<p>living off campus freshman year soulside?</p>
<p>Ok being Asian here, I want to know if anyone of you in Houston have been to Yao Ming’s restaurant.</p>
<p>We’re all poor college students, so most of us can’t afford to go to a redressed version of P.F. Chang’s.</p>
<p>lol if i attend rice, i would go to a few rockets games a year</p>
<p>NYSkins, it cost just as much as P.F. Chang’s.</p>
<p>I think that was the point. There are so many cheap places in Chinatown (see: Lai Lai’s Dumpling House) that we can’t be bothered to go to a more expensive place just because it’s Yao’s.</p>
<p>Yao’s place is catered to American tastes so if you want true Chinese food just go to China Town.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Yep. Only about a mile away, though.</p>
<p>Soulside–I don’t think anyone has answered your questions about driving around in Houston. My guess is, most Rice students don’t spend a lot of time far from campus. They might take the light rail downtown, or drive with friends to a few very specific spots for restaurants or shopping, but I doubt many of them do the kind of “exploring” you’re talking about. Frankly, my impression of Houston is about what you found. The area around Rice is beautiful, and there’s plenty to do there, with the museums and zoo and park. I think that parts of downtown are attractive, too. I can’t claim to be an expert on Houston, but one thing that struck me about it was that it doesn’t feel like it has neighborhoods, each with its own distinctive personality, the way a lot of other cities do. I think this might have something to do with the lack of zoning laws, though I’m not sure. Houston streets are pretty quirky, with a real mixture of retail, residential and industrial buildings. It’s definitely an unusual place. Maybe some of the students or parents who live there can give you some good tips for exploring, though.</p>
<p>They give free transportation to Houston. So there really is no need of car down there. Also they give free and discount admissions to attractions. Plus there is cheap rental car at Rice.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>[Passport</a> to Houston | Passport to Houston](<a href=“http://students.rice.edu/students/Passport.asp]Passport”>http://students.rice.edu/students/Passport.asp)</p>
<p>As a local, all I can offer is that just like any other large city I’ve lived in (or visited), there are good parts and bad parts. I don’t know where you were driving, but if you head towards the west, northwest or southwest of Rice, there are neighborhood after neighborhood of beautiful areas. In fact, I’m constantly amazed at how many nice areas there are in Houston and how there can be that many people living here who can afford such beautiful houses. Southampton, Southside Place, West University, Bellaire, Tanglewood, River Oaks, Memorial Villages, etc, etc.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Maybe it’s because of the great value of Rice education that allows those people to get so much money :D.
JKJK</p>
<p>Thanks Susan. It wasn’t so much residential neighborhoods I was thinking of, though (not that I’m really familiar with the ones you mentioned). I was thinking of places you could wander around and shop or eat, the way you can in Rice Village. Are there other areas like that that you can suggest? Parts of Westheimer are kind of fun, but the interesting stuff is interspersed with a lot of not so interesting stuff. It’s not concentrated in one place the way it is in a few square blocks at Rice Village. For a parent like me who would like to explore a bit beyond campus, do you have some areas to suggest? Rice Family weekend is rapidly approaching again…</p>
<p>BerkeleyMom – a few other shopping areas somewhat similar to Rice Village are River Oaks Shopping Center (near the cross streets of Shepherd and West Gray) [River</a> Oaks Shopping Center](<a href=“http://www.riveroaksshoppingcenter.com/]River”>http://www.riveroaksshoppingcenter.com/) and Highland Village (on Westheimer between Weslayan and Mid Lane) [SHOP</a> HIGHLAND VILLAGE](<a href=“http://www.shophighlandvillage.com/shopping.asp]SHOP”>http://www.shophighlandvillage.com/shopping.asp). These 2 have been around for a while. A newer shopping area is Uptown Park – but that one is more of a manufactured upscale “let’s look like a European shopping experience.” [Uptown</a> Park - Home](<a href=“http://www.uptownparkhouston.com/fw/main/Home-395.html]Uptown”>http://www.uptownparkhouston.com/fw/main/Home-395.html) </p>
<p>Also, if you head towards Highland Village, be sure to stop at Central Market to buys some food goodies for your Rice student. It’s a fantastic supermarket that has an amazing selection of everything! [Central</a> Market | Stores | Houston](<a href=“http://www.centralmarket.com/Stores/Houston.aspx]Central”>http://www.centralmarket.com/Stores/Houston.aspx)</p>
<p>Thanks for the great suggestions. Central Market sounds interesting. I wish I could be there for the South African Wine Tasting!</p>
<p>My daughter has also discovered the Rice (no relation, I think) Epicurean Market, which is in biking distance of campus. </p>
<p>Where is Houston’s Chinatown in relation to Rice?</p>
<p>Houston’s Chinatown is way out to the west. Essentially, if you went west from Rice on Holcombe, which turns into Bellaire Blvd, and you keep on going until you get there. It’s very different than San Francisco’s Chinatown. This one is basically one strip shopping center after another. Not very aesthetically pleasing, but the restaurants and grocery stores are very authentic.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>the metro sucks. like seriously. if you can bring a car, get one.</p>
<p>I’ve lived in Houston all my life, and the metro isn’t that bad - depending on where you want to go. There is also the downtown rail, which is really nice…but limited in the places it can take you. Chinatown in houston is great, and about 20 minutes away. Rice Village has good restaurants and shopping, but everything there is SUPER overpriced. Rice/ Rice Village is definitely a more upscale and rich area of Houston. You don’t necessarily need a car…but it would definitely allow you to explore greater Houston. The area around Rice that is within walking distance is great, but it is full of the same thing. If you don’t have a lot of money to bust on random things, Rice village isn’t the best place to go. Plus, Rice Village is currently undergoing lots of contruction - Kirby street is a complete pain. If you want the best of everything, then Westheimer is where it is at.</p>
<p>One thing my daughter wishes Rice Village had was a small grocery store. You’d think between students and neighbors, a grocery store would do well there. Maybe Rice students could get together and lobby Trader Joe’s to move in.</p>
<p>yeah. im right next to Palo Alto right now and University Avenue for Stanford is so much cooler than Rice Village. as a student, I can actually afford stuff.</p>