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When I lived in Houston (both in Clear Lake and Rice Village) I found plenty to do. Of course, Clear Lake is too far from the med center than the op wants, but we always had fun going out and having drinks overlooking the bay and even hitting some clubs in the area. Rice Village was very walkable. I didn't live near where I worked, I had to drive, but when I got home I could walk to the gymn or the grocery store. If you really wanted, you could walk to Montrose too but riding a bike to Montrose is easier. On weekends my friends and I, if we wanted to stay close to home, could just walk around the village during the day to shop or eat at one of the many restaurants/cafes and at night go to a club or bar and then walk home without having to worry about DWI's . We also liked to roller blade from time to time on the Rice University Campus.
LOL, the OP eliminated Austin from the start. yeah Bottom line is Austin is crappy. What part of THAT do you not understand?
and get of your high and might Austin horse. I didn't say the op shouldn't walk. why would I tell someone they shouldn't walk? its their choice. I said when summer comes around he or she won't want to.
what are they teaching you all in those high schools in Austin? It can't be reading comprehension?
Just because you don't want to walk and get exercise in the summer doesn't mean others don't. That is the part that you did not comprehend. I exercise on Town Lake Trail in Austin, along with hundreds or even thousands, even in August! And guess what, I like it and I want to! Your problem is you assume others want what you want and that is not the case. My guess is that is why you didn't fit into Austin when you lived here (pun intended).
Let me guess, are you contributing to the ranking of Houston being the fattest city in America?
Perhaps you should get out of that A/C car a few times, or at least park on the other side of the parking lot to burn a few extra calories. It may indeed add years to your life. Being a couch potato ain't good for your health, you should know.
Just because you don't want to walk and get exercise in the summer doesn't mean others don't. That is the part that you did not comprehend. I exercise on Town Lake Trail in Austin, along with hundreds or even thousands, even in August! And guess what, I like it and I want to! Your problem is you assume others want what you want and that is not the case. My guess is that is why you didn't fit into Austin when you lived here (pun intended).
Let me guess, are you contributing to the ranking of Houston being the fattest city in America?
Perhaps you should get out of that A/C car a few times, or at least park on the other side of the parking lot to burn a few extra calories. It may indeed add years to your life. Being a couch potato ain't good for your health, you should know.
Ha ha, some people like you need to kill yourself to stay slim. I am naturally slim and sexy don't need to run around like a wild beast to stay skinny. Its called good genes
your attempts are just pathetic. Pulling up a stupid article?? Really? Grow up
Perhaps he's not aware that Houston has parks and sidewalks? The OP said Austin isn't an option.. I have lots of friends in Houston who manage to get outside and exercize. There are lots of people in Austin who also stay inside when its really hot outside. In any city in Tx, you just have to know to go outside during the cooler parts of the day.
Perhaps he's not aware that Houston has parks and sidewalks? The OP said Austin isn't an option.. I have lots of friends in Houston who manage to get outside and exercize. There are lots of people in Austin who also stay inside when its really hot outside. In any city in Tx, you just have to know to go outside during the cooler parts of the day.
Yeah, he is acting like I said people don't go out. I said I think they are crazy for going out. And what does he do? he pulls out an article that is 10 freaking years old. OH please, there are articles similar that Has Austin on the fat list too. But who cares
My wife is interviewing for fellowship positions inHouston and Dallas, and we are visiting both this weekend.
We are from the east coast, I have lived in NYC but hail from Philadelphia, and but currently live in Chicago. Philly was my favorite city mostly because it was "home" growing up and I found it to be extremely walkable, accessible financially, charming historically, and I enjoyed frequent vacations to the shore and beach towns in NJ.
My first impressions of Houston was the sprawl and highway culture, but the booming economy was apparent. We drove through surface streets at night to check out downtown, and I couldnt figure out where all the people were. We had dinner at a place called armadillos which was good, but the neighborhood had nothing going for it. Had coffee in Rice Village and got a better vibe from there, but everything seemed very suburban and car focused.
Stayed near Galleria, and wasn't impressed. It was a big mall, with a maggianos and chain steakhouses. Not exactly my idea of city living, but you get this in Philly and Chicago too. No biggie.
Questions re Houston specifically-
Are there areas of population density and commercial/residential mix that one could live in with walkable access to shopping, dining, drinking, parks and squares? I could get over the sprawl re:commute if I had benefits of "city living" where I live. For purposes of this post, let's call them "livable areas".
What is morning and evening commute time like between downtown and med center? Livable areas and med center and downtown respectively?
As for Dallas we had dinner in West End on fri night and it was ok, though pretty quiet. Again I suspect the downtown areas here are not cultural hubs as they are in other cities I've lived in. That's ok, but where are they?
So far I think the weather would be a big plus, and I would be interested in many of the companies headquartered in Houston, as I am finishing my MBA at
A top school in Chicago. I would appreciate anyone who can address the above as well as help differentiate Dallas from Houston in terms of actual lifestyle, not just reputation/rivalry.
I wrote this on my iPhone so I apologize in advance for egregious grammar or text problems.
