Although it's not as old as other major U.S. cities, Houston is rich in culture and traditions. And as we say here in the south, everything is bigger in Texas. Houston is home to the largest Livestock Show and Rodeo in the world, and also the largest medical center in the world. We are the fourth largest city in the country (after NYC, LA, and Chicago), and our port is the 10th largest on the globe. NASA is based in Houston, and the first word on the moon was, in fact, "Houston." Houston is situated on two highway loops (the Outer Loop and Inner Loop, whose names don't necessarily showcase our creativity), and we have the widest freeway in the world (a part of I-10) in Houston.
Houstonians are known for being eclectic, adventurous and hardworking. We have a great food scene, and Houstonians eat out more than any other people in any other city. There are no zoning laws in Houston, so you will often find churches next to restaurants, or strip clubs next to clothing stores. Houstonians are dreamers, and we respect art (we have one of the largest museum districts in the country and the second largest theater district after New York) and the beauty of nature — we have over 128 miles of hike/bike trails, were named one of the 10 greenest cities in the country by causes.com, and have 56,405 acres of parks). A huge percentage of Houston's population consists of young people, and with more than 40 higher education institutions in the city, this is no surprise.
Houston also has a great live music scene. Many rappers, including Drake, Slim Thug and Bun B (who actually teaches a class at Houston's Rice University, one of the top schools in the nation) reference Houston in their songs. Rappers like Chamillionaire, Paul Wall, Pimp C, Z-Ro, and Lil' Keke hail from Houston. Also, if you've met a local Houstonian before, then you definitely know (because they've told you) that Queen Bee, Beyoncè Knowles, is a Houston native, too. Chopped and screwed music, created by the genius DJ Screw, was founded in Houston, and gives rise to one of Houston's nicknames, Screwston. In addition to being known as Screwston, Houston is also referred to as Bayou City (we're founded on Buffalo Bayou), Clutch City (named in honor of our basketball team, the Houston Rockets), Space City (NASA, as mentioned before), City of Syrup (the drug-laced cough syrup "purple drank" is referenced in many rap songs, with Houston being its birthplace), and Magnolia City (an old name that became popular in the 1870s).
Maybe I'm a little biased, but I think Houston is the best city in the world. Business Insider said it was the best city in America in 2014. Drake has dropped Toronto for Houston as his new favorite city, which you can confirm through his Instagram. But I'll let you decide for yourself. As Gail Collins said, "I just really like Houston despite its craziness. There is a sense of energy and a kind of excitement, 'We're going places and God knows what'll happen next.' It's very interesting. It's very exciting."
All I have to say is, who said crazy is a bad thing?
