The U.S. state of Texas' capital is Austin and is the seat of Travis County. This city is located in central Texas on the eastern border of Southwest America. It is Texas' fourth largest city, and the fifteenth largest in the United Sates. Austin is located along the Colorado River where three man-made lakes are within the city perimeters: Lady Bird Lake, Lake Walter E. Long, and Lake Austin. Also, the foot of Lake Travis and Mansfield Dam are located within the city's limits. Austin is a land that is biologically and ecologically diverse. The city grows many types of wildflowers, and a home to many kinds of animals. Mount Bonnell is the well-known point of prominence in Austin, which is a natural limestone formation. The climate in this city is characterized by hot and humid summers and mild winters; and on springtime, there are some occurrences of thunderstorms. From 2000-2006, Austin was recognized as the nation's third fastest growing big city. The city has a population of 786,382 according to the U.S. Census estimate in 2009. The city of Austin occupies a total area of 271.8 square miles as of 2010. Austinites refer to the residents of Austin with a mix of students, politicians, university professors, employees, musicians, blue and white collar workers, and high-tech workers. This city is a home to large locations of major technology industries from which the nickname “the Silicon Hills” came from. Austin is also a home to music venues and popular musicians, thus, Austin's slogan is promoting the city as the live music capital of the world.
The wandering tribes of Tonkawa, Lipan Apaches, and Comanches settled and hunted along the creeks of what is now known as the Barton Springs. The Spanish troops who came set up a temporary mission in the late 1700s. The Anglo settlers were the first to arrive in the 1830s and their village was called Waterloo, which was chosen as the capital of the new Republic of Texas in 1839. The new city was named after Stephen F. Austin, who was considered the father of Texas. It was Judge Edwin Waller, the city's first mayor, who laid out a plan for the streets of Austin. The population grew to 856 people in January 1840. The plan included a site for the capitol building facing Colorado River. After 150 years, Austin's major business streets still remained, the Avenue and Pecan Street, now called 6th Street.
It was in the late 1880s that Austin was going to be a city. The grand capitol building was completed in 1888. Today it remained as one of the city's important industries—the government. The Great Granite Dam construction in 1893 on the Colorado River was one of the milestones for the growth of the city. It provided hydraulic power for generating electricity and attracted many manufacturers. Lyndon Baines Johnson, the young congressman, helped shape the public works of Austin in 1938. Austin today is known for its culture and brilliant innovations. The senators and teachers also helped shape its beginnings.
Austin is politically geared and very rich by culture. This is a place where tourists and denizens alike want to have a good time. The Money Magazine recognized Austin as the second best big city to live. MSN also acknowledged this city as the greenest city in America. The downtown living offers many sleek apartments and condos for those who wish to live and start a family here. Living in the downtown of Austin is convenient and most residents here just walk to work and thereby avoid congestion brought by the rush hour.
Dining, bars, shopping stores and salons are just nearby and the downtown residents just take few minutes of walking to get to these places. On the other hand, people who are living downtown deal with construction, traffic, noise and busy streets. But, the traffic in Austin is mild compared to the other big cities. The East Austin living offers an excellent neighborhood, lower rents, old homes and new condos or apartments. Living here has the benefits of convenience. The other side of the freeway is the wonderful places such as the Downtown, Southpark Meadows Shopping Center, and others. Also, residents can enjoy getting to these places without the hassle of downtown traffic. There are alternative routes from East Austin to avoid the traffic. The farther East Austin generally has a rural feel. Farms, new residential subdivisions, and ranches are there.
The thousands of engineering and computer science programs graduates at The University of Texas in Austin provide a stable source of manpower every year. The talented, young, and motivated employees help fuel the technology and defense sectors in Austin. The city's biggest employers are the State of Texas, the SETON Healthcare Network, Dell, IBM, Freescale Semiconductor, and The University of Texas. Other advanced companies like Apple Inc., AMD, Vignette, Applied Materials, Hoover's Inc., Citrus Logic, Motive Inc., Samsung, Silicon Laboratories, National Instruments, Sun Microsystems, and United Devices are also among the biggest employers in Austin.
