history – Page 4 – Christa Avampato

It’s still a month away and I’m already bonkers excited about this A+ lineup of expert storytellers spinning wild stories about secret NYC history for NYC’s Secrets & Lies show at Caveat on December 6th, 7pm. Four are telling the truth and one is a liar. Guess the liar correctly, and you’ll be in the running for great prizes from Untapped Cities and a few secret surprises that I’m cooking up! Look, it’s the holidays and I love giving presents.

This show’s stars include Dustin Growick, Vicki Eastus, Sandi Marx, Jackie Peters, and Nate Charles. Tickets are on sale now at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/new-york-citys-secrets-and-lies-tickets-52038003068. See you there!

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A Year of Yes: NYC’s Secrets & Lies, October 9th at 7pm w/ special guest Julie Gaines of Fishs Eddy

October 8, 2018October 8, 2018 Christa Avampato

Sea monsters, grandma gangsters, punk music, and high society fashion. Plus a secret society obsessed with hidden history for you to join and tales of activism, art, and entrepreneurship with Julie Gaines, Founder of Fishs Eddy. It’s all waiting for you at Caveat on Tuesday, October 9th at 7pm when my storytelling show New York City’s Secrets & Lies returns. Oh, and if you can separate fact from fiction when it comes to secret NYC history, there could be a big prize from UntappedCities.com with your name on it! Grab your tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/new-york-citys-secrets-and-lies-tickets-49367374145

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A Year of Yes: Starting a secret society in NYC

October 6, 2018October 4, 2018 Christa Avampato

41852145_10104544950240096_8564755427831578624_o You’ve always wanted to be in a secret society, right? These skeleton keys are your way in and I’m saving one just for you. To claim it, grab a ticket to New York City’s Secrets & Lies storytelling show at Caveat on October 9th w/ Zak Martellucci, Alex Taylor, Michele Carlo, Erin Leafe, and Julie Gaines. Tickets are available here: https://www.caveat.nyc/event/new-york-city’s-secrets-and-lies-10-9-2018. See you there!

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A Year of Yes: My first tattoo!

October 1, 2018October 1, 2018 Christa Avampato

No one told me about the rush I would feel after getting my 1st tattoo tonight. I literally feel like I could take over the world right now & do a damn fine job running it. With this tattoo of Thor’s hammer, I feel like Daenerys, Queen of the Dragons on Game of Thrones. Ink is powerful. Thanks to the amazing artist, Mehai Bakaty of Fineline Tattoo, all of our fantastic speakers: Stephanie Tamez, John Wyatt, and Efrain John Gonzalez, New York Hardcore Tattoo’s Sweety & Dean for being our flash artists, Caveat for letting me set this stage, and to the incredible audience. What a night! There are MANY more pics and video of the entire event that I’ll post once I get them all. I love you all and our city.

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A Year of Yes: The next NYC’s Secrets & Lies lands at Caveat on October 9th

September 20, 2018September 18, 2018 Christa Avampato

We are just days away from the next NYC’s Secrets & Lies at Caveat and I. Can’t. Wait! Sea monsters, the mob, partying with punk bands, fancy dresses of high society, and concerts of world-renowned artists for the dead and the living in the same underground space. What is even happening at this show? You can’t miss it! Tickets on sale now: https://www.facebook.com/events/244046669616498/

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A Year of Yes: Tattoo history at the NYC Seaport Museum this weekend

September 16, 2018September 15, 2018 Christa Avampato

Gotham-GUS-header2 If your idea of a good Friday night involves secret New York City history in a storied museum learning about tattoo art, then I have an event for you! And the best part—all proceed go to support the restoration and public display of a rare collection of tattoo art housed at the Seaport Museum.

On Friday, September 21st at 6:30pm, the amazing Michelle Myles of Daredevil Tattoo and the Seaport Museum’s Michelle Kennedy and Martina Caruso will talk about the tattoo culture and scene in New York City and the Bowery in 1900s, and about the artists in New York that Gus Wagner, a merchant mariner and artist, had contact with. They will share rarely seen artifacts from the Seaport Museum’s tattoo collection that discuss Wagner’s experiences, including a selection of pages from the artist’s scrapbook—a 400-page diary book composed of press clippings, postcards, business cards, sketches, and photographs. Tickets are $10.

