Philadelphia | Virtually Gina

Buried Treasure

January 24, 2016 by Gina Marie

The new year brings with it an opportunity to declutter one’s life and see things with brand new eyes. Beneath all the clutter, I sometimes find buried treasure — old artwork, journal entries, poetry, and photos that meant a lot to me on this journey to adulthood. The work featured below is a mixed media piece called “Two Men Walking Towards the Light.” In order to create symmetry in this piece, I digitally mirrored an original photo of a man walking through an archway beneath Philadelphia’s City Hall. […]

Categories: Art, Collage, Life, Mixed Media, Personal, Philadelphia, Photography, The Artistic Process, Urban • Tags: Art, Collage, Journey, Mixed Media, Philadelphia, Photography, The Artistic Process, Urban

Farewell to a Wooded Wonderland

May 30, 2015 by Gina Marie

Four years ago, Philadelphia beckoned. With its historic streets, ample museums, and plethora of restaurants, there was never any reason to be bored. What surprised me the most, though, was the vast geographic area the city took up (135 square miles, to be precise). Living in the northwest corner of the city, my husband Jeff and I often cruised a stretch of road called Lincoln Drive, which passed underneath a deeply forested area that reminded us of Jurassic Park. I […]

Categories: America, Boxers, Dogs, Journal, Life, Memoir • Tags: Dogs, Hiking, iPhoneography, nature, Philadelphia, Photography

Thirsty Thorsday

March 5, 2015 by Gina Marie

We interrupt the regularly scheduled broadcast of Chicago travel posts to give you an update on Winter Storm Thor currently transpiring in parts of the Midwest and Northeast United States. The following pictures were captured in the Chestnut Hill neighborhood of Philadelphia. Now, time for some hot tea. Thanks for joining me on this Thirsty Thorsday!

Categories: America, Architecture, Life, Philadelphia, Photo Essay, Photo Journal, Photography, Trees, Urban, Winter • Tags: Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, Photo Essay, Photo Journal, Photography, Winter, Winter Storm Thor

The Storm That Barely Was

January 27, 2015 by Gina Marie

Certain meteorologists predicted that Winter Storm Juno would be the blizzard of the century, devastating the crowded northeast corridor that runs from Boston to DC. As far as Philadelphia was concerned, Hurricane Juno wound up being more along the lines of “joke of the century.” In spite of all the hullabaloo, Philadelphia and the surrounding areas got just over a light dusting. Even the ice cream trucks were out!

Categories: America, Philadelphia, Photo Journal, Photography, Winter • Tags: Philadelphia, Photography, Winter Storm, Winter Storm Juno

A Beautiful Day in My Neighborhood

November 15, 2014 by Gina Marie

A half hour northwest of Center City, the neighborhood of Chestnut Hill is what some might call a “bedroom suburb” of Philadelphia, although it has a Philadelphia zip code. I’ve lived in Chestnut Hill for all of five months, and have walked up and down its main thoroughfare — Germantown Avenue — countless times. More often than not, I’m accompanied by my Boxer companion, Baby Girl. The two of us window shop (or at least I do), feel the sun […]

Categories: America, Architecture, Autumn, Chestnut Hill, Food, Life, Philadelphia, Photo Essay, Photo Journal, Photography, Restaurants, Trees, Urban • Tags: Autumn, Chestnut Hill, Neighborhoods, Philadelphia, Photography, Urban

A Day Spent in Philadelphia Is Never a Day Wasted

September 15, 2014 by Gina Marie

With its confluence of art, history, and architecture, the city of Philadelphia is a visual feast. Following are a few snapshots captured in Center City, Philadelphia, throughout the course of an early September afternoon/evening. Little Boy in a Big City Liberty Bell Doorway in Elfreth’s Alley (Oldest Street in the Nation) Life Size Chess Piece As Public Art Love’s Park Plaza Twin Cranes Near Reading Terminal The Marquee for Reading Terminal, A Year Round Indoor Farmers’ Market Construction in Olde […]

Categories: America, Architecture, Art, Life, Mural, Philadelphia, Photo Essay, Photo Journal, Photography, Urban • Tags: America, Architecture, Art, Life, Mural, Philadelphia, Photo Essay, Photo Journal, Photography, Urban

Yoga in the Cemetery

August 23, 2014 by Gina Marie

Model: Emily Golomb of Studio 1831 Time: Photos below were captured in mid-August of 2014 (Emily’s next class in the cemetery will take place on September 7, 2014) Place: Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia, PA, USA Camera: Nikon D3100 with 55-200mm Zoom Lens Photographer: Gina Marie

Categories: America, Graveyards, Photo Essay, Photography, Yoga • Tags: Cemeteries, Emily Golomb, Graveyards, Philadelphia, Photography, Yoga

Easter Sunday Along the Schuylkill River Banks

April 21, 2014 by Gina Marie

The east and west banks of the Schuylkill River are part of Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park which — at 4,180 acres — is the largest landscaped park in the United States. Following are a few pictures captured on Easter Sunday along the east bank of this majestic river. Flowering trees, a sparkling blue river, bridges, and towering skyscrapers lend themselves to an aesthetically pleasing panorama. A young couple snuggles together beneath a copse of Dogwood trees in bloom. Upriver, a pre-teen […]

Categories: America, Boxers, Life, Philadelphia, Photo Essay, Photo Journal, Photography, Spring, Trees, Urban • Tags: America, Boxers, Life, Philadelphia, Photo Essay, Photo Journal, Photography, Spring, Trees, Urban

It’s Not Over Yet

March 16, 2014 by Gina Marie

A tough winter has worn this humble blogger down. As I type this post in mid-March, the snow has melted, but the frigid temps outdoors remind me that winter is not yet over. The following photos convey visually some of my impressions of a tough season, but one that was not without its moments of beauty. Below, a tentative Boxer trudges through several inches of snow. A storefront Buddha in the Northern Liberties neighborhood of Philadelphia takes the cold season […]

Categories: Art, Philadelphia, Photography • Tags: Art, Philadelphia, Photography, Winter