WHAT MAKES HOUSTON A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE?

THE PERFORMING ARTS

Houston is one of few cities in the country boasting major symphony, ballet, opera and theater companies that enjoy world acclaim.

Says Hoyt T. Mattox of Houston's Society for the Performing Arts, “We often hear people say they are surprised by the wealth and variety of our performing arts opportunities here in Houston.”

Dance and Music

Hailed by the New York Times as “one of the nation's best ballet companies,” the Houston Ballet is the fifth-largest company in the United States. The 52-member ensemble gives more than 75 performances each year at Houston's Wortham Theater Center.

The 92 year old Houston Symphony brings some 170 performances of classical renditions annually at Jones Hall, Miller Outdoor Theater and the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion.

One of the nation's largest opera companies, the Houston Grand Opera, is internationally renowned for its contemporary and classical works.

Other musical groups include DeCamera's small ensembles performing classical chamber music and jazz; Houston Conservatory of Music; Houston Masterworks Chorus; Moores School of Music, University of Houston; Opera in the Heights; and Shepherd School of Music, Rice University; and contemporary pop/rock, jazz, Christian, country, fold and children's programming.

LIVE ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Theater

If it's theater you love, you'll be impressed to know Houston has one of the country's largest concentrations of seats within its theater districts.

The curtain comes up nearly every night on a production in Houston, whether it's a Broadway touring company at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, a world-premiere showing at the Alley Theatre, a show at Main Street Theater or a cutting-edge piece being directed by students on the region's college and university stages.

Art and Art Museums

The Houston Museum District, located 15 minutes from Downtown is the fourth-largest in the United States and is home to such venues as the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; the Buffalo Soldiers Museum; and the Houston Childrens Museum. There's also the Houston Museum of Natural Science, the Holocaust Museum Houston, the Contemporary Arts Museum and the Menil Collection.

Art galleries line the streets of the Montrose area, and both residents and tourists enjoy the unique art at the Art Car Museum and the Orange Show Museum.

ArtsHound.com offers a comprehensive guide for Arts and Cultural event information in around The City of Houston. You can find a point of interest or something new for everyone spanning from art gurus to the curious.

Entertainment

Houston live entertainment venues put on a variety of programs and concerts. International stars routinely take the stage at the Toyota Center, Verizon Wireless Theatre and the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, to name a few. Concerts, comedy and other shows are offered regularly.

For entertainment with a Western flare, check out the annual Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. This three-week event held every February and March features concerts, food and a live entertainment lineup that's included stars such as George Strait, Faith Hill, REO Speedweagon, Beyonce and La Mafia.

If it's big-screen action you're looking for, Houston has several theaters showing the latest in Hollywood and indie flicks. Chains such as AMC and Leow's all have outposts here. The Angelika Film Center and Café and River Oaks Cinema have a more independent and foreign-film flair.

Reprinted from The Greater Houston Partnership website

MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCKS

The fourth-largest city in the country is also one of the best bargains when it comes to cost of living.

Houston housing costs are 47 percent below the average for 23 metropolitan areas with populations of more than 2 million, according to the ACCRA Cost of Living Index for the fourth quarter of 2005. And Houston’s overall costs are 24 percent below the average for these large metros. In the broader context of nearly 300 urban areas in that survey, Houston's housing costs are 23 percent below the average, and its overall living costs are 12 percent below the average.

This means that your dollar has a much higher buying power than in virtually any other city in the country.

Consider:

1. • The average price for a new single-family detached home of 2,400 square-feet (four bedrooms, two baths, living room, dining and family rooms and attached two-car garage) was $201,679 in the fourth quarter of 2005.
2. • The U.S, Bureau of Economic Analysis puts Houston pre-tax, per capital income in 2003 at $34,578, 9.9% above the national average.
3. • In the last quarter of 2005, Houston’s average apartment rent was $.828 per square foot per month.

With all you’ll save on living costs in Houston, you’ll have plenty to left over for shopping in the region’s world-class venues.

Reprinted from The Greater Houston Partnership website

1. • City of Houston Demographics
   Includes links to population estimates, land use, housing and household studies, comparison study and more.

A CULINARY TRIP AROUND THE WORLD

Houston’s dining scene mirrors the region’s international cultures. No matter what you are in the mood for eating, you’ll find what you’re looking for at more than 6,000 restaurants.

