HOUSTON forumites - please read!!!

[venturawest]

i have been offered a job - nay, not just any job - but an INCREDIBLE offer to move to houston. i could double, or potentially triple, my salary within 3-5 years.

 

i know nothing about houston. educate me. i need to point out my specifics: i'm 36, never been married, LOVE nightlife, and i need to point out that i'm dark skinned (which has never been an issue living in miami, but certainly was an issue when i lived in st. louis, for example) and i'm used to big cities - miami, san francisco, new york.

 

can i live there? could i be happy there? how's the cost of living, singles life, traffic, etc?

 

educate me. i am intrigued.

[1tallbassguy]

Houston is a huge, spread out city. There are many suburb towns and municipalities all around town.

Most everyone in Houston drives their own vehicle. Hence traffic is usually an issue.

There is some public transportation in the inner city however.

 

Very diverse city with all ethnicities and colors, creeds.

Seems most folks like to live amongst others of similiar cultures.

 

There is night life everywhere, and there is also crime as in any big city.

 

I was born and raised here. Sometimes I want to go somewhere else, but this is my home.

 

Yeah you would find a niche somewhere.

[BigPigPeaches]

Humidity and cockroaches the size of your head.

 

But bustling with stuff to do and women with big hair, big boobs, and big asses. Sometimes all on the same woman.

[venturawest]

 

Humidity and cockroaches the size of your head. But bustling with stuff to do and women with big hair, big boobs, and big asses. Sometimes all on the same woman.

 

 

sound like...miami. only with english speaking chicks.

[RSBro]

If you fit in in Miami, you will fit in Houston.

It's turning more and more into another San Antonio each day, which has good and bad points/issues.

Unless you're going downtown and living by Rice (University) or Bel Aire, the more north you go (towards me) like in Spring and The Woodlands, the most quaint and suburbish it gets.

 

Plus yeah Houston is a pain to get around, but it's nothing like D/FW.

 

All in all it's not bad. I'll be moving to the Woodlands more than likely here in the next year or two.

 

There's a good bit of us from around here/there and I-45 is the easiest freeway in the world to navigate, so we should have some GTG's when you get in town for sure! :thu:

[lug]

You would be close to Lug. That alone is worth the move. Another, lesser benefit is that you will find it much cheaper to live here than most large metropolitan areas, making the big payday even bigger. We also have one of the best medical centers in the world with lots of field diversity. There is no specialty you can select that won't be world class here. The down side is it's flat here.....real flat. Recreation is boating, period.

[ezstep]

Houston is somthing like the 5th largest city in North America, by sq. miles. It is a geophysical oddity - you are always 45 minutes away from everything. So, travel is a necessity. But, I will agree with others that it is easy to navigate. Wifey and I have good friends there and have been many, many times.

 

On the other hand, lug is a couple of miles south of Houston. The suck is HUGE!

 

Lug - you have like TWENTY kids. I think you found another form of recreation.

 

 

1. You going to M. D. Anderson?

2. Did you get my last message?

[venturawest]

thanks gang, keep the info coming...

 

questions:

 

1) what's it like for a dark guy (i'm half indian) who only dates white women? never been an issue in miami, but got into at least one bar fight and almost jumped twice in st. louis by someone who thought that people of my heritage shouldn't date white girls. not dealing with THAT again

 

2) good place to have a motorcycle? sounds like everything's pretty spread out...

 

3) nightlife? good clubs, dancing, girls, music, etc? cool neighbourhoods where you can hang out with other single 30-somethings?

 

ezstep -it's actually an affiliated practice with children's memorial hermann and TCH. incredible opportunity. did NOT receive your last message, you know i always write you back, please send again!!

[Texas Noise Factory]

thanks gang, keep the info coming... questions: 1) what's it like for a dark guy (i'm half indian) who only dates white women? never been an issue in miami, but got into at least one bar fight and almost jumped twice in st. louis by someone who thought that people of my heritage shouldn't date white girls. not dealing with THAT again 2) good place to have a motorcycle? sounds like everything's pretty spread out... 3) nightlife? good clubs, dancing, girls, music, etc? cool neighbourhoods where you can hang out with other single 30-somethings? ezstep -it's actually an affiliated practice with children's memorial hermann and TCH. incredible opportunity. did NOT receive your last message, you know i always write you back, please send again!!

