Best Renaissance: Christy Carlson Romano
Photo by Cass Klepac
Christy Carlson Romano is incredibly sweet—but she doesn’t want to sugarcoat anything. Adored by fans for her refreshing blend of candor, humor, and vulnerability, the former Disney star of Even Stevens and Kim Possible fame has spent the last two years digging deep and writing about her past for her new memoir, Once Upon a Trainwreck: The Fall and Rise of a Child Star. Debuting in October, the book delves into everything from her youthful stardom, losing all her money, battles with substance abuse, and how motherhood has shaped her.
“It’s a very brutal coming of age story… [but] it’s got a whole holistic side to it that is revelatory,” Romano says of the book. “There are certain things that we learn over time.”
The millennial icon has found a new level of gratitude and grounding ever since moving from Los Angeles to Austin with her husband, Brendan Rooney, and daughters Isabella and Sophia (now 9 and 7, respectively) in November 2020. She’s also amassed a broader fanbase in the last decade with her content creation and podcasting endeavors, from sharing humorous, relatable videos about growing older to documenting how a freak accident nearly blinded her.
In early 2025, while Romano took Brendan to shoot clay pigeons for a birthday celebration, another party accidentally fired their gun in the wrong direction and shot her in the face. The resulting injury was one millimeter away from blinding her left eye. “I think it took me about a year to even emotionally process that because it’s technically a medical miracle that I didn’t lose my vision,” she says.
But just as she’s always done, Romano continues to persevere. In addition to finishing her memoir, the performer returned to acting in 2026 after a seven-year hiatus to join the cast of the first-ever Disney and Hallmark movie collaboration alongside Lacey Chabert. In a full-circle moment, she even lived on-site at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida while filming Holiday Ever After: A Disney World Wish Come True, which will debut this holiday season.
During her time in the capital city, she loves exploring the local scene, whether it’s going to favorite spots like Sammie’s, Pecan Square Café, and Intero or grabbing a mocktail while out on the town. “You can experience Austin sober and have just as much fun,” says Romano, who celebrated 10 years of sobriety this year. In fact, she says she’s found some of the best friendships of her whole life here: “If you’re asking me what era I’m in, it’s the era of community,” she says. “And I think Austin has just been such a big part of that.”
Once Upon a Trainwreck: The Fall and Rise of a Child Star will be published on Oct. 6 by Simon & Schuster, and Holiday Ever After: A Disney World Wish Come True is slated to debut during the 2026 holiday season on the Hallmark Channel. Follow Romano at @christycarlsonromano on TikTok and @thechristycarlsonromano on Instagram.
Best Binge Watch: The Hunting Wives
Photo by Steve Noreyko
It was hard to resist last summer’s No. 1 Netflix hit, a jaw-dropping show about small-town Texas wives who love church, guns, and, well, hooking up with each other. But did you know that The Hunting Wives was based on a novel by Austin author May Cobb? Our sincerest thanks to Cobb for introducing us to lusty, complex characters like Sophie O’Neil and Margo Banks, who spiced up the doldrums of summer in this gripping whodunnit.
Best Library Upgrade: LBJ Presidential Library
Courtesy LBJ Library
With its famed animatronic LBJ, authentic Apollo 15 moon rock, and replica of the Oval Office, the LBJ Presidential Library has always been an impressive place. But this year, the institution went one step further with its expansive $4 million renovation. In March, the library debuted its updated 4,500-squarefoot permanent exhibit on the fourth floor, highlighting the Civil Rights Movement and adding artifacts like 45 million pages of documents, 650,000 photos, and 5,000 hours of recordings from the president’s political career. History buffs, rejoice!
Best Community Hangout: Leona
Photo by Diana Rothery
Some locations manage to check all the boxes. Leona could just as easily serve as a first date spot or bar to grab a drink with friends as it could accommodate a family-friendly stroll or a nature-centric respite for a solo coffee. In addition to mouthwatering fare from Veracruz All Natural, Bun Bun Burgers, and DEE DEE, the South Austin property features internationally inspired cocktails and plenty of outdoor seating amid the lush trees.
