I've been in Austin for almost two months know, and while I still have A LOT of exploring to do, there are already so many things I love about my new city. I won't leave you hanging with a long intro. Let's dive right in!
1. The weather
There's a saying, "If you don't like the weather in Austin, wait 5 minutes." In my short time here, I've realized just how true that is. You can wake up one morning to a beautiful 60 degree day, and by the afternoon, it's dropped to 30. One day I wear a summer dress, and the next day I'm wearing leggings and layers. But you won't hear me complaining! It really never gets too cold, especially compared to NY, and I certainly don't miss the bitter winters. That said, we'll see if "the weather" is still on my to-love list come summer.
2. Apartment amenities
Will and I had a nice apartment in Brooklyn. We had decent space in a beautiful building with high ceilings. We also had a cockroach problem, a leaky ceiling, and bathroom pipes that froze in the winter, rendering the bathroom useless. Don't get me wrong, I loved where we lived, but when I think about how much we paid for an older apartment that caused us many an issue, it's ridiculous! We now live in a newer building with a washer, drier, and dishwasher in our unit. Our mail is secure (I couldn't get anything delivered to our place in Brooklyn), we have access to a gym and a pool, and the minor issues we've had (a light out in the bathroom) get fixed immediately. Oh yea, and we're paying less than we were in New York.
3. Friendly people
Maybe it's just the excitement of a new place, but I swear everyone down here is much friendlier. I'd chock it up to southern hospitality, but most of the people that live in Austin are transplants like me. I haven't had to deal with a rude person yet. It's been pretty amazing... and eye opening! I hope they think I'm just as friendly.
4. Trader Joe's and Whole Foods
Ok, New York had Trader Joe's and Whole Foods, too. However, not only am I closer to both (5 minutes walking to TJ's and 8 minutes walking to WF's) here in Austin, but the lines are so much more manageable. If you've ever been to Trader Joe's in NYC, you know that you pretty much have to shop while you're in line. It legit snakes around the whole store. The Whole Foods line isn't much better. Since moving here, the longest line I stood in at either store was 3 people. It makes for a much less stressful shopping experience!
5. Lady Bird Lake Trail
I have an awesome running trail just steps from my apartment. The trail is a 10 mile loop around Lady Bird Lake that can be broken down into smaller loops. It's a beautiful place to run! I haven't gotten to use it as much as I like yet, but I hope to soon, especially once Moose is old enough to run.
6. Arsty Vibes
One thing I loved about Brooklyn was how artsy it was. There was beautiful graffiti, murals and street art all over the place. Austin is very similar. In fact, there's a whole park dedicated to graffiti! Will and I went a few weeks ago. One of the coolest things about it is that it's ever-changing. Artists are constantly covering up old art with new things, so it will be different every time you go. I can't wait to take some blog pictures over there! There's also live music pretty much everywhere. Walk down any street, and you'll hear some coming from the bars and restaurants. I can't wait to discover some local bands.
As I continue to explore, I'm sure I'll be posting more about what to do and see in Austin. Hopefully I can convince you all to come visit!
In the meantime, let's connect through the Fit & Fashionable Friday Link Up! Since it's the first Fit & Fashionable post of the year, here's a little refresher on the rules:
Bloggers - You can add a link to any post of yours that is fitness and/or fashion related. This can be a product review, a workout, a healthy recipe - anything fit and/or fashionable. You must link back to this blog for your link to show up. If you drop your link, I just ask that you spread the love to at least 2 other bloggers in the link up. If you have some awesome images, I'll be sure to share them to my Fit & Fashionable Pinterest board!
Non-bloggers - You can get involved my sharing your #fitnfashionable photos (clothing, sweaty selfies, recipes) with the hashtag, or you can simply get introduced to some other awesomely fit & fashionable bloggers by clicking on the thumbnails below.
