Moving to Houston Questions (Pasadena, La Porte: neighborhood, theater, living in)

[MsRiss7383]

For whatever reason, my last thread was closed. I did list a lot of stereotypes about the city because that's really all I know if Houston. I guess my question is, are these sterotypes true? Is there a place for us in Houston? If so, where? I don't think it was fair to close my thread because you don't like the things I've brought up. And there was a question in my thread.

[citizen_jane]

I like Houston but I think you'd probably be happier in SLC.

[cheryjohns]

The moderator closed the thread because of the way the post was worded, which was inflamatory.

I think you would be much happier in SF, but you said budget made that impossible. I have only driven through SLC, so I cannot attest to the happiness factor in that city.

Before you move to any city, it would be a good idea to visit it - well worth the trip cost before larger expenditures are made to move.

People are different. Some love living in the suburbs while others are inner loopers. Neither is wrong - it's about what is right for them. If you move here, it is possible (living inside the loop) to have public transportation (make sure you have at least one car, though); not work for an oil company; and be close to restaurants, museums and other liberals. Houston tends to have a higher percentage of liberals inside the loop, but expect conservatives as well. We get along pretty good, without yelling at each other.

Yes, we do have an abundance of Mexican restaurants - just don't eat at any of them if you don't like Mexican food. There are lots of other restaurants.

Your other thread seemed to indicate a closed mind as to Houston (another reason the thread was probably closed). If that perception was wrong, it might be worth a trip down to get a feel for the city (stay in the loop - your dislike list would suggest that you would hate the suburbs). If your mind is pretty well made up, it's just wasted money.

Whatever you do, good luck.

[MsRiss7383]

Originally Posted by cheryjohns

The moderator closed the thread because of the way the post was worded, which was inflamatory.

I think you would be much happier in SF, but you said budget made that impossible. I have only driven through SLC, so I cannot attest to the happiness factor in that city.

Before you move to any city, it would be a good idea to visit it - well worth the trip cost before larger expenditures are made to move.

People are different. Some love living in the suburbs while otheres are inner loopers. Neither is wrong - it's about what is right for them. If you move here, it is possible (living inside the loop) to have public transportation (make sure you have at least one car, though); not work for an oil company; and be close to restaurants, museums and other liberals. Houston tends to have a higher percentage of liberals inside the loop, but expect conservatives as well. We get along pretty good, without yelling at each other.

Yes, we do have an abundance of Mexican restaurants - just don't eat at any of them if you don't like Mexican food. There are lots of other restaurants.

Your other thread seemed to indicate a closed mind as to Houston (another reason the thread was probably closed). If that perception was wrong, it might be worth a trip down to get a feel for the city (stay in the loop - your dislike list would suggest that you would hate the suburbs). If your mind is pretty well made up, it's just wasted money.

Whatever you do, good luck.

Thanks I have been to the suburbs out near Katy and I didn't like it there, but I've never been downtown or near the city center. I was just there for 24 hrs so I didn't get a feel for things. I wasn't trying to be inflammatory. I was just trying to give a picture of what we are like and how we feel about the things that people told us existed in Houston. I think that my bigget fear is just not fitting in. We want to feel like there are people in the community who are like us and that we are included. Although I can be friends with people who are vastly different than me, I don't want to feel like a perpetual outsider. I also don't want to have to work really hard to seek out people like me. I've lived in the burbs in Denver for a couple of years now and we feel so isolated and miserable. We have to drive to Denver to be near people like us and its harder to make friends when you live so far from people like yourself. Anyway, I'll end the rant. I'm just trying to figure out how true the stereotype are, where we fit, if we fit, etc...

[HtownLove]

If you are going to listen to things people tell you about Houston, then you are going to miss out on a wonderfully wonderful city.

I have heard people say a range of things that are flat out wrong.

People from other places often repeat what other people say without visiting for themselves, and a lot of people form opinions on Houston based on Pasadena, baytown, La Porte and other industrial areas.

Come visit for a while. see the sites. You wanna stay with us for a week before you decide??? ha ha just joking

[DanielWayne]

Haha if you have just visited Katy you REALLY missed out on a lot. Some of the stereotypes you listed in the original post are true to a degree (although presented in a rather imflammatory fashion), but also realize that Houston is much larger than Denver in population and in area. So you will also find a ton of positive attributes in Houston you could never experience in Denver. Oil and Gas is large, but I think it is less than 40% of the economy here. Don't quote me on that. The Texas Medical Center alone (which has a larger skyline than downtown Denver and it is not even part of downtown Houston) employs over 70,000 people who are obviously not in oil and gas. If you come here with an open mind and are willing to make a few compromises about where you live and work, you can find everything you seek in the original post. Houston is a hodge podge of good and bad and if you are willing to drive a little bit then you will find the good greatly outweighs the bad. Also people are a lot friendlier in Texas, especially if you don't start off with insults

[Willsson]

This statement alone...

My favorite thing about visiting new cities is just wandering the streets and seeing what the city has to offer. Is Houston for us?

...makes the answer a NO! Wandering the streets in Houston... well, you'd have to do a lot of wandering to achieve much success in any given day. And considering the heat and the rain you're likely to take up a habit such as ducking into a Mex restaurant just to cool down with a margarita. But do visit the Med Center, Hermann Park, Rice U. And if you have some time, read Larry McMurtry's 'All My Friends are Going to be Strangers'.

If Colorado is such a high for you and you choose to carry the local mantra then you're looking for disappointment. I believe a major reason Co's have a problem with Texas is due to the number of Texans who visit for the skiing. I learned early the Colorado motto, 'If G** had meant Texans to ski, he'd have made B*S* white.' Frankly, Houston is far to busy to worry about what CO'dians think of Texas.

And whether or not you feel like an outsider, regardless of where you live, really just depends on your perception of those you consider friends, and what you might expect from them.

[AlexTx]

People in Houston are very friendly and open-minded. I don't think it's for you.

[cheryjohns]

Originally Posted by DanielWayne

Haha if you have just visited Katy you REALLY missed out on a lot. Some of the stereotypes you listed in the original post are true to a degree (although presented in a rather imflammatory fashion), but also realize that Houston is much larger than Denver in population and in area. So you will also find a ton of positive attributes in Houston you could never experience in Denver. Oil and Gas is large, but I think it is less than 40% of the economy here. Don't quote me on that. The Texas Medical Center alone (which has a larger skyline than downtown Denver and it is not even part of downtown Houston) employs over 70,000 people who are obviously not in oil and gas. If you come here with an open mind and are willing to make a few compromises about where you live and work, you can find everything you seek in the original post. Houston is a hodge podge of good and bad and if you are willing to drive a little bit then you will find the good greatly outweighs the bad. Also people are a lot friendlier in Texas, especially if you don't start off with insults

True. Also, note that most people that live in Houston came from other places cities, other states and other countries. Houston is difficult to stereotype because of the different people that make it up.

[HtownLove]

Originally Posted by tofurkey

This statement alone...
...makes the answer a NO! Wandering the streets in Houston... well, you'd have to do a lot of wandering to achieve much success in any given day. And considering the heat and the rain you're likely to take up a habit such as ducking into a Mex restaurant just to cool down with a margarita. But do visit the Med Center, Hermann Park, Rice U.

Well there are many areas where I walk. funny you mentioned those 3 places because they are in my neighborhood. I live near 288 and Macgregor and I walk to Hermann Park, walk to the museums, walk to the zoo, walk to miller theater, rice U, rice village. It is a really interested area.

I can walk to the trains and then hop on and continue my walking mid town, downtown, med center, etc