Thursday: My fun Hanukkah gift to all of you + all going on this week!
Good morning!
First of all, Hanukkah begins tonight at sundown!
Happy latkes making (and eating!) to all who are celebrating, and as my Hanukkah gift to you I decided to share something this morning that will be nostalgically delicious and retro hysterical, it’ll make you spit out your oat milk latte…my bat mitzvah video!
Enjoy…including the photo montage and the Brenda Walsh-inspired dress…
This is a big day as mine and Alice Dubin’s big V-Day gift guide AMA is this afternoon so trying to get this email out to you early so I can begin to prep my space for that…
(Which, if you are curious, entails putting a privacy screen up between my bed and my couch and brushing my hair…)
What a busy and fun event week it has been the last few days!
Tuesday night, I attended the launch of the RPZL x Kira Jones Haute Holiday collection. (Some of the cutest bows and headbands!)
And last night, went to a special dinner in Harlem, hosted by Marcus Samuelsson, in honor of Heinz’s Black Kitchen Initiative
And that’s not even all that has gone on this week! (Visit my Instagram for more…) - but now I’m in AMA mode…then latkes mode…then serious weekend writing mode, so let me get into all of that.
Don’t forget there’s still time to register and RSVP for mine and Alice Dubin’s V-Day gift guide AMA later today. More information can be found here! There’s still a few spots left!
Job leads
Sprouthouse is looking for a Senior Account Manager.
Do you have a job lead to share? Sharing job leads is always free, and just my way of giving back to the community by helping connect great people with great jobs. Email me if you have a job or internship you want me to post!
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!
Forbes.com: Angelo Sosa’s Kembara Is A Love Letter To His Asian Travels
Food Network: White Claw Is Going Dry
Clean Plates: 11 Healthy Hanukkah Recipes Nutritionists Love
The Kitchn: The $9 “Amazing” Costco Kitchen Gem That’s Flying Off Shelves
The Kitchn: This $4 Aldi Seasonal Dupe Has Shoppers Buying 3 at a Time
The Kitchn: Aldi Just Brought Back an “Amazing” Holiday Treat That Sold Out Fast Last Year
Forbes.com: Fun Dishes To Enjoy While Celebrating Hanukkah
Forbes.com: Celebrate Hanukkah With Fun And Festive Cocktails
The Kitchn: The $4 Viral Trader Joe’s Dessert Is Back, but Only for a Limited Time
Popsugar: How to Get Rid of Pesky Bad Breath, According to Dentists
The Kitchn: Costco Just Added a New Pastry to the Bakery Section and It’s the Best $9 You’ll Spend All Week
Forbes.com: Las Vegas Is Readying For A Lavender Haze As Raiders Play Chiefs
Southern Living: Can You Freeze Cabbage?
Southern Living: Can You Eat Underripe Avocado?
Southern Living: How To Boil Potatoes
Clean Plates: 10 Trader Joe’s Frozen Appetizers Perfect For Holiday Parties
Food Network: Rao’s Is Getting In On Ketchup
Food Network: Popeyes Officially Launches Wings As Permanent Menu Items
Food Network: You Can Buy Just About Anything Inside an Olive Garden – Including Its Cheese Graters
Forbes.com: Holiday Gift Guide 2023: The Best Gifts For The Meat Lover
Forbes.com: Holiday Gift Guide 2023: The Best Gifts For The Sushi Lover
Forbes.com: Holiday Gift Guide 2023: The Best Pink Kitchen Gifts For Barbie Lovers
RetailMeNot: Where to Get Free Food Today (and Every Day of the Week)
Travel & Leisure: I'm a Longtime Solo Traveler, and These Are The 12 Best Personal Safety Devices on Sale at Amazon
Travel & Leisure: Travelers Are Using This Flight Attendant-approved Gadget to Get More Space on Planes — and It Only Costs $13
Travel & Leisure: The Flight Attendant-approved Hack I Swear by for Getting Through the Airport Stress-free Is Just $10 Right Now
Travel & Leisure: I’m a Travel Writer, and I Swear by This $9 Trick for Keeping My Feet Comfortable While Sightseeing
Travel & Leisure: Frequent Fliers Say This Genius Hack Makes It Feel Like They've Upgraded Their Seat — and It's Only $35
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.
RetailMeNot
For RetailMeNot, I’m updating my New Years store hours guide from last season. I’m looking to maintain the same format and the same stores, just needs to be updated for 2023. So: If you or your client was included in last year’s guide, I would so appreciate if you can drop me a quick note and confirm the open/closed/modified hours info is still the same - or if it’s not. Otherwise, I’ll be reaching out soon!
I’m ALSO updating my Stores Open Christmas Day + Christmas Eve Store Hours guide from last year. Same guidelines as above applies!
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!)
Virtual (and now in-person!) consulting sessions...
Looking for a consult as you plan your next event or trip? Or just want someone to take a look at the pitches you’ve been sending and give some feedback? I’m available for PR team virtual meetings to answer questions about pitching, events, and trips from a media perspective. Note: I’m also available to travel for consulting sessions as long as travel expenses are covered. We can chat! This is available for entire agencies or smaller group lunch and learn type concepts.
Have a great day!
Happy Hanukkah, Aly!! Looking forward to this afternoon's AMA!