explore

A Year of Yes: Here’s a 15% discount code for all Untapped Cities Tours of secret New York City places

Untapped Cities offers a huge variety of tours about secret New York City history. Alexander Hamilton’s historic home, the abandoned Ellis Island Hospital, Grand Central Station, abandoned subway stations, the Woolworth Building, Central Park, the Brooklyn Bridge, Times Square, Penn Station, the Members Only Players Club, and the list just. keeps. growing.

As a little gift to you, I wanted to share a special discount code that gets you 15% off of ALL of their tours – just type in CHRISTA at checkout. You can share this with friends and use it as many times as you want. And there’s no expiration date. Because I love you, and I want you to have nice things. And by nice things, I mean adventures.

A Year of Yes: What does your dream day look like?

Have you ever had a dream day? What happened? Who were you with? What lasting effect did it have on you?

I had one of my dream days yesterday and it was magical:

• Interviewed a radiation oncologist for a piece I’m writing for The Washington Post about an innovative new cancer treatment that uses protons.
• I spent the morning getting a private tour and digging through the archives at The Explorer’s Club. I was doing research for my second Emerson Page novel, and got to see art, travel diaries, photographs, and artifacts from around the world that were collected by our most intrepid explorers.
• Then I had a fun meeting with the fine people at Untapped Cities about a new live performance project we’re working on together. Cannot wait to share more details with you!
• Had a long overdue visit with a magical man who’s saved my life several times, and taught me to stand in my own light.
• Dinner with my best friend.

To write, to research, to tell stories, to collaborate with others on creative projects, and to spend time with people who are central to my life. That is the perfect day for me.

In the pause: Go where life is humming and time is flying

Ever been at work and watched the clock wind down? Every. Single. Minute. Ever felt like life is croaking rather than humming? Me, too. And here’s the remedy: get out. Get way out. Of your situation. Of your comfort zone. Of your own way. This past week has been one of the very best that I’ve had in a long time, and here’s why: I am living. Really living. Growing. Exploring. Writing. Getting it done. The really important work of connecting to others and to my own spirit. I am living out loud. Now my time is flying. Now my life is humming. I’m dancing, singing, and glowing inside and out, and will continue to do so.

Wonder: Be an explorer every day

Since moving to our new apartment, Phineas has become a morning dog. He’s up at the crack of dawn, and that means I am, too. This morning we took a long stroll / walk / run past Union Station, the Folger, the Library of Congress, and on to the Capitol. Phineas was rolling around in all the grassy areas and greeting everyone who wanted to talk to him. He had the time of his life.

It reminded me that we are constantly explorers, everywhere we go, every day. We take in what’s around us, we learn, and we make the most of it.

Wonder: New York Public Library Digital Collection expansion takes us back in time

The Waterfront on South Street in NYC. 1935. By Berenice Abbott.

One thing that I really miss about New York City is the New York Public Library. Luckily, this week we saw a massive digital expansion of its collections and you can access the now 672,182 digitized items by clicking here. A few short clicks and search terms give you a passport to history like never before. And it’s all free.

Whether you want to see photos of a changing New York City (or almost any of other city for that matter!), construct 20th century floor plans of mansions through archival blueprints, or learn new paper collage techniques, it’s all here for you to use and reuse in limitless ways.

Enjoy and never stop exploring!