| Austin Texas Austin is the capital of Texas and | | | | corporations and has earned the nickname "Silicon |
| the state's fourth largest city. Austin is an apex | | | | Hills." The city's largest employers include the |
| of culture and education serving the Austin-Round | | | | State of Texas, The University of Texas, the |
| Rock metropolitan area. The population was | | | | SETON Healthcare Network, Dell, IBM, Freescale |
| estimated to be 690,252 as of 2006, with a | | | | Semiconductors, Apple Inc., Vignette, AMD, |
| population of over 1.5 million in the metro area. | | | | Applied Materials, Cirrus Logic, Hoover's, Intel, |
| The city sits on the Colorado River and the | | | | Motive Inc., National Instruments, Samsung, Silicon |
| Balcones Fault. Its major roadways include | | | | Laboratories, Sun Microsystems and United |
| Interstate 35, the Mopac Expressway, Hwy 183, | | | | Devices. |
| Hwy 290 and Hwy 71. | | | | In addition to global companies, Austin features a |
| Austin's educational experience is grounded most | | | | strong network of locally owned organizations. |
| notably by the University of Texas. University of | | | | The citizens as well as the Austin Independent |
| Texas has the largest enrollment of all colleges | | | | Business Alliance protect these businesses. The |
| within the state and, with nearly 50,000 students, | | | | success of small business in Austin has been linked |
| had the fifth largest single-campus enrollment in | | | | to the "Keep Austin Weird" campaign and reflects |
| the nation in 2006. Other institutions include Austin | | | | the high level of commitment to resist excessive |
| Community College, Concordia University, | | | | commercialization. |
| Hutson-Tillotson University, St. Edward's University, | | | | Shopping in Austin is as much a treat as strolling |
| the Action School of Business, Austin Presbyterian | | | | down Sixth Street. The city has everything to |
| Theological Seminary and LeTourneau University. | | | | offer with stores such as Abercrombie & |
| Austin is known for its eclectic mixture of culture, | | | | Fitch, Aeropostale, Al's Formal Wear, American |
| entertainment, large corporations and local | | | | Eagle Outfitters, Ann Taylor, Apple Computer, |
| businesses. The official slogan for the city is, "The | | | | Arden B., Aveda Lifestyle Store, BabyGap, |
| Live Music Capital of the World" however many | | | | Bakers, Banana Republic, Bath & Body |
| Austinites live by the locally adopted slogan, "Keep | | | | Works, bebe, Ben Bridge Jewelers, Brookstone, |
| Austin Weird". | | | | Buckle, Build-A-Bear Workshop, Cache, The |
| The cultural experience in Austin, TX is endless | | | | Children's Place, Claire's Accessories, Coach, |
| and ranges from live music to film festivals to | | | | Coldwater Creek, Custom Stickers, Dallas |
| Broadway productions and more. | | | | Cowboys Pro Shop, Deck the Walls, Dillard's, EB |
| Most well known for country and blues music, the | | | | Games, Eddie Bauer, Express, Finish Line, Foot |
| city nurtures an ever-growing diversity of music | | | | Locker, Gadzooks, Gap, Glamour Shots, GNC, |
| genres. Some of the city's most famous artists | | | | Gordon's Jewelers, Helzberg Diamonds, Hollister |
| include The Dixie Chicks, Janis Joplin and Willie | | | | Co., Hot Topic, J. Crew, JCPenney, Journeys, Lane |
| Nelson. Live music is sought after in venues such | | | | Bryant, Macy's, Motherhood Maternity, Nine West, |
| as Saxon Pub, Cedar Street Courtyard, Momo's, | | | | Old Navy, Payless ShoeSource, Rave, Sears, |
| Continental Club, Lucky Lounge, Shady Grove and | | | | Sephora, Sharper Image, T-Mobile, Talbots, |
| more. | | | | Victoria's Secret, Williams-Sonoma, Yankee Candle |
| Sixth Street hosts a colorful blend of nightclubs, | | | | and much, much more. |
| restaurants, live music and characters. Esther's | | | | The flavor of Austin's dining is an array of |
| Follies anchors Sixth Street with over 20 years of | | | | enjoyable meals. Fast food restaurants include |
| comedy, parody and magic. The Warehouse | | | | Rockets, Baja Fresh Mexican Grill, Sandy's |
