Elon Musk announced yesterday that he will move the headquarters of X, formerly Twitter, to Austin over a new gender identity law in California.

Why it matters: X's relocation reverses a trend of tech companies shrinking their footprint in Austin amid general economic upheaval.

Between the lines: The law in question bars school districts in California from requiring that schools notify parents if their child requests a pronoun change.

What they're saying: Musk wrote on X, "This is the final straw" and that "this law and the many others that preceded it" are "attacking both families and companies."

The big picture: Austin has become Musklandia.

• Even as Musk's politics might be out of step with those of most Austinities — Biden took 71.7% of the vote in Travis County in 2020 — his car company is now a major employer here.
• He has also moved the HQ of the Boring Company, his tunneling and infrastructure firm, to Pflugerville — and has opened offices for SpaceX and neurotech firm Neuralink in Central Texas.
• His private foundation, the Elon Musk Foundation, is also in Austin.

Zoom out: He also announced SpaceX will move its HQ from California to South Texas.

Flashback: Musk's decision to move X out of California in some ways has been telegraphed for years — in 2022, Gov. Greg Abbott encouraged Musk to "Bring Twitter to Texas."

What's next: Musk has not announced when X will move, whether employees will move or where exactly the new headquarters will be located.

Go deeper: Read why Musk is likely the most important business player in U.S. politics right now.

Texas restaurants are now vying for Michelin recognition as the respected star-tiered dining guide expands to the Lone Star State.

Why it matters: Texas' presence in the guide network brings international acclaim to the state's diverse food scene, boosting visibility and tourism.

The latest: Michelin announced the expansion yesterday. The first selections will be revealed later this year at the 2024 Texas Michelin Guide ceremony.

• San Antonio, Austin, Fort Worth, Dallas and Houston restaurants will be included.

How it works: Michelin Guide's anonymous inspectors award the coveted Michelin Stars (one, two or three) to restaurants.

• The methodology is based on quality products, harmony of flavors, mastery of cooking techniques, the voice and personality of the chef in the food, and consistency between each visit.

Between the lines: Using hotel occupancy tax revenue, Austin's tourism office is paying Michelin $90,000 as part of a yearlong promotional agreement, Visit Austin spokesperson Wesley Lucas tells Axios.

The intrigue: You could be dining in the presence of an inspector. Reviewers are already in the field, making reservations and dining in secrecy to ensure they're not given preferential treatment.

Zoom out: New York, Chicago, D.C., California, Atlanta and Miami/Orlando/Tampa each have Michelin Guides.

• The Texas scene is an "exhilarating" addition to the guides, Michelin international director Gwendal Poullennec said in a statement.

Reality check: The days of expert tastemaking have long been subsumed by crowdsourced — and free — sites like Yelp.

💭 Our thought bubble: Watching the grueling and obsessive efforts by the head chef in "The Bear" to win a star makes us wonder if it's really worth it.

🚓 An assistant police chief for the Cincinnati Police Department and the police chief at the Milwaukee Police Department are the two finalists for Austin's next police chief. (KUT)

🏡 Austin filmmaker Robert Rodriguez has put his 5,200-square-foot mid-century Lake Travis home on the market for $8.9 million. (The Real Deal)

🐘 Gov. Greg Abbott is scheduled to speak at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee tonight. (Houston Chronicle 🔒)

Quote du jour

"I am the little boy who loved to draw and never grew up."

In our continuing series where we ask an Austin chef or restaurateur about the one meal they'd take to a desert island, we chatted by phone with Vince Young Steakhouse owner Phillip Brown.

Behind the scenes: He spoke to us from northern Italy, where he's spending the summer as his 6-year-old, Brody, competes in go-karting.

• "He wants to be a Formula 1 racer, and ... the only way to do that is you have to be racing in Italy, you've got to be go-karting by the time you're 8 or 9 years old."

Flashback: Brown, who graduated from Westlake High, and his wife, Laura, opened the steakhouse in 2010 at age 24.

• Laura's father, Jim McIngvale — better known as Houston furniture impresario Mattress Mack — was a mentor to former University of Texas star Young, Brown said. As the restaurant got off the ground, the family entered into a naming-rights contract with the quarterback.

What's the one dish you'd take on your desert island?

Brown: "A Thanksgiving meal, mainly because of the stuffing I make... Our Thanksgiving has 24 to 25 people — we do it at my in-laws' place in Lago Vista, by Lake Travis — and that's the No. 1 requested item."

His dessert and drink choices

We've got a midweek challenge for you.

• Where is this lovely, peculiar Austin mural?

Slightly helpful hint: That chicken, apple and house are balancing on a Longhorn.

📬 Hit reply to this email and we'll pick a winner for our Thursday newsletter.