From Beethoven to "Bored To Death" the Play staff listed their favorite foods, films, music and more from the past year. Here's our list of winners, log on to adn.com/play to read more lists from Play freelancers and post your own picks.

It's not TV: The Wire is over and the Sopranos are long gone, but this year's HBO lineup was still required viewing. The potent mix of sex, drugs, murder and witchcraft in the second season of "True Blood" was a night-and-day difference from that other vampire franchise. Newcomer "Bored to Death" served up laughs with witty writing and performances from Jason Schwartzman, Zach Galifinakis and Ted Danson (Seriously, he was great). "Entourage" was so-so, but Larry David outdid himself with the closest thing we'll get to a "Seinfeld" reunion on "Curb Your Enthusiasm."

The Wu is back: After some less-than stellar offerings, several Wu-Tang members returned with firey and focused albums. Raekwon's "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, pt. 2" was packed with gritty storytelling, Ghostface Killah's "Ghostdini Wizard of Poetry . . ." dished out R&B flavored wisdom and even Method Man redeemed his deodorant-stained image with "Blackout! 2."

Dead-on undead: Over-the-top and gruesome, "Zombieland" kicked off with an epic title sequence (best on-screen use of Metallica since "Old School?") and rolled along with shotgun blasts, lots of laughs and an incredible cameo. It also knew not to push it, wrapping up in a tidy 88 minutes - about half the time James Cameron spent mining for unobtainium.

Throwback Jersey: There's something about the over-tanned mess of hair gel and abs MTV found for "Jersey Shore" that makes it irresistible. From ridiculous nicknames (The Situation, J-Woww) to head-scratching dialogue ("I'm the Kim Kardashian of Staten Island") and questionable dance moves (beating up the beat), it's one entertaining train wreck.

Man at work: Portugal. The Man showed no signs of slowing down this year. The local boys rocked Lollapalooza and Bonaroo and just finished touring Europe. Along the way they dropped a psychedelic and stellar fourth album, "The Satanic Satanist," one of my favorites of the year.

-- Spencer Shroyer, Play Editor

Vivica Genaux, "Pyrotechnics" (Virgin Classics). This new CD shows Alaska's most famous opera singer setting a new international standard for the interpretation of baroque music and redefining Vivaldi. Genaux is now at her full vocal power, as fast and accurate as a fencer, soaring like a jet with afterburners blazing and thrillingly accompanied by sensational violinist Fabio Biondi and his Europa Galante ensemble. Get a taste, starting with the video, at www.vivica-genaux.de

John Straley, "The Rising and the Rain" (University of Alaska Press). The former Alaska State Writer Laureate's first book of poetry is the most instantly satisfying thing I've read all year. Whether they somberly consider a pile of firewood ("as uniform as a stack of bibles/ and more readable/ than anything/ I have ever written.") or amusingly probe Wile E. Coyote's rationalizations ("I really thought the rocket/ shoes would work."), each of these completely accessible poems contains a rewarding depth of poignant insight and affection for the human condition. Not easy to find, maybe because I keep buying copies and giving them away. Check the UAA Campus Bookstore.

"The Big One" by Dick Reichman (presented at Cyrano's in September). A couple of plays at Out North this year, "The Man in the Attic" and "Dog Sees God" were also contenders for the best theater experience this year, but Reichman's marriage of tense drama and real history was a tour de force both in terms of writing and acting. No wonder this recounting of the Exxon Valdez oil spill has since toured the state as has more out of town performances coming up. I hope to see it again here.

Music Contest Winners Recital (presented at UAA in May). Two teen pianists presented in this annual showcase floored me. Wesley Voley of Kenny Lake, was astonishing in his performance of Prokofiev's "Diabolic Suggestion No. 4" and Ga-In Choi presented Beethoven's 32 Variations in C Minor with total confidence and maturity. These concerts of local champions are free; it baffles me that more music lovers don't show up.

