Progress Race:Dallas,Houston,Austin,San Antonio (Miami: food, metro)

[Gunion Powder]

Despite being closer to Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, and Corpus, the climate and terrain of Houston most closely resembles New Orleans, Mobile and even the Florida Panhandle. I'd say the Brazos River serves as the dividing line for these two regions.

Culturally, Houston is a cross between South Texas and South Louisiana, with many parallels to both. Tejano is commonly heard around town, but so is zydeco.

The Golden Triangle is really the only area which defies almost every typically Texan trait there is. There are still more Blacks than Mexicans there, and there are more French descendants than Germans.

[atadytic19]

Drove around the core of Houston recently and I am just awestruck.

The buffalo bayou and memorial park project. Three residential areas developing downtown and all the new buildings changing the skyline. The Hardy Yards project to the North, the East End is rapidly transitioning. Midtown is rapidly filling in. The Med Center is like doubled in size. Rice Village is booming with residential high rises and new retail, Montrose and West of Downtown has crazy new construction. Then talking about retail that cluster of Highland Village, River Oaks Dustrict, Blvd Place and the Galleria is just something else. Entire avenues have changed. Washington, Westheimer, Kirby, Richmond, San Felipe, Post Oak,.... the Core of Houston has changed so much. Looks fantastic.

610 through uptown looks completely different from 10 years ago. Completely different city. Heck it looks like it could be it's own city.

Downtown I am happy that there are so many residential towers going up. Didn't see much improvement in retail downtown, but I guess that is coming next. Hotels, wow, so many new projects. The activity there should be awesome for the superbowl. Downtown too seems cleaner, more polished than I remember. Even the Bayou, with the new paths and the greenery, looks more appealing.

Great job Houston.

[SouthernBoy205]

Originally Posted by atadytic19

Drove around the core of Houston recently and I am just awestruck.

The buffalo bayou and memorial park project. Three residential areas developing downtown and all the new buildings changing the skyline. The Hardy Yards project to the North, the East End is rapidly transitioning. Midtown is rapidly filling in. The Med Center is like doubled in size. Rice Village is booming with residential high rises and new retail, Montrose and West of Downtown has crazy new construction. Then talking about retail that cluster of Highland Village, River Oaks Dustrict, Blvd Place and the Galleria is just something else. Entire avenues have changed. Washington, Westheimer, Kirby, Richmond, San Felipe, Post Oak,.... the Core of Houston has changed so much. Looks fantastic.

610 through uptown looks completely different from 10 years ago. Completely different city. Heck it looks like it could be it's own city.

Downtown I am happy that there are so many residential towers going up. Didn't see much improvement in retail downtown, but I guess that is coming next. Hotels, wow, so many new projects. The activity there should be awesome for the superbowl. Downtown too seems cleaner, more polished than I remember. Even the Bayou, with the new paths and the greenery, looks more appealing.

Great job Houston.

Great post!

I was in East End or EaDo on Friday, and I was quite impressed with it. Houston really needs to develop this area into an urban yet quirky haven.

[atadytic19]

Originally Posted by SouthernBoy205

Great post!

I was in East End or EaDo on Friday, and I was quite impressed with it. Houston really needs to develop this area into an urban yet quirky haven.

A good sign is that they are developing affordable housing in that area. I was shocked at all the Uber luxury complexes going up all across the city. It's dangerous to demolish so many affordable complexes and rebuild with so much higher end.

But the east side has a lot of promise.

[SouthernBoy205]

Originally Posted by atadytic19

A good sign is that they are developing affordable housing in that area. I was shocked at all the Uber luxury complexes going up all across the city. It's dangerous to demolish so many affordable complexes and rebuild with so much higher end.

But the east side has a lot of promise.

What's considered affordable in EaDo?

[SouthernBoy205]

Originally Posted by Gunion Powder

Despite being closer to Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, and Corpus, the climate and terrain of Houston most closely resembles New Orleans, Mobile and even the Florida Panhandle. I'd say the Brazos River serves as the dividing line for these two regions.

Culturally, Houston is a cross between South Texas and South Louisiana, with many parallels to both. Tejano is commonly heard around town, but so is zydeco.

The Golden Triangle is really the only area which defies almost every typically Texan trait there is. There are still more Blacks than Mexicans there, and there are more French descendants than Germans.

I would add culture too.

[Gunion Powder]

Originally Posted by SouthernBoy205

I would add culture too.

Except it isn't really. Hispanic culture may have only recently became widespread in Houston, but it didn't just happen overnight. It was a gradual process, as there has always been some Spanish influence. Even fifty years ago, Houston was more Mexican than the eastern Gulf Coast.

I'd say the essence of Houston is equal parts Baton Rouge and San Antonio.

[curbur]

Originally Posted by Gunion Powder

I'd say the essence of Houston is equal parts Baton Rouge and San Antonio.

I don't always agree with your posts, often don't, but when I do I usually feel compelled enough to give rep. (cue dos equis commercial meme..)

[SouthernBoy205]

Originally Posted by Gunion Powder

Except it isn't really. Hispanic culture may have only recently became widespread in Houston, but it didn't just happen overnight. It was a gradual process, as there has always been some Spanish influence. Even fifty years ago, Houston was more Mexican than the eastern Gulf Coast.

I'd say the essence of Houston is equal parts Baton Rouge and San Antonio.

I guess it's based on what I do or how I view the city. I feel that the city has a thick southern culture that I'm used to.


Houston's Hispanic culture reminds me of other parts of the South except Miami; Houston just has more Hispanics. I've heard on like 3 occasions from Hispanics (all Mexican) themselves that S.A. has the best Hispanic (Mexican) culture and restaurants in Texas.


To me, I definitely see more of a southern/Cajun/creole/Louisianan/Gulf Coast flair/culture here than a Hispanic one.


But hey, I gotta be careful not to share my experience because folks on here get real offended about this. Please don't bash me for my experience.

[Gunion Powder]

Originally Posted by SouthernBoy205

I guess it's based on what I do or how I view the city. I feel that the city has a thick southern culture that I'm used to.


Houston's Hispanic culture reminds me of other parts of the South except Miami; Houston just has more Hispanics. I've heard on like 3 occasions from Hispanics (all Mexican) themselves that S.A. has the best Hispanic (Mexican) culture and restaurants in Texas.


To me, I definitely see more of a southern/Cajun/creole/Louisianan/Gulf Coast flair/culture here than a Hispanic one.


But hey, I gotta be careful not to share my experience because folks on here get real offended about this. Please don't bash me for my experience.

I'm not going to bash you, but I am going to suggest you get around Houston more. You can't simply overlook the fact that Hispanics are now the largest group in town. The only other major southern cities that can say the same are Dallas and Miami.

San Antonio definitely has better Tex-Mex, but I believe Houston has the edge on actual Mexican cuisine, especially in terms of variety.