Austin's most common occupations are management, professional and related jobs, 41%; sales and office jobs, 21% and service jobs, 14%. About 70% of the workers work for companies, and 16 percent are working for the government, and about 7% are self-employed. The most commonly listed jobs are for the physical therapists, occupational therapists, business analysts, and registered nurses. There are also companies hiring workers for computer equipment manufacturing, computer storage device manufacturing, software making, computer making, and photoelectric cell manufacturing. The average salary for Austin jobs is $38,550. The unemployment rate of the city rose to 7.4% in June 2010, while the national unemployment rate is 9.5%.
The city has many places where friends, families, and couples can have a memorable dining experience. Austin has restaurants that offer excellent food and beverages with special romantic ambiance. These are some of the best places to go for romantic dining. The Romeo's in 1500 Barton Springs Road is a romantic and charming Italian eatery. Several publications and websites have voted this place as the most romantic restaurant in Austin. Each night, the restaurant offers a live piano music that makes the place even more romantic. The outdoor patio has tables with candles on it. A wide selection of Italian dishes and drinks are served here and are affordable. The Driskill Grill in 604 Brazos Street is another site for romantic fine dining.
It is a sophisticated five-star restaurant in the city. The dining room's interior has a historical and classic inspiration. There are several savory dishes served in this restaurant. The Chez Zee in 5406 Balcones Drive is an American bistro with best desserts, and is also one of the most romantic restaurants in Austin. Christmas lights and paper lanterns were used to decorate the restaurant giving the place a soft glow. There is an extensive selection of drinks available here and the favorites are the Frozen Mojitos and Frozen Bellinis. The dishes are also superb and delicious. Other romantic restaurants to check out in Austin are Jeffreys of Austin in 1203 West Lynn Street; Hudson's on the Bend in 3509 Ranch Road 620 North; Chez Nous at 510 Neches Street; Uchi at 801 South Lamar Boulevard which is a romantic Asian restaurant, and many more.
The Austin Children's Museum in the heart of downtown is a great place for kids. The museum teaches the kids some important lessons through creative play. There are storytelling, workshops, science demonstrations, and camps for the children. This is the place for kids to be connected with art and be entertained at the same time. The Paramount Theatre in 713 Congress Avenue is Austin's oldest surviving theater. This was once the office of Sam Houston in addition to the Republic of Texas' War Department.
The Paramount Theatre was also once a home to Vaudeville and Variety Theater, but today, children's shows, comedy acts and film screening are featured here. Occasionally, the stage is graced by major international performances. The Austin Museum of Art located in 823 Congress Avenue has an eclectic display of contemporary arts, and works of art from the twentieth century. There are also lectures about art, performances, guided tours, hands-on art lab, and art response activities conducted here. The Mex-Arte Museum in 419 Congress Avenue is a museum loaded with Mexican culture in a variety of traditional and contemporary works. The museum displays the works of traveling artists from Mexico and Latin America in addition to the local artists.
Austin has several attractions for locals and tourists alike. Those who stay here for vacation or are visiting their families in Austin can enjoy a day or more exploring the beautiful city and be enthralled with its glorious sights and interesting locations. The Governor's Mansion in 1010 Colorado Street was built in 1856. This is the most historic home in the state of Texas and is the oldest among the executive homes along the west of the Mississippi River. This was once the abode of Sam Houston, a hero in the Texas revolution. However, this beautiful home became a victim of arson in June 2008, but tourists can still walk by and view the outside of the home.
The Capitol Building is definitely stunning because of its beautiful architecture. This opened in 1888 and prevailed as Texas' great history and political symbol. The Congress Avenue bats are incredibly amazing. Approximately 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats make the Congress Avenue bridge their home. They usually migrate to Austin every March. These bats can be viewed from March until September but August is the best time when the nights are hot and dry. Shoreline Grill and other restaurants nearby offer a fantastic view of the bridge. The Lady Bird Lake is also a great place to visit. This is a popular spot for canoeing, rowing and kayaking. The place also has the popular Hike and Bike trail that measures 10 miles in length.
The city of Austin proclaims itself as the “live music capital of the world.” And the city can prove this with the hundreds of night gigs that happen on any given night. Music clubs are definitely abundant here and are a choice of the Austinites who want to enjoy the evening. These are some of the best live music venues in Austin. The Stubb's Bar-B-Q does not only serve tasty barbecues but live music as well. This is mainly the reason why it is one of the best-loved music venues in the city. The live music performances are commonly indie and alternative rock, and artists on other genres also perform here.
