The Lake Travis school district was named a Gold Medal district by Expansion Management magazine, putting Lake Travis in the top 16% of the nation’s school districts.
The rankings are calculated on a weighted scale measuring 3 areas: student graduation rates, measurement of a community’s financial commitment to education, and a community’s adult education and income levels.
On a scale of 1 to 99, Lake Travis ISD received a composite score of 93.
Click here to check out their website for more details!
Friday, July 14, 2006
Thursday, July 13, 2006
2005 Cost Vs. Value Remodeling Report
Say you had a dated, 200 sq ft kitchen with 30 linear feet of cabinets and countertops. A "minor" remodel would be to replace the cabinet door fronts, replace the laminate counters, install new stove and oven and new faucet, repaint and replace the vinyl floor. In the Southern US, the average cost of that job would be about $13,500. The cost recouped at resale is about 96% of your investment.
What about adding a deck? A 16x20 foot pressure-treated pine deck with concrete footings, built-in bench and planter would run you about $8,700. You'll get back about 82% of that cost when you resell.
Want more facts and figures? Check out the online edition of the annual "Cost vs. Value Report", published in Dec 2005, in conjunction with Remodeling magazine. Click this link to go to the overview, and then look for the red links along the right hand side for a list of specific remodeling projects.
What about adding a deck? A 16x20 foot pressure-treated pine deck with concrete footings, built-in bench and planter would run you about $8,700. You'll get back about 82% of that cost when you resell.
Want more facts and figures? Check out the online edition of the annual "Cost vs. Value Report", published in Dec 2005, in conjunction with Remodeling magazine. Click this link to go to the overview, and then look for the red links along the right hand side for a list of specific remodeling projects.
7 Deadly Sins of Remodeling
Think a pool is a good idea? How about a home office - everyone wants one of those, right?...
Avoid improvements that are likely to cost you when it comes time to sell. The 'deadly sins' are summarized as:
- overexpanding
- making your home into something it's not
- changing a room's functionality
- doing it yourself - when you shouldn't
- underbudgeting
- making unncecessary renovations
- neglecting regular maintenance
For details on what this all means, and what you should avoid, click this link for the full article.
Originally published by Amy Hoak, of MarketWatch
Saturday, July 08, 2006
The Travel Channel Films Lake Travis for "Vacation Home Search"
In February, I was chosen to host a film crew from Authentic Entertainment. They were hired by The Travel Channel, and were in Austin to film a 30-min episode of "Vacation Home Search" featuring Lake Travis.They filmed my clients, Lori & Dr. Derek Tieken from Houston, as they searched for their perfect second home on Lake Travis.
The Travel Channel wanted to focus on homes in the $500Ks - a feat that's become h
ard to do with rising prices in the past 18 months. But we did film 3 homes - in Spicewood, Jonestown, and Point Venture. Sequences were also filmed at Lakeway Inn and Iguana Grill.The Travel Channel has been airing the new episodes the past couple of months, but they've changed the date of the Lake Travis episode. As of the time of this post, they were shooting for 4th quarter 2006, but no definitive date has been set.
The Travel Channel did mail me a DVD of the episode, though. I will be having copies of the DVD made in the next week or two. If you'd like a copy when they're ready, drop me an email with your name and mailing address!
Weekend Brunch Idea
One of my favorite restaurants on the lake is Lakehouse Cafe, in the Briarcliff Marina. I unfortunately don't get there as often as I'd like, since it's all the way up at lake mile marker 26, which is about 20 miles further up than where I hang out (and with gas at $4/gallon.....)It's not your typical lake fare of greasy hamburgers and nachos. Relatively speaking, it's gourmet-level food - with a casual, laid back atmosphere. Go in your swimsuit - no dressing up here!
After closing this Spring for a remodel, they're back in business. They're open Friday thru Sunday, 9A-9P (later if there's a good crowd).
Go this weekend for brunch. Order Maggie's Migas and the Pappas Fritas - the best I've had anywhere!
