We moved to Austin five years ago after a lifetime of living in the Midwest. We were in the unique position of being able to choose where we wanted to live. The only criteria for my husband was warm and my criteria was “cool”….meaning a unique and vibrant city with a myriad of things to do. Austin was the top on our list, although neither of us and spent very much time here. Austin’s reputation was so positive that on that alone we both knew we’d be happy there. Below lists some of the main reasons why I’m an Austin Enthusiast.
The water…our city is literally built around the 80+ miles of lake that flow like rivers around our city. To the Northwest, Lake Travis…which after years of drought is now 100% full, and always in motion with boaters, jet skiers, sailors and day trippers all coming together in the most convivial way. There is even a nude beach, which is where I hear they continue to Keep Austin Weird. Stemming from that, but cut off by Mansfield Dam, is Lake Austin, a constant level lake where some of the most amazing homes in our city sit right on the water as it moves from the north all the way down to the city core. Lady Bird Lake, which anchors our ever expanding downtown, is THE center of Austin where runners and walkers surround the constant kayaking and stand up paddle boarding happening next to some of our cities hippest spots. To top it off we have spring fed pools in and around the city where people lounge for the day. Wouldn’t you know it even our pools are unique.
The food…the minute we arrived, Austin seemed to be going though a culinary renaissance. One of our most beloved Chef’s had won Top Chef on Bravo and new cuisines were popping up all over our vast city and written about in national publications. But it was the simple most basic foods (I kid you not I had never experienced in my life) which have become my favorites: BBQ and breakfast tacos. It took me a year to start evolving my Midwest palate to the these Austin treasures and I have never looked back. My husband was in heaven…his favorite food is BBQ and he had me all over Austin and the surrounding communities trying every unique rendition. His joy eating BBQ finally made me acquiesce and now a good brisket (and I mean a REALLY good brisket found at it’s best at Franklin’s) beats all other food in my book. We also have some of the most tasty food trucks around, from gourmet donuts at Gourdough's or Lobster Rolls (fresh from the east coast) at Garbo’s. This food demonstrates the vibe of the city, casual unpretentious excellence. That’s not to say we don’t have some of the finest dining as well, but even our fine dining has a local twist and you rarely see people dressed to the nines as in other big cities. It is like we have an unwritten code that no matter how fine the experience is we need to keep it real and down to earth.
The weather….being from the Midwest this has made the biggest impact on my life. Everyone knows it is hot in the summer, but since it is usually at a lower humidity, it is enjoyable. But the winter is amazing..5 years and still not a spot of snow to shovel. We’ve had some ice, but even that is a treat because people are told not to leave their house forcing a day off. In this climate you never put your sandals and shorts away because there is always a 70+ degree day each week to be had in the middle of winter. They say everything is bigger in Texas, and I have to say our starry skies and singularly beautiful sunsets present as larger than life and stop you in your tracks forcing a slow down in even the busiest days. We also seem to be in a mother-nature favored area because we rarely get tornadoes, hurricanes or earthquakes…something our neighbors in TX can suffer from regularly. OK, it can get hot…but when your body acclimates it feels natural and heavily air conditioned buildings start to repel Austinites who favor the heat of the city.
So come for a visit in your shorts and enjoy some brisket by the lake while watching a glorious sunset. It simply doesn’t get cooler than that. Call me when you decide to stay and I can find you the perfect Austin Home.
Comments (3)Subscribe to CommentsComment