Happy New Year! It is time for me to get back to work after a few days off for the Holiday.  I have two great new listings in the Inwood Subdivision. 

www.19InwoodAutumn  This is a 4/3.5.3 with 3808 Square feet - for 479K

www.8InwoodAutumn  This is a SIX bedroom/ 3.5 baths/ 3 car garage. It has an unfinished apartment that is 668 square feet. Great for boomerang kids, grandma or a nanny.

Check these great homes out now and give me  a call if you have questions.

San Antonio is known for so many things – the Alamo, the Riverwalk, the Spurs – but do you know how many famous people were born, grew up, and/or currently reside in town? Take a look below; you're likely to be surprised by at least a few of the world-famous names you'll find! Our list focuses primarily on famous actors and musicians, with a few other big names thrown in:

• Lara Flynn Boyle (actress, Twin Peaks, Wayne's World, Men in Black) is married to local businessman Donald Ray Thomas

• Carol Burnett (Emmy Award-winning actress-comedienne)

• Joan Crawford (Academy Award-winning actress and later business exec with PepsiCo)

• Summer Glau (actress, Firefly, Serenity, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles)

• Tommy Lee Jones (Academy Award-winning actor. Lives in the Terrell Hills section of town)

• Callie Khouri (Academy Award-winning screenwriter of Thelma and Louise)

• Norah O'Donnell (NBC news correspondent)

• Jared Padalecki (actor, Gilmore Girls and Supernatural)

• Ann B. Davis (actress, The Brady Bunch)

• Robert Rodriguez (director, Desperado, Spy Kids, Sin City)

• Henry Thomas (actor, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Legends of the Fall, Gangs of New York)

• Peter Weller (actor, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai, RoboCop, Leviathan)

• Eva Longorio (actress, Desperate Housewives)

• Jim Lehrer (anchor of the PBS NewsHour)

• Robert Cade (inventor of Gatorade)

• Shaquille O'Neal (athlete, Boston Celtics basketball team)

• John Hagee (televangelist)

• Jacques Barzun (cultural historian)

• Heloise (syndicated advice columnist, Hints from Heloise)

• Madeleine Stowe (actress, Last of the Mohicans, Revenge)

 Ready to bring your own brand of star power to San Antonio? Give me a call for all of your real estate needs here. I am Paula Christo, and I am committed to helping you find the perfect home in Bexar or Kendall Counties.Contact me today for the very best in personalized attention, whether you’re buying or selling a San Antonio home.

 There are few things more relaxing and enjoyable than taking a leisurely drive through and around San Antonio during the autumn. The variety of wildflowers to be seen is simply stunning; there are over 5,000 varieties of wildflowers found in the state of Texas!

Although spring is peak season for the state flower – the bluebonnet – there are still ample opportunities to enjoy other wildflowers in the fall. From now through December, you can enjoy paintbrushes, butter-n-eggs, blackeyed Susans, Scottish thistle, buttercups, and lantana, as well as the leaves changing on the many oak trees in the area.

If you're in the mood for a day trip, head to Austin to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Founded by the former first lady and actress Helen Hayes in 1982, the Center's gardens showcase the native plants of the Central Texas Hill Country.

You may also enjoy the Hill Country's Lost Maples State Natural Area. Lost Maples’ biggest draw is the changing of the leaves each fall. Lost Maples' dramatic fall foliage is attributed to the high concentration of maple trees within the area. While maples can be found in a variety of areas in Texas, few dense concentrations exist, hence the name – Lost Maples.

If your job, or family preference, will afford you the opportunity to enjoy the fall wildflowers and foliage in San Antonio, give me a call for all of your real estate needs here. I am Paula Christo, and I am committed to helping you find the perfect home in Bexar or Kendall Counties.Contact me today for the very best in personalized attention, whether you’re buying or selling a San Antonio home.

Here are some decorating ideas from my friend Peggy Zettner at Interior Trade Cartel:

Soaring temperatures and a record drought are hopefully behind us as we await the cool, crisp air of autumn. Think ‘family dinners, holiday parties and entertaining friends and neighbors’!

This is the season when we begin to assess our homes with a more discriminating eye. As many homes in Inwood are surpassing the twenty-year mark, your home may be showing signs of “design fatigue” or just plain old age. The good news is that you don’t have to spend a fortune to bring your home into the 21st century. Realtors familiar with the Inwood community are finding that updated homes are selling quicker and for higher prices, while the tired homes of the eighties and ninties sit on the market, screaming for a little ‘make-up’!

