I found a way to get my summer by the sea. In January, I wrote a blog post about my wish to spend the summer in California. Less than a month later, I received a comment on that post asking me if I’d be interested in a free place to stay in Santa Monica. I thought a friend of mine must have written it and was pulling my leg. It was no joke. It’s a done deal – I’ll be spending 8 weeks in Santa Monica, California this summer. The moral of the story – if you have a wish, shout about it. Someone will hear you and help you.
“What are you going to do out there?” many people have asked. My number one priority will be to take a break and re-calibrate my life and career goals. I started my own consulting practice almost a year ago and I didn’t take any time off between leaving my corporate job and starting my business. I’m now that kind of tired that sleep can’t fix. I need to get away, clear my head, and rest. I also need to go hiking in the canyons, do a lot of yoga and meditation, walk barefoot on the beach with Phin bounding in and out of the surf, and cook ridiculously delicious fresh food thanks to Santa Monica’s gorgeous farmers market. I’ve also got some side trips planned as well – Hawaii, I’m on my way!
And then….I’ve got a lot of plans that are still in their infancy. I’m sorting through all of the options, but here’s what is on the table:
1.) Continue my work learning how to code via a number of free online options like Codecademy so that I can better appreciate the role of programmers in technology-driven businesses. Having worked on the business side of tech for a number of years, I believe that every business person has to have a deep understanding of technology if she wants to be competitive in the marketplace. Eventually, knowing how to code will be as common place as knowing word processing. I want to be well-prepared when that day arrives, and it’s not too far off.
2.) Connect with the startup and design communities in LA via the General Assembly office that is conveniently located down the street from the condo where I’ll be staying. They also offer great classes and events where I hope to meet a lot of good people.
3.) Work on writing projects that have been on the back burner for too long.
4.) Cultivate partnerships, products, and programs for Compass Yoga.
5.) Work on some new business ideas that focus on products I’ll produce rather than services like consulting.
6.) Decide if I will continue down the consulting path in the second year of my business, pivot and move to a product model, or return to working full-time or part-time in a leadership role at a small company with a solid mission to make the world a better place.
In the next 7 and a half weeks, I’ve got some decisions to make and plans to put in place. One thing’s for certain – this is going to be a summer to remember!
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
I found a way to get my summer by the sea. In January, I wrote a blog post about my wish to spend the summer in California. Less than a month later, I received a comment on that post asking me if I’d be interested in a free place to stay in Santa Monica. I thought a friend of mine must have written it and was pulling my leg. It was no joke. It’s a done deal – I’ll be spending 8 weeks in Santa Monica, California this summer. The moral of the story – if you have a wish, shout about it. Someone will hear you and help you. 
