Is a move to Houston a mistake? Why does everyone question it!!! (West: HOA, quality of life)

[neotextist]

Originally Posted by professorsenator

True, but very little of Houston looks like those lovely photos of the Rice/Museum area. Much, much more of Houston looks like the hideous photo posted here. It's not about finding the most flattering picture; it's about what's typical. A sprawling, unremarkable traffic intersection with an endless view of ugly strip malls and generic shopping centers is arguably the quintessential view of Houston.

Arguably. I've got family outside of Boston. If you were to exit a freeway here in Houston, it would be the equivalent of entering an entirely different town/suburb in Massachusetts. "Houston" covers 600 sq. mi. Most people stick to their tiny little corner of it. If you choose where to live and work carefully, you can live in parts of Houston without so much of the strip mall element. I rarely take the freeways. I stick to surface streets and certain neighborhoods, so I don't see this view of Houston that others see that often, though it certainly exists. My Houston is quite lovely.

[tstone]

But do you see Waldo?

Waldo is behind the black trash bags that cover the windows of the 24 hour News Stand.

Harry, here's info on strip malls:

Strip mall - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

These types of buildings are in many cities and is nothing unique. Houston and Los Angeles areas get the reputation because too many of them are in poor condition. The building in the picture in the above article looks fairly nice if a little fake, which is usually the norm in the suburbs.

The intersection photo posted is the widest city street in town that I know of - Main St./Alt-90 just inside the loop. We're not Gotham city but most streets are 1/2 to 1/3 this size. Other than that, this is a pretty realistic view of town, not bad / not good. Definitely nothing to sell fairly well-traveled outsiders on as far as ''scenery'' goes. The pitch is in the good pictures of the half dozen or so nice areas of town most people can't afford to buy property in.

[harrygrath]

Got it.

So,all u need is legislation for repainting/remodeling these buildings after a reasonable time.

Just a little elegance & cosmetic enhancement...

[jfre81]

Originally Posted by houstoner

If you choose where to live and work carefully, you can live in parts of Houston without so much of the strip mall element. I rarely take the freeways. I stick to surface streets and certain neighborhoods, so I don't see this view of Houston that others see that often, though it certainly exists. My Houston is quite lovely.

Yes folks, if you don't want to see a lot of concrete and 100-foot billboards then move inside the loop. Buy, rent, squat, sleep on sidewalks in Midtown, stay tweaked out on meth so you don't have to worry about where you're gonna sleep, do whatever. Avoid the freeways at all costs. No, they're not going to bury the powerlines.

Originally Posted by tstone

Waldo is behind the black trash bags that cover the windows of the 24 hour News Stand.

I won't ask what he's doing back there. We'll leave that for everyone's imagination, like an inkblot.

That's sort of a good way to describe how people perceive Houston, come to think of it...

[EasilyAmused]

Originally Posted by houstoner

Arguably. I've got family outside of Boston. If you were to exit a freeway here in Houston, it would be the equivalent of entering an entirely different town/suburb in Massachusetts. "Houston" covers 600 sq. mi. Most people stick to their tiny little corner of it. If you choose where to live and work carefully, you can live in parts of Houston without so much of the strip mall element. I rarely take the freeways. I stick to surface streets and certain neighborhoods, so I don't see this view of Houston that others see that often, though it certainly exists. My Houston is quite lovely.

Mine too Houstoner. I avoid the freeways and seldom take them, instead drive peacefully down the east/west roads through the green and giant oak trees. It's slower, but it does something for the spirit. I see no billboards, just nice outdoor shopping areas, manicured lawns and beautiful tree arbors. You can't avoid the junky, gas station intersections, but everything else is quite beautiful.
I feel so lucky not to have to take those concrete super freeways anymore. I can stop along my route and pick up gourmet fare, books, boutique clothing, pre-cooked and fresh appetizers and fresh bread from specialty shops. It's calm and civilized. Life really is good.



ok, so every once and a while I run across a bozo that can't get off his cell phone that needs to be throttled.

[Wysiwyg]

Originally Posted by EasilyAmused

Mine too Houstoner. I avoid the freeways and seldom take them, instead drive peacefully down the east/west roads through the green and giant oak trees. It's slower, but it does something for the spirit. I see no billboards, just nice outdoor shopping areas, manicured lawns and beautiful tree arbors. You can't avoid the junky, gas station intersections, but everything else is quite beautiful.
I feel so lucky not to have to take those concrete super freeways anymore. I can stop along my route and pick up gourmet fare, books, boutique clothing, pre-cooked and fresh appetizers and fresh bread from specialty shops. It's calm and civilized. Life really is good.



ok, so every once and a while I run across a bozo that can't get off his cell phone that needs to be throttled.

thats a woman right there.

[tstone]

Originally Posted by Wysiwyg

thats a woman right there.

Damn straight.

Guys are more apt to roam around in search of whatever it is they need to find, and accept the associated nuisances as a part of life here.

[EasilyAmused]

Originally Posted by tstone

Damn straight.

Guys are more apt to roam around in search of whatever it is they need to find, and accept the associated nuisances as a part of life here.

Roam? Uhhh, ya'll drive aimlessly for miles, with no destination in mind untill something jumps out at you and says, "Me good. Me feed you." Of course if it's time to to upgrade your cpu/tv/car/gamestationthingiemabob then you're on target and on course and on the job!

[EasilyAmused]

Originally Posted by Wysiwyg

thats a woman right there.

You got it sunshine.

[jfre81]

Originally Posted by EasilyAmused

You can't avoid the junky, gas station intersections, but everything else is quite beautiful.

We even do junky gas station intersections pretty well.