Things I love about H-Town
I'm flying home for Thanksgiving on Tuesday afternoon, and I am really looking forward to spending some time down in Houston (or "H-Town" as we native Houstonians call it). I know from the outside looking in, this city is a huge flat sprawl of concrete and is hotter than Hades in August (it's true! I don't complain about the summers in Atlanta), but I love this city.
Now, I am looking forward to the challenge of trying to convince someone that this place, and the State it calls home, is actually a great place. It really doesn't help that our beloved baseball team lost 106 games this year and is selling out to the AL, or that the Texans' season is once again at risk with Matt Leinart under center after Schaub got hurt and is out for the year. But, here are some things I love about it...
We have the best Mexican food on the planet!
And yes, that includes Mexico :-). And I know we have the infamous designation of being the "fattest city in America," but if your Mexican food rocked as much as ours does you'd have the same temptation.
Houston does up everything BIG!
It doesn't matter if it is the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, the Thanksgiving 5K (which I signed up for), Fourth of July fireworks (or the "Power of Houston" fireworks just because we want to deal), Hatch pepper harvest season, or lighting up Uptown for the Christmas season... this city doesn't go halfway on ANY-THING. When we do stuff up, it's first class, and it's big. Little factoid, the Rodeo will outdraw the Texans on any given year. That's a lot of people going to see livestock (or perhaps Brad Paisley).
The running trails
I started to love running at Memorial Park and running under the 100 year oaks at Rice University. One thing I love is that the running trails are designed for running and are soft surface, unlike the concrete PATH in Atlanta. I started running because I had to do something to balance my Mexican food intake; and now I run because I love it.
50 miles from the beaches
This has some advantages and there are some quasi-decent beaches with great towns on the coast. My favorite water spots are Kemah and Galveston. One of these years, I have to go see Dickens on the Strand... never been and want to go to this sometime.
Wild West
I miss two steppin'. Swing is cool but it's not the same. Thursday night hangouts with my First & Second Baptist friends were so much fun.
The pride
I love seeing the Texas pride all over the place. I know this isn't just limited to Houston (or the massive Texas flags above the car dealerships), but it is pervasive. You can't help but to get caught up in it. I admit, my state rocks and we know we're all that. Just deal with it. :-)
And of course... it's home. You can't argue with that :-)
Now, I am looking forward to the challenge of trying to convince someone that this place, and the State it calls home, is actually a great place. It really doesn't help that our beloved baseball team lost 106 games this year and is selling out to the AL, or that the Texans' season is once again at risk with Matt Leinart under center after Schaub got hurt and is out for the year. But, here are some things I love about it...
We have the best Mexican food on the planet!
And yes, that includes Mexico :-). And I know we have the infamous designation of being the "fattest city in America," but if your Mexican food rocked as much as ours does you'd have the same temptation.
Houston does up everything BIG!
It doesn't matter if it is the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, the Thanksgiving 5K (which I signed up for), Fourth of July fireworks (or the "Power of Houston" fireworks just because we want to deal), Hatch pepper harvest season, or lighting up Uptown for the Christmas season... this city doesn't go halfway on ANY-THING. When we do stuff up, it's first class, and it's big. Little factoid, the Rodeo will outdraw the Texans on any given year. That's a lot of people going to see livestock (or perhaps Brad Paisley).
The running trails
I started to love running at Memorial Park and running under the 100 year oaks at Rice University. One thing I love is that the running trails are designed for running and are soft surface, unlike the concrete PATH in Atlanta. I started running because I had to do something to balance my Mexican food intake; and now I run because I love it.
50 miles from the beaches
This has some advantages and there are some quasi-decent beaches with great towns on the coast. My favorite water spots are Kemah and Galveston. One of these years, I have to go see Dickens on the Strand... never been and want to go to this sometime.
Wild West
I miss two steppin'. Swing is cool but it's not the same. Thursday night hangouts with my First & Second Baptist friends were so much fun.
The pride
I love seeing the Texas pride all over the place. I know this isn't just limited to Houston (or the massive Texas flags above the car dealerships), but it is pervasive. You can't help but to get caught up in it. I admit, my state rocks and we know we're all that. Just deal with it. :-)
And of course... it's home. You can't argue with that :-)
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