Introducing our Guest Instagrammer: Nicolee Drake in Rome

ROME – The world is watching Rome and the new Pope Francis. We're watching everything else.

Best Day Ever: Rome

ROME – That was fast. Now that the cardinals have picked a new pope, we suggest a walk from the Pantheon toward spaghetti alla carbonara, fried artichokes, and zabaglione with melted chocolate.

Hello, Roma, My Old Friend

ROME – Eiffel Tower? Went up when I was seven. Tower of London? Check. Coliseum? Of course. But what do I really remember? Maybe my child-size visits weren’t enough for a lifetime.

The Archaeologist's Tour of Pagan Rome: A Christmas Story

ROME – An archaeologist living and working in Rome digs underneath the city's holiday traditions.

The Divine Porchetta of Rome

ROME – Porchetta from heaven. That's what awaits inside the hole-in-the-wall that's been serving it since 1890. (And don't bother looking for it in your guidebook.)

New Shop: Rome

ROME – Can't get to Piazza di Spagna in time for an afternoon gelato? Live la dolce vita wherever you are — even if that means an ice cream on your neighbor's stoop.

Love Letter: Al Moro

ROME – Roman cuisine is basic, served by rightfully proud waiters. It is not mind-blowing and it is not rude. And it is definitely not Eat, Pray, Love, and even less Eat, Pay, Leave.

Aperol from the Roman Gods

ROME, Italy – He delivered the spritz to me in a red wine glass — not a chalice, as my dream memory had translated it — and it was the most refreshing balance of flavors I have ever tasted.

Italy Loves Bambini

ITALY – When you travel to Italy with a child, you are traveling with a celebrity. In America, a parent may help in a time of need; in Italy, everyone from grandmothers to teenage boys pitch in.

The Roman Leatherman

ROME – The chair arrived in London in a long tube a few weeks later. The craftsmanship is superb; the leather is beautiful. Ben spends many a sunny afternoon lounging in his courtyard, exactly as he had imagined.

Postcards tagged: Rome