Should Houston be kept a secret? (Dallas, China: live, zoning, bus)

[AK123]

Originally Posted by sxrckr

These naysayer losers are pretty hilarious. A couple of people who will obviously find a reason to be miserable wherever they go. Go somewhere new, but just give it a few months. They're right, everyone else is wrong. No one wants to be around that! Another who had a bad experience in the Houston job market, probably by no coincidence (red flags) and now that means he must poop on Houston for revenge and it's not a "real" city like the new place. LOL! Carry on, carry on.

I know, right? Feel a little sorry for them actually...

[worldlyman]

Originally Posted by OducksFTW!

Worldyman, I dont know what it is with you but you make it seem like Houston's hodge-podge mash ups of businesses and bars are something that people should die for. You act like putting a new strip mall with a patio is something no other city except Houston can do. You have a unique and very specific taste, and you're trying to sell it to everyone, and making it out that NYC, LA, Chicago etc. aren't capable of doing anything like what we have in Houston.
Guess what, it doesn't take much innovation or creative genius to put in a new strip mall, or a new "City Centre" or a street "peppered" with neon lights. But if you enjoy you're nights driving from one place to another, and spending 1/3 of the evening in a car, or bus, then have at it. And im sure you have some new construed argument how Houston's parks are better than Central Park, Millennium park, or Runyon Canyon in LA. But im confident that you will find a way. And you want to talk about the Rail line? you know its been almost ten years right? Ten years and not a single mile has been added.


And for the record, I have found a small percentage of Houston that I do like, the Heights, and unlike many Houstonians I demand more than settle for the status quo. I've mentioned I like the Heights for its city neighborhood feel. For its little local businesses and restaurants. I try to spend my time in the Heights, but not to over do it because I know eventually I'm going to hit this wall and there isn't much like this outside of this special area. I'm trying to find other areas like this, discovered a few blocks in the Guflton Oaks/Oak Forest area, which is looking promising, and anyone has any other areas that they think are similar to what I'm looking for, hit me with it.

But for millions of folks around these parts, jobs and square feet is all that matters.

Like they don't typically drive all over LA for nightlife as well? Like they don't drive into Chicago for the nightlife from nearby towns in Wisconsin and Indiana...as well as the outer Chicagoland areas like Schaumburg, IL (inaccessible by METRA)...and then have to drive back after sloshing hard? The Anal Urbanists who slam Houston for "driving" forget that reality as well.

I have a "unique" and "specific" taste? Ha ha ha. Believe me, people in Houston party down at those URBAN bars/clubs in downtown or Washington Avenue as EQUALLY as they do at those fringe bars along Richmond Avenue.

So then tell me, where in New York, San Fran, L.A. or D.C. will I find a street that offers a COLLECTION of THOSE BUTTON DOWN, HUGE PARTY DECKS lining up a WIDE OPEN STREET like Richmond Avenue? Where can I find a Sam's Boat next to a Concert Pub...with Mazaj's wonderful patio across the street in those cities? Just for starters. I am waiting for that answer. Big, big unpretentious, really big party patio decks now. Oh, wait, I've never seen such a thing in those cities.

Houston can do sophisticated, Houston can do sloppy OUT IN THE OPEN. Maybe those other cities can do the "sophisticated" aspect more effectively than H-town. Who cares! Those other cities can concentrate on being as uptight and pretentious as they want to be.

In Houston, we can still do tight, pedestrian bar crawls like those cities (even if our walkabouts are structurally more diverse and spread out)...yet we can still have the Richmond Avenue option as well.

You are perception-challenged and it is your insinuation that Houston's metro entertainment is generally "strip malls" and "City Centre" though we have all sorts of interesting and architecturally diverse walkabouts that include downtown, Old Town Spring, Kemah Light House District, Woodlands Waterway, Rice Village, Montrose (with its oddball backstreets), Heights 19th Street, Heights White Oak, etc. East Downtown is coming to its own. I enjoy walking around New Chinatown, along Bellaire Blvd after a meal, looking for dessert or moon cakes.

I can enjoy the Heights environment or I can enjoy the commercially vibrant and DIVERSE strip mall environments at Fountainview/Westheimer and Weslayan/Richmond. People eating outside, walking up and down...I don't give a rat's a-- if they aren't set into some Georgetown or some San Fran street environment. The smiles I see on people when they walk up and down those storefronts, eating outside at Collina's or waiting for tables at Oporto Cafe, makes for a great starter area.

Tell me what other metro has recently put up an interesting design and layout like Woodlands Waterway? For a "lifestyle center" that's actually a very interesting layout and just because it's recent doesn't mean it's aesthetically irrelevant (but you are an uptight Urban Analist for whom things must be older than 75 years to be an enjoyable place to stroll around).

What the heck is even wrong with the OPTION of vibrant neon strip malls, especially the nightlife-centered ones in New Chinatown (packed with KTV, lounges, late night pho)? What would you rather have? Cow pastures or boarded up structures? You bitter haters crack me up, really.

We may not have the organized density here, but we sure more than make up for it with having different types of walkabouts. I will take that over, say, Chicago where Navy Pier and Shedd Aquarium are surgically attached to their urban core. Cool places, nice layout for simplistic tourists...but over time...B-O-R-I-N-G. On-and-Off tour bus cities don't do much for me when I want a more livable city. I much prefer the little adventures here in Houston's environs.

