Well, you take the 10 to the 405...

and more of my expert intel on Los Angeles.

A couple of announcements up top! First, a project that was underway for weeks has finally launched: my complete travel guide to Los Angeles for Insider. The package has a pretty splashy billing right now on the outlet’s main travel page. (I would have thought something bad would have had to happen to earn a headline in a font that size.)

Links to individual sections are here if you’d like to check them out: 

I grew up in Los Angeles and have lived here most of my life. There's so much to love about this city beyond the glitz and glamour — here's my ultimate guide to visiting.

Los Angeles is sprawling and traffic is always a problem. Here's how a local recommends getting around town with relative ease.

I review hotels professionally in my hometown of Los Angeles. Here are my 9 favorite properties to stay in town.

I've lived in Los Angeles almost my entire life — here are 10 of the best places where you should actually eat

10 places I love to go in Los Angeles as a local, from scenic hikes to outdoor movies and relaxed beaches

What a Los Angeles local wants tourists to know before visiting, from weather advisories to drought warnings

Second announcement: My TV reporter and PR agency owner friend Christina Nicholson (who hosted me on her podcast recently is hosting a 3-day program for pitching media.

She’s sharing her seven ingredients to land TV segments, online features, and podcast interviews that generate serious bank, without having to pay for ads. 

Plus, it comes with some sweet bonuses:

• Media Mindset masterclass to help you release five crushing “not enough” beliefs.

• Personal branding workbook that hands you a method her team uses at her PR agency, Media Maven, to book clients on four podcasts each month. 

• “Fill-in-the-blanks” pitch template to help you lay out your first pitch and make it truly irresistable. 

And for some reason she’s offering all of this for $37?! (I’ll need to have a talk with her about pricing, but anyway.) The deal is pretty maje, so don’t let it pass you by. 

Quick reminders:

• I’m on TikTok now. Follow me!

• Consider upgrading your subscription for tons of actionable HGG tips you can use right now. (Truly appreciate your support!)

And shanah tovah to all who observe!

Upgrade your subscription

• I’m now offering my industry insights exclusively to paid subscribers. Upgrade your subscription to access the full archives as well as get future tips direct to your inbox.

• Upgrade now to unlock instant access to the full recording of the recent HGG AMA, which answers 75+ of your essential questions — and it’s just about guaranteed to help you land placements this season.

Tools of the trade

• Freshbooks is the bookkeeping tool I use exclusively for my invoicing, expenses, and reporting. It’s the best, IMHO, so I evangelize. Get FreshBooks here.

• Are you a publicist who needs help understanding the affiliate game? This course, Affiliate Marketing for Publicists, can help.

• I’m obsessed with the game-changing platform Otter.ai. I use it to both record interviews and also to transcribe them in real time. You can also use it to record/transcribe any type of meeting — so anyone who missed it can easily access the Cliff’s Notes version. There’s a pro plan for agencies/companies with a ton of neat features. Check out Otter.ai here.

Open press opportunities

• For Travel + Leisure, I’m working on a roundup of the best laptop cases (primarily cases that snap on/attach, but I have room to include a couple of sleeve-style cases as well).

• Today/asap is the last call for Hanukkah decorations for Good Housekeeping.

Recently published

• I grew up in Los Angeles and have lived here most of my life. There's so much to love about this city beyond the glitz and glamour — here's my ultimate guide to visiting.

  Los Angeles is sprawling and traffic is always a problem. Here's how a local recommends getting around town with relative ease.

  I review hotels professionally in my hometown of Los Angeles. Here are my 9 favorite properties to stay in town.

  I've lived in Los Angeles almost my entire life — here are 10 of the best places where you should actually eat

  10 places I love to go in Los Angeles as a local, from scenic hikes to outdoor movies and relaxed beaches

  What a Los Angeles local wants tourists to know before visiting, from weather advisories to drought warnings (all for Insider)

• 25 Best Nanny Gifts That Show Your Gratitude for Such an Important Job (Woman’s Day)

• Shoppers Say They Can Walk All Day in These Cute, Pain-free Chelsea Boots — and They're Under $40 (Travel + Leisure)

• How to Find Short Sale Homes: A Guide for Buyers (HomeLight)

• 28 Gifts for Men Under $50 He’s Guaranteed to Love (Prevention)

• 26 Best Organization Gifts So They Can Keep Everything Neat and Tidy (Woman’s Day)

• 50 Best Travel Gifts for Women Who Love to Explore (Woman’s Day)

• 14 Best Women's Bathrobes That Are Cozy and Comfortable (Woman’s Day)

• 9 Products That Support Social-Emotional Learning for Kids (Parents)

• 6 red flags that could signal trouble in a long-distance relationship (Insider)

• 15 cute kids’ birthday invitations to buy, email or DIY (Care.com)

• 7 Best Weekender Bags for Your Next Overnight Trip (Woman’s Day)

• 36 Unique 30th Birthday Gifts for All of Your Thriving Friends and Family Members (Good Housekeeping)

• QR Codes: Your Business BFF (The Compass — travel agency B2B, print page 30)

• I’ve Traveled Around the World With Amazon's Top-selling Backpack — Here’s My Review (Travel + Leisure)

• I spent 18 hours in transit in 4 airports with 2 kids and lost my luggage for 99 hours. Here are 5 lessons I learned about travel right now. (Insider)

• Stock Up on Amazon’s Best-Selling Travel Accessories — Starting at Just $7 (Travel + Leisure)

• What to Plant in Your Garden During November (Good Housekeeping)

• ジューサーで作るフレッシュジュースはダイエットに効果的？　米医師が説明 (Harper’s Bazaar Japan… no I didn’t learn Japanese but it’s a syndication badge of honor 😉)

• An Airline Lost My Luggage During a Recent Trip — and This $28 Hack Helped Me Find It (Travel + Leisure)

• Five Essential Exhibits Worth Traveling for This Summer and Beyond (AFAR)

• How My Kids Fared in Bora Bora, A Honeymooner’s Paradise (Ultimate Family Vacations, print feature beginning on page 26)

• The Best 40th Birthday Gift Ideas for Every Budget (Woman’s Day)

• How to Effectively Argue About Abortion Rights With People Who Just Don't Get It (Glamour)

• The 9 Wildest Perks You'll Ever Encounter at a Hotel (Best Life)

Open jobs

Job posts in this newsletter are now free!

• KAYLEY Media is hiring a PR account manager in Web3 entertainment PR. Fully remote, part-time position with the intention to grow into full-time.

• Rinck Advertising is actively seeking a public relations manager. “If you are passionate about growing in a high-performance culture that values respect, integrity, empathy, and courage,” apply. This is a remote, full-time, mid-level position with an opportunity for advancement.  

Work with me

• Here’s how to pitch: Simply respond to this email with a new subject line or pitch me at pitch@alicedubin.com.

• Are you a writer hoping to reach my engaged list of publicists? A publicist hoping to connect with brands? A digital media type with a product or service for the industry? Maybe you’d like to sponsor this newsletter with a featured ad. Let’s chat: info@alicedubin.com.

• Yes — thanks for asking! — I am also available for project-based consulting.

How to help

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• Donate to Planned Parenthood… march, fight, and VOTE!