Category: travel

creativity, SXSW, travel

Beginning: Variety Abounds in Austin at SXSW

Christa Avampato

I just finished sorting through all of my SXSW Festival materials. I’m bowled over by the amount of talent, insights, and excitement that’s available in the Interactive and Film portions of the Festival. Thank goodness I arrived a day early to get myself together!

Already Austin in proving to be an incredibly hospitable city. I had one cab driver who chatted me up about the US Open (we’re both big fans of del Potro!) and the other played a trivia game with me to test my African geography skills (he said I did well for an American – hmmm…compliment?). I had a great sampling of great Mexican food, complete with dangerously delicious sangria, and everyone I met smiled at my, made eye contact, and bent over backwards to help me out with anything I needed. In the words of Annie, “I think I’m gonna like it here.”

On deck for open day:
9:00 am coffee with Rohan Gunatillake, “reformed management consultant and seriously playful urban meditator” – a Twitter connection I made on Thursday morning. He works at the intersection of Buddhist meditation and tech so we have lots to talk about!

I’m going to take in the trade show for the remainder of the morning.

12:00 pm lunch date with Michelle Nickolaisen, a.k.a. the creative power behind Wicked Whimsy. Thank you, Twitter. Again!

And then the festival really gets cooking with these sessions:

2:00 – Improv Classes: Not Just for Comedians and Actors

3:30 – Why Everything is Amazing But Nobody is Happy

5:00 – Why Would We Think Social Media Is Revolutionary? with Clay Shirky

And then a plethora of evening parties to choose from. As Saturday and Sunday promise to be nights filled with revelry I may be taking it easy tonight. Pacing is a virtue!

For my thoughts on the day as it unfolds, check my Twitter feed and Tumblr blog, Born into Color. There’s exciting stuff brewing in Texas, and I’m excited to share it!

I took the photo above. Amidst all of Austin’s colorful signage, this is one of my favorites. A hot sauce store!

change, travel, yoga

Beginning: There’s So Much to Learn During Times of Transition on the Yoga Mat and in the World

Christa Avampato

“The way you arrive somewhere affects your experience once you’re there.” ~ Jason Crandell

How we arrive in a destination, the physical act of how we get to that first step at our destination is often an experience we barely consider. We’re rushing out the plane, train, car, or subway in effort to get somewhere, without consciously thinking much about how we got where we are and how we want to show up at our destination. The same happens in our yoga practice. In this month’s issue of Yoga Journal, Jason Crandell writes about transitioning between postures of ease and steadiness to postures that challenge us to maintain balance. He doesn’t focus on the completion of the transition, the actual arrival. In this article he’s focused on the many tiny steps in-between. He’s exploring the beauty, challenge, and strength of the transition.

It’s a challenging practice. I rush my practice all the time. My toes grip the mat as if I’m holding on for dear life in standing balance postures. My muscles tense and I have to consciously tell myself to breath. When Jason walks his readers through the transition, I realize how many opportunities for growth and reflection there are in the actual transition. To slow down and pay attention in that process is a focus in and of itself. All this time, I’ve been missing that opportunity in my teaching and in my own practice.

Transition will be the theme of my yoga classes this coming week in my private session, my group class on Sunday evening, and in my by-donation class at Columbia Law School on Monday night (which is now open to the public). I’m excited to see what we find in the in-between. There are adventures hiding there that have so much to teach us.

The image above appears at http://communityofmindfulparents.com

This blog is also available as a podcast on Cinch and iTunes.

adventure, failure, journey, travel

Step 344: Finding, Losing, and Finding Again

Christa Avampato

“Balance is not something you achieve and hold on to. It’s more ephemeral; it’s a string of temporary successes, held momentarily, lost, and then discovered again…it’s not permanent. When you lose it, you just have to have faith that you’ll come back to it.” ~ Carmel Wroth, Associate Editor for Yoga Journal

“Peace is a daily, a weekly, a monthly process.” ~ President John F. Kennedy

“Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of traveling.” ~ Margaret Lee Runbeck, Time For Each Other

“Better to have lost at love than never to have loved at all.” ~ Poison

Well there’s a crew that you’ve likely never seen in a blog post before. All week I kept seeing a pattern of encouraging words about finding exactly what it is that we want, losing it, and heading out to find it again. Clear messages of impermanence coupled with the pep talk of “keep going.”

