Royal Oaks Lifestyle

NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2014

ROYAL OAKS COUNTRY CLUB

www.HeritageTexas.com 281.679.0101

11689 Westheimer, Suite C • Houston, TX 77077

Featured Cover Property 11823 Legend Manor | 4 / 4-1 / 3 Fabulous Golf Course Home!

BEAUTIFUL home on Royal Oaks golf course with panoramic views of the #11 & #17 fairways. Two-story entry and dining, slate and wood flooring, iron stair rail, large island kitchen with stainless appliances, custom window coverings and shutters thru out, master retreat down, study/formal living room with privacy doors, game room up + 3 bedrooms with baths in-suite. INCREDIBLE salt water pool and spa, lots of outdoor living space plus grass area. Great location with extensive landscape, short walk to community park and Country Club. FABULOUS!

THANKSGIVING GRATITUDE A Time For Thanks

11502 St. Germain Stunning Custom Estate Home | 3 / 4-1 / 3 Gated courtyard entry, resort-style pool and spa

3327 Louvre Lane Stunning Golf Course Home | 4 / 3-1 / 2 Sparkling pool and spa with amazing views CT

RA NT

CO

2727 Stuart Manor Beautiful Villa! | 3 / 3-1 / 2 Huge master suite and third floor game room or study

3410 Louvre Gorgeous Landscaping Everywhere You Look!

4 / 3-5 / 3 Enjoy the summer kitchen and inviting back yard

2806 Tudor Manor Beautiful Villa! | 4 / 3-1 / 2 Private retreat with two master suites

www.HeritageTexas.com BRANDEY HECKEROTH

JOANNE ESKRIDGE

AMANDA WALSH

Brandey@HeritageTexas.com

JoAnne@HeritageTexas.com

Amanda@HeritageTexas.com

281.679.0101

281.250.1864

281.679.0101

CHARLIE ESKRIDGE

281.827.9912

Charlie@HeritageTexas.com If your home is currently listed, this is not a solicitation for that listing.

Produced by UpscaleRealEstateMarketing.com • 877.660.0996

Home Sweet Home Remodel Should You ‘Love It’ Or ‘List It’?

Season’s Greetings With

Fleming’s Peppercorn Steak

Royal Oaks Country Club Cover Home

Featured Exclusively By Heritage Texas Properties

Event Calendar

In Good Taste Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar 713.827.1120 | FlemingsSteakhouse.com

PEPPERCORN STEAK Ingredients: 2 1/2 tbsp black peppercorns 2 1/2 tsp white peppercorns 3 each, 12 oz New York strip 3 tsp kosher salt

s the weather turns cooler and we set our dining room table for a Thanksgiving feast, we are given the opportunity to pause and reflect on all we can be grateful for. The tradition of Thanksgiving, of course, is not a new idea, nor one that truly began at Plymouth with the Pilgrims and the Native Americans. Cultures around the world have celebrated their harvest annually when the fields were full and ripe for picking. The word harvest is actually from the Old English word hærfest, meaning autumn and the full moon nearest the autumnal equinox is called the Harvest Moon. At harvest festivals, ancient cultures took respite from the labor of the fields and gave thanks for their bountiful harvest by preparing large feasts to share and enjoy. Then, it was time to prepare for the long winter ahead when the fields lay barren for many long months.

Today’s Thanksgiving shares common threads with the harvest rituals of yore.

We still enjoy taking a break from work to celebrate our good fortune and give thanks for all we have by gathering to feast with family and friends. And we can thank President Abraham Lincoln for making the day official, as he declared the final Thursday in November a national

5 oz pomace oil 1/2 tsp chopped parsley, dry Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation: Place both peppercorns in a sauté pan and cook on medium high heat for 2 minutes. Pull from the heat and crack the peppercorns in half. Season the steak with salt and pepper on both sides. Place the cracked peppercorns on a plate and press one side of the steak into the peppercorns to coat evenly. Pour pomace oil in sauté and then sear the steak peppercorn side down first for 2-3 minutes. Turn the steak over and cook to medium rare or desired doneness. Cut the NY strip into ¾ inch thick slices on a slight angle then arrange 3 pieces on a small, warm plate. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Fleming’s Potatoes Ingredients: 4 oz leeks 2 oz jalapenos, quarter inch diced 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt 1 tsp black pepper, fine grind 1 1/2 oz butter, lightly salted 2 c heavy cream

1 1/2 c half and half 4 oz cheddar cheese, grated 4 oz jack cheese, grated 3 lbs potatoes, Idaho russet As needed pan coating

Preparation: Cut ends of leeks and dice only the bottom 3 inches of leeks into 1/2 dice. Place butter in large sauce pot set on medium high heat.

