A record 15,000 votes poured in for the fourth annual Best Of competition. While some businesses took home their fourth consecutive wins, others were honored for the very first time. Scroll through to discover who received a golden ticket and why you (our readers) named them the best in the Valley!
Photo by Colin Coleman
Forward Thinking Fitness
Best Gym to Get a Great Workout & Best Trainers to Kick Your Butt at the Gym
You won’t find a whirlpool, a steam room, tanning beds or row upon row of neatly aligned treadmills and elliptical machines at Forward Thinking Fitness in Allentown. You also won’t be wooed with gimmicks and promotional deals designed to lock you into a lengthy contract deal.
What you will find at the unabashedly no-frills facility, according to owner Evan Howard, is a staff dedicated to whipping you into shape and reaching your fitness goals, whatever they may be. “We are without a doubt completely different than any other place in the area, and our clients love us for it,” he says. Initially Howard pursued a career in physical therapy, but found his niche in personal training. Now, along with Ryan Neff, Payton Bachman and Amber Ryan, Howard guides a growing client base of more than 150 members, through a variety of customized workouts and programs designed to motivate even the most reluctant athlete. “It’s a place that has such a positive vibe to it that you can’t describe, but you feel it instantly when you walk through the front door,” Howard says. “It’s just a matter of getting rid of that mindset of ‘I can’t’ or ‘no one can help me.’ Take the plunge and do it yesterday.”
6750 Iroquois Tr., Allentown | 610.395.9595 | trainftf.com
CrossFit Advanced
Best CrossFit Training
Get acquainted with CrossFit Advanced’s Foundations Program, designed to introduce members to the workout. During the first month, members will attend three foundation classes that demonstrate correct movements and ensure safety and success. Interested? Your first class is free!
3601 Sullivan Tr., Easton | 610.829.1070 | crossfitadvanced.com
St. Luke’s Fitness & Sports Performance Center
Best Gym Atmosphere
Strength training, the latest cardio equipment and group exercise classes await!
4 area locations | 484.526.3177 | getfit.slhn.org
Queen’s Nutritional Products
Best Health Food Store
Take advantage of the best selection of quality brands, organic produce and nutritional supplements in the Valley.
1450 Pennsylvania Ave., Allentown | 610.691.6644 | queensnutrition.net
Photo by Andrew Tomasino
Easton Yoga
Best Yoga Studio
You’re not flexible enough. You don’t have the time. You’re just not the type. There are a million reasons why you won’t take the plunge and give yoga a try. But Easton Yoga owner Alicia Rambo Wozniak wants you to remember this: “Once we get on the mat and trust the breath and our bodies, it is all possible.” Wozniak, who has been teaching yoga for 16 years, knows what it’s like to be standing (and stretching) at square one.
“I was first interested in yoga as a way to rehab a rotator cuff injury,” she says. “I spent the first year of my yoga practice barely able to raise my right arm more than shoulder height. But there was something that just kept me coming back.” She took over control of Easton Yoga from her teacher in 2004. Now the center has more than a dozen teachers on staff, each with a different style of instruction. “I want my students to leave classes knowing that living vibrantly and whole-heartedly opens us up to our fullest potential,” says Wozniak.
45 N. 10th St., Allentown | 524 Northampton St., Easton | 610.923.7522 | eastonyoga.com
Angie’s Way Nutrition Consultants
Best Nutritionist
Certified trainer, nutrition consultant and yoga instructor, Angie Fenstermaker believes that food is medicine and that a structured meal plan can do wonders in creating sustainable results. Change your lifestyle Angie’s way.
3705 William Penn Hwy., Easton | 484.515.9836 | angiesway.net
Afterburn, Liven Up Health & Fitness
Best Fitness Class to Whip You into Shape
Liven Up invites you to kick your fitness up a notch. Give group training a try with this custom-designed workout led by a skilled coach.
57 S. Commerce Way Suite 140, Bethlehem | 610.625.4484 | livenupfitness.com
Photo by Alison Conklin
Barre3
Best Non-Gym Workout
A mix of athleticism, grace and balance, Barre3 provides a full-body workout with low-impact movements, giving clients an endorphin high and a deep muscle burn. Get your shakes and quakes on with the latest trend in fitness!
3900 Hamilton Blvd., Allentown | 610.841.8200 | 3303 Bath Pike, Bethlehem | 610.625.5955 | barre3.com