When we lose we think about giving up. We regret the effort and time and heart that our now-gone adventures required. The apparent waste lies heavy on our hearts because what we had, and loved, didn’t last. We’ve equated losing to mourning.

So let’s turn our losing on its head. When we lose our way, let’s think about the excitement of the search ahead and the joy we’ll feel again when we find our new path. If we find ourselves off-balance, let’s close our eyes, breath, and begin to balance again. Can we find just as much happiness in the search as we do in the find? Can we always make our way back to peace no matter how much anger we may feel? And when we separate from a long-time love, can we look forward to falling in love again?

It’s a tall order. Losing and then continuing to try takes a lot of heart and courage. Failure is a worthy opponent, but I will always believe that every failure is something we can rise above and be better for tomorrow. Don’t beat yourself up for losing. From time to time we’re all going to find ourselves there. What really matters is if you can stay in the game with an open mind and an open heart. Be a seeker.

The image above is not my own. It can be found here.

dreams, good fortune, journey, travel

Step 242: Philadelphia Stories

Christa Avampato

This weekend, my traveling pal, Dan, and I went to Philadelphia. We stayed with Dan’s friends, Jeremy and Reese, who could not have been more gracious hosts. They also have a bulldog, Dolly – an added bonus. Jeremy took us on a tour of the neighborhood around Penn, my alma mater, and we went through neighborhoods that I haven’t thought about in over a decade. Truthfully, I wouldn’t have recognized them on my own. Philly has come a long way since the 1990’s.

Philly’s an under-appreciated city; it has been for a long time. Great food, art, culture, easily navigable, with a relaxed, casual feel. We had several great meals at local restaurants and gastropubs, went to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, checked out the U.S. Mint and the Magic Garden, a public art installation of found objects. Some of the best education and medical facilities in the country are located in Philly. It takes 90 minutes to get to New York by Amtrak – even faster on the Acela train. Slightly longer to get to D.C. And did I mention that it’s affordable and filled with exceedingly kind people?

So why aren’t people moving to Philly in droves? Simple – business, sadly, has no incentive to move there, limiting economic opportunities. Philadelphia has a ridiculously high gross receipts tax and city wage tax for all business owners based in the city. These fees have been around forever, and different factions have tried over many years to reduce this burden on business owners in the hopes of spurring economic growth. All to no avail. Apparently Mayor Nutter’s administration is considering another fix to these fees. Like President Obama, Mayor Nutter was left with quite a bit to fix in Philadelphia before he could get started on new initiatives. It’s my hope that he will be successful in jump starting more businesses to set up shop in Philly.

I have a personal interest in seeing Philadelphia rise up to get all that it deserves. It is a city that has had a difficult, important history. In many ways, I came of age there as a Penn student. I had some of the very best, worst, happiest, saddest, proudest, and most disappointing moments of my life there. I learned how to love and care deeply about people and community. I discovered that one person really can make an enormous difference in the world. I learned how to fail, fall, and get up again, growing stronger every time.

When I graduated my friend, Derek, gave me a photo frame with a quote inside it. “Years from now, you’ll remember and you’ll come back and hang a plaque. This is where Christa began being what she can. ~ Stephen Sondheim, Merrily We Roll Along” I didn’t know how fitting that was until the trip back this weekend. I haven’t yet hung a plaque on any wall there, but I really did begin a journey of possibility there.

Philly and I have a history intertwined. I didn’t recognize the campus as I toured through the neighborhood on Saturday. Through the eyes of my 22-year old self, I wouldn’t recognize the me of today either. Philly and I have both grown and changed in dramatic ways, mostly for the better. And I’d like to believe that for Philly and for my own life, the very best of our days have yet to be seen.

adventure, productivity, transportation, travel

Step 209: 10 Things You Can Do to Make Air Travel More Enjoyable

Christa Avampato

I planned to write about 10 things that Delta could do improve their customer service. Then I realized that post would be useless. After my recent experience with Delta, I’m pretty sure they don’t care about customer service. On my most recent Delta trip, my plane was struck my lightning, badly damaging the wing. My hat goes off to the pilot and co-pilot who landed us safely without causing passenger panic. I can’t imagine how terrifying that must have been for him. Delta’s customer service should take their cue from their pilots’ performance.

