SO THERE goes 2014.
A year in which, if you stood on the same city centre spot for long enough, somebody would drop a new bar right on your big toe. A year that saw Manchester stride to the forefront of the national devolution debate, George Osborne declare the city the heart of a mighty 'Northern Powerhouse', and the Council slip into a £1bn bed with Abu Dhabi.
2014 also saw Confidential hunt down Manchester's lost buildings, tackle sloppy property developers and have a good 'ole whinge about dirty streets, Trip Advisor and £3.5m of public money frittered away on massive glass warts.
Unsurprisingly, we covered a whole load of food and booze across the region this year, less expected was a bit of How's Your Father at an exclusive sex party. Honest we did. Take a look below. Things we do, eh?
Here's a selection of the most read, shared, discussed, ranted stories of 2014 just in case, lord forbid, you missed any...
THE BEST BREAKFASTS IN MANCHESTER - Our guide to surviving weekend mornings
KILLING KITTENS: EXCLUSIVE SEX PARTY REVIEWED - "There’s already some girl on girl through there"
NORTHERN QUARTER PUB CRAWL - All the best boozers from the city's favourite drinking district.
Castle Hotel
RESTAURANT WARS: THE BATTLE FOR MANCHESTER - Jonathan Schofield on the BBC making a drama of it
RED'S TRUE BBQ REVIEWED - Jonathan Schofield on a big money (barbecue) transfer from Leeds to Manchester
NIGHT AND DAY CLOSURE: THE OTHER SIDE - The Northern Quarter noise dispute that sparked a national debate
THE FITZGERALD REVIEWED - David Blake on Northern Quarter's newest and moodiest drinking den
MANCHESTER'S BEST SUNDAY ROASTS - Because it matters...
THE CITY'S LOST BUILDINGS - Some amazing Manchester structures snatched from us
ALMOST FAMOUS REVIEWED - 'The goo and slop of Pop Art food' in the city's most raucous burger joint
THE ALL-NEW £30M CORN EXCHANGE - Big plans for Manchester's Grade II-listed Corn Exchange building
TRIPADVISOR: MANCHESTER'S WEIRD TOP 20 - How many of these restaurants have you heard of?
STRETFORD ARNDALE: PORTRAIT OF A DYING SHOPPING CENTRE -L'Oreal Blackett on the reek of sausage rolls and depression
SUPERSTORE REVIEWED - Gordo falls in love with a blonde at a fine, new NQ operation
MANCHESTER BUILDINGS THAT NEVER GOT BUILT - Jonathan Schofield on the buildings that never made it
MANCHESTER'S BEST CHEAP EATS - The best city feeds for around £5
CENTRAL LIBRARY IS BACK - Jonathan Schofield on a £50m revamp and the most important cultural refurbishment in Manchester for yonks
MILTON CLUB REVIEWED - David Blake on troubling VIP guff
CASTLEFIELD & CENTRAL PUB CRAWL - The series of classic Manchester boozers continues...
HAWKSMOOR TO OPEN IN MCR - Manchester scores a big-swinging London restaurant
PICCADILLY GARDENS: ACTION AT LAST - Confidential has another moan about the knackered public space and Cllr Pat Karney pretends to be a scarecrow.
MANCHESTER'S BEST DIRTY FOOD - Because sometimes you just need to...
GEORGE'S WORSLEY REVIEWED - Deanna Thomas reviews Ryan Giggs' modern British village restaurant
CHEAPEST & DEAREST CITY CENTRE PARKING - Save a few quid...
CORONATION STREET TOUR - Joan Davies on Manchester's latest (and doomed) big-draw crowd-puller
