COMMENT OF THE DAY: NEIGHBORHOOD NAMES STICK “Alief didn’t start getting rebranded as the International District till about 3 years ago; as a matter of fact, no one that lived there knew anyone was calling it something other than Alief. It wasn’t until they put those idiotic balls in the medians that anyone local knew someone was calling it something other than Alief. The Super Neighborhood is still called Alief. Hong Kong City Mall was transformed from a pasture to a Mall over a decade ago, that huge strip center at Wilcrest and Bellaire is almost as old. Maybe in 40 or 50 years people may latch onto the name International District in favor of Alief, but then they’re going to wonder why the Library is still called Alief Regional Library, and the school district is still Alief Independent School District, or why the community center is called Alief Community Center. Or why there’s a animal hospital called Alief Animal Hospital. I have a strong suspicion Alief will always be called Alief, no matter how many weird balls they put in the medians. And I’d also rather just call it Montrose and have people ask me if I’m gay than call it Lower Westheimer and have the 15 minute discussion about where it is, and the end result being that I tell them it’s the new name for Montrose and I’ll still be asked if I’m gay.” [toasty, commenting on Headlines: Eating Steak at CityCentre; Watching SkyHouse Rise]
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The label “Lower Westheimer” has been in use for at least as long as I’ve been Houston, which is 35 years. Distinct from Montrose, Lower Westheimer was specific to the stretch of Westheimer between Montrose Blvd and Bagby, which at the time I arrived in Houston was lined with strip joints, hustler bars, adult bookstores and massage parlours. It was the closest thing Houston had to Bourbon Street, and if you ever admitted to anyone that you were going (or went) to Lower Westheimer, everyone would know exactly what you meant and what you’d been up to.
Yeehaw. To the ghosts of Lower Westheimer. Lots of fun back in the day. And the Old Money families of Houston (River Oaks and other monied hoods) made bank from their properties along Lower Westheimer. It was seedy,sordid,scandalous,scintillating, sexy and sleazy.But lots of fun. Now it’s “gentrified” code for BORING,suburban,hetero breeders ruined the hood with their ‘Stepford Wives’ lifestyles.They think they’re cool & hip. They NOT. Just poseurs.
Love this comment of the day! :-)
Patrick, let me propose a trade: you don’t hate on us boring suburban hetero breeders and we won’t hate on whatever it is you like to do.