Hollywood Heights Neighborhood

Vanderbilt home for sale or rent

2010-08-12T14:18:00.000-07:00

Just reduced and also offered for rent!

6027 Vanderbilt

Hollywood Santa Monica Availability

2010-07-28T12:41:00.001-07:00

A quick update on the neighborhood activity:

40 homes currently on the market
Average price is $313,378
Average days on market are 95 (from 3-595 days)
Price range is $159,000 - $599,900
Average square footage is 1677
Average price per foot is $190.20

If you are interested in purchasing or listing your home, give me a call for more details.

My recent bike race in Montreal

2010-07-22T11:33:00.000-07:00

While in Montreal recently I decided to give the Bixi bicycle sharing a try. Somehow I ended up in a race and included some video.

Bike sharing is gaining popularity all over the world. Paris was one of the first adopters of the system and they have over 20,000 bikes in the program. They believe that no bike station should be more than 300-500 meters apart or people won't use the network. This has led to a traffic reduction of over 5%.

Bike sharing involves picking up a bike at any bike station and for a small fee you may take the bike to your destination and drop it off at another station. It is designed mainly for intercity or close in cities. The Bixi prototype in Montreal (which has 5000 bikes and 400 stations) has been adopted, emulated or modeled in Washington DC, Denver, Minneapolis, Boston and most recently in San Antonio, TX.

The US based systems have been highly financed by companies such as Blue Cross Blue Shield and Humana who recognize the health benefits. The federal stimulus funds have also played a part in funding due to the environmental benefits of traffic reduction.

So....do you think such a system would work in Lakewood, Downtown & Uptown Dallas? We already have a great trail system that could easily be incorporated into the program.

Interesting Bike Share Article

Willie's Picnic 1974 - College Station

2010-07-02T09:56:00.000-07:00

The year was 1974 and Willie was in College Station for his three day 2nd Annual July 4th Picnic. This year marks the 37th year of the picnic at the backyard at Bee Caves, Texas just outside Austin. But, if you can't make it to Austin there are plenty of things going on here in Big D.

Here is a sampling of weekend activities:

Friday and Sunday - Ballpark in Arlington - post game fireworks. I have found in the past that this is one of the best displays of fireworks in the area. Plus the Rangers are kicking it right now.

Saturday & Sunday - neighborhood parades in Lakewood, Forest Hills, Kessler, Bent Tree, Preston Hollow and many others.

Saturday - Thunder over Cedar Creek Lake - Pinnacle Club - Airshow and fireworks spectacular. Airshow begins at 6 pm and fireworks at 9m. This is the best show in all of DFW in my opinion. Last year there were over 40,000 people. View by land or water.

Sunday - Libertine Bar - 2101 Greenville Ave, Dallas - The free Brass Knuckle Corndog Beatdown.

Sunday 9 am - 5pm - Dallas Arboretum - Fourth of July - music, picnics, and floral displays.

Sunday 11 am - 4 pm - Dallas Heritage Village at Old City Park - Old-Fashioned Fourth - celebreate like it was 1899. $5 general admission.

Sunday - 9 pm - Lakewood Country Club Fireworks Display - Gaston & Abrams

Monday 6 pm - 10:30 - Fair Park Fourth-on-the-Fifth - Water shows and choreographed fireworks. Free to the public.

There are literally hundreds of other events for more check out Guideliv e.

Have a great weekend and be careful.

Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front

2010-06-09T06:02:00.000-07:00

This was posted by my friend from Austin City Living and I found it thought provoking. Ponder....

Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front by Wendell Berry

Love the quick profit, the annual raise,
vacation with pay. Want more
of everything ready-made. Be afraid
to know your neighbors and to die.

And you will have a window in your head.
Not even your future will be a mystery
any more. Your mind will be punched in a card
and shut away in a little drawer.

When they want you to buy something
they will call you. When they want you
to die for profit they will let you know.
So, friends, every day do something
that won't compute. Love the Lord.
Love the world. Work for nothing.
Take all that you have and be poor.
Love someone who does not deserve it.

Denounce the government and embrace
the flag. Hope to live in that free
republic for which it stands.
Give your approval to all you cannot
understand. Praise ignorance, for what man
has not encountered he has not destroyed.

