When “Money Magazine” compiled a list of America’s 100 Best Small Cities for its July 12, 2010 issue, Allen, Texas didn’t just make the cut — it placed at 16th, a surprise to some people who do not know about this thriving community of 78,000 lying just 23 miles north of the sprawling Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
Although Allen is a suburb of the third largest city in Texas (and ninth largest in the United States), its local life stands on its own, vibrantly independent of its bigger neighbors. Thanks to the regional climate and to well-planned and maintained facilities, a major draw for singles and families relocating to Dallas and it surrounding communities is the fact that in Allen, you can live an active, outdoor lifestyle — and live it well.
Regional Climate Favors Active, Outdoor Lifestyle
The climate in North Texas favors being outside most of the year. Springs are long and warm, while the autumn months are moderate to crisp. The coldest months are late January and February when at least one snow or ice event is common. The hottest months are July and August, with severe heat waves that generally extend over the first two to three weeks of August when temperatures are 100 degrees or higher with unpleasant humidity. Fortunately, for those periods, sports and outdoor enthusiasts can simply move indoors to beat the heat, confident that pleasant temperatures will soon return and extend to Thanksgiving and occasionally into early December.
Twin Creeks, One of 154 Public Golf Courses
There are an amazing 154 public golf courses within just 30 miles of Allen. As an example, the Twin Creeks Golf Course is an 18-hole regulation course built in 1995. Designed by Arnold Palmer, it offers a medium-length layout. Open fairways lead to generous, gently undulating greens. Five holes include water hazards created by two natural creeks that freely flow through the course and are flanked by trees. Twin Creeks has a reputation for being the most naturally preserved course in Texas, a peaceful setting where, at given times of the day, golfers are allowed to walk for slightly reduced green fees. The cost of 18-holes of play runs from $55 to $70.
Generous-Sized, Free Facilities at Celebration Park
Located at Malone Drive and Angel Parkway, Celebration Park is open daily from dawn to dusk. The sprawling multi-use site offers picnic tables and benches, restrooms, and concession areas and is designed for universal access throughout. There are fifteen soccer fields, including one large, lighted field. Look for basketball courts, two 300-foot baseball fields, and a big multi-sport court. Both horseshoe and washer pitching courts are also available. In addition to slides and other play features, the spray pool and yard, which is open seasonally, welcomes kids ages 2 to 12 from noon until 8 p.m. (Note that the spray pool is closed on Wednesdays.) With hiking and biking trails also present, Celebration Park is an excellent and economical outdoor option for the whole family.
Joe Farmer Recreation Center for Fitness and Activities
A multi-use center maintained by the City of Allen, the Joe Farmer Recreation Center includes a full-sized gym and fitness room, two racquetball courts, and a walking / jogging track. Meeting spaces and a hillside amphitheater may be utilized for a range of activities. Youth programs cover a broad spectrum from horseback riding to hula dancing and fitness and wellness classes are also offered. A membership is required to use the facility with different fees for residents and non-residents. Adult memberships are $50 for residents and $85 for non-residents; seniors 50 and above $24 and $45 respectively; youth 14-17 also pay $24 and $45; with children 7 to 13 charged $12 to $17. Children 6 and under are welcome for free. There is a family membership cap for residents of $170, but no cap for non-residents.
Cycling, Hiking, and Water Sports Readily Available
Biking and hiking enthusiasts are especially lucky to have access to a 20-mile long system of well-tended trails, the lengthiest being the fourteen-mile Allen Parkway Loop. For water sports, Allen residents can go east to Lake Lavon or west to Lake Lewisville. Each covers more than 20,000 acres and both are major centers in North Texas for fishing, boating, and all manner of water sports.
Allen’s community spirit, evidenced by these outdoor venues — many of which are free public spaces — work hand in hand with strong regional real estate values to make Allen an above average relocation choice. The DFW Metroplex is the 12th largest metro economy in the world, and, as a satellite to that urban area, Allen, is a natural choice for families and singles who want to buy or lease a home in North Texas.
About the Author
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Standing in the terminal where, you receive your boarding pass in front of the gate, with my carry on duffle bag in hand. I wanted to hurry and get my boarding pass, so I could hang out more with Jesse.“Would you like a window or isle seat, Mike?”
“Window, I still always like staring out into the scenery of the mountains and city scape.” Said in the airport terminal, at the gate, with a fiery smile, where you could almost see all her teeth.
“Here’s your boarding pass, and if you want to look at the plane it’s just off to your left of this information stand where the windows are, left of the boarding door, in the waiting area, there are a few seats still open, over there, the plane should be ready, to board soon.”
“Ok, hey Jesse, you gonna try to get the isle seat next to me?
“Yeah, is it available?”