Add jalapenos, leeks, salt and pepper, sauté for 4-5 minutes. Add cream and half and half and bring to a simmer. When cream is hot, pull off stove and add both cheeses, blend in thoroughly. Peel potatoes and slice into 1/16 inch thick circles with a mandolin.

Combine potatoes and cream mixture in mixing bowl. Spray sides and bottoms of a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with pan coating. Place potato mixture in the pan and evenly distribute the potatoes and sauce. Cover with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Bake in 350 degree oven for one hour. Remove wrap and foil and cook for 15 more minutes to brown top of potatoes.

Serves 5

N OVEMBER | DECEMBER 2014

A MODERN

day of Thanksgiving. Congress made it an official day off from work in 1941 when turkey day became a true national holiday. An interesting side note: Congress also moved Thanksgiving back a week, in hopes of giving more oomph to the holiday shopping season. And would you believe shopping and our day of thanks are still inexplicably tied together?

Modern-day Thanksgiving is linked with Black Friday, the day after feast day, and the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season. This year, some stores are even staying open on Thanksgiving.

Though most of us no longer work in the fields, we do live in a hectic, fast-paced digital world. Perhaps it’s now even more important to take the time to pause and remember to give thanks for our good fortune. This year, why not instill some new traditions at your Thanksgiving table? Perhaps ask each family member to tell what he or she is most grateful for before feasting on turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce.

Or volunteer to work at a food bank on Thanksgiving to help others in need.

After all, Thanksgiving should be centered on gratitude and giving rather than on football and bargain shopping.

HOME SWEET HOME REMODEL

A popular HGTV show, Love It or List It, is themed around homeowners who have shortcomings with their current home. Two experts are called in to help. One expert, a designer, comes up with a design and remodels the home in order to address the current issues so that the homeowners will

“love” the home again. The other expert, a real estate agent, shows the homeowners other properties in order to persuade them to “list” their current home and move to one of the other properties. The premise is straight-forward, but how many times does the remodel win over moving to another property? According to Wikipedia, the percentage of homeowners who chose to “love it” is an overwhelming 59% (averaged over the first seven seasons of the show).

Maybe a popular TV show does not

mimic real life exactly, but why do so many homeowners decide to fix up areas in their home or remodel it because they want to put their home on the market and sell it? They have already decided to “list it” and move, rather than remodel and “love it.”

A home remodel should concentrate on both the value of the remodel to your lifestyle as well as the value of the remodel to selling the home sometime down the road. If you plan on staying in the home for a long time, the remodeling project should address what matters most to you. Just like the frustrated homeowners on the TV show, you can probably list the top five short-comings or issues with your current home. Make a list and then consider both the immediate value to your lifestyle and the return on investment in terms of resale value of the home in the future.

According to Remodeling magazine’s annual Cost vs. Value Report for 2014, the top five renovations that yield the greatest percentage return on investment are: • Entry door replacement: 96.6% • Wood deck addition: 87.4% • Attic bedroom: 84.3% • Garage door replacement: 83.7% • Minor kitchen remodel: 82.7% For example, a minor kitchen remodel is defined as updating a functional but dated kitchen with modern yet mid-priced finishes such as raised panel cabinet door fronts and upgraded countertops.

The bottom-line is that a home remodeling project should give you, the homeowner, the biggest “bang for the buck” so that you will love your home, whether it be for many years to come or until it’s time to sell.

Beyond Planet Earth: The Future of Space Exploration Space Center Houston | through January 4 281.244.2100 | Spacecenter.org What mysteries lay beyond our planet? Ever since we first looked up at the night sky, space has captured our imagination. The Next Giant Leap: Beyond Planet Earth, sponsored by the city of Webster, is a journey across the solar system and into the future, from the first human space mission to the colonization of Mars. Beyond Planet Earth features a series of six immersive environments, each providing thought-provoking hands-on, interactive experiences that offer a glimpse at the next 50 to 100 years of space exploration.

