Pockets of Pretty

Finally, the introduction is done and I can dive straight into the heart of things. Houston. Is. Ugly.

Those that love Houston and are used to this criticism are probably rolling their eyes and scoffing right about now. I've read blogs by some Houston-lovers and I know that if they hate *any* of the complaints about Houston, it's the "ugly" complaint.

Well add me to the chorus!

These people are quick to point out that *all* cities are ugly, just like Houston. And just like Houston, there are pockets of "pretty". This may be true. However, Houston to me is a different kind of ugly--on it's own level. It has it's own category for ugliness. Let me explain it to you:

The pockets of pretty are.....pretty. The downtown skyline is great. I've only walked downtown a few times but it definitely has some character. There are great neighborhoods in the Museum District, the Medical Center, Montrose, etc. Even some of the suburbs are gorgeous, like the Woodlands, Sugarland, etc.

But these pockets of pretty do not negate the fact that overall, the sprawling metropolis known as Houston is one ugly city.

What I hate about Houston it's like everything is made of concrete. It's just roads, and freeways, and tollways, and roads, and roads. And it's so expansive. And flat. Once you're outside "the loop" (Downtown) it is just repetitive nothingness.

To better illustrate, let's make some "Greater Houston Chex Mix". The recipe calls for a Target; a Walmart; a Starbucks; a Home Depot; a Lowes; and about 10 strip centers that all include a nail salon, an emergency vet, a tiny mexican restaurant, a drycleaning store, a checks cashed place, and some type of cell phone store. Then throw in about 3 gated apartment complexes, 3 housing developments, 5 or 6 small gas stations, a grocery store or two, a bunch of churches and some schools.

Mix all of it up in a bag. Season with pollution and mosquitoes, then lay it all out on a cookie sheet.....paying no attention to whether or not the layout makes sense. Then bake it in the oven at 110 degrees for eight months. There you have it. Except, you need to repeat this recipe about 50 times over to get the full idea of what the whole Greater-Houston area looks like.

Imagine for a second, driving down a long street and seeing the same thing over and over and over again. It's so ugly. So boring. It can be convenient. For example one time I needed something at target, but they were out. They sent me to another target that had the item two miles away. For the most part though, it's painfully boring. Painfully predictable. Painfully unexciting.

Houston wasn't built to be a tourist city, though they are trying to change that now. What are the claims to fame? Well, there is NASA. There's a great museum district. A bustling downtown...among other things. But it's missing that character and identity that other cities deliver. It's flat, and yet everyone drives SUVs and pick-up trucks with 4 wheel drive. Bad drivers, I might add. It had no walkability....plus, why would you WANT to walk anywhere? It's excruciatingly hot and like I said earlier, you see the same things over and over again.

Almost every other city in the country has more to offer than Houston in terms of a nicer place to live. Even other cities in Texas such as Dallas, Austin, San Antonio have more character and things to do than Houston. One thing Houston does have is JOBS. I read an article the other day about how Texas is the new California during this recession. People are leaving California and Michigan in droves to get down here and find work. I can't help but wonder if when things start turning around people go back to where they came from. I would!

I envy other places. California for example, while it appears to be cursed in the natural disaster department you can't deny that it is a beautiful state from the sunny beaches of San Diego to the plush greenery of Napa Valley. New England, where I am from, is cold as a mo-fo but has quaint shops and beautiful rocky coasts that overlook the atlantic. Colorado is full of gorgeous vegetation, lakes, and mountain ranges. Florida has beautiful sandy beaches, glamorous city-scapes, and tons of attractions. Even New Orleans has an identity all its own.

There are so many beautiful areas in this country...beautiful cities. Think Harvard Square in Boston, the culture of Charleston, the walkability of Seattle. Houston has none of that. Nada. Nothing. Everything pretty in Houston is man-made. Economically speaking, Houston has a lot to offer in terms of real estate and job opportunities. You get a lot more for your money here than you do in other places. But at what cost?