If you think Firethorne’s tennis coach is just an ace on the tennis court, you couldn’t be more wrong. Resident athlete/sports coach Chris Dante didn’t even take up the sport until he was 30, after excelling in baseball, (in 1988 he made it as far as the Olympic Trials), basketball, (City University of New York team captain), and football, as well as boxing and Taekwondo, (he has a black belt)!

“But after one too many broken noses, I turned to something less brutal — tennis,” said Dante, who helped launch Firethorne’s premiere tennis program this spring. With the new Women’s Tennis League and beginner tennis clinics now in full swing, Firethorne continues to demonstrate the Katy/Fulshear community’s commitment to fitness and competitive sports, through its hike and bike trails, swimming and running, regulation lacrosse fields and personal training at the on-site exercise facility.

During the summer, Coach Dante offers two morning clinics for resident children, (9 and 10 a.m.), and one 6 p.m. clinic for adult beginners. He also teaches private lessons. The tennis courts are open to Firethorne residents and their invited guests.

(Pictured above: Firethorne Resident Tennis Coach Chris Dante is on the court during a summer children’s clinic with residents (bottom/center, then clockwise): Boston Blake, Hannah Blake, Julian Martinez (far left with basket of tennis balls), Najee Boyd, Alissa Basaldua, Roel Martinez (hidden), and Jean Basaldua.)

“Coaching is a labor of love,” said Dante. “I love being outside with the kids — teaching and coaching them.” He also enjoys introducing many of their parents to tennis.

The four fully-lit hard courts are located adjacent to the lacrosse fields in the 1,400-acre Katy/Fulshear master-designed development.

Firethorne, located 15 miles west of Houston’s Energy Corridor, blends the best nature has to offer: 150 acres devoted to parks and recreational amenities, a 12-acre lake with surrounding greenbelt, hike/bike trails, parks and playgrounds, discovery-rich wildlife observation area and a natural bird habitat. Served by the award-winning Katy I.S.D., Firethorne combines the vibrancy of West Houston with the small-town charm of Katy/Fulshear.

Life is great in Firethorne! To tour homes in Firethorne, contact me. To search all the houses currently on the market in Katy/Houston see Home Search. I have sold Katy real estate for over 20 years and would be pleased to work together.

Katy’s Grand Lakes Master Planned Community residents are invited to the Grand Lakes First Annual Fourth of July Celebration on Saturday, July 3, from 4 to 6 p.m. The festivities will be held at 3650 Hollow Trace Drive by the Lazy River Pool.

Activities include:

• Mike Amabile and the Run Over Twice Band
• Solo singer Destiny Houston
• U.S. Navy Color Guard
• James Coney Island’s hot dogs, hamburgers and drinks
• Snow cones, cotton candy and popcorn
• Bucky Loo the Clown
• Uncle Sam stilt walker
• Water slides
• Pony rides
• Face painters
• Crafts

Life is great in Grand Lakes! To tour homes in Grand Lakes, contact me. To search all the houses currently on the market in Katy/Houston see Home Search. I have sold Katy real estate for over 20 years and would be pleased to work together.

LaCenterra at Cinco Ranch, in partnership with Katy Visual and Performing Arts Center (KVPAC), welcomes Making A Mark®, the Texas Children’s Cancer Center and Hematology Service’s touring art exhibition presented by The Periwinkle Foundation.

The extraordinary display features the works of young artists whose lives have been touched by cancer and blood disorders. It provides a unique focus on their personal issues.

The exhibit will open to the public Wednesday, April 14 at 5:30 p.m. in Ste. C 140 of LaCenterra (between Simply Cinco and Panera Bread) and run through April 28 before moving to KVPAC gallery for an additional two-week showing.

Making A Mark encourages all patients and their siblings to participate in sharing their feelings through applied art or creative writing. Often deep-rooted feelings and fears are given a positive outlet.

Every participant is a winner because so much has been gained in the process, and all submissions for the show are exhibited at the opening each September at Texas Children’s Hospital and then a selection of artwork travels to various locations throughout the year.

Guest are invited to fill out a “Postcard from the Road” that will be sent directly to the artist or the artist’s family to let the artists know the effect that their artwork has had on the lives of others and to offer them encouragement.

While this exhibit serves to shine a light on these amazing artists, it also highlights KVPAC’s “Healing Arts” programs and commitment to Texas Children’s Cancer Center by way of volunteer art lessons at the Texas Medical Center campus and the future Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus.

