Last month, I highlighted four fabulous and friendly neighborhoods in the Dallas area. I was thrilled to hear from so many people gushing about why they thought their neighborhoods should be featured too. Here are three more top-notch places to live in and around our great city.
Susan
Neighborhood: Austin Waters, Plano
Closest main streets/ intersection: Parker and Plano Parkway
When did you buy your house: May 2009
Did you have to update? Change anything to make it your own style? Not yet. Our house was a spec home and ready to move in.
Why did you choose your neighborhood? We loved that the neighborhood was new and kind of hidden. Also, with a toddler and a baby on the way, its great to have the grandparents only 10 mins away!
What is your favorite thing about your neighborhood? I love that we’re a small community. I’ve really gotten to know some of my neighbors and I love that our kids play together. Our neighborhood also has an annual crawfish boil, labor day pool party and a monthly girls night out.
What do you want people to know about your area? We live in a great area with so many restaurants, schools and fun activities for kids. Even though we’re in the suburbs, getting to Dallas is so easy with the tollway just minutes away.
Favorite local (as in close to your house) activity to do with your child? Arbor Hills is right down the street. They have a great walking trail and an awesome playground for toddlers and big kids.
Favorite local place to go out to eat with child? We love Whiskey Cake, Kenny’s Burgers, Fireside Pies and Campisi’s,
Favorite local place to go on date with husband? Love exploring what’s out there in the Shops of Legacy.
Hidden gem close to neighborhood? Arbor Hills and Rosemeade Rec Center has an amazing water park.
Anything else you want me to know? I hear we’re getting a Top Golf and Eatzi’s soon!!!
Andress
Neighborhood: Sparkman Club Estates, Dallas
Closest main streets/ intersection: Royal/Marsh
When did you buy your house: April 2009
Did you have to update? We’ve been really lucky to do fun, aesthetic updates to our house like new windows. Amazing how windows make everything look better!
Change anything to make it your own style? Oh yes! That’s been a fun experience. My husband has an incredible green thumb and has turned our backyard into an outdoor oasis. It’s like having another huge living area outside. Also, before our son was born we remodeled the master bath to brighten it up. Right now we are loving our front room’s new art lighting that accentuate some of our favorite pieces.
Why did you choose your neighborhood? Some of our best friends lived just north of Sparkman and we’d fallen in love with the area’s unique 1960s houses and massive trees. We’d drive around in the evenings and loved seeing people out walking their dogs or with their families. When this house went on the market we moved fast and have been so happy ever since.
What is your favorite thing about your neighborhood? Where do I start? I would have to say, that my neighbors make Sparkman more than home for us. I have made some of my best friends here and now all of our kids are growing up together. It’s been so much fun to be inspired by the women I’ve met in this neighborhood, you never feel alone when you have so many incredible people supporting you.
What do you want people to know about your area? Sparkman has an optional, but very active HOA and our board members do so much to care for our area. From children’s events to groundskeeping it’s fun to see our friends start to get involved. Our clubhouse is beautiful and you would be hard pressed to find a neighborhood pool area as well-kept as ours thanks to their efforts!
Favorite local (as in close to your house) activity to do with your child? Our house is right across the street from the Sparkman pool and park area so we live there when the weather is nice! A great indoor option is the Walnut Hill Rec Center’s Preschool Open Gym on Mon-Thurs from 10:30-11:45 for just $5. Jack is a madman on the trampolines, it’s a perfect pre-lunch and pre-nap place to burn some energy!
Favorite local place to go out to eat with child? Liberty Burger at Inwood and Forest or Mi Cocina at Preston Forest are great family places. If we need a really close option, Two Guys from Italy is great and super laid back.
Favorite local place to go on date with husband? Our go-to place has been The Woodlands at Preston Forest. It has a great atmosphere, a nice patio and delicious food and drink options. But we also recently found Bugatti Ristorane at Northwest Highway and Marsh. Delicious Italian food and friendly staff just add to the romantic atmosphere.
Hidden gem close to neighborhood? Frontiers of Flight Museum, this place is a little boy’s dream! They have so many incredible planes and a great toddler play area too.
