96 degrees in the shade

Houston in July

Thoughts on my three days in a few parts of Houston.

July. Midsummer heat and the according temperatures in the upper 90s - For me, that cut back on my street walking which always gives me a textural feel of the neighborhoods.

And my timing was off. Monday and Tuesday are the closed days at the Houston Fine Arts Museum where I usually spend hours. Even without knowing what the exhibitions are, they never disappoint.

This time, not much time outside the hotel. Except next door to the air conditioned Starbucks. Nowhere inside the Marriott hotel could I find a good coffee.

Inside Starbucks was overcrowded so I joined the few sitting outside on the black wire chairs on Fannin street. Some were dressed in heat-absorbing black and mostly doing nothing. Hot yoga without the Yoga.

But Houston is a car driving city and I spent much time in Ubers, from one part of the MD Anderson complex to another.

Back seat Uber rides across Houston, from the Med center neighborhood to Bellaire to Sugar Land and back. It’s as flatland expansive as the San Fernando valley…

… but with clouds and under a continuous network of freeway overpasses. Hypnotic after a while, but more interesting than most of the driver’s conversations or western music on the radio.
The signage is made for freeway viewing - from cars.

In Ezra Klein’s new book, ABUNDANCE he discusses the homeless problem and points out that the housing regulations are far fewer in Texas than California and subsequently there is a lot more available housing in Texas and thus fewer homeless.
I didn’t see that many homes, but yes, very few homeless. Much unused land around Houston.

“The homelessness rate in Los Angeles was almost 14 times higher.than Houston.”
I think that wherever you are, if you have no job, no home, the idyllic promise of California and the ocean is an appealing draw, no matter how unrealistic.

# # #

In the late afternoon I decided I could handle the heat. So I set off on my usual walk from Fannin St (a high end food desert) to Rice Village ( lots of good food ) The afternoon north side of University Boulevard, shaded by the overhanging oaks gave some comfort and I was shamed by several locals jogging past me at speed. Almost considered taking my shirt off

It was worth the sweat of the heat - always exciting to discover a new restaurant: Coppa Osteria, and a meal of
Boquerones on roasted bell peppers with capers.

And then it was over. I left the next morning - another 45 minute Uber ride to IAH - the under construction Houston Bush airport.(as most seem to be )

It was 67 degrees in the Santa Monica afternoon.