Surfacing on Shore
Inaugural Post
Surfacing on Shore, The Newsletter will be posted weekly.
Subscribe today! It’s FREE!
Marinarena.com re-opening soon…Keep eyes peeled!
Hello Wanderers and Wonderers!
Get the latest on:
what’s going on in the realm of Marinarena
(my life, stack and marinarena.com updates)the latest in travel/tourism related news and new scouted travel deals
culture finds: new music and book releases
culture-themed happenings & phenonema
recent faves from other Substackers
My Life Update
All calm and bright for the most part. Enjoying the tabula rasa of the new year still, with January’s NYD and this month’s passing of Lunar New Year.
My focus lately and slated for 2026: Completing poetry books; writing mixed travel and culture blogs (look up my Weekender blogs); eating well (proteins, green salads, Mediterrean-style veggies and whole grains) and setting my travel and home wellness regime; volunteering locally for non-profits
Cultural stuff I have been doing/following lately:
Lent- Though I’m not Catholic, practicing Lent has become a tradition of mine. This year, I’m giving eating red meat, white buns and slice bread (for sandwiches esp)
Crafts & Games- crossword puzzles (keeping my mind sharp!) and coloring
Sports: was love-watching (not hate-watching the Winter Olympics and happily cheering Team USA unabashedly while respecting the Olympic competition from other nations); anticipating baseball season, including MLB and Banana Ball; getting hyped over Raiders football ahead of the NFL draft while caught up in the Fernando Mendoza frenzy
TV/Film/Podcasts: anticipating Project Hail Mary film; keeping up with the sad, puzzling Nancy Guthrie case and other crime cases on Court TV; keeping up on crazy pop cukture and pop culture/media stories on The Nerve w/ Maureen Callahan
New Merch at the Marinarena Shoppe
Wear your exploration and curiosity love on your chest. Available as a tee, hoodie and die-cut sticker! Support Marinarena with a purchase. Discount available!
Marinarena.com site stuff: Clean slate Moved to Squarespace. Looking forward to streamlining site sections with original posts, travel tips & apps as well as merch. Site down temporarily. Look for re-opening in early March!
How lovely ! I’m feeling blessed…
Marinarena Travel and Poetic Deep Dive has been recommended this year by: The Starfire Codes MJ's The Right Stuff
SO….WHAT’S NEW ?
.ೃ࿔ ✈︎⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡✈︎⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆ TRAVEL
DEALS:
BOOKING.COM- ADD Genius to get top savings (Use this link and book to support Marinarena :-) !
New in Worldwide Trends:
North Yorkshire travel’s the thing due to new film hype of Wurthering Heights
Get the latest travel and tourism updates around the globe on
Travel and Tour World site Travel + Leisure
New in Cruise Travel:
Play lottery exclusively - on Carnival Cruises!
In my local haunts (SE Virginia, USA):
Iconic Philly staple, Geno’s Steaks, opens in Hampton
Breeze Bus to add Williamsburg stop on route from Coastal VA to Shenandoah Valley
𝄞⨾𓍢ִ໋🎧ྀི♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬ ﾟ. MUSIC
What I recently bought (physical media):
No 2026 release as of yet, rather some cds and vinyl of previous years. However, a newish purchase is Better Broken by Sarah McLachlan which is fitting for winter play. Melancholy, dreariness on high- but is hopeful and uplifting on the final few tracks.
‘26 new releases on my radar:
The Romantic by Bruno Mars (Feb 27)
Future Soul by Tedeschi Trucks Band (March 20)
Newly Dropped and Notable in ‘26 (all-genres):
Britpop by Robbie Williams
Megadeth by Megadeth
Wurthering Heights by Charlie XCX
The Fall Off by J. Cole
Latest Music Releases:
The Daily Music Report Wikipedia full, all genres lists
Brendan Snyder- WJD (What Just Dropped?) Videos general rock music focus
WJD Feb 27
✧˖°🕮✧ฅ՞•ﻌ•՞ฅ⭒ BOOKS
Search and buy suggested books or any one you desire at Marinarena Bookshop by the Bay
What to read on your next travel?
