For whatever crazy reason, the biggest issue of the year—184 pages!—is hidden behind a tab deep down on the left side of our homepage. Hopefully by now, anyone reading this post has already picked up a copy of the Best of 2017 edition. But we wanted to show this whopping endeavor the love it deserves with a little extra attention on our homepage. What follows is my predecessor Gustavo Arellano’s introduction to the issue, which was conceived and designed by our dearly departed art director, Dustin Ames, a creative genius, unofficial private detective (he once set up a hidden camera to bust the cleaning guy who was drinking his hooch) and all-around mensch.
Take it, jefe…
As the wise sage Milhouse Van Houten once said, “Dogs are outstanding!” But you know what’s better? Rescue dogs. And you know what’s even better? The organizations that save these dogs from death and try to find them forever homes. It’s hard, selfless, costly work—but it’s the work of winners, for winners, by
winners.
And that’s why this year, your favorite infernal rag decided to team up with some of the best dog-rescue groups around to use their pals as models for our annual Best Of issue. Who better than pound pups to show the rest of us how to live the good life in Orange County? And since we took great pictures of them, it’s inevitable your eyes will also fall on the hundreds of winners we picked this year representing the best and brightest OC has to offer—more eye-grabbing than hot chicks in bikinis, you know? More important, if
you’re motivated to visit our winners, why not feel the urge to adopt our models and some of their pals as your own fur babies?
While some of these pooches will have already been adopted by the time you read this, others will be waiting for you. After seeing them in various stages of play (except for Rasta Dog; no edibles were used in her—or any—photo shoot because she was already naturally chill!), you’d be a stone-hearted fool to not want one. Read this issue, then find all the info for the participating rescue societies and give them a call. What else do you need? You’ve got rescue dogs and OC’s best everything—GO GO GO and ADOPT ADOPT ADOPT!
You can read the issue in its entirety here.
Award-winning investigative journalist Nick Schou is Editor of OC Weekly. He is the author of Kill the Messenger: How the CIA’s Crack Cocaine Controversy Destroyed Journalist Gary Webb (Nation Books 2006), which provided the basis for the 2014 Focus Features release starring Jeremy Renner and the L.A. Times-bestseller Orange Sunshine: The Brotherhood of Eternal Love’s Quest to bring Peace, Love and Acid to the World, (Thomas Dunne 2009). He is also the author of The Weed Runners (2013) and Spooked: How the CIA Manipulates the Media and Hoodwinks Hollywood (2016).
Hi Nick,
The link to access this issue directs me to the 2008 issue….
I’m looking for the link that recognizes “Summer of the People” as Best Protest Group for 2017.
Can you provide the proper link?
Thanks,
Dave Duran
Summer of the People, Co-Founder
Fixed!