Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Washington Post Launches new Going Out Guide

washingtonpost.com today relaunched the popular City Guide as the “Going Out Guide,” a robust interactive resource for local entertainment planning in the Washington, D.C. area. Renamed to showcase a deepened focus on restaurants, movies, special events and bars and clubs, the Going Out Guide brings readers the latest information and expert reviews on area hotspots. It also provides readers customized search results that help them easily plan a night out.

“The Going Out Guide is made up of local experts, like Tom Sietsema and the Going Out Gurus, who are constantly out trying area restaurants and local venues to provide readers the most accurate reviews and ideas on ways to spend their free time,” said Nancy Kerr, assistant managing editor for features for washingtonpost.com. “We combine expert opinions with user feedback to create a must-visit site for anyone who wants to make a quick decision about a restaurant or just wants to learn more about the D.C. entertainment scene.”

Building off its rich database of restaurants, events and bars, the Going Out Guide experts compiled over 25 “Best Bets” – lists that showcase 5-10 picks in categories like Best Pizza and Best Wine Bars. The Going Out Gurus’ blog also has a new look and feel, and the Gurus will still hold their weekly “Got Plans?” chat with readers Thursdays at 1 p.m. ET.

In addition to seeing Post experts’ reviews and top picks, users can build and share their own “Go Out” lists. Go Out lists function as personal play lists, and can be anything from the top ten places a user wants to try to a list of favorite hot spots. Local celebrities, like Washington Nationals baseball star Ryan Zimmerman and restaurateur Michel Richard, have created “Go Out” lists of places they love.

Reviews and recommendations from the Going Out Guide are available to iPhone users through the free Going Out Guide application on Apple’s App Store. The application includes information on over 2,000 Washington, D.C.-area restaurants, bars and clubs. Also, anyone with a Web-enabled mobile phone can look up information on D.C. area restaurants, bars and clubs or movie show times by visiting: http://twp.com/gog. Users without that capability can text a search term plus a location to WPOST (97678).

No comments: