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WHAT YOU SAY
[This page is closed to new input. Vote and continue this and related discussions at the new Interactive Area. --Ed.]
much props to worldlyman, for so eloquently explaining the appeal of houston to those who would not believe it! when i was younger, i could not understand why in the world my parents chose houston over l.a. after grad school, and it is only with time that i've realized what a hidden gem this city is. granted, it has its downfalls, but what city doesn't?
i do find it funny that houston has street signs in chinese (along bellaire) AND vietnamese (near downtown), when i believe monterey park residents threw a fit over the sudden burst of asian storefront signs in their community!
houston...for now :)
Friday, July 19, 2002 at 14:04:03 (PDT)
"Viet friends still have that lingering impression that it's (Houston) still a goofy, FOBby, redneck, deep southern, backwards country town you always hear about."
by AAX
There are not too many "rednecks" who actually live in Houston. Some people do have Texas drawls, but that does not make them rednecks. Some of these white Texans have far more gracious manners than the Asians who bump in supermarket aisles!
When it comes to redneck culture.......I actually see far more many trailer home parks off the freeways of Los Angeles (such as those in south I-5 and the 710 freeway, for starters) than I do in Houston. Sure there are skid houses along the freeways of I-45 and east I-10 in Houston but that's more dignified than trailer parks that are in abundance in Southern California. (Houston trailer homes are much more hidden or are way out in places like Baytown).
Houston has been a transient town for quite some time. Lots of people from Britain, New Jersey, California, Florida, Nigeria, Vietnam and such. There is not much that is actually "backwards" about it. It is economically conservative with a capitalist C, true.........but SOCIALLY it allows FOREIGN LANGUAGE street signs to be placed. (Chinese street signs in Houston but not along the San Gabriel's major Chinese route, Valley Blvd? Hmmm.)
Houston has Gay Film Festivals, Gay Parades, weird but wonderful Art Car shows (started only by Houston), odd Orange Shows and other eccentric artsy qualities. (Houston is one of the top four US cities for having weird public art.)
Houston has a decent representation of Gay as well as Asian politicians. Houston is also one of five US cities to have a nationally-syndicated liberal Pacifica station.
So how "backward country" is all that? Houston is more socially progressive than is San Diego. San Diego is only more "progressive" when it comes to environment and certain preservation.
At least Houston has a gestalt to it. It is not always so easy to define by its many elements. In contrast.........Los Angeles is superficial and quite easy to see for what it is, as my life here in SoCal unfolds. South Central defines LA well. Santa Monica defines another aspect of LA very well also. On the other hand, Kemah does not define Houston. Old Town Spring does not define Houston. Downtown says a lot about Houston, but does not really define it in good summation either.
Unlike those who say Houston is only "good for Viets".........I heavily disagree.
The Westside Chinatown proportionately rivals that of LA's Valley Blvd. The storefronts are just as plentiful and even sometimes even more bombastic than those in LA. When it comes to a good selection of pearl tea, we got ours in Houston. When it comes to "weird" Northern Chinese food in Houston that I've never seen before, we've got ours. (I mean, cold spicy noodles. Interesting.)
There is a decent Little Korea off of Long Point. A lot of Korean grocers and eateries there, some which are for general audiences, others which are esoteric and cater primarily to Houston Koreans. It's not LA's huge Koreatown, but at least Houston has a concentrated Little Korea commercial region for convenience, more than I can say for Miami, Atlanta, Indianapolis, Boston, Seattle and Austin, for example.
I'm of Filipino descent, yet I prefer the synergy of Houston over Filipino-laden San Diego. I get off on Houston's cross current of late night ethnic restaurants much better than San Diego's National City where the abundant Filipino eateries close very early (except for Carlito's, which stays open "late", like 11 pm).
It is so cool that I hear a lot of Tagalog conversations in the late night, neon cafes of Houston's Westside Chinatown. In San Diego, Filipinos are asleep (or stuck eating the crappy food at that American food diner, Jimmy's).
Sure, Houston is not Los Angeles when it comes to Asian Entrenchment, but there are is an excellent variety of Asians in Houston nonetheless. I prefer the blend of Houston's differing elements. Not like the drawn and quartered feel of LA's residentiality, not like the transparency of it.
There is more to a city's quality and vibe than just the Asian Entrenchment. Blacks and Latinos in Houston are FAR more noticeable and more comfortable in the Asian Supermarkets than they are in California Asian Supermarkets. I almost never black people in the SG Valley whenever I go there. As I was making my social observations of the SG Valley during a one-day long excursion, I saw only black dude with his Asian girlfriend at some In N Out on Atlantic Blvd.
Or are non-Asians frequenting Asian supermarkets that much of a problem with the Asian California Snobs?
I have no trouble going to get jerk chicken or a java in Houston's Third Ward area, just off the interesting feel of Almeda St. I don't think I would do the same in Inglewood. Like some black music video said that I watched one night some years ago, "Houston is Da Place."
Look at Auchan, the French Hypermarket that targets refined products from all over the world for a less-than-rich ethnic population. Their managers said that Houston blends its diversity better than any other US city. Thus there's been only one Auchan Hypermarket in the USA for some time. Auchan is steps ahead of the usual ethnic supermarket.....gotta see it to believe it.
Houston is not perfect, it is a work in progress, with much accomplished already with all the huge and growing Asian commercial districts around, from downtown to the Westside to the far reaches of Veteran's Memorial)..........but I find that FAR MORE stimulating than the Prepackaged, Southern California Set that's tailor made for those Superficial California Asian Snobs.
As much as I like living in SoCal nonetheless, I do look forward to returning to vibrant Houston when my personal business here is finished.
Once you get older, things like cost of living, ease of social diffusion and global warming (which Houston is well-equipped to deal with, at least) become more important than California Dreaming (or California Scheming, depending on one's personal agenda).
worldlyman
Thursday, July 18, 2002 at 12:03:52 (PDT)
Haha... anyone who picks up a Maxim, and expect some useful info is the idiot. It's ENTERTAINMENT! for ENTERTAINMENT purposes only! They even put the disclaimer in the magazine! What do you expect? That city stunt they pulled is HILARIOUS! Just like the stupid Asians protesting the A&F (which I still think is a conspiracy done by their brilliant marketing team), the only thing this ABC piece accomplished was to increase Maxim's subsciber base! I wouldn't be shocked to see that Maxim's parent company is owned by Disney (ABC).
"Take away the girls in it, and what do you have?"
Take away the girls? The only thing it has is girls! That's like saying take away the fishing from Field and Stream or take away the cars from Car and Driver.
"I guess you could say that its a magazine for losers or guys who are somewhat insecure and who don't like to read things that is going to give them useful information."
Read? You mean there are articles in there? Besides, how does looking at girls make you insecure?
TSJ Eric@KristinKreuk.net
Wednesday, July 17, 2002 at 11:10:05 (PDT)
To maxim rules:
If you want to see a FAG Playgirl subscriber, you should look in the mirror. Then again, there's a lot of people just like you, a AM who is a WM wannabe. Are you holding a copy of Maxim in one hand and Playgirl in the other hand? The fact is, people like you can't handle the truth. Maxim perpetuated a lie by printing 13 different versions of the same issue for publication in 13 different cities. Next time you post here, which is unlikely since you're one of those hit-and-run type posters, do us all a favor and stick to the topic.
Seattle Sodo Mojo
Tuesday, July 16, 2002 at 09:40:44 (PDT)
"The people who don't like Maxim = FAG Playgirl subscribers."
HA!!! What a joke of a magazine. Take away the girls in it, and what do you have? Nothing but useless crap. Its filled with useless tips on how to pick up women (who's advice is nothing more than what most guys should already know). There's never anything that is useful in the magazine other than the girls in it. I guess you could say that its a magazine for losers or guys who are somewhat insecure and who don't like to read things that is going to give them useful information. Hehe.....
A Cute Filipiino Guy Who Knows
Monday, July 15, 2002 at 21:53:40 (PDT)
"Maxim and the idiots who read Maxim religiously = LCD losers."
The people who don't like Maxim = FAG Playgirl subscribers.
maxim rules
Monday, July 15, 2002 at 11:32:11 (PDT)
I've found that the higher the international population (FOBs), the worse it is for asian males (and probably asian females) to meet a white person. They actually seem detract white females from seeing asian males as even possibilities. Vancouver has an extremely high FOB population and I've found the girls there to be down right cold. I was in a few Seattle bars/clubs recently and the girls there were extremely approachable, more approachable than anywhere else I've ever been to - completely opposite to Vancouver. That's my 2 cents for anyone considering moving there (especially if they're dependent on night clubs for dating).
JasonY79 yeo@purdue.edu
Monday, July 15, 2002 at 05:16:22 (PDT)
On the recent ABC news show 20/20, it was reported that the LCD (lowest common denominator) magazine Maxim lied about its recent issue ranking the best city to live.
According to John Stossel (and I trust John Stossel more than those WM losers who run Maxim), Maxim had 12 or 13 different versions of the same issue ranking the best city.
So those who live in SF would get the Maxim issue that said that SF was the best city. However, if you lived in NYC, the Maxim issue would profile NYC as the best city to live. And if you live in Chicago, the Maxim issue would profile Chicago as the best city to live. And if you lived in Dallas, the Maxim issue would profile Dallas as the best city to live .... and so on.
What's hilarious is that 20/20 contacted Maxim, and some idiot at Maxim apparently told 20/20 that the rankings should not be taken seriously, that the rankings were a joke.
Maxim and the idiots who read Maxim religiously = LCD losers.
Seattle Sodo Mojo
Saturday, July 13, 2002 at 09:39:55 (PDT)
007,
Bill Fong is a Chinese immigration attorney in Houston, so you have to suspect his motives in fudging the numbers.
Odd Job
Thursday, July 11, 2002 at 15:54:22 (PDT)
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