A Tale of Two Cities: An Outside Perspective on Houston

We’ve been shouting “HELL YEAH, HOU” to the rooftops for quite a while, but we couldn’t help but wonder how other people see our town. Is it really that supportive, innovative and opportunistic? When our friend from The City (aka New York) stopped by, we just had to pick his brain to see if our hype could infect the TRUE outer-loopers. It turns out, pretty much everyone feels the same way about this city as we do — crazy in love.

How does one describe New York City? Well, there are a lot of good and a lot of bad aspects. The few things that typically come to my mind include:

NYC is the center of the world.
NYC is culturally rich.
NYC is filled with people.
NYC is expensive.
NYC is fast-paced.
NYC is loud.
Winter sucks.

All in all, I believe New York is an amazing city. You have everything at your fingertips here — amazing food, beautiful art, spectacle theatre, public transportation and international airports within an hour. I haven’t even been here a year and this place has enraptured me.

But, getting away from the city every now and then is necessary. You get wrapped up in the speed and the people and the craziness — and it all turns you into a monster. So for an escape, my partner and I planned a getaway to Houston. Our friend there always raved about the place, but still, my uneducated view of Texas included cowboys, horses and barbecue.

When I arrived, I couldn’t believe the surprises I encountered and everything Houston had to offer. It was such a different definition of “big city” than what I’ve come to know.

Houston has character. The architecture is so fun and playful in Houston; and with no zoning laws, you see a lot of interesting things. One day we visited The Orange Show and The Beer Can House. I’ve never seen buildings like them in my life. I was amazed that they’d survived for as long as they have in the city (especially when you have culturally relevant buildings like 5 Points getting painted over in NYC.) I think it says a lot that Houston keeps these places alive and appreciates them for the part they played — and still play — in the Houston culture.

Houstonians are courteous. It was weird to walk along the bayou and have random people say, “Good morning!” as they passed. In New York, going down the sidewalk is like driving down the street. You have to be alert and go quickly. No one has time for anyone else. In Houston, please and thank you still exist. And people play nicely, even when they’re just passing each other by.

Houstonians are collaborative. We ate at Underbelly on our first night in town. Aside from the food being some of the best I’ve ever had, the actual menu was amazing. In the back, the chef has a running list of his favorite local restaurants and collaborators. I loved seeing him give credit where it was deserved. In New York, there are nice, helpful, generous people, but they are few and far between. In Houston, it seems like everyone is looking for someone to help or honor. It is a good feeling.

Houston has room to grow. Everything is tight in New York City. Living arrangements are close. Budgets are squeezed. Schedules move a mile a minute. There is no such thing as personal space, especially on the trains during rush hour. But in Houston, I saw the south moving at a slower pace. I saw people taking time to get to know each other and to pursue their interests. I saw wide-open freeways and abundant green spaces (where I could actually sit and not see a person for a full football field’s length.) Most of all, I saw active citizens — making efforts to not only better themselves, but benefit their entire community.

I loved so much of what I saw and did in Houston. I met so many people who were kind and who truly cared about what I had to say. It was comfortable. It sucked me in. But, I didn’t feel as though people were just getting by — I could SEE they were working cohesively and aiming to make the world a better place through their own actions. I firmly believe we are at a time that requires innovation in the way we think, create and serve others. I think Houstonians are at the cusp of that innovation.

I’ve decided that I want to be a part of the innovation and change. After almost a year in New York, I’ve decided Houston is my next stop. Our lease is up on June 1st, so Houston, Texas — HERE I COME!

Matt is a multi-talented and curious problem solver who we are proud to support as he bravely makes his way to Houston.