More than 400 patients and their siblings from the Texas Children’s clinic participate, free of charge each year.  Making A Mark is open to children from all pediatric cancer treatment centers, and has attracted art and writing submissions from around the world.

To highlight Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Texas Children’s Cancer Center and Hematology Service and The Periwinkle Foundation have proudly displayed more than 200 entries each year since the first exhibit in September 1991. Past exhibits have been shown in Japan, Washington, D.C., Virginia, North Carolina, and numerous cities throughout the state of Texas.

LaCenterra at Cinco Ranch is located at 23501 Cinco Ranch Boulevard in Katy.  Gallery hours will be offered from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. daily (excluding Sundays) with extended hours offered until 8:00 p.m. each Wednesday through April 28.

Groups of 10 or more schedule your visit by contacting Kristin Miller at kmiller@kvpac.org.  To learn more about LaCenterra, please visit LaCenterra.com.  For KVPAC gallery hours, programs and general information, visit KVPAC.org.

For information about all Katy area homes, you can search the entire Houston MLS from this blog. For questions or to tour any area homes, contact me directly at 713-818-2404 or via email. I have specialized in Katy real estate for over 20 years. Experience does count!

The 34th annual Cypress Creek Christmas Bird Count will be held on Friday, January 1st. Each year dozens of bird-watchers, both inexperienced and seasoned, venture out onto the area’s prairie remnants, farms, creeks, and wetlands to catalog the remarkable and dazzling bird life of the Katy Prairie.

Katy Prairie Conservancy will lead a group of Christmas Bird Count participants on an expedition to record birds on the area’s diverse preserves. Katy Prairie Conservancy anticipates that this year’s count will be as exciting as ever with opportunities to potentially see or hear Bald Eagles, Peregrine Falcons, Bobwhite Quail, waterfowl, and over one hundred other species.

If you’d like to assist with the count this year please contact Jaime Gonzalez at 281.660.6683 or by email at jaimegonzalez72@gmail.com.

Date: Friday, January 1, 2010 from 6:00 AM – Afternoon

Location: Meet at KPC Field Office

What to Bring: All participants should wear appropriate outdoor clothing, including closed-toe shoes and long pants. A long-sleeve shirt is also recommended. Participants should bring their own water and insect repellent.

Registration required. Call 281.660.6683 or email us at jaimegonzalez72@gmail.com for more details.

Price: $5 per participant

For information about Katy area homes, you can search the entire Houston MLS from this blog. For questions or to tour any area homes, contact me directly at 713-818-2404 or via email. I have specialized in Katy real estate for over 20 years. Experience does count!

The third largest co-ed triathlon in Texas, the Annual Katy Triathlon, has announced plans to move to Firethorne this fall. Renamed the “Katy Triathlon at Firethorne”, the USA Triathlon-sanctioned race will be held Sunday, October 25, 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., in and around the 1,400 Katy/Fulshear community.

“Hosting the Katy Triathlon is such a natural for us because of our involvement in competitive sports and fitness in Katy,” said Firethorne General Manager Wayne Meyer. Firethorne built the Houston area’s first regulation lacrosse fields. Hike/bike trails are sponsored by the SpinCycles cycling team and Tortoise and Hare  5K/1M Run/Walk.  There is also an on-site fully-equipped Fitness Center featuring certified trainer Peggy Skaggs.

Individual athletes as well as relay teams will compete in a 1/3-mile swim around the 12-acre Lake Firethorne, as well as a 15-mile bike race and a 3-mile run through Firethorne. The cycling route will include sections of FM 1463, US Highway 90, Pederson Road and the I-10 West corridor, Westpark Tollway and the Grand Parkway.

“Firethorne’s lake and proximity to wide spaces of rural areas is conducive to having a successful 3,000 person triathlon,” said veteran Race Director Dave Rainey. As a Houston City Triathlon Championship venue, more than 1,000 athletes and 2,000 spectators, (including many from out-of-town), are estimated to participate.

The competition was previously called the Cinco Ranch Triathlon.

The registration fee is $60 per person and $85 per relay team through October 2. From October 3-18, the fees are $70 and $95, respectively. Registration is available online.

The Rotary Club of Katy, race sponsor, donates event proceeds to the Katy Rotary Fund, which supports local charities for their work in providing essential health, recreation and educational services to children in the Katy ISD attendance area. Cinco Ranch High School FBLA, Rotary Interact Club and Boy Scouts provide volunteer support for the race. Race sponsorships, underwriters and in-kind underwriters are available. For information, call 1-800-852-8228.