Monet and the Seine: Impressions of a River Museum of Fine Arts | through February 1 713.639.7300 | MFAH.org “I have painted the Seine throughout my life, at every hour, at every season,” Claude Monet once said. “I have never tired of it: for me the Seine is always new.” This exhibition chronicles Monet’s abiding fascination with the iconic French waterway. A selection of 52 paintings by the Impressionist painter will be displayed, beginning with scenes of leisure activities, modern life and cityscapes along the Seine River and culminating in the ethereal works from the famous Mornings on the Seine series (1896-97).

Nutcracker Market Reliant Center | November 13-16 713.227.2787 | HoustonBallet.org Houston Ballet Guild’s Nutcracker Market has become an annual tradition to kick off the holiday season. This shopping extravaganza, held at Reliant Center, features holiday decorations, food, clothing, jewelry and even furniture. More than 315 vendors participate from across the country in this annual event which offers unique gifts for the entire family.

You can find anything from home decor, clothing, toys, candles, sporting items, novelties and much more.

A Christmas Carol – A Ghost Story of Christmas Alley Theatre | November 26-December 24 713.220.5700 | AlleyTheatre.org Houston’s seasonal favorite the Houston Press described as having “Spectacular London sets ... the inimitable Dickens’ tale - spiced with the usual fog and an unusual twist on the ghosts past, present and future.” A Christmas Carol - A Ghost Story of Christmas follows Ebenezer Scrooge’s journey with the three ghostly spirits that visit him on Christmas Eve. A Christmas Carol instills a powerful message about redemption and the spirit of the holiday season. Suitable for general audiences.

The Radio City Christmas Spectacular The Hobby Center | December 5-28 800.952.6560 | Houston.Broadway.com The Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring the Rockettes triumphantly returns and it’s more spectacular than ever before! Featuring brand-new scenes, new sets & costumes, breathtaking special effects and an unforgettable new finale! Cherished favorites like the Parade of the Wooden Soldiers and the Living Nativity are enriched, inviting you and your family to experience these iconic scenes in a whole new way. Don’t miss the most spectacular Christmas ever imagined!

Event Calendar

In Good Taste Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar 713.827.1120 | FlemingsSteakhouse.com

PEPPERCORN STEAK Ingredients: 2 1/2 tbsp black peppercorns 2 1/2 tsp white peppercorns 3 each, 12 oz New York strip 3 tsp kosher salt

s the weather turns cooler and we set our dining room table for a Thanksgiving feast, we are given the opportunity to pause and reflect on all we can be grateful for. The tradition of Thanksgiving, of course, is not a new idea, nor one that truly began at Plymouth with the Pilgrims and the Native Americans. Cultures around the world have celebrated their harvest annually when the fields were full and ripe for picking. The word harvest is actually from the Old English word hærfest, meaning autumn and the full moon nearest the autumnal equinox is called the Harvest Moon. At harvest festivals, ancient cultures took respite from the labor of the fields and gave thanks for their bountiful harvest by preparing large feasts to share and enjoy. Then, it was time to prepare for the long winter ahead when the fields lay barren for many long months.

Today’s Thanksgiving shares common threads with the harvest rituals of yore.

We still enjoy taking a break from work to celebrate our good fortune and give thanks for all we have by gathering to feast with family and friends. And we can thank President Abraham Lincoln for making the day official, as he declared the final Thursday in November a national

5 oz pomace oil 1/2 tsp chopped parsley, dry Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation: Place both peppercorns in a sauté pan and cook on medium high heat for 2 minutes. Pull from the heat and crack the peppercorns in half. Season the steak with salt and pepper on both sides. Place the cracked peppercorns on a plate and press one side of the steak into the peppercorns to coat evenly. Pour pomace oil in sauté and then sear the steak peppercorn side down first for 2-3 minutes. Turn the steak over and cook to medium rare or desired doneness. Cut the NY strip into ¾ inch thick slices on a slight angle then arrange 3 pieces on a small, warm plate. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Fleming’s Potatoes Ingredients: 4 oz leeks 2 oz jalapenos, quarter inch diced 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt 1 tsp black pepper, fine grind 1 1/2 oz butter, lightly salted 2 c heavy cream

1 1/2 c half and half 4 oz cheddar cheese, grated 4 oz jack cheese, grated 3 lbs potatoes, Idaho russet As needed pan coating

Preparation: Cut ends of leeks and dice only the bottom 3 inches of leeks into 1/2 dice. Place butter in large sauce pot set on medium high heat.

