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Joined: Aug 22, 2002
Posts: 1514
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I tell you, unbelievers:
Houston has become an incredibly great place to live. It used to be known by some as Helltown, but it has changed. I grew up here, moved away for college (at UT in Austin, home for many weekends) and afterward, but moved back about 5 years ago.
Houston boasts:
1.) the cheapest housing among cities in the nation (you would DIE if you knew what I paid for my 2/1, 1300 sq ft house (with a big yard, 10' ceilings, hardwood floors) in one of the coolest areas in town: The Heights. Die. Or hate me. And then die.)
2.) more restaurants per capita than any other city
3.) the "Second Nicest City" rating in the US (behind Rochester, NY) according to a national study a year or two ago
4.) a great museums and art scene (traditional, folk, weird, and really weird), e.g.:
Art Car Parade: http://www.orangeshow.org/artcar.html
The Orange Show: http://www.orangeshow.org/orange.html
The Beer Can House: http://www.orangeshow.org/beercan.html
5.) a great theater scene
6.) a reputation for hospitality like no other after Katrina
7.) proximity to the ocean (Galveston is 45 minutes away)
8.) proximity to Mexico (not as close as San Diego to Tijuana, but drivable)
9.) did I mention the high employment rate? GREAT job market.
10.) great antiquing (although we ain't no California for cheap yard sale tiki). But 2 weekends ago, I finally scored one of my top Holy Grails: a Bali Ha'i Tiki Bob from an antique mall (an MCM booth!) in a nearby town for $7.50.
11.) and now you know of the grooviest MCM neighborhood outside of California!
Downsides:
1.) humidity. No way around it. Except AC everywhere. We became a boomtown when AC became readily available.
2.) a crappy music scene (except for the occasional very bright spot like the band I used to be in, Clouseaux). But we're 2 and a half hours from Austin (whose housing is now MUCH worse than Houston's.)
3.) the rating of "second fattest city". We slipped from first last year. But do you know how they figure that? # of restaurants divided by # of health clubs! See #2 above. My friends are not tubs of lard. Houstonians can afford to eat out (see #9 above), it's often too hot to cook at home, and we have great choices. Hey, if somebody else wants to heat up their kitchen, fine!
Don't knock Houston! Come visit instead. And then stay and buy one of Txmod's cool houses!
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[ Edited by: Formikahini 2007-04-04 16:38 ]
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