Consider yourself lucky. The violence that has penetrated many of the "fun" areas of town is alot worse than it was even just 10-15 years ago. Maybe I'm just getting old. I often wonder what Richmond and Westheimer would be like if the Rockets won today compared with what it was 10 years ago.
I've been in Austin for the past few years while going to UT. I'm pretty tired of Austin, and worst of all I haven't had a decent kabob in months .
It's just personal preferences, but if you trust any of the 'best places to live' lists, Austin is preferred by more than Houston. But so what? I love both cities, and although I am aware of their deficiencies, I don't care to dicuss them in detail. Why should we? I was raised in Houston, moved there when I was very young...1968. It has matured in a fine fashion and continues to improve. Austin has been impacted by the influx of non-Texans from California to Connecticut. No knock on these folks, but the social norms are different there. Still, there is easily enough old Austin, Austinites, and stunning scenery to retain an awesome ambiance and uniqueness. (And as for you kids that think they 'know' Austin because they spend 9 months a year here on campus with other students from around the world ... pls spare us).
Austin. I'm anti-sprawl and a pretty liberal guy. Houston has the "redneck" factor that it can't get rid of. When I was in NYC, every time I told someone I was from Austin, they said "Man, I've always wanted to live there." Austin is an oasis in the middle of a desert. It's not deep south and not redneck. That's what I like about it. I'm not sure if Houston is one of the 3 or 4 most diverse cities. Chicago, LA, Boston, NYC, Seattle, Philly? I don't know.
A lot of us actually spend 11 months a year in Austin because of summer school, I know I've pretty much been here ever since I entered as a Freshman (winter break not included, of course).
I love that area, Baqui. I just moved from a 3rd floor apartment out off off 2222 just up the hill before 620. My apartment faced out over the 360 area where I had a perfect view of downtown.
Make it 12 months a year, little difference to me. I spent 4 years in college here. I liked Austin then, but my perspective now living 'the family life' and financially comfortable for the past 5 years is quite different. Austin's even better. I've lived in Houston for nearly 15 years, LA for over 10 (including Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, and Hermosa Beach), New York for 6 years, Colorado for 2 years, and traveled regularly on business to Seattle, San Francisco, Portland and Chicago. These are a bunch of great cities but I love Austin and the Hill Country and couldn't imagine raising my kids anywhere else.
Jeff, I moved to Austin in '80, so I really can't speak to the scene in the Richmond area during the '80's and '90's. No doubt it's changed, just as both cities have changed, and in so many ways not for the better. When I lived close to Richmond and West Alabama, a few blocks from South Shepard, it was a very liberal, hip (as in hippies) place to live. I felt safe walking around at night. We lived in a 4-plex, made from an old two-story house, and everyone who lived there were cool, and good friends... the kind who gave you something when you were out, with a smile, and you returned the favor. I knew many people within a several block area. There were parties every weekend to go to. It could get really hard to figure out what to do, because so much was going on. I remember the Halloween parties a few blocks off of Westheimer, where two groups of friends had houses across the street from each other, and we strung colored lights across the street and had a block party into the wee hours. I loved living in Houston, and in the neighborhoods I lived in. I still have most of my friends there. I just always liked Austin more and, like I said, when the chance came to move here, I jumped at it. People generalize too much about both cities. I'm sorry, but I think you do the same thing about the music scene here. As for 6th Street, most people I know don't bother going on the weekends. It's mostly the college crowd, and people from out of town. During the week it can be a good place to have a beer, or eat lunch. Except for Esther's Follies, that's about it. More locals hang in the Warehouse District, or other places around town. It can't be stressed enough how different the outdoor scene is. Town Lake, Zilker, Auditorium Shores, Lake Austin and Travis, although Travis isn't what it was... too damned crowded. In fifteen minutes, from my place in Southwest Austin, I can be chillin' in the country, listening to the birds, and watching the water bubble down a creek while drinking a cold one. And I can't hear a freeway. Austin is just different. It was back in the '60's, and it still is. Sure, it's changed, but it's still the coolest place to live in Texas if you happen to be a liberal, like spectacular weather, the outdoors, and music. Yes, Houston has so much Austin doesn't have. I miss drinking beer on the bay, sailing or fishing. I miss the fireworks on Clear Lake on New Year's. I miss the seafood more than I can say. I really miss being close to the coast. The symphony, opera, ballet, theatre, museums in Houston blows much of Austin's away, although Austin's theatre scene is much better than it's given credit for. Hey, I love Houston. I just love living in Austin much, much more. If I could get my friends to all move here, move the major culture venues of Houston here, and could yank the coast a hundred miles closer, I'd be one happy cat and have the best of both worlds. That not being possible, I just enjoy being here. Like I said, there is way too much generalization going on, about both cities. And I agree with the comment that if you went to UT 9 months out of the year, and think you know Austin, that you're silly. (you're not silly, Jeff... I'm using the "royal" you. Besides, I've no idea if you went to UT. I'll die being a Cougar fan, myself. Needless to say, I've been suffering a lot for a long time, lol.) Oh, and I'm not as clued in to the music scene here as much as I used to be. I'll admit that. Blues at Antone's, and jazz at the Elephant Room has been more of my thing. That'll change in September, though. We'll be going out a lot more. Austin passed a smoking ban for clubs and bars, just last Saturday (we have lots of local elections... you have no idea!), and that's when it goes into effect. I am stoked!
