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One problem Houston has that is hard for anyone to consider it on the level of New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago or even a number of other large cities in the country is that it doesn't really have a distinct local culture, at least one with a well known national image. I mean this with all due respect to anyone from Houston. Everyone knows what NYC culture and lifestyle is and LA and culture and lifestyle is and Chicago culture and lifestyle is but really what images comes to mind when people think of Houston culture and lifestyle? Houston is often defined through the lens of a generic Texas lifestyle but great cities like those mentioned above often have a unique identity apart from it's state. This is not unique to Houston, really all big cities in Texas have this problem in my view. It would probably take a Texan to even tell an outsider the difference between Houston culture and Dallas culture. This is not the case in the northeast, the west coast or even the midwest. Sure there are some similarities between Boston, NYC, Philly and DC in terms of built environment but most know each city has a unique culture and history. People have been talking about NASA and as important as that is it really isn't enough to define the city in a cultural sense. If Houston wants to be a great city it has to move beyond being seen as just generic Texas city USA.
One problem Houston has that is hard for anyone to consider it on the level of New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago or even a number of other large cities in the country is that it doesn't really have a distinct local culture, at least one with a well known national image. I mean this with all due respect to anyone from Houston. Everyone knows what NYC culture and lifestyle is and LA and culture and lifestyle is and Chicago culture and lifestyle is but really what images comes to mind when people think of Houston culture and lifestyle? Houston is often defined through the lens of a generic Texas lifestyle but great cities like those mentioned above often have a unique identity apart from it's state. This is not unique to Houston, really all big cities in Texas have this problem in my view. It would probably take a Texan to even tell an outsider the difference between Houston culture and Dallas culture. This is not the case in the northeast, the west coast or even the midwest. Sure there are some similarities between Boston, NYC, Philly and DC in terms of built environment but most know each city has a unique culture and history. People have been talking about NASA and as important as that is it really isn't enough to define the city in a cultural sense. If Houston wants to be a great city it has to move beyond being seen as just generic Texas city USA.
Just because outsiders are only able to "perceive" that which they see on television, doesn't mean that Houston doesn't have a unique identity. The only reason those other cities you mentioned are well known is because they're popular. You turn on the TV and you see popular shows and major news events taking place in these towns, so the public is more familiar with them. Houston isn't a popular city, so it's culture isn't well known. Houston does have problems to fix, but culture isn't necessarily one of them.
For years, the rest of the nation has held such an ugly grudge against the south, and has insisted that there's nothing down here worth seeing or doing. That isn't our fault.
If someone comes down to Houston and stays right in the suburbs, and can't find anything to do, they have no one to blame but themselves. Anyone who truly knows Houston is aware that it most definitely has an identity seperate from the state.
Houston is content being Houston. It is trying to improve itself, but people that love the city, do so with good reason and could care less what outsiders think about their town. If you asked the average native Houstonian whether or not they were concerned with becoming some glamorous global capital, they'd most likely chuckle, say "no", and continue to go on with their life.
Just thought I'd ask. There isn't but 5 people that live on the Virgin Islands, anyway, so I thought there was a chance you could have been one of the cast members.
And there was a lot on television worse than College Hill.
Even if Dallas and Houston were double the size of Chicago, they will not have the dynamic of Chicago. Chicago don't have too many cowpokes, nor are the streets built fer pick-up trucks. You Texas people stay in your religious Texas!
No, this is incorrect. The entire Space Shuttle fleet was built in Palmdale at the Rockwell facility, and the rocket engines were built by Rocketdyne in Canoga Park.
I am not sure where you got your information but all of the NASA space shuttles are or were completed at the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center. Likewise the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama were responsible for the research/design of the rockets used in manned spacecraft.
