When I lived in D.C., conversation starters, or killers as the case may be, would start with questions like “What candidate do you support?” or “Are you a fan of (name a politician or pundit)?” Here in New York, the questions are more like “what neighborhood do you spend time in?” The area where you spend time defines you, says a lot about your sensibilities, maybe your career, and the kind of people you have in your life.
I don’t have an area. I like exploration, mostly because I hate being defined as anything. This explains my eclectic and wonderful collection of career decisions, places I’ve lived, and people in my life. So in an effort to really get to know my city and not just the 5 square block of my neighborhood, I have been setting out to learn about neighborhoods all over the city.
The first one I visited I am somewhat familiar with though am constantly lost in: The West Village. There are photos on my photoblog. In the West Village, New York City goes off the grid completely with roads making all sorts of weird angle and intersections. Every corner I turned on what cuter than the next. People snuggled up in coffee shops or used bookstores. Writer, photographers, dog lovers. I couldn’t help but notice the decidedly artsy feel, the desire for people here to express themselves in their clothing and in their activity.
One thing that I noticed about people here is that the fervent workaholic attitude that plagues many other areas of NYC has been completely shaken off. People value thinking about and reflecting on life. They look to engage in activities of the spirit, and work is just a way to facilitate that personal exploration and discovery. It reminds me of small neighborhoods in Paris that I spent days wandering in. The European overlay of these angled lanes is unmistakable.
Coming soon: why is it that Manhattanites have trouble venturing across the rivers that border it? A look at the Japanese epicenter of the greater New York City area and a stroll along the Promenade.
Published by Christa Avampato
IN BRIEF
Author, journalist, digital product manager, and licensed New York City tour guide. Creator and host of NYC's Secrets and Lies. Alumna of the University of Pennsylvania (BA), the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia (MBA), Arizona State University (Biomimicry), and the University of Cambridge (MSt in Sustainability Leadership).
I build digital media platforms, report on urban climate resilience and biodiversity, and produce live narrative experiences that connect communities to history, nature, and place.
THE DEEP DIVE
My work centers on a single thread: building systems and stories that foster deep connection to our shared world. Across digital streaming, environmental reporting, and live civic storytelling, I design experiences that help people understand complex ideas and the environments around them.
DIGITAL PRODUCT STRATEGY & MEDIA LEADERSHIP
At Carnegie Hall, I serve as Digital Product Manager, leading product strategy, operations, and technical delivery for the video streaming platform Carnegie Hall+. I translate artistic mission into scalable, high-performance streaming architecture that reaches audiences globally. Previously, I led agile product and delivery teams across operations and compliance at American Express, managed Broadway theatrical productions and national tours, and guided strategic initiatives across cultural institutions.
ENVIRONMENTAL JOURNALISM & AUTHORSHIP
As a freelance journalist, I investigate how living systems, urban infrastructure, and human culture intersect. My reported features on urban decarbonization, biodiversity, coastal resilience, and biomimicry appear in publications including Smithsonian Magazine, The Washington Post, Mongabay, Natural History Magazine, and Foreign Policy Magazine. In fiction, I write the Emerson Page young adult novel series, alongside upcoming historical fiction and nonfiction works on New York history, mythology, and human resilience. I also write Togetherhood, a LinkedIn newsletter focused on urban ecology and community restoration, and co-host the podcast Frameworks in the Wild.
LIVE EXPERIENCE & CIVIC STORYTELLING
As a licensed New York City tour guide and live event producer, I transform urban landscapes into shared narrative encounters. I created, produce, and host NYC's Secrets and Lies, an interactive live storytelling series staged across cultural landmarks including the New York Transit Museum, the South Street Seaport Museum, and the historic tall ship Wavertree. I also design and lead site-specific walking tours exploring coastal ecology, food history, and neighborhood evolution, often with partners at Climate Week NYC and the Natural Areas Conservancy.
DOUBLE OR NOTHING MEDIA
Through my independent production studio, Double or Nothing Media, I develop ventures across media, ecology, and public history:
Digital Products & Strategy: Architecting scalable digital platforms, streaming experiences, and operational models for mission-driven institutions.
Environmental Reporting & Publications: Delivering long-form reporting, books, and newsletters grounded in climate resilience and regenerative design.
Site-Specific Live Storytelling: Producing immersive live shows and educational walking tours that engage public audiences in community history.
CONNECT
Website & Production Hub: doubleornothingmedia.com and christaavampato.com
Newsletter: Togetherhood on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/newsletters/togetherhood-7273771832221089792/
Instagram & Threads: @christarosenyc
Emerson Page Novels: emersonpagebook.wordpress.com/
View all posts by Christa Avampato
When I lived in D.C., conversation starters, or killers as the case may be, would start with questions like “What candidate do you support?” or “Are you a fan of (name a politician or pundit)?” Here in New York, the questions are more like “what neighborhood do you spend time in?” The area where you spend time defines you, says a lot about your sensibilities, maybe your career, and the kind of people you have in your life. 
