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I didn't know Houston had a rodeo. I suspect you could poll a 100 people on the East Coast and most wouldn't. I mean they may think every place in Texas has a rodeo, but I don't consider the Houston rodeo specifically to be noteworthy because I know nothing about rodeos (which I imagine applies to a lot of people in big cities). I vaguely associate Houston with guys in cowboy hats, but that's maybe just because in movies and on TV people from Texas often wear cowboy hats in general.
NASA is a fair point though it's been a long time since NASA was front and center of people's imagination and attention. "Houston, we have a problem" happened over 50 years ago and even the movie about it is approaching 30 years. And of course Houston shares the overall association with NASA with other places like Cape Canaveral in Florida or Huntsville in Alabama.
I guess you could also say the oil industry and the Bush family, though I don't know how widely known in the general population those associations are (or how desirable that is).
People think I'm trolling, but Houston I think legitimately just isn't deemed especially notable. Even when people talk about Texas, it's far more likely people will bring up Dallas or even Austin now (which has been the "it" city for a while).
People think I'm trolling, but Houston I think legitimately just isn't deemed especially notable. Even when people talk about Texas, it's far more likely people will bring up Dallas or even Austin now (which has been the "it" city for a while).
That really depends on the group of people. If you are talking to non-white people, that will not be the case. Houston is viewed as the next Atlanta among African Americans. But I do agree that white Americans don't find it notable.
I didn't know Houston had a rodeo. I suspect you could poll a 100 people on the East Coast and most wouldn't. I mean they may think every place in Texas has a rodeo, but I don't consider the Houston rodeo specifically to be noteworthy because I know nothing about rodeos (which I imagine applies to a lot of people in big cities). I vaguely associate Houston with guys in cowboy hats, but that's maybe just because in movies and on TV people from Texas often wear cowboy hats in general.
NASA is a fair point though it's been a long time since NASA was front and center of people's imagination and attention. "Houston, we have a problem" happened over 50 years ago and even the movie about it is approaching 30 years. And of course Houston shares the overall association with NASA with other places like Cape Canaveral in Florida or Huntsville in Alabama.
I guess you could also say the oil industry and the Bush family, though I don't know how widely known in the general population those associations are (or how desirable that is).
People think I'm trolling, but Houston I think legitimately just isn't deemed especially notable. Even when people talk about Texas, it's far more likely people will bring up Dallas or even Austin now (which has been the "it" city for a while).
I don’t think you’re trolling. I think of Midland, Maine and Connecticut when I think of the Bushes. Maybe even Florida.
Fair point about nada but houston hello is definitely a famous saying.
The Houston rodeo is by far the largest of its kind
Before I moved to Houston I admittedly didn’t know much about Houston. I had friends here though, and since I was a film/art nerd I knew Houston with:
Oil
NASA
That line from the movie (and in real life): Houston, we have a problem.
Houston Rockets (because as a kid my Dad and my brother kept talking about Olajuwon.)
Wes Anderson (born and raised in Houston, lives in Paris. I’m a fan.)
The Menil Collection
The Rothko Chapel (i think it’s one of most freaky, unique museums. And I love Rothko.)
Reality Bites (set in Houston, shot in Houston. For my husband and me the younger Gen X, this is one of the most quotable movies between us. Great soundtrack too.)
Montrose (because friends live there. Cool neighborhood.)
Terms of Endearment (loved Shirley MacLaine’s house in River Oaks. As a kid I saw the movie and associated Houston with warm, stately house, whereas in the movie it was a huge contrast to the cold and dreary scene of Nebraska Debra Winger’s character lived.)
Listen, there are always going to be very provincial people everywhere and stereotype still exists even among the well-educated people. I’ve been reading so often people saying people in L.A are fake, plastic and superficial when Hollywood really is just a small portion of metro L.A. (even that many people who work in Hollywood are very down-to-earth, everyday people.) What you feel about a city is subjective and you’re free to cast the most judgmental comment, god knows I do that too in the privacy of my head. But there are objective facts/data/statistics or depends on your specific metier/industry, far more about the city than meets the eyes.
Before I moved to Houston I admittedly didn’t know much about Houston. I had friends here though, and since I was a film/art nerd I knew Houston with:
Oil
NASA
That line from the movie (and in real life): Houston, we have a problem.
Houston Rockets (because as a kid my Dad and my brother kept talking about Olajuwon.)
Wes Anderson (born and raised in Houston, lives in Paris. I’m a fan.)
The Menil Collection
The Rothko Chapel (i think it’s one of most freaky, unique museums. And I love Rothko.)
Reality Bites (set in Houston, shot in Houston. For my husband and me the younger Gen X, this is one of the most quotable movies between us. Great soundtrack too.)