Sorry that you have been subjected to another tedious and repetitive pissing match. Both Dallas and Houston have very respectable urban amenities but as you have gathered very little urbanity. Compared to truly urban neighborhoods like Lakeview in Chicago or Center City in Philadelphia, Dallas's Uptown and Oaklawn and Houston's Montrose, Heights etc are going to feel very suburban, but that is the best you are going to get here. Texans like to argue about the differences between Dallas and Houston, but they have more in common with each other than they do with any other city in the world: huge, sprawling, car-centric, racially diverse Texan sunbelt cities, with good restaurants, fine museums, dead downtowns, relative cheapness, more liberal cores with conservative suburbs, and a very few half-way walkable, lively neighborhoods. You mentioned the beach, which gives Houston the edge, but otherwise it is really six of one and half a dozen of the other.
Thanks for the posts, although like I said, Austin isn't an option. The more info and the less rivalry the better!
Really we are just trying to understand how the urban, walk out your door and be within easy walking distance to restaurants, bars, and shopping lifestyle would translate to either city. Doesnt sound like it does much at all. Not really looking to do much running in the summer, I'm just used to walking to work in Philly, or a shot walk to a 10 minute train ride in Chicago.
I don't really like the idea of spending any significant time in a car. I've put maybe 2k miles on my car the past year in Chicago. I realize it's different in TX but just trying to gauge if I would be unhappy living a suburban life.
My sister and her husband live in walking distance to Lower Greenville and love it. I know they can walk to lots of restaurants and bars but not sure how much shopping. When I lived in Rice Village I could walk to all that you mention. Biking could take me to the Montrose area or further down Kirby if I wanted. The Heights, Rlice Village, the W. Gray area....none of these areas are smack in the center of the skyscrapers, but are just in the shadows surrounding it, so you aren't miles and miles away from downtown. And now that they have a rail line, I think with stations in some of these neighborhoods, then it should only take you minutes to get into Central Houston. I'm guessing the same goes for Dallas from what my friends tell me. I think you can get around alright without a car in either city, unless you want to go further out for something.
The OP stated that he/she wanted a city that is walkable so that eliminates Houston. What part of that do you not understand? The OP has different values than you do. Perhaps the OP lives a healthy lifestyle and doesn't want to be breathing in carbon monoxide an hour or more a day on a freeway. Perhaps the OP walks around to keep fit and trim.
Houston is not a good fit for the OP because the OP likes a pedestrian lifestyle. You don't have to agree with his/her lifestyle, but don't be giving advice to the OP that isn't tailored to what he/she likes.
Bottom line is Houston is not a good fit for the OP. Austin is.
Constant Relocator - You will not consider any Texas walkable by Chicago standards (sorry Austin). What you will find are walkable neighborhoods. Before getting to that, you should take the qualities of each city into consideration so you decide which one to move to.
Dallas and Houston are both BIG cities. Austin is not. By BIG, I mean a critical mass to support world class culture including museums and performing arts. In this, Austin is a regional city. So, between the two big cites, Houston is gets the edge here because its cultural offerings are usually considered somewhat better on national ratings.
Do you want lakes or salt water? Dallas and Austin have better lakes and Houston has access to the gulf and Galveston Bay. (Galveston beaches will disappoint you after Lake Michigan, but it's there.) Austin is close to the Hill Country, which is beautiful, particularly in spring during wildflower season. Dallas and Austin are hotter in the summer and colder in the winter than Houston, but less humid all year around. Houston has the edge in diversity. As the center of the oil industry, I was always amazed at the number of different languages I heard in the restaurants and entertainment venues. Houston has better restaurants and Dallas has better hotels. Austin has an almost unsurpassed live music scene. In terms of shopping, I'd rate the cities in order as Dallas 1st and Houston 2nd and wouldn’t include Austin. Most Houstonians consider Dallas "snooty" and think of Austin as a "cute" get-away. On the other hand, folks in these cites consider Houston as dirty and more working class. Austin considers itself the liberal oasis in Texas but it’s Houston that elected a lesbian as mayor. The city of Dallas is more liberal than people outside Texas realize.
Those are MY views of the comparisons between the cities (I know we’ll soon be hearing from others who vehemently disagree with me).
Now, as to walkable neighborhoods. After living there 26 years, it’s Houston I know and can advise you on. Because we are walkers (as you can see, we now live in Philly), we loved living in Montrose. We could walk to grocery stores, drug stores, restaurants, coffee shops, boutiques, museums, parks and the light rail. Although you will likely chose to drive there, it’s adjacent to downtown, where the major performing arts centers are located. Montrose the closest we could find to a real city experience, and it’s the only neighborhood I would have lived in while in Houston.
Yeah, he is acting like I said people don't go out. I said I think they are crazy for going out. And what does he do? he pulls out an article that is 10 freaking years old. OH please, there are articles similar that Has Austin on the fat list too. But who cares
Nope Austin was on the fittest list.
Austin Ranked One of Nation's Fittest Cities - San Antonio, Not So Much (http://ericbramlett.com/austin-ranked-one-of-nations-fittest-cities-san-antonio-not-so-much/ - broken link)
From 2009, by the way.
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. We also liked to roller blade from time to time on the Rice University Campus.
don't need to run around like a wild beast to stay skinny. Its called good genes
