Monday: On friendship, Thanksgiving, and gratitude: Final week to grab my Friendsgiving 50% off subscription special!
Plus: Lots of newly published content.
Good morning!
I realize that many of you are headed out of town over the next day or so for Thanksgiving, and I just want to say, I'm so incredibly grateful for each and every one of you.
It’s going to be a good week as Thanksgiving is my most favorite holiday (is there any pretend-home-chef or foodie that’s not true for?!), and then right after Thanksgiving, I’m headed out to Vegas for a few days for a combination work trip/Friendsgiving/pre-my-birthday girls trip with my gals Alice and Jill! (we have been counting the days for MONTHS).
But in consideration of this being a holiday week - I don’t know if I’ll be sending another newsletter this week after today’s, pre-Thanksgiving break (unless of course some big last-min assignment comes up!), and wanted to take a moment to say THANK YOU.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
I get that these leads I put in my newsletter every day may possibly be helpful for you and your clients (and I'm SO glad about that!!!) but the reality is - having you receive those leads, share them with your colleagues, and respond to my story needs, has made my job incredibly easier and more seamless. They help ME more than I can say. I couldn’t do anything I do without you.
(And stay tuned, because after the holiday, I’m going to post about a fun way that I’ll get to celebrate YOU in a few weeks!)
We're at a time in the year where work and assignments come through fast and furious (and I'm grateful for that too! don't get me wrong!) and knowing that I can throw any curve ball at the recipients of this newsletter and somehow everything still comes together, it's just it's invaluable.
I can't even begin to say how much easier it's made for me to do my job, but how much closer I feel to so many people now that we have this connection every day in each others' inboxes.
Reminder: In honor of friendship and Friendsgiving, I’ve been offering a 50% off deal on subscriptions all month long — and you can lock in that price now…forever?
This deal is only good through Thanksgiving weekend, so there’s just a few days left to claim. Upgrade your subscription now!
New this week: For Newsweek Readers Choice, I was on the panel that nominated the spots in the Best Apres Ski category and Best Casinos with Live Music (outside Vegas) category as well as Best U.S. Wellness Resort.
For Yahoo Life, it’s my biggest gift guide of the season: 50 best wellness gifts to encourage a healthy lifestyle, and for Forbes.com, I covered the latest trend in holiday dinner hosting. That’d be hiring someone else to do the job!: The Latest Holiday Dinner Hosting Trend: Outsourcing and also for Forbes.com: Toast To Gratitude With These 12 Thanksgiving Cocktails. For Apartment Therapy: The Unexpected Items Pro Travelers Always Pack, and for Southern Living: Here's Why You Should Always Travel With Duct Tape.
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
Forbes.com: The Latest Holiday Dinner Hosting Trend: Outsourcing
Forbes.com: Toast To Gratitude With These 12 Thanksgiving Cocktails
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
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
Southern Living: Brussels Sprouts With Bacon Recipe
Forbes.com: 11 Creative Dishes Inspired By The Flavors Of Thanksgiving
Food Network: Cult-Favorite Bonne Maman Gets Into the Pie Filling Business
Forbes.com: Holland America And Sur La Table Create Cooking Classes Inspired By Global Ports
Southern Living: My recipe for air fryer pumpkin seeds!
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 likely 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 to get a beat on the rush. I’ll be testing each one for factors such as reliable, accurate, and easy to use, but once I have all the details of this assignment pegged out, I’ll also be seeking some expert sources to ask some requests regarding pedometers and what to look for - I imagine this will likely include personal trainers, coaches, fitness experts, exercise physiologists, and so forth.
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
Thank YOU, Aly! I appreciate you and all you do. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving! And, happy early birthday!! 💜
Grateful for you, Aly! Have a very Happy Thanksgiving & a blast in Vegas!!