Antone's is another excellent live music venue in the city. The bar features blues, country and rock music. This is open to all ages. Eric Clapton and Bono and The Edge (of U2) had performed here. Austin also has several bars for a night of dancing and drinks. J Black's Feel Good Lounge, in the West 6th District, is a classy and lively bar. This venue has an upscale feel, and young professionals mostly come here. This is a popular site for happy hours and late-night fun, with Friday and Saturday nights as the busiest. The patrons can enjoy a full meal and popular cocktails, Mexican martinis, appletinis, Bellinis, and many more. J Black's is a favorite spot for snacks and after-work drinks.
Great shopping is what Austin offers. There are malls in the city with eclectic shops from specialty to upscale stores. The Domain Outdoor Mall in Austin offers some of the stores that sell trendy items from well-known designers. The retail stores include Louis Vuitton, Coach, Juicy Couture, Tiffany & Co., Marciano, and many more. Bath and body stores like MAC Cosmetics and L'Occitane can be found here. Brookstone, Apple Store, Banana Republic, and Victoria's Secret are also here for an experience of great shopping. The Lakeline Mall is another shopping destination in Austin, where Dillard's, Macy's, JCPenney and Sears are, and including the other 150 specialty shops, movie houses, and restaurants.
On the other hand, those who love Vintage clothing can go to Blue Velvet in West North Loop. The store offers reasonably-priced vintage fashion and some used goods for both men and women, from wild hats to handbags. The Buffalo Exchange is a vintage and thrift store as well. This vintage shop is located in Guadalupe Street. The Second Time Around in Burnet Road is a vintage fashion boutique and has been around since 1974. The shop sells couture, designer and high-quality goods that were slightly used. Gently used items include Louis Vuitton, Jimmy Choo, Burberry, Betsey Johnson, Christian Dior, and Cynthia Rowley. Thrift shoppers surely get a blast of shopping here in Second Time Around.
Austin is known to be one of the top 10 walking cities, where fitness and exercise are major considerations. The route around Town Lake is enjoyable for those who take brisk walking and running a habit. But the tourists and locals who prefer to exercise indoors can visit these fitness centers in Austin that offer state-of-the art gym equipment, interesting gym training classes and many more. Austin Fitness Center in 3100 Slaughter Ln Ste 100; Hyde Park Gym in 4125 Guadalupe Street; Pure in 907 W 5th Street; and Lake Austin Spa Resort in 1705 S Quinlan Park Road, are among the top fitness locations in the city.
For those who want to be relaxed and spend their day in the spa, they can go to Ancient Way Day Spa where massages like Swedish, shiatsu, and deep tissue are offered. Other services are hand paraffin, full body dry brushing, herbal steam towel treatment, Mayan mud wrap, foot reflexology and many more. To get a beautiful hair treatment, the Ann Kelso Salon is a place to visit. This is also a full service day pay spa that offers hair and nail services, Aromatherapy, skin treatments, body massage, and other services. Austin's Body & Soul and Aziz Salon and Day Spa are also other options.
When you start looking for a place to stay in Austin, Texas, one unique place you might want to consider is Kimber Modern. This hotel is an architect's dream. The hotel houses five rooms of different heights. The owners had this particular concept and hired an architect to carry out this idea. The Kimber Modern is located on the Austin circle the hotel offers plenty nearby to do. The Hotel San Jose is a place you might want to consider staying in if you enjoy Spanish Colonial architecture. This hotel was opened in 1939 and has been a historical part of Austin since then. If you are looking for a luxury hotel in downtown Austin, consider staying in the Omni. The Omni is located in the heart of downtown and offers easy access to all of Austin's attractions.
Cattle Baron Jesse Driskill opened the Driskill hotel in 1886. The Driskill is a member of the Historic Hotels across America and offers a luxury hotel in downtown Austin. It is conveniently located near the state capitol, opera, and 6th street music seen. If you are looking for something a little different that is family owned, The Austin Motel might be the place for you. The motel is located on south congress avenue which is near to all that Austin has to offer. If you prefer a stay near a lake, the Four Seasons is located on Lady Bird Lake. There are plenty of activities for the whole family nearby and it is conveniently located near the convention center and the downtown area.
