Nine issues in, and I have been remiss. Of course, I don’t even know what day it is most weeks and time has lost all meaning, so I won’t be too hard on myself.
Anna, at work
But here’s the story: early into the lockdown in 2020, I got an e-mail from a friend in far-away Abruzzo. Anna is also a writer who has created several businesses in the region offering tours, cooking classes, a place for ex-pats to gather online and basically sharing the joys of Abruzzo and its traditions to anyone who will listen.
We were introduced a few years ago by mutual friends in the lovely town of Santo Stefano di Sessanio (I think, it’s been a while!) and have stayed in touch. It’s the positive side of social media. In 2019 (again, I think!) Tim and I talked our friends Lou and Vicky into going on Anna’s walking tour of Tocco da Casauria, which turned out to be one of the best days in Abruzzo to date.
Anyway, she asked me if I might be interested in working with her on the launch of a new magazine that would be all about Abruzzo. There’s no money in it yet, she said, so of course, I said yes, because that’s what I do for love. We agonized over names and article ideas, split up the writing (she and her small band of contributors do most of it) and set about making a thing: The first English-language magazine about the whole marvelous Abruzzo region.
Full disclosure for new readers: Tim and I own a small apartment in Abruzzo, in the town of Sulmona, and have ourselves become Abruzzo aficionados. So it was a perfect fit!
Abruzzissimo Magazine presents a great mix of stories each month (10X/year), focusing on local traditions, food and wine, places to go, stories of ex-pats who have bought and renovated homes, recipes, restaurant reviews, a calendar of events — even the occasional contest — and more. It’s a lot of hard work and long hours, but it’s been so rewarding. And the best part (for readers)? It’s free! Just sign up and it will appear like magic in your mailbox at the beginning of the month.
As the stateside Copy Editor and proud Abruzzo promoter, I invite you to join us on this journey into what I believe is one of the best-kept secrets in Italy. Abruzzo is charming, rugged, historic, green, breathtakingly beautiful — and only two hours from Rome!
So if you can’t be there in person now, you can be there in spirit with this lovely publication. Sign up, sit down with a glass of vino or a cup of cafe, and dream about when travel is possible once again. And put Abruzzo on your bucket list!
Buon viaggio!
Linda Dini Jenkins is a card-carrying Italophile, travel planner, freelance writer, and amateur photographer. Travel is her passion, so writing about her travels just comes naturally. She hopes all her travelers find a way to express their joys, surprises, and fears as they travel and gives every traveler a nifty journal to help smooth the way. Learn more…
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