Yesterday I picked up the Sunday Travel section. It was folded in half and a headline on the bottom half had caught my eye. “Rome: A Big Easter Basket: a season from prayer, music and shopping”
I’m in Chicago, so naturally I thought I was picking up the Chicago Tribune, and hadn’t even looked at the top of the newspaper yet as I quickly opened the paper and searched for the Rome article. I was excited because some Greek boys had recently suggested I come to Greece for Easter and do an article on their festivals. Sooooo, I wanted to see how an Easter festival was covered in a newspaper travel section.
When I got to the article, there was no big header, just a “What’s Doing In Rome” line that was imbedded in the first of four pictures on the page. The article was broken into sections: Events, Sightseeing, Where to Stay, Where to Eat, and Where to Shop.
Here was Frank Bruni’s lead:
“In its architecture, seasonal rhythms and aspects of its character, Rome is connected closely to Christianity; key dates on the Christian calendar are peak moments for this blessed city. Easter’s celebrations and events augment the usual attractions.”
Does that make you want to read more? Not me. Dry and dull are the first words that come to mind. Not engaging. It was then that I saw that I was reading the NYT. I was shocked. This is the granddaddy of all travel sections. Or, isn’t it supposed to be since it’s touted as the best newspaper in the States?
“This article is crap,” I said aloud. Still shocked. My friend, who reads the Sunday NYT regularly, said that he often finds bad articles in their travel section. Again, I was surprised. No, that just couldn’t be. But I don’t read the section regularly, and wouldn’t know.
I re-evaluated my snap judgement. Bruni told us of some Easter events and their dates, but he didn’t suggest how far in advance we’d have to book to get a hotel nearby. Oh he recommended a few hotels all right, but is it a service to their readers to run this article only a few weeks before Easter? Wouldn’t it have been better even a few weeks earlier in case travelers wanted to jet over there and see the glowing crosses for themselves?
Then my tune changed. If the NYT publishes a “What’s Doing in….” section, then maybe this is a good way to get a first byline in the paper. It’s guidebook info. It’s a list of exactly what it projects…. what’s going on in Rome. It’s names, addresses, phone numbers, and websites. It’s info. It is a market lead. And it doesn’t take a mental giant to jot that info down and try sending it in. I’m going to write their section and find out if they accept freelance submissions.
The New York Times Company
229 West 43rd Street
New York, NY 10036
And one more item to get us on an even more positive note about this Sunday’s section. I liked their essay “All Over the Maps”
You are in Chicago?
Ah, my hometown (actually, the suburbs 3 miles east of the city, but still…)!
Gotta get Gino’s East, Eduardo’s or Giordano’s pizza–get the stuffed kind! Highly recommended! And an Italian beef sandwich.
Yeah, I love the pizza. This is probably my ninth or tenth time to Chicago. I love it here. Susan sent over a few of my gift certificates from the NATJA award, so we’ll be dining on the 95th floor of the Hancock building tomorrow night. $150 free ones, baby!
ooh, go have a vodka flight at Russian Tea Time! I think it’s on Adams, right by the Art Institute.
so jealous!
And while you’re at the Russian Tea House, drop in at the Art Institute, peek in the Cultural Center (formerly the Chicago Public Library) and take in the beauty, majesty and exhileration of the lake and its front – open to and used by the public – young and old, fashionable and not so fashionable – doing a multitude of activities, some of which will stop you in your tracks.
No better view than from the 95th while you’re enjoying that stuffed pizza bought at one of Dave Prine’s suggested eateries!
Sorry folks, I love the ideas, but I don’t have time for all this fun stuff. I’m here on biz and will have to wait on some of these great suggestions for my next visit in June.
Art Institute is definitely on the list for then when Susan and I use my NATJA award. And I’m sure she’d love to go to a tea house. I’ll wait….just eating and meetings this time around. 🙂
The NYT is famous for dull travel pieces. Once in a while a jewel pop up (and the closing essays are often very good) but the exception proves the rule. The travel section exists to sell travel ads, which bring in a huge amount of revenue. By the way, I think hands down the best newspaper in the USA is The Christian Science Monitor. They live up to their motto, which is, “to injure no man, but bless all mankind.” Whereas the NYT’s motto, “all the news that’s fit to print” really ought to be “all the bias we can cram into every issue.”
That’s straight-up, James. I happen to be a NY Times obsessive, actually, but their Sunday travel section is pretty rough & ready. Much better is the Friday Escapes section, also created (fairly recently) to bring in more ad revenue, but DUH – the Times is obviously a business, and all publications survive primarily on ad revenue. Who thinks former Salon travel editor Don George should be running things at the NY Times travel desk? He seems an obvious choice to me.
I’ll second your nomination for Don George as a NY Times travel editor, Dan! (Though I’d reckon he’s happy at Lonely Planet now.)
Actually I was going to ask him what’s new because his most recent column on LP goes back to January. Maybe he’s only doing the books now?
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/columns/index.htm
Hi again. Jen, Don G is mostly busy with editing and PR duties at LP now. I believe he cut back on the columns a bit to finish “The Kindness of Strangers.” I did a great phone interview with him recently for a magazine I’m starting about independent travel culture, (for which I also interviewed Rolf, by the way!) and he did tell me that he was always sort of secretly hoping to get a call from the Times. The Sophisticated Traveler, I think, would be perfect for him. I’m always semi-disappointed by it, and I’m sure Don could turn it into something unique. But you’re right, Rolf, I think he’s loving his LP job. And sorry for being such a flake about the magazine, Rolf – it’s actually at the printer right now!
Ahem Dan, but why have you not told me about your new magazine so I can blog about it’s release? Email me so we can get going on that and coordinate it with the first issue.