The Hip Zip 78704

When referring to "hip," the Merriam-Websters Dictionary defines it as: a : having or showing awareness of or involvement in the newest developments or styles b : very fashionable : trendy

          I want to take the definition a step further and add: the collective consciousness, or the soul, of a community that has developed over time and  identifies that community in regard to its people, architecture, music and general way of and outlook on life. 

           Welcome to my blog "the hip zip 78704." The "zip 78704" refers to the geographical location in South Austin, Texas bounded on the north by Lady Bird Lake, the south by Ben White blvd, the east by Interstate Highway 35, and on the west by the Mopac Freeway.

       "The hip" is what I will endeavor to convey to readers, through my eyes, of what it means to be part of an environment that has developed into a unique community consisting of an eclectic melting pot of avant-garde artists, musicians, intellectuals, business entrepreneurs and plain old everyday folks. I hope to write a continuing series of blogs describing different aspects of  my community, some historical in nature and some based on current events.

       Gertrude Stein wrote, when referring to suburbia, "There's no there there" meaning that the sprawl of newly developed tracts of real estate were sterile, had no history, had no soul, had no "there."
        So come along with me on a journey to discover why we, who live in "The Hip Zip 78704" say, "There's 'there' here."

Art and Music in

“The Hip Zip 78704”

Austinites take pride in eccentricities and celebrate the differences between themselves and other U.S. cities. "Keep Austin Weird" has become a local motto in recent years, featured on innumerable bumper stickers and t-shirts. This motto has not only been used in promoting Austin's eccentricity and diversity, but is also meant to bolster support of local and independent businesses.

The Hip Zip 78704 is home to a lot of artists. They can be seen selling their art along South Congress (SoCo). Every first Thursday of the month, during what is known as First Thursday, the eclectic shops on South Congress stay open late, artists sell their works on the sidewalks, and musicians play in the streets. This is truly a spectacle of Austin, and exemplifies its cultural side.



Austin’s Music Scene

The Hip Zip 78704

With Austin's official slogan “The Live Music Capital of the World,” the city has a vibrant live music scene with more music venues per capita than any other U.S. city. Austin's music revolves around the many nightclubs on 6th Street, South Congress Ave in “The Hip Zip 78704” and an annual film/music/multimedia festival known as South by Southwest. The longest-running concert music program on American television, Austin City Limits, is videotaped at the new upscale W hotel in the warehouse district. Austin City Limits and Capital Sports & Entertainment run the Austin City Limits Music Festival, an annual music and art festival held at “The Hip Zip 78704’s” Zilker Park in Austin. Many free outdoor concerts are held along the banks of Lady Bird Johnson Lake at Auditorium Shores in “The Hip Zip 78704”. The Urban Music Festival is held during the Texas Relays weekend every April. Other annual events include Eeyore's Birthday Party and the Austin Reggae Festival (previously named Bob Marley Festival) in April and Carnaval in February. Halloween, St Patrick's Day, Mardi Gras, July 4th, and Juneteenth (Emancipation Day) are all celebrated.



Austin, Texas

The Hippest City on the Planet

Austin frequently appears on "best of" lists. RelocateAmerica's "Top 10 Overall" Money Magazines's "Best Big City", MSN's "Greenest City in America" just to name a few.


Austin is quite simply a melting pot of sights and sounds that can't be found anywhere else on the planet. From the quirky cast of characters that populate South Congress Avenue and “The Hip Zip 78704” to burnt orange-clad University of Texas students, bats to Longhorns, four-star restaurants to down-home barbecue joints, corporate CEOs to struggling musicians, Texas' capital city stands apart from the rest. Austin became a tech center, home to many large employers, in the 1990s. Today it maintains these identities and also fosters an increased prominence in the film industry.

It's hip and trendy, yet in a vintage sort of way. It's high-tech and laid-back. It's politically charged and culturally rich. It's eclectic by nature and creative by design. Most of all, it's a place where people like to have a good time.

The city is the cultural and economic center of the Austin-Round Rock metropolitan area with a population of more than 1.7 million residents. Its diverse neighborhoods include urban lofts and large country estates; starter homes and affordable apartments, making Austin truly a community for everyone.

Home sells up in the Hip Zip 78704

Home sales between Jan. 1, 2011 and July 1, 2011 in The Hip Zip 78704 are up 8% over the same period last year. The Hip Zip 78704 continues to be a much valued area of Austin in which to live. Land values have not only held steady, but have increased, over the last six months and I am proud that the Hip Zip 78704 remains a unique, albeit eclectic, place to call home.

I want to give you a little history of my involvement in Travis Heights. My grandparents built their home on Alta Vista Ave. in 1926. It was a small white bungalow of approximately a thousand square feet, built in the style of the times. In 1953, they remodeled and expanded the home to around sixteen hundred square feet. This is the house I knew growing up in Travis Heights, visiting my grandparents, playing in the park and exploring the creek. In 1988, my wife, Tamara, and I moved in after our wedding. In 1990, Tamara and I decided to renovate, and the entire house went through a major remodeling. We completed the upstairs, added a new kitchen, a master suite and back deck. In 1995, our oldest daughter was born, followed by our youngest daughter in 1997. Our daughters attended Faith Presbyterian preschool where I served as the chairman of the board of directors. Our daughters attended Travis Heights Elementary where during nine years Iwas president of the PTA for a year, and was co-chair of the CAC (campus advisory committee) for 8 years, working closely with other parents living in our neighborhood, the administration and faculty of the school. In 2003, I formed a band consisting of myself and 5 talented teachers. the student body, through a school wide vote, named the band “The Thunderband.” For six years we played at all school functions and every friday assembly. Although I retired from the band in 2009, it is still performing today.

On the afternoon of january 16, 2006, our home was destroyed by fire. although the experience was horrific, we could never have lived in a better place than travis heights. Before the sun set, our family had a place to stay, thanks to the Ballards, food and clothing. Travis Heights Elementary supplied our family with nightly meals prepared by grade level. a fund was set up thanks to the Selcraigs and the clothes we were able to salvage were laundered by washing machines all around the community. We were able to rent a home on Travis Heights Blvd. during the construction of a new home. It took us two years and a lot of sweat and tears, but we were able to rebuild our home covering the same footprint as the old house. Not for an instant did we consider moving to another neighborhood. Our oldest daughter attended Fulmore Middle School magnet and is now enrolled at LASA (liberal arts and science) high school. Our youngest is enrolled at Fulmore Middle School and is also in the magnet program. In the five decades I have been involved in Travis Heights i have seen many changes, some good, some not so good. I can remember Riverside Drive as a two lane road, and a South Congress Ave. where it was not recommended to be on after dark. A far cry from the South Congress we know today as the place to see and be seen. 78704 is “the hip zip,” and Travis Heights is the coolest place is the city to raise a family.