As I sit in the middle seat at 32,000ft, my mind lingers on the ground behind me and the wonderful city of Austin we have just departed. Apart from the extraordinary number of NY transplants we met in the Texas capital, what stood out was the Southwest style.

As New Yorkers (and more specifically Brooklynites) we like to imagine ourselves the fashionistas of America with our Edison bulbs, reclaimed wood and colorfully ironic tchotchkes. Texas - in our minds - could never rise to the level of urban sophistication we have achieved in the East Coast’s largest city.

Happily, we could not have been more wrong.

From cowboy boots (Saskia now owns a pair) to breakfast tacos and a colorful assortment of vintage, clothing, Mexican novelties and forward leaning design, Austin has a spicy/smooth flavor all its own. A flair of old Mexico, a touch of cowboy and a splash of hipster combine in a distinct ancho-roasted, Mezcal-infused, sun drenched palate that impressed even us jaded Park Slopers.