A savvy designer or decorator can help you repurpose furnishings in your home, adding new textures and colors to create a timeless and sophisticated interior. New sustainable materials are emerging in eloquent, natural color palates. The use of warm, muted color tones will fill your home with a serene atmosphere. Add a bold punch of color to draw attention to a focal point. Purchase a mirrored armoire or a silver leafed chest for a touch of classic contemporary. You can’t go wrong if you stay in tune with the architecture of your home and “dress it up” with some haute style!

Just as you go through your closet and toss out your fashion failures, it may be time to look at your home through the eyes of a designer and bring on your style!

 It may come as a real surprise to many to find that San Antonio has an incredibly strong German heritage. Of course you wouldn't give much thought to its name when you're enjoying a day at Schlitterbahn Water Park. But the fact is that from their first immigration to Texas in the 1830s, the majority settled in a broad, fragmented belt across the south central part of the state, especially in what's known as the Texas hill country around San Antonio.

 When you're in San Antonio, don’t miss a fun-filled shopping trip to our nearby strongly-German communities. Boerne's Main Street features an abundance of eclectic antique shops, boutiques, and even a famous pickle store. Gruene Hall serves up singers and gospel music along with a buffet on Sundays. This legendary spot is the oldest continuously operating dance hall in Texas. The town has been recognized by the Texas travel industry as a premiere attraction for visitors, but even with the remarkable growth of this once sleepy little town, the main focus of Gruene is, and continues to be, bona fide Texas. Finally, stop off in the town of New Braunfels, especially if you're here in November during the city's annual German-style sausage festival, Wurstfest. New Braunfels draws a fair amount of tourists particularly because of the cold-spring rivers that run through the city, and the Schlitterbahn Resort.

I know the local luxury market; I also know how to pronounce local German words like Boerne (BURR nee), Gruene (Green) and Bexar (bear) County. If you have clients moving to San Antonio, be sure and give me a call. I'm Paula Christo, and I am committed to helping you find the perfect home in Bexar or Kendall Counties.Contact me today for the very best in personalized attention, whether you’re buying or selling a San Antonio home. And don’t forget to “Like” me on Facebook; I’ll keep you up to date on everything wonderful in, and about, San Antonio!

The Majestic has long held a special place in the archives of Texas theatrical and architectural history. Located at 224 E. Houston Street in the heart of downtown San Antonio, the Majestic was designed and built in 1929. It was intended to be the most modern and ornate building in South Texas - complete with new sound and projection equipment - and was the first theatre in the state to be totally air-conditioned.

The Majestic remains one of the finest atmospheric theatres ever built. Inspired by Spanish Mission, Baroque, and Mediterranean architectural traditions, theatre patrons love the walls that become towers with windows of colorful glass. The vaulted "sky" comes to life as stars twinkle while drifting clouds pass by overhead.

In 1989, the Majestic became the home of the San Antonio Symphony, as well as a venue for Broadway touring attractions, performing arts events and concerts of all types. In 1993, the Majestic Theatre was designated a National Historic Landmark.

If you know of anyone looking for a ‘majestic’ home in San Antonio, please give me a call. I am Paula Christo, and I am committed to helping you find the perfect home in Bexar or Kendall Counties.Contact me today for the very best in personalized attention, whether you’re buying or selling a San Antonio home. And don't forget to “Like” me on Facebook; I'll keep you up to date on everything wonderful in, and about, San Antonio!

 For more than 40 years, the 750-foot-tall Tower of the Americas has offered residents and visitors of San Antonio the most breathtaking view of the Alamo City – visitors dine at the Tower’s revolving restaurant or enjoy the scenery from the observation deck.

Designed by San Antonio architect O'Neil Ford, the Tower of the Americas was erected as the theme structure of the 1968 World's Fair, HemisFair '68. The tower was the tallest observation tower in the United States from 1968 until 1996, when the Las Vegas Stratosphere Tower was built.

The tower is located in the middle of HemisFair Park, and has an observation deck that is accessible by elevator. In addition, there is also a lounge and revolving restaurant at the top of the tower that provides panoramic views of the city. Most recently, the landmark's owners have installed a Texas-themed 4-D theater.

If you want to work with someone who towers over other real estate agents in San Antonio, call me! I am Paula Christo, and I am committed to helping you find the perfect home in Bexar or Kendall Counties. Contact me today for the very best in personalized attention, whether you’re buying or selling a San Antonio home. I have been a finalist in the Platinum Top 50 list for several years. I also have several designations and keep up with the latest trends in marketing and buying homes. Visit my website at www.PaulaChristo.com for more information.

