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Week of 9/29/2025: My goal is to actually send out pitches this week — at least five — to a variety of publications, and wait to hear back. I will also follow up on a potential lead for some work to see if I can move forward that way.
Why I’m stoked: I’m not stoked. I’m nervous as all get out because things are getting worse and worse for us by the day and we see no way out of it, so I am saving my excitement and hopefulness for when something positive actually DOES happen.
Concerns/challenges: Rejection. Always. This is my livelihood and a rejection means that I will not be able to eat, pay rent or do anything else, so that’s my biggest concern. I really hope that I hear some good news this week — somehow, somewhere — from someone. Fingers crossed!
Amanda, here’s a link to some pitches:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_DMNzipoNRuPv6yTdu_PkJLFsPzlxFp0YNN4qFxqbms/edit?tab=t.08/19/2025: I did not meet last week’s goal because I’m crazed, depressed and feeling pretty dejected right now. My goal for this week is to try to FINALLY finish implementing edits from July’s pitches and send them out. If I have the wherewithal, I’ll polish/write new pitches to post for AC’s review.
Is there something wrong with me?? I can’t find a Zoom link for the critique session, and I’ve been looking for 17 minutes at this point. PLEASE send to me!
I wrote and started a BAZILLION pitches last week! In fact, I did it every day of the week and just couldn’t stop! All of them aren’t completed — some are just ideas — but I totally went to town on them! I was going to add them all to the “Share” section but decided that seeing them might overwhelm y’all, so I’ll wait until Aug. 1 haha. I’m so proud of myself, and it’s the most productive I’ve been in a long time, which is great.
Week of 7/28: Pitch-a-palooza continues this week. and after tweaking Amanda’s edits for my current pitches, I will pitch those out to see if I can get some new pubs added to my byline! (Fingers crossed!
Why I’m stoked: The formulation of the pitches — and just doing the writing, no matter how raw the pitches are — is a giant first step. And if I can do that, I’ll have a higher probability of getting these pieces accepted.
Concerns or challenges: Tweaking the pitches to a place that gets them accepted, and pitching them to the right places
Hey all, thank you for the warm and fuzzy notes of encouragement about my above pitches. I really appreciate it. Below you will find the one I sent to NYT (probably to the wrong people), but I think it’d really work for NYT Mag or WSJ Mag or a big pub like that. We shall see…See below…
My name is J’nai Gaither and I’m a Napa-based wine and travel writer whose work has appeared in publications like Decanter, Wine Enthusiast, AFAR, New York Magazine’s Grub Street, Vinepair, Plate, Michelin, Forbes and others, as well as leading wine books like Karen MacNeil’s “The Wine Bible” and “From Napa With Love” by Alexis Swanson Traina. A long-time champagne ambassador, in 2023, I was granted a knighthood as a dame chevalier of the Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne for my contributions and dedication to the region.
I’m reaching out to you with a pitch that I think would be relevant to your inquisitive, educated audience about the decreasing costs and greater accessibility of GLP-1 agonists like Ozempic and Wegovy, and how those of us in the food and drinks industries who use them have had to navigate altered relationships with the things we consume.
Even at sky-high prices and a lack of insurance coverage, weight loss drugs have faced consistent scarcity in the market and have become a coveted item. And now 8% of the US population takes some form of GLP-1 agonist. But just last month, Novo Nordisk dropped prices of the drugs by 23%, which makes access to the drugs more accessible to a wider swath of people. I’m one of those people. Yes, I’m a statistic and a part of that 8% group. I get paid to travel the world to eat and drink, yet every week, I shoot myself up with a miracle drug that protects my heart, curbs my appetite and slims me down. That slim down has been to the tune of 60 pounds and counting over the last 10 months. Sounds great, right? Well, it’s changed my relationship with food and alcohol—and not necessarily for the better.
In this story, I will explore how other food and beverage professionals on GLP-1s consume or make certain gastronomic choices, how they approach 10-course meals with accompanying wine pairings, and the mental changes that take place. I’ll also delve into the science of how GLP-1s work, and use the expertise of doctors who specialize in weight management, as well as nutritionists, pharmacists, and psychiatrists. Optionally, and in an effort to differentiate this coverage, I welcome the opportunity to incorporate personal anecdotes about my own journey in all of this.
Hey Amanda,
Here are three pitches I wrote last week about some non-serious, rather frivolous topics. But they might be great entree to certain pubs — who knows? Well, you do, which is why I’m submitting them to you haha. Anywway, you can let me know your thoughts when you’re able and I’ll work on more for this week. Thanks so much,
J’nai1. (Possibly for Vogue, T&C, T&L, CNT, Elle, Bazaar, Elle Decor, Elite Traveler) Champagne is one of those rarefied regions in the world that has just about everything: it’s known for its namesake style of wine, and is a UNESCO World Heritage site to boot, but also offers the world in the way of food and drink. So while you’re eating at Michelin-starred restaurants and drinking in the region’s liquid elixir, you’re going to want someplace equally fabulous to lay your head. And what better place to connect to the wines than being amongst the vines themselves? Sure, the fabulous hotels in the area are an option, but a winery guesthouse or accommodation might just make things a little more interesting.
In this piece, I’ll outline the best alternative hotel accommodations for a super luxe and connected trip to the Champagne region, including: The Royal Champagne Hotel, a three Michelin key and Relais & Chateaux property; Domaine du Chalet, Champagne Palmer’s luxurious guesthouse in the middle of the Montagne de Reims park; Rodolphe Taittinger’s Maison Privee Frerejean Freres; Les Suites du 33, Champagne de Venoge’s luxe bedrooms, steps away from its tasting room in Epernay; Le 25 Bis, five apartment-like suites owned by the owners of Leclerc Briant champagne; La Maison Besserat de Bellefon, three new posh suites set on the grounds of Champagne Besserat de Bellefon. For the discerning gastro-enotourist, these uber-luxe stays will connect you to the vines and wines in a way that you wouldn’t imagine, and show you a different side of the magical Champagne region.