“Let me check real quick,” After, the flight attendant typed away,
“Mmm it looks like, I’ll place you in,” Damn she’s a pretty flight attendant, about 5’8, Asian, and with a curvy figure.
“And here’s your boarding pass 25A next to 25B.”
“Come on Jess, let’s check out this plane, while we wait,(intercom, now boarding passengers in first class) oh sounds like their calling first class to board.”
“Maybe we can take some more pictures, we’ve got a lot of us smoking, let’s get some of the plane.”
“Kiss me or loose me for ever,”
Wow, what a nice smile, and look at those hips I’m gonna grab them.
“I love your smile and these hips.”
Mmm, her nice, soft kiss, and yet firm on the inside of her lips.
“I’m gonna take a seat and get my expensive camera with an extended zoom ready for some plane pictures.”
Wow, the plane looks shiny, oh, the glare from the giant ten foot window, where are my favorite pilot sunglasses, oh yeah I got my cool shades on, now.
“Jesse, you ready to take a picture of the plane?”
“Yes, my camera is ready.”
Her hips still look so cute when she stood up from the first plastic row chair closest to the windows.
“The glare, refracting off the window, may mess with the shot. I’ll look for a spot that has,”
I couldn’t believe what I was seeing
out the window, the plane seem to have fire coming from just over the near wing close to the main body of the plane. On closer inspection, stepping, closer, closer and closer to the window, a thunder, on a sunny day? That came from the other side of the airport. Metal bending from the other side of the airport. Check on the fire that I could swear I saw, probably simply a mirage, look for it search for it, all I saw was a large ever growing fire ball that was red, and had black lines going through the fire, Wow, a ball of mucus, that was red and black, the fire ball expanded over the whole terminal. I feel the thunder vibrating in my body, there goes the glass in front of me, waves in the window pain right next to me, that thunder sound again, I was already in a sprint to dive behind the plastic row chairs.On the 10 foot sprint, I saw Jesse standing there a few feet behind me,just standing there, still looking out the window, I grabbed her by her waist, dropped her flat on her butt behind the blue plastic row chairs, adjacent to the windows, and fell on top of her.
“I feel something hard poking me almost all the way through my abdomen,” said quietly and calmly.
“Move up a little, yeah like that, it looks like, it’s just my camera, the whole place is filling with smoke, it’s hard to see anything,” tilting her head up.
“I’m hoping everyone else is ok,” she said.
My heart is pounding,
“Are you getting all flustered over me?”
“It’s my wrists there throbbing, move a little so I can get my hands up from behind your head to undo this hug hold I have you in, ooh, the glass is everywhere, my palms have glass in them, now, from dragging my hands across the carpet,”said calmly again.
“Poor thing”
“My hero though, let’s get up and see if we can find everyone else.”
My knees shaking, legs feel like rubber, and boy are they swore, got to make sure, got to remember don’t touch anything with my hands, there killing me, and starting to go numb, from the pain of the glass poking threw my jeans .
Man, the smoke is really filling the terminal, my head and body are throbbing and still vibrating down to my bones. Crawling aimlessly a few feet, following the line of row chairs feeling for the base of the chair set to the very last chair in the smoke filled, dark terminal, I can hear my heart beating faster and faster. The smoke began to cloud my lungs. It’s getting really hot in this terminal, I’m starting to sweat so bad. Thud, I heard a thud the pay phones, which were in the middle of the room had something destroy them from the ceiling,
“Cough, cough,” People’s voices in the background calling out in agony.
I gotta take a knee I’m so tired and winded, I’ve got to wipe this sweat before it get’s in my eyes, what, that looks red, in my eye brows, it’s blood droplets in my eye brows, oh no, few, it’s from my hands, blood from my hands. Take a deep breath
“Jesse, where are you?”
No response, after seconds passing,
My eyes began to tear, alone, in the dark, in this smoke filled room, it feels like forever is passing. Kneeling there not thinking anymore, suddenly, I think those are tears flowing down my face from the smoke, I started to shake or what feels more like trembling, the longer I sit the worse the trembling, all over my body becomes. Am I still here, what’s happening, streaming through my mind, the trembling won’t stop, my hands, arms, legs trembled in consortium, up to my neck and head, it’s not stopping. Ok, I have to put my head back up, and not stare at the ground any more, the trembling is getting worse, the tears, just tears, never let them see you down..
“Your knees are in glass baby,”
“Groans,”
I hear something, other people, there are other people
“This way through the darkness, baby,”
I stood up a little,
“Walk toward the center of the room, and keep your head down, baba.”
Walking, crouched down toward the center of the terminal.
“There are metal beams here, reach your hand out through the smoke, and feel for it you’ll be ok.”
