Best action scene

FERRARI JOYRIDE

Readers of a certain age (mine) will remember the arcade game Spy Hunter, in which an operative driving a "G-6155 Interceptor," a fictitious sports car that looked an awful lot like a Ferrari, careened down a road at insanely high speeds to the tune of Henry Mancini's Peter Gunn theme. Awesome! One boozy fan tried to recreate that experience in real-world physics. On the night of Sunday, Dec. 29, Henry Griffen, 27, accepted a ride in a silver Ferrari F360 after its owner, Joseph Goodman, flashed wads of cash around the Westside Tavern. Goodman then blasted through red lights at 100 miles an hour, police on his tail the whole way. The passenger called 911 in a panic, eventually jumping out of the moving car. The chase through downtown Oly ended after Goodman veered over curbs, hit a parked car, collided with a home and surrendered in a church parking lot. Augmenting five previous DUI convictions - and graduation from Thurston County DUI Court - Goodman blew a 0.16. Luckily, no one was hurt, other than a $70,000 car. Cameron Frye's dad could not be reached for comment. - Christian Carvajal

Best place to park your butt

DARBY'S CAFE

It is typical of Olympia to eliminate a few parking spaces downtown in order to create min-parks on the street. Some drivers complain, but the people who frequent nearby restaurants love it. The mini-parks are like little patio dining areas with seating. And they're covered to protect you from the rain. The first one built is in front of Darby's Café at 211 Fifth Ave. and across the street from the Olympia Film Society. Darby's is a popular café that often has patrons waiting outside for tables. Now they have extra places to wait. The other one is in front of Jake's on Fourth at 211 Fourth Ave., another of Olympia's most popular hangouts. - Alec Clayton

Best homeless housing

CAMP QUIXOTE

Since 2007, Camp Quixote supporters have been working to provide basic needs for Olympia's most vulnerable. The vision reached fruition, just in time for the holidays, when Camp Quixote opened its 30 cottage doors to local homeless residents. The brand new adobes are now filled with some happy peeps, enjoying heat, plumbing and electricity. "I had the opportunity to visit Quixote Village last Monday (Jan 6)," says Josh Black, PATH program manager, who provides outreach in the area. "Residents seemed to be extremely up beat and there was a different energy than during times when I visited previous locations. There was still a lot of work to do, but everybody seemed happy, optimistic and there was a lot of pride." Good job Olympia. - Nikki McCoy

Best thing for old gays

SAGE

One of the best things ever to happen in Olympia was the formation of SAGE Olympia, a net affiliate of SAGE (Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders) USA, the premier GLBT elder care organization based in New York. There are other affiliates in other parts of the country, but the one in Olympia is the only one in the Pacific Northwest. Life can be tough for elderly gays and lesbians. They're often forced to remain closeted or even go back into the closet, and even if they're out and proud they are often shunned or ignored. SAGE provides social opportunities, trainings for service providers, educational forums and other events. Volunteers are needed and are encouraged to visit the website at sageolympia.org to find out more. - AC

Best reason to sort your trash

DOWNTOWN RECYCLING CANS

In the core of downtown Olympia, nine more recycling cans were added in 2013, bringing the total to 15. This makes it a heck of a lot easier to toss your quadruple latte leftovers in the right bin, just remember the lids and straws go in the trash. Also accepted in the recycling receptacles: Old rock fliers, cigarette packs without the plastic, PBR cans, college papers, voting ballots and drink coasters with phone numbers of babes you met at the bar, but realized upon waking that maybe weren't so rad after all. - NM

Best reason to smoke 'em if ya got 'em

LEGAL(ISH) MARIJUANA

This was the first complete year in which marijuana was legal in our fair state; so, true to apocalyptic predictions, Olympia devolved into an unlivable Needle Park of red-lidded waste-oids begging for cheeba change from nests of Funyun wrappers and Phish CDs. Oh, no, wait, that totally didn't happen! Why? Because although Initiative 502 was approved by popular vote on November 6, 2012, retail sales couldn't begin until new rules were approved and state licenses granted. It's been legal to possess an ounce of pot (or 16 ounces of pot brownie) for over a year, but not for most people to acquire it. Home "grows" are still off the table. The state will only license five retail outlets in the Tri-City Area, but 16 applied. (A liquor store in Rochester may also get the nod.) Thus, it'll be at least June before those of us without medical cards can walk into a Quickie Mart and ask for two Slushies, a Duff, and a lump of the kind bud. Meanwhile, marijuana's still a federal Schedule I narcotic. You know: like heroin. - CC

LINK: Best of Olympia 2014

LINK: Best of Olympia 2013

LINK: Best of Olympia 2012

LINK: Best of Olympia 2011