I lived in Houston for 20 years. I moved to Austin 5+ years ago with my wife. She's from SA. When we both graduated from SHSU, we decided that she didn't like Houston and I hate SA, so we moved to Austin because we both hate Dallas. We said we give it a few years in Austin and if it didn't work out, we'd consider going back to Houston or out of state. It's been 5 years and we've bought a house and have a kid on the way. We have no thoughts of moving anywhere other than a little closer to downtown (we currently live in Harris Branch). I love Houston but the only things I truly miss is my family, friends, and going to an Astros or Rockets game when ever I feel like it. Having the Round Rock Express helps me get my baseball fix and it's a wonderful place to watch a game. I've latched on to UT sports to help with the basketball fix and just having someone local to root for. My only problems with Austin is the design of the city/roads. Whomever laid out the road system here should have been shot. We have 2 "loops" that don't loop anything. They're making existing, paid for roads in to tollways. That and I can't stand how many people here drive below the speed limit on the freeways (in the fast lane, no less!). There wouldn't be a traffic problem in Austin if people would just step on the gas. Other than that, Austin beats Houston on most every front. The music scene is lightyears ahead of Houston. There is something to do outside nearly every weekend. The air is cleaner. It was the blue speck in an otherwise bright red state. I love both cities, but I think I'm staying in Austin.
I hear it alot and read it alot in this post "The Job Market, The Job Market, The Job Market" ...here's another question: Why can't you people keep a job? ...duck and cover
Maybe you've heard of downsizing or layoffs. Or even graduating from college and finding a job. All play a part in a 'Job Market'
I'm not usually a fan of this smilie, but here goes.... I like to respond to this question with one of my own....why can't the companies I work for stay in business?
Obviously I was being snarky, but I have heard people whose only basis on where they live/a town's worth/favorite city is Job Market. I do understand though that I am lucky, in this ****ty economy, to have been at a job i love for a long time. I also know alot of people (usually men, usually young) that move from job to job on a regular basis that cannot blame it on wesnesked's layoffs or downsizing. Oh, and
It's not easy finding jobs, though it depends to some extent on what you're willing to do and how little money you're willing to make. Many people want to work in their chosen field or make at least a certain amount, and that's not always possible. Recently, a lot of job markets have dried up or been outsourced to other countries. And there are lots of good reasons for not keeping your previous job: it disappeared, you wanted to follow somebody to another town, bad work conditions, you couldn't stand the people you worked for or they couldn't stand you... life happens and people move on. People move around a lot these days. I used to say I was going to find a way to stay in Houston forever, and I didn't do it. I wouldn't live just anywhere, though. In the academic arena, I noticed most people were headed for competitive postdocs or teaching positions. When they visited another city to look for a job, the only thing that seemed to concern them was the weather. And even that, not too much. (They were going to be in the lab all day anyway. ) Not much concern for the social climate or expensiveness of the city. And very little concern for: whether or not they were close to family or friends, opportunities to pursue interests other than their main job, and just whether they liked the town's attitude or not. I try to at least stay "in the south" or "within 1 day's drive of my family, unless I have a whole lot of money for flying". I don't think there's anything wrong with wanting to live in a certain location. Your job isn't everything.
Quick points: * Jeff is spot-on regarding everything. * How in the world can you compare both cities if you "grew up" in one and then lived in the other? I think your experience as a 15-year-old is going to be quite different from when you're 23 and out of school. I would think that's going to bias you either to your hometown or to the cool new place away from your parents. * meggoleggo - maybe, just maybe, those Austin fans who like the Spurs like them because they're the closest team in town or they admire what the Spurs have become. * Richmond and that area's crime and violence having "gone up in the past 15 years". Is that true? Hasn't there been a dramatic drop in crime all over the country during this time? I don't think the crime rate is that high. * When I lived in Austin, I thought it was just as hot as Houston. The humidity was comparable and not worth arguing over the 10-20% difference. Now that I'm in California, I think that old argument is totally trash. Neither city can be considered dry. * I definitely agree with the lack of diversity in Austin. For sure. * I sure remember seeing a hell of a lot of Bush stickers during the summer of last year in Austin. Liberal my butt. Relative to the rest of Texas? Sure. Relative to the country? Uh, no.
