So, I got two invites from PR folks recently to events. One a meet and greet with a winemaker, one a dinner at a steak house I’d barely heard of before. I’ve gotten them before, but somehow a sports bar in Downer’s Grove was a resistible temptation. These, I’m a little less resistant to, but at the same time, I wouldn’t mind hearing anybody’s feedback as to whether or not I should do these things.

PROS:
• Could be fun (and one is a definite networking with other food bloggers thing).
• It’s not like I’m getting paid any other way.
• I don’t feel I have to follow newspaper-biz standards of anonymity/objectivity, obviously I’m already compromised to an extent Phil Vettel couldn’t tolerate whenever I make a video about somebody, I figure you’re smart enough to get that I’m not exactly purely objective on a place like Mado or Blackbird, but at the same time, my enthusiasm is clearly sincere to anyone who watches my videos which are plainly sympathetic to how they approach cooking. As long as I don’t write about these places for some publication that demands higher standards, it shouldn’t be a problem.

CONS:
• Won’t my midwestern good manners make me want to say something ever so slightly nice even about a place I hated, hated, hated? Can I be objective, or am I a bit too much of a conciliator (yes, I often am that in life, no matter how I may seem to be riding a momentum of snark sometimes in my writing).
• Some bloggers have already demonstrated they can be bought very, very cheaply at these things. Maybe it’s better to just steer clear of the whole thing, avoid the taint.
• I’m not really a steakhouse guy. I will probably be ennh. Then I’ll piss off the PR person, who won’t invite to something I’d at least like better. (In other words, don’t sell out now, save doing so for something really good!)

Anyone have any thoughts?