Whenever I hear Billy Joel sing “New York State of Mind”, I get a little misty-eyed. Call me a sap. This is my city and I love any and every tribute to it. Don’t get me wrong – it’s a loony bin here and you need to be a little crazy to call this place home. When God doled out the crazy genes, or at least the ability to tolerate and even revel in it, I got more than my fair share.
Just as it’s good to step away from work to feel more energized about it, it’s also good to step away from our homes to appreciate what they offer. So off I go to the sunny skies and sandy shores of Florida, one of my 4 annual pilgrimages to see my family, horse around with my nieces during our spontaneous the-world-is-our-dance-floor dance parties, and shop with my mother and sister at places like Target and Publix, the stalwarts of suburban life where everything closes by 9pm and Ellen DeGeneres is queen. It’s such a different pace of life than mine in New York, and I welcome it.
Also, my pup, Phin, is there while I hunt for and settle into a new apartment that’s quieter and more spacious for the two of us. I wish I could tell you I am more excited to see my family than my dog, but it’s just not true. They’re even-steven. I miss his fuzzy face on a minute-by-minute basis and can’t wait until he’s with me again full-time. In the meantime, he’s being lavishly spoiled by my mother, a devout dog lover who thinks canine-liness is next to godliness. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, folks.
I’ll also be rounding the bend into year 37 on the 17th while I’m in Florida. My sister asked me what I’d like to do for my birthday. Honestly, I just want to relax as much as possible, take a few long walks, barbecue, and watch cartoons with the people I love most – in that order. The older I get, the more fun I find in the ordinary.
While I’m away, my posts will be considerably shorter, composed mostly of images and a few words. I hope you enjoy them as much as I’m prepared to enjoy Florida.
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
Whenever I hear Billy Joel sing “New York State of Mind”, I get a little misty-eyed. Call me a sap. This is my city and I love any and every tribute to it. Don’t get me wrong – it’s a loony bin here and you need to be a little crazy to call this place home. When God doled out the crazy genes, or at least the ability to tolerate and even revel in it, I got more than my fair share.
