Whenever I travel and people learn that I am from Austin, inevitably the response I get is, “I hear that place is really cool.” My stock answer is, “Austin is the coolest city in the United States.” For this issue, I began to contemplate what defines “cool” and specifically what makes Austin cool.
Accolades from a wide variety of sources abound:

• MSN Travel named Austin one of the 15 coolest cities in the U.S. citing the “eclectic music scene and laid-back atmosphere.”
• Austin is the 6th best walking city (ranked by the American Podiatric Medical Association) and the 5th most educated city in the U.S. with 45.15% of the population having a college degree or higher, according to the United States Census Bureau.
• In 2008, Kiplinger named Austin the #6 “Best City to Work and Play” featuring the natural beauty, University of Texas, State Capitol, live music scene, digital media, and green building and energy as things that keep Austin ‘cool.’
• Austin frequently tops the lists of Forbes, Fortune and Money magazines best cities for business and best places to live. Entrepreneur Magazine names Austin the #1 most entrepreneurial city in the U.S.
• According to the National Endowment For the Arts, Austin is the most artsy city in Texas and the Wall Street Journal named Austin the #3 most innovative city.
• Travel and Leisure Magazine cited the quality of life, interesting neighborhoods, climate, and people in their choice of Austin as 5th best city for both couples and singles.

In this issue, we encourage you to experience all that makes Austin cool. A drink that is so hot that it had to be cool… the Brushfire…Austin’s Coolest Cocktail, (Lifestyle p. 36) dreamed up at Ranch 616. Contemplate a cool Moroccan Bath (Lifestyle p. 42). Make a play date for your kids to cool off running through the interactive fountain at the Hill Country Galleria (Lifestyle p. 28). Go inside the coolest casa on Congress Avenue (address p. 24), which can be yours for a cool $6.5 million. Discover Austin’s Mid-Century modern architecture (address p. 22). Living in one of the most wired cities in the U.S., check out our cool new column – Wired – on both the Lifestyle (p. 34) and address (p. 39) sides of the magazine.
So exactly what is it that makes Austin cool? I say it is the total package – the people, the lifestyle, the music, the food, the climate, and the natural beauty. It is the accepting and welcoming attitude of the people. It is the laid-back yet innovative atmosphere that encourages contemplation and creativity in entrepreneurs and artists alike. Summer is here and there is plenty to do. Be Cool.
Deborah Hamilton-Lynne

Tags: Austin, Feature