Team DiMuria Katy Texas Blog: November 2008

                 Welcome to Chesterfield, Katy Texas!          

Chesterfield is a unique subdivision within the Katy area south of I-10. When the subdivision was first built it was out on an island...the only homes off Mason rd south of Highland Knolls, Chesterfield had a private country feel that could not be denied. In the 20 years that have passed Chesterfield has been inundated by development...shops, restaurants, grocery stores, apartments, and other communities have sprung up around the original subdivision...but Chesterfield has never lost its distinctive and unique feel.

A home in Chesterfield will  not look like every other home in Chesterfield...each home is a unique custom built home that lets you know from the first time you drive through the community...you will get a different feel here! This is not to say that everything different or unique is better...some of the homes are a bit quirky and some may have a choppy feel to them, but you will not feel like you are in a cookie cutter neighborhood of production homes.

The neighborhood feel of Chesterfield is in part derived from the neighbors themselves. This is a family community that prides itself on knowing the people next door. The community seems to come alive at Christmas with wonderful lighting displays on virtually every home. Chesterfield is our seven year old son's favorite subdivision to drive through every Christmas!

Prices in this custom home neighborhood range from the low 200's to the upper 300's. This neighborhood is a wonderful value and is blessed with some of the lowest tax rates in the Katy area south of I-10.

To view Chesterfield or any of our other fine Katy Texas Subdivisions and Communities call Jeffrey or Mona DiMuria at 281-492-5916 or contact us from our www.KatyHomeFinder.comwebsite....no one knows Katy better then Team DiMuria!

The Angel & The Ox Irish Pub and Restaurant will be opening on December 19th (soft open with limited menu) in the Villagio Retail Center on the corner of Westheimer Parkway and Peek Rd in Cinco Ranch. This will be a real Irish Pub with Pints on Draft and food to match.

The menu looks great (go to www.theangelandtheox.com ) and The Angel & The Ox will have a wide range of entertainment options including live bands on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. They will also have live sporting events on TV such as Soccer, NFL Sunday Ticket, and NCAA Football.

The Angel & The Ox will offer a breakfast/brunch weekend menu as well as an extensive lunch and dinner menu all week long. You will have traditional Irish food choices like scotch eggs and fish & chips as well as pub fare like hamburgers and salads.

The Angel & The Ox looks like a great addition to the growing number of restaurants and night spots in the Katy area. To contact The Angel & The Ox call 281.395.7055.

Within a reasonable driving distance to Katy Texas we have quite a few good BBQ restaurants. We can now add the new Spring Creek Barbeque to that list. The location of Spring Creek BBQ is going to make it a busy choice for lunch and dinner. The corner of I-10 and Westgreen Blvd in Katy is highly traveled and close to many area businesses, shopping centers, medical facilities, and residential homes.

The menu is standard BBQ favorites; BBQ dinners, sandwiches, salads, and sides. They have a very nice lunch menu as well...and a lunch special that allows you to choose your meat, bread, sides, and garnish...all for $7.65.

The food here is quite good...fast, cooked to perfection, great sauce, and the bread is to die for! If you like green beans the are really good here...cooked with large pieces of bacon and delicious. BBQ joints seem to come and go in Katy...this one is going to stay around for a long time!

You can eat in (they use a cafeteria style wait line to order) or take out (call ahead so you don't wait on line!) They have catering, banquet, and gift cards available if you do not know what to give someone for a birthday or Holiday!

To place an order for pick up call: (281) 829-0359.

It is that time of year again! Thanksgiving is a little over a week away, and that is usually the time folks start thinking about their holiday shopping. Here are some of the best places to get your holiday shopping done right here in Katy, Texas!

1. La Centerra Mall- located in the heart of Cinco Ranch, this outdoor "mall concept" is a great place to shop for the day! There is something for everyone on your list. Stores include Cold Water Creek, Talbots, Ann Taylor Loft, Gymboree, Aveda, JOs A Banks, J Barton, Luke's Locker, Kirkland's,  just to name a few. Stay the day and relax and enjoy something to eat at the many varied restaurants which include Fish City Grill, Mission Burrito, Kenzo, Panera just to name a few! Or relax after a hard day of shopping with a glass of wine at The Wine Next Door! This is also a great place for gifts as well, they sell bottles, and even make gift baskets!

2. Katy Mills Mall-located off I-10 and Pin Oak Road this is a one stop shop for the holidays! Stores include Books a Million, Burlington Coat Factory, Bass Outlet Shop(which has some fun great Xmas activities for the kids), Nike, Ralph Lauren Polo, Off 5th by Saks, Marshalls, Old Navy, Reebok, Hanes Outlet, Children's Place, Osh Kosh Bgosh, and many more! This mall has a food court, as well as restaurants, such as the Rain Forest Cafe. The mall also has it's own movie theatre, so why not put the kids in for a movie while you knock out some holiday shopping!! The mall is also surrounded by multiple restaurants, such as TGI Fridays, Los Cucos Mexican, and Fudrucker's. This is one place you can find it all and spend the day as well.

