Episode #31 - Elise Taylor, Senior Living Writer at Vogue

Hanna (01:21): Hi, Elise. Thanks so much for joining us.

Elise (01:24): Thank you so much for having me, Hanna and Michael. I'm very excited to be here today, talking to all your listeners across the world. 

Michael (01:30): Can you tell us a little bit about Vogue and its current coverage? 

Elise (01:33): Yes. So I think it's been quite the time to be a lifestyle writer, right? Which is, you know, the world shuts down and all of a sudden, all your beats, travel, restaurants, food, have kind of shut down with it. So it's been a really fascinating pivot and, I say pivot, but then I realized that I've been pivoting for a year. So I don't know if that counts as a pivot anymore, or that's just, you know, my new normal as, you know, covering this industry that I know and I love, uh, in such a different way, uh, whether it is reporting on, you know, some of the darker sides, which is, you know, staying afloat during the pandemic, um, some of the silver lining sides, which is innovations that these restaurants or hotels have come up with. Um, and then also excitement as the world comes back to normal and, and these, uh, properties do too.

Michael (02:29): In terms of your pivot, how did you, you know, from a practical standpoint, change your working style to perhaps go more virtual or what was your means of, you know, continuing your work and continuing your superb coverage? 

Elise (02:43): You know, it was a challenge. I won't lie. I think it wasn't a challenge for everyone. You know, part of my job is, uh, go sees, right, where I physically go to a restaurant and I try the food and I see the space or I physically stay at a hotel and all of a sudden I couldn't do those things, right? Um, so that was really hard of being like, okay, uh, how do I write about something that I haven't physically experienced and how do I make sure that I'm staying true to my number on priority, which is our readers. 

Um, so that was a lot of innovation, you know, instead of going to see a hotel, I would have to do walkthroughs on FaceTime. Um, instead of, you know, maybe eating at a restaurant or going to see it, I would have to have the food sent to me. 

Um, or you know, I could go through for, uh, uh, you know, a walkthrough, but it was me and a mask, six feet apart, you know, some of these spaces were not occupying at their full glory say the least, which is, you know, 25%, 50% occupancy. 

So also just a little bit of imagination of saying, okay, this is what this space is like at 25% occupancy, what is going to look like at a 100% and kind of trying to envision that. So it has been a challenge, um, but I've also gotten some really interesting stories out of it, which is, you know, reporting on this industry during the pandemic. There's a lot of good stories to be told. And there's a lot of interesting stories we told.

Hanna (04:08): Well thanks so much for being such an important voice for our industry, because we need it more than ever. So let's talk about you more. You've been a lifestyle writer at Vogue since I believe 2017. 

Elise (04:24): Yes. 

Hanna (04:25): So was it always your dream to work at Vogue?

Elise (04:29): No, it's funny. It wasn't, uh, it was always my dream to be a writer. That's the dream I've had ever since I was a little girl. Um, so I have kind of worked my entire life to be a writer and it just so happened that the outlet that needed my voice and that was the right fit for my voice was Vogue. 

And I say that a lot too, you know, I got a lot of, uh, aspiring journalists or young people who say, I want to work at Vogue. I have to work at Vogue. You know, how do I do it? How did you do it? And I, the advice I always tell them is that if your end goal is just to simply work at Vogue, that's not the way to go about it, because Vogue has so many departments that it has features which I'm in, which is writing. We have the fashion department, we have a PR department, we have a special events department. We have a photography department. We have a visuals department. And those people get hired for those jobs not because they broadly want to work at Vogue, but because they have the skillset for those jobs. So I always say, okay, you want to work at Vogue? Well, what would you want to do at folk? And you pick that. And you work at mastering that skill, because if you just, I hate to say it, if you just love fashion, it's, it's too broad. And just like any profession, you know, Vogue needs to hire people who fit a skillset. So I always say, develop your skill set, figure out what you want to do. And then the opportunity at Vogue will come. So I worked at. Vanity Fair for three years before I worked at Vogue as an editorial assistant. And that's the devil wears Prada job where you're getting copies, you're making photocopies, you're making reservations, you're doing all this glamorous stuff, but it was also an apprenticeship right where I got to work with the top editor. 

Hanna (06:20): Right.

Elise (06:20): And I became, you know, a professional writer in that position. And then I was able to apply for the staff writing job at Vogue and, you know, that was that job I had to present writing samples and do an edit test and that's how I got hired. 

Michael (06:38): Interesting. So what's what, what's your secret for finding great stories. And do you have any places that you go for a specific inspiration?

