samagon Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 Even the BBC is now writing articles about Houston.http://www.bbc.com/travel/feature/20121221-business-trip-houston/1It's obvious the guy that wrote it did his homework, or visited himself and went places. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howard Huge Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 Cool article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronTiger Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 That's a really neat article: after all, Houston is a huge city, makes sense it would be world class in many aspects, especially for people who may never have even visited the States, let alone Texas.However, I wouldn't call Market Street in The Woodlands "artsy". Montrose? Yes. The Woodlands? No. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samagon Posted January 11, 2013 Author Share Posted January 11, 2013 I thought it was a good article, I would have liked to see something more than just recommendations to trendy sets, but real Houston staples, and maybe some of the great deals you can get.Example would be something like the pork chop Wednesdays at Perry's steakhouse ($10 for a huge and really amazingly cooked pork chop). Or hit up a hillside viewing of whatever is playing at the Miller Outdoor Theater. Things that a real Houstonian knows about and something that makes our city really unique and special.On the other hand, I'm actually disappointed in a lot of these articles, it's like only now people who would never recommend or consider Houston are finally doing so, and it's almost a thing of "wow, Houston is an amazing market, we better talk good about them before other people do and we're late to the game!". I'm sure in a year or two (if it keeps going) it will start to feel like people are just "Me too". I'm such a cynic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barracuda Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 What I find amazing is the author did not feel the need to bash Houston before complementing it. Maybe the general perception of this city really has changed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
infinite_jim Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Most of those restaurant recommendations are from the latest Bon Appetite magazine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crunchtastic Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 I wouldn't feel overly excited. This article could have been very easily and quickly written without the benefit of any such business trip using nothing but recent press releases and a quick google.Still, I agree it's nice to see a write-up without the usual attitude or disclaimer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fringe Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 I actually saw a British travel show on either PBS or the BBC channel a couple of weeks ago that was very similar. Might have come from the same source, although during the whole show they kept talking about our Metro Rail. If you had never been to Houston you would probably think we have trains running all over the city. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkultra25 Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 Houston listed as #7 on the NYT's list of "The 46 Places to Go in 2013":http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/01/10/travel/2013-places-to-go.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
august948 Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 Houston listed as #7 on the NYT's list of "The 46 Places to Go in 2013":http://www.nytimes.c...aces-to-go.htmlInteresting...numbers 1 through 6 are all foreign destinations. We're the first in the list in the US. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
august948 Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 Actually, there are very few places on the NYT list that are in North America. I guess some at the NYT consider Houston an exotic destination? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samagon Posted January 15, 2013 Author Share Posted January 15, 2013 Houston listed as #7 on the NYT's list of "The 46 Places to Go in 2013":http://www.nytimes.c...aces-to-go.htmlhttp://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2013/01/visitors_guide_7_things_we_don.phphouston press responds... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronTiger Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 In response to the Houston Press article (which has some obvious satire in there), the ship channel is actually kind of cool (though definitely filthy), Northwest Mall DOES have an anchor now (an antique mall, which isn't exactly a department store, but it IS something), etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
august948 Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 http://blogs.houston...ings_we_don.phphouston press responds...Ok, they could have put together a better list...Inside of the Astrodome- Isn't the Dome locked? Wouldn't you need to break in or get a special tour just to see the inside, even if you were really, really interested?The drive from Bush Intercontinental Airport to downtown- Every city has it's blight, Houston's no exception. That said, not every vistor that comes here is going to downtown.Ship Channel- Now exactly how many visitors are even tempted to visit the ship channel? There are probably some good dive bars around there, ports are ususally filled with them, but it's not really on anybody's itinerary.Giant Neon Cross- Is someone feeling a little guilty?The Astros- Ok...I'll give them that one.Notrthwest Mall- I'm sure we