I just spent five opulent days -- all expenses paid -- in China, courtesy of the Ritz-Carlton, Cathay Pacific, and Dragon Air. Because I blog. With traditional media outlets disappearing, luxury brands are retooling their PR strategies to target online writers. While the timing was a coincidence, the connection is real: the Ritz-Carlton's first online-only press trip departed the day after Conde Nast announced it was folding Gourmet. And new media outlets, like, oh, say, Thrillist, are sponsoring junkets of their own, putting more media types in the air but drawing more attention to the practice: a mini-scandal broke last week when it was reported that two freelance writers who attended the e-mail newsletter's recent JetMystery trip were contractually barred by their clients from accepting such freebies. As always, a media scandal begets media introspection.

For 51 weeks a year, Louisville is flyover territory for most of the country's trendsetters. But for the week preceding the Kentucky Derby, the city is one of the most fashionable destinations in the world. Cool parties abound on Derby weekend -- and not just for the big hat & seersucker set.

● Barnstable Brown Gala (8 p.m., May 1, Barnstable Brown House) - Hosted by Doublemint Twins from the 1970s, A-listers like Tom Brady, Jessica Simpson, and Hugh Hefner mingle with C-listers like Eli Manning, Taylor Dayne, and Hef's seven girlfriends (as well as anyone who can afford the $800 ticket) at this most famous of Derby parties. In fact, in 2004, Anna Nicole Smith met local boy and future babydaddy Larry Birkhead here. The Barnstable Brown Gala's answer to criticism that, now in its 20th year, the party doesn't have the draw it used to: Paris Hilton. She's slated to attend the gala and host the official after-party at the Sports and Social Club. While this diabetes benefit is technically sold out, tickets are available from online brokers.