Houston kinda grossed me out (Dallas, San Antonio: transplants, apartments, houses)

[Sonorio]

Damn.

I went down to Houston Monday to look at apartments, get me a little staging area while I browsed for something more permanent. I was really ready to love Houston...it seemed from the posts that I would love it.

And...I did love it. The people were terrific. Fast as New Yorkers, unbelievably competent drivers (fast but extremely cooperative), friendly as can be. I was expecting more of the famous beautiful Texas women, but Buffalo might still have you beat on that point. Wonderful little older houses everywhere, with plenty of cheerfully wacky and imaginative designs.

But...those expressways! I'm getting older and I don't think I want to be so on edge whenever I want to go someplace. The speed and those narrow lanes that you have are just too much fun for me. And they're noisy everywhere; you can't get far enough away from the expressways to find a quiet neighborhood. And they're ugly, ugly, ugly with all those signs and general business garishness.

Houston, I like you but I need a place that isn't so dominated by those damn highways. So maybe I should dial back to a smaller town.

What town would I like that has a cityish attitude but isn't like living in the infield of a NASCAR track all the time? How far smaller do I need to go?

S

[Pops and Sweets]

If you're gonna title a post alleging that x city is gross, you may want to be specific. Also, if your aim is to troll with a headline like that, then leave out "And...I did love it. The people were terrific"

It sounds almost manic depressive.

I hate to sound harsh, but quite frankly, its really annoying that people [at least on cd] love to bash Houston. I'm not a Houston defender, resident, prodigal son, nor somehow connected to Houston. I'm a Texas homer.

[Metro Matt]

Yes, Houston is encompassed by some mega freeways. I'm glad you were aware of that before you arrived.

Did you happen to run across any old dirty sofas to dodge while gripping the wheel at white knuckle speeds?

[AK123]

Originally Posted by Pops and Sweets

I hate to sound harsh, but quite frankly, its really annoying that people [at least on cd] love to bash Houston.

I agree, the title makes it sound like a bash post, but most of the post actually sounds positive on Houston and poster says s/he "loved it?"

So... the freeways are ugly. I actually think the freeways and larger roads are ugly in most of the major Texas cities (feeder roads, billboards etc).

But yes, the Houston-bashing gets really old... on C-D and elsewhere. If you don't like the way it looks, get off the damn freeway and get into the city and neighborhoods... you'll probably change your mind. And the city is working on billboard removal and enforcing the ordinance along freeways.

[love roses]

I'm actually a Houston defender (also tired of the bashing because I know different areas of the city, away from the freeways) because I lived there for a long time and loved it. I also grew up on the Texas coast and love that area too.

However, to answer your question about smaller towns with City "feel", Do they need to be near Houston or pretty much anywhere? Brenham has lots of Houston transplants lately and is a college town. Bryan/College Station?

Since I don't know really the size of town I'll just ramble off a few more, but they are scattered through the State. Lake Jackson (large town), Angleton (large town), Alvin (near outside of Houston, not sure if you'd like it though), League City, Galveston, Corpus Christi (Coastal City), Beaumont ?, Tyler (used to be a town, now more of a smallish City), Nacogdoches, Waco, Killeen area, Bryan/College Station and Brenham like I already mentioned, possibly Ft. Worth, San Antonio, Victoria (not sure about City attitudes, but sizeable town), Port Aranasas, MacAllan, Georgetown, maybe Austin. Dallas would probably be just as annoying to you as Houston(as far as freeways go) but maybe one of the towns outside of it like Plano or something. I'm not familiar with West Texas as much but I know I've been reading that places like Marfa and Abilene are getting lots of mention.

[Keks]

Originally Posted by Sonorio

Damn.

I went down to Houston Monday to look at apartments, get me a little staging area while I browsed for something more permanent. I was really ready to love Houston...it seemed from the posts that I would love it.

And...I did love it. The people were terrific. Fast as New Yorkers, unbelievably competent drivers (fast but extremely cooperative), friendly as can be. I was expecting more of the famous beautiful Texas women, but Buffalo might still have you beat on that point. Wonderful little older houses everywhere, with plenty of cheerfully wacky and imaginative designs.

But...those expressways! I'm getting older and I don't think I want to be so on edge whenever I want to go someplace. The speed and those narrow lanes that you have are just too much fun for me. And they're noisy everywhere; you can't get far enough away from the expressways to find a quiet neighborhood. And they're ugly, ugly, ugly with all those signs and general business garishness.

Houston, I like you but I need a place that isn't so dominated by those damn highways. So maybe I should dial back to a smaller town.

What town would I like that has a cityish attitude but isn't like living in the infield of a NASCAR track all the time? How far smaller do I need to go?

S

Houston is pretty ugly. That's nothing new. You got to stay on the West side of Housto proper, then you're ok.
It's not that loud everywhere. You'll be fine. I always live less than a mile from the highways and I don't have any problems.

[TT Dave]

Originally Posted by AK123

So... the freeways are ugly. I actually think the freeways and larger roads are ugly in most of the major Texas cities (feeder roads, billboards etc).

Yeah, freeways are not exactly known for their scenery....LOL. Some cities might do a fairly decent job of "hiding" the commercial establishments and so forth along a stretch of freeway but let's face it, they're all ugly.

[feufoma]

Yes, I think you need a smaller town. Have fun!

[stoneclaw]

Originally Posted by Keks

Houston is pretty ugly. That's nothing new. You got to stay on the West side of Housto proper, then you're ok.
It's not that loud everywhere. You'll be fine. I always live less than a mile from the highways and I don't have any problems.

since houston has beautiful parts as well as ugly parts, wouldn't it be fair to say houston is beautiful and ugly?

Why do people love to generalize a city as large as Houston as one thing? This has got to be one of the most multi-polar cities on the planet.




To the o/p. If i'm wrong, i apologize but i really do think this thread is an attempt to bash Houston. Just by the title and the fact that you posted it in the Texas forum, not Houston. It seems your real motive is to get the other Texans to jump on the wagon and start throwing their jabs. I'm not fooled by the attempt in trying to cover it up by the more subtle content in your post.

[texdav]

I always appreaciated the freeeways i Houston compared to most large cities. They are ice wit not so mnay pothoes. Its a necessasy evil in a large city really if you want to go nayhwere. But I agree fereways and trafic in gernal inlarge cities can be hard to deal with unless you know them well. Once you do its less of a problem.Buffalo is one of those pothole cities ;my uncle lives there .