By boat, they're at mile marker 26, in the Briarcliff Marina. There is boat parking.
By land, go west on Hwy 71. Turn right on FM 2322 (Pace Bend Rd). Go 2-1/2 miles and turn right on McDaniel Drive. The parking lot is straight ahead on the left.
Tell the owner, Brian Ezzell, that Mick sent you!
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Count Your Marbles
One of the reasons I enjoy the laid-back lifestyle on Lake Travis is because I realize that life is unpredictable, and sometimes way too short. My wife and I try to live each day as if it could be our last. But the struggles of everyday life can sometimes lead even the most disciplined of us away from our 'life principles'. Sometimes, though, all it takes is a short story to re-focus your priorities. With that, allow me to share the following story that was passed along to me yesterday.........
The older I get, the more I enjoy Saturday mornings. Perhaps it's the quiet solitude that comes with being the first to rise, or maybe it's the unbounded joy of not having to be at work. Either way, the first few hours of a Saturday morning are the most enjoyable for me.
A few weeks ago, I was shuffling around with a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and the morning paper in the other. What began as a typical Saturday morning, turned into a life changing event. When I turned on the radio to listen to a Saturday morning talk show, I heard the voice of an elderly-sounding man. He was talking about "a thousand marbles" to someone named Tom. Intrigued, I sat down to listen to what he had to say.
"Well Tom, it sure sounds like you're busy with your job. I'm sure they pay you well, but it's a a shame you have to be away from your family so much. Too bad you missed your daughter's dance recital. Tom, let me tell you something that has helped me keep a good perspective on my own priorities." And that's when he began to explain his theory of "a thousand marbles." "I sat down one day and did a little arithmetic. The average person lives about 75 years. So, I multiplied 75 times 52 and came up with 3900, which is the the number of Saturdays the average person has in their lifetime."
"It took me until I was 55 years old to come up with this idea, and by that time I had lived through over 2800 Saturdays. I thought that if I lived to be 75, I had only about 1000 of them left to enjoy. So I went to three different toy stores and bought every single marble they had in order to round up 1000 marbles. I put them inside a clear plastic container and every Saturday since then, I've taken one marble out and thrown it away. I found that by watching the marbles diminish, I focused more on the really important things in life."
"Now let me tell you one more thing before I sign off and take my lovely wife to breakfast. This morning, I took the very last marble out of the container. I figure that if I make it to next Saturday, then I've been blessed with a little extra time to spend with my loved ones. It was nice to talk to you, Tom, and have a good morning."
Even the show's moderator was speechless for a moment. I had planned to do some work that morning, and then go to the gym. Instead, I went upstairs and awoke my wife with a kiss. "C'mon, honey, I'm taking you and the kids to breakfast." "What brought this on?" she asked with a smile. "Oh, nothing special, it's just been a long time since we've spent Saturday together with the kids. Hey, can we stop at a toy store while we're out? I need to buy some marbles."
The older I get, the more I enjoy Saturday mornings. Perhaps it's the quiet solitude that comes with being the first to rise, or maybe it's the unbounded joy of not having to be at work. Either way, the first few hours of a Saturday morning are the most enjoyable for me.
A few weeks ago, I was shuffling around with a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and the morning paper in the other. What began as a typical Saturday morning, turned into a life changing event. When I turned on the radio to listen to a Saturday morning talk show, I heard the voice of an elderly-sounding man. He was talking about "a thousand marbles" to someone named Tom. Intrigued, I sat down to listen to what he had to say.
"Well Tom, it sure sounds like you're busy with your job. I'm sure they pay you well, but it's a a shame you have to be away from your family so much. Too bad you missed your daughter's dance recital. Tom, let me tell you something that has helped me keep a good perspective on my own priorities." And that's when he began to explain his theory of "a thousand marbles." "I sat down one day and did a little arithmetic. The average person lives about 75 years. So, I multiplied 75 times 52 and came up with 3900, which is the the number of Saturdays the average person has in their lifetime."