After an overnight in Syracuse where we were grounded and an Amtrak ride home (re-booking on a Delta flight seemed highly improbable given all of the weather delays), I decided to write this post on things that ordinary folks could do to improve the process of air travel, remaining productive even in the face of delays and cancellations. I hope you find these tips useful and will add to them in the comments section.

1.) Bring more to do that you think you can finish. Extra books, magazines, projects. The worst feeling while traveling, particularly if you run into delays, is useless Thankfully the Detroit airport (where I had a layover) had a Borders where I could buy Let the Great World Spin (future post forthcoming). Next time I’ll make sure to pack more reading materials.

2.) Don’t check luggage. Almost every airline is now charging for every checked bag, over weight fees are outrageous, and the wait at baggage claim seems to get longer with every flight. And there is always the stress of possibly losing your bag. I bought a small rolling bag that meets all of the FDA standards. If it can’t fit in there, I just buy what I need at my destination.

3.) Recognize that a lot of delays are for your own good. Cancelling and delaying flights is a much bigger hassle for the airline employees than it is for any of us. It’s a last resort due most of the time to bad weather, damage to a plane, etc. Just take a look at any gate agent’s face when dealing with delayed or cancelled flight customers. They’re in pain, physically, mentally, and emotionally. It might be the worst job in America. I would much prefer that the airline cancel or delay my flight than take a risk with my life at 30,000 feet.

4.) Steer clear of grumpy passengers. Whenever there is a delay or a cancellation, there is always a group of passengers furious beyond reason. They almost caused a riot at the airport in Syracuse. Cursing, screaming, throwing things. It was awful to witness. Stay away from those people. If you are one of those people, please stay home and watch TV – the Travel Channel will bring the sites and sounds of exotic far-reaching places right to your living room.

5.) Carry-on your essentials. If you refuse to heed the advice in step #2 and insist on paying exorbitant prices to check your luggage, then your carry-on must have certain essentials: a toothbrush, toothpaste, handi-wipes, anti-bacterial gel for your hands, moisturizer, eye drops, chapstick, and a complete change of clothes that are more respectable than your PJs. I also pack socks, a pair of jeans, and a lightweight jacket of some kind because although airlines skimp on just about everything, they crank the AC to the max until I’m so cold that my bones actually hurt.

6.) Get a smartphone with email and apps. I have a Droid with Verizon service and it has always come through for me on long trips. It’s a huge convenience to know what’s going on with your travel plans right on your phone rather than having to stand in line or wait on hold to ask your questions to a live representative. I think that airlines notify customers by email before they even tell their own gate agents what’s going on. It also gives you a way to catch up on old emails, check Facebook, Twitter, and any other of the gazillion apps that are out there. And you just might learn something new while waiting around for your flight to board.

7.) Podcasts are your travel friend. I’m a fiend for them and almost every podcast is free to download and play. Thank you, Apple. Go to iTunes and search away for podcasts on every subject imaginable, and some that you never knew existed.

8.) Grab the good snacks before you go. The only thing worse than a terrible tasting snack is a terrible tasting snack that’s expensive. Airports have cornered the market on terrible tasting expensive snacks. Pack your own – even if you buy the granddaddy deluxe snacks a la Whole Foods, they’re still less expensive than the ones at the airport, taste better, and are better for you. Good food does wonders for your mood when your flight is delayed or cancelled.

9.) Be friendly but break from the pack. Those grumpy people I mentioned in tip #4 are all the worse because they travel in packs like thugs. You will make a lot more headway by being nice to the people on the frontlines of the airline managing delays and cancellations. Smile, remain calm, and be persistent and reasonable. Don’t try to help those grumpy passengers along the way. Trust me, they aren’t going to try to help you and honestly will tank your own efforts to get where you’re trying to go. Just take care of yourself and whomever you’re traveling with. Leave other passengers to their own devices and attitudes.

