Monday: Last call to RSVP for my birthday soiree in NYC + sourcing expert commentary for several pending stories in travel, food, and home organization.
Plus: Work with any family-friendly cruise lines? Scroll down for more details on something I'm working on right now that may just apply to you!
Happy Monday!
Just a quick heads up - I’m wrapping up the RSVP list for next week’s party in NYC over the next few days, so I you still want to attend - don’t miss your chance!
Next week is my birthday, and I’m going to start the fun a few days early with a party and you are all invited — it’s my way to honor and thank you for being such an amazing and supportive community all year long. I really cherish you all and value our friendship so much.
My party is going to be so much fun and at a really sexy spot in Midtown — look forward to some delicious cocktail specials (including my infamous Dirty Aly martini!), light bites, and entertainment…all under the backdrop of 1920s-inspired ambiance, paying homage to a mysterious female fortune teller and the speakeasy vibes of the era…
We created a Partiful link to RSVP , 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.
Lots of new content to share today, including for Forbes: 6 Hanukkah Cocktails To Try In Honor Of The Festival Of Lights and 10 Foodie Treats That Present A Delicious Way To Celebrate Hanukkah and for Apartment Therapy: We Asked 7 Chefs for Their Go-To Cleaning Tips for Hosting, and Here’s What They Said.
RELATED - This weekend’s Industry Insights edition covered: Taking some time to update those contact lists (and why it matters).
In news you can use, I was recently interviewed for the Muck Rack blog, and we chatted about some best practices for PR to land all that holiday-related coverage and begin to look ahead toward 2025 media opportunities. We touched on timing, follow ups, targeting, and looking forward/not backward in pitching during this time of year — yup, all the stuff that always comes up in our consulting sessions and AMAs, so you may want to take a minute while refilling your morning coffee and check it out.
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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!
Forbes.com: 10 Foodie Treats That Present A Delicious Way To Celebrate Hanukkah
Forbes: 6 Hanukkah Cocktails To Try In Honor Of The Festival Of Lights
Apartment Therapy: We Asked 7 Chefs for Their Go-To Cleaning Tips for Hosting, and Here’s What They Said.
Saatva: 6 Ways to Sleep Like Royalty
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
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.
Apartment Therapy
I Asked TK Organizing Pros to Share Their Biggest Organizing Regrets — Here's What They Said - I’m looking to chat with a few organizing pros about what their biggest organizing regret is. Like something in their household they got rid of, and regret getting rid of — why they got rid of it, and why they regret it. Could be a memento, an important document or photo, whatever. Drop me a note if you have someone who may like to weigh in!
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!).
Newsweek Reader’s Choice
As I mentioned, I’m part of the panel of travel journalists who create the lists of nominees for the Newsweek Readers Choice awards - I’ve participated in several categories for this, including 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 - the next category I’m working on is best cruise ships for families. My nominations for this contest will be based on these criteria: The cruise ship sails out of a U.S. port, provides plentiful family activities, amenities, and entertainment, has a cruise itinerary includes a number of desirable, scenic locations that feature a variety of excursion opportunities, has dining options feature a wide range of family-friendly choices with dietary needs taken into consideration, and the cruise ship offers clear value with all-inclusive amenities, transparent "extras," etc. - think I should include your client? Email me and tell me more.
Forbes
I’m looking for cocktails that are in the new Pantone color of the year, Mocha Mousse. If you have one at your restaurant, please email me with the name, description, quote about the drink (and who to credit) and an image by Friday.
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