Ask the questions that have no answers.
Invest in the millenium. Plant sequoias.
Say that your main crop is the forest
that you did not plant,
that you will not live to harvest.

Say that the leaves are harvested
when they have rotted into the mold.
Call that profit. Prophesy such returns.
Put your faith in the two inches of humus
that will build under the trees
every thousand years.

Listen to carrion -- put your ear
close, and hear the faint chattering
of the songs that are to come.
Expect the end of the world. Laugh.
Laughter is immeasurable. Be joyful
though you have considered all the facts.
So long as women do not go cheap
for power, please women more than men.

Ask yourself: Will this satisfy
a woman satisfied to bear a child?
Will this disturb the sleep
of a woman near to giving birth?

Go with your love to the fields.
Lie down in the shade. Rest your head
in her lap. Swear allegiance
to what is nighest your thoughts.

As soon as the generals and the politicos
can predict the motions of your mind,
lose it. Leave it as a sign
to mark the false trail, the way
you didn't go.

Be like the fox
who makes more tracks than necessary,
some in the wrong direction.
Practice resurrection.

Wendell Berry

Are banks really necessary these days?

2010-05-28T09:18:00.000-07:00

Do you pay your bills online? Do you get cash back on your debit card at the grocery store? Do you go to the ATM? Is your paycheck direct deposited? My guess is that you said yes to several if not all of those questions.

There is even a new bank called Ally that is a virtual bank with no locations. They have lower interest rates and less fees. USAA bank even allows you to make deposits using your iPhone.

So ask yourself, how often to you actually go into a bank? Is there really a need for more "brick and mortar" banks?

Within 2 miles of the corner of Mockingbird and Abrams there are no less than five Chase Bank branches. There are four between Abrams and Central (although the one at Mockingbird & Central is closing). There is also at least one Bank of America, Comerica, Wells Fargo, BBVA Compass, Professional Bank, Liberty Federal Savings, Texas Capital, Park Cities Bank and Wachovia in that same radius. Before bank meltdowns, FDIC closings and consolidations there were even more.

Until the banks start lending again this financial mess is not going to improve much. So if we rarely go into a bank, doesn't it seem that the money used to buy that expensive land and build these new financial institutions would be better spent on improving the balance sheet and lending?

Have you heard what the city wants to do to bicyclists?

2010-05-19T10:03:00.000-07:00

Do you ride a bicycle?
Do you want to ride a bicycle and feel it's not safe?
Do you want to see changes in your neighborhood?
Come share your vision for a bicycle friendly Dallas!

The City of Dallas needs your input. The 2010 Dallas Bike Plan is a city-wide plan that will affect OUR neighborhoods, OUR children, OUR future. Please consider participation in this open house on Thursday the 27th of May from 5-8 pm at Dallas City Hall in the Flag Room (6E-North)

If you cannot attend the meeting and would like to provide feedback or if you would like to be added to the email list for news about bicycle planning in Dallas, please contact:

Waco Moore, Dallas Bicycle Advisory Committee
waco.moore@gmail.com
972-352-3492

Whether you support bikers or not, this is your chance to have your voice heard.

Energy Wasting Day

2010-05-19T08:47:00.000-07:00

I recently received information on Energy Wasting Day and while it made me laugh it also caused me to reflect on a blog article recently posted in the Advocate Magazine.

The article was about a free service (not really free since you pay a fee each month to Oncor to subsidize this program) where your electrical provider will send someone out to do a free energy audit on your home; seal HVAC connection points throughout the house to prevent air loss, weatherstrip doors, install foam insulators behind light switches and plugs, and seal plumbing penetrations beneath the sinks.

I, like the blog writer thought this was too good to be true. So I called the company in the article, E3 Solutions and Matt Newnham and his crew showed up. First they tested the amount of air that the home was losing and said it was quite a bit since my house was built in 1933. They proceeded to seal all the HVAC connections points, repair duct work that was leaking, seal plumbing penetrations underneath all the sinks and install foam insulators behind the light switches and plugs. While they will blow in attic insulation at a cost subsidized by Oncor, I was told it was unnecessary on my house. What they did not do was weatherstrip the french doors (3 sets) nor weatherstrip the windows. After all the work was completed another air loss test was completed and the air loss was reduced by 12%. This is not a huge difference but it would be nice if I got a 12% decrease in my electricity bill.