can come up with a better example (or several) of urban blight. Sooner or later it will be bulldozed and built into something else. That's the Houston way.Any bayou that isn't Buffalo between downtown and Memorial Park- I realize we're the Bayou City, but does anyone really take that seriously. Are visitors flocking here to see our flood control system?Come on Press...you can do better. How about these instead...we don't want visitors seeing..."Stop the Ashby High Rise" signs. All those NIMBY signs along Bissonet (and elsewhere) depicting the Ashby High Rise as some godzilla-like building that is going to devour Houston. Seriously, it's just another tall building in a city filled with them.Metro's light rail, particularly in the med center. How many visitors have had a rude or near-rude encounter with a train there?The corner of Shepard and West Grey. This isn't Seattle, do we really need 3 Starbucks (including the one in the B&N) on that corner? Plus you can get coffee at La Madelline and several other places withing a stone's thow, literally. And none of them is an IHOP, which has some of the best coffee anyway.Overpriced and overrated inner-loop restaurants. Houston's great cuisine is served in little mom and pop, hole-in-the-wall places by folks who, for the most part, don't have English as their mother tongue. And they don't have celebrity credentials or a degree in food service. And it's cheap. And it's mostly outside the loop.Swarms of mosquitoes. 'nuff said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 Why avoid anything? Real life is rarely experienced where you think it will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronTiger Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 The drive from Bush Intercontinental Airport to downtown- Every city has it's blight, Houston's no exception. That said, not every vistor that comes here is going to downtown. It's unavoidable, and driving through US-290 isn't much better. Plus, if you WERE going to downtown, blight shouldn't surprise you. Actually, although Houston's downtown isn't what I'd call blighted (well, at least until Macy's downtown closes), you shouldn't get your hopes up. Ship Channel- Now exactly how many visitors are even tempted to visit the ship channel? There are probably some good dive bars around there, ports are ususally filled with them, but it's not really on anybody's itinerary.Actually, I went on a ship channel tour the year before last, and it is interesting, knowing that it is hard to get to and most definitely not a touristy part of town, you do have to get reservations, it's not a cruise, etc. There's free soda (generic though IIRC), it is kind of cool, and while obviously polluted, it's not like it's an open sewer. Metro's light rail, particularly in the med center. How many visitors have had a rude or near-rude encounter with a train there? Same trip: I remember this high-pitched alert while on the red part of the concrete after disembarking the Metro. As it turns out, there's very little clearance between the Metro and that red concrete part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samagon Posted January 23, 2013 Author Share Posted January 23, 2013 It's unavoidable, and driving through US-290 isn't much better. Plus, if you WERE going to downtown, blight shouldn't surprise you. Actually, although Houston's downtown isn't what I'd call blighted (well, at least until Macy's downtown closes), you shouldn't get your hopes up. Actually, I went on a ship channel tour the year before last, and it is interesting, knowing that it is hard to get to and most definitely not a touristy part of town, you do have to get reservations, it's not a cruise, etc. There's free soda (generic though IIRC), it is kind of cool, and while obviously polluted, it's not like it's an open sewer. Same trip: I remember this high-pitched alert while on the red part of the concrete after disembarking the Metro. As it turns out, there's very little clearance between the Metro and that red concrete part. If they are traveling into downtown from IAH, they should be taking 59, not 45, it irks me every time someone (especially people who live here) keep saying that the only way to get from IAH to downtown is to travel 45. it is not quicker. 59 is a much better alternate. plus, there isn't blight on 59, just the super large dance clubs up by 59 and old humble road, and then the 24 hour news palace as well. It's been a long time since I've taken the ship channel tour, I need to talk my friends into doing this with me early this spring, if possible. as I recall from when I did it as a kid, it was fascinating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronTiger Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 They've done the ship channel tours since at least the mid-1980s, likely even longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blade Runner Posted February 2, 2013 Share Posted February 2, 2013 If they are traveling into downtown from IAH, they should be taking 59, not 45, . Hardy Toll Road is quicker and safer than 45 and 59 both... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plumber2 Posted February 2, 2013 Share Posted February 2, 2013 They've done the ship channel tours since at least the mid-1980s, likely even longer. Longer: I did in the 70's with a group of students. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 Longer: I did in the 70's with a group of students. It actually started in '58 according to their website I try and do it at least once a year. take your flask to spike the shasta. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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