Elise (06:46): There's many places I go. I use Instagram a lot. I'm constantly on Instagram and I'm not on Instagram in the way you think, which is that I'm not looking at like my, for you page and seeing like, oh, you know, what's trendy restaurants I see on your, for you page, because I don't think Instagram is reality as we know, right? I think just because a restaurant has a bubble gum, pink interior, that it means it's good, or it means it's worthy. And sometimes Instagram focuses on the very surface level of a good property. But what I do look at is I say, okay, where are the taste-makers in New York going? What am I seeing on Instagram? Where are people going? Where are people having fun? Should I know about these people? Then I also rely on PR people like you, who are emailing saying, hey, I have a new client, they're opening a hotel in six months. And so I start tracking those projects really, really early and I'm asking for renderings, I'm asking for updates and following the projects.

So I can say, Hmm, maybe this is a Vogue story. I also read a lot. So I'm seeing, you know, what else is out on the internet. And the other thing is that I just listen and I think that it's so important. I will hang out with, you know, the top interior designers, right? And I'll be saying, Hey, tell me about any artisans that are new, that you're working with, that you love. Um, and I'm hearing what they say. So I think the part of my job is really talking to tastemakers who are out there in each space and listen to them saying, what are you seeing out there? And those, those have led to some of my best stories. 

Hanna (08:36): Uh, you mentioned Instagram. Um, how are you using that platform for your work? Is there any other social media platform that you think our audience who is bartenders and chefs and hotel owners should be using more? 

Elise (08:52): No, I think, try to use all of them. And I don't want to, you know, I have to say the only social media platform that I'm not using, and this is just because I'm a writer, it has definite value, is LinkedIn. That's because, you know, LinkedIn, isn't, you know, it's more of a business platform rather than a creative platform. But, um, for example, I got a story idea off of Clubhouse. I joined a room and it was talking about new social media apps and what all the kids were using. Uh, and they brought up Dispo, which is a new social media. And I said, hey, that, that actually looks really cool. Uh, so I downloaded it myself and I said, I think this is really cool. So that goes back to my point about just listening to what's buzzing and being just tuned in with the cultural site, guys and saying, what are people talking about? What are people excited about in addition to then also actually like looking at myself, being like, oh, and I'm excited about this and people should know.

Hanna (09:52): That makes sense. So what do you think of the future of Clubhouse as a journalist, as a resource for your story? 

Elise (09:59): Yeah. So clubhouse is interesting to me because I do think it was a social media app that got purpose from the pandemic. We were captive audiences and we want us to connect with other people. So my question is, you know, how will Clubhouse evolve? Uh, now that the world's starting to open up, I see it as a great place for live events, which is that let's say there's a conference happening in Los Angeles and there's a really cool fashion designer or an interior designer that's speaking at it.

I'm in New York and I can't get to LA, but I wanna tune in somehow. Clubhouse to me is the perfect media for that. So you have your conversations, right? For anyone continuing from around the world. And that's the beauty of it is that you can participate no matter where you are. 

Michael (10:53): Absolutely. We definitely see a future that's kind of a hybrid of both live events, which we all miss and which we all love, but also these new technologies like Zoom and Clubhouse that lets you be there without being there physically.

Elise (11:08): Yeah.

Michael (11:08): So speaking of social media, uh, you tweeted about your sister starting her own vodka brand Harridan. 

Elise (11:16): I did. I did.

Michael (11:16): Well, we totally understand how hard it's been for small business owners, uh, during COVID. So does having your sister in this space give you a new perspective perhaps on small businesses and startups? 

Elise (11:29): Absolutely. It's been really eye-opening for me, launching a business in a pandemic. Just how hard it's been. You know, her main customers, which are going to be bars right, are closed. And you know, restaurants are open, but they're in a very, very tight spot right now. You know, they aren't at full capacity. Um so taking a risk on a product, um, many restaurants don't want to do that. 

So it was kind of like, okay, how do I get people to take a risk on me? And she was out there every single day, physically going to liquor stores and giving out samples, uh, physically dropping off bottles at restaurants. Yeah. She's in some great places already. She just got into Buddakan, she's excited. 

But as a journalist, it was really interesting cause it was eye opening in many ways. One of them being how pressed make or break a small business. I don't want to say great, but how much it means. Uh, when you start getting buzz, she was asking me advice about how to get into press. And I said, you need a PR person. She goes, I don't have a budget for that. I was like, well, you need a budget for that. And she's like, well, I don't have a budget for that. It gave me, you know, there's so many great small brands out there that just haven't quite got the budget yet to make that jump to the PR thing like, and I’m like, oh okay. Wow. There's things you may be missing just because they're not in your inbox. 

