Wednesday: Some sad news in our community + working on a bunch of new content, from sleep science to ramps.
Hi, friends <3
Some sad news was shared within our larger media community yesterday - I’'m sure many of you saw the news on social media that Alexandra Spirer had passed away.
While I never had the pleasure of meeting her IRL, she had been a subscriber of my newsletter since day one, a staple fixture at all of my Zoom sessions, webinars and workshops since the beginning, and a friendly name in my email inbox (as is the case for scores of you) for as long as I can remember.
I know she touched a lot of people in this community in many ways, and in her honor, let us all take a moment to treat each other with a little extra bit of kindness and consideration today.
We all spend a lot of time being stressed and griping— and in our changing industry, it’s hard not to! - but at the foundation of it all is amazing people who have touched us along the way and made an impression. Lets take a moment to appreciate, recognize, and honor all those people today and every day.
News like this is a reminder to never take anyone in our lives and along our path for granted.
Sigh.
I started today pretty heavy, but if I may add some levity, some good news to share! My spring herb garden has sprouted, and I am days away from having a ton of fresh basil and other herbs to play with.
In other news, my final Mother’s Day gift guides of the season have published! For Forbes: Mother's Day Gift Guide 2025: Delicious Ways To Treat Her To A Long-Distance Meal and for RetailMeNot: 10 Gorgeous Pieces of Mother’s Day Jewelry $150 and Under.
In further (typical NYC renter) news, I’m spending all day at home today waiting on a plumber (who was scheduled to come yesterday AM), so cross your fingers and toes he comes earlier not later — I have a really exciting event I’m planning to attend tonight and a lady needs time and opportunity to preen <3
And, for anyone still reading to this point, a reminder that today is the REAL ID deadline. But if you didn’t get it yet - don’t freak out. You can totally still use your passport, Global Entry ID, or passport card and be just fine :)
Limited-time deals on consulting sessions and ad placement!
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Flash sale: If you book a group subscription for your agency, you may be eligible for a FREE consulting session for your team (if you buy 12 or more seats as part of your annual group subscription). Email me so we can discuss!
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 had an amazing turnout at our recent Mother’s Day gift guide pitching workshop — and there’s a full recording available for paid subscribers. If you are interested in me sending you the video link, drop me an email. Thanks so much for your support and happy gift guide pitching!
Related: 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: Mother's Day Gift Guide 2025: Delicious Ways To Treat Her To A Long-Distance Meal
Forbes.com: 12 Festive Cocktails For A Cinco de Mayo Celebration
Food Network: You Can Get a Free Doughnut at Krispy Kreme on the Day of the Real ID Deadline
Forbes.com: Virgin Voyages Launches Rojo, Adding More Razzle Dazzle To High Seas.
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
RetailMeNot: 10 Gorgeous Pieces of Mother’s Day Jewelry $150 and Under
Forbes.com: How To Enhance Springtime Recipes With Specialty Pantry Items And Chef-Approved Tips
Forbes.com: Brother’s Bond Bourbon Looks To Stir Up Sustainability During Earth Month
Forbes.com: Daniel Boulud Is Again Bringing The Michelin Experience To Air Travel.
Forbes.com: 10 Gorgeous Cocktails To Enjoy This Mother's Day
Forbes.com: Locally Sourced Ingredients Are Foundation Of Salad-Centric Culinary Program
Forbes.com: 15 Lavender-Based Treats And Cocktails To Enjoy This Spring
Saatva: The Best Ways to Remove Tough Stains From Your Mattress
Apartment Therapy: I Tried the “Weight Rule” for Decluttering, and It Keeps My Small Apartment Clutter-Free
Food Network: Jell-O Launches Its First-Ever Plant-Based Pudding
Travel & Leisure: This Flight Attendant-approved Jumpsuit Is My Go-to Comfy Airplane Outfit — and It’s Only $25 Right Now.
Forbes.com: 15 Sustainable Cocktails To Enjoy During Earth Month
Travel & Leisure: I Travel Solo Often, and I Won’t Stay in Another Airbnb Without Packing This 1 Safety Device
Yahoo Life!: Best pedometers of 2025, tested and reviewed
Yahoo Life: The best black tea to brew in 2025, according to testers and experts
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.
Newsweek Reader’s Choice
As a reminder, I’m on the panel of travel and food journalists who chooses the nominations for Newsweek’s Readers Choice Awards and I’m working on nominations for several new home-related categories!
Best Mattress: For this one, I’m looking for mattresses highly rated by consumers and have no known safety issues at a range of prices, but also looking at Comfort: Is the mattress comfortable? What type of mattress it it? (Foam, innerspring, hybrid, etc.)
Durability: Will the mattress hold its shape and firmness over time?
Ease of Use: Is the mattress water-resistant and easy to clean-up? Is the mattress lightweight (easy to lift/change sheets)?
Safety: - Is it firm? Is it free from harmful chemicals? (Phthalates, lead, flame retardants, etc.). I’m generally looking for the newest/latest products for this one.
Best Sheets: For this one, I will consider the following factors: Material: The type of fiber significantly impacts the feel, breathability, and durability of the sheets.Weave: The way fabrics are woven impact their texture and performance: Thread Count, Fit & Size: Do the sheets come in varying sizes (king, queen, etc.)?
Apartment Therapy
I Asked Pro Travelers for Packing Mistakes to Avoid when Preparing for Summer Travel - I’m looking to speak to pro travelers about the packing mistakes to avoid when preparing for any summer travel. Email me if you want to weigh in!
Saatva
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
May is National Salad Month, and there’s some great salads found in unexpected places around New York City. I’m doing a roundup of great salads at NYC restaurants — do you go to a steakhouse just to eat their amazing chopped kale starter salad? I’ve been there. Tell me where this salad is, what’s in it, why it’s great, and get me an image and a chef’s quote about it if you wish to be considered. I’m also up for some great salad in a bag/box type options you can enjoy right at home for when you can’t venture out for the fancy stuff.
I’m also working on a roundup of restaurants (and bars?!) that are making dishes (or cocktails!) involving ramps during this limited and delicious season. Same parameters as above!
I’m looking for pitches related to fresh and fun (see: Instagram-friendly) cocktails for spring featuring lemon as a star ingredient, available at bars and restaurants nationwide. Please be sure to include name of cocktail, where sold (city, state, name of restaurant, URL), description, quote about cocktail, image and appropriate photo credit when pitching - no pitches will be accepted that do not contain ALL these components. Thanks!
<3
aly
I'm so sorry to learn of Alexandra's passing. She was such a generous soul and her presence will be sorely missed on this Earth.
I’m so sorry