The endless trembling, began to calm a little, the smoke began to clear, some. Standing there crouched down, looking straight ahead, in a blur of smoke and tears, it seemed to be a mirage, a five foot Asian girl, not the flight attendant, with four tattoos on her and a flawless slim body with long flowing raven hair. In the haze of my mind and the terminal, trying to catch my breath, while still shaking.
“More groans, in the background” of people injured and dying.
“Does anyone know, CPR,” yelled some stranger.
Out of the semiconsciousness, fog, that same Asian girl said.
” I do,”
and floated me by the hand, and brought me further down to the end of the terminal. There was a approximately 50 something year old women laying there with some blood all around her,
“I’m a paramedic start the respirations,”
Kneeling down next to the paramedic, in front of the knocked out women’s body, with more glass on the ground all around her, I closed my eyes for what seemed like an eternity, I hope, my heart pounding and the shivering would just stop.
“I love you,”
were the words I heard, with warm breath on my right cheek. Searching over to my right, wow, a five foot Asian girl, again with her eyes closed, leaning over me, I can feel her warm breath. It made me feel warm in my abdomen, that feeling kept moving upward to my heart, up to my head and down through my arms and legs, it’s calming me.
whispered “Start respirations now, baby”
“done with my pumps”
I opened my eyes and tilted her head, by her neck with my two fingers, I leaned in and started breathing in her mouth.
“Cough, cough”
“She’s back,” said the paramedic, that was right next to me.
Standing up, looking down at the glass and the woman who was recovering, I felt warm in my heart. Saving her saved me, now, where is that girl cute Asian girl? Walking to the other end of the terminal toward the same blue, plastic row chairs next to the glass,
“take my hand baba,”
“everyone evacuate the terminal, from the side door, to the run way,” said a person with a badge, Keep moving, toward the door, don’t let go of her hand, shifting my head up I saw a line of people scurrying out the door. Racing down the stairs keeping up with people around me I looked up I saw smoke still billowing from a pile of rubble, keep moving, don’t let go of her hand. Down the stairs, out the doors, walking along side of the airport by the runway, gotta make it out of here, trying to keep up with the mob of people, finally outside the airport wanting to make it to the street in front of the airport. Once I reached the side walk by the street, sweet relief, catching by breath from the fast walk to a jog, I let go of her hand and crouched down and held on to my knees.
An officer approached and with his bull horn began to say
“everyone will have to come back tomorrow to be interviewed, if you need a place to stay we will help you find one.”
My teacher came around the corner and said
“Try to find a cab I now a hotel we can go to but let’s try to wrangle everyone in the class together too,”
We all began to cluster around the curb looking for a cab when Pete was across the street and said
“I found a couple of cabs hurry and let’s get out of here,”
The class piled into a couple of cabs and headed to the hotel the teacher had in mind.
Once there I just wanted to sleep from the long day which seemed like a few short hours. The hotel was a slanted cavernous space with smooth dry hall and only stairs with no elevator. I fell asleep that night as soon as I hit the pillow in my hotel room.
“It’s time to go back to the airport it’s 9am,”
I wandered out to a chair in the lobby with some jitters about returning to the airport again. When my whole class gathered in the lobby we left to the airport. Arriving at the terminal I was nervous, nervous about having to tell the people in charge about my experiences of the day before, but be strong. Stepping into the terminal on the other side of the airport from where the explosion happened I couldn’t wait to get my interview over with. Sitting down in a room with a
“hello Micheal Stephens I’m a intelligence agent I want to know your account of what happened.”
“Well, I heard the explosion then saw and jumped behind a plastic row chair and grabbed my girl friend, after that I went toward the middle of the terminal, where some Asian girl brought me over to a women who needed CPR, I assisted with respirations with someone who said they were a paramedic from America. Then I proceeded out the terminal through a side door and around to the street where my class got a cab and went to a hotel.”
“Wow, what an experience what class are you taking and what’s your major.”
“I’m taking Art History and I’m a graphic design major”
“Since you’re the first one to interview out of your class I just wanted you to know we plan on retracing your steps to see where exactly you came from in Europe, we’ll send some people to your hotel to go over it more in depth, and we can ask your teacher for the rest.”
I left tired and sick to my stomach, wondering about that Asian girl is she real or did I imagine an angel? The next days went by in a haze question after question to me and my class. All I could think was what happened to that cute Asian girl?
two way mirror and yellow painted dry wall all around. There was a table in font of me it felt cold on my folded arms and the hard wood chair felt uncomfortable. When one of the people in charged walked in he began to say
The next morning I woke up feeling refreshed and renewed. My teacher knocked on the door and said
passing up the fall in metal beams from the ceiling I couldn’t think, as I held her hand I felt safe and secure,
there’s something cutting through my jeans
, I’m trembling all over, my hands feel sweaty, but I can hardly see, blood all over.
