I would like to know why Houston, Texas does not receive any respect. We are the fourth largest city in the United States with a very diverse community and a lot of delicious food. We also have the largest medical center and a bunch of sports teams. So why is it that when there is a survey about cities...they never include Houston but they include Dallas and Austin? We are barely talked about on national news unless there's an Enron or a murdering of children. I know our weather is not that great. And we are one of the fattest cities. And we are very polluted. But houses are very cheap here and the cost of living is not too expensive. Please tell me. Is there something wrong with Houston?
not true just a few months ago BET named Houston the #2 city for African Americans. http://www.ci.houston.tx.us/citygovt/mayor/press/091802a.htm Who says we don't get props? I don't believe it.
Yeh, I;ve heard differnet from other people. Keep it a secret and it'll all be ours! http://www.shinygun.com/content/houston.html
Yeah, even though I'm a Chicagoan now, it bothers me too that Houston doesn't get much respect, especially relative to Austin and Dallas. Fantastic restaurants, solid performing arts and museums, a pretty cool skyline, and much more diverse and cosmopolitan than any place in Texas or the South. Sure it has it's problems, but so do plenty of other towns. I'm so fed up with everyone going on about how awesome Austin is. Don't get me wrong -- it's a great town, just somewhat overrated. It's the worst restaurant town I've ever lived in. That live-music-capital-of-the-world thing is so overhyped. And it really has taken a turn for the worse the past few years -- the sprawl, the suburban culture, all the dry newcomers. Maybe it's just me, but so much of really what made Austin great and charming in the past just doesn't seem to be there anymore -- it's really a shame. And Dallas, ugh. It's just another version of Houston, without the diversity and cosmopolitan flavor. And I've seen lots more racist bullsh*t there than any other place I've been in. But that's very cool about Houston getting props for being one of the top cities for African Americans. It always seemed that it would be. In general, it's one of the best cities for minorities across the board to live in. Hate to say it, but I suspect that maybe that's part of the reason why more than a few Texans don't particularly like Houston. Anyway, screw the media and public perceptions -- just be silently satisfied you live in a great city. The acclaim will come -- without the annoying civic boosterism/homerism you see in plenty of other towns.
Austin is really nice but the city is way more crowded than when I went to UT between '89-93. I dont think the city's infrastructure is meant for 1 million + people. I think Houston has several things going against it. 1. The humidity is awful. It's hot 8 months of the year (although only July- September is truly unbearable). 2. There's not a lot of nature. Austin has a lot of natural hills and outdoor scenery. Houston is rather flat and blah. 3. Living here is cheap but I think inexpensive housing is a myth. You can find reasonable real estate if you want to drive 2 hrs a day in rush hour traffic. If you live anywhere near the loop, it can be expensive - much more so than a lot of other cities. 4. Traffic. Just terrible. 5. Non Stop construction. There's always construction and yet the traffic never seems to get any better. At least its not Boston.
I'd say the houses are much more cheaper than in California. The houses in the real Houston are pretty expensive. But our surburban cities like Sugar Land, Clear Lake, The Woodlands, and Katy are great places to live in. I guess Houston is bad because the only main source of transportation is by car. There is no other way to get around Houston because it is so big. And traffic is terrible. I agree. But Houston has been improving. It's not as bad as traffic in Los Angeles. Our airports are OK. About Houston's location. That's another problem. We are on flat land. Houston is made up of roads and buildings. But we do have a lot of birds that fly through. I wish somebody could do something to make Houston more appealing and have a better image. Without Mattress Mac, we would be worse than we are now! No one would care. I would like to thank him for giving the community so much. Weather is terrible. But since we don't have "There's not a lot of nature", why should you be outside? Houston is the energy capital and our air conditioning drives us. It's not that bad with the AC. There's no need to be outside. Diversity is probably the best thing. Houston's mayor is African-American. Half of Texas is Mexican. We have many different restaurants and Chinatown as well as great Mexican food. There are also many Indian-Americans and Pakistani-Americans. Our population is a major difference from the three biggest cities. Don't you think our population is actually much bigger with all the illegal aliens?
Good God, no! Mattress Mac is one of the worst things about Houston. You can't escape his shrill and crass self-promotion and, sorry, that's not worth a clay court tennis tournament and a failed bowl game.