Here’s a sampling of just some of what you’ll find:

Houston’s world-class restaurant scene brings together the global gastronomy of the region’s makeup, combined with cutting-edge cuisine artists, all working to showcase the flavors of the Bayou City.

Reprinted from The Greater Houston Partnership website

• Houston Restaurants

THE FLAVORS OF THE WORLD

Your creativity thrives on learning about other cultures. You eat exotic foods. Your CD case overflows with world beats. You travel to the ends of the Earth.

And, since you live in Houston, you know you can get the flavors of the world without ever leaving your own backyard.

Houston is the most diverse city in the country, with a wealth of cultures and ethnicities living together side by side. Houston is a city where no one ethnicity is a racial majority, which means that you can interact with people from all walks of life, day and night, 365 days of the year.

Reprinted from The Greater Houston Partnership website

Houston offers educational opportunities of every description that expand from the heart of the city into the many communities that make up this eight-county metropolis. There are traditional classrooms, magnet programs, curricula for talented and gifted students, home schooling support, special needs programs, higher education, and distance learning courses for people of all ages. The city offers approximately 400 private and parochial schools.

Houston’s education highlights include:

1. • More than 60 colleges, universities and other degree-granting institutions
2. • 100 trade, vocational and business schools
3. • 66 public school districts across the region
4. • 47 independent charter schools
5. • 195 private and parochial schools
6. The Houston region is the academic center of the Southwest. Total enrollment for Houston’s colleges and universities is nearly 313,664 students

More info on area schools:

1. • Houston Area Independent School Districts
2. • Houston Area Public School Finder
3. • Houston Area Private Schools
4. • Houston Area Colleges and Universities

INTERNET RESOURCES

1. WorkinTexas.com - Texas' most comprehensive online job resource.
   
2. • CareerMag.com - Search by job title and city.
3. • CareerBuilder - Combines the employment ads from daily newspapers in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Boston, Seattle, Miami, Atlanta and Houston.
4. • Careers in Government - Offers state, county and municipal government job postings. Post resumes online and receive e-mail notification when an opening matches the qualifications.
5. • EmploymentGuide.com - Offers searchable job listings, free resume posting and e-mail notification of new openings.
6. • Hoover's Online - Provides great resources to research companies.
7. • Houston Chronicle Classifieds - Search the Houston Chronicle interactive employment classifieds for job leads.
8. • Houston Jobing - Browse companies, post your resume, check the blog.
9. • JobWeb - Provides information specific for college students and recent graduates.
10. • Monster - Offers one of the biggest and most successful Web-based job sites especially for high-tech positions.

A SAMPLING OF HOUSTON COMMUNITIES

1. Briargrove Community Center - Offers neighborhood map and swim team sign-ups.
2. Briarmeadow - Community page features charter school information, maps, deed restrictions, and online forms.
3. Candlelight Oaks Subdivision - Community bounded by White Oak Bayou, Cole Creek and the "joint line" railway. Features area information, community news and events, and neighborhood FAQ.
4. Cherryhurst Civic Club - Provides area information and newsletter archive.
5. Copperfield - Located just Northwest of Houston. Offers updates on lost/found pets, neighborhood pools, and community events.
6. Craig Woods Civic Association Newsletter - Neighborhood events, announcements and deed restrictions.
7. Cypress Creek United Civic Association - Educational organization serving as an information and referral center to build communication networks across subdivisions within the membership area.
8. Garden Oaks Civic Club - Provides community news, deed restrictions, and area links and information.
9. Greater Magnolia/Pineview Civic Club - Civic Club located in the East End of Houston, Texas, serving the areas of Pineview Place and Magnolia Park. Includes meeting and neighborhood information.
10. Highland Village Civic Club - Neighborhood located between the Galleria, Greenway Plaza and River Oaks. Includes news, member information, and maps.
11. Houston Heights - Non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the Heights community.
12. Knollwood Village Civic Club - Provides deed restrictions, block captains and area breakdown, bylaws, and trash schedule.
13. Magnolia Grove Civic Club - Neighborhood located along Buffalo Bayou between downtown Houston and Memorial Park. Includes area history, message forum, and newsletter archive.
14. Mangum Manor Civic Club - Located in Northwest Houston. Features maps, deed restrictions, pictures, and neighborhood history.
15. Neighborhoods of Wilchester and Wilchester West - Includes a brief introduction, news items, a map, pictures, board membors, and upcoming events for local clubs.
16. Nottingham West - Memorial area subdivision civic club's official site.
17. Oak Forest Homeowners Association - Community resource includes membership sign up, discussion forums, deed restrictions and maps.
18. Old Braeswood Civic Club - Provides information about Braeswood Park, board members and block captains, and deed restrictions.
19. Rice Military Civic Club - Civic community site for the area of Houston East of Memorial Park bounded by Washington on the North, Sheperd on the East, Memorial on the South and Wescott on the West.
20. River Oaks Property Owners, Inc. - Offers neighborhood information such as deed restrictions, trash collection schedule, newsletter, and area history.
21. Shady Acres Civic Club - Offers meeting information and minutes, news, neighborhood history, and an online complaint form.
22. Southampton Civic Club - Offers deed restrictions, club history, area map, and information on the patrol service.
23. The Ambassador at Post Oak - Uptown condominium owners association. Features property rules and regulations, history, amenities, newsletter, and current vacancies.
24. Westbury Crier Online - Official publication of the Westbury Civic Club.
25. Wheatstone Village Homeowners Association - Offers calendar of events, board meeting minutes, and local resources.
26. Woodland Heights - Community situated close to downtown on White Oak Bayou. Offers area and community news, photo tour, and links.