3. Villagio-located on the corner of Peek Rd and Westheimer in Katy, this is s smaller, more intimate outdoor mall, which has both shops and eateries. Shops include The Bookworm, which carries used and new books, along with unique cards and related gifts, and has a huge selection for kids. This store offers a place to sit down and peruse through the books at your leisure! Find some unique vintage clothes at the Ya Ya Club, or some great sneakers and athletic wear at Sneaker Lab. The Paperie offers unique gifts as well! If you get hungry while shopping, Villagio offers some great choices, which include Berryhill Cantina, Tokyo Steak and Sushi, Azzarelli's, and as of December 1 the new Stadia Sports Grill.

On Saturday November 29th starting at 5:30pm the 5th annual Home For the Holidays Festival and Tree Lighting will kick off the Christmas season at the LaCenterra Mall in Cinco Ranch!

The annual celebration will include music, children's activities, a teddy bear parade, and of course the lighting of the LaCenterra Christmas Tree. We have even heard a rumor that Santa may show up this year!

The festivities will run until 8:30pm and will be located in Heritage Square(the central courtyard in LaCenterra). Also included this year will be Bears and Blankets....a drive that benefits the Salvation Army's Angel Tree Program.

The LaCenterra Mall is located at 23501 Cinco Ranch Blvd in Katy...it is on the corner of Cinco Ranch Blvd and The Grand Parkway (Hwy 99).

Relocating is always difficult. The stress of packing, trying to sell your home, school issues, medical and doctor searches, and leaving friends behind.

Now you have a decision...in the new city you are moving to...which area should you choose...which area is the best match for your specific needs?

When choosing an area in Metro Houston...you may want to add Katy to your search and here are the reasons:

1. Award Winning KISD School District: As in any area that works hard to attract families, Katy has spent a great deal of time and effort in making sure the schools and school district are always rated near the top of the State of Texas school rating systems.

2. Medical Facilities: Katy has in recent years been a major growth area for Hospitals and Doctors. Memorial Hermann, Christus St Catherine (which includes an MD Anderson cancer center), Texas Children's, St. Luke's, and Methodist Hospitals all either have operating hospitals or have hospitals under construction!

3. Proximity To Major Highways: The Katy area has many nearby major highways including I-10, the new Westpark Tollway, the Grand Parkway (Hwy 99)...and to the north HWY 290.

4. Proximity to Work: The Houston Energy Corridor is just east of Katy on I-10. With Shell, BP, Conoco Phillips, BG, and Mustang Engineering all within an easy drive. The new Headquarters of KBR is also being constructed in Katy...right on the corner of Hwy 99 and I-10!

5. Shopping: You will love the shopping options in Katy...the Katy Mills Mall, the La Centerra Mall in Cinco Ranch (an outdoor style walking mall), the new Grand Promenade, Villagio Retail Center, and much more. For grocery shopping you will have your choice of HEB (including the HEB+ in Seven Meadows), Three Super Walmarts, Super Target, many Krogers, Fiesta, Randalls, and much more!

6. Restaurants: This area has shown the biggest increase...and most improvement in Katy. No longer will your only choices be chain restaurants with limited menu's. You have a choice from high end cuisine like Bistro 829 and Perry's Steak House to many wonderful Mexican, Chinese, Thai, Italian, American, Indian, and other ethnic options...and of course Houston is just a short drive away!

7. Recreation: You will have lots of options here. For a day at the park you will probably not need to look further then your own subdivision...for example Cinco Ranch has eight area pools, many parks for all ages, tennis courts, basketball, nature trails, walking and jogging trails, a golf course, a beach club, and the Cinco Ranch Water Park! If a short day trip or overnight trip is what you are looking for you will love Katy! The Texas Hill Country is about one hour west of Katy, the Gulf of Mexico beaches are an hour to the south, in just over two hours you can be in San Antonio, Austin, or the Louisiana Casino cluster. An overnight trip to Dallas-Fort Worth or New Orleans (both around five hours away) is always fun!

The 6th annual turkey dash in Katy Texas is quickly approaching. The event, Held at the Katy Family YMCA on Thanksgiving Day, had 1500 participants in 2007 and looks to be an even larger event in 2008. Mona ran last year...and Anthony (our 7 year old) and I plan on participating in this years festivities.

Early registration ends November 9th. You can go online to the YMCA site at: https://my.eztoregister.com/events/YMCA-turkey-dash/  and register. The 5k run is $20 ($25 after Nov 9th, and $30 the day of the race). The Kids 1 mile race for 14 and under is $15 ($20 after Nov 9th, and $25 the day of the race. The Family 1 mile walk is $10 ($15 after the 9th and $20 the day of the race).

The Kids race starts at 7:45

The 5k starts at 8:15

The family walk begins at 9am

Each entrant will receive a commemorative t-shirt (guaranteed if registered by Nov 20), and complimentary snacks and beverages.

Packet Pick Up will be held at Luke's Locker (La Centerra at Cinco Ranch, 23501 Cinco Ranch Blvd, Katy, 77494, 281-391-7880). Dates for Packet Pick Up are: Saturday, November 22, 10am-6pm, November 23, 12pm-5pm. November 24-25, 4pm-7pm. Packet Pick Up on November 26 will be at the Katy YMCA from 9am-9pm and on race day from 6:45am-7:45am