Just got back from my Weekend in Houston, looks like I am staying put in the North-East............. (Conroe: move to, cities)

[d2mini]

Originally Posted by descovy

Actually, you just reminded me. I had never been on a cruise until my first one last month. I spent much time on a cruise-line forum where people just gushed on and on how my family would love it... how it would be the best thing ever. You know what? We didn't have that great of a time. I see where some people would like it, but it is just not for me. I'd love to post a review of my time and explain the things that didn't work for us. Others new to cruising could consider if their wants or needs match ours. But it's a forum dedicated to the LOVE of cruising, so I'd probably get crucified for speaking out against the holy-grail-of-all-vacations. I would hope that city-data would be a fairer, more reasonable place than that!

I hate cruises.
When i go on vacation, i don't want to be forced to talk to people.
I want to relax and be AWAY from people. Leave me alone and let me veg.

[chris_ut]

Originally Posted by 14Bricks

Maybe delvelopers need to start making man made mountains and man made hills and man made oceans and beaches to shut everybody up.

Instead of "The lakes of.." all the new developments can be "The hills of..", they can make the hills out of the construction debris instead of burying in the front yard like they do now.

[elevenbridle]

cruise = prison with a chance of drowning.

[hhheights77007]

Homer makes some very valid points. Our billboards & powerlines are major eyesores, but since I see them everyday, I hardly notice them anymore.

Does anyone remember when kathryn oliver put up those art instalations that made bilboards appear invisible? My favorite one included a portion of the downtown skyline. Very clever & nice (while it lasted). See here: Billboards as art | Houston Art | 29-95.com

[hhheights77007]

Originally Posted by crone

There is a charm to loving one's town, state or country. Kinda like "the church is a wh000, but she's my mother". I'm not suggesting we emulate other towns, but there is a lesson here and from similar postings.

We should start requiring underground utilities. It's done all over the place. Time was, when the cost in Houston was the same. Now, buried is more up front. Storms knocking down utilities lines and tree trimming probably even out the cost. These lines are ugly. Before you say I'm ignorant of the process, my FIL was a utility contractor who buried thousands of miles cable for all kinds of folks.

So are the endless miles of billboards. Why should we all have to put up with this gross and ugly visual assault because some company finds them useful? I always thought they were awful, but never realized how my soul was affected until we moved to the Bellaire area and there were none. Suddenly, I did not dread having to get into the car. Since that time, I try to never do business with firms who use billboards or signs to get attention.

If strangers evaluate Houston on the trip to town from the airport, need I say more?

The only one I go to is the Container Store. Just can't boycott them.

^^^crone hit the nail on the head! I don't know why so many people are defending houston when what homer said was just an opinion. Does anyone *really* enjoy powerlines draping our their backyard? Or a million billboards advertising DWI attorneys?
I love Houston, but these things just make our city look bad.

[heightsian]

Originally Posted by Homer12

I am in Western MA, not Boston.

See below, click on Real Estate, start at $600k and up, that is where I live. All custom builders, can use their plans or your own, make any changes you want, no 2 homes are even close to like each other.

Just happens to be rated one of the Top 50 Public Courses in the United States as well.

Home - The Ranch Golf Club, Southwick, Western Massachusetts

You just made me homesick. Alas, not sure I could ever return to those winters.

[Homer12]

Originally Posted by heightsian

You just made me homesick. Alas, not sure I could ever return to those winters.

Winters can be brutal, yesterday was 3 degree's. I actually do not mind the cold that much, but last years amount of snow made me want to leave. This year we have not gotten much at all.

[CincoNewbie]

As a new Houston transplant, I can see what Homer12 is talking about. Especially the postage stamp sized lots. We found several houses we liked, but the backyard was dinky. I refuse to live in a house where my living room is bigger than the back yard (obvious exaggeration to make a point). It's not just a few places like this, it is the vast majority. We finally found a house we liked where the back yard is 90' wide and 55' deep. That is not overly big, but it is HUGE in Houston suburb terms. We also refused to look at any houses with electrical wires in the backyard. Surprising with how many houses that ruled out.

I very much enjoy my outdoor living and having a nice backyard to support that is very important to me. It just seems like this is not that important to the people in Houston. That, or they just accept it since that is what they grew up with. Not sure which.

[7ry1an3]

i bet visiting san antonio would make you love Houston

[Premont]

There's no way you could begin to understand Houston off a weekend visit, anymore than I'd understand Boston if I drove around it for 2 days.