Gridskipper is back

Looks like Gridskipper, the blog formerly owned by Gawker Media where I got my start travel writing, just relaunched with Gabe Ulla as its new editor. Writing for Gridskipper was one of my favorite gigs; I’m yet to find another travel publication that will let me cover where to score crack, day laborers and tuna tartar (to say nothing of recreating The Brady Bunch’s experience in Hawaii).

Best of luck to Gabe and the irreverent travel guide.

(Via Katherine Spiers via John Rambow)

Gridskipper sold; freelance contributors gossip around virtual water cooler

This morning Gawker Media publisher Nick Denton announced that Gawker has sold three of its sites, including Gridskipper (Wonkette, the infamous political blog, and Idolator, a music gossip site, are the other two).

Gridskipper, where I’m a contributor, was sold to the Curbed network of blogs, which is owned by former Gawker manager Lockhart Steele (and keeping with the incestuous nature of the blogging industry, Nick Denton is an investor in Curbed).

As for what this change means for Gridskipper—and me—I can only speculate beyond some statements from Steele to Media Bistro:

“The honest answer is that Gawker ran the site on a large editorial budget and we don’t have that,” Steele said. “We’re going to investigate working with as many of the current writers as possible.”

Hopefully that will include me.

When I worked as a full-time, permanent employee, merger and acquisition stories begot a slew of office gossip. This incident is just one more example of how the Internet isn’t that different from the real business world after all.

A new wife and a new job

Two pieces of exciting news ’round these parts:

• I got married a few weeks ago and then had a fantastic honeymoon in Madrid, Barcelona, and Paris (hence the dearth of posts recently).
• I am now a correspondent for Gridskipper, “the decadent urban travel guide; scouring the globe for chic hotels, hot restaurants, sweet nightlife, and pretty people.” It’s published by Gawker Media (the same folks who bring you Wonkette, Lifehacker, and a slew of other popular blogs). I just submitted my first post (on DC’s independent coffee shops). It should be online in the next few days.