WHAT I AM NOW READING: The Elsewhere Express
Yes, I’m a sucker for a pretty cover and this one got me little girl excited. Ooh, the pink! You can color in it too! This is a story of lost souls trying to find their way. I’m just diving into this one…anticipating a sweeping journey.
My other recent book buys:
Heart Life Music by Kenny Chesney (introspective autobio from the humble musician/lover of the sea)
Jane Austen collection (OMG-cutesy set. Paid just $17 for it! Again with the lovely pinkish to the book)
Murder Among The Stacks- a puzzle book and “cozy-style” bookstore
mystery in one!
Piquing my interest to read as of late :
Theo of Golden by Allen Levi
Newish & Popular Books I’ve merchandised:
The Widow by John Grisham (story set in the commonwealth of Virginia)
Dear Debbie and the Housemaid series by Freida McFadden (anything
Freida flies off the shelves)
Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman (especially popular for male readers)
Hollow by Caroline Peckham and Susana Valenti (hot title right now for the enthusiastic YA fantasy readers)
Recent & Relevant Books in the cultural zeitgeist:
Nobody’s Girl by Virginia Giuffre (especially with the broad release of the
Epstein files)
Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt (been on the best seller’s list for
a few years now)
Firestorm, The Great Los Angeles Fires and America’s Fires by Jacob Soboroff
The Invisible Coup by Peter Schweizer (socialist rise in modern America)
The Gales of November: The Untold Story of Edmund Fitzgerald, by John U. Bacon (American economics/ ship disaster)
Latest Media Suggestions Top Lists:
Latest New Book Releases: Book Series in Order; Good Reads
Discover new reads suggested from The Epoch Times
See titles topping the New York Times Best Seller List
NEW SUBSCRIBERS ON THE SHORE
MJ's The Right Stuff Rich Verbārtim peitho Chris Antonelli matmag
Thanks for subscribing!
Visual Notes I’m loving lately:
Photography of places and perspectives from Thalia Toha
the joyous portraits of Erasing Betty (Black photography)
and stunning images Pawel Bogucki (orange and blue series) & Vanja Vukelic (multi-colored feminine prints)
Well now, you’ve just read a Marinarena post—
but wait, there’s more!
I appreciate your precious time to follow me & check out…
MARINARENA POETRY, TRAVEL & CULTURE related POSTS,
both recent and legacy, you may have missed.
LIKE, LEAVE A COMMENT and SHARE!
Also, pay me a visit at marinarena.com
To SUPPORT Marinarena writing efforts, please consider to donate via SUBSTACK. It’s free to subscribe BUT with a PAID sub, get 100% access to Marinarena content, including bonus audio and commentaries.
If so kind to give a one-time donation, head to KOFI
or help fund Marinarena’s coffee and pizza habits at BUY ME A COFFEE
Or, check out other ways to donate here:
SUPPORT MARINARENA via TRAVEL BOOKING! Make marinarena.com
your personal TRAVEL PORTAL. Recommended travel sites and apps are based on my personal usage or informed research. Click through my affiliate links and purchase your next getaway. Super easy way to support as an alternative way to give separate, one-time donations!Book all your accommodations exclusively Booking.com
Book affordable airfare exclusively via CHEAPOAIR
Choose other travel options on the website:
SUPPORT MARINARENA and get your wellness right!
Join me on the life journey to maintain wellness via Melaleuca, a Marinarena go-to for everyday wellness and general health products, alternative on-the-go and home gift buying. Also, Melaleuca is a way to network with health-minded individuals and even do your own business. By invite-only club.
You got mine here:
Eat well. Stock up on meats for outdoor grilling this Summer and beyond!
At Riverbend Ranch
SHOP HERE TO SUPPORT
Make various GIFT purchases on Marinarena tees & merch plus recommended accessories, wellness items, travel gear, books, coffee & teas plus much more via marinarena.com:
I like the shirt — wanderer wonderer.
Very cool :)