Um, and it also gives me an appreciation for, you know, PR agencies, because I was like, wow, they're very helpful. And you definitely hear a brand needs them cause that's how you break through the noise. Um, so that was one. And then also just, um, I think that as a journalist, uh, many times people are willing to send you things to try. Uh, and that is great. And it's something that I take very seriously where I actually never request a product, unless I'm actually very seriously considering it for coverage. And it made me more aware of how important that is for journalists, because when you're a small business, and you're gifting something, if a journalist is just taking it because they feel like it, a small business doesn't have the expendable inventory to just look to things. So the importance of, and this is something I do where I usually, you know, I don't really accept gifts, I accept samples for potential coverage and how important it is for journalists to actually stick to that ethical rule.

Hanna (14:21): Yeah, exactly. I mean, you know, each bottle represents the love and care and hard work.

Michael (14:27): It's blood, sweat and tears.

Hanna (14:28): Exactly. So we just like you, we take every bottle very seriously. So let's talk about pitching. Our listeners are hospitality and travel professionals like, you know, hotel owners, restaurants, and bar owners, and along with bartenders and chefs, but also small, you know, brand owners like your sister. And actually the reason that we decided to start our podcast is because we want to give these small business owners or those professional folks that don't have a PR agency, but they learn how to pitch the story by listening to someone like you on our podcast.

Michael (15:09): It’s do it yourself PR.

Hanna (15:10): Exactly. So let's, you know, if we can help our listeners, but what's the top three important things that they should keep in mind when pitching you?

Elise (15:26): Something that is so important is to remember it's my job to tell a story. So when you pitch me, I need to see a story. So the overarching question is always why? You have a really cool restaurant. It's really cool. That's great. Why cool. Why should I be writing about it now? What makes it different? What makes it relevant? And I see that a lot with properties that I've maybe been around for a while. Which is, I get emails being like, we want you to write about this restaurant, that's been in business for five years and it's not doing anything different than it did five years ago, but we just want it to get press in Vogue. I'm like, why would I write about this now? And the same goes for any sort of product.

Maybe you have a canned cocktail. You're emailing me in November about your canned cocktail that has been around for three years and say, I want you to write about it. I'm like, why would I be writing about canned cocktails in November? Is there a holiday cocktail that you're working on that I missed? Are you doing something innovative? Have you made a change recently? And that doesn't happen a lot. Whereas if I had that canned cocktail that was emailing me maybe in March and says, Hey, we have new flavors for summer. Are you working on any, you know, canned cocktails, roundups, those are pitches I actually read and consider or keep in the back of my head. There's a lot of pitches that don't do that. So I think it is a matter of timeliness, narrative of what is your story? And then why should I tell it.

Michael (17:04): Excellent advice. So looking into your crystal ball, if you may, uh, for the rest of the year, what type of stories do you think you're going to be working on that our listeners can be part of?

Elise (17:13): Oh, this is exciting. Uh, right now at Vogue, we are focusing on re-emergence in the roaring twenties. Which is a fun beat. So I am looking for new things. I'm looking for fun things. I'm looking for new restaurants, new hotels, or off the radar travel destinations. Where people are going to go when they get vaccinated? What are people going to drink when we can party again? What do we want to eat when we can have a birthday dinner for 10 people? So everything fun.

Hanna (17:46): Love it.

Michael (17:47): That's a great beat. So with all these things, re-emerging with all these reopenings, do you see Vogue expanding its coverage of hospitality and travel?

Elise (17:56): Absolutely, I am going to be busier than ever, you know, internal discussions within Vogue. People are going to be traveling a lot this summer. So we have to be prepared right now. You know, we're calling like, you know, the vacci-cation boom, right? Oh yeah. So we're preparing for the vacci-cation boom, where I'm like, where are people going? Uh, what borders are going to be open? So that is definitely going to expand. And then coverage on restaurants. We've sadly had a lot of restaurants closing or sheltering, you know, during the winter. Now we're going to have a season of openings.

Hanna (18:36): Yes. We feel like our industry is slowly, but surely coming back.

Elise (18:41): I'm excited for a lot of different things that are coming. And I think our readers will be excited because after years staying in, all we want to do is go out.

Hanna (18:49): Go out, go out and have fun. And just, just mingle with the people that you love and, and people that you want to spend time with.

Michael (18:58): So actually circling back to travel just for a quick second, once restrictions are lifted, what's the first travel destination you're going to go to and why?

