Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs Kicks Off Race Season

Last year I got to go to my first horse race at Oaklawn and it was so exciting and such fun. Hot Springs has enjoyed horse racing in town for 110 years. The 2014 season kicks off Jan. 10 at Oaklawn Park, a week earlier than it traditionally begins. Lots of visitors and locals visit Oaklawn during the first quarter of the year to enjoy the horse racing season.

            From January through April Oaklawn’s 3-year-old stakes program is one of the most successful in the nation. Last year it produced likely champions Will Take Charge and Oxbow, whose victory in the Preakness Stakes was the 10^th Triple Crown race won by an Oaklawn-raced horse in 10 years.

            Oaklawn offers several special events during the racing season. It will open its Infield, complete with a Beer Garden, live music and family-friendly activities every Saturday from Rebel Stakes on March 15 through the Arkansas Derby on April 12.

            Feb. 15 Westrock Coffee sponsors “Down at Oaklawn” allowing guests to get up close to the horses and top racing personalities and to take a barn tour. Visit www.Oaklawn.com for more information.

            When you come into Hot Springs for the races, we’d love to have you come out to Diamondhead for a visit. You might decide a move to Hot Springs is in your near future and Diamondhead offers houses and lots on Lake Catherine or on the golf course for relocation, retirement or for a vacation home. Please call 501.520.9201 or 501.262.9310 for more information or to schedule a tour. We’d love to show you around.

Reflection and Gratitude

New Year’s Eve has such significance in our culture and is always a night filled with celebrations. I think of the last day of the year as a time to reflect on and be grateful for all the good things that have happened during 2013. We always have challenges but we also have much to be thankful for.

            I’m so glad to be a part of the Diamondhead community and am continually grateful for:

·         new friends

·         a gorgeous place to live and play

·         a simpler lifestyle

·         the serenity of Lake Catherine

·         the beauty of the seasons as they change

·         the security of a safe place to live

For more information on Diamondhead or to schedule a tour, give us a call at 501.520.9201 or 501.262.9310.

So, if you agree that we all have something to be thankful for and you like to celebrate the gifts of 2013, Hot Springs has several choices for New Year’s parties.

Oaklawn will host a New Year’s Eve Party including a festive evening of games, cash drawings, live music and an elegant Prime Rib dinner served in the Carousel Restaurant. For more information, call 1.800.OAKLAWN.

            At the historic Arlington Hotel downtown, several parties take place simultaneously:

1.    Festival Party & Dance includes dancing in the New Year to the music of the live band, White Chocolate. The celebration includes party favors, champagne toast and Black-eyed Pea Reception that begins at midnight.

2.    Gala Dinner in the Crystal Ballroom includes a five-course gourmet dinner with wines, champagne toast, party favors, dancing and the Black-eyed Pea Reception.

3.    International Feast includes a festive buffet with food from different countries in the Venetian Dining Room.

For more information or reservations, call 501.609.2553.

A little less formal celebration in downtown includes the Undead or Alive Pub Crawl. The Pub Crawl takes place from Fat Jack’s to SteinHaus Keller with great deals along the way. This event is hosted by the Spa City Hot Rollers, a non-profit roller derby league. The group will be accepting donations of three canned food items to help feed the needy this winter. For more information, go to undeadoralive.eventzilla.net.

Have a safe and Happy New Year!

Holiday Celebrations in Hot Springs

            If you’re not in the Christmas mood yet, I have a few more suggestions for special cultural events offered before Christmas. We love to celebrate the arts in Hot Springs, especially during the holidays.           

If you love to collect or give art as gifts, I highly recommend a trip to the Magnolia Room at Garvan Gardens for the Three Rivers Art Guild Art Exhibit through Dec. 31 from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. The Guild is a non-profit organization named for the three rivers – Caddo, Little Missouri and Ouachita – in the Hot Springs area.

            The artists work includes oils, acrylics, charcoal, pen and ink, collage, mixed media, encaustics and watercolor. Also, you will find carved gourds, hand-sewn items, sculpture, jewelry and more. You can feel extra good about your purchase because a percentage of the sales benefits the Gardens.

            If you’re shopping in downtown Hot Springs and need a break, you might consider stopping in at the Arlington Hotel Dec. 21 for angelic Christmas music by the Hot Springs Flute Ensemble. It will calm your Christmas shopping anxiety immediately.

            The Five Star Theatre presents “Do You Hear What I Hear” Dec. 19-23. Performers include The Wilkins, The Golden Harvest Band, Buford Presley, Luther T. Tator, The Blues Brothers and more. This is a family Christmas presentation. Call 501.318.1600 for more information.