When I lived in Houston I felt the same way. But Houston is really not a city; it's all suburbs and soooo spread out. Whenever I speak to someone about Houston, they, if they've been there, don't really know much about it. If they ask you about NASA, for instance, they assume it's somewhere in the city, not 1 1/2 hours from downtown. Also, as you all know, Houston is horribly ugly. All it is is concrete and metal, mostly man-made. I once knew a couple that moved to Atlanta from Houston. They moved back to Houston after a few months because they thought that Atl was "too green". Houston has A LOT to offer, but the main problem is tourism. Most people that live in the Greater Houston Area are there for commerce. I'm sure you can find a poll that shows tourists : residents ratio. I'll bet Houston is very close to last. I heard somewhere that NY is 90% tourists in th summer (I doubt that's true). I personally have a connection to Houston because it's where I grew up. I like it a lot, but I still know and always have known, that Hou was not a beautiful, fun place to live or visit. I never liked coming from a trip and heading back to Houston because there was no excitement and it seemed boring, especially in the summer. I must admit, though, that the Galleria is AWESOME, and the food is UNBELIEVEABLE.
Austin is really nice but the city is way more crowded than when I went to UT between '89-93. I dont think the city's infrastructure is meant for 1 million + people. Unfortunately, this is what happens when you DO get the recognition of being a good city.
The reason Houston gets no respect is that, apart from the humidity and traffic, it is a great place to live. Houston is not a tourist destination, but those of us who live here are mostly thankful that it is not. Those who do not live here are jealous of our low cost of living, lack of state taxes, restaurants, fine arts, and medical center. People always bash the things they either don't understand or are jealous of. I say screw em all. I'd much rather live here than in LA, NY or just about anywhere else, except maybe Amsterdam. I lived in LA for over 12 years. If you make less than $100,000 a year in LA, you are living like a college student, eating beefaroni over the sink for dinner and living in a ****hole apartment. I make less than $100,000 here in Houston, and I own a house on a quarter acre lot a half mile outside the loop and drive a Lexus. Which is better? You decide. I choose Houston.
Every major city outside of LA, NY, and Chicago thinks they don't get respect. It's the same thing everywhere. Just like people say "the traffic here is the worst anywhere!" no matter where you go. Or the line about "if you don't like the weather, wait a few minutes, it'll change... ah boy, that's ___________ weather for ya!"
Screw what the other guys think. I dont need more people coming here....the lines at Lupe Tortillas are long enough now.
There are good neighborhoods to buy in right inside the loop and right outside it. You don't have to buy a McTracthome in the burbs. You just have to look. Brays Heights is redeveloping nicely. 4th ward will be very nice. Eastside has some opportunities. Garden Oaks and surrounds are nice. Even picked over areas like the Heights or museum district or montrose always have fix-up and conversion opportunites. One can convert a duplex or commerical to cool SFR. Our lack of zoning has its charms, as well as perils, in creating true urban neighborhoods.
Actually, when I was a waiter in Corpus, I waited on tourists from St. Louis, Indianapolis, Minneapolis and Tampa and they all said Houston's traffic was ridiculous.
All I know is that everytime I go thru Dallas, I get stuck in heavy construction and traffic. IMO, the only part of Houston that has worse traffic than Dallas is around the Galleria. Houston is just concrete and steel? Then why is so much of the city hard to see thru the trees? There are only 2 areas in Houston that don't have lots of trees, Downtown and along 225.. Maybe I don't see what all yall seem to see since I live out on the far east side (BTown)...but I know when I'm up in one of the taller buildings in Houston, and I look out over the city, I see alot of green. Oh yea, and NASA isn't an hour and a half from downtown...I can get from Clear Lake to Downtown in less than 45 minutes.
seems the problem here is that even people from houston don't know enough about houston!!! we have people saying NASA is an hour and a half away from downtown...we have people saying there isn't affordable housing unless you live 2 hours away from town...not really a city??? and hot 8 months out of the year??? how do you define, "hot?" geez...great representatives, fellas!!!
At least no one has criticized me yet. The worst traffic is Highway 59 in the southwest. It's terrible. Southwest Freeway...
