Our favorite blocks on the Upper West Side look like this
The Upper West Side of Manhattan has been my home for almost 7 years and I have loved it here. The community, the peace, the people. It was always my dream to live in this neighborhood. This was always my New York. I learned so much here, about myself and about the world. This is a time that I will always be grateful for, a time that I will always remember with a lot of affection. It wasn’t always easy, though I wouldn’t trade a day of it for anything. As my friend, Moya, recently said, “This is the end of an era.” She’s right.
Of course, I’ll be back. I still teach my yoga class for seniors over here every week. I have a feeling Phin might continue to want to trot over here on our walks now and then to say hi to our old building’s staff with whom he shares a close bond—mostly because they adore him and he loves the treats they always have for him! However, it won’t ever be the same. I’m closing the book on this chapter, and there’s some sadness in that. I’m comfortable here. I love my life here. If I could, I’d stay. But I can’t, so I won’t. I’ll miss it, a lot. I miss it already.
To be honest, I’m not ready. And to be even more honest, the universe doesn’t care that I’m not ready. It’s decided that I will start a new journey now and it won’t tell me exactly where I’m going. Just that I’m taking a trip.
Alright, universe. I hear you. I’ll go. Show me what it is you have to show me. Teach me what it is you have to teach me. In your own twisted way, you’ll lead me to exactly the place I’m meant to be. Just let Phin and I take one more spin around this afternoon. Let us walk by all our favorite haunts and greet all our neighbors as we’ve done so many times for so many years.
Thanks for the memories, Upper West Side. We’ve loved playing our part in your history, and we’ve loved having you as a part of ours. It’s a place we will not soon forget.
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
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