June 27 was the 43rd anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, and President Obama will soon make a visit to Austin to meet with the LGBT Leadership Council on the heels of his recent official support for marriage equality.
Kosarek is a Realtor in Austin, and while his blog (and business) are geared toward helping people find a new home in town, Gay in Austin is really about making a home in this city — complete with insights into living, working, socializing, exercising and shopping. He started the blog as a creative outlet to tie together his love for exporing Austin, meeting new people and his real estate career.
“At the point when I started the blog, I felt a lack of creativity in my life. I made a list of things I enjoyed and after I filtered through everything I wrote down, the idea of a guide for gay people relocating to Austin popped into my head.”
Sixty percent of Kosarek’s clientele move here from other cities (at the time when he started the blog). “I felt that sharing my insight about Austin, and being able to connect with individuals moving here, would provide some cool and interesting experiences. Also, my friends jokingly call me the gay ambassador of Austin since I’m always meeting new people through my job or entertaining out of town guests.”
His instincts paid off: Recently a new Austin transplant told Kosarek that he had moved to Austin from France because of the Gay in Austin blog. Kosarek says that ever since he was a kid, he had a passion for getting involved with a community, and giving back to it.
“Throughout the years the organizations and issues have changed, but I’ve always found it rewarding to connect with people working towards a common goal. Now that I’m adult, I feel LGBT issues are more important to me because I understand their importance and the impact they have on our relationships, families, and lives.” Although his blog is geared toward gay people who are new to town or moving here, it has a decent heterosexual readership as well.
In his personal time, Kosarek has a list of favorite things that make him stop and think, “God, I love this city!” They include lying under the stars at the ACL Music Festival, sitting on a blanket at Blues on the Green, swimming at Barton Springs and boating on Lake Austin. He dreams of one day opening a bed and breakfast on the East Side, but admits that the fact that he doesn’t like to cook breakfast could be a problem. “I guess it would only be a bed and Egg McMuffin.”
Kosarek’s best advice for people new to Austin is to enhance your socialization.
“Austin is one of the most social cities in the country. Your ability to be social in a social city will determine your happiness in Austin. Being able to get involved, meet new people, explore neighborhoods, check out events, go outside of your comfort zone and develop the new relationships you’ve made along the way will contribute to your Austin experience,” Kosarek says.
“Every person you meet allows you to discover a secret world you didn’t know about before, introduces you to new characters that create crazy and fun experiences, and plugs you into the culture that is Austin.”
Article written by SHELLEY SEALE with CultureMap Austin – See Full Article