"It took me until I was 55 years old to come up with this idea, and by that time I had lived through over 2800 Saturdays. I thought that if I lived to be 75, I had only about 1000 of them left to enjoy. So I went to three different toy stores and bought every single marble they had in order to round up 1000 marbles. I put them inside a clear plastic container and every Saturday since then, I've taken one marble out and thrown it away. I found that by watching the marbles diminish, I focused more on the really important things in life."
"Now let me tell you one more thing before I sign off and take my lovely wife to breakfast. This morning, I took the very last marble out of the container. I figure that if I make it to next Saturday, then I've been blessed with a little extra time to spend with my loved ones. It was nice to talk to you, Tom, and have a good morning."
Even the show's moderator was speechless for a moment. I had planned to do some work that morning, and then go to the gym. Instead, I went upstairs and awoke my wife with a kiss. "C'mon, honey, I'm taking you and the kids to breakfast." "What brought this on?" she asked with a smile. "Oh, nothing special, it's just been a long time since we've spent Saturday together with the kids. Hey, can we stop at a toy store while we're out? I need to buy some marbles."
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
July 4 Fireworks on Lake Travis
Party season on Lake Travis is here! This photo is from Devil's Cove on Memorial Day 2006. Devil's Cove ("the" party spot) was closed off this July 4th holiday, as the sheriff's dept. was unfortunately still looking for the missing body of a woman who drowned the week prior.Carlos 'N Charlies hosted their awesome (as usual) fireworks display on July 3 with a concert by Bad Company. We were anchored out in front of C 'N C, with about another thousand boats. It's crazy when the fireworks end and the boats all begin to move in unison - almost chaos, but with a certain ryhthm to it. Like a floating highway. A bit scary if you're the boat owner, requiring hypervigilance (after a pitcher of margaritas!) to protect your boat from the swells, hoards of boats just a few feet from you, and my pet peeve, reckless rent-a-boat drivers.
The weather wasn't as nice on July 4, and we skirted black clouds and brief rain showers all day by moving from cove to cove. The fireworks at Johnny Fins on the 4th were much more sedate, with a cool rain falling. The lake was calm with no winds or waves - a nice break from the craziness of the day before. Even though Fin's display is not as impressive as C 'N C's, I always like it there because you get a 360-degree display with the fireworks in Lago Vista and hoards of pyro's that live along the banks of Hurst Creek and in Costa Bella and Vineyard Bay. We had rain the preceeding week, which led to lifting the ban on mortars, and they certainly took advantage of that. One group near Graveyard Point had an incredible display- the whole thing looked like a big bang finale- but it went on for almost a half hour.
No photos of the fireworks - in hauling all the food and drink to the boat, I forgot to grab the camera. I have an unwritten rule that I NEVER head to the boat without the camera, but it somehow escaped me that day. Serves me right - there was a brilliant full-arch rainbow over the Costa Bella side of Hurst cove in the twilight - totally saturated in color. Tried to get a pic with my camera phone, but I'm sure it didn't capture the moment the way I remember it.
Sunday, July 02, 2006
Poker Run Schedule
Fill 'er up and ante up -- it's Poker Run season on Lake Travis!
There are still 3 runs left this summer - the complete schedule is posted below.
Lake Travis Powerboat Association 2006 Poker Run Schedule
April 21st: Kick-Off Party (Johnny Fins, 7-10 PM)
April 22nd: Pre Season Run (Johnny Fins to Carlos N Charlie’s)
May 13th
June 10th
July 15th
Aug 12th
Sept 16th
There are still 3 runs left this summer - the complete schedule is posted below.
Lake Travis Powerboat Association 2006 Poker Run Schedule
April 21st: Kick-Off Party (Johnny Fins, 7-10 PM)
April 22nd: Pre Season Run (Johnny Fins to Carlos N Charlie’s)
May 13th
June 10th
July 15th
Aug 12th
Sept 16th
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