Anything else you want me to know? My husband and I did not grow up in close knit neighborhoods so we had no idea how special it would be to live in one. Here, evening walks turn into hour-long conversations with friends, and tennis courts become raceways for little boys’ trucks and lego towers. We’ve already started talking to neighbors about our street’s float in the Sparkman Juy 4th Parade! It’s about as all-American as apple pie. We love it here.
Lauren
Neighborhood: Hollywood/ Santa Monica, East Dallas
Closest main streets/ intersection: Hollywood/ Santa Monica is bordered by the Santa Fe Trail on the north and west, East Grand on the east, and Valencia on the south.
When did you buy your house: January 2008
Did you have to update? Robert and I fell in love with our home the moment we saw the “For Sale” sign in the front yard. While we haven’t made any major changes to the interior of the house, (the previous owners made some fabulous updates) we are in the middle of a major exterior renovation including new landscaping, sidewalk, driveway, and fence.
Why did you choose your neighborhood? Because some of my favorite childhood memories are of living on Hammond Street in Hollywood/ Santa Monica. I knew that I wanted to move back into the neighborhood when I started my family. Plus, we loved the tree lined streets, Tudor cottages, and proximity to downtown and White Rock Lake.
What is your favorite thing about your neighborhood? Our neighborhood knows how to have fun! From front yard Happy Hours, to the holiday celebrations at Christmas and Easter, our neighborhood is alive with spirit and community. Our favorite neighborhood tradition is the annual Chili Cook-off held in October. Our team, consisting of amazing neighbors, Clermont Corner Chili, has won the People’s Choice Trophy 3 of the last 4 years!
What do you want people to know about your area? The Hollywood/Santa Monica Neighborhood Association provides residents with so many ways to get involved with our community: quarterly meetings at Times Ten Cellars with an informative agenda along with pizza and wine, The Hollywood Home Tour benefiting our local community and schools, and a supportive Extended Neighborhood Patrol.
Favorite local (as in close to your house) activity to do with your child? Our daughter, Caroline, loves: bike rides on the Santa Fe Trail, concerts and picnics at the Dallas Arboretum, play dates at Lindsley Park, and walks at White Rock Lake.
Favorite local place to go out to eat with child? The Lot, Cane Rosso White Rock, Hypnotic Donut, Matt’s, and Garden Cafe
Favorite local place to go on date with husband? The Grape or Times Ten Cellars
Hidden gem close to neighborhood? The Goat – Your Neighborhood Blues Bar , Little Bean Shop, La Popular Tamale House
Do you live in a neighborhood you love? Please comment and tell us all about it!
You should definitely highlight Castle Hills! We moved here a year ago and could not be happier. It is the most family-friendly place we’ve ever lived. Here is a recent write up:
“As The Dallas Morning News continues its series called “Best Neighborhoods,” we continue to focus on some of the very best qualities Castle Hills offers to families and homeowners. Family-friendly, developer-sponsored events are offered almost weekly at the Castle Hills Village Shops & Plaza. Several events are large and draw hundreds, even thousands, of guests, such as the annual July 4th Freedom Fest and Christmas Tree Lighting. Others are small and more intimate, like live concerts, dance lessons and family movie night. A handful of activities throughout the year benefit local charitable organizations, such as the Dragon Dash and this month’s Dognicity animal adoption event. Fun, entertainment and adventures are added to the long list of amenities that come standard with EVERY Castle Hills home.”
Sounds fantastic! I will highlight more neighborhoods in the near future and would love to use you as the Castle Hills Representative! I’m about to have a baby in the next few weeks but will definitely contact you when I write my next piece! Thank you!!
I love our neighborhood Spring Creek at Coit and Arapaho. We are on the edge of Dallas and Richardson. We live in Dallas but go to RISD schools. Our neighborhood association is great and does so many fun things through out the year. Our neighbors are wonderful and our neighborhood school is small and tight knit.
We love Sparkman and we love our neighbors, Andress, Patrick and Jack!!! Sadie, too. 😉