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BEST FESTIVALNovelloNine separate festivals received votes -- the most diversity in just about any category -- but Novello emerged the winner. Over the years, this October lit-fest has spotlighted our public library, and has gotten people excited about reading, always a good thing. Past Novello notables include John Grisham, Alice Sebold, Paul Zindel and Suze Orman. This year, get tickets early for Isabel Allende, Michael Chabon and Christopher Paolini. (Other vote getters: Taste of Charlotte; Yiasou! Greek Festival; Art and Soul of SouthEnd.)BEST PLACE TO JOGFreedom ParkThis great urban park easily outpaced (get it?) the competition. Whether your track is on the trails or you prefer to pound the pavement, Freedom Park is a favorite by a mile. Or two. Plus it has so much to see -- towering trees, ducks in the pond, old guys fishing, young lovers sharing a smooch -- it puts a spring in your step.

Freedom Park, 1900 East Boulevard. 704-336-2884.

BEST PLACE TO GET BACK TO NATURE Latta PlantationBy a longshot. Everyone loves this "only minutes from here" place, where you can forget Blackberry and relax under the trees, with Mountain Island Lake as your background. The park offers hiking and horseback riding trails (and guided rides), canoe rentals, and fishing permits. Take the kids, take a picnic.

Latta Plantation, 5226 Sample Road. 704-875-2312.

BEST PLACE TO PEOPLE-WATCHCorner of Trade and TryonYou'll see it all here -- foreign language-speaking cab drivers, buttoned-up business types, bicycle couriers, and unfortunate souls who can't figure out the damn one-way streets uptown. Vary your people-watching by the clock: There's a whole different set of folks at 8:30am than at 10:30pm (and the people around 5:30pm seem to be smiling...). (Other vote getters: Lowe's Motor Speedway; Coyote Joe's on 1-2-3 Night; the fountain at Stonecrest on weekend summer nights.)

BEST DAY TRIPAshevilleA city with some actual historic buildings remaining, cafes, bookstores, a chocolate fetish shop (!!!) and cool summer breezes -- really, they don't call this "God's Country" for nothing. Did we mention the theater, the galleries and the view from the porch of the Grove Park Inn? Very nice.

BEST GOLF COURSEQuail Hollow Country ClubTom Fazio redesigned this private course just four years ago, creating tree-lined Bermuda grass fairways, bent grass greens and challenging water hazards within a beautiful setting. It ain't cheap -- it'll set you back a Franklin to play 18 holes on the weekend, and you can't hit the links without a club member. But our golfing friends say it suits them to a tee. (Runners-up: Ballantyne; "any putt-putt course.")

Quail Hollow, 3700 Glen Eagles Road. 704-552-1726.

BEST PUBLIC TENNIS COURTSPark Road ParkThe 138-acre park itself is pretty nifty, with basketball and volleyball courts, an 11-acre lake, playgrounds and a walking trail. Our tennis friends, though, say this is the place to take a racquet -- thanks to more than a dozen nicely maintained courts. Oh yeah, and they're lighted. Go have a ball. (Runner-up: Freedom Park.)

Park Road Park, 5300 Closeburn Road. 704-554-0402.