I have been wandering the blogosphere recently and notice that a lot of my peers have review policies. This is, in part, because there is a suspicion that positive reviews are paid for and that this is all a form of fakery - advertising without appearing to be advertising. This is also partly due to a new FTC policy about all this. My book review policy is posted separately. This set focuses on restaurant reviews, cooking classes, and related adventures.
So: here's my set of policies (evolving as they are).
In the case of restaurant reviews, I simply write them when and if I feel like it after I eat some place. I pay to eat there (or someone nice is taking me out for food!). I am never paid to do these and restaurant folks (with occasional very rare exceptions) have no idea I blog about the place until I email them to let them know I have posted. I avoid defamation, and tell the truth, but I feel free to wander around like mad and sometimes people think my reviews get pretty far from the supposed topic of the review. It might be more truthful to say that I write essays that emerge from my thinking -- and sometimes this includes a review. Usually I write about the ambiance, what I eat (and possibly what those who accompany me eat), service, what I drink, costs, and etcetera. I usually review places in the Finger Lakes environs -- though I feel free to review places when I travel elsewhere and I travel a fair amount.
I often link my reviews to those on urban spoon. (See the urban spoon listing on the left hand column.)
OTHER FOOD ADVENTURES:
I review other stuff like: food emporia of various sorts (whatever that means), an occasional product, farmer's markets, cooking classes, etcetera. And, I feel free to do so just because. I always (and I mean always) let you know if the product is obtained free -- and this is another place where more often than not I actually PAY rather than being paid. I put some links up to some places that purvey some products. I just feel like it. I am not paid to do so and it does not mean much at all if I do not put links up.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
I choose who I want to interview and ask them if they are willing. Lots of people say yes. Some of them actually do it. They are not paid nor am I. I do not get paid to list websites or provide lists of books on the side bars of my website. (The book pictures do link to amazon.com, alas, which is often NOT the cheapest place to obtain the book. Some day I might become an amazon affiliate which would mean I would get a tiny amount for any book you buy as a result of clicking to there from this site. ) I decided against a list of places I have eaten -- though there are hints (often, alas, non-Finger Lakes) on the urban spoon scroll. Should I begin selling advertisements, I will announce that and they will self-evidently be advertisements.
FINAL DISCLOSURE:
Life is short. I do not make guarantees.