3295 Meals Later

That's right -- Restaurant Whore is three years old today. As in years past, I will post a little round up of what the year has been like. Some categories are obsolete at this point, but I will do my best.

Highest Number of Visitors in a Single Day: With RSS readers in the mix now, I have no friggin' idea.

Highest Number of Visitors in a Month: see above

Number of Visitors All Year: see above

Total Number of Posts: 273, including this one (55 this year -- which is still more than 1 per week so there)

Total Number of Mesh Articles: None, as Mesh is no more. Editor Brian has gone back to school, and I really need to get off my ass and move this blog to a different domain.

Most Disturbing Search Term: "two one fuck bitch"

Most Unexpected and Welcome Bonus: Same as years past, but new and improved. I met the best friends I have in this life through this blog.

Biggest "You've Got to be Kidding Me" Bonus: Getting an offer to co-write a book. And taking it.

Most Unlikely Reader Demographic: Yet again, people who are easily offended. Honestly, there are enough food blogs out there that keep their panties on so I don't see why you are wasting time with me if you can't handle a fucking swear.

Best Meal(s): French Laundry (4th visit), Cyrus (4th and 5th visits), Delfina (every visit).

Best Food I Ate Outside of the County this Year: Mexican coke in Mexico. I was 9 weeks pregnant when we were there, so I don't remember all that much about what we ate since, well, I didn't really feel like eating.

Pieces of Hate Mail for the Michael Mina Post: 0 (hmmm...interesting)

Pieces of Fan Mail for the Michael Mina Post: 4 (guess no one even cares about MM anymore)

Number of Chefs/Restaurant Owners Who Have Posted On the Blog/E-mailed Me: I didn't keep track this year what with all the traveling and family drama and baby making but I do know that every time I do get a cheftastic comment, it makes my day.

Number of Oysters Eaten: About 3 dozen, mostly before I became a human incubator. I have had cooked oysters, though.

Number of Burritos Eaten: 42

Number of Times My Grandma Has Asked Why I Have to Swear So Much In the Blog: 0 -- she's accepted it and moved on.

Thing That Makes Me Happiest: Knowing that once there are three of us in the house we can order even more food to try. I guess this is dependent on Diner #3 eating solids and not being picky but that's just logistics. Besides, if he's picky, we're trading him in. That said, he's already pretty well trained -- he starts moving the second I enter a restaurant whether I've eaten anything or not. It's like he knows we're home or something.

Thing I'm Most Proud Of: This has not changed since I started the blog and I think (hope) it will always be the same -- Staying true to myself and not compromising my style or ethics to please anyone else. I still don't write anything down, I still make friends with my servers, bussers, chefs and bartenders and I still own my opinions, popular or not. Fuck, yeah!

And, finally, my blog birthday wish for this year: Last years wish partially came true, so let's give it a go. I wish that I'd stop sucking so bad and just finish the fucking El Bulli post once and for all.

Those of you who have been with me, or joined me, over these past three years -- thank you. I am not always the best blogger in the world, but I am, without a doubt, the luckiest one for having readers that stick around even when I'm a no-posting loser.

Love you. Mean it.

xoxo
Joy

"To eat is a necessity. To eat intelligently is an art."
-- La Rochefoucauld