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. If your story is selected and published, you will receive a $250 stipend.
One of the first things people comment on when visiting my neighborhood is the design of its homes, which are all connected. It’s an uncommon sight in San Antonio.
I usually respond by explaining how they remind me of the photos my mother showed me of her neighborhood in Philadelphia where she once lived. Not only does the look of connected “townhomes” provide a lasting first impression, but so does the natural beauty of the large oak trees. Hence the name Thousand Oaks.
My parents were initially drawn to Thousand Oaks because of how quiet and peaceful the neighborhood was. We are fortunate that everything we need is within five minutes of our home. Across the street are two pharmacies and a fire station. Down the road is an H-E-B, a convenience store, a hospital, a med clinic and a police station. Traveling Tails, the local veterinary clinic, has treated my dogs for years.
We also have a variety of eateries in the neighborhood, including my personal favorites, PHO 32 and Sizzling Wok. Best of all, nearby is McAllister Park, a place full of hiking trails I explored with my father while growing up.
Twenty years ago, when I was 3 years old, I suffered a near-fatal seizure at home. Had an EMS unit not been seconds away at Fire Station 14, I would not have survived. This is a story my parents continue to tell, and it adds to our great pride in the neighborhood.
I went on to attend preschool one minute away at St. Mark The Evangelist Catholic Church. My parish church has one of the best pumpkin patches around, and I make it a point to go every October. St. Mark also has some of the kindest community servants one could find. I had my quinceañera mass there.
Next to the pharmacy across the street is the Thousand Oaks Family YMCA, which features a community pool, waterslides and a large gym. You can find families soaking up some sun near the pool during the summer. Many parents drop their kids off at the child watch program.
When I was 15, I created a Princess in Training program at the YMCA. I taught young girls posture, poise and etiquette — and how to balance a book on their heads. I was able to help them embody the essence of a Disney Princess.
While running my business, Pretty Princess Portland, someone asked me to participate in a pageant. Since then, I’ve won nine consecutive titles, including Miss Teen United States 2018.
My platform in the Miss America organization is Club C: 100% Caring for 100% Courage. Due to my near-death experience, I decided to use my pageant titles to honor the families and children of fallen first responders through the nonprofit 100 Club of San Antonio.
For more than six years, I’ve served as the spokesperson for the 100 Club of San Antonio and have helped raise awareness for the nonprofit on a national scale. I’ve made many visits to the fire station across the street, providing firefighters with different homemade baked goods in appreciation for their service. No matter how much gratitude I show, it will never be enough to adequately thank them for arriving just in time when my family and I needed them most.
Thousand Oaks is the kind of neighborhood families love to embrace. From parks and restaurants to health care and emergency services, it has everything parents and children need and enjoy. I don’t plan on leaving anytime soon.
