Most Popular Articles of the Year

It's been a long year and Brentwood Patch recently celebrated its first birthday. Here we blow out the candles and serve you a delicious (and low calorie) list of the top posts from 2011. Thanks for all the input and for the news tips. Thanks for the comments, the criticisms and the dialogue. Brentwood Patch can't properly operate without the continued support of and interaction from the community. Keep it coming in 2012.

#10 -

It's no secret that flashmobbers take their work seriously. To coordinate a group of people in an impromptu act of public shenanigans takes a willingness to disrupt the natural order of things and raise a few eyebrows. In March, Brentwood Patch ran an 81-image gallery which featured participants of "Gettipede 2011," a flash mob that took over the Getty in a follow-the-leader jaunt across the museum grounds. What do you think about this flash mob? Tell us in the comments.

#9 -

Hey Brentwood, you sure love your flash mobs, as evidenced by number nine in the countdown. And for a group of about 200 flash mob participants at the UCLA campus in October, the feeling was mutual. UCLA grad Trang Vu led the troupe in a choreographed song and dance of the Frankie Valli song, "Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You." The performance, coordinated by Flash Mob America, was a marriage proposal to Vu's girlfriend and has clocked more than 1.8 million views on YouTube. Do the right thing. Comment about this story below.

#8 -

Back in March, Brentwood Patch ran a post on street closures caused by the L.A. Marathon. The 26-mile course closed streets from Dodger Stadium to the Santa Monica Pier, running right through Brentwood on San Vicente Boulevard. Read other articles about the . Did you or someone you know run the L.A. Marathon? Tell us in the comments.

#7 -

Speaking of traffic-causing events, you may remember President Barack Obama's visit to Brentwood in April. The commander in chief paid a visit to the on San Vicente Boulevard for a $38,500-per-plate fundraiser. The YouTube video we used to illustrate the post on Brentwood Patch was from the president's August 2010 motorcade down the same street. In fact, Obama has held several of these fundraisers here, so Brentwood Patch is calling for the relocation of our nation's capitol to this West L.A. suburb. On second thought, maybe we should consider becoming an independent city first. Baby steps. What do you think about the president's visits to Brentwood? Tell us in the comments.

#6 -

On a more solemn note: News of tragedy always spreads fast, especially when it's regarding a member of your community. Max Tinglof, an 18-year-old graduate of Palisades Charter High School, was killed in November when his car veered at high speed into a palm tree on Sunset Boulevard in Westwood. News of his death spread quickly and condolences to his family were publicly seeded through various social media channels on the Internet. The teen was a member of his high school lacrosse team and wildly popular among his peers. Tinglof was a freshman at UCLA when he died. Leave your condolenses for the Tinglof family in the comments box below.

#5 -

For many L.A. motorists, the build-up of Carmageddon in July was much worse than what actually transpired. The media blitz called for traffic congestion of unimaginable proportions. Residents were warned to stay home and huddle with their loved ones. The hatches were battened down and the cannons were fastened. OK, not really. Carmageddon wasn't really that bad, was it?

For those brave enough to relive the event in time-lapse form, watch this Los Angeles Times video of the Carmageddon Mullholland bridge demolition, replete with "Flight of the Bumble Bee" orchestration. Share your Carmageddon stories in the comments below.

#4 -

In an event for the ages, or at least one for those who can stand to wait more than a century, was the Perseid meteor shower. Caused by the comet Swift Tuttle's tail debris being sucked into the Earth's atmosphere during its 133-year orbit around the sun, this August event may have caused a neck kink or two in Brentwood. Patch gave you explicit instructions on how to optimally view the meteor shower near Brentwood and now we've come to collect. Did you attempt to see this once-in-a-lifetime, celestial event? Tell us how it went in the comments below.

In case you missed the shower, fret not. We posted a Youtube video from PMEFilms showing (you guessed it) time-lapse footage of the event.

#3 -

Whether you were new to Patch before March or not, we helped you get your feet wet with coverage of the tsunami which ravaged a portion of north Japan and threatened the California coast. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued an advisory for coastal areas of Los Angeles. Do you have something to say about the tsunami in Japan or the NOAA advisory for the California coast? Tell us in the comments.

#2 -

Well, now we know about your propensity for watching old documentaries about Los Angeles (or for clicking on exclamatory headline links!). Either way, the Los Angeles Fire Department video we ran, a public service announcement on how to report a fire, brought this post to number two in our countdown. Another old video from the fire department, titled "," didn't make it to this top ten list, but certainly deserves a nod. What do you think about these old archive videos? Do you have a favorite piece of Los Angeles history? Tell us in the comments.

#1 -

A Ferrari was split in two when it hit a power pole on Pacific Coast Highway in September. One of the two occupants, Basil Max Price III, 23, of Pomona, died at the scene, according to City News Service. The Driver, 24-year-old driver Vladimir Skvortsov, was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. KTLA reported that Skvortsov was convicted twice for DUI before, but that it wasn't known if alcohol was a factor in the September crash. What do you think about this car crash? Tell us in the comments.

And, as always, don't forget to follow Brentwood Patch on Twitter and Facebook.