One reason North Las Vegas is the third-fastest growing large city in America is new home developments like Sierra Ranch. Consisting of seven villages, (five built by KB Home and two by Lennar), Sierra Ranch is just minutes from I-15, the 215 Beltway, Nellis Air Force Base, and Aliante.Orchard Hill, one of five KB Home villages at Sierra Ranch, offers five different two-story floor plans:

• Champlain  –  1,612 square feet; 3 bedrooms; 2.5 baths; optional dual master bedrooms or loft instead of bedroom 3.
• Concord  –  1,867 square feet; 3 bedrooms plus den; 2.5 baths; optional 4th bedroom instead of den; optional bonus room over garage.
• Catawba  –  1,991 square feet; 3 bedrooms plus loft; 2.5 baths;
  optional 4th bedroom instead of loft.
• Niagara  -  2,103 square feet; 3 bedrooms plus loft; 2.5 baths;
  optional 4th bedroom instead of loft.
• Delaware  -  2,307 square feet; 3 bedrooms plus den; 2.5 baths;
  optional 4th bedroom instead of den.

Concord model	Delaware model

Market activity for Orchard Hill at Sierra Ranch (as of 10/03):

GLVAR deems information reliable but not guaranteed. Properties listed and sold by various MLS participants.

Recreation and Schools:

Twelve acres of centrally located parks provide Sierra Ranch homeowners with soccer fields, sand volleyball courts, walking trails and other outdoor spaces. Nearby golf courses include Aliante, Craig Ranch, and North Las Vegas Municipal. Hiking and skiing at Mt. Charleston or the excitement of the Las Vegas Strip are only about 30 minutes away.

For the 2007-2008 school year, Orchard Hill is zoned for Watson Elementary (year-round), Findlay Middle School, and Legacy High School. (Check latest zoning here.) The College of Southern Nevada’s Cheyenne campus is 15 minutes away, and UNLV is about 30 minutes away.

For more information on Orchard Hill at Sierra Ranch or any other North Las Vegas neighborhoods call me at (702) 339-9700, or email me at JohnNovak@kw.com.

Summerlin Centre Community Park will be the place to be this weekend, September 29 and 30, for the 15th Annual Summerlin Art Festival. Art lovers of all ages will be able to enjoy some terrific southern Nevada weather, see a wide variety of talented artists, grab a bite to eat in the food court, and maybe even create a masterpiece of their own, from 10 AM to 5 PM.The Summerlin Art Festival is actually two events in one:

• Celebration of the Arts
  View and purchase artwork from southern Nevada and other U.S. artists in a number of different mediums including paintings; sculpture; pottery; glass, metal and wood crafting; mixed media and more.
• La Strada dell’ Arte
  The sidewalks of Summerlin Centre Community Park will provide a canvas for chalk artists to create colorful works of art. The public can also participate by ‘purchasing’ a 2′ x 4′ area for only $5.00.

Summerlin Centre Community Park is at 1850 Town Center Drive, between Charleston and Sahara. To get there take the 215 Beltway to Charleston and head east to Town Center, then turn right to the park. Or take US-95 to Summerlin Parkway, exit on Town Center and head south to the park.

Image credits:
Left – National Chaplain Center
Upper right – Public domain
Lower right – Thomas E. Franklin, The Bergen Record

September is always one of the best months for outdoor events in the Las Vegas valley. Temperatures cool off into the 80′s and 90′s, sometimes with a slight breeze, under clear blue skies. Residents of Aliante and North Las Vegas have two big events to look forward to:

5th Annual Ice Cream Sunday and Pet Adoption
   Sunday, September 9
   Nature Discovery Park
   11 AM – 3 PM

Bring all of your two and four-legged friends to Nature Discovery Park for an afternoon of fun! There will be FREE Meadow Gold ice cream, bounce house and face painting for the kids, a live DJ, and a live remote from Sunny 106.5. The Lied Animal Shelter will have loving and adorable animals for adoption. For more details, call (866) 874-6394 or visit www.AlianteHomes.com.

BalloonaPalooza – Hot Air Balloon Affair
   Friday, September 21, 5 PM – 10 PM
   Saturday, September 22, 5 AM – 10 PM
   Sunday, September 23, 5 AM – 5 PM
   Craig Ranch Golf Course 

Come see colorful balloons of all shapes and sizes glide through the air at the second annual BalloonaPalooza. There will be balloon races and rides, a balloon glow, concerts, a carnival, and a spectacular fireworks display. The event is FREE, but parking is $5.00. For more info call (702) 633-2650 or visit the City of North Las Vegas site.

One of the perks of living in Las Vegas is the amazing variety of culinary choices. Every major resort has at least one signature restaurant with fabulous cuisine. The exceptional fare from celebrity chefs often comes with a steep price, however, so upscale dining is often limited to special occasions.

From September 2 to 8, Las Vegas Restaurant Week will give diners a chance to experience some of the finest establishments for only $50.07 per person for a three-course meal. Over 50 restaurants will participate. Some of the sample menus include:

• Aureole (Mandalay Bay)
  – Duo of Hudson Valley Foie Gras (Vanilla scented torchon, seared with port glaze)
  – Slow Braised Beef Short Ribs and Hanger Steak (Truffle-celery root puree wilted swiss chard, Cabernet reduction)
  – Citrus Scented Cheesecake with Huckleberry Compote (Creme brulee ice cream, essence of Cassis, maple brown sugar sauce)

• Emeril’s Fish House  (MGM Grand)
  – Buffalo Mozzarella, House Cured Bacon Focaccia (with Heirloom Tomatoes and Mixed Baby Greens tossed in a Roasted Shallot Vinaigrette and drizzles of Balsamic Syrup)
  – Grilled Atlantic Salmon (with Sauteed Kale, Roasted Bell Peppers and Linguica Sausage with Flageolet Bean Puree and Creole Tomato Glaze)
  – Emeril’s Banana Cream Pie (with Caramel Sauce, Whipped Cream and Shaved Chocolate)

• T-Bone’s Chophouse (Red Rock Resort)
  – Arugula Salad (Fresh Arugula, tear drop tomatoes, crispy prosciutto and parmesan cheese, served with a walnut and white balsamic vinaigrette)
  – Filet Mignon (Six ounces of prime filet mignon grilled over Mesquite wood, topped with melted gorgonzola cheese, served with a red wine demi-glace. Accompanied by grilled asparagus and horseradish mashed potatoes)
  – Chocolate Molten Cake (Warm chocolate molten cake, served with peanut butter ice cream and chocolate sauce)
  

To see the complete list of restaurants and menus, visit the Three Square website. Three Square, an idea of Eric Hilton, is a southern Nevada partnership involving local restaurants, food distributors, UNLV, the Clark County School District, and many other charities geared toward eliminating hunger. Their motto is “When we work together, we don’t just serve food. We serve hope.”