Letter from the Publisher

gothamist for LA... LosAngelist?

I spend a lot of time daily going through online job listings and reading Gothamist. When will I be able to do both at the same time? Among 15,000 unique visitors a day to Gothamist, there must be one who wants to give me a job... Will Gothamist hook me up?

Gothamist LA, my kiddies. Why the wait?

Expats out here need local postings on b-b-q, chocolate shops, LAPD chases, spaceland shows, panda abstinence reports, nice hikes and Metro/freeway news.

Jake, when you tie the knot in your lady's hometown, please post accordingly... Feel free to stay a few extra days, you're invited. Jen, as bridesmaid, you're requested to research the city of angels accordingly -- report back --it'll be just like Conan in Toronto, sans Jim Carrey.

all these branches on the gothamist tree - a great resource but where am i going to find the time? *sigh*

Why is everyone hating on Gothamist of late? (thinking of blog=self-absorbed blablabla) Can't it just be, and we be grateful for it? It's a welcome distraction that brightens my dingy grey on grey cube and lets me escape from the corporate widgets for a minute. Tune out if you don't like it.

I see gothamist as less gawker and more MUG, but bigger & broader... definitely an untapped editorial POV - who else presents NYC in such a user-friendly way?

destroyyouridols, I was simply pointing out an odd disparitry between what has been said and what is being done. That's it. Have a very nice day.

tom hammond:

that stick you have up your butt looks nice on you. really.

"It's still a hobby - but a hobby that we're trying to see how we can expand and grow. And the term "staff" is generous - we're more like a collective/commune."

You have got to be smoking something because as far as hobby's go, the way Gothamist presents itself and the amount of people you have "communing" here are more than many real for profit websites.

Good luck with whatever you do. But lordy does Gothamist sound delluded. Gothamist clearly has aspirations to be the next Gawker.

Fantastic suggestion, matt, although Gothamist has thought itself a little gay anyway.

as Gothamist follows the Amazon example and continues to add more product lines, y'all should consider targeting the queers next. gothamist.com/gay would not only serve the local homo hipsters et al., but also keep us folks in the provinces up on what we're missing by not being in the Big City.

regardless, well done. and good luck with the buy out.

when people ask me about gothamist's business future, i can't help thinking of the simpsons episode where mr. burns asks "does anyone have change for a button?" i also think about the episode where bill gates buys homer out. one day i'm sure the editors of new york magazine will buy us out in the same way: "buy him out, boys!" and i think jen is on to something too- the whole enterprise is looking more and more like one of those communes my parents used to live in on pacific street in brooklyn in 1972.

so bottom line, we make almost no money- and until we do, the goal of gothamist is simple: to be the best new york site we can possibly be. anyone who wants to join the fun is welcome.

What did you mom tell you about Uncle Bill?

I wouldn't call Gothamist a totally personal journal - we're not flooding it with references (these days, at least) to what my mom told me about Uncle Bill or the huge dustbunny I found under the bed when I vaccuumed. That said, Gothamist certainly have the essence of our opinions and views about NY and other events and happenings. It's still a hobby - but a hobby that we're trying to see how we can expand and grow. And the term "staff" is generous - we're more like a collective/commune (sorry, Krucoff, staff meetings are a myth that Jake used to woo you). More thoughts on this later.

Happy growth spurt! It's been neat to watch Gothamist grow...

sweet...

Yes, I'd like to know if I'll ever be invited to a staff meeting, company picnic, and the IPO party. Also, I tried to call payroll but apparently no such department exists.

I'm reminded of "Old School" and Will Ferrell's streaking scene, but I'm not sure why...

My questions are similar to Tom Hammond's. In a number of your posts, you've characterized Gothamist as a personal journal or site. Yet many of its features---an editor, publisher, columnists, sections, advertising---convey the look and feel of an online news magazine...a New York, Voice, Time Out New York or Times anthology with a very personal and humorous slant.

Can you clarify your vision for Gothamist and the direction it will take? And how these, in turn, will affect your policies regarding editorial content and the editing of your readers' comments? Are you hoping the site will be acquired?

I'm reminded of "Citizen Kane" and when the time came for a "Declaration of Principles"...

I wish Gothamist good luck with all new features. I am looking forward to the new section about weather. But don't get too serious... I mean, I love (most of the time) the way Gothamist comments on things, I love when you write about weird, funny stuff, I love your sense of humour... so, don't get too serious!

Just one question. At this point will you, umm, I mean Gothamist finally admit this site is not a little hobby thing you, umm I mean, Gothamist does for fun but is actually an aspiring publishing venture? Or are you still going to claim you're just playing game despite having a staff and ad rates?