Houston Montrose, Dallas Oaklawn vs. City of Austin (Spring, West: condos, homes)

[coog78]

Much has been made by Austinites about how funky, weird, and unique their city is. To those of us that live in big cities like Houston or Dallas, we have one neighborhood/district that can go toe to toe with the entire city of Austin for diversity, gay population, culture, and restaurant scene. While Houston and Dallas are both international cities and Austin is a college town. Let's put your entire town of pretentious pseudo-liberals up against our citys' funky, highly liberal, yet laidback and unpretentious neighborhoods.

Keep what weird?

[TexasHorseLady]

Well, quite some time ago, I moved to Austin from Oak Lawn. At the time that I lived in Oak Lawn, it was pretty much the ONLY "funky" part of Dallas, and it lived up to the name. At that time, however, Austin beat it because most of the city was that way, not just one neighborhood.

Haven't been to Oak Lawn in quite some time, but I cannot imagine that it could have gotten any more funky, gay, what have you, than it was then.

[atxcio]

Montrose and Oak Lawn were traditionally "gayborhoods"... so I'm not sure why you'd compare them to Austin, unless you are talking about how they are becoming more cosmopolitan and mainstream (new condos, wealthy young residents, etc). The Heights in Houston is often compared to Austin.. might be a better comparison for your "toe to toe" match.

I've heard plenty of people in Houston and Dallas compare the Heights, Montrose, Oak Lawn, etc to Austin... like you have... for some reason, though, no one in Austin ever compares their city to the aforementioned neighborhoods... wonder why?

[centralaustinite]

Frankly, I am dee-lighted to hear of any neighborhood anywhere in Texas that can compare with Austin! May you prosper and grow . . .

I'll stay right here though, okay? And . . . maybe you should stay right there, in that Dallas or Houston funky neighborhood. I assure you, we won't mind.

[brattpowered]

Originally Posted by coog78

Much has been made by Austinites about how funky, weird, and unique their city is. To those of us that live in big cities like Houston or Dallas, we have one neighborhood/district that can go toe to toe with the entire city of Austin for diversity, gay population, culture, and restaurant scene. While Houston and Dallas are both international cities and Austin is a college town. Let's put your entire town of pretentious pseudo-liberals up against our citys' funky, highly liberal, yet laidback and unpretentious neighborhoods.

Keep what weird?

So you are taking pride in your superior unpretentiousness? One thing I can say is that Houston apparently has the market on irony cornered.

[love roses]

I lived in Rice Village for several years and I really do think it's a great area. I think the difference between the Houston neighborhoods and Dallas neighborhoods compared to Austin is that the neighborhoods in Houston and Dallas are generally much larger than the ones in Austin. Downtown Houston has gentrified almost to an unrecognizable point though from the place I knew and loved and a lot of the old character is gone. Westheimer street fest got cancelled by the new neighborhood yuppie noise hating neighbors and replaced by the Street Fair which looks not too similar to the original. I'm surprised they kept the international festival and the art car parade. I'm not the only ex or current resident who remembers the area before it turned into condoville. I've seen lots of very, very cool old homes (some actual mansions and historic places) torn down for said condos. Not much original character left in some of these places if you ask me. Austin is going down this same road, sadly. But there are still things around that keep the area how I remember it. I think, on the flip side of the coin though, that places in Houston like Main Street downtown, Pease St. where Axiom used to be, 5th ward, 3rd Ward are now much safer places to go. I remember one night going to a club downtown and we had to go down Main to get there and this particular night someone fired guns right by my car. That was the first time I've ever had to duck down to drive...very fast...without looking and hoping I didn't hit anything!

[coog78]

Originally Posted by atxcio

Montrose and Oak Lawn were traditionally "gayborhoods"... so I'm not sure why you'd compare them to Austin, unless you are talking about how they are becoming more cosmopolitan and mainstream (new condos, wealthy young residents, etc). The Heights in Houston is often compared to Austin.. might be a better comparison for your "toe to toe" match.

I've heard plenty of people in Houston and Dallas compare the Heights, Montrose, Oak Lawn, etc to Austin... like you have... for some reason, though, no one in Austin ever compares their city to the aforementioned neighborhoods... wonder why?

I think the point is Austinites try to take on Houston or Dallas when really one neighborhood in each city could outstyle Austin. Someone mentioned Rice Village, which alone tops Austin's preppy bar scene, and restaurant scene easily.

[TexasHorseLady]

And I think that you have an axe to grind.

[WillysB]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

Well, quite some time ago, I moved to Austin from Oak Lawn. At the time that I lived in Oak Lawn, it was pretty much the ONLY "funky" part of Dallas, and it lived up to the name. At that time, however, Austin beat it because most of the city was that way, not just one neighborhood.

Haven't been to Oak Lawn in quite some time, but I cannot imagine that it could have gotten any more funky, gay, what have you, than it was then.

When's the last time you were there, THL? JR and Sue Ellen are still there, the village people have gone and now Station4.

The thing that impresses me about Oak Lawn is that I had first lived there in '69. Was a pretty quiet place. Some pilots and stewardesses. Cedar Springs was the thru fare from downtown to Love Field.

Moved to Houston for a coupla decades, lived in Montrose a while, then back to Oak Lawn. Well, the airport people had gone but hanging at the clubs it was still 'pilots and stewardesses'

Anyway, the thing that impresses me is that Dallas shuts down Cedar Springs about 4 times a year for street parties. And big ol parties they are. Crowds so thick it's hard not to get picked up.

And the Easter Dog Parade. It's gotten so big that it flows from Lee Park down to Turtle Creek.

[atxcio]

Originally Posted by coog78

I think the point is Austinites try to take on Houston or Dallas when really one neighborhood in each city could outstyle Austin. Someone mentioned Rice Village, which alone tops Austin's preppy bar scene, and restaurant scene easily.

When I start hearing people in Austin saying how great it is here because it's like Rice Village, Montrose or Oak Lawn, I'd say you have a point. Right now, it is always the other way around -- your post being a case in point. If Montrose and Oaklawn are so great, why do you feel the need to come in here and try and "take on" Austin? Just enjoy the neighborhhoods you like. They are all good.