2. (Possibly for Vogue, T&L, T&C, CNT, Elle, Bazaar, Elite Traveler) Champagne’s newest experiences are a treat for the senses. As the demographic of the wine drinker has changed, so, too, has the availability of experiences in the Champagne region. No longer relegated to just a strategically coordinated visit to one of Champagne’s grand marques, a visit to the region is now full of interesting ways to experience, many of which are surprising considering how sacrosanct Old World wine regions can be. In this story, I will discuss the best of Champagne’s newest visitor experiences that will open your mind, open your mouth, and open your ears.
–Royal Champagne Mysteries: the three Michelin-Key hotel outside of Epernay has introduced a paired wine program to show what different dates of disgorgement taste like paired with your meal, only at 1-star Le Royal restaurant
–Royal Champagne’s Clarins spa partnership uses high-tech skincare coupled with LED mask technology to create a custom facial experience that incorporates the rare Moonflower, which only blooms once a year
–Rendezvous with L’Assiette Champenoise – New woman-founded champagne brand, Rendezvous,is the brainchild of Rendzezvous owner Fiona Perrin and three-Michelin-star chef and owner of L’assiete Champenoise, Arnaud Lallement. The two have joined forces to do a private chef’s table and paired dinner with the full range of Rendezvous’ wines alongside an overnight stay. The eight exquisite course meal is beyond indulgent, and there might be other surprises in store as well.
–Trianon at Moet et Chandon is a limited and exclusive dinner and cellar tour at the private mansion of Moet, which has been closed for 200 years, and has just reopened.
–Vin en hip hop is a new, annual, one-night only street festival that combines Champagne’s brilliant grower-producers with hip-hop legends and new hip-hop talent–the ultimate pairing.
–Famille Mousse chef-paired dinner features celebrated grower Cedric Mousse, who partners with the world’s greatest chefs like Alexis Leconte and David Grosdent for his monthly Chef-in-Residence series at his estate in Cuisle. The dinners are open to the public but sell out in mere hours. Like many Michelin-starred meals around the world, visitors plan their vacations around these dinners as a way to experience a renowned chef and to spend significant time with one of the greatest Grower-Producers in all of Champagne.
–Frerejean Freres’ tailor-made, super exclusive tasting experience takes place in a stylish, contemporary living room space, where you’ll taste the range of lines with select bites.
–Ruinart’s new art and cocktail bar space took two years to complete, but it’s now the toast of the town. Visitors to the maison and non-visitors alike can grab a cocktail if wine isn’t their fancy, and take in a collection of some of the best contemporary art on the planet.3. Though we’re all trying to convince people that wine isn’t just a special occasion drink, but a perfect pairing for every day, it is still seen as the epitome of luxury beverages, and because of that it should have the proper accessories. These gifts are for the ultimate oenophile — the wine guru who has everything, has been everywhere and has a collection for the ages, but still wants to be wowed. The gifts that I’ll present are:
Armand de Brignac’s 2015 inaugural vintage wine in magnum
Josephinenhutte full set of glassware
Ecellar 365 luxury wine fridge
Glasstats
Ritual at Manresa membership
a year of Daniel Johnnes’ dinners
Kelli White’s Wine Confident
Full Pour magazine subscriptionNAME: J’nai Gaither
OCCUPATION: writer
PRONOUNS*: She
AGE: 42
HERITAGE: American
LANGUAGES: formerly fluent in Mandarin Chinese (it was my initial major in school and I lived in Beijing and in Taipei), Latin, ancient Greek (like Amanda!) I planned to be a Classics minor in college, but when I got to college I abandoned that idea haha
HOBBIES: traveling; playing the cello; eating and drinking (which is also my job).
HOMETOWN: Chicago
CURRENT LOCATION: Napa Valley, CA
WRITING EXPERIENCE: started as a food writer 15 years ago, but gradually moved to wine writing, as that was always what I longed to do. My work can be seen in places like AFAR, Wine Enthusiast, Decanter, Plate, Eater, Grub Street, and a host of others.
FAVORITE WRITERS: James Joyce, Emily Dickinson, Shakespeare, Edgar Allan Poe
GOALS FOR THE COURSE: to get into ALL of my dream publications before the end of the year, which include Vogue, NYT Mag or WSJ Mag, T&L, CNT, The Robb ReportWRITING AMBITIONS: to write a book on champagne that will hopefully be shortlisted or win some awards, including a James Beard, an IACP, maybe a Lowell Thomas award (?)
WEBSITES & CONTACTS:
IG: instagram.com/champagneandreservations
Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/jnaiwillwriteforwine
Website: still nada (but I’ll change that soon, I hope)Heya Amanda and Ansley! Happy to see you both again! Yay!
Week of 7/14: Would love to hone at least one pitch that’s been on my mind for a while, and pitch it to multiple pubs to see where it’ll land.
Why I’m stoked: Like Ansley, I need accountability — check-ins and handholding — to get things done. I have extreme diagnosed ADHD, and I haven’t taken meds or done therapy management for it since college, which is why I can’t seem to move forward. This small-group format will be key in helping me to achieve my goals so that I can be the kind of successful I want to be.
Challenges: I can sometimes get all the help in the world (like in WLHB Pitch class I took in ’23) and still falter because I’m paralyzed by fear or perfectionism. I need to figure out a way to get over this and just move forward. That’d go a long way in inspiring confidence in my pitching abilities.
