Tuesday: Sourcing for several gift guides!
Also: Final chance to RSVP to Wednesday's webinar!
Good morning!
It’s been a really weird start to 2025, hasn’t it?
I just marveled last night, while on the phone with a dear friend, that I realized I hadn’t really left home since new years…between the apocalyptic state of the world around us and everything seeming just so…extra…lately, it seems like hibernation is absolutely the best course of action right now.
But I have an event to attend later this afternoon, our big Zoom webinar event tomorrow, and a fun event tomorrow night, too…so I’m emerging from my cave…
(Think good thoughts!)
Speaking of good thoughts, the time you have been waiting for (I think? Probably?) has arrived — I am sourcing for a few Valentine’s Day gift guides. As it’s already mid-January, I’m going to have to make these pretty quick turnaround …made extra true because I actually have a fair amount of travel coming up the next few weeks.
(Again, think good thoughts!)
All the details on what I’m looking on is below and I’m excited to say, I have some really fun topics this time around!
Reminder: This Wednesday afternoon is our big Zoom webinar event where we’ll be covering all your questions regarding the upcoming ShareASale to Awin upgrade. We’ll be sending out confirmation emails with Zoom credentials shortly to those already registered but you can still RSVP!
Info here.
Job leads
One of my very favorite teams, TCF, is hiring part-time digital marketing assistant. Sound intriguing? Here's a link to the job description.
Here’s the nitty gritty: TCF is seeking a remote assistant for 15-25 hours a week starting at $20 an hour. Social Media management skills a major plus. Paid training. Interested parties can email Brian Markowski at brian@contentfac.com with their cover letter and resume (make sure to read the details on the link first to see if you are a fit!)
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!
Travel & Leisure: A Travel Writer's $10 Amazon Packing Hack for Shoes
Apartment Therapy: 10 Experts Share Their Biggest Decluttering Regrets
Parade.com: How To Use an Air Fryer (Beginner's Guide)
Martha Stewart: 19 Walk-In Pantry Ideas for a More Organized, Stylish Space
Forbes.com: Chef Nobu Matsuhisa Brings Gold Standard Sushi To This Year’s Golden Globe Awards
Forbes.com: 8 Hot Toddy Variations To Try Just In Time For The Winter Chill
Food Network: Starbucks Finally Adds Cortados to Its Menu
Southern Living: Can You Eat Wilted Cilantro?
Today.com: Do drugstore wrinkle creams really work? Experts weigh in
Martha Stewart: 18 Coffee Table Décor Ideas That Blend Form and Function.
Travel & Leisure: I Travel Solo Often, and I Won’t Stay in Another Airbnb Without Packing This 1 Safety Device
The Spruce: How to Add Storage to Your Kitchen Walls and Make the Most of the Vertical Space
Southern Living: The 9 Best Bottles Of Bourbon, According To Southern Chefs And Bartenders
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
Valentine’s Day will be here before we know it, and I’m looking for romantic cocktails available at bars and restaurants.
Please include:
The name of the cocktail
where it’s available (so, city, state, name of bar/restaurant, URL)
description (not a recipe)
a quote about the cocktail
an image (linked via dropbox, not attached please) with appropriate photo credit.
Deadline for these pitches is EOW this week.
I’m also looking for ways to incorporate caviar into a romantic valentine's day evening, and for this one I’m open to being pitched products but also dish/recipe ideas...like caviar martinis, caviar pasta, caviar sea food tower!, whatever. I’m looking to make this piece a hybrid ofcocktails/dishes at restaurants/bars but also items you can buy/make to have a romantic night at home too. (And, yes, the caviar cocktails story I mentioned last week will be incorporated into this larger piece…so keep those pitches coming!)
Valentine's Day Gift Guide 2025: The Best Gifts For The Romantic Martini Lover - I'm looking to be pitched along the lines of olives, vodka, but also super romantic martini glasses, stuff like that - but think out of the box on this one!
Valentine's Day Gift Guide 2005: The Best High-End Red Wines For Warming A Heart This Season. Great high-end red wines for a chilly winter night or a romantic date night this season.
Valentine's day Gift Guide 2005: The Best Romantic Culinary Experiences To Gift This Season (so virtual cooking classes, maybe, cooking/recipe. kits, stuff like make your own hot sauce, send me fun ideas!)
To pitch me for any of these gift guides, please make sure to include ALL of the following:
Name of product
LINK where sold (does NOT have to be a major retailer for these!)
Description/why YOU think I should consider it for this specific guide
Link to dropbox image of product (does not need to be high res but should be good quality)
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!
I’m also taking style-related pitches, obviously with the audience in mind: such as the the stories behind chefs who take their style seriously, but also various cooking styles, and how does style play a role, how does plating style affect how a dish tastes and sells? What does it mean to go from one cooking style to another in the course of a career, or operate restaurants that showcase various cooking styles?
Also taking After Dark-related pitches, as in everything that happens after dark—from late-night industry happy hours to night markets, such as the labor and techniques that take place in the kitchen (or parking lot) overnight—from BBQ to sous vide cooking and baking. I’m also looking for noteworthy bartenders to profile.
<3
aly