Add jalapenos, leeks, salt and pepper, sauté for 4-5 minutes. Add cream and half and half and bring to a simmer. When cream is hot, pull off stove and add both cheeses, blend in thoroughly. Peel potatoes and slice into 1/16 inch thick circles with a mandolin.

Combine potatoes and cream mixture in mixing bowl. Spray sides and bottoms of a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with pan coating. Place potato mixture in the pan and evenly distribute the potatoes and sauce. Cover with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Bake in 350 degree oven for one hour. Remove wrap and foil and cook for 15 more minutes to brown top of potatoes.

Serves 5

N OVEMBER | DECEMBER 2014

A MODERN

day of Thanksgiving. Congress made it an official day off from work in 1941 when turkey day became a true national holiday. An interesting side note: Congress also moved Thanksgiving back a week, in hopes of giving more oomph to the holiday shopping season. And would you believe shopping and our day of thanks are still inexplicably tied together?

Modern-day Thanksgiving is linked with Black Friday, the day after feast day, and the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season. This year, some stores are even staying open on Thanksgiving.

Though most of us no longer work in the fields, we do live in a hectic, fast-paced digital world. Perhaps it’s now even more important to take the time to pause and remember to give thanks for our good fortune. This year, why not instill some new traditions at your Thanksgiving table? Perhaps ask each family member to tell what he or she is most grateful for before feasting on turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce.

Or volunteer to work at a food bank on Thanksgiving to help others in need.

After all, Thanksgiving should be centered on gratitude and giving rather than on football and bargain shopping.

HOME SWEET HOME REMODEL

A popular HGTV show, Love It or List It, is themed around homeowners who have shortcomings with their current home. Two experts are called in to help. One expert, a designer, comes up with a design and remodels the home in order to address the current issues so that the homeowners will

“love” the home again. The other expert, a real estate agent, shows the homeowners other properties in order to persuade them to “list” their current home and move to one of the other properties. The premise is straight-forward, but how many times does the remodel win over moving to another property? According to Wikipedia, the percentage of homeowners who chose to “love it” is an overwhelming 59% (averaged over the first seven seasons of the show).

Maybe a popular TV show does not

mimic real life exactly, but why do so many homeowners decide to fix up areas in their home or remodel it because they want to put their home on the market and sell it? They have already decided to “list it” and move, rather than remodel and “love it.”

A home remodel should concentrate on both the value of the remodel to your lifestyle as well as the value of the remodel to selling the home sometime down the road. If you plan on staying in the home for a long time, the remodeling project should address what matters most to you. Just like the frustrated homeowners on the TV show, you can probably list the top five short-comings or issues with your current home. Make a list and then consider both the immediate value to your lifestyle and the return on investment in terms of resale value of the home in the future.

According to Remodeling magazine’s annual Cost vs. Value Report for 2014, the top five renovations that yield the greatest percentage return on investment are: • Entry door replacement: 96.6% • Wood deck addition: 87.4% • Attic bedroom: 84.3% • Garage door replacement: 83.7% • Minor kitchen remodel: 82.7% For example, a minor kitchen remodel is defined as updating a functional but dated kitchen with modern yet mid-priced finishes such as raised panel cabinet door fronts and upgraded countertops.

The bottom-line is that a home remodeling project should give you, the homeowner, the biggest “bang for the buck” so that you will love your home, whether it be for many years to come or until it’s time to sell.

Beyond Planet Earth: The Future of Space Exploration Space Center Houston | through January 4 281.244.2100 | Spacecenter.org What mysteries lay beyond our planet? Ever since we first looked up at the night sky, space has captured our imagination. The Next Giant Leap: Beyond Planet Earth, sponsored by the city of Webster, is a journey across the solar system and into the future, from the first human space mission to the colonization of Mars. Beyond Planet Earth features a series of six immersive environments, each providing thought-provoking hands-on, interactive experiences that offer a glimpse at the next 50 to 100 years of space exploration.

