I don’t really understand what the issue is in Houston and why it feels so culturally bereft. Part of the issue is sprawl, sure, but it feels like there’s just less going on than other sprawling cities like LA and Atlanta.

I was there a few years ago in the summer, and figured I’d go see live music at night, and there just was literally not any to see besides at the megavenues. And surprisingly few bookstores for a city that size. I think it’s possible there are more independent bookstores in New Orleans than in Houston, a much larger and wealthier city.