            If you come into Hot Springs for any or all of these cultural events, please consider taking a few extra minutes to come out to Diamondhead to check out our decorations, luminaries and wonderful way of life. We are a little slower paced with so many amenities available including great golf, affordable lots and homes and wonderful neighbors. Give us a call at 501.520.9201 or 501.262.9310 for more information or to schedule a tour.

You Don’t Want to Miss Christmas at Diamondhead

This is my first year to experience Christmas at Diamondhead and I can hardly wait. It all kicks off this Saturday, Dec.14.

            One tradition that residents have enjoyed each Christmas for 10 years is the beautiful luminaries, which will be lit beginning Dec. 14 at dusk. The legendary luminaries start at the Diamondhead gate, wrap around the Clubhouse and continue down Independence Drive. Doesn’t that just sound lovely? I can already picture it in my mind.

            After the lighting of the luminaries, Diamondhead Community Church choir will sing Christmas carols outside the Clubhouse at 6 p.m. The Church is located just a few miles outside of Diamondhead and includes beautiful angelic voices sharing carols with Diamondhead families and friends.

            Also beginning at 6 p.m. the annual Cart Crawl starts at the Golf Shop and includes a parade of decorated golf carts that are driven throughout Diamondhead and on the golf course. You really don’t want to miss this.    

Then, at 7 p.m. Santa’s Workshop at the Gingerbread House is open and ready for the children to come see Santa, sit on his lap and tell him what they would like for Christmas. The Gingerbread House is situated near the Guard Station at the entrance to Diamondhead and will include sleigh rides and treats. Looks like a photo opportunity!

            If all the Saturday events sound like fun, they will be. The Diamondhead community knows how to party. Volunteers contribute lots of hours to make this a Christmas to remember. If you are interested in moving to a great new community with great neighbors, impressive property values and celebrated community events year ‘round, come out this weekend to share in the festivities. We’d love to show you our community. Give us a call at 501.520.9201 or 501.262.9310 for more information or to schedule a tour.

Christmas Memories During the Gallery Walk

One of my favorite things to do in Hot Springs is to stroll down Central Avenue in the Historic District at the Gallery Walk the first Friday evening of each month from 5-9 p.m. This event is a delight to attend. It’s amazing how much the Galleries change from month to month. I can’t wait to take my time walking through the Galleries this month on Friday Dec. 6 to see what’s new from the exhibiting artists; and I hope to finish my Christmas shopping there.

            Did I mention that in each gallery refreshments are available and delicious? Galleries that line the streets of the Historic District downtown have enjoyed the Gallery Walk tradition since 1989. Local, regional, national and international artists are exhibited from many different genres. Many of the artists are present and available during the Walk. Even going into the beautifully restored historic buildings that house the galleries is a delight. And, they’ll be decorated for Christmas.

            In addition to Gallery Walk this Friday, Hot Springs will be celebrating Christmas Memories. The Hot Springs Parks and Rec. Dept. invites participants to hang an ornament on one of five Memorial Trees in Downtown in memory of loved ones who have passed or in honor of loved ones who are on active military duty.

            These are just a couple of the wonderful holiday events taking place during December. Hot Springs is such a fun and festive place year around, but especially at Christmas. So, during the weekend while you’re enjoying Gallery Walk and Christmas Memories, take some time to come out to Diamondhead to see a lovely place to live and play. Golf is exceptional and affordable on our course, Christmas Luminaries will be up soon and lunch and drinks at the 19^th Hole Restaurant are a relaxing and fun place to meet and greet our great neighbors. It’s also a lively place to watch sporting events and support the Razorbacks, even if it’s been a tough year. Call 501.520.9201 or 501.262.9310 for more information or to schedule a tour. We look forward to seeing you soon.      

Taste of the Holidays + Dinosaurs

Each holiday season, Mid-America Museum hosts the Annual Taste of the Holidays featuring Hot Springs’ most prestigious restaurants in a fun, festive atmosphere held at the Museum. The fund-raiser includes wonderful holiday food, silent and live auction with items from local artists, and entertainment.

            This great holiday event on Dec. 1 from 4-7 p.m. is a fun night at the Museum and a fantastic way to support and say thank you to a true Hot Springs educational treasure. We are lucky to have the Mid-America Museum whose mission is to encourage science learning and understanding for all ages in ways not ordinarily found in the workplace, classroom or home. In a nutshell, the Museum makes science fun and understandable. It is a great learning environment for children and adults and a place Diamondhead likes to support.

            In addition to the Taste of the Holidays, the Museum has an incredible Dinosaur Discoveries Exhibit custom-built by New York’s American Museum of Natural History through Jan. 5. Call Cara Matthews at 501.767.3461 for more information on Museum events and exhibits.

