One day seven years ago, I loaded up my Kia with all my belongings and drove the 24 hours from Pittsburgh to Houston. I had the great misfortune of moving to Houston in June, which meant I was essentially covered in sweat for the entire first three months I lived here. I cried the first time I had to drive on one of the seven lane highways, and scoffed at the Darque Tan billboards posted everywhere. I mean, why were people fake tanning in a city where there is constant sunshine?
Needless to say, this was not love at first sight. Houston did not have me at hello, nor did I know immediately that Houston was "the one." I couldn't get used to the fact that I had to drive 20 minutes to get just about anywhere, and I desperately missed the changing of seasons, Steeler football, and my family and friends.
But now, seven years later, I am beginning to come to terms with the fact that Houston may be home now. My husband and I have great careers here, and the opportunities and comforts of live are quite endless. I have decided to use this blog as a way to bring my affair out from a dark corner at Marfreless and into the light. Yes Houston, I do love you. There, I said it, in public.
For anyone relocating to Houston or thinking about it, here are my top three reasons for loving this city:
1) The food. This is hands down the best reason to be in Houston. There is an abundance of great, creative, and affordable restaurants. I am sure when you think Houston, you think BBQ and Tex-Mex. While there are plenty of these places, they are by no means the majority of restaurants here. There are MANY options for Indian, Thai, and Vietnamese food, and our Chinatown has blocks and blocks of unique and authentic options. We have award winning chefs like Monica Pope that are working to build Houston into the culinary capital of the south. I am a vegetarian, my husband is a devoted meat eater, and we find plenty of options that work for both of us.
2) The sheer amount of things to do. There are so many museums, galleries, parks, events, parades, festivals, etc that you will absolutely never be bored. From visiting the Menil to ice skating at Discovery Green to shopping at Farmer's Market or seeing a movie at Sundance Movie Theater, there really never is a reason to stay home and complain of nothing to do. A lot of events are free or very low in cost, like my favorite free event in Houston, a Beatles cover band at the Continental Club on Thursday nights, which leads me to my next point...
3) It's extremely affordable and diverse. You get to enjoy all the food, music, museums, and events of a large city for the cost of a small city. My husband and I, who are both educators, live a few blocks from downtown and have a very urban lifestyle that we could never afford in most major cities. People from all over the world come to Houston because of the strong economic growth here. I often hear Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Arabic spoken at my downtown grocery store. The city is vibrant and growing, and when you live here you are a part of it.
So there, I love you Houston, and am looking forward to taking our relationship to the next level.
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