Happy Tuesday! Here's What Aly Is Working On Today

Good morning from Brooklyn, where it has FINALLY stopped raining and I’m so busy I haven’t even finished my coffee yet. It’s cold, sitting next to me, and seeming…sad. And neglected.

Here's what I'm working on.

1 - This one is URGENT. For Today.com, I’m rounding up deals for National Waffle Day. Which is TODAY. So I need to publish it ASAP. If you represent a food chain doing ANYTHING today for National Waffle Day, please email me as soon as you see this. Thanks!

For Today.com, I'm ALSO rounding up back-to-school food/drink deals that restaurant chains are doing - this is also urgent. This can be either for teachers or students, but it must be at a chain and it must be food related. I need responses to this one by THIS AFTERNOON. Today. alywalansky@gmail.com

2 - For RetailMeNot, I'm rounding up affordable hoodies (for men or women, all is good) available at major online retailers. Ideally Amazon but open to other major retailers. Must be under $50.

3 - For YourTango, I'm looking for a non-brand affiliated credible expert to discuss natural ways to fall asleep (I have a list of questions and a survey I'm referring to, so please email me before sending any commentary.)

4 - For Forbes.com,  I'm working on a story about planning your Labor Day bbq. Outdoor gatherings are obviously the best idea right now, and we're still keeping things small and distanced, but if you are planning a small gathering of friends or family - I'd love to have experts - be it event planners or party planners - to discuss how to plan this, as well as open to be pitched items that can be bought online and shipped that may be fun to serve/prepare. Perhaps cool cuts of meat, great fish you can have shipped overnight? Also open to chefs to discuss some of their fast and easy tips. Drink ideas are fun too! By Friday please!

Here's some new stuff that's published in the last few days:

Eat This, Not That

https://www.eatthis.com/news-covid-dangerous-places-now/

Forbes

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alywalansky/2021/08/22/the-time-has-come-to-rediscover-the-cosmopolitan/?sh=68b506b977af

Merriam Webster's The Usage

https://www.merriam-webster.com/theusage/best-iron
https://www.merriam-webster.com/theusage/best-shower-head
https://www.merriam-webster.com/theusage/best-gas-grill
https://www.merriam-webster.com/theusage/best-meat-thermometer

And one fun thing to share (and special thanks!)I wanted to share this ADORABLE gift that arrived in the mail this weekend (pre-hurricane!) from Vicky at Plantogram (who subscribes to this newsletter, so hi, Vicky! thanks!) - she sent me a Koroneiki variety olive tree!!

It's currently living with my parents since my apartment is a teensy studio apt and I have no outdoor space, or to be honest, space of any sort of all - but I am SO excited to have my very own intimate olive harvest in months to come. 

(Fun fact: One of my favorite press trips of all time was a few years ago when I went to Italy for the olive harvest. Because of the pandemic, I haven’t been able to repeat anything close to that experience in several years…so I love being able to pretend in such a fun way.)

Will a tree indeed grow in Brooklyn? I guess we'll see! But here's a photo of the adorable baby tree she sent!  You can see there's already some fruit on it.