There are some limitations: your house has to have at least 50% of the HVAC vents in the ceiling and the home must have been built before 2002.

Oh and by the way, it was free and it took about two hours.

Give Matt a call at 214-995-9581 and try it out for yourself. It's only good until the funds run out which Oncor predicts will be sometime in late June to early July.

Lakewoodstock is this Sunday

2010-05-14T08:45:00.000-07:00

The Lakewoodstock Neighborhood Festival is this Sunday the 16th from Noon till 8 pm. There are live bands all day long on three stages, arts, crafts, food and shopping.

The Friends of the Santa Fe Trail are also sponsoring a bike ride in conjunction with the festival. The ride will officially start at Main Street Garden, the cool new park in downtown Dallas and take the Santa Fe Trail to Lakewoodstock in Lakewood village at 1pm.

There are at least 58 neighborhood sponsors and over 70 Lakewood businesses in the immediate area that are involved.

Take out the trash!

2010-05-12T08:07:00.001-07:00

Just try to drive down Santa Monica on a Saturday morning by Lindsley Park. Cars are parked on both sides of the street while Mom, Dad and kids are running around everywhere playing soccer, grilling and having birthday parties among other things. The pathway between cars is so narrow that a suburban can barely make it through much less two cars trying to go in opposite directions. But the parking near the park is another story.

It is obvious by the number of people at the park on Saturday and Sunday that it is a popular weekend activity. But drive by on a Monday morning and it looks like a war zone. The amount of paper plates, napkins, water bottles and beer bottles (which incidentally are illegal in Dallas Parks) is sickening.

Doesn't it seem like it would be a better use of the Parks and Rec departments time and money to mow, seed, landscape and repair the athletic equipment than spend their Mondays cleaning up litter?

Do your part, pitch in. If we need more trash cans, lets figure out a way to make that happen.

Tree & Plant disease/insects

2010-05-10T13:07:00.000-07:00

Last month the eight year old Carolina Jessamine in my yard was blossoming more beautifully than in any of the past years, but this weekend I noticed that it had suddenly died.

To be honest, I still don't know what attacked it or caused both plants to die but it did prompt me to examine all of my landscape. After taking samples to Redenta's on Skillman and Oram I realized that this past winter was unusually hard on our plants. My pecan tree leaves have these unusually large green pimple on them (sometimes 10-12 per leaf), the black walnut tree has some type of unknown scale or bug, a hibiscus has aphids or white fly, the shrubs and roses have scale and I mentioned the Carolina Jessamine.

Both Walton's and Redenta's have provided me with excellent counsel in the past and I am sure there are other arborist and horticulturalists in the area that would also. With that said, I don't think there is a better blog out there that either addresses or links solutions to our N. Texas landscape issues. DFW Gardening Blog

Keep an eye out because my guess is that I am not the only one who is having issues.

No Trespassing - Trail Closed

2010-05-05T06:59:00.001-07:00

Although few people pay attention to them, I wonder why the city suddenly showered "No Trespassing" and "Trail Closed" signs on the Santa Fe Trail after months and months of grading, utility work, laying re bar and pouring wet concrete. They appear to be about 90% complete.

The forgotten tragedy

2010-05-04T07:40:00.000-07:00

Illegal immigration, an unexploded car bomb and an oil slick have all overshadowed a harrowing scene in Middle Tennessee.

The city of Nashville and surrounding areas had 14-15" of rain in a 24 hour period and at least 29 deaths. Thousands of homes and most major tourist sites have been devastated with rising water.

I can only hope that if something happened like this here that we would not be forgotten like they have been in Tennessee.

To make a donation, please call 1-888-540-5200 or donate online www.cfmt.org/floodrelief

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

His Name is Bob

2010-04-30T08:02:00.000-07:00

My office is located at the Mockingbird Central Shopping Center directly across from Mockingbird Station. It is the center with Jason's Deli and Whole Earth Provision. If you have spent much time here over the past several years you probably have met Bob Crawford.