On Saturday, September 22nd, you’ll have a rare opportunity to receive a truly historic tattoo based on the nearly century-old collection of tattoo flash housed at the museum. Renowned New York City-based tattoo artists from Daredevil Tattoo, 5 Points, Kings Avenue, Three Kings, Red Rocket, Saved, Greenpoint, Fun City, and NYHC will be on hand inking designs inspired by Gus Wagner’s original artwork. Tattoos will be first come first serve.

More details about the events on Friday and Saturday are available here: https://southstreetseaportmuseum.org/gothamandguswagner/

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A Year of Yes: My storytelling show about NYC’s tattoo ban

September 10, 2018September 10, 2018 Christa Avampato

Screen Shot 2018-09-10 at 12.30.08 AM I became enamored with tattoos and tattoo history a few years ago when a friend of mine found getting a tattoo as a way to give meaning to a grave injury. Then a few months ago, I learned that tattooing had been illegal in New York City, the city that gave rise to tattoo culture in the U.S., for nearly 4 decades in recent history. The more I learned about this prohibition of ink, the more fascinated I became with the reasons behind it and the characters who played a part in it.

I considered making it a part of my secret history storytelling show, New York City’s Secrets & Lies, at Caveat. However, the more I learned, the more I realized that the topic was too big to be a segment of a show. The complex history and all of the people involved needed and deserved a standalone show.

The idea of doing this show, coupled with flash tattooing, just wouldn’t leave me alone. So I reached out to Caveat with an email titled “Is this a crazy idea? Tattoos…” Ironically, one of the co-founders of Caveat had just gotten a tattoo and was talking about the ban with her tattoo artist the day I sent the email. And so we were off to the logistical races to make this event happen.

And it’s happening with an incredible dream lineup of historians and artists who have lived in the swirl of this chapter of NYC history, along with flash tattooing at Caveat, on Sunday night, September 30th. I’d love for you to join us! Grab a ticket to the show, or a ticket that includes a tattoo.

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A Year of Yes: NYC’s Secrets & Lies goes into 2019

August 29, 2018August 28, 2018 Christa Avampato

Exciting news! New York City’s Secrets and Lies, my live storytelling show about wild NYC history, has been renewed for another year. We have dates at Caveat through December 2019, all at 7pm:

10/9/18
12/6/18
2/7/19
4/4/19
6/6/19
8/1/19
10/3/19
12/5/19

See what we’re about at our next show on 10/9. Tickets available at https://www.caveat.nyc/event/new-york-city’s-secrets-and-lies-10-9-2018.

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A Year of Yes: NYC’s tattoo history

August 25, 2018August 25, 2018 Christa Avampato

Paging tattoo artists, lovers of good ink, and history nerds in New York City: I’m looking for 4 people to help me unravel New York City’s long and complicated tattoo history on stage with a packed audience. Are you that someone? Do you know someone who fits the bill? Let me know.

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A Year of Yes: NYC’s Secrets and Lies recap

August 10, 2018 Christa Avampato

Another successful NYC’s Secrets & Lies happened on Wednesday night with a stellar cast! I had the best night hosting another edition of this storytelling show of secret NYC history at Caveat. My cheeks hurt from smiling so much. Thank you to the phenomenal cast (what a tribe!), the entire packed audience, and Caveat for being the best dang venue in NYC.

Ashley Semrick, Erin Hunkemoeller, Leslie Goshko, John Bucher, and Tom Rowley (our special guest talking about Story Map!) filled up my heart. Thanks to Untapped Cities for your partnership!

We’ll be back again on October 9th w/ Alex Taylor, Michele Carlo, Zak Martellucci, and one more to-be-named storyteller. Andrew Ousley of Unison Media will be our very special guest. Tickets will be on sale soon!