehart, Kristofer Sommer, Lisa Tashjian, Tracy Walker, David Whitehead and Robert Young. Thanks to the overexposed photo and art contributors: Jymi Bolden, Matt Borgerding, Woody Hinton, Jon Hughes and Wendy Uhlman. Thanks to the overburdened distribution staff: Cynthia Brown, Bill Kellerman and our spiffy drivers. Thanks to the overtaxed accounting staff: Geri Boyle, Larry Gross and Don Backscheider. Thanks to the overwired Web staff: Matt Parmenter and Brad Quinn. Thanks to the overwhelmed ballot-counters: Maggie Arbuckle and Tyler Burton. Thanks to the overwrought editorial folks who contributed staff picks, wrote stories and/or copy edited this monster: Brandon Brady, Mike Breen, Donna Covrett, Caroline Crispino, Darlene D'Agostino, Tom Firor, Greg Flannery, Jason Gargano, Lyn Marsteller, Annie McManis, Katie Moser, Rick Pender, Bill Peterson, Rodger Pille, Brad Quinn, Steve Ramos, Tiffany Royal, Erma Sanders, John Stoehr, Doug Trapp, Jill Ward and Kathy Y. Wilson.

A few other folks deserve a shout out for helping, often against their will: Cincinnati Costume Company for providing the pig costume, Pig Boy for posing and Nick Catalano at Brooks Brothers for helping with a photo shoot.

- John Fox and Felix Winternitz