Fugly, Texas?
Is Houston too bootylicious for Travel + Leisure?
Houston ranks No. 28 on Travel + Leisure's list of most attractive cities in America. That's a significant step below fleecy Portland, gumbo-guzzling New Orleans and Santa Fe sand artists.
Notes the rag's website:
How the mighty can fall: in 2009, Houston finished with the No. 8 most attractive locals. Voters who visited this year, however, clearly feel differently."
In this year's poll, Houston ranks number 8 in least attractive locals, behind Portland, Maine; Washington, D.C; Orlando; Anchorage, Alaska; Philadelphia; Baltimore and Memphis, which holds the distinction as the city with the ugliest residents.
It's a far cry from last year's poll, when Travel + Leisure gave Houston nothing but love.
The stats are the results of this summer's poll of 35 cities, in which the nation's metropolises were pitted against one another based on culture, shopping, restaurants, nightlife and more.
Not too surprisingly, we come in first place for hamburgers, No. 3 for affordable hotels, No. 5 for barbecue and No. 6 for luxury stores.
However, Houston also gets a slap on the wrist for heinous summers, piss-poor public transit and pedestrian friendliness. These rankings are based on visitors, whereas residents here place themselves at a firm #15 for attractiveness.
Now that's Texas swagger.