Asian Nightlife Dynamics - Houston/San Diego

[worldlyman]

(Didn't know where this topic should have gone, International or Entertainment but here goes.)

I've lived in Houston and San Diego for quite some time, going back and forth especially the last five years, though I now reside in Tampa/St. Petersburg.

Going around downtown H-town since its post 1998 resurgence, Asians hung out downtown en masse. This goes back to the glorious Club Spy days.

In San Diego's GasLamp and Pacific Beach...it's like where are they? There's the token Asians out and about but not like in Houston when you can go by whatever club was hot and see some places lined up with Asians.

In fact, you saw sharply dressed African Americans that lined up for Red Cat Jazz Cafe and the Latinos for Azure back when I used to saunter around Houston's downtown action around 2000-2001. That kind of thing. And once at the Bayou Place, there were the urban cowboys (as in yuppies who bought their Stetsons and Wranglers fresh and pressed) at the blues place and then for some reason over at the Italian restaurant, there were a bunch of Desai or people of the subcontinent.

People of different stripes party en masse together in Houston, no prob, for the most part. I have not seen this outward race mixing in nightlife in San Diego. It's just token stuff.

In San Diego...where it also very diverse, on the Pacific Rim, very SoCal, so close to Los Angeles (America's most diverse city in my book)...yet it seems colonial or backward when it comes to race mixing in the entertainment districts. You don't see the stylish Asian, Latino and African American crowds en masse in there ready to line up by the velvet ropes.

The Asian population of San Diego is slightly larger than Houston's...so what gives? I know that Filipinos comprise the bulk of San Diego's while Houston has the more varied mix.

So perhaps from what I see, (Houston's) Chinese, Koreans and Viets like to step it out at trendy spots whereas the Filipinos like to stay within their barrio pancit and karoke culture in San Diego? It's an interesting irony because Filipinos are supposed to be the "most Americanized" of Asians. Also I suspect it's a money thing. But then again, Filipinos of San Diego especially have no problem showing off upscale cars while living in ghettoes like National City (so the question may be answered, discretionary money goes to fancy car notes).

There are a lot of Koreans, Vietnamese and Chinese in San Diego but I just don't get the relative absence of these slick Asian crowds at the Gaslamp or Pacific Beach where it seems mostly a white frat and Midwestern tourist crowd predominates.

This Houston vs San Diego dynamic is so interesting in terms of nightlife demographics. Maybe the institutional prejudice of California from the Anti-Miscegnation days or the "No Dogs, Filipinos or Chinese Allowed" (from late 1890s to early 1940s) somehow set a tone to this day.? According to the book "Ethnic Groups of Houston", Asians back during those times did not suffer from institutionalized racism as they could go see a theater show without being barred (though individual racism was probably a heavy dose back then). And the tail-end of the Houston Boom Years in the early 1980s saw Asians and/or Asian-Americans pretty much calling their dibs in a quick way, relatively speaking.

Any theories on this?

[Htowngirl]

Actually, what I find sad about Houston nightlife is that people of all races don't party together. There's the "asian club," "the white club," "the latino club", etc. If you go to major cities like Miami (actually, pretty much anywhere in Florida) or L.A., the clubs are a mix of all races.

Here, if someone of a different race goes into the primarily-whatever club, they generally are not made to feel all that welcome. It's weird. Maybe because Houston is really "southern" and segregation played a big role here longer than other major cities. ?

I think actually Spy was a really good place - it actually seemed like people of all races hung out there back in the day (although I know it was considered "asian"). I loved that place (2000-2001) before the druggies and thugs took over...

[worldlyman]

Actually, what I find sad about Houston nightlife is that people of all races don't party together. There's the "asian club," "the white club," "the latino club", etc. If you go to major cities like Miami (actually, pretty much anywhere in Florida) or L.A., the clubs are a mix of all races.

Here, if someone of a different race goes into the primarily-whatever club, they generally are not made to feel all that welcome. It's weird. Maybe because Houston is really "southern" and segregation played a big role here longer than other major cities. ?

