Ordinarily you’d find me blogging at the Houston Metroblogging site, but seeing as how I’m here for SXSW Interactive until Tuesday, I thought I’d post my reflections on our capital city.

Some passing thoughts:

• It’s amazing that so much is within walking distance in downtown. Even though I’ve got my car with me (Houston’s only a mere 150 miles away), I find myself spending less time driving and more time walking due to the fact that everything’s so close. That and the general lack of free parking.
• Houston may be the fattest city in the United States, but I’d have to say our downtown food offerings don’t match those of Austin’s. Then again, as I found out today during the Metroblogging meetup, there are apparently alot of Houston restaurants that I haven’t been to, so I could be wrong.
• I have to admit that the people that have asked me for money in the middle of the street have much more creative methods than the ones in Houston…
• MTV’s Real World Austin is taping right next to my hotel. Whether or not that’s cool depends on how you look at it. I guess it’s nice to have a cop stationed by the hotel at all times though.
• You’ve got hills! Damn the flat landscape of Houston!

Per the recommendation of some of the Austin metrobloggers, I’ll be trying at least one restaurant I haven’t heard of tomorrow. I’ve been craving some BBQ, and it appears there’s a really good BBQ place on 8th and Red River (I think?). I forget the name, but I’m sure I’ll find it – this coming from a person that had to spend 45 minutes circling the city looking for the Boldin Coffee House..who knew that S 1st Street and E 1st Street were two different streets?