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play! the natural way

If you live in our neighborhood, you have every reason to believe kids’ playgrounds are going the route of the McMansion. Steeples jut up from behind backyard fences, and winding plastic slides spring forth from bright towering edifices that leave limited space for the remainder of the schoolyard. However, the playground of the future actually might look a lot like the old-school version. Natural playgrounds made from organic materials — wood, stone, dirt and sand — are increasingly popular in cities such as Portland, Ore. and Boston, Mass., but St. James Episcopal School and Church in Lake Highlands is one of the first in Dallas to build a natural playground. When it came time to think about replacing the synthetic school playground, St. James Headmistress Loree Birkenback sought out a greener alternative, and she wanted a playground that complemented the Montessori school’s hands-on approach to learning. “We wanted a space made from natural elements that would evoke constructive imaginative play.” From Audelia Road, it looks like little more than a grassy hill, and it’s usually teeming with little ones. A slide and cave are built into the hillside; a storage bench holds sticks and other building materials that keep the kids busy. “Climbing, log balance, sand pit there’s also a learning garden nearby. It’s more interactive than the old type of playground,” Birkenback says. On the old jungle gyms and structures, the students quickly ran out of things to do, but not here. “We might have 86 primary school children out here at one time and everyone has something to do. Before, they could climb, hang and slide, but this is really interactive.” In addition to the fun factor, natural playgrounds might be safer and easier to maintain than the traditional types. “The safety inspector was blown away by the relative safety,” Birkenback says. St. James has completed the first phase of the playground and has started raising money to build phase two.

—CHRISTINA HUGHES BABB

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9711 Estate Lane $319,900

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4 Bedrooms | 4 Baths | Outdoor Living Area & Pool

9310 Leaside Drive $199,500

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Meticulously maintained Lake Highlands cottage in pristine condition. Covered front porch with classic white railing leads to spacious living & dining area with original hardwoods. Three bedrooms feature hardwoods, lots of natural light & stylish neutral paints. Traditional look and feel of this home makes it a pleasure to see & show!

Looking for a Beautifully Renovated, Single-Story Home on a large lot, near White Rock Elementary School?

This is the home for you. Renovator, Chad Senn turned this home into a work of art, using high end finishes, stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, dark-stained hardwood floors and more. This home achieves a warm, loving atmosphere with wonderful shaded trees that tower around the expansive yard.

under-thestars grazing

Once a month, weather permitting, a dozen or so people dine al fresco at a little-known Lake Highlands eatery — the host mingles with guests and, with the help of one assistant, makes the planning and execution of a five-course meal look effortless. It’s not a restaurant in the typical sense, but the home of Erin Willis, a caterer, mother of two, blogger and wife of landscaper Tim, who thankfully keeps the lawn prim for Willis’s increasingly popular Backyard Dinners. She got the idea from an article in Food and Wine magazine, and used Facebook and her busy blog (mytable-lovestocook.blogspot. com, which is chock full of practical, quality recipes and witty commentary) to publicize it. “We try to create a restaurant feel, but there’s no rush. It’s relaxed, and it’s fun.” The most recent Italian-themed evening featured pasta with mushrooms, zucchini pudding and plump white chicken breasts with sage and rosemary gratin potatoes. All of the evening’s recipes were based on lessons learned during a summer European vacation. Guests, who reserved a $55 seat in advance, were advised via email about what wine to bring to complement the fare. Willis recently quit her job as an escrow officer to go full force with her catering biz, Erin Willis Caters. She eventually would like to open her own York Street-style restaurant in Lake Highlands, and says the blog and Backyard Dinners provide practice and reputation-building that she hopes will set the stage. “The guests at the dinners are my sphere of influence. They are my guinea pigs.” And they certainly don’t seem to mind testing Willis’ creations. “Erin uses fresh, locally grown produce from the farmers market or her own garden,” raves friend Leah Noble. “She loves what she does, and it shows with every dish she prepares.”

—CHRISTINA HUGHES BABB

Reserve Your Spot

at an upcoming Backyard Dinner at erinwilliscaters.com, or call 214.334.4773. Check her blog, and sign up for her recipe emails at mytable-lovestocook.blogspot.com.