Thursday: The night that I pregamed a seltzer party by tasting rare tequila. Also: Lots of newly published stories!

Good morning!

Err…at this point, pretty much afternoon.

Today’s delayed email is brought to you by DEADLINES.

Last night, I had one of those incredible nights that reminded me (once again, of a 1,000 times), why I love my job so much and am so grateful for the people I meet and the experiences I am so blessed to have.

The evening started by me having a rare glimpse of Nobu before it even opened for the evening, so I could meet and interview Chef Nobu about his newly launched limited-edition tequila.

alywalansky

A post shared by Aly Walansky (@alywalansky)

Obviously, I was pretty starstruck, but he was lovely, and the interview is already live on Forbes! (As I say, I work fast.)

Aly Walansky alywalansky.substack.com @alywalansky

Nobu Has Launched A Limited-Edition Tequila And It’s Very Special via @Forbes

forbes.comNobu Has Launched A Limited-Edition Tequila And It’s Very SpecialMany love Nobu for incredible sushi, but it’s always also been known as the perfect spot for a great cocktail.

After my interview with Chef Nobu, I headed to a super fun dinner hosted by Curtis Stone. He was working with Waterloo Sparkling Water, and created a dinner inspired by their new flavors. It was so creative and inventive, and so much of what I love about working in the culinary world. Plus, come on, Curtis SUPER cute, right???

alywalansky

A post shared by Aly Walansky (@alywalansky)

Aside from that wild night, a lot of new content has gone live since yesterday’s email (in addition to that exciting new rare tequila at Nobu!):

Aly Walansky alywalansky.substack.com @alywalansky

Cocktails Perfect For Sipping On St. Patrick’s Day via @Forbes

forbes.comCocktails Perfect For Sipping On St. Patrick’s DayThese cocktails may not make your day luckier, but they sure will add to the spirit of the celebration!

Aly Walansky alywalansky.substack.com @alywalansky

For @EatThisNotThat -- 7 Best Fast-Food Sandwiches, According to Chefs

eatthis.com7 Best Fast-Food Sandwiches, According to ChefsWe’ve polled chefs on their favorite burgers, tacos, and wings, and, naturally, they also have their favorite fast-food sandwiches.

Aly Walansky alywalansky.substack.com @alywalansky

Use These Tricks for the Crispiest Air Fryer French Fries

tasteofhome.comUse These Tricks for the Crispiest Air Fryer French FriesWant fries with that burger? Make them in the air fryer.

Tonight, I actually have another afternoon/evening of fun and exciting stacked events planned — I’ll share more tomorrow and on my Instagram later. But for now, lets move on to the nuts and bolts of today’s newsletter…

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!

• In case you missed it, I was recently a guest on a podcast. Check it out here — I share some easy-to-follow tips on how emerging brands can get the attention of busy editors.

• Speaking of podcasts, I was a guest on the Pitchin’ and Sippin’ podcast last month (I ADORE Lexie Smith!), and you can still catch it here. We chatted at length about pitching, the ever-changing landscape of the editorial process, and more.

• (Also, if you host a podcast that has anything to do with media/PR/writer content or food/bev/travel content and are interested in me coming on as a guest, I’d love if you reach out!)

• Forbes.com: Cocktails Perfect For Sipping On St. Patrick’s Day

• Forbes.com: Nobu Has Launched A Limited-Edition Tequila And It’s Very Special

• Forbes.com: Have A Sweet Saint Patrick’s Day With These Festive Desserts

• Taste of Home: You Need These 4 Simple Tricks to Make the Crispiest Air Fryer French Fries Ever

• Eat This, Not That: 7 Best Fast-Food Sandwiches, According to Chefs

• HerMoney: The Top Ways To Travel For Free in 2023

• The Kitchn: Wendy’s Is Bringing Its Famous Chili to Grocery Stores Soon

• Yahoo Life: Prince Harry loved this salmon recipe Meghan Markle made for a dinner party. I tried it at home and here's my honest review.

• Yahoo Life: Do you really need to wash lettuce before eating it? Experts weigh in.

• YourTango: 12 Ways To Shrink Your Pores — Fast

• YourTango: How To Prevent (And Treat!) Razor Burn In 9 Easy Steps

• YourTango: How To Exfoliate Your Lips & 5 DIY Lip Scrubs You Can Make At Home

• YourTango: How To Paint Your Toes For A Perfect Pedicure Every Time

• Taste of Home: What Is a Reverse Grocery List? Here’s How to Save Time at the Store With One

• Taste of Home: This Butter Hack Is Going Viral and You Need to Try It

• Taste of Home: We’re Obsessed With This Easy Viral Air Fryer Pizza Sticks Recipe—Here’s Why You Will Be Too

• Clean Plates: 11 Trader Joe’s Foods Nutritionists Love for Winter Meal Prep

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.

Her Money

TikTok Made Me Buy It - Sketchy challenges aside, this social media site is known as a go-to spot for trendy attire and accessories, beauty products, sports gear, you name it. I am looking to round up 10-20 low-cost/cheap items popularized on TikTok and popular with women. 

TODAY.com

I’m beginning to round up Cinco de Mayo food deals at chain restaurants. I’m not looking for free delivery or reward point type of deals at this time but more BOGOs, freebies, discounts, etc. Please be sure to tell me how to claim the deal (i.e. coupon code, downloading app, etc) when responding.

Forbes.com

For Forbes, with Purim around the corner, I’m looking for fun Purim-themed desserts, treats, and cocktails. This can be inventive spins on hamantaschen, or anything else brewing. Please use the same format as the story above when pitching!

Looking forward, I’ll be working on a story on great wines, snacks, and products to buy for Passover 2023. It is IMPERATIVE for this story that everything I include be certified as kosher for Passover (not just kosher - it’s a distinct certification). Please be sure to confirm before pitching.

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 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've been popping into a lot of PR team virtual meetings and some other fun stuff (Recently I even joined in on an agency’s team retreat right here in Brooklyn — it was so fun and I made so many new friends!) and making myself available to answer all sorts of questions about pitching, events, and trips from a media perspective.  I like to keep these things chill and comfortable and relaxed all by sharing perspective and learning from one another.

If you are interested in setting anything up for your own team in the coming months, please email me and we'll get something on the books! This is available for entire agencies or smaller group lunch and learn type concepts. If you are a freelance publicist and want to join in with a few other freelance publicist friends and set something up, we can do that as well!

Have a great day!

<3