Ever noticed how Houstonites like to bash our city and seriously think it legitly compares? (San Diego: college, live)

[3shipguy]

Originally Posted by AJT123

Actually, both terms are correct.

Apparently, this AngelinITE is more educated than that Houstonite....about (gasp) Houston. A product of ones respective history education, perhaps? Maybe a case of a proverbial misfire? Nah, Texans are experts at their guns and ammo. Or... perhaps Houston isn't cool enough for its own inhabitants to know their own reference? Hmmm? So many questions, so little answers. One thing for sure is Wehotex just got 'told'.

[Mister 7]

Originally Posted by 3shipguy

Apparently, this AngelinITE is more educated than that Houstonite....about (gasp) Houston. A product of ones respective history education, perhaps? Maybe a case of a proverbial misfire? Nah, Texans are experts at their guns and ammo. Or... perhaps Houston isn't cool enough for its own inhabitants to know their own reference? Hmmm? So many questions, so little answers. One thing for sure is Wehotex just got 'told'.

I never claimed to be Stephen Hawking just because I looked at a dictionary. I'm so terribly sorry I don't know Houston lingo.

[3shipguy]

Originally Posted by AJT123

I never claimed to be Stephen Hawking just because I looked at a dictionary. I'm so terribly sorry I don't know Houston lingo.

Don't sweat it, bro. I was just being facetious. I hope Wehotex took it in good stride.

[Texamichiforniasota]

Native Houstonian here, now living in LA for several years. None of my friends/family in Houston would claim it's in the same league. I don't hear many people in Houston bashing LA, in fact many wish they could afford to live in LA. If there are a few ridiculous Houston boosters on CD like MetroMatt, who cares? Almost everyone else in Houston knows it's a tier below LA.

Where Houston does excel is providing cheap cost of living and reasonable blue collar employment opportunities for lower middle class people without a college degree. It's almost like Detroit used to be in the 1950's for that group. That is an important niche for a city to fill in the 2010's USA. One of my relatives that wasn't really college material works at an oil industry company in Houston making decent money for a blue collar job. He is able to own a house for his stay at home wife/kids in the burbs. In SoCal he'd be competing for jobs in retail and cramming his family in a one bedroom apt in the IE.

Houston has decent amenities, but they don't compare to SoCal. For someone who's upper middle class, the decision comes down to how much are you willing to pay for those amenities, where does your family live, do you need a big house for a large family, how much time are you willing to spend commuting, how important is climate to you, and what industry do you work in (oil, entertainment, etc). For wealthy people, it seems many more pick SoCal over Houston, unless they work in the oil industry.

[Texamichiforniasota]

Originally Posted by AJT123

And yes, people who aren't delusional know there is no real rivalry. I have just found that many, MANY "HOUSTONIANS" act like it legitly compares to Los Angeles. That's laughable. I can name at least a half a dozen cities that are way "cooler" and more appealing than Houston, IMO. For the fourth largest city, Houston just doesn't cut it, plain and simple.

Dallas, first of all. I feel like everyone knows that Dallas (and Austin) is where it's at in Texas. Many HoustonIANS hate Dallas bc they're jealous that it gets all the attention. I would actually very much like to visit Dallas again, while I have NO desire ever to return to Houston.

Whoa, hold your horses. Houston isn't the most exciting city to visit (would definitely agree it's not a top ten city vacation destination) but neither is Dallas. There pretty comparable actually, except Houston has a little less of the D-bag 30K millionaire thing going on (although unfortunately it's starting to catch up). Austin and San Antonio are both more entertaining vacation destinations, at least for a short trip.

Anyways, why don't you test your theory that people in Houston think it is in the same tier as LA. Create a poll either in city vs city or even in the Houston forum. Ask if price was no object, which city do you think has better amenities. I'd be willing to wager a large sum of money that LA would win by a large margin in either forum.

[KerrTown]

Originally Posted by Texamichiforniasota

Whoa, hold your horses. Houston isn't the most exciting city to visit (would definitely agree it's not a top ten city vacation destination) but neither is Dallas. There pretty comparable actually, except Houston has a little less of the D-bag 30K millionaire thing going on (although unfortunately it's starting to catch up). Austin and San Antonio are both more entertaining vacation destinations, at least for a short trip.

