Introducing ‘Don’t Say Howdy,’ an Opinionated Local’s Guide to Houston

Here at Houstonia, we’re all about finding new and fun ways to serve our readers. That’s you! You, who’s been following us for a while (hey, thanks), and you, who’s just stumbled upon this article wondering what we’re all about.

And we just know both of you will get so much out of our latest project, Don’t Say Howdy: An Opinionated Local’s Guide to Houston. 

This five-part newsletter series is designed for people who want to make the most out of living in Houston, whether you’re a total newbie or you’ve been here a while and want to dig deeper. Every week for five weeks, you’ll receive a guide right in your inbox that tells you everything you need to live like a local, from which restaurants you should add to your hit list to tips on how (not) to drive in Houston.

If you want to call this a “course” (a fun one!), here’s your curriculum:

Week 1: Lay of the Land, a lowdown on Houston’s best neighborhoods, plus basic survival tips on local lingo and driving.

Week 2: Eat It Up, a roadmap of the best restaurants to eat barbecue, tacos, Vietnamese, Indian, and much more, as well as profiles of important chefs.

Week 3: Know Your Facts, a geeky dive into some Houston history and fun facts to impress your new friends and neighbors.

Week 4: Get Cultured, a survey of Houston’s art scene from the world-class giants to the indie and quirky, plus your annual social calendar.

Week 5: Touch Some Grass, a guide to the great outdoors for when it’s nice outside and everything you need to beat the heat when it’s not.

So why is it called Don’t Say Howdy? Well, it’s somewhat of a stereotype that Houstonians say “howdy” to greet each other, but the truth is, we don’t really. (Okay, maybe ironically, or if we’re trying to be cute, or when it’s the rodeo.) It’s just a fun little tip if you’re new in town, but hey, if you really wanna say “howdy,” you do you. This is Texas, baby.

You can subscribe to Don’t Say Howdy here whenever you’d like and receive all this intel on your own time—as well as a few surprises along the way. We hope you enjoy the ride.