Discover Dallas RE with Diana, Vol. 18

In my family, we feature "lesser-holiday birthdays." Mine is coming up--April Fools' Day--and I've always loved having a birthday close to Easter: egg hunts, bunny-themed everything, and Spring in the air. What's not to love? My mother had so much fun with my April Fools birthday, and I have to admit that she successfully pranked me every. single. year. You'd think I'd have finally developed a game-plan of being ready for something coming my way. But I didn't. Somehow I must have enjoyed the schtick of it all. Mom's tricks were elaborate or subtle; laugh-out-loud funny or eye-roll inducing. But it makes me smile to remember her schemes. I'll share a pretty silly April Fools prank she played on me: Mom teased me mercilessly about my all-out adoration of Barry Manilow. She thought he was sappy and over the top; and for me, he was a first love (give me a break--I'm talking about when I was a pre-teen!). Anyway, years later, when I was a full-grown adult, she of course called me first thing on my birthday to say good morning, Happy Birthday, see you in a bit, etc, etc. At the end of the call she asked if I were aware that Barry Manilow would be appearing on the Today Show that morning (I often watch a few minutes of the Today Show while getting ready for the day). Oh my goodness! What a little birthday bonus for me! How had I neglected to notice whatever promos they had done for the Barry Manilow appearance, I wondered. So I watched. And watched. And watched...well into the 3rd hour of Today. Finally, I called Mom back: "I have been glued to the TV. But I just don't understand why he hasn't been on yet and why they aren't talking about that segment as coming right up?!" Mom just roared with laughter. She was so proud of herself for fooling me. "Only YOU," she said, "would bother to keep waiting and watching for Barry Manilow to show up!" Well, no harm done, other than a little of my time wasted and some good-natured teasing by Mom. In case that seems mean, don't you worry, I gave it right back to her! I never let her forget that in the 1970s, she had ordered a "Roger Whittaker's Greatest Hits" album from one of those K-tel Records ads on TV (at least half of the people reading this won't know who that is, but, take it from me, WAY WORSE than Barry Manilow!). Here's to a lovely start of Spring. Happy Passover! Happy Easter! And wishing you bunnies and tulips and sunshine! No Foolin'!

Featured Neighborhood: Flower Mound

Let's pretend that you call me and say, "Diana, find me a home that feels like the country but has all the in-town amenities." My response is going to be, "Let's head to Flower Mound!" Flower Mound is, as they say, "having a moment." I'd compare its popularity to where Southlake was 10 years ago--though Flower Mound remains more accessible, both distance-wise and cost-wise, to Dallas proper. And FM deserves its popularity: good schools, lots of natural beauty, and a sense of thoughtful, but certain, development all make Flower Mound a place to be.

Let's talk about the beauty of Flower Mound. First of all, unlike so much of North Texas, there is actual topography there, with hills and valleys and winding streets. Then there are the horses. Y'all, the HORSES. Maybe it's just because it's been kind of a rough past year, but it is such a boon to the spirit to see horses running through pretty pastures on a gorgeous day. Nor do you have to go way off the beaten path to find these horses. Nope--there are plenty of hobby and working farms right on the larger roads running through Flower Mound. Truly, it's a treat just to drive around town. Turn a corner, see a horse.

Another praise-worthy FM feature is the way that Flower Mound seems to have followed Frisco's lead in making a real effort to offer independent shops and businesses. Yes, there are the usual chains. I was out there on some showings the other day, and I got a bagel sandwich at Einstein's. But there really are lots of charming, small coffee shops, wine bars, and speciality boutiques. You do not get a feeling of endless big box stores. Early settlers to the area noticed a mound covered in flowers (yep, not making this up) and named the town Flower Mound, and that original mound remains--12 acres of the Great American Black Land Prairie. In a year in which finding some outdoor space has come to seem more valuable than even, Flower Mound offers that in spades. Though it is not inexpensive by any means, you might be able to secure a lovely home on an acre or so--almost impossible in the city of Dallas. And there are walking trails and community pools galore. Add to that the fact that, to a person, everyone I have met in Flower Mound has been so friendly. This is a welcoming community that has pride in its beauty and history. See link below for an expansive Flower Mound property.

A New, Occasional Feature: Businesses I Miss Here's a business I miss--Ralph's Grocery Store in Snider Plaza. I bet a lot of you remember Ralph's. Let me tell ya, even in the 1970s, Ralph's was a throw-back. No automated cash registers for them! It was the grocery-shopping equivalent of the rotary phone. But the great thing about Ralph's was that you would always run into people you knew; and also the folks who worked there became like friends because they had been there forever. The food was fresh, but it didn't look ""designer," like food does now. If you wanted a potato, you got a potato, and it might not look perfect or be organized in an adorable way (think Central mMarket produce section--NOT that). And I'm pretty sure they let you keep a running tab. It was a good place.

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