This Is Just To Say, An Editor's Goodbye

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed)
Mar 13th 2011 at 9:02AM

For the last few years, my weekends have been framed around the compiling of the Sunday Real Estate Round-Up for this blog. This weekend was different. I was relieved of my responsibilities as of Thursday but I couldn't let Sunday come and go without a goodbye and a thank you.

When Jason Calacanis asked me to start this blog in 2004, we had nothing more than a vague idea to create a blog about luxury, a companion to Engadget, Autoblog and Gadling. Jason and Brian Alvey had a simple philosophy, hire people who are passionate about what they do and give them the space to write like the wind. I probably spent the first year or two trying to explain to pr people, friends and my family just what a blog was and why it was important. Those kinds of conversations are no longer necessary, blogging made it into, and became, the mainstream.

I always tell people this blog has been the best gig of my life. Certainly writing about luxury has its perks, from tasting scotch to admiring diamonds, but what kept me going through over 16,000 posts was the readership. You showed up. For estate of the day, for the Sunday round-ups, for the daily doses of eye candy, you have been here. You corrected my typos, you told me when I was wrong, you deepened and in many cases bettered the work I did. For everything, thank you.

It's been my honor and pleasure to work with some of the greatest writers in the luxury field, many of whom will continue to write here. They are the best at what they do. Read them, you will be better for it, I know I am.

A few more of my estate of the day posts will be rolling through over the next couple of days but my bags are packed, the train whistle is blowing in the distance. Safe travels and best wishes to all of you until we meet again.

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Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)

cwhit70072 Mar 14th 2011 12:44AM

Thank you for your time and efforts. I truly enjoyed reading your blog for the past couple of years and your Sunday Real Estate blog. It was a joy and part of my life. Thank you so much and here's wishing all the best to you that life has to offer.

Charles White
Portland Oregon

herekitty5 Mar 14th 2011 1:13AM

I am so disheartened by this news. Not only were the Real Estate Roundups my ritual since 2004, your name was what I scanned for to get caught up on all things Luxist.

Thank you so much for your terrific writing, insights and finds on all things luxury. I'll keep an eye out for your byline.

Best of luck, and thank you for everything!

Susan

Jonathan Fung Mar 14th 2011 4:53AM

Deidre,

Thank you for your service on Luxist. Your writing has always been excellent, and I have enjoyed reading your posts for years. In fact, it was the Real Estate posts which drew me to this blog. I generally do not comment on this blog outside of the occasional giveaways, but I would like to say that I enjoyed your posts, and wish you the best of luck in your future pursuits.

-Jon

nelson5300 Mar 14th 2011 12:44PM

So sad. Other than coffee you are the first thing I run to Sunday morning. You will be missed, thank you for keeping us informed and entertained for so many years. I wish you the best on your next journey.
Nelson

Johnny Mar 14th 2011 12:51PM

You've done an excellent job. You will be missed.

Frank Townend Mar 18th 2011 9:11AM

Deidre,

I wish you well and thank you for maintaining the "class" called Luxist. This site, and your influence on it is in a class of its own. Quiet, well-written articles, carefully chosen photographs, and commenters who know their subject has made this site a pleasure to read.

All the very best to you, and if you can excuse the cliché: "Stay Classy".

Frank

Scotty Mar 18th 2011 12:52PM

Where can we go to continue enjoying your writing? I have just removed my bookmark for Luxist and taken it off of my "favorite" sites. Your posts were the reason I tuned in at least 4 times daily. I always lingered and read the rest of the site, but only came back for the "estate of the day"...Ms Huffington is not worth it to me...I hope she will be to AOL.

donnpr Mar 21st 2011 4:58PM

Thank you, Deidre, for your many stories, all of them interesting even if I knew nothing earlier about the topic. That's darned good writing. Best wishes on quickly finding another employer who appreciates your skills and experience.

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