 

I'll give you my $.02. I've lived around Houston my whole life. Plenty of chicks here love Indians if you're at least half charismatic, you'll fit in fine. I have a 30'sish Indian friend who while married, loves the nightlife, and has no problems with attention from the (white) ladies. I've never seen him get hassled by rednecks, although that is an option depending upon the circles you run in...

 

As far as transportation, yes there is traffic. Yes it sucks. Since the city is so spread out, you will be driving alot. I wouldn't go with a motorcycle, as they are not as popular as drunk rednecks with huge trucks, or people just not paying attention. I've had good friends killed on motorcycles because of random occurences. (Again, just my opinion)... Plenty of people do ride bikes here. Alot of them are very nice. You can find single 30 somethings pretty easily around town. You'll just have a hard time telling them from the 20 somethings... The nightlife is varied. There's pretty much a chance of finding something to do that sounds cool at least 3 to 4 times a week. Feel free to ask me more specifics if you wanna.

 

What kind of music do you play? (as I look at your myspace...)

[bassesofalessergod]

Houston.

 

no way.

[BigPigPeaches]

Houston. no way.

 

Some would say the same of London. Or Seattle. Both bleak, rainy, and full of the self-absorbed.

 

Present company excluded.

[bassesofalessergod]

Present company excluded.

Thanks!

[lug]

Houston. no way.

 

Don't listen to him. He's just mad that the chicks put out so much in Houston, he couldn't get his pimp business off the ground here.

[1tallbassguy]

 

thanks gang, keep the info coming... questions: 1) what's it like for a dark guy (i'm half indian) who only dates white women? never been an issue in miami, but got into at least one bar fight and almost jumped twice in st. louis by someone who thought that people of my heritage shouldn't date white girls. not dealing with THAT again 2) good place to have a motorcycle? sounds like everything's pretty spread out... 3) nightlife? good clubs, dancing, girls, music, etc? cool neighbourhoods where you can hang out with other single 30-somethings? ezstep -it's actually an affiliated practice with children's memorial hermann and TCH. incredible opportunity. did NOT receive your last message, you know i always write you back, please send again!!

 

 

 

It would be a good idea, in my mind, to live somewhat near where you work.

If you are in the uptown are near the medical center, you should have no problems with your skin color.

The museum district is near the med center, and they are kinda hip liberal folks out there.

There are alot of bikers around. Some full time and some part time. If you ride a Harley, visit Lug's side of town. There are thousands of bikers going around the Clear Lake area and Kemah/ Seabrook areas on any given nice weekend. Also many professionals in this area because of Nasa.

If you are on a crotch rocket, then I can't advise there.

 

There are clubs, and dancing, and live bands scattered in most areas of the area.

[Perfessor]

I live in Cleveland and I read it anyway. I read it. I read it.

[RSBro]

Move downtown over by Rice and/or off/near Buffalo Speedway.

More your bag, I'd think.

[venturawest]

you guys are the best. (well, except the perfessor, whom i will visit if god help me i end up in...cleveland). i have a harley, but it's not my primary mode of transport, just for fun on the weekends. mostly i'm just a fun going-out kind of guy with no attachments and always looking for a good time. sounds like maybe the area around the museums...

 

how about finding a band? is it pretty easy as a versatile bass player to find a gigging band pretty quickly?

[RSBro]

you guys are the best. (well, except the perfessor, whom i will visit if god help me i end up in...cleveland). i have a harley, but it's not my primary mode of transport, just for fun on the weekends. mostly i'm just a fun going-out kind of guy with no attachments and always looking for a good time. sounds like maybe the area around the museums... how about finding a band? is it pretty easy as a versatile bass player to find a gigging band pretty quickly?

 

I've been in the surrounding area for almost 2 years now, and even grew up here for 18 years then left for college.