Bob is a quirky, moody, unkempt and yet fascinating man. Bob plays the keyboard and spends almost every single day at the shopping center visiting with shoppers and staffers. It is not uncommon to walk into our office and see Bob sitting at the front desk (you might mistake him for a homeless man) on the phone or computer. He is often overheard calling people and telling them he is at work up at the office. Most days he will ask someone in our office or elsewhere in the center for a ride to his AA meeting or Deep Ellum to "work".

An interesting checkered past would be putting it lightly when describing Bob's life and you can meet Bob tonight at the Angelika Theater when his documentary debuts at the USA Film Festival.

Mid-Century Modern for Sale

2010-04-29T12:49:00.000-07:00

Check out this updated "Green" mid-century modern home at 7120 Santa Fe just a few houses in from Lindsley Park.

You have cash

2010-04-27T07:38:00.001-07:00

Recently I heard a story on a local television station about unclaimed monies that the state of Texas holds on your behalf. I didn't think there was any chance that I would be on that list but merely out of curiosity I decided to go check it. Lo and behold, I had cash! There was $253 from Homecomings Mortgage (now GMAC) for a refund check that was sent to a bad address after I sold a home. But it was the other chunk of change that I was really hoping to find (insert sarcasm here)...I had a whopping .02 cents from my alma mater Texas A&M for some overpaid fees back in the late 80's.

Businesses that have an outstanding credit for a customer must escheat those funds (revert to the state) after a certain period of time. The state holds those monies until you claim them.

After winning what felt like the lottery I determined that it was just a fluke and I decided to type in the names of several of my relatives. Guess what, they had cash too. It must be fairly common so check it out and find out if you have a similar new found fortune.

Do I have unclaimed cash?

Restaurant Review - El Fenix at Casa Linda

2010-04-26T14:04:00.000-07:00

Last night after working at the Hollywood Home Tour at 7001 Vivian I went to the 50+ year old El Fenix at Casa Linda.

As you walk into this classic restaurant you can't help but feel like you are in an "ol school" type of place. The front area with the walkway through the middle of the dining room feels like you are in Mexico but the back room - not so much. It feels more like an old Furr's with the bright lights and an open cafeteria feel. Throughout the rooms the old plastic pink chair pads and table clothes definitely need to be brought up to the 21st century. This is the old ambiance I understand but there are some great products out there that don't look like a school dining hall.

But the most important thing was that our service and the food were good. As always the chips are crisp and tasty. The salsa was much milder than what you would find in their proprietary jars. The waiter brought a "fajita sauce" with a little more pep and it was excellent with onions, jalapenos and I think a touch of tomatillo.

The chili relleno poblano was tasty and there was no heat. The meat sauce was incredible and my guess is that it was about the fattiest ground beef on the market which is why it tasted so great. We substituted the ranchero sauce for a verde sauce which was nice along with some of the tastiest re-fried beans that made my arteries instantly clog.

The Maximilian's Delight with the puff taco and fresh avocado was perfect. The shell was crispy (not that common in some other local places) and the sour cream chicken enchilada and beef enchilada were exceptional as well.

Bottom line, while the chili relleno could be crispier the meal was great.

Oh and one last thing....the margarita's are pretty darn good!

Hollywood Santa Monica Home Tour

2010-04-23T11:22:00.000-07:00

The home tour is tomorrow and Sunday from Noon to 6 pm. Tickets are on sale at Curiosities on Abrams and at Lindsley Park on tour days.

On Sunday there are usually numerous other homes that are open for viewing in addition to the tour homes. For a list of available homes for sale Hollywood for Sale.