Best Health Advocate: Gabby Thomas
Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images
Track and field gold medalist and UT graduate Gabby Thomas has partnered with a new initiative to increase access to routine blood testing through the “Track Like Gabby” program. Austin company BetterWay has created a quick test that uses a simple finger prick rather than a traditional needle in the arm to identify everything from diabetes risk to kidney health. On top of her healthcare advocacy, the track star rescued an adorable pug after it got lost during a severe Central Texas freeze this past winter. Winning hearts and Olympic medals are feats worth celebrating.
Best Breakout Artist: Ty Myers
Photo by Rick Kern/Getty Images
Imagine being just a teenager and getting a chance to open for Willie Nelson. That may sound like the stuff of dreams, but it was reality for local country artist Ty Myers, whose breakout album Heavy on the Soul has propelled him to sudden fame. Now 19 years old, the rising star is headlining major venues, including Austin’s own Moody Center in November. Blending rock, soul, and country, Myers has proven himself an adept musician, but his greatest asset is his commanding voice, which wavers between honey smooth and charmingly gritty.
Best Director: Richard Linklater
Photo by Chris Saucedo/Getty Images
Ever since the release of Slacker in 1990, Richard Linklater has been a revered name in Austin. But the debut of breakout pictures like Boyhood, Bernie, and School of Rock propelled him to wider fame, even if he stayed true to his DIY roots. This year, Linklater managed to have two films nominated for Best Picture at the Golden Globes, with Blue Moon and Nouvelle Vague-disparate films that share a purpose by paying homage to other visionary artists, playwright Lorenz Hart and French filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard.
Best Urban Park: The Confluence
Photo by Roger Ho
For all its downhome charm, Austin feels like more like a bona fide big city with the arrival of The Confluence. The second phase of Waterloo Greenway includes a dazzling 13-acre urban park and ecological restoration with an 800-foot boardwalk, new pedestrian lattice bridges, and nearly 1,600 new trees and 200,000 native plants. Stay tuned for the arrival of Creek Show, the illuminated annual art show, which will move to The Confluence in November.
Best Animal Advocates: Jack Jack’s Pack
Sasha Aghili | Photo by Roj Rodriguez
With overflowing city shelters, an evergrowing number of street dogs, and weekly euthanasia calls at regional facilities, it’s a dire time for canines in need. But Sasha Aghili and her nonprofit answer the call to trap, rescue, and rehome animals in Texas through its altruistic network of fosters. Just this year, Jack Jack’s Pack has already saved hundreds of dogs from the most harrowing of circumstances-think ice storms, triple-digit heat waves, and catastrophic car accidents. When no one else is willing to help, this pack consistently steps up.
Best Screen Star: Sydney Chandler
Photo by Chris Delmas/AFP via Getty Images
Starring in the breakout show Alien: Earth was just the beginning for Dripping Springs resident Sydney Chandler. The budding talent also played the lead in Anima, an indie film co-starring Takehiro Hira (Shogun), which premiered at SXSW. And she snagged the Rising Star Award at the Texas Film Awards, where her father, Kyle Chandler of Friday Night Lights, gave a touching speech about sharing acting with his daughter. With Alien: Earth season 2 (helmed by Austin-based director Noah Hawley) already filming in London, we can’t wait to see Sydney back on screens soon.
Best Charity Event: Celebrity Waiter Night
Derrick and Brittni Johnson | Photo by Ben Porter
While nonprofit galas are always inspiring, they tend to be pretty formulaic-seated dinner, heartfelt video, live auction, wine for the table. But NFL star Derrick Johnson added a playful twist to his inaugural Celebrity Waiter Night benefit in February, where professional athletes, actors, and other stars donned aprons and served as guest waiters and bartenders for the evening. Wait, did Chris Klein from American Pie just refill my wine glass and TJ. Ford deliver the salad? Yup-and here comes Mack Brown with the bread basket!