When I signed on to cover for Rebekah Denn while she was on family leave, I had no idea six months would go so quickly. I enjoyed every minute of my all-too-swift stint at the P-I, especially the fun and friendly folks I've worked with.

It's not exactly "The End", though, as I'm going to continue writing restaurant reviews and a dining column for the newspaper. You can reach me at leslie.dines@gmail.com. Rebekah's back next week, but will be taking over the food editor duties.

I am taking my blog to a new address: LeslieKellywhininganddining.blogspot.com. I hope we can continue our conversation about all things edible. Thanks to everyone who commented on this space.

Had tons of fun in SoCal, including plenty of great meals. Went to some classic spots -- Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles, for instance. This was definitely the best fried bird I've had since leaving Memphis. Also was crazy about their greens and sweet potato pie.

What really struck me as I was making the rounds in L.A., from old school Mexican (the original El Cholo ... in Koreatown!) to Thai and Italian and French and Greek and fancy diner fare and gorgeous Indian, was how cheap it was to dine out there.

Yes, there are plenty of high-end restaurants, and, yes, I dropped three figures at Mario Batali's new Osteria on Melrose. (More about that in next week's Dining Out column.) Yet the tab was routinely cheaper there than in Seattle. Entrees for $12 and under? Yup. Why is it so challenging to find mid-range, good-value eats in this part of the world? Why?

Seasoned author Braiden Rex-Johnson has launched a Web site to help build buzz for her latest book, "Pacific Northwest Wining and Dining: The People, Places, Food and Drink of Washington, Oregon, Idaho and British Columbia," due out in October.

Braiden is probably best known for her tasty exploration of Pike Place Market, drawing on her expertise of cooking the region's bounty of seafood. I can't wait to get a look at her new baby. In the meantime, I'll be clicking on NorthwestWiningandDining.com.

I'm going down south, on a semi-secret family mission that, yes, involves seeking fame and filthy lucre. (Tell you more later ...)

But a girl's gotta eat, and I don't think I'll be getting a prime table at The Ivy. Anybody care to share some savory tips on where to do lunch (and dinner) in L.A.? (Non-sequitur trivia: east of the Mississippi, L.A. means Lower Alabama.) The more exotic, the better. (Example: The best soup dumplings?)

Supposed to hit 100 today, a serious meltdown situation in a city that doesn't really do AC.

Last night, I was at a restaurant where the dining room temp was in the 90s. I peeked at the thermostat in the empty dining room, everyone parked outside drinking in the semi-cool evening breeze.

Today, the Crumpet Shop at the Pike Place Market went dark by lunch, posting the sign in the pic, and even though I called ahead to make sure the spot I was eating had air-conditioning, it was still mighty hot. Didn't stop me from ordering something spicy, though. Can't say exactly where just yet, as I'm in undercover review mode.

Listen, I know it's hot. The newsroom AC is on the fritz! But the nice thing about Northwest hot is that it cools off as soon as the sun sets. I remember waking up in Memphis to the same muggy, damp blanket of 90s for weeks on end. Just remember, we'll all be complaining about the return of gray skies and rain before you know it.

There's some special Simpsons merchandise, but I couldn't find Apu's favorite Chutney Slushee, even after I called and asked. Dang.

And no Duff beer, either. Buzz cola's not going to turn my crank. Still, it was fun to see all the youngsters in the store, posing for pics with cartoon cutouts.

Flora Payne's pulled pork sandwich is a Memphis legend. Photo by Dave Darnell/The Commercial Appeal.

I know this pic is such a tease, because you've got to fly to Memphis to order one of these incredible sandwiches. (You can also read all about Payne's BBQ in the updated version of John T. Edge's "Southern Belly", one of the most delicious armchair travel reads you're likely to chew on summer.)

My guide to some hot spots for Seattle barbecue is out in Friday's What's Happening. Talk about some fun research. Colleagues were ribbing me about not bringing back leftovers to the office. Sorry. Next time, guys!

Please feel free to add your two cents on my smoky roundup.

I'm so over the ballpark chow at Safeco. Oh, I've been to a bunch of games this year. (Kenji is my favorite player, though J.J.'s a close second. What is that screaming theme song of his?) I typically spend at least one half an inning cruising around looking for something that yanks my chain. Last week I couldn't find an all-beef Kosher hot dog in the joint. (Though I saw them in the Terrace club level ... for $9.50! Along with the $15 "Kobe" burgers.)

The chicken teriyaki from Rice-n-Roll is pretty OK, but the nachos and the deep-fried junk could be ordered at any fast-food place. Yes, the chicken tenders are fried in trans-fat-free oil, but does that make it taste better? Don't think so.

The line is always too long at the Thai stir-fry place, and the dishes I've whiffed smell too much like canned bamboo shoots.

Even in the rarefied confines of the elite suites, the pickings seem pretty slim. A $9.50 sauteed-to-order pasta dish looked like bowties glued together, and seemed to be taking forever to get out.

Probably the best luck this season I've had has been at the Hit It Here Cafe. I've been happy with the view and the food, especially an appetizer plate with hummus and stuffed grape leaves. The prices aren't bad considering that it's a full-service restaurant.

I've been to ballparks around the country, to the old and new Busch Stadiums in St. Louis, the Jake in Cleveland, traveled to see the M's play the Rangers in the wicked hot Texas heat at the beautiful ballpark at Arlington. I've sampled the New York dogs in Yankee Stadium and at Shea. Tried them Chi-style at Wrigley Field and even chewed the fat at that stinkhole in Oakland. Of all those parks, I'd say that Safeco's got some of the worst food in the major leagues.

Am I right? Or am I missing something?

Went to the Olympic Pennisula for a few days, did some camping, cooked a couple of righteous meals. The honking huge T-bone -- dry-aged, seasoned beef from Fero's in the Market -- was a hit, along with roasted fingerlings and morels. If I'm sleeping on the ground, there's no way I'm eating dehydrated camp food.

Before we left, tried to have breakfast at Susan's 5100, a cute cafe near Beacon Hill. I should have heeded my own advice about not going to a restaurant that posts a help wanted sign. While the server was incredibly gracious, the cook was visibly grumpy. Maybe he was working too hard, filling shifts.

Sipping coffee, I noticed that he left the kitchen, food cooking on the grill. What gives? He did not return, so I paid for the coffee and left, but not before the server said: "The cook's dying downstairs." OK.

Again, beware, be very wary of restaurants wanting help.

Just got an Email from a pal giving me a heads up on a new Indonesian restaurant opening in the Ravenna neighborhood. The menu sounds so intriguing.

Wrote about other new venues in On Dining in today's newspaper. Seems like there's a restaurant opening every day, or at least every week in this great city. Let me know if you see something new in your neighborhood. Juicy tips will definitely be considered prize worthy.