The Where I Live series aims to showcase our diverse city and region by spotlighting its many vibrant neighborhoods. Each week a local resident invites us over and lets us in on what makes their neighborhood special. Have we been to your neighborhood yet? Get in touch to share your story.
Before we were married, my husband and I lived in a quaint one-bedroom Monte Vista apartment. Though we would have loved to continue living near downtown, when we started looking for a place to call our own, we knew our budget wouldn’t allow it. We also knew we didn’t want to venture too far outside the city.
Our search took us to the Dreamland Oaks subdivision, located near Castle Hills. The location felt like a compromise at first, but we were soon impressed when we learned the home is convenient to all the major highways that can take us anywhere in the city in 20 minutes or less. We weren’t near downtown anymore, but it still felt like being smack-dab in the middle of the city.
Dreamland Oaks was built in the 1960s and many of the families who moved into the neighborhood then are still living here. It’s quiet, dotted with so many trees and there’s even a greenbelt located at the end of our neighborhood where you can see plenty of deer.
On good weather days, our family enjoys taking walks down the street or even taking runs. My husband loves our home’s proximity to a Gold’s Gym and his work at USAA, and I love being near our local H-E-B Alon Market — a foodie’s dream — and my short drive time to work at the Alamo Colleges District Support Operations building.
We enjoy eating at our favorite restaurants located close by, such as Bilia (everything on their menu is chef’s kiss), Sushiana, El Mirasol, Tacos n Salsa, Chicago Bagel and Deli and Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt, which are all minutes away.
Now that we have a toddler, you’ll often find us at the Cody Library or at nearby playgrounds. We also enjoy taking our pup, Milo, to Hardberger Park, another place we frequent in the neighborhood. We envision using that park in the future to explore trails and to take part in all the programming it has to offer kiddos and families.
Our neighbors are the sweetest and so incredibly friendly. We have grown to know our neighbors on a first-name basis and we are always looking out for one another. It’s the type of community where you see residents riding bikes, jogging or taking dogs out for walks. We come together at community events like Fiesta Castle Hills and the Easter egg hunt at a nearby church.
We have called Dreamland Oaks our home for the past three years and counting, and we envision this being our forever home. Our family is about to get bigger, as we are currently expecting another baby. We are looking forward to making our cozy home warmer with the arrival of another little girl and growing our family in August. My husband and I are especially looking forward to the day when we get to bring another baby through our home’s front door.
