The Year in Review: 2022
Issue #13
Happy holidays and happy new year!
As this year comes to a close, I want to thank you for reading the New Roman Times. Though I only launched this newsletter three months ago, I’ve penned 12 issues on topics ranging from truffles to the role of dogs in ancient Rome. The most popular issues were my Letter from the Editor, which launched the newsletter in October, my interview with Annie Ojile, the Vespa maven behind Scooteroma Tours, my op-ed about Sicily and the White Lotus effect, my feature about why you should plan a trip to Piedmont, and the aforementioned issue about the role of dogs in Rome, from Antiquity to today.
While I can objectively measure the most popular articles by ranking the ones with the most views, I would love to know which articles you enjoyed the most. Was there a particular topic that really resonated with you? Leave a comment here or feel free to email me privately and let me know.
On a personal and professional level, this year represented a return to normalcy, or at least a new normal after my life—like so many others—was upended by the Covid-19 pandemic. I started traveling internationally again for the first time since the start of the pandemic, returning to the U.S. to see family and friends, going back to Portugal, and visiting Israel and Botswana for the first time. In Italy, I revisited favorite places like Florence, Puglia, and Piedmont and visited new ones, including the Dolomites, Tuscia, Perugia, and Sardinia. I also started writing for a handful of new publications, including Hotels Above Par, Food & Wine, Brides, and Italy Magazine. And in September, I traveled to Forte Village in Sardinia to speak to some of the world’s top hoteliers on a “storytelling bootcamp” panel for a conference hosted by the Leading Hotels of the World. On the personal front, I managed to get my Italian carta d’identità (Italy’s national ID) and tessera sanitaria (health card) this year.
I would love to hear about the highlights of your year. Did you travel anywhere inspiring or accomplish something you’re especially proud of?
As I work on my editorial plan for 2023, I’m excited about what’s coming down the pipeline, including a list of 23 places to travel in Italy in 2023, which will hit inboxes next week(!); interviews with more entrepreneurs and creatives, including Zoe Stella Shapiro, founder of Stellavision Travel, which organizes small group trips in Italy for women; and a very subjective list of the best places to eat in Rome.
I also want to know what you would like to read about in upcoming issues. Do you want more recipes and cooking tips from my kitchen in Rome? Would you like to read about more under-the-radar places to travel in Italy? Is there someone you think I should interview?
Aside from this newsletter, I’ve got some exciting projects in the works. I have new articles for Architectural Digest, Hemispheres, Brides, Italy Magazine, and Nuvo coming out soon. The 2023 issue of Fodor’s Rome guidebook, which I updated, came out this fall and I’m currently updating the 2024 edition. I’m also writing a list of the best hotels in Rome for The Points Guy and will be working with Food & Wine to deliver the results of their inaugural Global Tastemakers readers choice awards. In January, I’ll be going to Gstaad, Switzerland for the Leading Hotels of the World’s Leading Luxury Summit and then to Caserta to visit the Reggia di Caserta and try some of the world’s best pizza at I Masanielli. Here in Rome, I will reluctantly be embarking on a new adventure: scuola guida (driving school) so I can get an Italian driver’s license.
Have you got any exciting plans for 2023? Travel plans, personal or professional projects—I’d love to hear about them.
For those of you who are new around here, here’s a bit about me:
I was born and raised in Boston, lived in New York City for eight years, and have been living in Rome—for the second time—since July 2019. I first moved here in 2009, right after graduating from Smith College, and returned to the U.S. in 2011 to pursue an MFA in creative writing at Columbia University. During my last year at Smith, I took Italian 101, so I speak Italian fluently, though I’m constantly learning new vocabulary. This fall I learned the word carro attrezzi, i.e. tow truck. That wasn’t exactly fun.
My husband, Marco, and I have been traveling together since we first met in 2016, and he is often mentioned in my articles. We got married in 2021, on his birthday, and honeymooned in Sicily. That was one of my favorite trips and really awakened my love for the island.
I have more than a decade of experience as a journalist focused on travel, the arts and culture, lifestyle, design, food and wine. I’ve been freelance since 2016 and have contributed to more than 60 publications. I have held positions as a fact checker and contributing digital editor at Travel + Leisure, contributing editor at The Points Guy, Rome correspondent for Nuvo, and NYC Cities editor at DuJour. I have been to more than 50 countries on six continents and I’ve visited 16 of Italy’s 20 regions.
My favorite Roman dishes are cacio e pepe and carciofi alla romana. I prefer Neapolitan-style pizza, but appreciate a good Roman-style pizza too. I love to cook—especially pasta—and have learned some tips and tricks that I’ll be happy to share.
As a reminder, all of the content here is still free, but as they say, “cheap journalism isn’t good and good journalism isn’t cheap.” So if you enjoy reading this newsletter and want to help me keep it going, please consider purchasing a paid subscription. The suggested monthly fee is less than the cost of an Aperol Spritz. And until December 31st, I’m offering 40% off the price of a monthly or annual subscription. Use this link to get the discount.
Thanks for reading! For more updates on where I’m going and what I’m doing, follow me on Instagram @lauraitzkowitz.
Further Reading
In addition to updating Fodor’s guidebooks, I write articles for their website, including a recent piece about the hotel in Sicily where the second season of The White Lotus was filmed. You can see all of my articles at my author page.
I also regularly contribute to AFAR, often writing about Italy. My author page has all the links.
For The Points Guy, I’ve written about how to visit the Costa Smeralda, what you need to know about European beach etiquette, how to eat and drink your way through Italy, and much more. See all my articles here.
I’m a longtime contributor to Architectural Digest and have written articles like a design lover’s guide to Florence and a peek inside the new atelier of Roman designer Achille Salvagni. You can browse my articles here.