Disclosures

Our editorial recommendations reflect our actual experience. We do not accept payment in exchange for inclusion in regular editorial sections (Eat, Do, Know). Restaurants, events, and businesses featured in editorial sections were chosen because we believe they are worth our readers’ attention, not because they paid us.

If a business that has previously sponsored the newsletter happens to also be worth editorial coverage, we may cover them — but the editorial section will not include sponsorship language, and the coverage will be unaffected by the sponsorship relationship.

Sponsored content is clearly labeled at the top of the section with a mono-caps marker:

Sponsored · [Brand Name]

We accept three sponsorship placements (inline sections, footer bands, and section takeovers — see our sponsor page). All are clearly labeled. We do not run native ads that mimic editorial style without the “Sponsored” marker.

We retain editorial control over how sponsored content is written. Sponsors approve final copy before publication; we do not write false claims, and we will not run sponsored content for products or services we believe are harmful to our readers.

When we link to a restaurant reservation system, event ticket platform, or retailer, the link may be an affiliate link that earns us a small commission if you purchase. We always disclose affiliate relationships either inline (with a dagger † or asterisk * next to the link) or in the section’s footnote.

Affiliate revenue does not influence which businesses we recommend. We only join affiliate programs for services we already use and recommend.

Specifically, as of the date of this policy, we participate in (or may participate in): Resy, OpenTable, Eventbrite, Bookshop.org, Amazon Associates. We will update this list as new programs are added or existing ones are dropped.

The newsletter is bylined “by Carissa Spisak.” Carissa is the voice owner and reviews and signs off on every issue. Drafting may involve her husband Joe Spisak — they write together as a household. Carissa does the voice pass, fact-checks any personal anecdotes against her own experience, and is the public-facing author of record.

This collaborative writing model is disclosed here so readers know how the newsletter is produced. We do not use AI to draft editorial content; AI is used only for research aggregation and routine production tasks.

Personal anecdotes attributed to Carissa (referring to her family, her experiences, places she has visited) are accurate to her actual experience. We do not fabricate personal stories.

If we get something wrong — a restaurant’s hours, an event date, a factual claim — we correct it in the next issue with a clear note. Major corrections (anything affecting a business’s reputation or a reader’s safety) are sent as a same-day correction email rather than waiting for the next issue.

Spotted a missed disclosure or want to flag a conflict of interest? Email carissa@theaustinnewsletter.com. We take these seriously and respond within 48 hours.