That's the one thing that sucks I've found. I haven't looked hardcore lately, but it's a lot of cover stuff too. Brush up on your country licks, btw!

[venturawest]

Brush up on your country licks, btw!

 

that's a dealbreaker. besides, don't they have lug for that???

[lug]

that's a dealbreaker. besides, don't they have lug for that???

 

Do you WANT me to post country MP3's?

(actually, I've never played in a country band, EZStep would be the expert in that area 'round these parts)

 

Seriously, there is a bigger blues/rock scene than country at the local level from what I can see. Also, cover bands usually do better (I think this is probably true everywhere - drunks like to hear familiar sounds whilst drinking, Hail Ya!). In a city this size, you will be able to find pretty much what you want, though.

[J.]

Get yourself a conceal and carry permit in case you run into any hurricane Katrina refugees.

[lug]

 

Get yourself a conceal and carry permit in case you run into any hurricane Katrina refugees.

 

 

We did get a big crime hit, but I think it's settling back down as of late.

[kurfu]

We did get a big crime hit, but I think it's settling back down as of late.

 

They're still around in pretty good numbers, but they've been here so long that they are no longer considered "refugees"; they are "residents"...

 

As for the music scene, blues/rock is all over the place in the cover bars. As a bass player, you should have no problems finding a decent gig - use Craigslist.org(?) to get some leads.

 

Traffic sucks, all the time. Evening rush hour begins at 4pm and doesn't clear out until after 7:30. Sometimes it never clears out.

 

Don't live where you will be forced to commute on I-10, 290, 288, or I-45 South.

 

If you live on the west side, anything south of Westheimer is "iffy" anything south of Richmond is ghetto.

 

Nightlife is usually pretty good, plenty of places to go create a hangover. However, the wimmins tend to be on the plus scale... Houston was voted "Fattest City in America" for a few years in a row.

 

You're gonna have a hard time finding anyone that gives a {censored} if you date white chicks. Nobody cares. Have fun.

 

Most of the people are nice and friendly when they are not in their cars.

 

Cost of living is cheap.

 

No state income tax, but high sales tax.

 

Biggest Ren-Fest in the country is only an hour away for eight weeks in the fall.

 

It's hot as hell for 10 months and then it rains for the other two months.

 

Lot's of sunshine (when it's not storming like hell).

 

Good luck!

[RSBro]

They're still around in pretty good numbers, but they've been here so long that they are no longer considered "refugees"; they are "residents"... As for the music scene, blues/rock is all over the place in the cover bars. As a bass player, you should have no problems finding a decent gig - use Craigslist.org(?) to get some leads. Traffic sucks, all the time. Evening rush hour begins at 4pm and doesn't clear out until after 7:30. Sometimes it never clears out. Don't live where you will be forced to commute on I-10, 290, 288, or I-45 South. If you live on the west side, anything south of Westheimer is "iffy" anything south of Richmond is ghetto. Nightlife is usually pretty good, plenty of places to go create a hangover. However, the wimmins tend to be on the plus scale... Houston was voted "Fattest City in America" for a few years in a row. You're gonna have a hard time finding anyone that gives a {censored} if you date white chicks. Nobody cares. Have fun. Most of the people are nice and friendly when they are not in their cars. Cost of living is cheap. No state income tax, but high sales tax. Biggest Ren-Fest in the country is only an hour away for eight weeks in the fall. It's hot as hell for 10 months and then it rains for the other two months. Lot's of sunshine (when it's not storming like hell). Good luck!

 

As a lifetime near-Houstonian, I approve of this description!

[G-Bass-Austin]

If you like big citys and city life with lots of sprawl, you may like Houston cuz it is so big there is a bit of everything there. There is some cool stuff to do, for sure and some nice places to go. If you liked the beaches in Miami, you will be a bit disappointed because the water is not as nice. You have to go down to South Padre for that. Now if you move to Houston, youre going to come to Austin at some point and say "Why The Hell Dont I live here" because the music, the woman, the hills and the lakes, the liberal atmosphere, and the culture make it the Oasis of TX.