Yep, that’s right. On the heels of Harrisburg Magazine’s “Simply The Best” issue, and just a scad two months before Citybeat’s “Best & Worst of Harrisburg” issue, we at MODE just had to chime in with our two cents.

But mind you, we at MODE have been working on our “Best of the Burg” topics since February. And yet notice the pleasing absence of a littering of “Best of the Burg” icons in all of our advertisers’ ads. MODE’s “Best of the Burg” isn’t a cheap advertising ploy, (we’re saving that for later). It’s a salute to the truly deserving, but until now completely ignored “bests” of Harrisburg, including Harrisburg’s best places to go; best places to park and make out; best places to watch people, and finally Harrisburg’s best burger, which incidentally is the only one we didn’t make up.

 By the way, I’m glad you asked about the cover. That’s John Sider holding our BEST of the BURG medallion. We’re pretty sure he’s not the sexiest man alive, but he is the most daring. You see, John was kind enough to fill out and send in one of our Shameless Survey forms last month. And smartass that he is, for the last question, “What would you like to see added to the pages of MODE (Your Wish List)?”, John wrote in, “My picture on the cover under the banner Sexiest Man Alive.” This just goes to show you that you better be careful what you ask for around us MODE folk, we’re liable to give it to you. (Actually, we were pretty amazed John even showed for the photo shoot.) He definitely wins bravest man alive.

So, enough of this “Best of the Burg” gobbledegook. Read it. If you like it, let us know; if you hate it... well... send your carefully drafted commentary, as an e-mail, to: Itgetsdeletedbeforeweevenreadit@MODEweekly.com, (formerly MODEmagazine.com). :-)

Gee Scot, feeling a little feisty aren’t we?

And yes, both of the rumors are true. A. Gloria and I are about to give birth to MODE’s first indentured account representative. Imagine that, knowing from the moment he’s born (yes, it’s going to be a boy), that little Quinn Francis is going to be the best salesperson MODE has ever had. And 2. Central Pennsylvania’s most extensive print and Internet dining guide is almost complete. We’ve been feverishly working on this project for almost six months now, and the MODE Dining Guide is sizing up to be absolutely tremendous. The print and Internet editions include sample menus, photos of every restaurant, detailed full-color maps, cuisine cross-reference indexes, and tons more. Watch www.MODEweekly.com, (formerly MODEmagazine.com) for details, and if you own a restaurant, (in the words of Dr. Leonard McCoy), “For God’s sake man, don’t be left out!”

As a matter of fact, the mad scientists here at MODE are cooking up yet another concoction even bigger than the MODE Dining Guide. “Bigger than the MODE Dining Guide?” You say. YES! So big that all of our staff has be implicitly instructed to take only the largest (unmarked) cash payments to leak this grand information. All I can tell you, (without the big round, almost overdue, hormone factory of a wife/boss smashing my pea brain in), is that MODE needs a slew more writers. If you are a professional in your business field, an expert in the areas of technology, cinema, music, entertainment, or weight loss, (that’s for me), or you are an accomplished writer willing to work for (almost) the sheer joy of it, let us know now! Respond to the “WRITERS WANTED” ad on page 11 immediately, and, (as Sally Struthers would say too much), you can find yourself in the exciting field of creative writing! Wheeeeeee!

I know I’ve poked fun at some folk in this Publisher’s Note, but you know what, if you can’t stand the heat, call your local postal employee, they have the firepower to set things straight. Right Connie?

I hope you enjoy reading this issue as much as we did publishing it. Thanks.

P.S. And yes, I did shave my head, and no I didn’t lose a bet. Thanks for asking.