Anyone from NY that has moved to Houston and really like it ?

[Astoriahoney]

Originally Posted by Nairobi

Isn't there quite a sizeable black population in Staten Island?

And they say the south suffers from racism. All I know is that there isn't a single neighborhood in Houston, Dallas, or Atlanta that blacks would be advised to avoid for fear of racial violence.

I agree with you about Houston and Atlanta, and Dallas is also not as prejudice as some parts of New York.

Yonkers used to be very racist too, I haven't been out there in years.

It's a very different vibe. And the whites aren't like here, they are more ethnic and dangerous to be honest.

[KerrTown]

Originally Posted by jello1388

Public transportation stress is gone

Good luck driving in rush hour freeway traffic! It was more stressful braking in bumper-to-bumper traffic than to get on the commuter bus today. Don't forget that you burn more gas in traffic, so more frequent fill-ups--more money out of your pocket!
Also the time difference is huge; the bus was passing by traffic jams on the Katy Freeway and I got to the Katy area 30 minutes earlier on the bus than riding the traffic jam.

[UpstaterInBklyn]

Originally Posted by Nairobi

Isn't there quite a sizeable black population in Staten Island?

There is black population on Staten Island, but just like other parts of New York, they live in a couple of specific areas.

[cvc5049]

I've been here about two weeks and I absolutely love it. It's hot, yes, but who moves to Texas thinking it won't be? I'm looking forward to a summer of new friends, time by the pool and glorious sunshine. Oh, and awesome food!

The constant sunlight has improved my mood by leaps and bounds. I love going to work at 6:30 in the sunlight and leaving at 5 in the sunlight. The traffic kind of sucks...but I get to drive again! I never had that in Hoboken/New York.

The people here are overhwelmingly friendly. I've never had anyone just strike up a conversation with me in the grocery store, Target, etc. I've also been able to find comparable services to what I was used to at home (nail salon, eyebrow wax, hair cut....yes, to a woman, these things can be ridiculously important).

I live on my own for the first time, have my own car and I'm in a place I feel like is really home. It's unfortunate it took 23 years of my life to get down here...but I foresee myself staying for a LONG time.

[Johnhw2]

Originally Posted by cvc5049

I've been here about two weeks and I absolutely love it. It's hot, yes, but who moves to Texas thinking it won't be? I'm looking forward to a summer of new friends, time by the pool and glorious sunshine. Oh, and awesome food!

The constant sunlight has improved my mood by leaps and bounds. I love going to work at 6:30 in the sunlight and leaving at 5 in the sunlight. The traffic kind of sucks...but I get to drive again! I never had that in Hoboken/New York.

The people here are overhwelmingly friendly. I've never had anyone just strike up a conversation with me in the grocery store, Target, etc. I've also been able to find comparable services to what I was used to at home (nail salon, eyebrow wax, hair cut....yes, to a woman, these things can be ridiculously important).

I live on my own for the first time, have my own car and I'm in a place I feel like is really home. It's unfortunate it took 23 years of my life to get down here...but I foresee myself staying for a LONG time.

Welcome to Tx, I am glad things are off to a good start and trust a continuing good life experience in Tx. I lived in NJ and moved back to Tx after 8 years. I liked NJ but moving back to Tx felt like coming home to a place where I can do the things I enjoy..... the simple things. I find it hard to explain to those considering moving here but you did a very nice job of capturing some of the simple things that make me happier to live here than in NJ or Pa

[oblivionlml]

Originally Posted by jpimus

Here are my negatives.

1. Weather. Kiss having four distinct seasons goodbye. It's hot and hotter and it is arguably the most humid and sticky part of the country. I find it very difficult to enjoy the outdoors from mid April to mid November. During the summer months (May through October) it is usually 100 degrees EVERYDAY and 80-85 at night. It is just brutal.

2, Lack of outdoor diversity. Houston is flat and boring. The gulf is bath water and the water is dirty brown. It is not very pleasant. There really is nothing to do outside in that part of Texas. No hiking, no rivers, no nice beaches. Nothing. Memorial Park is not bad for running when the weather allows it.

3, Lots of crime. You really cannot go anywhere without a strong possibilty of your car being broken into. Lots of drunk driving - most in the country. Lots of gangs and Houston is slowly be swallowed by illegal aliens. There are also a ton of bad areas with many burglaries even in the nicer areas. With the exception of the Memorial Drive area, anything outside the inner loop gets pretty gheto. If you live in an apt complex, your own neighbors will steal your stuff.

4, No mass transit. You have to drive anywhere. Houston is more like a suburb than what most people consider a city. It is the least pedestrian friendly place on the plant.

5, People. I find the people to be rude and for the most part, lack education. Not the brightest. The Medical Center and NASA obviously attract a smart bunch, but other than that I have noticed that customer service and overall kindness is horrible compared to the Northeast. My wife is from Portland, Oregon. She works for Continental and travels all over the country and globe every week. She too says that Houston is by far the rudest place she has been to with possibly the exception of China.

Bottom line is Houston is a working city in a bad location. It lacks history, character and identity It is not the type of place you go to live it up for social and leisure reasons. It is also not the place you move to if you like a mix of nature and the big city life.

1. It isn't blistering heat all that time, definitely warmer than New York but it really isn't that hot... Besides I like it hot.

2. Yes our side of the Gulf of Mexico is nasty but if you really want to go to the beach, we aren't that far from Corpus Christi and South Padre Island. Even though it is flat there is still plenty to do, just look around.

3. It isn't that bad, maybe your just a little bit paranoid...

4. Okay you got me there, but we are (hopefully) working on getting Metro Rail to much more of the city.

5. People are people, what do you want? Just be careful of who you deal with.

[NY2788]

Originally Posted by ymbd

I'm from East Flatbush, Brooklyn and while it's true black people don't really go to Howard Beach, Bensonhurst, there is a sizable black population in Staten Island. That's where the Wu-Tang Clan comes from.

Back to the OP, I moved from NY and loveeeeee Houston. I would move back!!

I really liked it too, I hope my plans goes well...I am really looking forward to this change for my famliy and me.

[NY2788]

Originally Posted by cvc5049

I've been here about two weeks and I absolutely love it. It's hot, yes, but who moves to Texas thinking it won't be? I'm looking forward to a summer of new friends, time by the pool and glorious sunshine. Oh, and awesome food!

The constant sunlight has improved my mood by leaps and bounds. I love going to work at 6:30 in the sunlight and leaving at 5 in the sunlight. The traffic kind of sucks...but I get to drive again! I never had that in Hoboken/New York.

The people here are overhwelmingly friendly. I've never had anyone just strike up a conversation with me in the grocery store, Target, etc. I've also been able to find comparable services to what I was used to at home (nail salon, eyebrow wax, hair cut....yes, to a woman, these things can be ridiculously important).

I live on my own for the first time, have my own car and I'm in a place I feel like is really home. It's unfortunate it took 23 years of my life to get down here...but I foresee myself staying for a LONG time.

I am glad to hear you like it, wish you the best of luck in this new journey...I really wish I can move there already but I have to do things right

[KerrTown]

Originally Posted by Astoriahoney

Yonkers used to be very racist too, I haven't been out there in years.

I was driving home in afternoon rush hour traffic listening to KPFT and heard on Democracy Now! about what happened to the old man in the hands of the White Plains police a couple of months ago. This on the heels of Trayvon Martin is disgusting!

"Stop and Frisk" is probably the most compelling reason I will not visit New York City or the rest of the East Coast again.