Phineas & I spent the day up in Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown. Just a short #1 subway line / metro-north combo train ride away from our neighborhood, we got to take in some of the history, lore, and outdoor art, and also enjoyed some beautiful views along the Hudson River.
After getting out of the train at Philipse Manor, we started at The Old Dutch Burying Ground of Sleepy Hollow where Washington Irving is buried. From there we walked along Broadway over the recreation of the Headless Horseman Bridge, past Philipsburg Manor, and through the town. Not much was open at the moment (due to COVID) but it was a good long walk which is what we needed! I’d love to go back in the Fall when it’s dressed up for Halloween and people are back from vacation. I also hope the historic sites will be open by then for tours (though I’d have to leave Phineas at home for those!)
Then we made our way to the Riverwalk in Tarrytown. This had gorgeous views of the Hudson, the newly dedicated Mario Cuomo Bridge, little places to eat on the water, and lots of gardens. Eventually, this will be part of a continuous 51-mile walking path along the river from Tarrytown north. In hindsight, I wish we had gotten out of the train there and done the Riverwalk first before working our way to the cemetery, mostly because that would have made the journey downhill instead of up! We’ll know for next time.
Washington Irving’s family plotPhin looking out the train windowSleepy Hollow cemetery Sleepy Hollow cemeteryPhilipsburg ManorTarrytown River WalkView from the trainOld Dutch Reform ChurchMario Cuomo BridgeRiverwalk garden
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
2 thoughts on “Write every day: A day in Sleepy Hollow”
Love looking at old cemeteries… looks like a nice walk!
Love looking at old cemeteries… looks like a nice walk!
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It absolutely was!
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