What I Love (and Hate) About Living in Austin
There are instances when I completely adore living in Austin: when I’m paddleboarding on Town Lake, when I’m drinking a frozen margarita at Maudie’s, when I’m hanging out in hip East Austin under string lights.
That staying said, there are specified matters I’m a lot less fond of: the sweltering summers, the isolation, the deficiency of walkability.
I have lived in Austin for nearly two many years. Here’s what I have come to enjoy and detest about it:
What I appreciate about Austin
The Persons
By and big, Texans are unbelievably wonderful persons: generous, humorous, and sincerely kind. When I had Covid, many neighbors brought me tortilla soup and walked my canine. Men and women say hi to you on the avenue right here, even if they never know you. Austin is by considerably the friendliest put I’ve at any time lived.
The Food stuff
A different constructive – the foods. Austin’s meals scene is flourishing: you can come across great TexMex, Thai, Vietnamese, and of class, barbecue. Some of my favored places are Uchiko (sushi), Odd Duck (new American), and Loro (Asian/barbecue fusion). I’ve also grown to Adore frozen margaritas, ha.
The Water
As a born-and-raised Michigander, I desperately have to have to stay near drinking water (that was 1 of the things I found hardest about living in Colorado). The good news is, Austin has a lot of it: Town Lake, Barton Springs, and Lake Travis, to title a several.
The Winters
The winters listed here are pleasant – the temperature hovers all around 70 levels, and the skies are ordinarily crisp and blue. Although we do have the odd snow day, the winter season weather is very mild.
Dwell Tunes
I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out Austin’s internationally renowned dwell songs scene. I like how you can wander into a random bar on a Tuesday and listen to an amazing overall performance for the price of a Shiner Bock.
The Pet-friendliness
In Austin, you can provide your pet dog just about anyplace — I deliver my pup practically in all places I go. My neighborhood CVS is even pet-pleasant.
What I Loathe
The Crowds
Owing to its enormous reputation in recent many years, Austin feels insanely crowded at occasions. Parking is hard to uncover, places to eat are packed, and the weekends in particular can be hectic.
The Large Price of Living
Austin is quite costly. To invest in a plot of land – not even a property – in my neighborhood, fees a million dollars.
Weak Walkability
Sadly, Austin is not a walkable city. Bisected by two highways, Austin is a incredibly car-dependent city for walkability, it ranks 42nd in the US, concerning Las Vegas and Pheonix. As an individual who loves to stroll, this is a big draw back.
The Allergic reactions
Central Texas has been identified as the “Allergy Funds of the Environment.” There’s even a every day allergy report on the neighborhood information, where formal pollen counts for ragweed, grass, and mildew are measured. I never ever had allergy symptoms in my life until I moved right here — ugh.
The Heat
The summers in Austin are brutal. Temperatures can attain 110 levels (or greater). Right after this year’s scorching summertime, 90 degrees bizarrely feels to some degree interesting to me.
The Isolation
Austin is near to only a number of towns: Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. Earlier this 12 months I built the slip-up of driving to New Orleans, which took 10 hours. Often I really feel so envious of the East Coastline – imagine driving a several hrs and currently being in a position to obtain Boston, Philly, and NYC? Sigh.
All this to say, I’ve been pretty delighted listed here. I’m not absolutely sure if it is my forever household (I’m not certain I have a eternally residence, interval), but I approach to continue to be at minimum a couple of additional several years. And get pleasure from a lot of far more lake times and frozen margs.
