Travel | Virtually Gina

Mitla Magic

June 9, 2019 by Gina Marie

The confluence of two conversations with women I admire led me on a solo half-day sojourn to Mitla, not with a tour group (as I have previously done during these past three weeks in Mexico), but on my own. The first conversation was by text message with a friend, M, whom I haven’t seen in almost three years. Her intuition and connection to spirit has always impressed me, so when she advised that I meditate at the ruins, I made […]

Categories: Architecture, Mannequins, Memoir, Mexico, Nikon, Oaxaca, Photography, Travel • Tags: Mexico, Mitlan, Oaxaca, Photography, Travel

Oaxaca, Day 16

June 2, 2019 by Gina Marie

The novelty of my trip wore off two days ago. Don’t get me wrong, this city is awesome and I’m happy to be here. Still, I miss certain comforts of home (but let me make it crystal clear that not ONCE has the NYC subway system been one of them). Too, there are things I have grown to appreciate about Oaxaca: the mountains, for example, or the guy who sells tamales from his bicycle and announces his presence by calling […]

Categories: Architecture, Gratitude, Mexico, Oaxaca, Photography, Travel, Urban • Tags: Architecture, iPhoneography, Mexico, Oaxaca, Travel

Day 8 in Oaxaca

May 25, 2019 by Gina Marie

I love it here in the southwestern Mexican state of Oaxaca. The capital, Oaxaca de Juárez, which I have dubbed “ODJ”, makes for the perfect balance between relaxed and urban, and between grounded and sublime. ODJ is an undeniably unique, colorful, and charming city. Inquiring about my travels, my sister recently asked, “So, is this the real Mexico, or are there lots of Americans there?” I answered, “Both.” And for the next four weeks, I am fortunate to be among them.

Categories: Architecture, Art, Color, Life, Light, Love, Mexico, Mural, Oaxaca, Photo Journal, Photography, Travel, Urban • Tags: Architecture, Gratitude, Journey, Journeys, Mexico, Mural, Murals, Oaxaca, Photo Journal, Photography, Travel, Urban

Oaxaca City, México

May 20, 2019 by Gina Marie

In my last post, I mentioned how much I adored México and that I would return. This wasn’t just a pipe dream! My desire manifested and thus, 4 months later, I find myself in the Southern Mexican state of Oaxaca, whose capital (where I am stationed for the next month) is called Oaxaca de Juarez, a.k.a. Oaxaca City. Below are a few images I have captured so far.

Categories: Art, Healing, Mexico, Moon, Oaxaca, Photo Essay, Photo Journal, Photography, Travel, Urban • Tags: Art, Mexico, Oaxaca, Photography, Travel

Mexico City, Mexico

January 22, 2019 by Gina Marie

One week in Mexico City and I learned one thing for sure: that is, I must go back. Fascinating architecture, colorful street art, kind people, and incredibly delicious food–what’s not to love? Here are a few of my favorite moments, captured via iPhone X. I do hope that you’ll enjoy them!

Categories: Architecture, Color, Mexico, Mexico City, Mural, Photo Journal, Photography, Travel, Urban • Tags: Architecture, Mexico, Mexico City, Photography, Travel, Urban

Falling Towards New York

April 7, 2017 by Gina Marie

“Gravity is an interaction. The Earth pulls on you, you pull on the Earth. You fall to the Earth, the Earth falls to you.” (Found at: http://srjcstaff.santarosa.edu/~lwillia2/p10/p10ch4.pdf) For 16 years, since my darling BFF Katy and I first visited New York together in August 2001 as a post-college-graduation-treat, I have fallen towards New York. According to the above logic, she must have been falling towards me, too. From time to time, while living in Boston in my early 20’s, I […]

Categories: America, Art, Earth, Friendship, Mural, New York, New York City, Photo Essay, Photo Journal, Photography, Travel, Urban • Tags: Architecture, Art, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Murals, New York, New York City, Travel

My Umpteenth New York Visit

February 7, 2017 by Gina Marie

Before we delve into the New York pics, let’s start with this: “Always maintain only a joyful mind.” This is one of the 59 Lojong slogans taught to students on a path of meditation in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. These slogans are traditionally used to help meditation students tame the mind. Even in the face of distractions and suffering, the idea here is to maintain a sense of joy that you are on a path of awakening. That being said, […]

Categories: America, Meditation, New Jersey, New York, New York City, Nikon, NYC, Photo Essay, Photo Journal, Photography, Recovery, Spooky, Travel, Winter • Tags: Lojong Slogans, New York, New York City, Recovery, Travel, Urban

Hello, Brooklyn . . . Hello, B.I.G.

January 15, 2017 by Gina Marie

On a wintry afternoon, Ilona and I took New Jersey transit on a slow (under the snowy conditions) train trek into New York. It was so cold that I wore my pajamas underneath my clothes, plus several hoodies and my black puffer jacket with the goofy faux fur hood. The city was magical under a blanket of fallen snow. “Biggie Smalls is from here,” I observed as we trudged through the snowy sidewalks of Brooklyn. “I saw him in concert the year before […]

Categories: America, Biggie Smalls, New York, New York City, Notorious B.I.G., NYC, Photo Journal, Travel, Urban, Winter • Tags: Biggie Smalls, Brooklyn, iPhoneography, Manhattan, New York, New York City, Notorious B.I.G., Travel, Urban

A Stroll Through Downtown Portland, Maine

April 10, 2016 by Gina Marie

After several months of having lived in the extremely suburban Jersey Shore region, a visit to this hip urban New England city felt like a breath of fresh air for my soul. I loved the silhouette created by this couple against the backdrop of an urban scene in the bright afternoon sun. Passing a children’s boutique, I was poignantly reminded that my nephew Robbie would be turning six in a few weeks and I had no idea what to get him. I took delight in the surreal effects […]

Categories: America, Architecture, Flare, Food, Mannequins, Photo Essay, Photography, Portland, Shadow, Travel, Urban • Tags: America, Architecture, Photo Journal, Photography, Portland, Travel, Urban