Timothy Dailey-Valdés

Here in Austin, we tend to resist generalizations. We bristle at the idea of being painted with a broad brush. But while many an Austinite will tell you that labels are for cans, a map needs labels, too. Knowing our city means getting to know our neighbors and ourselves. Below is a completely incomplete field guide to some of the folks you’re bound to meet if you stick around long enough. The GentrificationistLike the conquistadores of old, these adventurers arrive and stake their claims. They drive rents up and drive locals out. They talk with glassy-eyed nostalgia about their faraway hometowns, over PBRs at the newest cookie-cutter hipster bar. Wait. Didn’t this place used to be a family-owned taquería? The Self-PromoterIf you come across the Self-Promoter, they’ll let you know. This Austinite can often be found working as a DJ, a freelance mixologist, a real estate agent, a victim of a pyramid scheme or an indie band member. Whatever they do, the bulk of their work is advertising their services. Rarely seen without a business card or a stack of flyers, the Self-Promoter means well. But if they have a gig coming up, you’re going to hear about it for weeks. The DudebroThese good ol’ boys can often be found at parties near the campuses of our local institutions of higher education, but they rarely study. The typical Dudebro is often identifiable by his khaki shorts and Polo shirt, but you may smell his body-spray before you see him. The StartupEntrepreneurial, sociable and fu

Life can be a struggle no matter where you live, but it’s a lot more pleasant if you can learn to enjoy the little things. In Austin, any simple win can be a reason to celebrate. We don’t need to wait for SXSW or a Longhorn championship to get excited. Every day is special in the City of the Violet Crown—as long as you can savor your own victories, like the ones below. 1. Finding a parking space that’s free, shaded and/or closer than a day’s trek to your final destination. 2. Alternatively, remembering where you parked. 3. Getting the bartender’s attention at last call. 4. Snagging a booth at Magnolia Café on First Thursday. 5. A friend canceling plans on the opposite side of town. 6. Remembering your reusable bags when you head to H-E-B. 7. Driving behind someone who knows how to use their blinkers. 8. Reaching a restaurant consensus in under an hour. 9. Discovering something before the out-of-towners do. 10. Claiming an outlet for your laptop charger at Thunderbird Coffee. 11. Strolling down Congress without being stopped to by an overeager volunteer. 12. Resisting the urge to pet every dog on the Hike-and-Bike Trail. 13. Going to a party where no one pulls out a guitar. 14. Getting from Point A to Point B without having to take I-35 or MoPac. 15. Feeding the ducks at Zilker and not being attacked by a swan or goose. 16. Getting through a night at the Broken Spoke without stepping on anybody’s toes. What other life victories do Austinites strive for? Let us know in the comm

Austin is a city of skewed perceptions. Developing at record pace while still reveling in its own unabashed weirdness, there are aspects of living in this city that barely register as a blip on our radar. As a local, the line between ordinary and odd can get pretty blurry, so we took a step back and examined some of the things Austinites don’t give a second thought about—for better or for worse. 1. Dress codes (Jeans to the opera, shorts to church, an evening gown to a dive bar—you know, whatever). 2. Roving gangs of food-snatching grackles. 3. Segway tourists. 4. Fall (the season), because it barely exists here. 5. Roadwork, which is basically just part of who we are now. 6. Those blue signs lining the Lamar Underpass, which may look utilitarian, but they’re actually a work of city-funded art. 7. Celebrity Austinites, just walking around, living their lives. 8. The governor’s cartoonish contempt for them and their town. 9. Public proposals in front of the "i love you so much" wall at Jo’s. Y’all lovebirds are real cute, but nothing gets between an Austinite and their caffeine. 10. Temperatures that would be considered an emergency elsewhere. 11. Pronunciation logic (Manchaca, Guadalupe, Koenig…). 12. Professional sports teams (We don’t have ’em, we don’t need ’em! #ThinkLocal). 13. Public transportation (We don’t have much of this either, but we sure could use it!). 14. Noise ordinances (Loud Music Capital of the World, am I right?). 15. Carpets of gorgeous wildflowers along

For those who grew up in Austin—who can accurately say "I'm from here"—the Austin experience is a truly unique one. Transplants look at you like they’re seeing a live mermaid. Fellow lifers treat you like a comrade in battle. And there are a million little ways your life, your attitude and your view of Austin might be just a little bit unconventional. Here are a few indicators that you might have grown up in the 512—before they went and added that second area code. 1. You use place names that make visitors scratch their heads (’cause it’s hard to find The Drag or Town Lake on Google Maps). 2. The first Leslie you think of isn’t Knope or Nielsen. It’s the late, great Leslie Cochran (who was on a first-name basis with everyone). 3. You remember when you had to specify “Austin, Texas” while traveling out of state, and nobody knew anything about your hometown—except maybe that it’s the state capital. 4. If SXSW was a person, your relationship status would be “It’s Complicated.” 5. You’ve completed more than one white-paper-bag job application at Amy’s Ice Creams, whether you intended to work there or not. 6. You build extra time into your driving plans to account for traffic, no matter where you’re going or when. 7. You don’t question a public birthday celebration for a fictional donkey. 8. You know Chuck E. Cheese’s had nothing on Celebration Station and Pandamonium. 9. You think charging for chips and salsa is a crime against humanity. 10. You have at least one Matthew McConaug