West 4th and Colorado, the heart of Austin's Warehouse District

Austin's festive Warehouse District is a hotbed of great dining and club-going, with a mix of gay bars, swank lounges, and hip restaurants. In this photo, at the intersection of W. 4th and Colorado, you can see such favorite establishments as Truluck's Seafood to the left, Roppolo's Pizza Cart on the right, the trendy Starlite restaurant beyond that, and a Capital Pedicab in the foreground, awaiting business (this is a very gay-friendly company). Squint a little, and you might see the neon signage for Kenichi sushi a bit farther up Colorado. And if you really strain your eyes, you'll see the Texas State Capitol dome peeking up over the roofline of Starlite Restaurant, between the downtown skyscrapers. Truluck's, by the way, is an emerging Florida-based chain of steak and seafood restaurants - its slightly clubby, formal vibe seems a bit at odds with the devil-may-care Warehouse District, but the food is tasty. A better option, if you're seeking a cool scene and outstanding contemporary American fare, is Starlite, a posh cocktail bar and restaurant that serves such tempting victuals as warm spinach salad with roasted Yukon potatoes, cambozola cheese, and a warm bacon vinaigrette; and wild Tasmanian salmon with fricasee of baby corn, cream peas, and Louisiana crawfish along with sauteed woodear mushrooms and a lemongrass-scented sweet-corn puree. This is one of Austin's hottest tables, rightfully so.