What I Love (and Hate) About Living in Austin

There are situations when I completely adore living in Austin: when I’m paddleboarding on City Lake, when I’m ingesting a frozen margarita at Maudie’s, when I’m hanging out in hip East Austin less than string lights.

That remaining claimed, there are specific points I’m considerably less fond of: the sweltering summers, the isolation, the lack of walkability.

I’ve lived in Austin for virtually two yrs. Here’s what I have come to appreciate and detest about it:

What I love about Austin

The People today

By and substantial, Texans are unbelievably wonderful people today: generous, amusing, and sincerely form. When I had Covid, various neighbors introduced me tortilla soup and walked my doggy. Folks say hi there to you on the street below, even if they really do not know you. Austin is by much the friendliest position I have at any time lived.

The Foods

Yet another optimistic – the foodstuff. Austin’s foods scene is thriving: you can uncover fantastic TexMex, Thai, Vietnamese, and of program, barbecue. Some of my preferred places are Uchiko (sushi), Odd Duck (new American), and Loro (Asian/barbecue fusion). I have also developed to Love frozen margaritas, ha.

The Water

As a born-and-elevated Michigander, I desperately need to have to reside close to drinking water (that was one particular of the points I uncovered hardest about dwelling in Colorado). The good thing is, Austin has a lot of it: Town Lake, Barton Springs, and Lake Travis, to identify a number of.

The Winters

The winters below are delightful – the temperature hovers about 70 degrees, and the skies are ordinarily crisp and blue. Though we do have the odd snow day, the winter season weather conditions is incredibly gentle.

Reside Music

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Austin’s internationally renowned live audio scene. I like how you can wander into a random bar on a Tuesday and hear an remarkable functionality for the selling price of a Shiner Bock.

The Canine-friendliness

In Austin, you can bring your doggy practically any where — I convey my pup just about all over the place I go. My regional CVS is even pet dog-welcoming.

What I Despise

The Crowds

Owing to its large recognition in the latest years, Austin feels insanely crowded at moments. Parking is challenging to locate, dining establishments are packed, and the weekends in particular can be hectic.

The Significant Value of Dwelling

Austin is very costly. To obtain a plot of land – not even a property – in my neighborhood, prices a million pounds.

Poor Walkability

Regrettably, Austin is not a walkable metropolis. Bisected by two highways, Austin is a quite car-dependent town for walkability, it ranks 42nd in the US, in between Las Vegas and Pheonix. As somebody who loves to wander, this is a substantial downside.

The Allergy symptoms

Central Texas has been termed the “Allergy Capital of the Planet.” There is even a day by day allergy report on the neighborhood information, in which formal pollen counts for ragweed, grass, and mould are calculated. I hardly ever had allergic reactions in my everyday living until finally I moved here — ugh.

The Heat

The summers in Austin are brutal. Temperatures can get to 110 levels (or higher). Following this year’s scorching summer season, 90 levels bizarrely feels rather great to me.

The Isolation

Austin is near to only a few towns: Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. Previously this 12 months I produced the blunder of driving to New Orleans, which took 10 several hours. Often I feel so envious of the East Coastline – picture driving a few several hours and being capable to accessibility Boston, Philly, and NYC? Sigh.

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All this to say, I have been quite satisfied right here. I’m not sure if it’s my without end home (I’m not guaranteed I have a forever dwelling, interval), but I plan to stay at minimum a couple of extra decades. And get pleasure from quite a few a lot more lake days and frozen margs.