10.) Take Amtrak or a luxury bus. You think I’m being cute with this last one but I’m totally serious. I love the train – it’s a more civilized way to travel. When I go to visit friends in DC or Boston or Providence, I take the train. It never crosses my mind to hop on one of those air shuttles. By the time I get to the airport, strip down to go through security, board, take the flight, de-board, and get to my final destination, I could have taken the train or a luxury bus for the same price or less than the flight, and traveled more comfortably and been more productive along the way. I’ve never used the luxury bus lines but my friends love them because they are equipped with wi-fi, are super-comfy, and cheap. Just don’t get caught in rush hour traffic coming into Manhattan. That’s a nightmare in any kind of vehicle.

What did I miss? What tips have saved your sanity on flights?

family, time, travel

Step 205: Choosing to Board, or Not

Christa Avampato

Delta sent me a message this morning that read “time to check-in” and my immediate reaction was “no”. I’ve been having a blast with my family, especially my little nieces, and I’m not ready for the fun to end tomorrow morning at 6am. I love my life in NYC – my friends, my neighborhood, and my projects that are coming up in the Fall. Some parts of my life need sprucing up.

1.) Dating for the summer has been fun, actually dating for the past year has been fun, and now I’m ready to be in a relationship again. I wasn’t sure this day was going to arrive, but here it is. To read more on the topic of relationships, check out my Owning Pink blog.

2.) More than anything, I need more flexibility with my time, mostly from a geographic stand-point. This trip to Florida showed me that I need to watch my nieces grow up. I need to travel even more than I do. There are conferences and events all over the country (and globe for that matter) that I want to attend. My work, at least a portion of it, needs to be wherever I am.

Those two areas are heavy ones for me, each with plenty of sprucing needed. They’ll be getting some focus and attention, long overdue, in the weeks ahead.

travel, yoga

Step 187: A Greece Recap

Christa Avampato

I’m finally back from Greece! Despite 24 hours of flight cancellations, delays, security issues at the Charles de Gaulle airport, and too-long lines for luggage and customs, I prevailed and made it back in one piece. I wasn’t actually home until today but the fact that I’m not still in Athens (thank you, Air France) is somewhat of a miracle. I feel like I’ve been away for a month.

The yoga retreat was entirely different than anything I expected it to be. Greece is beautiful and I practiced with a group that has many more years of yoga experience than I do. Most of them are teachers so I was able to get to the edge of my practice every day. I did write in my notebook daily, though I have to admit I really didn’t enjoy the unplugging. I missed being on this blog every day and interacting with my on-line pals.

In Greece, I did learn quite a bit about myself, and for that I’m extraordinarily grateful. The retreat environment is interesting, though I have to admit that I am so happy to get back to my life. Here are the lessons I reflected on each day that lead me a bit closer to an extraordinary life:

Step 179 – June 28th:
Life is a balance of being and becoming. Too often I get hung up on where I am or where I’m trying to go. The key is to balance out the two on a daily basis.

Step 180 – June 29th:
If you let go, you will float. We had a boat and swimming trip in the Caldera just off the coast of Santorini. I was nervous about it because I only learned to swim a few years ago and feel very uncomfortable in the open water. No one in my family swims so the open water is not a natural medium for me, despite my love of being near the ocean. In Santorini, I put myself into the open water, trusted I could swim, and be okay. And I was. I trembled and released my grip on the shore and swam in those crystal blue waters. I let go of fear and disappointment and the need to know exactly what would happen. I learned that if I give myself the space, I will rise.

Step 181 – June 30th:
Knowing what not to do is helpful. There were some things that I loved about the retreat, and some things that I really didn’t like at all. At first, I grew very disappointed with some experiences on the retreat, and then I realized that these disappointments were tremendous opportunities for learning. They taught me how to be a better teacher, and ultimately if I end up ever organizing a retreat of some kind, I’ll keep this list of “do-not-do”s handy.

Step 182 – July 1st:
Take unexpected invitations. I met a fantastic group of women that I think I’ll be doing some traveling with in the future. I was loping home from practice one afternoon, exhausted, when I was greeted by one of my fellow yoginis on Santorini’s main drag. She was going to dinner with a few others and asked if I wanted to go, too. I was planning on just slinking back to my room, and instead took the kind offer for dinner. So glad I did. We ended up going on a fun road trip around the island, hanging out at the local beaches, and swimming in the ocean. Their presence made my retreat so much better!

