Tuesday: So much going on this week -- and an invite for those of you in NYC!

Good morning!

This is a really incredibly busy week that has …less to do with writing than the average week, I have to say.

I’m leaving in TWO DAYS for my trip to London for the coronation (AHHHH!). It’s going to be absolutely amazing because my dear friend and travel writing colleague Alice Dubin is on the trip as well (we text nearly every day, but it’s the first time we’ve been together IRL in like five years!), and we have a whole lot of on-the-ground royal reporting planned. I’ve always basically pretended I was an honest-to-goodness royal correspondent (the amount of obscure royal history trivia I regularly spout out that no one even asks for, you’d well, not believe), but this week…I kind of actually am.

But our schedule is…basically a fever dream. I can hardly believe it’s real. Wait till you see.

Other than that, I’m gearing up for a big event I’m hosting in NYC basically the day after I get back from London. And I’m SO excited to share I’ve been given permission to invite a few people from among my Substack subscribers as my guests for the event.

Guests will have to be approved by the client/brand (that’s not my purview, sorry!), and I’m looking for NYC area food/lifestyles/tech journalists/reporters/freelancers/editors…but if that’s you, please RSVP to the email address on the invite for more information.

I’ll be playing guest chef for the evening and actually created a bunch of original recipes (and everyone will get to leave with the recipes to recreate themselves at home, as well) - but we’ll have delish food and cocktails there, and it’ll be in a beautiful Soho location.

So I’ve been working this week on recipe development and testing and it’s all been a very fun (and different) week at work — all under the backdrop of packing for London and Googling stuff like “what is the best way to pack a fascinator” and “what nail polish colors sound royal?” (I went with Purple Reign for my toes, BTW).

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!

• TODAY.com: Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with these spicy restaurant deals and freebies

• HerMoney: TikTok Made Me Buy It (10 Products We Can’t Live Without)

• Forbes.com: Fun Cocktails For A Cinco De Mayo Celebration

• Best Life: The 6 Most Dangerous Foods to Put in the Microwave, Experts Say

• YourTango: 25 Gifts Moms Who Are Hard To Shop For Love Most

• Parade.com: Can You Really Keep a Jar of Honey Forever? Food Experts Settle the Age-Old Debate

• Parade.com: This No-Tears Method Is How You Should Actually Cut an Onion, According to Chefs

• Everyday Health: Is Blue Matcha Good for You?

• RetailMeNot: 11 Gorgeous Pieces of Mother’s Day Jewelry Under $150

• Forbes.com: Planning A Coronation Viewing Party? You'll Need Cocktails Fit For A King

• Forbes.com: Mother’s Day Gift Guide: The Best Mail-Order Dinners

• Forbes.com: Mother’s Day Gift Guide: The Best Pantry Staples For From-Scratch Cooks

• Forbes.com: Mother’s Day Gift Guide: The Best Grilling Gear

• Forbes.com: Fairmont Hotels Has Launched A Tea Blend Perfect For Sipping During Coronation Viewing Parties

• Food Network: Panda Express and Cult-Favorite Fly By Jing Join Forces On New Menu Item

• Clean Plates: 13 Low-Lift, Fast Trader Joe’s Lunches You Need to Buy

• YourTango: 20 Very Important Habits Of People Who Age Extremely Well

  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.

Forbes.com

I’m looking for spots (in London and otherwise) that are doing fun coronation watch parties - be it hotels, bars, pubs, etc. If you will be watching Wills pledge his liege to his dad on a big screen while having a specialty cocktail, I want to know all about it!

I’m looking for bars/restaurants that are doing special cocktails for Mother’s Day. If you are, please tell me what the cocktail is, what’s in it, why it’s great for the occasion, and include a link to an image of the cocktail) - also be sure to tell me where your bar/restaurant is located and its name/URL and give me the name/title of anyone quoted with commentary about the cocktail.

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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've been popping into a lot of PR team virtual meetings and some other fun stuff 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. Note: I’m also available to travel for consulting sessions as long as travel expenses are covered. We can chat!

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!

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