| District is another one of Austin's hot spots and | | | | Hamburgers, Marble Slab Creamery, Hut's |
| offers more live music, concert halls, clubs and | | | | Hamburgers, Cozzoli's Pizza, McDonald's, Chipotle |
| restaurants. Austin's collections of music can also | | | | Mexican Grill, Burger Tex, Whataburger, Wendy's, |
| be heard from places like the Frank Erwin Center, | | | | Church's Chicken, Dairy Queen, Papa John's, Jack |
| Zilker Park, Antone's Night Club, Stubb's Bar-B-Q | | | | In the Box and Subway, along with an endless list |
| and Broken Spoke. Music festivals such as The | | | | of locally owned and franchise businesses. Austin |
| Austin City Limits Music Festival is an annual | | | | steakhouses include Mesa Ranch, Finn & |
| three-day celebration of Austin music. The Urban | | | | Porter, Kobe Steakhouse, Texas Land & |
| Music Festival is an outdoor, family orientated | | | | Cattle Steakhouse, Hudson's on the Bend, Main |
| festival featuring live music and activities held | | | | Street Grill and more. Delicious Mexican flavor can |
| along the banks of Town Lake at Auditorium | | | | be found at Jorge's, Rio Grande Tex Mex, La |
| Shores. The Zilker Hillside Theater also hosts the | | | | Reyna, Texican Café Lakeline, La Cocina |
| annual Zilker Summer Musical where you can | | | | de Consuelo, The Garden District, Juan in a Million |
| spread a blanket over the grass and settle down | | | | and Taco Xpress. Some of Texas' best barbecue |
| to enjoy the show. | | | | can be enjoyed at Chief's BBQ, Iron Works, Salt |
| Filmmaking has become another attribute | | | | Lick BBQ, Ruby's BBQ, Pok-e-Jo's Smokehouse |
| contributing to the allure of Austin. More than 350 | | | | and more. Austin includes rich Italian flavors at |
| major features and made-for-television movies | | | | Bellagio Italian Bistro, Andiamo Ristorante, |
| have been filmed in the city. In 2007 the city | | | | O'Leander Café, Gino's, Johnny Carino's |
| ranked third in a list of top ten cities for | | | | Country Italian and Saccone's Pizza. |
| moviemakers. An annual film/music/multimedia | | | | Austin attracts many visitors to its museums and |
| festival known as South by Southwest | | | | exhibits. The Blanton Museum of Art and the Bob |
| showcases hundreds of musical acts, hosts a | | | | Bullock Texas State History Museum both opened |
| frenzy of creative media entrepreneurs and has | | | | in 2006. The Texas State Capitol is also a major |
| gained international acclaim for its emphasis on | | | | tourist attraction. Mother Nature is on Austin's side |
| independent filmmaking. | | | | as residents and tourists flock to watch the |
| Austin rounds off its cultural experience by | | | | migration of the world's largest urban population |
| offering much in the way of Fine Arts. Enjoy | | | | of Mexican Free-tailed Bats that take up residence |
| Broadway musicals or concerts at Walden Magic | | | | inside the Congress Avenue Bridge. |
| Productions, Capital City Mystery Players, Austin | | | | The reputation of Austin's unique and quirky city |
| Murder Mystery Musicals, City Lights Theatres, | | | | life keeps Austinites proud and mesmerized |
| University of Texas Performing Arts Center, | | | | visitors. Austin was selected as the #2 Best Big |
| Gobotrick Theatre Company and Strings | | | | City in "Best Places to Live" by Money Magazine in |
| Attached Concerts. | | | | 2006. The city embraces the amenities and large |
| Austinites embrace the diverse lifestyles and | | | | corporations the world has to offer, while still |
| opportunities found within the city and the city's | | | | keeping a quaint and personal relationship with its |
| residents include a mix of professors, students, | | | | small businesses and entrepreneurs. Austin, Texas |
| politicians, lobbyists, musicians, state employees, | | | | is a mixture of musicians, filmmakers, executives, |
| high-tech workers and blue collar workers. | | | | lawyers, professors, students and free-thinkers all |
| The city is home to major technology | | | | dedicated to "Keep Austin Weird". |