Firethorne is located 15 miles west of Houston’s Energy Corridor. It blends the best nature has to offer: 150 acres devoted to parks and recreational amenities, a 12-acre lake with surrounding greenbelt, hike/bike trails, parks and playgrounds, discovery-rich wildlife observation area and a natural bird habitat. Served by the award-winning Katy ISD, Firethorne combines the vibrancy of West Houston with the small-town charm of Katy/Fulshear.

To reach Firethorne, take I-10 West and exit Pin Oak to FM 1463. Call 281-395-1440 or visit Firethorne online.

For information about Katy area homes, you can search the entire Houston MLS from this blog. For questions or to tour any area homes, contact me directly at 713-818-2404 or via email. I have specialized in Katy real estate for over 20 years. Experience does count!

Bring the kids to learn valuable safety tips from local police officers, fire fighters and public service workers on “Play it Safe Day” at the Cross Creek Ranch Welcome Center located in Fulshear.

The event will take place on Friday, August 21st from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.  Children will learn by exploring an on-site fire truck, ambulance, and Life Flight Helicopter. Rescue and safety professionals will be present to give tours and answer questions.

The City of Fulshear will be present and providing child ID kits for parents who would like to register their children in the Fulshear safety program. Guests will also enjoy free pizza, drinks, snacks and giveaways.

“We are committed to the safety of our residents. This event is designed to help the children of Cross Creek Ranch and surrounding communities to get familiar with local safety enforcers and must-know safety practices.” said Melissa Guerra, Marketing Coordinator at Cross Creek Ranch.

Cross Creek Ranch is a mixed-use, master-planned community in Fulshear, located west of Houston and south of Katy. This Trendmaker development features some of the finest local and national home builders, including Ashton Woods Homes, David Weekley Homes, Kickerillo Homes, Perry Homes, Trendmaker Homes, and Village Builders. Homes are selling now with prices starting from the $200’s to over $1 million.

For driving directions, see the Cross Creek Ranch website.

For information about all Katy area homes, you can search the entire Houston MLS from this blog. For questions or to tour any area homes, contact me directly at 713-818-2404 or via email. I have specialized in Katy real estate for over 20 years. Experience does count!

The Katy Family YMCA, a membership facility, is located at the southwest corner of Westheimer Pkwy and Peek Rd. It may be reached at 281-392-5055.

The YMCA has recently completed adding over 12,000 sq-ft of new space. This new space features:

• Indoor heated swimming pool
• Multi-purpose room to host a variety of classes
• Expanded child watch
• Outdoor playground for children
• Cardio room with cardio equipment
• Personal training studio
• Spinning room for cycling enthusiasts

For information about Katy area homes, you can search the entire Houston MLS from this blog. For questions or to tour any area homes, contact me directly at 713-818-2404. I offer financial incentives to my sellers/buyers. I have specialized in Katy real estate for over 20 years. Experience does count!

Hippity-hoppity, Easters on its way!  If you’ve got plans for a backyard Easter egg hunt or a gathering with family, consider these tips from the Farmers’ Market at LaCenterra in Cinco Ranch to make your Easter eco-friendly and egg-cellent.

• Avoid the plastics! Instead of artificial and imported baskets, use containers you already own for Easter goodies.  Dress them up with ribbons or scraps of fabric.  Opt for paper crinkles, (often found in the gift wrap section), in your basket instead of pesky plastic grass.
• Gift healthy. When giving sweets, look for fair-trade or locally made chocolates to support independent farmers.  Consider balancing the sugars with granola bars, trail mixes or other healthy snacks.  Skip the plastic toys and include books or bubbles for some outdoor fun.
• Use real eggs and natural dyes. Common foods can be used to dye eggs, instead of using chemical food coloring.  Boil Organic/Free Range eggs with water, vinegar and the coloring of your choice:
  • Purple – purple grape juice
  • Blue – Red cabbage
  • Green – Spinach
  • Yellow – Carrot tops, orange peels or lemon peels
  • Orange – Yellow onion skins
  • Pink – Beets or cranberries
  • Red – Red onion skins

Looking for family-friendly Easter fun?  Don’t miss LaCenterra’s Easter Bunny Hop, Saturday, April 11 from 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Twist the night away to 50’s tunes and win great prizes in the costume and hula-hoop contests.  Special guest appearance by the Big Hopper himself!