Murray Perahia, Beethoven Piano Sonatas Opp. 26, 24 & 28 (Sony). This CD of what are often dismissed as second-tier Beethoven inclines me to believe that perfection in this world may be possible. The warmth and soul of the music glow under Periahia's translucent and precise playing. His calm stands in utter contrast to Genaux's fireworks, but if you can find the space to get quiet and let masters Ludwig and Murray do their thing, it's just as exciting. If this recording were vinyl, I would have worn it out over the past few months.

-- Mike Dunham, Arts & Entertainment Editor

The Return of the Wing: After an absence of around a year-and-a-half, Wings & Things reopened with new management and the same tasty recipes. For the first couple months the waits were long -- but worth if you enjoy wings.

Memory loss a winner: It's not going to win any major awards, but "The Hangover" is one of my favorite movies of the year. It was a much welcomed shot of comedy that didn't show all its funny moments in a trailer.

High marks: Inserted into a tough schedule, TV show "Community" still managed to earn a B+. The program follows a group of students attending a local community college and stars Joel McHale. It also provided Chevy Chase a much deserved return to weekly TV.

Beam me up: I 'm not a fan of remakes (Who wants to see the same movie with a new cast?), but I loved the new Star Trek. J.J. Abrams took familiar characters and added a nice twist to re-invigorate a classic series that had grown stale. It allows future Star Treks to boldly go where no Star Trek movie has gone before.

One too many: It was painfully to watch the wheels come off, but I loved watching what I hope is the last "Jon & Kate plus 8." I'll admit to watching the show in its infancy, when it was about some parents struggling to cope with having eight kids, but it overstayed its welcome and I only hope the kids can find some peace. I also hope the breakup teaches us all a valuable lesson; if we try hard enough maybe we can get all these other stupid reality shows off the air!

-- Kevin Powell, Play Designer

Alaska author Dana Stabenow had offers to spread her novels to the big screen, but waited for a film maker willing to shoot in Alaska. The Devlin brothers of Evergreen studios decided to take her up on the challenge and have plans to create a Kate Shugak TV series in the last frontier.

Zombieland: I admit it, even though it's part of my job to put together the movie listings, I rarely go see movies. When I was coerced into going to see "Zombieland" my expectations were microscopic. Yet I was pleasantly surprised by the quirky and sometimes sarcastic flick. Side note: "Zombieland 2" is rumored to be in production and estimated out in theatres in 2011.

The Berth: Everything is better with a stilt walker that can play the accordion (thank you Megan Holtan), a lesson I learned when I participated in collaborative art event "The Berth." Curator Michael Gerace corralled artistic types of many flavors into a downtown radius for facilitated festivities. My favorite (beside my own street performance) was a dance performance in the JC Penny parking garage by the Momentum Dance Collective. The Orange Person Group, pounded music out on street items for another a vibrant highlight. Overall, I hoped for more mayhem, but in the end I was thrilled Anchorage folk used the late autumn weather and lack of tourists to make downtown ours again.

Dan Savage and the condom issue of The Northern Light:

"Savage Love" columnist Dan Savage performed in Anchorage this past February and UAA's student newspaper The Northern Light, (of which I was previously the Executive Editor) was one of the co-sponsors. In celebration of Valentine's Day and Savage's trip to campus, the paper placed a condom on each of the issue. It took several hours for the volunteers to place them all, but the effect was well worth it. All-in-all, 4,000 condoms were distributed with the special V-day edition.

Google Voice: Users are not able to use a number with a 907 area code for Google Voice, but I set my account up with a Seattle area code. Now when someone dials my number I can have that call ring to all of my phones (cell, work, home). If I don't pick up, the call is sent to a predetermined voice message depending on who the caller is. I can set an answering message for my daughter and sister that is different from the answer my dentist would hear. My favorite feature is the transcribed voice messages. If I missed a call while in class or a meeting, then I get a discrete text instantly, no moving into the hall to check the voice mail. The transcribed message is also stored in an e-mail on the Google system, making it possible to archive messages and access phone call information from the Web.