The story of Hollywood/Santa Monica begins in the 1920s when J.B. Salmon acquired this former dairy farm and formed the Hollywood Company to subdivide and improve the land. Also known as the developer of Kessler Highlands in Oak Cliff, Mr. Salmon was exceedingly careful in the planning of his property. So thoughtfully conceived was his development that he could allow other developers to build in diverse styles as long as they stayed within the deed restrictions. These styles include the predominant Tudor Cottage, as well as Spanish Eclectic, French Eclectic, Minimal Traditional, Craftsman, Monterrey, and two rare examples of the flatroofed Pueblo Revival style. We may suppose that Mr. Salmon was pleased by the outcome because he made his home within the development. Much has been said of the architecture to be found in Hollywood and Santa Monica, and the neighborhood may well be the largest collection of stone-embellished Tudor cottages in the nation. Indeed, it's because of the attention paid to the aesthetic beauty of the area and its historical significance that in 1989 the neighborhood association succeeded in having Hollywood/Santa Monica declared a local Conservation District. This classification is shared by only a few other neighborhoods in the Dallas area.

The unique character of this neighborhood comes not only from the bricks and stones but also from the many people who have added their own unique and personal presence. For the visionary Mr. Salmon or the doughboy returning from Europe, it was a place for new beginnings. For the young family or the single factory worker, it was a place to grow and gain strength. For so many years, Hollywood/Santa Monica has been lovingly referred to as home. As you walk through our neighborhood, try to imagine those who have stood there before you. Will you see the garage aviator taxiing his airplane up and down the street? Or do you see the men talking on the corner - waiting for the streetcar to take them downtown? If you're lucky, maybe you'll catch sight of a few young rascals soaping the rails so that the conductor will be unable to get the streetcar back up the hill to Valencia! Or maybe you'll see the ladies headed down the block to the new grocery that the Minyard family had just opened. You might also envision more recent settlers of the neighborhood. Young men and women, smitten by this rare vision of yesterday, renovating and reinvigorating, building their lives and families much the same as their predecessors did before them. These new neighbors hold the same values that the original community held so many years ago. Armed with these values, they have strived to preserve the neighborhood and the community that thrives here.

Remodeling Horror

2010-04-20T03:41:00.000-07:00

As everyone knows keeping up with an old tudor built in the 1930's is a never ending battle. We want the home to stay true to it's historical architecture but also have 21st century amenities.

We recently updated our kitchen and bathroom and if you have ever done a remodel in your home (and don't forget we have conservation district rules) you may recognize some of the battles we encountered in this video. The editing was done by our French neighbor so disregard the subtitles.

Got any pictures or fun stories of your own?

Bicycle Road Rage??

2010-04-15T13:56:00.001-07:00

ESPN's Tony Kornheiser recently urged listeners to be violent toward cyclists and since we live so close to the lake and the presence of cyclists can't be ignored for better or worse, I thought I'd do a little unscientific research....Feel free to respond, Bikers: Good or Bad?

To be fair I must disclose that I am a biker and have some strong opinions of my own......

http://bicycling.com/blogs/roadrights/2010/04/15/kornheiser/

Home Tour Raises Money for Neighborhood Improvements & Charity

2010-04-14T14:43:00.000-07:00

The Hollywood Santa Monica home tour is April 24th and 25th. Both days from 12:00pm until 6:00pm. Tour tickets are $10 each and you can purchase in advance at Curiosities (2025 Abrams Rd) or at Lindsley Park on tour days..

Most people probably never think about where the proceeds for these local home tours goes but you probably should.

I believe that Hollywood Santa Monica is one of the most special neighborhoods in the area. As a Realtor who has worked all over DFW, I have had the occasion of seeing numerous neighborhood associations with mandatory and volunteer membership and dues. Our neighborhood has voluntary membership and the dues are nominal even though the work that the association does is costly. The home tour helps to subsidize activities and improvements.

Have you noticed the Easter Parade and street party, the Christmas party and Halloween parties? Have you ever noticed the entrance to the neighborhood and the landscape? Have you ever noticed the park like medians throughout the neighborhood and their landscape? Have you ever read the newsletter that is delivered to your door? Have you ever noticed that we have an additional police presence? Well you should. You should also know that these things don't come for free nor do your property taxes pay for it. Your dues and home tour proceeds do.

This year the home tour and preview party will provide necessary funds for these and other amenities but also contribute to local charities. In the past, the home tour has contributed to Shakespeare in the Park, JL Long Middle School and Woodrow Wilson High School among other things.

Come out, see the homes and continue to make our 'hood special.