Welcome to Houston

It is approaching almost a full year of living in Houston. I never thought much about this city before I moved here; everyone I knew reveled in talking about Houston being a total shithole. What I have discovered is that this city is actually captivating, surprising, fun, and relaxed. Houston is down to earth and when it isn’t, it is humbly glamorous. Some people complain about the lack of zoning, though personally, I love it! It reminds me of distant countries I’ve been to that have grown organically for centuries, before the concept of “zoning” existed, culminating into a chaos that works. There is a charm to Houston’s hodge-podge of residences and businesses of all kinds lumped together in neighborhoods. I can walk away from my apartment in a 2 mile radius and find fancy seafood, an artisan tea shop, greasy Chinese food, rich people’s favorite knickknack store, a questionable baja grill, a grungy dive bar, a palm reader, Whole Foods, a giant Catholic church, a gorgeous park with food trucks, a British pub, actually two British pubs, an Irish pub with the best pizza in Houston, a martial arts center, a hipster Indian bakery, hot bagels, rows and rows of architect-designed mansions, abandoned houses, a grandfather clock store, 5 different acupuncture clinics, a 24-hour dessert restaurant, and an empty KFC where homeless set up camp. It’s ugly, and it’s beautiful.

What really stole my heart here in Houston is the overall welcoming vibe of the people. When I talk to a random person at a store, they’re not afraid to have a genuine interaction with another human. I’ve made friends here more quickly than anywhere else–in fact, if I don’t turn down constant invitations to go to really cool things with really cool people, I would never sleep (and I’d constantly eat the amazing, culturally diverse cuisine here).

Cheers to Houston. One of the neatest places in America.