Happy Spring! Here's what I'm working on today.
So many deadlines this week. Buckle up.
Happy Monday!
Hope everyone had a restful weekend and enjoyed some of the beautiful (it's-finally-spring!) weather. I worked a bit on my beloved seasonal herb garden and caught up on my TV binges from the week. Bad Vegan was SO disturbing and perhaps the most unsettling of all the scammertainment we've been watching of late as (at least for me) there was nothing sympathetic about the subject at all.
I've long said I'd love to have a drink with Anna, and find her fascinating. I even have at times had an inch of sympathy for Elizabeth Holmes (OK, not at this point in the series, but in the very early episodes). But Sarma? She just comes off as almost as bad as the emotional puppet master scamming her. In fact, in ways worse, because she screws over the very people she was closest to, and then cried victim rather than take responsibility.
So, yes, watch it. But be prepared to feel a bit of regret for every little bite of raw vegan lasagna you loved at Pure Food & Wine a decade ago.
Oh in unrelated but very important Outlander chat about last night’s episode - who else saw some MAJOR foreshadowing with Malva?
This weekend, I sent out a paid edition of my newsletter with a roundup of my favorite productivity tips, apps, and tools. If you missed it, you can check it out, as well as all previous newsletters, here. If you upgrade to a paid subscription, you’ll also get info on my monthly Ask Aly Anything Zoom session. The one a few weeks ago was tons of fun and I’m hoping to do another one before the spring holidays.
In cooking news, yesterday on my Instagram stories, I shared two quick and easy recipes. One was a video tutorial of me making my super-fast pickles and the other was a Korean beef bowl. Go check out my Insta before the stories expire if you want the recipes. And if you ever get to my Instagram stories after a recipe video has expired, let me know in the comments here and I’ll get the info to you!
Also, did anyone else watch Derek and Julianne Hough's dancing special on ABC last night? I have a bit of a Derek crush and some of his performances were SCORCHING levels of sexy last night. So good, I highly recommend it!
Now to work (sorry! haha!)....
Newly published today:
Food Network: This Is Not a Drill: McDonald’s Cult-Favorite Szechuan Sauce Returns March 31
The Kitchn: These Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars Are the Nostalgic Treat You’ve Always Dreamed Of
Here's what I'm working on:
Be sure to read the below list carefully. Many are stories I posted about yesterday, but some of yesterday's stories are no longer listed and a few new ones have been added since yesterday. This (below) is everything that is still a currently open opportunity as of today.
AllRecipes
I'm working on two stories related to food storage - how to store strawberries and how to store banana bread. I have a list of questions for both and if a chef, food safety expert, etc, can weigh in, I'll share my questions and exactly what I need.
RetailMeNot
1 - Mother's Day Jewelry Under $100. I'm trying to include choices from Amazon, Walmart, Target, but absolutely open to a few from non-giant-retailers too for great finds.
2 - Stores Closed on Easter Sunday (+ Easter Store Hours for 2022) -- I realize this reads like the flip side of the Today.com story I'm also working on, but there's a few subtle differences. I'm updating this story - so if you represent any of the stores in it, I would love it if you can contact me to let me know if your hours have changed or not for Easter, or when you will know. While the TODAY story is just restaurants, this is all sorts of stores, from grocery stores to department stores. Please assume that something needs to be a chain to be included, so your one-off location of a sushi shop doesn't really apply.
Clean Plates
I'm rounding up kosher for passover healthy recipes that can be found online. NOT looking for cookbooks but rather from food blogs that I can link to. We're trying to keep things healthy, so consider...say, a cauliflower kugel, brisket with no added sugar, etc. Please email me a link to the blog/recipe and a description to be considered - and remember, we're trying to keep this healthy, and also to ingredients that are kosher for passover.
I'm also looking for RDs to comment on different pending stories:
The best bottled salad dressings you can get at Whole Foods, according to nutritionists
Vegan Items at Trader Joe's That Are Totally Nutritionist-Approved - For this one, I'm simply looking for nutritionists to email me and tell me their favorite vegan item at Trader Joe's and why they love it.
Please email me and I'll give you a rundown of specific questions and what I'm looking for.
Today.com
I'm looking for restaurant chains nationwide doing special deals/discounts for tax day. If you have any, please email me with what the restaurant is (chains only please), what the freebie/discount/deal is, and how to claim it.
Forbes.com
For Forbes.com I'm rounding up Kosher For Passover wines and spirits for an upcoming story. I'm also doing a story on fun finds in Kosher For Passover snacks/treats/new products. These items must exist online and they MUST be shippable. And please please make sure the item is kosher for passover certified (that's a different thing than kosher, so if something is kosher, it's not necessarily KFP) - I'll do a dedicated newsletter soon explaining the difference for anyone who doesn't quite understand. But meanwhile, you can always email me questions. And, please, pitch me!
To pitch me for ANY of these stories, please email me at alywalansky@gmail.com (and start a new thread, please!).
Are you tired of faking it ‘til you make it?
The topic of self-doubt and imposter syndrome has been coming up a lot this week. For anyone who relates to the feelings of self-doubt and imposter syndrome that we all experience, there’s an in-person workshop happening in NYC from 24-26 June 2022 with Master Certified Coach Christine Sachs. If you’re interested in breaking it the eff down and building up your authentic, powerful self, I’ve got a link to it below. You may want to try out this 3-day workshop to transform your imposter syndrome once and for all. Turning Point by Master Certified Coach Christine Sachs. It's an unflinching exploration into the good, bad, and ugly led by an expert in the coaching profession with more than 10 years experience coaching executives and leaders through their imposter syndrome. Please be sure to tell them Aly sent you!
Are you confused about affiliate marketing?
If you are having trouble learning how to navigate issues of affiliate marketing (trust me, we've all been there!), you may want to try out my friend Sarah Karger, a publicist, and former editor Dana Baardsen (and all-around fab girl!)'s Ultimate Masterclass and Introduction to Affiliate Marketing for Publicists. It's a brilliant course and it'll answer all your questions (including some you didn't know you had!)
Download the Substack App!
Good news! This newsletter is now available via app. That means you can keep up with everything you are reading from your phone. Download the app for iPhone and iPad here. For Android users, sign up for the waiting list here.
<3
aly