Monday: Hello from Vegas + I'm planning a birthday party in NYC, and you are all invited!

Plus: Lots of newly published content.

Good morning!

Hello from Las Vegas, where if you have been watching my Instagram stories, you know that we’ve been having an insanely good time.

Will post lots of photos and a recap soon, but here’s a cute selfie Jill, Alice, and I took last night!

We’re here in Vegas for part-fun, part-work, but also as a sort of my pre-birthday girlfriends weekend and everyone has been AMAZING. Check out this incredible cake that the Four Seasons surprised us with at brunch yesterday - it had a martini glass made of chocolate on top! Can you even?

But I’ve been burying the lead here - because in a few weeks (the week of my actual birthday, I’m bringing the party to NYC - and you are ALL INVITED.)

I mentioned in my Thanksgiving post that I wanted to take the opportunity celebrate all of you and how valuable you are to me every day - and so, when my friend Juliana and I got together to plan my birthday for this year - we knew we wanted to do it in a way that we could include as much of this community as possible.

The bar is going to have some delicious cocktail specials (including my infamous Dirty Aly martini!), light bites, and entertainment…and the theme is so fun. This space is gorgeous and has a 1920s-inspired ambiance, paying homage to a mysterious female fortune teller and the speakeasy vibes of the era…

That said, it’s in the private event space of a really cute bar in midtown — so we can’t have TOO many people - so we’re going to have to limit it to the first 150 or so people who RSVP.

So, here’s what we’re going to do - we created a Partiful link to RSVP to the party, which will be in Midtown East on Monday, December 16th. If you are in the NY area or will be that night, and want to join us, please use that link to RSVP - and then we’ll drop you a message if you are confirmed. (Location details will be provided upon RSVP confirmation.) We can’t wait to see so many of you there - and absolutely feel free to come dressed in your prohibition-era speakeasy finest.

*Note, I know this doesn’t need to be said, but this is a party and meant to celebrate our friendship and community, not a pitching session.

Looking to up your affiliate marketing game? Affiliate marketing is complicated, and it seems that the landscape keeps changing. If you are looking to be prepared for gift guide season and all other shopping-related content, you may want to try the 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!)

Newly published or freshly updated

Since people are often asking about the status of stories from a while ago, and I only share stories in this newsletter that were published or updated in the current week, I have created a list of my author pages at various publications to which I contribute. Bookmark it and make your life a bit easier.

This list will live on my Substack URL and be updated as necessary. That way, you can see what I’m doing at any publication, at any time, from types of stories to general structure of stories to even volume and frequency of my content at that outlet.

This can also help you to target pitching a bit better. That makes your job easier, and mine too!

• Newsweek Readers Choice: Best Apres Ski Spots, Best Casinos with Live Music (outside Vegas), Best U.S. Wellness Resort, Best Packing Cube, Best Vodka, Best Gourmet Subscription Box, Best Mattress, and Best Outdoor Grill - more categories coming very soon!

• Yahoo Life: 50 best wellness gifts to encourage a healthy lifestyle

• Apartment Therapy: 4 Popular Kitchen Trends Contractors Want You to Stop DIYing Immediately

• Southern Living: The 9 Best Bottles Of Bourbon, According To Southern Chefs And Bartenders

• Forbes.com: The Latest Holiday Dinner Hosting Trend: Outsourcing

• Apartment Therapy: The Unexpected Items Pro Travelers Always Pack

• Southern Living: Here's Why You Should Always Travel With Duct Tape

• Food Network: Where To Buy $400 Rubyglow Pineapple

• Apartment Therapy: We Asked 8 Pro Travelers What They Never Pack in Their Carry-On, and Here’s What They Said

• Plate Magazine: This Colorful Tuna-Watermelon Combo Lightens Up Fall Menus

• Her Money: The best time to save on hotel bookings

• Saatva: Are You a Light Sleeper? Here's What to Do About It

• Parade: How To Use an Air Fryer

• Travel & Leisure: This $7 Luggage Accessory Helps Me Feel Safe When Traveling — and I'll Never Have to Replace It

• Forbes.com: Holiday Gift Guide 2024: The Best Gifts For The Martini Lover

• Forbes.com: Holiday Gift Guide 2024: The Best Gifts For The Starter Kitchen

• Forbes: Holiday Gift Guide 2024: Beefy Texas-Inspired Gifts For The Southwestern Carnivore

• Food Network: Trader Joe’s Finally Has a White Queso Dip and It Was Well Worth the Wait

If you or your client are featured in any of these stories, I super appreciate any social media shares! Please remember to tag @alywalansky and the outlet.

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.

Please remember when pitching me: Email me at alywalansky@gmail.com - do NOT just hit reply on this newsletter, or there’s a good shot your email will be lost in the heap. Give your email a subject line that makes it clear which story you are pitching me for — it’ll help you in the long run.

Please consult my industry insights guides on submitting expert commentary, sending emails that will catch a journalist’s attention, how to craft pitches journalists will say ‘yes’ to, and the right and wrong way to submit photos, if you need any extra guidance before sending your pitches.

Yahoo Life

I’m rounding up the best pedometers for counting your steps. This will include a smartwatch and fitness tracker, but would primarily be basic-style pedometers that you can clip to your waist or wear on a lanyard, etc.. this will be a tested roundup like the stories I did on cooling fans and sleep trackers, so I’ll need to be calling in a bunch to try over the next few weeks…if you have one, please email me with more info now. I’ll be testing each one for factors such as reliable, accurate, and easy to use. I’m also looking for a few personal trainers, physical therapists, cardiologists, public health experts, etc. to comment on this topic (I have questions to ask, please reach out!).

Forbes.com

I’m working on a Hanukkah-related gift guide! This is geared toward ways to honor the foodie in your life this Hanukkah. While kosher and kosher-style items are totally great, I’m also open to wider options (though nothing pork or shellfish related for this particular guide!).

I’m rounding up the most exciting restaurant/bar openings happening in Vegas later this year/early next. I have some great ones on my radar already, but trying to round it out a bit more.

I’m seeking any Hanukkah themed cocktails that may exist on menus at restaurant or bars.

Also: Do you know of an airport lounge that has an especially interesting F&B offering/feature? I want to hear about it!

Plate Magazine

I’m putting out bites/drinks of the week feelers, which is sort of a drink/dish spotlight piece. (Some examples are this Peruvian-inspired sweet potato in Savannah and a molecular banana daiquiri in Chicago.) Basically if you are pitching me something for this, think along the lines of: Is this dish/bite something new? What interesting techniques are used to make it come together? If the technique is simple, what’s the hook? An interesting ingredient? Something being made in house or in an interesting way? What’s the story behind the dish? What inspired it? Is there a cultural/family story behind the dish? An ingredient the chef got their hands on? Love to hear what you might have for me!

<3

aly