HOUSTON PET REGULATIONS

1. • Bureau of Animal Regulation and Care (BARC)
2. • License

DOG PARKS

1. • Off leash areas and dog parks

BEST PET SERVICES

1. • See the list of the Top 10 Best Pet Services

WHAT ARE YOU IN THE MOOD TO DO?

You work hard all week long and you should enjoy your weekends. And Houston has thousands of ways and places to help you enjoy your time off.

Hike and Bike trails

The region’s more than 650 parks provide ample space for your hiking and biking needs. Wander the bird trails in Herman Brown Park. Jog the loops at Memorial and Hermann parks. Bike on bayou trails.

The Houston Parks and Recreation Department maintains more 380 miles of hike-and-bike trails, on-street bike lanes and street bike routes

For a map of the Houston Parks and Recreation Department’s hike and bike trails, visit: http://www.houstontx.gov/parks/trail- map.html or call 713-845-1000

Parks

From small neighborhood green spaces to sprawling acres overflowing with amenities, the Houston region’s park systems offer fun for every member of your family. In the region’s parks, you’ll find:

1. • Swimming pools
2. • Water playgrounds or “spraygrounds”
3. • Tennis Courts
4. • Basketball pavilions
5. • Recreation Centers
6. • Soccer fields
7. • Playgrounds
8. • Picnic areas
9. • Dog parks where your furry friends can exercise off-leash
10. • Fishing ponds
11. • Softball fields
12. • Golf courses
13. • Bird watching areas and nature centers
14. • Lakes and boating areas
15. • Skate parks
16. • A world-class cycling velodrome

For a detailed listing of what the Houston region’s park system has to offer you and your family, visit:

• Harris County Park System
• Houston Parks and Recreation Department

Golf

Home to the Shell Houston Open, Houston’s golf scene is nationally known for being one of the best. Across the region are a variety of municipal and private courses that aim to challenge your game, no matter your playing level.

The region has more than 130 golf courses, about half of which are public.

Ice Skating

Think that sounds like an oxymoron in Houston? No way! The region has five different for you to show off your stuff and channel your inner Tara Lipinski. The Aerodrome Skating Complex, Galleria and Memorial City malls, and Sharpstown Ice Center all have indoor, well-maintained rinks available for open skating, lessons or hockey leagues.

Gardening

Green thumbs delight in Houston’s sunny climate, perfect for growing everything from flowers to vegetables to trees and landscape art. Some of the region’s gardening and landscaping societies include:

1. • River Oaks Garden Club
2. • Houston Arboretum and Nature Center
3. • Houston Rose Society
4. • Urban Harvest
5. • Houston Orchid Society
6. • Galveston Orchid Society

Beaches

Head south of the Houston city limits to enjoy the sand and surf. Galveston is the region’s beach playground and when you’re finished with riding the waves and soaking up rays, the city has shops, restaurants and recreation opportunities galore.

Outdoor Festivals

The Houston region has something happening nearly every weekend. Whether you’re looking for a funky street festival or an international explosion of food and culture, Houston’s variety of events guarantee you’ll find something to pique your interest. Click on the Calendar of Events tab for more about these festivals.

