Wednesday: Seeking chefs, chiropractors, physical therapists, restaurant promos, and more for pending stories - details within!

Also: I'm doing an exciting reader giveaway - someone is going to win a romantic weekend getaway!

Happy Wednesday!

A LOT of pending assignments and administrative updates to catch you up on today…so be sure to read from top to bottom, and pay attention to all the sourcing details.

(True story: A lot of pitches that don’t make the cut are simply because those people responding didn’t follow the instructions or pitched for assignments long since wrapped up…things move quickly around here, your best course of action is to be best armed and prepared with the tools you need for success, and I really do want to help you with that in any way I can…)

But first: For Forbes this weekend, I rounded up New York City's Best Salads To Enjoy This Summer and for Travel & Leisure: Travelers Swear by This Personal Safety Device. Also for T&L, I spent dayyyssss last week working on this one - 88 Best Amazon Memorial Day Sales on Travel Gear - it was for MDW but some of the sales should still be active if you want to give it a look!

As a reminder, I’m on the panel of travel and food experts who help choose the nominees in a bunch of different Readers Choice awards categories for Newsweek — the latest topic published that I participated in was: Best Meal Delivery Kit 2025.

An exciting reader giveaway!

We’re in the season of summer Fridays and what’s better for a summer Friday than a fun overnight getaway?

I’m going to be partnering with the lovely Lilly Valley Inn this week. We’re giving away a mini getaway to one lucky subscriber of this newsletter….read more for details!

Experience the quiet luxury of Lilly Valley Inn, a serene retreat nestled in Virginia’s Appalachian Mountains. This peaceful getaway offers the perfect blend of comfort and elegance while relaxing with a glass of wine on the veranda, taking in one of the most breathtaking sunrise views in the state, or elevating your stay with hands-on cooking classes led by French-trained Chef Lilly. Guests can learn new culinary techniques while sampling gourmet olive oils and French spice blends from her sister company Rustic Roots.

Each suite and the two-bedroom cottage overlook the stunning New River. A decadent three-course gourmet breakfast is always included to start your day in style. This spot has breathtaking views of the New River Valley (voted #1 Bed & Breakfast in Virginia 2025/2024!), proximity to Virginia wineries like Chateau Morrisette and Villa Appalaccia, and a truly local experience, complete with gourmet breakfasts by French-trained Chef Lilly. With intimate details and picturesque settings, Lilly Valley Inn promises a story that’s as captivating as its sunrise views.

And…Lilly Valley Inn is going to give away a one-night stay to one lucky subscriber of this newsletter.

To enter:

• You must be a subscriber of this newsletter. Paid subscribers get two entries, but free ones get an entry too!

• Please like this post and share it with at least three friends or colleagues. If they subscribe, you get an additional entry for each one that does.

• Comment on this post and tell me why you need this romantic getaway.

• The winner will be notified via email by Friday EOD. And good luck!

Some travel news: I’ll no longer be in Atlanta in mid-June. Sorry!! Some scheduling got moved around. Hope to get there later this year though!

Limited-time deal on ad placement!

I’m also offering a seasonal special on advertising in this newsletter. I’d love to place your sponsored posts and advertising in this substack, which goes out to nearly 10,000 media professionals every single day; Note: I do limit advertising to only what would be of interest to my readers, but am open to both short paragraph blurbs and dedicated posts - if you are interested in chatting details and scheduling something, please email me at alywalansky@gmail.com today!

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Thank you for helping get the word out!

We loved how many of attended you took the time to attend our webinar event last month, covering the upcoming ShareASale to Awin migration. We covered an overview of the migration process and timeline, pricing of networks, and choosing a network for your specific client needs. If you missed it, we do have a recording available for paid subscribers. Email if interested and I’ll share how to grab that recording as well!

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.

• Forbes.com: New York City's Best Salads To Enjoy This Summer

• Travel & Leisure: Travelers Swear by This Personal Safety Device

• Travel & Leisure: 88 Best Amazon Memorial Day Sales on Travel Gear -

• Forbes.com: 17 Lemon-Centric Cocktails To Enjoy All Spring

• Saatva: Plush vs. Firm: What's the Right Mattress for You?