Monet and the Seine: Impressions of a River Museum of Fine Arts | through February 1 713.639.7300 | MFAH.org “I have painted the Seine throughout my life, at every hour, at every season,” Claude Monet once said. “I have never tired of it: for me the Seine is always new.” This exhibition chronicles Monet’s abiding fascination with the iconic French waterway. A selection of 52 paintings by the Impressionist painter will be displayed, beginning with scenes of leisure activities, modern life and cityscapes along the Seine River and culminating in the ethereal works from the famous Mornings on the Seine series (1896-97).

Nutcracker Market Reliant Center | November 13-16 713.227.2787 | HoustonBallet.org Houston Ballet Guild’s Nutcracker Market has become an annual tradition to kick off the holiday season. This shopping extravaganza, held at Reliant Center, features holiday decorations, food, clothing, jewelry and even furniture. More than 315 vendors participate from across the country in this annual event which offers unique gifts for the entire family.

You can find anything from home decor, clothing, toys, candles, sporting items, novelties and much more.

A Christmas Carol – A Ghost Story of Christmas Alley Theatre | November 26-December 24 713.220.5700 | AlleyTheatre.org Houston’s seasonal favorite the Houston Press described as having “Spectacular London sets ... the inimitable Dickens’ tale - spiced with the usual fog and an unusual twist on the ghosts past, present and future.” A Christmas Carol - A Ghost Story of Christmas follows Ebenezer Scrooge’s journey with the three ghostly spirits that visit him on Christmas Eve. A Christmas Carol instills a powerful message about redemption and the spirit of the holiday season. Suitable for general audiences.

The Radio City Christmas Spectacular The Hobby Center | December 5-28 800.952.6560 | Houston.Broadway.com The Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring the Rockettes triumphantly returns and it’s more spectacular than ever before! Featuring brand-new scenes, new sets & costumes, breathtaking special effects and an unforgettable new finale! Cherished favorites like the Parade of the Wooden Soldiers and the Living Nativity are enriched, inviting you and your family to experience these iconic scenes in a whole new way. Don’t miss the most spectacular Christmas ever imagined!

NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2014

ROYAL OAKS COUNTRY CLUB

www.HeritageTexas.com 281.679.0101

11689 Westheimer, Suite C • Houston, TX 77077

Featured Cover Property 11823 Legend Manor | 4 / 4-1 / 3 Fabulous Golf Course Home!

BEAUTIFUL home on Royal Oaks golf course with panoramic views of the #11 & #17 fairways. Two-story entry and dining, slate and wood flooring, iron stair rail, large island kitchen with stainless appliances, custom window coverings and shutters thru out, master retreat down, study/formal living room with privacy doors, game room up + 3 bedrooms with baths in-suite. INCREDIBLE salt water pool and spa, lots of outdoor living space plus grass area. Great location with extensive landscape, short walk to community park and Country Club. FABULOUS!

THANKSGIVING GRATITUDE A Time For Thanks

11502 St. Germain Stunning Custom Estate Home | 3 / 4-1 / 3 Gated courtyard entry, resort-style pool and spa

3327 Louvre Lane Stunning Golf Course Home | 4 / 3-1 / 2 Sparkling pool and spa with amazing views CT

RA NT

CO

2727 Stuart Manor Beautiful Villa! | 3 / 3-1 / 2 Huge master suite and third floor game room or study

3410 Louvre Gorgeous Landscaping Everywhere You Look!

4 / 3-5 / 3 Enjoy the summer kitchen and inviting back yard

2806 Tudor Manor Beautiful Villa! | 4 / 3-1 / 2 Private retreat with two master suites

www.HeritageTexas.com BRANDEY HECKEROTH

JOANNE ESKRIDGE

AMANDA WALSH

Brandey@HeritageTexas.com

JoAnne@HeritageTexas.com

Amanda@HeritageTexas.com

281.679.0101

281.250.1864

281.679.0101

CHARLIE ESKRIDGE

281.827.9912

Charlie@HeritageTexas.com If your home is currently listed, this is not a solicitation for that listing.

Produced by UpscaleRealEstateMarketing.com • 877.660.0996

Home Sweet Home Remodel Should You ‘Love It’ Or ‘List It’?

Season’s Greetings With

Fleming’s Peppercorn Steak

Royal Oaks Country Club Cover Home

Featured Exclusively By Heritage Texas Properties