I think actually Spy was a really good place - it actually seemed like people of all races hung out there back in the day (although I know it was considered "asian"). I loved that place (2000-2001) before the druggies and thugs took over...

I find that Houston is more socially progressive than most cities in terms of race mixing. People do mix, even for a car culture town. As stated, at least we see blacks, Asians, whites and Latinos en masse partying in the same district. In San Diego, where are the colored folks lining up? The Gas Lamp is still a white-bread congregation. Downtown H-town has lots of different persuasions. San Diego is not a Muslim-friendly or black-friendly city compared to Houston. (I haven't seen as many Mosques or halal shops the way H-town has them.)

In Tampa...and the Tampa Bay area in general, no way. Talk about REAL "Southern." The culture here in the Tampa Bay area is still really meat-n-potatoes, if you know what I mean. It's getting better but it's not quite Houston. In Houston, you can go watch a game at SRO and its an easygoing mix of blacks and whites. Where is there a place like that here in Clearwater or Tampa? The Tampa Bay area is not a black-friendly area like Houston.

Miami, if you don't speak Spanish...it can be pretty hard. People there are not that friendly. I know how the treatment was there at the shops and cafes...there were owners who seemed to be bigots when I went there in 2001. And Miami is certainly not an Asian-friendly city like Houston.

Los Angeles? How about the Key Club in the Sunset Strip. When it was Asian night...it really was Asian night. It's no different in Houston when Asians pretty much took over Club Spy. LA is da bomb...but I think Houston deserves due credit when due.

It's all relative because Houston is far from utopia...but it is a much better town than is painted. Sometimes we get caught up in believing national stereotypes, I think.

[musicman]

I think actually Spy was a really good place - it actually seemed like people of all races hung out there back in the day (although I know it was considered "asian"). I loved that place (2000-2001) before the druggies and thugs took over...

In Houston, I've found that after a certain amount of time, a "group" takes over. Spy wasn't Asian when it first opened, it went Asian later. Similar for R&R (or whatever is it/was) by the Galleria. It was 25 and up to weed out the kiddies. Seems to me that eventually the clubs end up as multicolored thug hangouts.

[Guest danax]

In Houston, I've found that after a certain amount of time, a "group" takes over. Spy wasn't Asian when it first open, it went Asian later. Similar for R&R (or whatever is it/was) by the Galleria. It was 25 and up to weed out the kiddies. Seems to me that eventually the clubs end up as multicolored thug hangouts.

I don't go to clubs but it sounds like they go through life cycles just like neighborhoods, except much quicker ones; people notice "strangers" moving in and find somewhere else to go. It also sounds like when the hip-hop/rapper/thug types cycle in, that's a sure sign that the end is near.

[infinite_jim]

I don't go to clubs but it sounds like they go through life cycles just like neighborhoods, except much quicker ones; people notice "strangers" moving in and find somewhere else to go. It also sounds like when the hip-hop/rapper/thug types cycle in, that's a sure sign that the end is near.

qft

this is true for any nightclub anywhere

[icanluv2]

Actually, what I find sad about Houston nightlife is that people of all races don't party together. There's the "asian club," "the white club," "the latino club", etc. If you go to major cities like Miami (actually, pretty much anywhere in Florida) or L.A., the clubs are a mix of all races.

Here, if someone of a different race goes into the primarily-whatever club, they generally are not made to feel all that welcome. It's weird. Maybe because Houston is really "southern" and segregation played a big role here longer than other major cities. ?

I think actually Spy was a really good place - it actually seemed like people of all races hung out there back in the day (although I know it was considered "asian"). I loved that place (2000-2001) before the druggies and thugs took over...

You hit it right on spot! Houston is a SOCIALLY SEGREGATED city! This city always mentions the fact about how diverse it is, which is true. However, it is very socially segregated. When you go to bars,clubs i've noticed Asians hanging out together in one area, Latinos in another area, and Caucasians in another, etc.. I haven't gone out much lately, but from what my friends tell me, it has improved.

