FAQ

OK, this isn't really a list of "frequently" asked questions, as I don't get asked that many questions, but I figured if you do have questions, a page called "FAQ" is where you would look. ;)

MAY I DOWNLOAD AND USE YOUR PHOTOS?

I am flattered that you'd want to use my photos - really, I am!  That said, please note that all photos on this blog are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/).  This means that you are more than welcome to share and adapt my work, provided that you (1) attribute the work to me, (2) do not use the photos for commercial purposes, and (3) share anything adapted from my work under a similar license.  As a courtesy, I would appreciate an email letting me know how you plan to use my photos and for information now how to provide proper attribution.  I am more than happy to share my work if asked.  Thank you.

As of September 2012, I have added a watermark to my photos as a result of seeing my photos pop up on Facebook, restaurant websites...even in magazines!...without my permission or any attempt at attributing the work to me.  If you would like a copy of the original photo without the watermark, please feel free to ask.

WHY IS MY COMMENT NOT POSTED?

I moderate all comments on this blog.  If you submitted a comment and you don't see it after a few days, it is due to one of the following reasons a) your comment got lost somewhere in the black hole of the internets, b) I suspected it to be spam, c) I found it to be offensive or the work of a "troll."  Messages are flagged as spam if they are irrelevant or nonsensical, or if there is a link attached that is unrelated to the contents of the blog.  I am totally OK if you are a food blogger or work in the food industry and post a comment with a relevant link, but if you post a link to, say, a business that has nothing to do with my post, then I am forced to consider that spam.  If you posted a comment that is not spam and I thought it was - my apologies! - please do post it again.  Also, I may suspect a comment to be from a troll if it is rude, disrespectful, or simply not very constructive.  I have no problems with someone disagreeing with me, but if you are posting an antagonistic comment just for the sake of being antagonistic, it is not a comment worth posting.

MAY WE USE YOUR BLOG POSTS IN OUR PUBLICATION?

Maybe.  It depends.  Let's talk.  But know that I'm not looking to get hired to do freelance-type work as I already have a full-time job that keeps me quite busy. :)

WILL YOU HELP PROMOTE MY RESTAURANT/PRODUCT/EVENT/SPECIAL OFFER/ETC.??

I have been receiving a growing number of such requests, and the answer is "maybe."  I try my best to help if I deem it appropriate for my blog, if it is a cause I wish to support, and if I have the time.  However, it is not possible for me to comply with all requests.  (I am most likely to accommodate the request if it supports a local Pittsburgh event or a local small business, though I assess each request on a case-by-case basis.)  Sorry in advance!

CAN WE ADVERTISE ON YOUR BLOG?

No, sorry.  I am not interested in making money off my blog.

IF WE OFFER YOU A FREE MEAL, WILL YOU WRITE A POSITIVE REVIEW ON OUR RESTAURANT?

Not necessarily.  From time to time I get invitations to free or discounted events, tastings, etc., and I will try to participate because I really enjoy trying and discovering new restaurants, new foods, and new things about my new hometown.  However, I will only blog about it if I like it.  I will never promise a positive recommendation in exchange for freebies.

WHY DON'T YOU EVER WRITE NEGATIVE REVIEWS?

Because I don't view myself as a food critic, nor do I see this blog as a "review" site.  I started this blog to document recipes and restaurants I like, so I'm sticking to that.  Besides, restaurants can have off days too, and I don't think it's fair for me to write critical things about them in a public forum just because they happened to mess up once.