The best of 2011: Life

• Tim Hortons’ double dribble

  Why is Tim Hortons, with its leaky coffee cups, sitting out the race to build a better lid?

  By Jason Kirby

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  Cross-border love

  What happens when the trend of globalized romance runs into the reality of immigration crackdowns, red tape and tough job markets

  By Julia Belluz and Erica Alini

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  Monaco’s royal pains

  Charlene Wittstock, set to marry Prince Albert, is joining a clan with more scandals per kilometre than any other royal family

  By Patricia Treble

• On polygamy, child brides and why the stakes in B.C. are so high

  Carolyn Jessop in conversation with Luiza Ch. Savage

  By Luiza Ch. Savage

• The rise of Camilla and her clan

  After years of vilification, the Parker Bowleses are Kate Middleton’s new BFFs

  By Patricia Treble

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  Knit your own royal wedding

  The fun of this project is in the details—even the medals were vetted for accuracy

  By Patricia Treble

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  Is the Pope Catholic?

  From evolution to safe sex, a surprisingly activist Pope is remaking the Church as we know it

  By Brian Bethune

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  A Hollywood agent for conjoined twins Krista and Tatiana

  Chuck Harris lovingly refers to his clients as ‘a symphony of wackos’

  By Ken MacQueen

• Concussions: the untold story

  Eric Lindros and other pro hockey players on their depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts

  By Cathy Gulli

• Standing up to bad boys like Schwarzenegger and Strauss-Kahn

  Women all over the world are fighting back against sleazy men, no matter how powerful they are

  By Anne Kingston

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  How do you solve a problem like Roberto Luongo?

  If he’s going to win again in Vancouver, Luongo will have to rebuild his game and his confidence

  By Charlie Gillis

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  How Dutch women got to be the happiest in the world

  Few Dutch women work full-time—does this mean they’re powerless, or simply smarter than the rest of us?

  By Claire Ward

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  Why your teenager can’t use a hammer

  Complaints about a generation of the mechanically challenged

  By Cynthia Reynolds

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  What it’s really like to grow old

  Millions of boomers will suffer from cognitive loss and dementia. Maybe they already do

  By Brian Bethune