            If I’ve piqued your interest in coming to the Taste of the Holidays, I hope you’ll also consider coming out to Diamondhead for a look around. For anyone interested in moving into retirement living, looking for a great community to rear children with great schools, or enjoying the amenities of Lake Catherine and the golf course, we have the answer for relocation to an incredible safe, gated community. Call us at 501.520.9201 or 501.262.9310 and we’d love to show you around.  

Bells Jingle In Hot Springs

Jingle Bells are beginning to ring for holiday celebrations in Hot Springs. This town knows how to get into the holiday spirit and stay there throughout December. Watch for our blog as we keep you informed about our many holiday events.

            Saturday Nov. 30. 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Casa Bella near downtown starts the Christmas shopping season with their annual “Jingle Bella” Celebration. Some of the fun events they sponsor that day are local artisans demonstrating and selling their works, portrait painting, scavenger hunt, prizes, special sales, food, music and entertainment. What a great community event to get in the holiday spirit. Call 501.624.2272 for more information.

            Then Dec. 14 Garvan Woodland Gardens sponsors the Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis. At the race participants are encouraged to wear a holiday-inspired costume and tie jingle bells to their athletic shoe laces. This is a great way to give back and get some exercise by participating in the Run/Walk. To register contact Angela Harris at 501.664.4591 or aharris@arthritis.org.

            So, “Jingle All the Way” this holiday season. In the midst of your comings and goings we would love to have you visit Diamondhead to see decorations and our annual luminaries. If you’re considering a move or relocation to live on the lake or golf course among beautiful scenery and great people, Diamondhead is the place to see. We have lots to offer in our beautiful Hot Springs location. Call 501.520.9201 or 501.262.9310 for more information.

             

Chili and Lights in Historic Hot Springs

Chili is one of my favorite foods and one of my favorites to make. The upcoming Chili Cook-off will be a chili-lover’s dream. Chili makers from Hot Springs spend a lot of time and effort to make their best pots of chili. There will be many varieties to choose ranging from mild to unbelievably hot! 

            From 4-8 p.m. Nov. 25 at the Exchange Street Parking Plaza for $4 anyone can come to sample all the chili they can eat. And, the $4 goes to support the Downtown Associations’ Deck the Park Challenge, which helps defray cost for the holiday lighting display.

            And then after the Chili Cook-off, Christmas lights will be turned on downtown to kick-off the holiday season in Hot Springs, 

            I’m really excited about the combination of the Chili Cook-off and watching Historic Downtown Hot Springs come alive with Christmas lights. 

            This would be a perfect weekend to come to Hot Springs for Holiday of Lights at Garvin Gardens Nov. 23 and then the Chili Cook-off and Light-Up Downtown on Nov. 25. We’d love to have you come out to Diamondhead during the weekend for a look around. We have great property values, an 18-hole PGA sanctioned golf course – one of the finest in our area, and a picturesque lake where you can fish and boat. Give us a call and come by to check out Diamondhead and meet some of the wonderful people who live there,

Holiday Lights Brighten up our Hot Springs World

The gorgeous leaves all around Hot Springs are changing quickly, just like the seasons. Thanksgiving and the Christmas holidays are approaching at a fast pace. This is such a fun time of the year. One of the many events I am looking forward to in November is the Holiday Lights Opening Night at Garvan Gardens.

            Last year two million lights were lit throughout the Gardens. This is always a hit with Hot Springs residents and many visitors from outside the area. And, the Gardens are so close to those who live in Diamondhead. This has become one of Arkansas’ most anticipated holiday events.

            This year the Gardens will double the lights to around four million. I can hardly wait for the spectacle, which should certainly be a night to remember. The Holiday Lights Opening Night is Nov. 23 with a concert at Anthony Chapel at 6 p.m. Reservations are recommended. Then, the Holiday Lights continue from 5-9 p.m. each day until Dec. 31. The Gardens are closed Thanksgiving and Christmas days.

            Please come and experience this great kick-off to the holiday season, with many more events to follow. Our world-renowned neighbor, Garvan Gardens, always puts on events in a spectacular way.

            If you come for the weekend and have some time for fun, consider the short jaunt to Diamondhead and look around at our incredible community. If it’s moving, relocating, retiring or just curiosity about the beautiful area, come for a visit and check it out. Call 501-520-9201 for more information. We’d love to show you around. 

Halloween Fun Kicks off at Lake Catherine State Park

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. We get to dress up, trick or treat and eat candy and goodies that have no calories for several days. I loved it as a child and continue to love it as an adult.

