Why is Houston so "trashy" (for lack of a better word) (Dallas: houses, live)

[XodoX]

Originally Posted by dv1033

Not my Houston, it's everyone who lives here. And I'm calm as a cucumber, just setting people straight.

Well ,no, but you are expressing your opinion.

[theSUBlime]

Originally Posted by XodoX

Well ,no, but you are expressing your opinion.

It's a pretty widely shared opinion and there are those who disagree. So we can agree on that.

Yes, where are the pictures of the real Houston? Hmm..Pedestrian culture? Hmm? Someone besides jfre might want to get on that. Oh yeah, that's right there aren't any because the people who are busy complaining have failed to take any INITIATIVE in any sense of the word. That my friend, is why Houston is so "sucky."

[texified]

Originally Posted by austinguy2009

I am talking about the way it seems to have developed, as well as the art architecture etc.

Like when I was driving south on 288 to pearland, next to some ugly box store (bass pro shop or something) there are 4 hideous white plaster heads of old presidents sticking out of a swamp. No beautiful landscaping, no signage, just four heads surrounded by wasteland. What is up with that? I don't think the "artist" was trying to make an ironic statement about the quality of our leaders. Why would ANYONE with a modicum of taste think that looks good?

Speaking of art, there is hardly any public art even in the loop. Why? Cities are supposed to have public art. It gives them uniqueness. And I don't mean some mural painted by local schoolkids - I mean legit and meaningful public art.

And what about the architecture, no character to any of the big buildings, except 700 Louisiana. And all the stores are either in strip malls or bland buldings with no character. Housing is ugly too- that new mixed used building on the east side of downtown looks like a 50 story McMansion. Seriously. Doesn't the city review projects before they're allowed to o forward? Compared to the quality of housing in Chicago Austin or Dallas it's embarassing.

Even in the loop where it is quite dense, the way the city developed is appalling. Strip malls, sprawling parkin lots huge unwalkable streets, no sense of urban "neighborhood" ANYWHERE...ugh. It's like one big bland boring suburb all crammed into one space.

And where is the big walkable bar/nightlife place? Austin Dallas etc all have these areas why don't we? It's like a few bars scattered throught the city but no big district where it's concentrated. I mean this with all respect, but Ann Arbor Michigan, pop. 100,000 has a more vibrant and walkable and packed in downtown (not just relatively - in absolute terms!!) than Houston which is like 3,000,000.

I don't mean to bash the city it's jut really frustrating, and I feel that land use ordinances (or lack thereof) must be to blame at least for part of these problems. Can't we start changing this!!! It's just too depressing. We need to take pride in this damn city and not just trash it out.

Everytime friends or family come to visit me, they ALWAYS make comments about how fugly Houston is. At first I used defend this place, by saying exactly what others have said here, "Oh, it's just how it is.......".

Fast forward 2 years and I'm sick of it. I travel quite a bit for work to many cities and seriously, NO CITY compares to the ugliness of this place. Yes, there are a few gems (and I do mean few...River Oaks, Memorial, Rice...etc), but I'd say majority is dumpy and rundown. When tell people I'm from the Houston office, they all give me a look like they just sucked on a lemon.

It's really wearing on me, and I now realize that I'm miserable here. Yeah, it's cheap, but it's a big price to pay if your surroundings don't make you happy. Before you think I live out in the suburbs, I don't. I live close to Rice Village. Where most people tell me is the middle of it all. IMO, if this is what you consider middle of it all, then someone needs to travel more.

[theSUBlime]

Well, Houston doesn't share prestige with the likes of NYC, SF or any of those places and that is one of the things you have to accept when you live there. So I'm sorry, you'll have move somewhere else if you want to be able to name drop. And yes, Houston is ugly, hell lots of it is. It's trashy because the residents like it that way. Guess people will have to get over it. PS. when you say close to Rice Village, since we're talking about Houston, you could still live in a dumpster, like Oscar.

[jfre81]

Originally Posted by theSUBlime

So I'm sorry you'll have move somewhere else if you want to be able to name drop.

Here, I'll help him pack.

[texified]

Originally Posted by theSUBlime

Well, Houston doesn't share prestige with the likes of NYC, SF or any of those places and that is one of the things you have to accept when you live there. So I'm sorry you'll have move somewhere else if you want to be able to name drop. And yes, Houston is ugly, hell lots of it is. It's trashy because the residents like it that way.

It has nothing to do with namedropping, and if I loved this place I'd probably defend it to the end like others do, but I don't. Remember, this is MY opinion and I'm not trying to convince others to think how I do. There are plenty more "I love Houston so much" posts on here, than "Houston sucks" posts. Isn't the point of posting on forums to share experiences and leave it up to the reader to take our thoughts into consideration?

[jfre81]

Originally Posted by texified

It has nothing to do with namedropping, and if I loved this place I'd probably defend it to the end like others do, but I don't. Remember, this is MY opinion and I'm not trying to convince others to think how I do. There are plenty more "I love Houston so much" posts on here, than "Houston sucks" posts. Isn't the point of posting on forums to share experiences and leave it up to the reader to take our thoughts into consideration?

What I don't get is why you live in one of the best parts of town and the crappy parts bother you so much.

I mean, if you live in Beverly Hills, do you hate LA because of Watts?

[theSUBlime]

Originally Posted by texified

It has nothing to do with namedropping, and if I loved this place I'd probably defend it to the end like others do, but I don't. Remember, this is MY opinion and I'm not trying to convince others to think how I do. There are plenty more "I love Houston so much" posts on here, than "Houston sucks" posts. Isn't the point of posting on forums to share experiences and leave it up to the reader to take our thoughts into consideration?

You can have your opinion all you want. I just love how you contradict yourself.

[XodoX]

Originally Posted by theSUBlime

It's a pretty widely shared opinion and there are those who disagree. So we can agree on that.

Yes, where are the pictures of the real Houston? Hmm..Pedestrian culture? Hmm? Someone besides jfre might want to get on that. Oh yeah, that's right there aren't any because the people who are busy complaining have failed to take any INITIATIVE in any sense of the word. That my friend, is why Houston is so "sucky."

That's what I said..yes.

And...

That's not why Houston is "sucky". You're basically saying that the majority of people is not liking it. If it was just the minority it wouldn't be "sucky".

[jfre81]

Originally Posted by theSUBlime

Someone besides jfre might want to get on that.

The weather forecasts are looking nice for the next week, partly cloudy, 80s. I'll probably be shooting Wednesday and/or Thursday.

I'm open to ideas as to how I can show "The Real Houston."