>Maybe older parts of the city are different?

Maybe, but it would be the spread out grid that reflects what people do with fewer constraints, wouldn't it? The downtown center didn't have anything of interest to me that I can recall. Lot of construction going on.

I think I spent most of my time there in the ~20 x 10 mile rectangle west of downtown. Like Westheimer and the Katy freeway sound familiar.

I didn't have a car, at least the first time I went there. I don't follow you about it being too far to walk or bike or how it didn't intermingle housing with businesses enough. I found a place to stay, and I walked to work, and everywhere else, except if I took the bus.

If living by freeway overpasses, and pawn shops, and check cashing storefronts is not your idea of utopia, fine. But then was the ability to walk places ever the issue?

I can't identify any differences between your description of Japan and anywhere I've been in the US. I haven't ever been to CA though.