Spring + Summer Pitch Call

Pets, Parks, and Outdoor Adventures

Apr 22, 2025

Hello friends,

Greetings from New York City, where it’s a stunning 75 degrees and I’m hoping to cut out early to check out the cherry blossoms at the botanical garden. I flew back just in time for my favorite flower season. Lilacs are officially in bloom, and I was lucky to snag the last bodega bouquets on my way back from the airport.

UPDATE: You have one more week to snag one of my annual paid Substack subscriptions for free, and shout out to all of you who already took advantage of the offer. You’re the best!

You’ll hear more from me this week about an event I’m hosting in early May, but for now, I’m popping in quickly with some pitch calls.

Have a good week!

Cassandra

Private Consults Resume!

I’ve been traveling a lot for the past two months, so I haven’t offered private consults and coaching since February. However, I have some availability before heading to Spain in a few weeks, so let me know if you’d like to schedule a call.

Why Book a Private Consult?

I’ll actually respond. It’s shocking how many publicists (including some who I have never worked with before), ask to jump on a call to pick my brain about a new destination they’re trying to bring on board or to see what outlets may be interested in a product they’re repping. I’m not paid for this time and it takes me away from work that actually does pay, so I simply cannot accommodate these requests.
You can ask me anything. Want me to review your pitch strategy or learn which outlets are accepting what right now? Want a run-down on SEO or affiliate commission expectations at different outlets? Do you want to know about the nitty-gritty details editors require for product and destination pitches? We can discuss all that.
Our conversation remains private. Though I do offer Ask Me Anything group calls to paid subscribers, you might not want to discuss your particular pitch or media strategy in front of others and a private call will remain just that, private.
In-depth feedback. Want to know how I really felt about the product you sent me to test but that I never wrote about? I probably have a lot of opinions about it but I don’t have the time (or interest) to invest unpaid time crafting a detailed product review or talking about how and why certain features need improvement. I’m not part of your R&D team, so to get into all these details, you’ll need to book a consultation.

Interested in a private call? Let me know when you’d like to chat, for how long (30 or 60 minutes), if it’s just you or if there will be others from your media team, and I’ll send you a quote. I’m happy to do calls by phone or video. Email me at:

Wondering what others are saying about private calls they’ve booked with me? Here you go:

“Cassandra and I were able to cover so much in just 30 minutes. I got to ask questions about how various outlets she writes for function that I would have no other way of knowing about. She gave me great feedback on potential avenues for several of my clients, which helped me identify a few new angles and approaches to pursue that I never would have thought of on my own. Time and money well spent!”
- Jason Simms, Principal - Theirsay
“My coaching session with Cassandra was exceptional! She exceeded my expectations. I took about 2 pages of notes, and had about 7-key takeaways that I would never have thought of on my own. including where to pitch and new pitch angles. It was refreshing and insightful, so much so that I got about to pitching and heard back from The New York Times Travel section. I definitely recommend working with Cassandra, if you're looking to get more press. She's super smart and knows her stuff.”
- Elina Leclaire, Owner – Glampful Campground

If interested, email me with the times that work for you on April 22, 25, 29, and the first week of May.

cassandra@escapingny.com

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CURRENT ASSIGNMENTS

I have a few other assignments in the works, but these have quick turnaround deadlines, so I wanted to send this out ASAP.

1. Sierra Club - Pet-Friendly Park Travel

I’m working on a piece about planning a pet-friendly trip to parks, which will have a strong emphasis on National Parks and State Parks.

Here’s what I’m looking for:

Given the recent budget cuts to the National Parks Service, I’d like to include info on how pet-related travel may be affected (for instance, are pet-friendly campgrounds closed?) or unaffected.
Are there specific parks that stand out as being pet-friendly? For instance, is there a pet-friendly lodge right within the park in addition to pet-friendly camp sites?
While State Parks aren’t out of the question, National Parks tend to have a lot more restrictions around pets, so I’m prioritizing pitches about National Parks that do allow pets on trails.
I’m also interested in hearing from an expert (such as a park guide) who can comment on what to consider when planning a trip to parks with pets. For example, the importance of packing a leash, food, snacks, and the need to review rules regarding if and where pets are allowed in the park, and the park’s leash requirements.

To pitch me:

Requirements: See above. Also, please note that I am NOT looking for pet-friendly hotel recommendations.
Subject line: Pets in Parks
Email: cassandra@escapingny.com
Pitch by: EOD Wednesday, April 23

2. Hilton Hotels - Adventure Escapes

I write for Hilton very regularly (about every other month), but this piece is unique because it’s not only going to live on their website, but it’s also part of a Pinterest campaign responding to an adventure travel trend on the platform.

For this piece, I’m looking for unique and immersive experiences that let travelers connect with nature and push their limits. For example, this might include scuba diving, mountaineering, trekking, caving, and adventure camping. I’m also interested in community-based tourism and off-the-beaten-path options that could be accessible from the noted destinations. The piece will resemble these Hilton articles I wrote on winter wonderlands and on fall cycling destinations.

My editors assigned me three destinations, but I was able to veto one of them and replace it with a new one (perhaps we should talk about that process on a future call!). As such, I’m only considering these three destinations for this piece since it centers around these nearby Hilton Hotels.

1) Zion National Park; Property: AutoCamp Zion

2) Bali, Indonesia; Property: Desa Hay, an SLH hotel

3) Finland; Property: Hilton Helsinki Kalastajatorppa

To pitch me:

Requirements: Because this piece is for Hilton, I cannot mention any other hotels or activities/attractions that are housed within other hotels (for example, hiking trails or zip line courses on another hotel’s property).
Subject line: Hilton Adventure
Email: cassandra@escapingny.com
Pitch by: EOD Wednesday, April 30

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