Reprinted from The Greater Houston Partnership website

1. • Senior Living Finder
   Houston Senior Living and Houston Senior Housing information is a consumer service brought to you by REALTORS® in the Greater Houston area.
2. • Assisted Living
   A list of facilities and services
3. • Senior Housing Net
   Info on the types of housing, payment options, tools for selecting care, health and wellness an settling in.
4. • Seniors Information
   A source of vital information and community services available in the greater Houston metropolitan area.

HOUSTON IS SERIOUS ABOUT SPORTS

Home to world-class professional teams, Houston is a sports lover's paradise. You know their names. The Houston Rockets. The Houston Comets. The Houston Texans. The Houston Astros. And the new MLS Champions The Houston Dynamo.

But what about the Houston Aeros hockey team. Or the Houston Energy Womens Football team? They play here, too, adding an entirely new dimension to Houston's sports scene.

Sports are a year-round pastime in the Bayou City. Spring has Houstonians catching Astros fever, which lasts all through the summer. Fall brings the Texans' first kickoff and the Areos' first face off. Winter has the Comets and Rockets hitting the court.

No matter what your sports passion, you'll be able to do more than watch from the comfort of your couch. Tickets to all of Houston's teams are available, giving you a front row seat for all the action.

Reprinted from The Greater Houston Partnership website

AUTO INSURANCE

1. • Houston Auto Insurance Agents
   This site offers a comprehensive listing of insurance agents in the city with ratings from fellow Houstonians.

CAR RENTAL INFORMATION

1. • Thrifty Car Rental
   This company has over 7 car rental locations in Houston including at both airports. Check their website for special deals and promotions that will help you save money when renting a car.
2. • Budget Car Rental
   Whether you need a rental car, or a moving truck, Budget even has several specialty vehicles for you to choose from.

GETTING AROUND HOUSTON

1. • Harris County Toll Road Authority
2. • Key Maps
3. • Metro
4. • Texas travel
5. • Traffic

DRIVER'S LICENSE

1. • Drivers License, Vehicle Registration
2. • Department of Motor Vehicles
3. • Getting insurance in Texas

GAS & ELECTRIC SERVICE

1. • Centerpoint Energy (gas)
2. • First Choice Power
3. • Green Mountain Energy
4. • Reliant Resources
5. • Houston Consumer Choice
6. • Texas Power to Choose (Electricity)
7. • TXU Energy Services

WATER SERVICE

1. • www.houstonwaterbills.org

VOTER REGISTRATION (Harris County)

1. • Harris County Voter

CABLE & SATELLITE

1. • Cable & Satellite Services

MAJOR DAILY NEWSPAPER

1. • Houston Chronicle

MAJOR FREE WEEKLY NEWSPAPER

1. • Houston Press

REAL ESTATE

1. • Heritage Texas Properties
2. • Houston Association of Realtors MLS
3. • National Association of Realtors
4. • Home builders
5. • Mortgage Information

HOUSTON AREA INFO

1. Area Chambers of Commerce -
   1.    • Kingwood Information and New Homes
   2.    • Homefinders Center for The Woodlands
   3.    • Northwest Houston Chamber of Commerce
   4.    • Humble Area Chamber of Commerce
   5.    • Cy-Fair Chamber of Commerce
   6.    • City of Galveston
   7.    • Fort Bend County
2. • City of Houston
3. • Downtown Houston Association
4. • Greater Houston Partnership
5. • Houston Visitors Bureau

1. • Drivers License, Vehicle Registration
2. • Department of Motor Vehicles
3. • Getting insurance in Texas
4. • Getting around in Houston
5. • Metro

1. Schools
   1.    • Public Schools in Texas
   2.    • Private Schools
2. • Key Maps
3. • Traffic
4. • Social Security
5. • Insurance
6. • Newspaper — Houston Chronicle
7. • Radio
8. Television
   1.    • Channel 2: NBC
   2.    • Channel 8: PBS
   3.    • Channel 11: CBS
   4.    • Channel 13: ABC
   5.    • Cable & Satellite Services
9. • State of Texas
10. • Texas travel

1. • Travel
2. Weather
   1.    • Local
   2.    • National
3. • Houston Fine Arts Events
4. • Things to Do in Houston
5. • Houston Restaurants