Step 183 – July 2nd:
While I enjoy vacations, I love my life. After a few days, I grew tired of the oppressive afternoon heat and the split shift yoga sessions. Santorini is beautiful but it didn’t hold my attention for long. I found myself re-invigorated about living in NYC, something I very much needed. I met a woman from France who explained that she has 9 weeks of vacation and she spends all of the others weeks looking forward to and planning vacations. Sad. 80% of her life is lived for the other 20%. I never want to have that. If 80% of my life isn’t working for me, I need to change something in that 80%.

Step 184 – July 3rd:
I really am a city mouse now. I grew up in the country surrounded by trees and grass and squirrels. I loved it, though now I’m glad I live in a vibrant, dynamic city with loads of variety. The city is the place for me, and that was helpful to learn. Santorini was beautiful, but Athens made me feel alive.

Step 185 – July 4th:
Yoga is a path whose ultimate destination is a happy, fulfilling life. If I can use yoga to improve the lives of others, I’ll be thrilled. And if I find that someday yoga doesn’t make me happy, then I’ll stop doing it. On the retreat, I found that I have no interest in being the world’s most flexible, accomplished yoga superstar. I have no desire to devote my entire being to everything yoga and nothing else. Some people do, and I support them in that quest. For me, it’s a tool and a way to let the light into my life in great quantities, just like my writing and the people I Iove.

Step 186 – July 5th:
You don’t have to take what you’re given. The powers that be at Delta airlines told me I’d get home on Thursday, two days from now. I spent hours running back and forth between Delta and Air France trying to get a flight back to New York City yesterday. There were a lot of hurdles, starts, and stops. And for some reason, despite the long lines and constant stream of no’s, I kept persisting and it paid off. It took me over 24 hours to get from Athens to New York, but I made it. If we really want to get home, we can always find our way.

I hope you had a lovely week and holiday weekend. I’m back in full writing force, and so grateful to be here with you.

art, religion, travel, yoga

Step 178: Greek Expectations

Christa Avampato

“The proper response to a great work of art is to enter into it as though there were nothing else in the world.” ~ Huston Smith, religious scholar, on the occasion of his 90th birthday

I’m leaving for the airport in a few hours to head to Santorini, Greece for a yoga retreat with Shiva Rea. Because I’ve never been on a yoga retreat, I’m a little nervous about what I may find. Is it really a personal journey or is it a collective group journey? Is it both, and if so, where is the line? Is my purpose to connect with others or to tap into my own sense of well-being?

In preparation for my trip to Greece, I stopped into the Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art yesterday. They have a set of exhibits now that reflect many of yoga’s historical and spiritual teachings that I studied while in my training program. There were Kali and Durga and Shiva. There were the familiar and powerful lotus and warrior asanas. The sculptures that truly captured my attention depicted Vasudhara, the Buddhist goddess of abundance.

“She is beautiful, isn’t she?” said a voice behind me.

George, a museum guide, appeared seemingly out of nowhere. He must have noticed how taken I was with the Vasudhara statue. With his kind eyes and seemingly unlimited knowledge of Hinduism and Buddhism, George walked me through the exhibit on the 3rd floor, giving me historical context, explaining the casting process of the sculptures, and describing the meaning of the intricate details of each piece. He closed out impromptu tour by explaining that Heaven and Hell are not considered destinations to Hindus and Buddhists; they are within. They are a daily choice.

I thought about that idea as I walked through the other floors of the exhibit. A question came to me as I looked at some of the other installations. I went back down to the 3rd floor to ask George about it. He was gone. Nowhere to be found (and the Rubin Museum is a very small museum with nowhere to hide.) It’s possible he went on break or maybe his shift was over.

For a second, I thought maybe he had been placed there just for me. He showed up just when I needed him, even though I didn’t know that I needed him, and he enriched my experience. Our encounter showed me that it’s possible to be on your own road and still connect to others in a meaningful way. Maybe the two are not separate at all. Just show up with everything we’ve got, as if there is nothing else in front of us except this next step, and see what we find. A little real-time foreshadowing for what’s to come in Greece? I hope so!