One problem Houston has that is hard for anyone to consider it on the level of New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago or even a number of other large cities in the country is that it doesn't really have a distinct local culture, at least one with a well known national image. I mean this with all due respect to anyone from Houston. Everyone knows what NYC culture and lifestyle is and LA and culture and lifestyle is and Chicago culture and lifestyle is but really what images comes to mind when people think of Houston culture and lifestyle? Houston is often defined through the lens of a generic Texas lifestyle but great cities like those mentioned above often have a unique identity apart from it's state. This is not unique to Houston, really all big cities in Texas have this problem in my view. It would probably take a Texan to even tell an outsider the difference between Houston culture and Dallas culture. This is not the case in the northeast, the west coast or even the midwest. Sure there are some similarities between Boston, NYC, Philly and DC in terms of built environment but most know each city has a unique culture and history. People have been talking about NASA and as important as that is it really isn't enough to define the city in a cultural sense. If Houston wants to be a great city it has to move beyond being seen as just generic Texas city USA.
Houston is the underdog because its easily THE most diverse city in the Southern United States. I always love treating first time visitors through the city's vibrant cultural districts & seeing their eyes light up & jaws drop to the floor.
Houston is the underdog because its easily THE most diverse city in the Southern United States. I always love treating first time visitors through the city's vibrant cultural districts & seeing their eyes light up & jaws drop to the floor.
I am not saying Houston has nothing to offer or no culture I am just saying it does not have a big cultural image like older cities or even a newer city like Los Angeles. I mean this in a constructive criticism kind of way, this is one of the reasons that some people scoff at talk of people trash talking Chicago because Houston is catching up in population. As it stands today Houston has nowhere near the cultural image that Chicago has. I would say that among the big three (NYC, LA and Chicago) Chicago would be the underdog in cultural reputation but as far as Chicago is from NYC that is how far Houston is from Chicago in terms of it's cultural image. If you want to look at that general region of the south one city with a very big cultural image would be New Orleans for obvious reasons, it is in fact much smaller than Houston but everyone knows what New Orleans culture is. When Los Angeles eclipsed Chicago in population at least it was a city with an already very strong cultural image. All Houston really has going for it is population alone. When you mention Houston to most people they just think "Texas, cowboys, oil, maybe NASA", that really is pretty weak sauce compared to the big three.
I am not saying Houston has nothing to offer or no culture I am just saying it does not have a big cultural image like older cities or even a newer city like Los Angeles. I mean this in a constructive criticism kind of way, this is one of the reasons that some people scoff at talk of people trash talking Chicago because Houston is catching up in population. As it stands today Houston has nowhere near the cultural image that Chicago has. I would say that among the big three (NYC, LA and Chicago) Chicago would be the underdog in cultural reputation but as far as Chicago is from NYC that is how far Houston is from Chicago in terms of it's cultural image. If you want to look at that general region of the south one city with a very big cultural image would be New Orleans for obvious reasons, it is in fact much smaller than Houston but everyone knows what New Orleans culture is. When Los Angeles eclipsed Chicago in population at least it was a city with an already very strong cultural image. All Houston really has going for it is population alone. When you mention Houston to most people they just think "Texas, cowboys, oil, maybe NASA", that really is pretty weak sauce compared to the big three.
Got a true story for you.
I was at the top of Rockafellar Center (observation deck) a couple of Summers back & heard an anonymous conversation between two complete strangers talking about New York's skyline & how awesome it is. To my surprise one of the men mentioned Houston & how it also has a very tall/large/intimidating skyline among US cities. I had to do a double take on what I had just heard because you just don't hear that in a place like New York. I wanted to say something like "you know what, you're absolutely right!", but I just kept my composure & warm fuzzy feeling glowing inside.
Chicago was never mentioned because everyone knows already it has a giant skyline.
Houston's skyline is 3rd only to Chicago in number of skyscrapers over 400-1,000 ft.
Some views of Houston's skyline can be jaw dropping when you see all of the skylines spread out over the city line up from a distance giving the illusion of one continuous skyline across the horizon. This is best seen from the East side near the ship channel & from the South side heading north towards the Med Center & Downtown.
Houston is also 2nd only to NYC in Fortune 500 companies & has the 2nd largest theater district after Broadway.
Over 90 languages are spoken throughout the Houston area.
Last edited by Metro Matt; 11-02-2011 at 01:02 PM..
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