OK, last question...I'll avoid the obvious "worst place you ever reviewed" angle...

What was the most surprising service gaffe you ever encountered? No place names required, obviously...and in the same light, what was the most pleasant service surprise? Someone going above and beyind the call of duty?

Hi there,
Just wanted to let everyone know that we are open in Charles Village! Walk don't drive....
Soups, salads, pastas and specials...and getting ready for Valentine's Day too.

Probably an obvious question, but: Did you ever go into someplace you were reviewing and realize you'd been "made" (recognized) by the restaurant staff/owner and knew that the food, service, etc. you were getting was not the usual?

sorbets work (my ice cream store manager name)

Best of luck.... The good thing about retirement is you can watch TV all day and no one will say a word!

My last meal would be at Martick's or Hutzler's Tea Room. :)

Congrats to you!

Congratulations and thank you for making such a wonderful community here.

I'll ask you the same question I ask all knowledgeable people: what do you know now that you wish you had known starting out?

That's an excellent idea for next week's Top 10. Thanks! EL

My mother threw away her date book when she retired. 3 days later, she went out and bought a bigger one. She had a great time, though, for a few years there.

Oh, questions...what is the one restaurant outside of this area you'd like to eat in?

I think as a public service, you should spend some time in retirement experimenting until you recreate the recipe for Marconi's chopped salad, then publish it on the successor to D@L. Oh, in the form of a question: will you?

In retrospect, I've been curious how, or if you managed to maintain any sort of dialogue or interaction with your readers before the advent of this blog?

Do you think it's changed your approach to your writing - and if so, how?

The most thought about question around:

How do we apply for you soon-to-be former job??????

Best of luck, EL. We'll miss ya.

not quite food related, but industry related...
the internet/blog/etc.... has it been good for you or do you wish for the days of print only?

and question #2. what would you like as a reitrement present? not that me or anyone here will actually get it for you, but... just in case :-P

1) I would have retired three years ago if not for the blog. Print was beginning to bore me. 2) a snowblower. EL

Will you finally let all of us who have come to know you as an on-line friend let us take you out to lunch or dinner? Assuming there's a venue big enough to hold the crowd...and it ever stops snowing?

Those of you interested in restaurant criticism as a craft might want to read an article about it in the Jan/Feb issue of the Columbia Journalism Review (http://www.cjr.org/feature/everyone_eats.php?page=all). It's a short history of the institution and a discussion of how it's changed since the Internet. Good context for the coming change and reason to keep our fingers crossed.

Federal Hill Jim, your tip on the CJR article to EL already became a separate D@L topic, posted two days ago, so any Sandboxer worth his/her weight in prose has already seen it.

ReCaptcha: podium sought (the quest of would-be successor restaurant critics)

What Am I supposed to do? I'm sad and I'm sad enough already. I'm new here and you answered my emails and even said I cheered you up. I think a party would be in order; don't you?

slasds--you have plenty of company!

EL - What are you going to do all day? I know, you could eat all day, but what fun would that be if you don't talk about it!?

Since we all know that your first review was Danny's, what will be your last review?

Weirdly, last Sunday's. Because of the weather, I didn't feel it was fair to review a restaurant this week. EL

Thank you so much for so many wonderful, insightful articles.

I had patronized the now closed Avanti's in Savage for 30 years, and (while you might have reviewed it during this time)your last review (perhaps as a the Roadhouse incarnation), the origianl family ownership had moved on.

Avanti's introduced me to a variety of wonderful veal dishes, and I can't find high quality veal francaise anywhere. Do you have any suggestions?

Best wishes for a long, happy, healthy retirement !!!

i`d like to invite all to our new bagel shop on greenspring ave. at the *SHOPS AT QUARRY LAKE* to try our great bagels and other entrees such as ,paninis,soups,overstuffed sandwiches etc. we have been open since jan 2nd 410-753-3350
Quarry Bagel &Cafe

I've been away fora few weeks and just found out about this.
RayRay sad. Very sad.

EL retiring or the unsolicited bagel advertising?

All your fault, RayRay. That'll teach you to go away.

(united mutinous, um...so we are)

That's right RayRay! Without you, EL lost her desire and will to do this anymore.

Will you miss us as much as we'll miss you?

Bonnie H.--I think that would be impossible.