www.dcdining.com

[DonRocks]

Greetings. As of late December, www.donrockwell.com now owns the domain name www.dcdining.com.

Several years ago, WETA purchased that domain name. Shortly afterwards, they asked me to be their restaurant blogger, and because I wanted to support them, I agreed to do it for $40 a week (with no expenses reimbursed). They told me how much they paid for the domain name, and while it was a considerable sum of money, I remember thinking at the time it was a shrewd purchase.

WETA switched to an all-classical format, and changed directions with their website, de-emphasizing the restaurant aspect. As a result, I lost interest and everything slowly faded away. But we always remained on good terms, and I approached them last summer about purchasing the domain name from them.

The potential market value of the name "www.dcdining.com" was daunting, but perhaps because I had worked so much for them in the past, they accepted my offer - they made a handsome profit to be sure, but I was willing to make the investment since I've always considered it THE perfect domain name.

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A note to restaurateurs - anything and everything I've ever written on this website may now be attributed to "dcdining.com," with or without including the names "Don Rockwell" or "donrockwell.com." For example, if I write this about a restaurant:

"This restaurant is absolutely breathtaking in its ineptitude, the service without peer in its incompetence. You simply have to order a bottle of wine here, because the by-the-glass prices are outrageous, and none of the pedestrian beers are worth drinking."

You can feel free to put this on your website, or on the window outside your restaurant:

"This restaurant is absolutely breathtaking ... the service without peer ... You simply have to order a bottle of wine here...."

-- dcdining.com

Well, not really, but you get the idea. And you can attribute it any way you like:

"Don Rockwell, dcdining.com"

"donrockwell.com"

"www.dcdining.com"

"Don Rockwell, as written on dcdining.com"

etc.

That having been said, quoting any other poster besides me should be attributed indirectly, like this:

"Posted on dcdining.com"

"User 'Good_Food', posted on donrockwell.com"

"Written on dcdining.com"

etc.

To summarize:

When that visitor from Chicago walks by your restaurant and looks at the reviews in the window, or visits your website before flying into town, a positive comment from "donrockwell.com" will probably have them scratching their heads, and saying "who in the Hell is Don Rockwell?"

But a positive comment from "dcdining.com" will have the firepower to get them through your door. Use it as part of your marketing plan, and please feel free to write me if you have any questions.

Cheers,

Rocks.