Residents of Austin, Texas have a lot of options for getting an education. There are 29 different school districts in the area. Additionally it is possible to choose between 17 charter schools and 69 private schools. Most of the city, including downtown and the center area, is served by Austin Independent School District. This district was established in 1881. Dr. Meria Carstarphen is the current superintendent. The staff on Austin district consists of 11,000 employees, including 5,800 teachers. 82,000 students go to public schools in this district. There are 124 schools in Austin Independent School District: 81 elementary schools, 18 middle schools, 16 high schools and 9 special schools. More than 60% of the students are Hispanic and they are followed by White (25%) and African American (11%). Other large school districts in the area are Round Rock, Leander, Manor, Lake Travis and Eanes ISD. Round Rock and Eanes rate “gold” medal by the Expansion Management magazine annual ratings as the highest cost-performance districts.
There is also a wide selection of private and special schools in Austin. The largest classical Christian school in the USA is the Regents School of Austin. 900 students go to school there. Next to its academic accomplishments this school is also know for their great athletic achievements. Other private schools include The Khabele School, The Griffin School, St. Mary's, St. Theresa's, St. Michael's Catholic Academy and many more.
There are eight higher education facilities in Austin with the total enrollment of 118,000 students. Almost 40% of Austin's adult residents have bachelor's degrees. The largest of the universities is the University of Texas at Austin with more than 50,000 students and 16,000 faculty members and staff. Other higher education institutions are Austin Community college with 40,000 students, Concordia University, St. Edwards University, The Art Institute of Austin, The Seminary of the Southwest and others.
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is located 5 miles from Austin city center. It has two runways; one of them was originally used by the Air Force which left the airport in 1993. In 2008, 9 million people traveled through Austin airport. This airport also does cargo operations. There is an “Airport Flyer” bus service that takes passenger from the airport to the University of Texas stopping also in downtown Austin. There are also different taxi companies that will take you to the city. Most of the public transportation including the “Airport Flyer” is operated by the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Most of the public transit is being serviced by buses. Capital Metro has 88 bus routes and 1 rail and there are 3000 stops being serviced by 417 different buses. Capital Metro operates the largest university transit system in the USA. It carries 8 million riders on 10 routes every year. Capital Metro is going to change some routes and call them “Rapid Lines”. These lines will have 60ft, high-tech and train-like buses. This will help to reduce congestion.
In March 22, 2010 Capital Metro opened a commuter line system, also known as Capital MetroRail. This system was built on 32 miles of existing freight rail lines and it services downtown area and North Central Austin, East Austin and Leander. Capital Metro is also planning to open a streetcar system to connect the new rail line to central Austin. Austin is also famous for being the most biker friendly city in Texas. Both locals and tourists like to use bicycles to get around the city. There are many bike rentals and designated bikers areas. For reaching longer distances hiring a car is also popular. Many car hire companies can be found at the airport or city center. German company Car2Go also operates a car sharing program in Austin.
Austin, Texas has a Council-Manager type of government. A city manager is appointed by the mayor along with his city council. The city manager serves as the Chief Administrator of the city organization. The City Council has a total of six members. Both city council and the mayor are elected by the voters of Austin and serve for a three-year staggered term.
The Austin Municipal Court serves as the local government's judicial branch. It is broken down into four major divisions namely the Support Services, Court Operations, the Judiciary and the Downtown Community Court or DACC. The court is completely responsible for special purpose budgets in Court Technology, Traffic Safety, Building Security and Juvenile Case Manager. The City Council meeting is held at 301 W. 2nd Street, Austin. It begins at 10 am on Thursdays. The meeting is being broadcasted on channel 6 of local TV cable and over the radio on KAZI-88.7 FM. The citizens can also access the meeting live through web streaming on Channel 6 official web page. The Municipal Court's ultimate goal is to be the most efficient, impartial, and effective court in the whole of Texas. The court's jurisdictions include state codes, city ordinances, parking and traffic.
Traffic violations include not being able to maintain financial liabilities, failure to present one's driver's license, commercial vehicle violations and moving and non-moving violations. Parking violations fall under the traffic code and non-compliance with the city ordinances. State code violations include theft, alcohol possession in minors, being intoxicated in public, drug possession and disorderly conduct. City ordinance violations involve juvenile curfew, health violations, safety breaches, environmental damages, animal violations and improper garbage disposal. Red Light-Photo violations are found under the Transportation Code and city ordinances. Detailed information along with contact information may be obtained through the official page of Austin Texas at http://www.ci.austin.tx.us.
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