Umbrage Taken

Published a pretty straightforward critique of the new Zagat guide a couple of days ago, crossposted on Seattlest.com. Cornichon readers approved, but somebody reading Seattlest felt offended. Read on for the complete comment string. (The good stuff comes toward the end.) Too touchy? Moi?

In response, have started a new blog titled The Short List: Seattle. What Cornichon likes, period.

Meanwhile, here are the comments from Ziggedy Zaggedy Zagat on Seattlest.com

Comments (9)
Avatar Wesa
By Wesa
[1] | 12/22/07 02:28PM

I received a copy for free for submitting a few reviews. It gives us a quick guide to checking out new places that we haven't heard of. I think if you can get it for free, it's worth having around.

Avatar Wesa
By Wesa
[2] | 12/22/07 02:28PM

I received a copy for free for submitting a few reviews. It gives us a quick guide to checking out new places that we haven't heard of. I think if you can get it for free, it's worth having around.

Avatar
By LarryB
[3] | 12/24/07 01:42PM

For what it's worth, Zagat's isn't a real review book. It really is a printed sort of Yelp guide. I think you're being a little too hard on them.

FWIW, I find the electronic version useful for when I visit unfamiliar places and lack local recommendations.

Avatar
By bigyaz
[4] | 12/26/07 03:50PM

Yeah, you wouldn't want to read anything with comments by the slovenly masses. Rather than the "ignorant boors" you can get your dining news from a "pretentious bore" like Ronald.

Avatar
By ronaldholden
[5] | 12/26/07 05:27PM

Reply to Larry B: that's my point, Zagat's not a review book at all but transcribed shouts & murmurs...just like Yelp. Although there are many "contributors," each individual restaurant has relatively few reader mentions, resulting in "bizarre" quotes and "absurd" attributes.

Replying to BigYaz: does da Seattle Timez Ceiling Cat (whence comes your email) know what you're up to? Surfing the internetz can be hazardous to parochial outlooks. But, yeah, if it comes down to it, I'd rather be called pretentious than be ignorant.

Avatar
By bigyaz
[6] | 12/26/07 05:43PM

Hmm, so anyone who posts a criticism of Seattlest gets their IP address tracked and subtly threatened with exposure if they might be posting from a work account (which, incidentally, I'm not)?

Talk about small-minded. You seem very happy to criticize just about everyone else who writes about food and wine, yet get mighty defensive when it's aimed at you. You may want to try some therapy for that.

Avatar
By ronaldholden
[7] | 12/26/07 06:33PM

One step at a time, BigYaz.

Anyone who posts online these days is certainly savvy enough to know that IP addresses are a matter of public record. You park your car, they take your license number. You don't like it, don't drive.

As for myself, how can I possibly be less defensive about my own very modest competence? The only local food writer I have a problem with, as you surely know by now, is Leslie Kelly, who needs to get a real job somewhere, preferably not where her husband works.

Avatar
By bigyaz
[8] | 12/27/07 11:28AM

I really don't want to continue this back and forth, but trust me, as a network consultant I know all about IP addresses. What I don't understand is why the source of a comment is important to you as a blogger. Do you have some need to ascribe motive to anyone who might criticize your overblown prose? Or to issue vague threats about "outing" them ("Does the Seattle Times know...)? It just seems small-minded and petty, not good traits in someone who likes to put their own opinions out there.

Avatar
By ronaldholden
[9] | 12/27/07 12:05PM

What do you want me to say? That I agree, my unedited prose is occasionally overblown? That my curiosity about those who comment on my posts could be considered inappropriate? That like most mortals I can small-minded and petty? Guilty, guilty, guilty. Welcome to the imperfect world of blogs.

Posted by Ronald Holden at December 27, 2007 11:05 AM | TrackBack

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