            Our good neighbors to the west, Lake Catherine State Park, are celebrating Halloween all weekend. Friday evening, Oct. 25, from 7-8:30 p.m. the Park offers Music in the Park featuring “For Goodness Sakes.” The music includes gospel, blue grass and country, and dutch oven cobbler will be served at the concert. The Park officials want you to bring your bowl and spoon to help reduce use of disposable items.

            Saturday, Oct. 26, Haunted Halloween at the Park includes hayrides, trick-or-treating, a marshmallow roast and hot dogs. Sounds like a perfect Halloween party. I’m told there will be ghosts, bats and more. The event is 6-9 p.m. at the Trailhead. Wearing your Halloween costume is part of the fun.

            Sunday, Oct. 27, from 6-9 p.m. come for Owl Prowl where a park interpreter will lead a night hike looking for owls. What a great way to spend the weekend before Halloween.

            The award-winning Park offers special events many weekends and they are located only a few minutes from Diamondhead. What great neighbors with such fun campground events! Call the Park at 501.844.4176 for more information.

            In the Diamondhead community a Trunk & Treat will take place from 6-8 p.m. on Halloween for our children.

            If you’re considering a move, relocating to Hot Springs or thinking of retiring, schedule a visit to Diamondhead. We have lots of events in our community and so do our great neighbors. Call 501.263.9310 to schedule a tour of Diamondhead. We’d love to show you around.

Good Morning Diamondhead

Welcome to the official blog for Diamondhead residents, future residents and friends. The Diamondhead community in Hot Springs, Ark., will use this forum to talk about what’s happening in our community and with some of our neighbors in the area including Garvan Woodland Gardens, Lake Catherine State Park, the City of Hot Springs and the wonderful schools that children from Diamondhead attend. And, there may be more as we go along.

            You really can’t ask for better neighbors than our good friends at Garvan Gardens. They are one of the most respected gardens in Arkansas and in the country. Actually, Garvan Gardens was named one of the top five botanical gardens in America, and they are our neighbors. The drive is a short 10 minutes from the Diamondhead community and offers a myriad of opportunities year round. For residents and those looking to relocate to Hot Springs, visiting Garden Gardens is a must see.

Every week the Gardens has health walks on Monday and Tuesday @ 9 led by local sports enthusiasts. Tai Chi is available Thursdays from 1:30-2:30 and is free for members and $10 for guests. So there is really no excuse for not exercising when the award-winning Garvan Gardens offers great opportunities and we have such incredible fall weather. By the way Diamondhead offers aerobics Monday through Thursday afternoons @ 5:30 in our clubhouse and we have recently added Strong Women/Men low impact aerobics Monday and Thursday mornings @ 9. Check the Diamondhead calendar for more information.

            Fall Flower Days is now going on at the Gardens until Nov. 22. The special event offers 8,000 garden mums in an array of fall colors and bloom shapes, making mums the divas of the autumn garden. The blooms last for weeks and the magnitude of the number of mums is stunning. Don’t miss this event.

            Several art opportunities come to the Gardens this fall including Garden Mosaics Oct. 19 and Pysanky at the Gardens Oct. 25-28. For more information check the website @ www.garvangardens.org.

            For anyone wanting to relocate to the Hot Springs area, I highly recommend a trip to Diamondhead to check out the beautiful area, friendly folks who live here, first rate golf course and the safe gated community. We’d love to give you a tour around. For more information go to seediamondhead.com.

Fall Colors Give a Hint of the Holidays to Come

If you haven’t taken a drive on either Hwy 290 or 128 from Hot Springs out to Diamondhead, Garvan Gardens or Lake Catherine State Park, you’re missing one of the prettiest drives in our area with the gorgeous trees turning shades of red, orange and yellow. The leaves are just amazing. The air is crisp and cool; the sun is bright and shines on the beautiful changing foliage. This time of year energizes me and inspires my creativity and just makes me grateful to live in such a lovely place.

            That creativity is what takes me into the upcoming holidays with Thanksgiving and Christmas right around the corner. In fact, mark your calendar for the Diamondhead Craft Show Nov. 2 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Banquet Room at Diamondhead. You might be able to get all your Christmas shopping done in one outing. Some of the items featured at the Craft Show include hand-woven tote bags, etched wine glasses, scarves and many wonderful crafts from people inside and outside of the area.

            Sounds like we have the makings for a perfect Saturday – a picturesque drive out to Diamondhead with the stunning foliage, the Diamondhead Craft Show and lunch at the 19^th Hole Restaurant in the Clubhouse. The hamburgers are to die for.

So if you live at Diamondhead, are interested in relocating to the area and would like to come for a visit, or if you’re thinking about building a house on the lake or near the golf course, we’d love to have you visit our little piece of paradise. This would be a great Saturday to come and see all Diamondhead has to offer. The leaves won’t last forever.