It is no secret we drive here in Houston. I am just one of those who lives a hybrid lifestyle. I take public transit for work, drive for pleasure. So what if I drive from Midtown to Chinatown on a whim? Am I merely just "settling?" LOL. (Cracks me up really good...)

Well, what qualifies you to denigrate Discovery Green as inferior to parks in other cities? Memorial Park is about twice the size of Central Park...and a nice green place to drive through or jog considering its urban location.

I can say it again and again. Hershey Park is virtually in my backyard and it is a MAGNIFICENT green resource. Wonderful place to hike or bike for MILES on end on those concrete walkways, secluded by lush greenery, hard to believe we are in one of the busiest cities when I am lost out there. I don't really care what other cities have in their parks, because I AM ENJOYING SOMETHING WONDERFUL that is near me. "Settling" my a--.

The newer METRORAIL lines are not too far from being completed. Better late than never. But you Anal Urbanists want instant gratification (so you can bash Houston for "not wanting to improve") and don't even bother to keep up with developments.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_En...ine_(METRORail)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southea...ine_(METRORail)
Too bad for you.

[theSUBlime]

God, who even cares anymore?
Some people like Houston and some people don't. Big deal.

[Jack Lance]

Originally Posted by Refresh967

Ok first thing is first. Gotta say I am 100% agreeing with Oducks and wink. You guys know how real cities should operate.

What gets me mad is when I suggest and VERY FEASIBLE plan like a theme park or light rail in the inner loop along with heavy rail on the outer loop and access to airports and major destinations.

What is so utopian about that Houstonians!

Look at china! You know what china does when there cities in the north need water? They divert water ALL THE WAY FROM SOUTH CHINA! You know what China does when a citizen in Shanghai doesn't want to drive to his company in Beijing? They build high speed rail! You know what Shanghai does if they have a lot of money (like Houston) they use that money to BENEFIT the citizens. Like one of the worlds largest subway systems.

So if a little village in China can turn into a bustling metropolis like Shanghai, what makes the thought of having decent amenities and mass transit so impossible for Houston? It's not like we don't have the money.

If you people are fine driving an hour to grab junk piña coladas at a strip mall, paying hundreds of dollars a month buying gas for cars, eating at corporate run franchises and sleeping in corporate run miniHoustons ( a la Woodlands) than fine by me, just don't go acting like Houston is a perfect city that needs to be kept secret.

Houston is not a communist dictatorship. Houston does not have the power to arbitrarily dictate public policy like the totalitarian communist Chinese. This is a scary indication that the MASS transit lobby may have totalitarian tendencies. You do understand the electoral process don't you? You have to pass bonds to appropriate funds first, you do understand that

BTW what other names do we know you by?

[Oildog]

Originally Posted by Refresh967

Ok first thing is first. Gotta say I am 100% agreeing with Oducks and wink. You guys know how real cities should operate.

What gets me mad is when I suggest and VERY FEASIBLE plan like a theme park or light rail in the inner loop along with heavy rail on the outer loop and access to airports and major destinations, people like some of the idiots on the forum call it a utopia!

What is so utopian about that Houstonians!

Look at china! You know what china does when there cities in the north need water? They divert water ALL THE WAY FROM SOUTH CHINA! You know what China does when a citizen in Shanghai doesn't want to drive to his company in Beijing? They build high speed rail! You know what Shanghai does if they have a lot of money (like Houston) they use that money to BENEFIT the citizens. Like one of the worlds largest subway systems.

So if a little village in China can turn into a bustling metropolis like Shanghai, what makes the thought of having decent amenities and mass transit so impossible for Houston? It's not like we don't have the money.

If you people are fine driving an hour to grab junk piña coladas at a strip mall, paying hundreds of dollars a month buying gas for cars, eating at corporate run franchises and sleeping in corporate run miniHoustons ( a la Woodlands) than fine by me, just don't go acting like Houston is a perfect city that needs to be kept secret.

This is a clueless non traveled post. China does not build to meet the needs of individual.

[Truth713]

Originally Posted by Oildog

This is a clueless non traveled post. China does not build to meet the needs of individual.

SHSS your going to destroy his expert observations, which if he were he would know most of china is actualy quite rual and low tech..outside of major cities

[Sampaguita]

Originally Posted by theSUBlime

God, who even cares anymore?
Some people like Houston and some people don't. Big deal.

AMEN. It was interesting for a few posts but closing in on post #110 with folks repeating the same pro/con arguments.

So how about the gorgeous weather we had today? A definite plus for Houston this fine Spring!

[TVC15]

Houston is not a secret in my neck of the woods or most neck of the woods...but with that said they have no clue what Houston is about or even how large it is, that it has one of the best Medical Centers on this planet, one of the best food scenes on the planet, one of the most diverse economies, some of the kindest souls on the planet and on and on I could go about the awesome things about Houston. But for the bitter nay sayers all I can say is either get over it or move. We live in a country that does not force you to remain where you don't want live...so have at it...it's a huge planet to expand if you are not happy where you are. Or get out and vote to change what you don't like.

Houstonians that like Houston know what I mean

[JaqueCosto]

this thread has become some sort of magnet for bitterness and hostility.

[dalparadise]

Originally Posted by JaqueCosto

this thread has become some sort of magnet for bitterness and hostility.

...and weird patio-phelia.