If you can believe it, Del Ray Patch is two years old.

On Sept. 8, 2010, this community news and information website launched featuring stories about kangaroo steaks at Let’s Meat on the Avenue, the Cooking Channel’s “Unique Eats” filming at The Dairy Godmother, and the troublesome intersection of Commonwealth and Del Ray avenues.

Two years later, you can still get kangaroo from Steve Gatward, Liz Davis is still whipping up unique desserts and, yes, that intersection remains a point of concern for many—but at least there’s now a pocket park.

Del Ray Patch is still here, too, delivering timely and important news to the community. And despite keeping a schedule that sometimes seems to defy what is possible, I’m here as well—730 days later.

So on this site’s birthday, I just wanted to take a moment and offer my gratitude to all the readers and tipsters, newsletter subscribers, contributors past and present, Twitter and Facebook followers, guest editors, bosses, coworkers, emailers, coffee shop chatterers and even a few of you comment board trolls for doing all that you do.   

Special thanks to Del Ray business owners Jill Erber and Nora Partlow for taking time out of their busy schedules to meet with me when this site was just an idea, David Fromm of the Del Ray Citizens Association for doing the same, Old Town Alexandria Patch editor Sharon McLoone for being awesome, Kevin Beekman of The Arlandrian for his eyes, ears and bicycle wheels, and Liz Mitchell for lining me up with this mostly sweet gig.

Onward!