Sadly, Houston is the best Texas has to offer. The MFAH, HMNS, and the rest of the Museum District is the crown jewel of the arts scene of the state. Houston has the only functioning downtown in the state (at least during weekdays). The symphony and ballet theaters are there. While a friend or family member is hospitalized at the Texas Medical Center, there's also NASA and Galveston. Pine forests along the 30th parallel. And the University of Houston, the best Texas could muster academically.

DFW is pretty much Collin County bedroom communities (which is what most transplants always ask about on these forums when they move to "Dallas") and corporate campuses galore. The sprawl is actually spreading from Plano/Frisco to Dallas County on the south, and to McKinney and the Red River in the north.

San Antonio has Paseo del Rio (a.k.a. The Riverwalk) and the two theme parks, along with the same scenery as Austin's Hill Country in the northern suburbs. The famous Natural Bridge Caverns is located there. Arts and culture scene aren't too shabby either. There is the McNay to start with. S.A. is a day or two trip.

I still don't understand the hype about Austin! It's like someone hyped up Sacramento as THE place to live in California. The only things to do there is get drunk on 6th Street (a poor attempt on Bourbon Street) and the elusive view of Lake Travis (since there really is no public access besides scattered parks on accessible on back roads). It's more of a 1-2 hour stopover on the way to S.A. from DFW and points north on congested I-35.

Anyways, why don't you test your theory that people in Houston think it is in the same tier as LA. Create a poll either in city vs city or even in the Houston forum. Ask if price was no object, which city do you think has better amenities.

There is: Would you stay in Houston if you were independently wealthy?

[Pink90]

Originally Posted by KerrTown

I still don't understand the hype about Austin!

I understand. I really like Austin, I'd choose it over Houston or Dallas, but I really don't see why it's hyped more than the other TX cities. There are great restaurants in Houston, Dallas, SA, Fort Worth. There are parts of town in the other TX cities that are quirky just like Austin is known for. Dallas could eat up Austin's tech scene. SA has much of the scenery and hills in parts of the city. Houston has way more ethnic diversity. The suburbs are all virtually the same, save for a few exceptions. It's strange.

[KerrTown]

Originally Posted by Pink90

I understand. I really like Austin, I'd choose it over Houston or Dallas, but I really don't see why it's hyped more than the other TX cities. There are great restaurants in Houston, Dallas, SA, Fort Worth. There are parts of town in the other TX cities that are quirky just like Austin is known for. Dallas could eat up Austin's tech scene. SA has much of the scenery and hills in parts of the city. Houston has way more ethnic diversity. The suburbs are all virtually the same, save for a few exceptions. It's strange.

I rented Chef at Redbox for the night and wondered why he did not stop his food truck in Downtown Houston to serve lunch to hungry office workers instead of Franklin's Barbecue? Those professional office workers definitely have money and are tired of eating tunnel food everyday. Captive audience to market to!

Hollywood is only obsessed about L.A., Miami, New Orleans, and Austin (the stops in the film). They even made fun of Disney World (sorry Orlando!!!).

[moonsparkle]

One of the refreshing things about LA is that no one seems to care about hype lists such as "Best City for bike riding" or any irrelevant metric and use that as some way to justify it's this amazing place.

I grew up in a city like that. What makes it more annoying is that it seems like absolutely everyone falls for it. It's like you're an indian in the wrong tribe. There's this town crier mentality that most American cities have, and it's plain insufferable.

If one of those Houstonians was told "So are you one of those people who thinks Houston is basically LA or NY" - I guarantee they would instantly get mad or defensive. They might truly be delusional, or they know it sounds ridiculous but want to believe it so bad. It's simply best to avoid them.

[Texamichiforniasota]

Originally Posted by KerrTown

There is: Would you stay in Houston if you were independently wealthy?

I'm not surprised at all by this thread. It seems a large majority would be leaving. Even amongst the native Houstonians that I grew up with, I bet most would leave for another city if money was no object. Don't let a few delusional booster on CD give all Houstonians a bad name.