Suburban "Austin" vs. Suburban Anywhere? (Spring, Portland: home, neighborhoods)

[Biscuits]

I find it interesting when I read people gushing about how great Austin is because of its local flavor (e.g. Barton Springs, SoCo, Las Manitas (joking), city vibe, etc...) and then start discussing which suburbs they should consider moving to.

Better yet, I find it even more interesting when threads emerge regarding which Austin neighborhoods are considered the best - using requested criteria such as proximity to downtown - and answers like Steiner Ranch emerge.

Let's all face some facts. When you live the suburbs, you are usually not doing much "living" in Austin. In most cases, your trips to town are during rush hour traffic and you can't wait to turn back around and get back to your home in suburbia.

This reality doesn't stop many from bragging to friends across the country that they are part of this groovy place, nor does it stop prospective suburban newcomers from feeling likewise - but it should.

Although it may be more hip to say you live in (or are moving to) Austin, Portland, or (insert flavor-of-the-month city here) than it is to say Oklahoma City, the suburbs are all going to be essentially the same, so who really cares?

That being the case, and assuming you had the choice, why do so many of you feel so passionately about master planned communities in Austin suburbia? What exactly separates it from its suburban cousins in every other area of the country?

-Biscuits