[icanluv2]

(Didn't know where this topic should have gone, International or Entertainment but here goes.)

I've lived in Houston and San Diego for quite some time, going back and forth especially the last five years, though I now reside in Tampa/St. Petersburg.

Going around downtown H-town since its post 1998 resurgence, Asians hung out downtown en masse. This goes back to the glorious Club Spy days.

In San Diego's GasLamp and Pacific Beach...it's like where are they? There's the token Asians out and about but not like in Houston when you can go by whatever club was hot and see some places lined up with Asians.

In fact, you saw sharply dressed African Americans that lined up for Red Cat Jazz Cafe and the Latinos for Azure back when I used to saunter around Houston's downtown action around 2000-2001. That kind of thing. And once at the Bayou Place, there were the urban cowboys (as in yuppies who bought their Stetsons and Wranglers fresh and pressed) at the blues place and then for some reason over at the Italian restaurant, there were a bunch of Desai or people of the subcontinent.

People of different stripes party en masse together in Houston, no prob, for the most part. I have not seen this outward race mixing in nightlife in San Diego. It's just token stuff.

In San Diego...where it also very diverse, on the Pacific Rim, very SoCal, so close to Los Angeles (America's most diverse city in my book)...yet it seems colonial or backward when it comes to race mixing in the entertainment districts. You don't see the stylish Asian, Latino and African American crowds en masse in there ready to line up by the velvet ropes.

The Asian population of San Diego is slightly larger than Houston's...so what gives? I know that Filipinos comprise the bulk of San Diego's while Houston has the more varied mix.

So perhaps from what I see, (Houston's) Chinese, Koreans and Viets like to step it out at trendy spots whereas the Filipinos like to stay within their barrio pancit and karoke culture in San Diego? It's an interesting irony because Filipinos are supposed to be the "most Americanized" of Asians. Also I suspect it's a money thing. But then again, Filipinos of San Diego especially have no problem showing off upscale cars while living in ghettoes like National City (so the question may be answered, discretionary money goes to fancy car notes).

There are a lot of Koreans, Vietnamese and Chinese in San Diego but I just don't get the relative absence of these slick Asian crowds at the Gaslamp or Pacific Beach where it seems mostly a white frat and Midwestern tourist crowd predominates.

This Houston vs San Diego dynamic is so interesting in terms of nightlife demographics. Maybe the institutional prejudice of California from the Anti-Miscegnation days or the "No Dogs, Filipinos or Chinese Allowed" (from late 1890s to early 1940s) somehow set a tone to this day.? According to the book "Ethnic Groups of Houston", Asians back during those times did not suffer from institutionalized racism as they could go see a theater show without being barred (though individual racism was probably a heavy dose back then). And the tail-end of the Houston Boom Years in the early 1980s saw Asians and/or Asian-Americans pretty much calling their dibs in a quick way, relatively speaking.

Any theories on this?

Ah, i just stumbled on this topic. Interesting. I was visiting friends last month in Seattle, LA, SF, and also stayed in San Diego a couple of days. I did not see many Asians at all honestly. Maybe i was in the wrong place? I went to Del Mar and La Jolla. Absolutely beautiful places! I also went to GasLamp district. It was nice, but nothing spectacular. Parking was awful though not as bad as Los Angeles. What i've noticed is that lots and lots of people jog and ride bikes. Lots of dogs too! Also, i only saw one black couple in SD. Is that just me or was i in the wrong place?

In Houston, I've found that after a certain amount of time, a "group" takes over. Spy wasn't Asian when it first opened, it went Asian later. Similar for R&R (or whatever is it/was) by the Galleria. It was 25 and up to weed out the kiddies. Seems to me that eventually the clubs end up as multicolored thug hangouts.

You mean 'Roxy' on W. Alabama? Yeah, when it first opened there were hardly any Asians. I still remember seeing Dominique Sachsa there with Roland Galvan.