Rebecca Gaffney and Mia Saling

Best Wedding/Event Planner:
Red Letter Days
(Runners-Up: Catherine Bachelier Smith & Dorinda Miller)
A party’s all about having fun, right? Tell that to the bride in tears who’s peeved that her cake’s late and the photographer’s tipsy. The person sweating the details ought not be wearing a veil — especially when event planners Rebecca Gaffney and Mia Saling, co-founders of San Diego’s Red Letter Days, are happy to help. "First and foremost we see ourselves as project managers," says Gaffney, "we make sure that everything comes together so that the recipient of the event can really just sit back, relax, and have a good time." The duo brings just the right mix of rigor and passion to producing your party. Makes sense: Gaffney cites a former life as a professional dancer, and Saling’s a karate champ. Even more importantly, the two love what they do. "It’s wonderful," says Gaffney, "We absolutely love working with our clients, because more often than not they become our friends." (www.redletterdays.biz) — Paul Stuart

Best Sommelier:
Jesse Rodriguez At The Grand Del Mar
(Runner-Up: Jared Seitzer at Ivy Hotel)
An accredited sommelier with a master’s degree in history, Rodriguez serves up a heady blend of historic background, regional details, and enthusiasm for his selections. Most nights you’ll find him on the floor of Addison, the resort’s signature restaurant, chatting with guests, making suggestions, and listening to theirs. "First and foremost," he says, "let’s listen to not what I want to bring in, but what does San Diego want to enjoy?" He made waves last year by tapping into the half-bottle wine menu — encouraging diners to get a little adventurous with their selections. This year we can look forward to some Napa Valley gems that Addison commissioned from private producers. His ultimate goal is as ambitious as his wine list is tasty: to put San Diego on the map. "There’s no reason at all why we can’t have a food and wine culture that rivals San Francisco, or New York. It’s a very exciting time to be in this industry." (858/314-1900, www.addisondelmar.com) — Paul Stuart

Best Philanthropist:
John and Sally Thornton
(Runner-Up: Ernest Rady)
If Kate Sessions is considered the "Mother of Balboa Park," Sally Thornton has got to be the "Mother of San Diego." Since founding the John M. and Sally B. Thornton Foundation in 1982, she’s made a life out of giving back to her hometown. Printing the list of organizations that she’s headed over the years would require Bible-thin paper: life trustee of the San Diego Museum of Art; chairman of the board and president for the Arthritis Foundation; president of the San Diego Planetarium Authority; chairman of the San Diego Crippled Children Society; chairman of the Epilepsy Society’s Gingerbread City, and on and on, for pages. Seriously. Most of us get overwhelmed managing something as simple as dinner and a soccer practice, so it begs the obvious question: how does she do it? "One of my friends asked me, ‘How do you keep it all straight?’ and I said, ‘Basically, it’s like air-traffic control: I keep them circling until it’s time to bring them down.’ Whatever I’m working on at the time is my favorite."— Paul Stuart

Best Maitre D’:
Bertrand Hug And Julien Hug
It’s easy to see why the father and son team of Bertrand and Julien Hug are the best at meeting and greeting people and making friends. "I think this honor is awesome and flattering," says Julien. "I love my job because I get to meet so many nice people and it’s easy to be nice back."_About his father, Julien says, "No matter what frame of mind he’s in, he’s always in a good mood for his guests!" You can find Bertrand alternating between Bertrand at Mister A’s in San Diego and Mille Fleurs in Rancho Santa Fe. Julien is always onsite at Mille Fleurs. (www.bertrandatmisteras.com, www.millefleurs.com) — Maria Desiderata Montana

Best Radio DJs:
Jeff & Jer
(Runner-Up: 91X’s Chris Cantore)
For 20 years, San Diego’s been waking up, chugging coffee, and fighting gridlock to the voices of DJ duo Jeff & Jer. Hard to believe that we knew these jokers before most of the bands now making their "comeback" even saw airplay. What’s a deaf leopard, anyway? Perched on their fifth station, STAR 94.1, after dancing around the dial, they’re still dishing up great interviews, awesome in-studio performances, and surprisingly intimate details about their lives. They’re like a favorite uncle: funny, intelligent, and eager to tell you about the latest nasty thing that their bodies are doing to them. — Paul Stuart

Best Bartender:
Mike Yen At Nine-Ten
(Runner-Up: Jim Fulara at Red Tracton’s)
"Mike seems to know everything about his craft. We call him the "Yoda" behind the bar, says Neal Wasserman, director of food and beverage for Nine-Ten. "He is innovative and creative and not afraid to think outside of the box (or bottle) and experiment with new things." He also goes above and beyond what a normal bartender’s duties might be. Off the clock, Yen squeezes his own fresh juice daily and makes his own simple syrup. Lately, he’s been supplying his trademark Jell-O shots for private parties. "Our customers love him," says Wasserman. "They come back four, even five times each week just to sit at his bar and watch him do his mixology magic!" (858/964-5400, www.nine-ten.com) — Rebecca Chappell