• Today.com: Best drugstore wrinkle creams 2025, according to experts

• Forbes.com: Chefs Nationwide Are Honoring Ramp Season In Some Delicious Ways

• HerMoney: How To Get Cheap Hotels When You Travel.

• Travel & Leisure: I’m a Travel Writer, and I Swear by These Packable Ballet Flats for Comfort, Support, and Long Days on My Feet

• Travel & Leisure: This Flight Attendant-approved Jumpsuit Is My Go-to Comfy Airplane Outfit — and It’s Only $25 Right Now$150 and Under

• Forbes.com: Brother’s Bond Bourbon Looks To Stir Up Sustainability During Earth Month

• Apartment Therapy: I Tried the “Weight Rule” for Decluttering, and It Keeps My Small Apartment Clutter-Free

• Travel & Leisure: This Flight Attendant-approved Jumpsuit Is My Go-to Comfy Airplane Outfit — and It’s Only $25 Right Now.

• HerMoney: How To Save Money On Groceries By Buying In Bulk

• Travel & Leisure: I Travel Solo Often, and I Won’t Stay in Another Airbnb Without Packing This 1 Safety Device

• Travel & Leisure: I Found the Perfect Walking Shoes to Prevent Sore Feet During Travel — Score Styles on Sale Up to 62% Off

• Travel & Leisure: In-flight Theft Is Unfortunately a Thing, but These 12 Items Give Me Peace of Mind When I'm Traveling by Plane

• Southern Living: The Unexpected Reason I Always Travel With Duct Tape—And You Should Too

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.

Food Network

I’m rounding up restaurant and fast food/food retail chains offering freebies, discounts and deals in honor of graduation season. If you have anything, please email me with the restaurant, description of the deal, and how you claim it.

Southern Living

For Southern Living, I’m sourcing southern chefs (that’s chefs FROM the south or currently working in the south, but ideally both!), to chat about their favorite baked beans and how they like to enjoy them. I’m not looking for restaurant baked beans, but more, stuff you can pick up at the grocery store that maybe they love straight from the can because it feels nostalgic — or maybe they chef it up a bit. I’d love if they can share what that favorite baked bean brand/variety is, how they prep it/serve it/eat it, and why they love it so much. Thanks!

Saatva

I’m working on a story on how to train yourself to sleep on your back, and I’d love physical therapists and chiropractors to weigh in on some questions, including why sometimes it’s NOT a good idea (i.e. maybe someone with sleep apnea or other contraindications?), but also to speak to back sleeper positioning tips and tips for STAYING on your back all night long (as a tosser and turner, this one especially interests me!), as well as how to adjust to this new position and how long it takes to get used to it - will it be uncomfortable or feel unnatural at first? Please email me :)

I’m working on a story on How to Go to Sleep Fast: Tips to Help You Fall Asleep Quickly - and I’m looking for a sleep expert or two to weigh in, as far as: some reasons why you can’t fall asleep, special considerations, tips for falling asleep faster, long-term sleep strategies, and more. Please don’t send commentary without emailing me first, as I have specific questions (and I’ll need experts unaffiliated with other mattress brands for this one, please).

Forbes

I’m working on two Father’s Day-gift guide type projects - As in, they are for Father’s Day, and will involve gift ideas and products, but aren’t going to be a product-specific guide in the most classic of senses.

How to plan the perfect Father's Day for the carnivore in your life -- For this story, I’m looking to round up some products (meats, marinades, spices, perhaps), but also get some chef input as far as ideas for making the day special and unique.

Dad has wanderlust? Here's some foodie ideas for honoring his love of travel - Maybe if he's craving a trip to NYC, send him pastrami from a Jewish deli, or if he's craving lobster, send him a lobster pot pie from New England, but also some ideas for having a travel-themed food experience right at home this Father's Day. Would totally be open to chef input for this one as well!

National Lobster Day and National Martini Day are both within the next few weeks. I’m also rounding up some creative sushi rolls/presentations/dishes around the US in honor of National Sushi Day. Creative spins on omakase are great too. Have anything fun for me for any of these? Email me with a description, location, chef quote, and an image. Thanks!

<3

aly