 If you're contemplating a move to the Southwest, and you love good food, San Antonio is the place for you! The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) at San Antonio is set among restored 19th century buildings which were once part of the Pearl Brewery. The CIA San Antonio campus is as diverse as the culinary world itself.

Located on the San Antonio River just north of downtown, the 20-acre Pearl Brewery site is an exciting center of cafés, schools, lofts, services, and events. The CIA classrooms and kitchens are state-of-the-art and dedicated to real-world experiences, creating an ideal setting for learning.

What's even more exciting are the frequently-offered special community programs at CIA San Antonio. You'll watch a culinary demonstration by chef-instructors, enjoy tastings of the items prepared, and take the recipes home to try in your own luxurious kitchen!

San Antonio is renowned for so many things, and fine dining is just one. It's a great place to live! If you're ‘cooking up’ some plans to move to San Antonio, please remember to give me a call. I am Paula Christo, and I am committed to helping you find the perfect home in Bexar or Kendall Counties. Contact me today for the very best in personalized attention, whether you’re buying or selling a San Antonio home.

Long before Brooks and Dunn immortalized the term (and reignited the line dancing movement nationwide!) with their hit song, Boot Scootin' Boogie,San Antonio home owners knew just how much fun “boot scootin'” could be. Prior to its use in the song, “boot scootin'” was a commonly-used phrase for traveling somewhere in a hurry.

San Antonio is definitely a place to which you're going to want to rush, but once you get here, you'll delight in a traditionally Southern way of life. That means all of the warmth, ambiance, and charm you'd expect from a thriving Southern city, along with all of the elegance and gracious luxury your lifestyle demands. Whether you enjoy line dancing, or the sunken theater at the Botanical Gardens, there's something for everyone in San Antonio.

As the song says, “Get down, turn around, go to town – boot scootin' boogie!” If your job, or family preference, requires you to scoot on down to San Antonio, give me a call for all of your real estate needs here. I am Paula Christo, and I am committed to helping you find the perfect home in Bexar or Kendall Counties.Contact me today for the very best in personalized attention, whether you’re buying or selling a San Antonio home.

It's true that everything IS bigger in Texas, and that includes a crop much-loved by San Antonio home owners: Texas pecans. Over the years, more than 1,000 pecan seedlings have been named and grafted as varieties; there are currently 18 identified varieties which thrive in different parts of the state.

Pecans have their origins in prehistory. Fossil remains found in Texas indicate that the pecan was here and producing long before Native Americans came on the scene. The discovery of fossil remains along with literally millions of native pecan trees found along most major streams and irrigation canals show that this is the original home of the pecan.

It's so great to know that Texas pecans are good for you! A study on pecans published in the January 2011 Journal of Nutrition shows again that pecans are a healthy food, and that they help prevent heart disease. Pecans contain antioxidant factors that are absorbed in the body, and provide a protective effect against disease. 60% of the fats in pecans are monounsaturated, and another 30% are polyunsaturated, leaving very little saturated fat in pecans. In addition, pecans contain absolutely no trans fat.

A fistful of pecans a day may help to protect the nervous system, according to a new animal study published by Current Topics in Nutraceutical Research. The research suggests that adding pecans to your diet may delay the progression of age-related motor neuron degeneration. Vitamin E, a natural antioxidant, is also found in pecans. This is important because antioxidants help protect against cell damage. There's no tastier way to help fight disease like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, cancer, and heart disease than a daily fistful of Texas pecans.

Stock your freezer with fresh, nutritious Texas pecans – pecans retain their freshness, flavor, and nutrients with proper storage. Store pecans in an airtight container or freezer bags, and you will have delicious treats all year 'round. Remember, storing pecans at room temperature is not recommended.

I'd certainly echo the sentiments of world-renowned horticulturist Luther Burbank’s in 1908: "If I were a young man, I would go to Texas, knowing as I do the possibilities of the pecan industry, and devote my life in propagating new species (varieties) of the pecan."

San Antonio is a SWEET place to live. I am Paula Christo, and I am committed to helping you find the perfect home in Bexar and Kendall Counties. Please enjoy my Pecan Pie recipe (below), and keep me in mind when you have any real estate needs in San Antonio!

Cinnamon Pecan Pie

1 cup brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon flour

2 eggs

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup melted butter

1 cup chopped Texas pecans

½ teaspoon cinnamon

Mix first three ingredients together. Beat in eggs, milk, vanilla, butter, and cinnamon. Stir in the nuts. Pour into an unbaked pie shell. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.