I’ll be off the grid while I’m away. I’ll be writing every day in my notebook and sharing those experiences when I return on July 5th. Να είναι καλά!

moving, travel

Step 172: Learning to Leap

Christa Avampato

“Do not confuse motion for progress.” ~ Alfred A. Montapert

With my cold last week, I spent a lot of time sitting. I didn’t go outside much, I slept a lot, and I spent some hours curled up on my couch just lounging. I can’t tell you the last time I just lounged around. I am always on the move, hopping here, there, and everywhere like the white rabbit in Alice in Wonderland. Sitting, I had time to think and consider and mull over some ideas.

My obsession with moving started when I was very young. My dad used to read the New York Times every day and I used to steal the magazine section, not to read the articles, but to look at the travel ads in the back. One summer I ordered every travel guide that was advertised that had a 1-800 number. We didn’t travel much when I was little and these travel guides helped me dream of far away places. I kept them neatly stacked in piles under my bed and I spent as much time as I could pouring through them. Ireland, South Africa, New Zealand, Chile. There wasn’t a single place I didn’t want to travel to. And so began my life of wandering.

I kept that going after college managing Broadway shows and national tours that took me all over the U.S. and Canada. I spent my vacations trekking around, 2 trips to Europe with only a backpack and a guidebook, the Alaska wilderness, and the Caribbean. In business school, I went to South Africa and loved every moment, even the moments after my passport was stolen. In the Fall I went to Costa Rica and next week I’ll be taking in the islands of Greece. There is so much I want to see. The fact that I’ve lived in the same city for the past 3 years is a monumental record.

I’ve always been afraid that if I sat still I’d miss something and thereby miss out on something. I thought motion meant progress. And more importantly, I thought that I couldn’t progress if I didn’t move.

But this last week I experienced a profound change of heart. In the book Glimmer, Warren Berger talks about the idea of jumping fences. When we sit and wait and observe rather than jumping on every new trend or opportunity we have the ability to store up our energy, hone our learning, and jump not just one step ahead, but many. Fence jumpers, Berger argues, are the ones who truly transform our world. They know themselves, they know why they’re jumping (and it’s not just for jumping sake), and they have the strength and stamina to make the leap and stick the landing. Now that sounds like progress.

I don’t think I’ll ever give up trekking around this globe. I’ll keep going for as long as my bank account can take me. But now I’ll also spend some more time re-energizing, and maybe even get in a little more lounge time. Jumping fences sounds like a good hobby to take up.

inspiration, sports, travel

Step 44: Ski, Skate, and Be from Canada

Christa Avampato

About a year ago I wrote a book review of Eat, Drink, and Be from Mississippi by Nanci Kincaid. It’s a love letter to a state and a culture that a brother and sister left behind in pursuit of dreams housed elsewhere. Their nostalgia and pride felt for their home seeps through in every line.

Last night while watching the Opening Ceremony of the Vancouver Winter Olympics I felt that same kind of pride and nostalgia that most certainly was felt in the heart of every Canadian. Earlier that day I had emailed with my friend, Derek, quite possibly the proudest Canadian there is. This morning I received a long, multi-paragraphed email from him recounting his favorite details of the ceremony. I love being an American, though there’s something about Derek’s pride, the pride of every Canadian, that sometimes makes me wish I was even just part Canadian.

At Darden, I sat next to a friend of mine from Vancouver. I’ve never been and when I asked him what it was like, he called it “the Paris of Canada.” And I love Paris. Since then, I’ve been fascinated with that city. I had planned to go about 18 months ago when I was in Seattle for a wedding. Because I had just gotten a new job, I had to sadly lob off the Vancouver portion of my trip. This year, I’m going. After those opening ceremonies, I have to see a city that inspired a show at once so grand and so intimate.

Despite that I grew up in the mountains, I’ve never been skiing or snowboarding or even snowshoeing. It’s sad really. And I have to do something about that. I think this is going to be my year to take to the snow and to get that rush that an entire nation feels when they just think of that luscious white powder. If I can’t be a Canadian, I at least want to be able to walk in their shoes (or ski boots as the case may be) for a while.

As always, the Olympics has arrived exactly when we need it most. For a few weeks, we can turn our attention and focus to the exhibition of excellence and triumph and determination. We can look at the gritty, grinning, and unflappable athletes with awe and admiration. For 17 days, we can be inspired by hope and gorgeous performance. As K.D. Lang sang with such passion last night, “Hallelujah”.