In terms of keeping in shape, the runners have it the easiest. They don’t need any special equipment. They aren’t required to purchase expensive memberships to any special runner’s club. All runners’ need is to put on some comfortable shoes (with the proper support of course) and set out! They can run no matter what the weather.
So what if you have always wanted to be a runner but aren’t sure how to get started? Or you’ve tried being a runner but your first jog left you feeling so terrible that you vowed you wouldn’t even walk briskly anymore? Luckily there are several programs that you can follow to turn yourself into a runner. My favorite is the Couch to 5K.
The Couch to 5K program is a program that was developed by running experts who advocate gently and gradually increasing the time you spend running over the course of several weeks. The basic idea is to spend twenty minutes either outdoors or on a treadmill. During those twenty minutes you alternate between a brisk walk and a comfortable jogging pace. Runners who choose to follow this program can choose to increase their running stamina by time or by distance. Each week runners increase the time (or distance) that they run and gradually decrease the time (and distance) that they walk. After several weeks runners will be able to run for the entire twenty minute session.
Another way for runners to build up the muscles in their legs is to do the ten thousand steps program. This program is relatively easy, all runners have to do is increase the amount of steps they take to ten thousand. Those steps can be walked, ran or even skipped. Of course, if you work in a job that makes you sit still, finding ways to get up to ten thousand steps a day can be quite challenging!
Finally, some last advice for runners who are just starting out. Here are a few tips to incorporate as you build your strength and stamina:
1. It takes a while for the endorphins to kick in. In fact, don’t expect them to kick in until after you’ve finished your first few runs. The runner’s high often happens in the last stretches of a jog and for a while after the run has been complete. In the beginning you’ll feel like you are about to die. That’s normal.
2. Push yourself, but don’t push too hard. Don’t coddle yourself either. As runners build strength and stamina, they all have days and sessions that make them feel bad—pain in the legs, rough breathing, etc. The only way to increase your stamina and strength is to push through those feelings.
3. You will not become a runner faster if you run with weights in your hands. In fact, running while carrying just about anything is dangerous and can lead to serious injuries. Your hands need to be open and relaxed as you run. This way you will be able to steady yourself if you lose your footing or fall.
The Unitech South park project is being built as a part of the Unitech South park project, and it is being developed on full swing at sector 67, Sohna Road Gurgaon. The project offers you 3 bhk independent floors. The structure of this project will be a G+2 structure and each floor will have just one apartment on it. The apartments will be equipped with all the basic needs of living, such as round the clock treated water supply, 6 KVA power back up and security with video phones and emergency alarms. The interiors are being designed with modern style of architecture. The walls of the rooms are being painted with plastic emulsion paints and the floorings are being designed with laminated wooden floorings. Modular kitchens will add more comfort to your life. Being a township residential project, the Unitech South park will be equipped with lots of town like features such as educational, medical, convenience stores, parks, jogging tracks and a milk booth. Having equipped with lots of such features, the Unitech South park project will always keep you close to the nature, as it is being surrounded with the beauty of nature all around.
If you are assured that the Unitech South park project has been introduced just for your family, then you are right, as all these features of this project are being offered at a really affordable cost. Each apartment of this project will cost you only Rs. 68.50 lacs onwards only. so, what are you waiting for go for booking your sweet home at the Unitech South park at Unitech South park project now, before this opportunity will be missed by you.
The real estate market of Gurgaon is ready to welcome a new kind of living that is being offered by a leading name of the market over there. This residential project has been named as the Unitech South park Homes project, which is going to be launched by the Ansal API Group of Gurgaon. The Unitech South park Homes project is going to become as the most preferred choice of living of all class of individual, as it is going to be offered with all the facilities under one roof and at a very comfortable cost.
The Unitech South park Homes project will let you lead a private living over here, as it is being offered as an independent floor project. The project is being developed as a G+2 structure and each floor of this project will have just one 3 bhk apartment built on it. The project is being located at one of the prime locations of Gurgaon, which is at sector 67, Sohna Road over there. the project offers you all the basic needs of living such as round the clock treated water supply, 6 KVA power back up and your security at the Unitech South park Homes will be taken care of with video phones and emergency alarms. The interiors are being given a new look, as it is being designed with high quality materials. The walls are being given a new look with plastic emulsion paints and the floorings are being designed with laminated wooden floorings. Modular kitchens are being provided to add more comfort and taste to your life. Facilities such as educational, medical, convenience stores, parks, jogging tracks and a milk booth are being provided nearby to the homes of this project, as the Unitech South park Homes project is being offered as a township residential project. Nature’s greenery is being spread all the project to keep the environment of this project as fresh and healthy.
The apartments of the Unitech South park Homes project are going to be offered at a price starting just from Rs. 68.50 lacs onwards only. So, boo your dream home over here now.
