A lot of crazy stuff happened in Tribeca last year—remember the school zoning battle, the Park51 hissyfit, or the coyote on West Street? I haven’t been in the mood, however, to rehash the entire 12 months. (If you want to, go here and keep clicking “newer” at the bottom of the page.) Instead, here are some of my favorite posts, chosen simply because as I made my way through post after post after post, they were the ones that made me smile.

WORKING IT ON STAPLE STREET
Photographer Chris Zedano spent two years shooting portraits of interesting characters on Staple Street—and the results are marvelous (even if they make Tribeca look more like Williamsburg…). (Jan. 13)

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DAMON DASH’S NON-WACK WORLD
The New York Observer got inside Damon Dash’s place at 172 Duane, and the story is sure to cause a stink among his neighbors—or maybe that’s just the skunky smell of pot. “You can spend hours at 172 Duane Street, in Tribeca, and still have no clue what’s going on here,” writes David Levine. (Jan. 13)

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SHOPDOGS OF TRIBECA: PART 1 AND PART 2
Sometimes that doggie in the window isn’t for sale…. Asha Agnish photographed the dogs—and one cat—who spend their days “working” at Tribeca businesses. (Jan. 26 and Oct. 5)

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INSIDE HAPPY SCIENCE
In June, I wrote a bit about Happy Science, intrigued enough by the Franklin Street storefront to poke around the group’s website. A couple of months ago, Happy Science’s PR rep invited me to act like a real journalist and take a meeting with Happy Science USA CEO Yuki Oikawa. (Jan. 28)

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INSIDE PIER A: THE FIRST FLOOR, SECOND FLOOR, AND THE THIRD FLOOR AND CLOCKTOWER
The Battery Park City Authority invited the local press to check out Pier A, the old building-on-a-pier just west of Battery Park. It was magical visit: I’m sure it’ll be beautiful when completed, but the romantic in me loved looking at the layers of history. (Feb. 8)

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IN THE SHADOWS OF DOWNTOWN
Alicia Kachmar gets to know artist Jennifer Kotter, whose photographs capture the extraordinary details and textures all around Tribeca. (Feb. 16)

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INSIDE THE READE STREET PLAYPEN
Curious about the “extreme party event” loft at 109 Reade that’s been in the local news? (That’s the one where “fire massages” have been offered.) A tipster discovered photos of it on Airbnb, a site where travelers locate rooms to rent. (Mar. 24)

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GREEN IS GOOD: TREES FOR TRIBECA
I sat down at Kaffe 1668 with Purdy Eaton to learn more about Trees for Tribeca, which makes getting trees on your sidewalk incredibly easy. (Apr. 9)

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MADE IN TRIBECA #2: BEST MADE CO.
Tribeca’s industrial heritage isn’t entirely over: Things do still get made here—such as the beautiful axes from Best Made Co. Founder Peter Buchanan-Smith showed how it’s done. (Apr. 10)

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MADE IN TRIBECA #3: LET THERE BE NEON
Let There Be Neon recently allowed photographer Asha Agnish to watch—and take photos—as its team created signs for the Diesel store in Union Square. (Apr. 19)

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HE WROTE THE BOOK ON TRIBECA
The Tribeca Trib’s history columnist, Oliver E. Allen, talks about his life, his work (including a new book), moving to Tribeca in 1982, and his efforts to help Duane Park—for which he’s being he was honored on May 6. (Apr. 23)

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“I DON’T WANT TO BUY A HANDBAG”
Tired of being harassed by Canal Street vendors trying to sell her a counterfeit handbag, Natalia Youssef had T-shirts made…. [This one is for Neeta.] (Apr. 30)