lake highlands

A collection of neighborhood gems th At A re better th An the ‘best’

story by Christina Hughes Babb · photos by Benjamin Hager and Can Türkyilmaz

Creating a “best of” list isn’t really our speed. At the end of the day, who’s to say what is truly “best”? Highlighting one neighborhood shop, restaurant or experience as better than another based on votes or our (ahem) expert opinion tends to be subjective, and it doesn’t allow us to fully appreciate the countless gems in Lake Highlands.

Instead of declaring the “best” this month, we’re calling attention to the things we love about Lake Highlands— the kinds of things that wouldn’t make it on a broader “best of” list because those of us who live here are among the few who know they exist and who understand their worth.

t his story is only the beginning of our list .

We’ll be highlighting the things we love regularly on Back Talk blog at lakehighlands.advocatemag.com .

We want to hear about the things you love, too. Send an email to thingswelove@advocatemag.com , and you might find your description of a neighborhood gem on our website or in the magazine. >>

1 Backyard chickens

Dogs are great — man’s best friend and all — but can they make your breakfast? Several White rock area residents keep chickens — which produce an average of one egg each per day — as pets. “But wait,” you might say. “Chickens aren’t pets; they’re dinner.” Bill and Barbara Katz, frontiers of the urban chicken movement in our neighborhood, aren’t typical farmers. “a hen will produce eggs for two or three years. Once they stop, usually a farmer would end it, but I just don’t have the heart to,” Bill Katz says. To the Katz family, chicken farming is about more than just eggs. The “chicken culture” is more than a hobby or fad, Katz says, but a way of life that sets the “chicken people” apart from the crowd. “Most people bring wine to parties; we bring a dozen eggs — you get used to it.”

2 Gluten-free fudge brownies at Wholesome Foods Bakery

Lake Highlands Village Shopping Center, 718 N. Buckner

214.414.2414 wholesomefoodsbakery.com

The top semi-crusty and slightly candied layer is a delicious door to decadence that resides within. The inner cake is moist and melt-in-your-mouthy. It doesn’t matter to us junk food junkies that this treat is gluten free, but according to bakery owners Taylor nicholson and anne Hoyt, it matters to about 1 out of 130 people who are gluten intolerant. It is also widely suggested that children with aDHD and autism stay away from gluten. So, WFB, we love you and your brownies and the whole idea of goodies that everybody can enjoy.

3 Fields Cemetery

Is it creepy of us to say we love a cemetery? Perhaps, but we love it just the same, for its rich history and steadfastness amid burgeoning development (don’t misunderstand — we still like the Lake Highlands Town Center). The cemetery is named for the Edward Fields family, slaves who arrived in the Dallas area in the mid-1800s. anderson Fields, one of the first black men to own land in Dallas, reportedly established the cemetery just after the Civil War. It is still maintained, but the gate remains locked.

4 Weekend warriors at Norbuck Park

We don’t mean the joggers or cyclists — we’ll get to them later. no these are forreal (pretend) warriors. Let us explain: Each Sunday, members of amtgard, a medieval role-playing club, stage battles at the Kingdom of Emerald Hills’ (a.k.a. Dallas)artus Pass (a.k.a. norbuck Park). “We meet every Sunday at 2 p.m. We dressupkindoffunny,andweplay cowboys and Indians, in a way … slay dragons,” says member Jorge rodas. “We have barbarians and build pirate ships, that sort of thing.”

5 Other old-world scenery

north of McCree along audelia, there is a gorgeous green rolling patch of land (in October it turns orange with pumpkins) on which sits the gothic-inspired St. James Episcopal Church. From a certain vantage point, the scene makes us feel like we’ve stepped back in time, if only for a split second that is, until we see the pre-teen walking across the lawn texting on her iPhone.

6 Rolling hills, peacocks and crappie fishin’ near Flag Pole Hill

ask an outsider and they will probably tell you Dallas is flat — but we, especially those of us who walk, jog or cycle these streets, know otherwise. The area just north of Flag Pole Hill, the White rock Valley neighborhood, is rich with rolling hills and valleys, trails that lead to White rockLake,horsestables,parksand peacocks — that’s right, peacocks. We think they live with the horses, but they roam the neighborhood, regularly revealing their glorious plumage, so keep your eyes peeled. nearby, at Flag Pole’s base, fishermen gather in pursuit of crappies. Fromnovember to early March, fishermen cast their lines to snag fish that run in White rock Creek during the cooler weather. Texas Parks and Wildlife rates the fishing excellent, and the white crappies, which get as big as three or four pounds, aren’t bad when pan-fried and finished with some herbs and a touch of lemon juice.

The Villages of Lake Highlands is the area’s newest Senior Living Community! Combining an extraordinary décor with gracious living spaces along with the most comprehensive Assisted Living, Alzheimer’s, Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing care available. The Villages offers residents a distinctive lifestyle along with the peace of mind in knowing should you ever require additional care in the future... you can count on us!

214.221.0444

8615 Lullwater Dr. Dallas, TX 75238