Rediscovering Houston

Houston rocks!

I can't believe I said that! Growing up in the suburbs and being a fan of neither traffic nor shopping, my opinion of Houston for a very long time has been less than enthusiastic. Granted, my family almost all live there and I'm a life-long Astros fan (and still pissed about the Oilers skipping town). But I've been as guilty as any Austin hipster in my Houston-bashing over the years. Not any more. Sure there are still tons of issues there, and I'm not planning to relocate any time soon, but there are some strong signs of culture, internationalism, and pockets of coolness that are undeniable.

For the past three weeks I've been staying within a stone's throw of the Johnson Space Center on a combination family visit and work trip. I don't get to see my family often enough. Every time I do I am amazed at how smart, funny, and beautiful my parents, brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, and in-laws all are. Nobody wants to listen to "that guy" go on about his adorable family, so I'll leave it at that.

The international side of Houston was the purpose of the trip. Houston is the home for 91 consulates from all over the world. They range from one-person Honorary Consul operations all the way to impressive compounds the size of major embassies. Word has it there are more consulates in Houston than in any other city outside of New York City and Washington. I was able to introduce our organization to representatives from nearly a dozen countries in a 2-week period - and even got to trot out my rusty German for a bit (Danke Herr Herrmann!).

The sheer sprawl of Houston definitely seems to impact the music scene, but there are great alternative press outlets like Free Press Houston and the Houston Press that do a good job of pulling it all together as much as possible. And there are venues stretching from Galveston to the Woodlands that feature great local and touring bands. Add in tons of great restaurants, art galleries, world-class fine arts, and friendly people - you get a city that is creating a scene worth watching.

Cheers to Houston!