Elise (19:07): I'm going to start with, for Vogue, I'll talk about it for Vogue first, which is that, um, I'm going to start with local travel and I'm going to be doing local, uh, new hotel openings. So I think, you know, like you said, baby steps. Which is people are going to be like, okay, where can I go this a little close to home? Or maybe my vaccine hasn't been in yet, or maybe this border hasn't opened or the countries, you know, Europe is so influx right now with border restrictions and lockdown. So there's several properties in upstate New York that I'm focusing on as well as some new openings in the Hamptons. But then later in the summer, I'm going to start to switch my focus to Europe.

Hanna (19:49): Yes, let's go to Europe. 

Elise (19:51): I think that everyone kind of, like you guys, like kind of want a little bit of a Euro trip right now, right?

Michael (19:55): Absolutely.

Hanna (19:56): Yes, please.

Elise (19:58): So I'm hopefully going to Montenegro, which I think is going to be a new hot European country that's going to be the next Croatia. And then, you know, look, I'm still in my twenties. I want to go to Mykonos. I want to go to the Beach Club. I want to drink Rose. I want to drink Rose while vaccinated. 

Hanna (20:18): So, um, we call our podcast Hospitality Forward because we believe that our industry will come back stronger than ever. So can you tell us, in your opinion, if there is anyone or any organization that you think is doing amazing work in our hospitality industry that is moving hospitality forward? 

Elise (20:42): Yeah. And thinking about that question, there's almost too many people to name because the innovation I've seen from restaurants during this pandemic is astounding.

Hanna (20:57): Incredible. 

Elise (20:57): The fact that so many New York restaurants not only survived this winter, but thrived in this winter. I thought what was going to happen to New York in the winter? And I was worried for it. And then all of a sudden, you know, I see Lafayette has built a winter village. And these beautiful glass huts and people preferring to sit outside rather than inside. That takes such a level of creativity that is almost unfathomable. And you saw so many other restaurants do similar things. 

Hanna (21:32): Absolutely. I think that's the silver lining of our industry, being very creative.

Elise (21:32): Very creative.

Michael (21:38): And now for the listener question segment of our show, we have a question from Megan Klein, the founder of Little Saints in Michigan, which sells a fashionable cocktail mask with a hidden hole for sipping cocktails.She'd like to know what your criteria are for covering new products and spotlighting entrepreneurs?

Elise (21:56): You know, we try at Vogue to highlight local businesses. We really do. Recently, we just launched a small business guide, uh, where we highlight our favorites, small businesses across America. Uh, so the requirement is that we had to have entries from every single state. 

Um, so for small businesses, there's a couple of things. One is that getting a local cult following from where you are. Because your local customers are going to be your most passionate customers. Um, and if you have a passionate group of customers, eventually big national publications, we'll hear about it. Sometimes I get pitches that are saying like, we're a very, very small company out of, um, I'm just going to say Michigan. Uh, there's very small inventory. They maybe don't have nationwide shipping yet. Uh, so I'm kind of like, are you ready to be in focus, focus, national publication, read by millions, millions, millions of people. So is now the right time to feature you?

Whereas, if you gather, if you start with your community and work very, very hard within that community and build that strength, then it gets to me in a different way, which is this has passionate fans. They love it. They will vouch for it and more people need to know.

Perfect examples. I featured a Virginia canned cocktail. And the reason I did is because I had a fan from Virginia reach out and said this is the best thing I've ever had and he does amazing. Wow. That's so like, I didn't know about this canned cocktail. And then I went to their Instagram page and I saw they had like really intense fans and then I did some Googling on them and I found that they just had like really, really like lovely local news coverage about them, about how much the community likes them. And then I had a friend who was Virginian, a coworker from Virginia, I Slacked her. And I said, do you know about this canned cocktail company? And she was like, Oh my goodness, these are the best canned cocktails. Every time I go home, like I buy a case and I bring it back to New York and so that is a small business. Not because necessarily I had an owner, send me a DM and say, I made these canned cocktails, but because they were community first and they had those fans.

Hanna (24:35): That's incredible.

Elise (24:36): That had a fan base. And I was like, wow, people really love this. Um, and then, you know, it's real.

Hanna (25:32): Compassionate, thoughtful and curious. These words, nice to this sum up Elise.

Michael (25:38): Now that you know what Elise is looking for, please feel free to pitch her your story ideas. And of course mention that you heard her on our podcast. 

Hanna (25:47): We have a lot of exciting media guests in the pipeline as well. So please subscribe on Apple podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Google podcast, or your favorite podcast app.

Michael (26:03): Please leave a review and tell your friends and colleagues. See you next week. 

Hanna (26:06): Until then, join us as we move hospitality forward, together.