Montrose (because friends live there. Cool neighborhood.)
Terms of Endearment (loved Shirley MacLaine’s house in River Oaks. As a kid I saw the movie and associated Houston with warm, stately house, whereas in the movie it was a huge contrast to the cold and dreary scene of Nebraska Debra Winger’s character lived.)
Listen, there are always going to be very provincial people everywhere and stereotype still exists even among the well-educated people. I’ve been reading so often people saying people in L.A are fake, plastic and superficial when Hollywood really is just a small portion of metro L.A. (even that many people who work in Hollywood are very down-to-earth, everyday people.) What you feel about a city is subjective and you’re free to cast the most judgmental comment, god knows I do that too in the privacy of my head. But there are objective facts/data/statistics or depends on your specific metier/industry, far more about the city than meets the eyes.
It's interesting you mention Reality Bites because I was thinking of bringing it up, but I only found out very recently it's set in Houston, and I had to look it up on Wikipedia even after watching it again for the 1st time in a long time. I looked it up because in my memory it had somehow morphed into a generic California city but watching it again I could tell it wasn't California, so I was curious. But Houston doesn't really have that 'giveaway' landmark that they love to use in movies and on TV as an establishing shot to set the location.
People think I'm trolling, but Houston I think legitimately just isn't deemed especially notable. Even when people talk about Texas, it's far more likely people will bring up Dallas or even Austin now (which has been the "it" city for a while).
Good for them...keeping Houston housing price low enough while the jobs pay just as much in Houston as it does in Dallas or Austin.
Either way, it's the sprawl that makes Houston feels like LA at times - miles of strip malls, freeway centric city planning, congestion, crappy mass transit, etc. Houston does lack the mountain backdrop and nice beaches, though (No, Galveston doesn't count...)
It's interesting you mention Reality Bites because I was thinking of bringing it up, but I only found out very recently it's set in Houston, and I had to look it up on Wikipedia even after watching it again for the 1st time in a long time. I looked it up because in my memory it had somehow morphed into a generic California city but watching it again I could tell it wasn't California, so I was curious. But Houston doesn't really have that 'giveaway' landmark that they love to use in movies and on TV as an establishing shot to set the location.
And imo, neither does Atlanta. It is versatile, but definitely has an every city USA look.
I wasn't aware that Reality Bites and Terms of Endearment were in Houston. I think they filmed the Dirt Bike Kid there as well. But if I'm thinking movies and Texas, I lean heavily towards Houston's younger sister, Austin.
Good for them...keeping Houston housing price low enough while the jobs pay just as much in Houston as it does in Dallas or Austin.
Either way, it's the sprawl that makes Houston feels like LA at times - miles of strip malls, freeway centric city planning, congestion, crappy mass transit, etc. Houston does lack the mountain backdrop and nice beaches, though (No, Galveston doesn't count...)
Houston's growth depends very heavily on international immigration as opposed to domestic migration. Austin's growth depends very heavily on domestic migration as opposed to international immigration. DFW is halfway between the two but it depends more on domestic migration. It probably goes a long way in explaining why the cost of living has remained somewhat steady in Houston as opposed to ballooning like DFW and especially Austin.
It's interesting you mention Reality Bites because I was thinking of bringing it up, but I only found out very recently it's set in Houston, and I had to look it up on Wikipedia even after watching it again for the 1st time in a long time. I looked it up because in my memory it had somehow morphed into a generic California city but watching it again I could tell it wasn't California, so I was curious. But Houston doesn't really have that 'giveaway' landmark that they love to use in movies and on TV as an establishing shot to set the location.
You’re right it didn’t have the geographical giveaway in the movie. I only knew it because back then i read Rolling Stones magazine and I LOVE Winona Ryder. Read the article with the writer Helen Childress and how they shot the beginning shot on the rooftop in Downtown Houston. The townhouse they lived in was on Clay St in Houston. The interior was shot in L.A.
I also have to add my cinematic association of Houston, before I moved here, was Wim Wenders’ Paris, Texas. One of my all-time favorite movies, partially shot in Houston.
You’re right it didn’t have the geographical giveaway in the movie. I only knew it because back then i read Rolling Stones magazine and I LOVE Winona Ryder. Read the article with the writer Helen Childress and how they shot the beginning shot on the rooftop in Downtown Houston. The townhouse they lived in was on Clay St in Houston. The interior was shot in L.A.
I also have to add my cinematic association of Houston, before I moved here, was Wim Wenders’ Paris, Texas. One of my all-time favorite movies, partially shot in Houston.
A giveaway landmark would have been the Astrodome, but was the city germane to the plot of the movie?
“Mo” on Netflix is based in Houston with a ton of local footage. It was renewed for it’s 2nd and final season.
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