APRIL 9TH, 2009
Austin-tatious
Head south and be charmed by the coolest, quirkiest city in the big state of Texas.
sleep
New boutique hotel Kimber Modern in the hip SoCo neighbourhood is a modernist masterpiece, replete with clean lines, splashes of colour, Philippe Starck fixtures and Eames chairs. The five-room wonder skips the stodgy formalities of check-in and check-out with keyless entry that lets you pick your own passcode when you book. In the morning, help yourself to a gourmet breakfast in the gorgeous common area then kick back in the courtyard for cocktail hour—it's all included. From $315, Kimber Modern, 110 The Circle, Austin, 512-912-1046, www.kimbermodern.com
eat
For a true taste of the region's specialties on the cheap hit up Rudy's for barbeque and Chuy's for Mexican. After you've gorged on smoked meat and margaritas, get back to your sushi roots at Uchi. We were skeptical it could rival the West Coast, but as soon as we spotted rap diva Kanye West there, we knew it'd be top-notch. We partook of traditional and untraditional fare and both held up. Uchi, 801 South Lamar, Austin, 512-916-4808, www.uchiaustin.com
shop
You can't go to Texas without wrangling a pair of cowboy boots, and the place to get them is Allens Boots. The legendary shop has row upon row, from classic black to walking works of art. Then it's just a hop, skip and a jump to fully embracing your inner Johnny Cash at Blackmail Boutique down the street. As the name suggests, it's about all things black—from leather jackets to scented soaps.
do
Other than the obvious must-dos for music lovers—South by Southwest in spring and Austin City Limits Music Festival in fall—there's the Barton Springs Pool to satisfy the year-round sun-worshipper in us all. Fed by cool natural spring water and surrounded by green grassy knolls, the three-acre swimming hole is a veritable oasis just an earshot from downtown. Also an exhibitionist at heart? Topless sunbathing is permitted. Barton Springs Pool, 2101 Barton Springs Rd., Austin, 512-476-9044.