For information about Katy area homes, you can search the entire Houston MLS from this blog. For questions or to tour any area homes, contact me directly at 713-818-2404.I have specialized in Katy real estate for over 20 years. Experience does count!

How to choose a Katy neighborhood? The choices are almost overwhelming. There are older neighborhoods with lovely established landscaping. Should you purchase a resale house? A house that needs updating or a recently built resale?

Another wonderful choice is new construction. There are exciting new developments where you can choose a new home picking the exact amenities that fit your family’s wants and needs.

Let’s say you’ve decided on new construction. Now where? Again, the choices are many and varied. To keep your head from spinning, I’ve been featuring a series of articles that highlight new developments in the Katy area. This is Part Three of my Firethorne articles. (To see  earlier Firethorne articles, click Part One and Part Two.) As you might have gathered, I love Firethorne and believe strongly in its value.

There are also articles on Cinco Ranch, Cross Creek Ranch and Willow Creek Farms.

Life in Firethorne is full of great features and an abundance of amenities. Today, we will explore recreational “goodies”.

The development has a resort-style, multi-level swim center, pictured in this blog. There are sports fields for competing or watching. A very unique and outstanding Firethorne amenity is that the Houston area’s only regulation lacrosse playing field is located in the master-planned community. There is also a neighborhood community center that includes a meeting room and a fully-equipped fitness facility.

With opportunities for nature discovery all around, Firethorne embraces the best of new construction and  nature existing harmoniously. There are walking trails winding throughout the spectacular natural setting.

For more on Firethorne’s Texas beauty, read my article, “Thousands Live with Nature who Never Thought They Could–Welcome to Firethorne Master Planned Community.”

It is always best to purchase new construction with the help of a Realtor; it will not cost you anything and it will give you the protection of a professional to look out for your best interests. This is very important. Contact me, I have special buyer incentives.

For information about Katy area homes, you can search the entire Houston MLS from this blog. For questions or to tour any area homes, contact me directly at 713-818-2404.I have specialized in Katy real estate for over 20 years. Experience does count!

]]> http://fuellingkaty.com/2009/03/05/fun-at-firethorne-part-three/feed/ 0 http://fuellingkaty.com/2009/02/26/testimonials/ http://fuellingkaty.com/2009/02/26/testimonials/#comments Thu, 26 Feb 2009 15:38:05 +0000 Julie Q. Fuelling http://fuellingkaty.com/?p=971

Guest Author Mary Anne Piacentini                                                                        Executive Director of Katy Prairie Conservancy (KPC)

The sights on the Katy Prairie are getting better all the time.  Visitors this December saw three Bald Eagles flying over Warren Lake and then touching down in a field nearby. Fortunately, one of the eagle-eyed visitors had a camera in hand and managed to shoot some incredible photos, which will be posted on our website soon.

After the event, KPC staff started fielding calls asking how others might visit the lake while the eagles were still soaring overhead.  For the time being, the answer is: you can park on the side of Warren Ranch Road at Site 99 on the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail and set up your scope/binocular/eyes approximately 600 feet from the lake, but you can’t get closer to the water without making special arrangements, as our eagle “scouts” did.  But we hope this will not be the case for too much longer.  Plans are already underway to develop the capability of admitting nature lovers to a choice spot close to the lake during daylight hours on selected days with no special arrangements needed.

This past year we’ve been doing our best to share more of the prairie more often with more people and more conveniently than ever before.  We planned or hosted more than 70 events, from guided and self-guided tours, to classes, to plant rescues, to conservation project days, to photography expeditions.  We led special group tours and introduced families and special audiences to fun-filled activities on many of our preserves.

Although we can’t guarantee eagles on demand, KPC does maintain a wildlife-viewing platform that is open from dawn to dusk 365 days a year at the edge of its Nelson Farms Preserve. So, when the mood moves you, whether it is 6 in the morning or 4 in the afternoon, on a weekend or a weekday, you can visit the platform, set up your scope, rest on the benches, eat lunch, or just enjoy the outdoors.

This year we will be pursuing new ways to get you on the prairie, when and where you want.  So keep your eyes peeled and your e-mail address current.  With luck, you may not have to be all that patient.

To contact KPC:  713-523-6136 or their website.

For information about Katy area homes, you can search the entire Houston MLS from this blog. For questions or to tour any area homes, contact me directly at 713-818-2404.I have specialized in Katy real estate for over 20 years. Experience does count!