Steiner Ranch Information Blog

Putting this announcement on the main page. The Tutto Gusto/Quinlan Park Grill curse has hit again. I think the final nail in the coffin was Cho Sushi. I never thought this community could support two Asian restaurants. I went to Cho last week for dinner and there was one family in Thai Harmony while Cho was packed. We did go to Thai Harmony for desert and the food was good as usual. Let’s see if a Tex-Mex place will survive.

http://steinerranchinfo.com/forums/topic.php?id=419

Got this review from a long time reader.

I just found out a bout a GREAT store I though I would share with everyone. It is called 1379 Family Sports Shop. You may know them as a Kid’s Triathlon Series Sponsor. The owners are former athletes (her # was 13, his was #79). It is kind of far away from here, but well worth the drive.

I found this store after an exhaustive and unsuccessful search for kid’s triathlon shorts around town. Not wanting to buy online and finding even the online stores sold out, I tried out this shop. The 1379 shop were the only ones in town that carried a kid’s size triathlon short. (Sorry, we bought their very last one for this season, but they will carry lots next year due to the high demand!!!).  When I got inside I was amazed to find all sorts of kid’s sporting gear at reasonable prices. They have all of those things you might have been looking for but could never find or find at really expensive single sport specialty shops.  Items are competitively priced for name brands and hard to find items, and they carry exceptional quality merchandise for kids of all ages with some adult shoes too. They carry triathlon gear, biking supplies and clothes, running gear, race belts, running accessories, swim team wear and swim gear, tennis wear, cheer-leading, football, soccer, golf, and that is just what I can remember. The best part were the kid’s athletic shoes! I ended up getting my son a new pair of running shoes after a very impressive fit session by the manager. (Think of a kid-version of a Run-Tex shoe buying experience). This is a great shop and I will be back for sure. As a side note, they are thinking of expanding and have been exploring a second Steiner/Lakeway location to help out all of our kiddos with their sports. Stop by and have a look for yourself or feel free to e-mail them if you have feedback regarding a second location out here and what might best suit our needs.

http://www.1379kids.com/
2727 Exposition Blvd ( Between Westover and 35th St)
512-474-1379
info@1379kids.com

Article Cut and Pasted from Hill Country News. Rick from Cups and Cones said they will have 4 vendors the next two Sundays.

People waited in line to buy fresh produce at the opening of the new Farmers Market in Steiner Ranch on Sunday.

Terry Bush of Bush Farms was one of the two vendors. He brought a pickup full of watermelon, cantaloupe, tomatoes and green beans from south of Seguin, Texas.

“There will be more to come in weeks ahead,” Bush said.

Chris Ballard of Steiner is glad to see the market open. “I’d like to see it expand,” he said.

Lots of peaches sold from the Cliff Caskey farm located on 14 acres by the Outlet Mall in San Marcos.

The Caskey farm will be bringing plums, apricots, blackberries and purple hull peas in weeks to come, said Gina Filipponi.

Kirsten Mulligan of Steiner enjoys buying fresh and locally- grown produce.

“I buy as much local as I can,” she said.

Mulligan likes that there are more nutrients in fresh produce as opposed to fruits and vegetables shipped from across the country. Plus, it is costly to transport such products.

Stephan and Julie Saia shopped with daughters Grace and Emma.

“We would [have] liked there to have been more vendors. We also thought they were a bit expensive,” Julie said. She thinks prices may be better with more competition.

Held in the lower parking lot at The Shops at Steiner Ranch, the Farmers Market will be open Sundays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Got a fwd email from Anna Hughes (email ahughes@austinaztex.com) who works with the pro soccer team in Austin called the Aztec FC

We had our first camp in Steiner Ranch over spring break and our happy to say it was a success! One reason our summer camp is so unique is that it is the only soccer camp in the area that offers daily coaching from professional players and coaches. Aztex camp participants will receive camp gear which will include a soccer ball, soccer socks, 2 Aztex shorts, Aztex Sling Backpack, and Aztex lapel pin.We will be in Steiner Ranch at Westridge Fields again June 21-25. Our camp offers 11 different programs with kids ranging from age 4-18. This is a camp that players of all skill in age can come to and have fun, improve their technique, and learn life skills.

Faraday’s Kitchen Store to Host Event with

Celebrity Chef and Media Juggernaut Sara Moulton

Cooking Demonstration and Book Signing at Faraday’s Kitchen Store

Featured Tour Stop For “Sara Moulton’s Everyday Family Dinners” Book Tour

Saturday, June 12, 2010 (1501 RR 620 NORTH, AUSTIN, TX 78734) – Faraday’s Kitchen Store, in Austin, TX will host at 11:00 AM, a Cooking Demonstration, Delicious Food Sampling, and Book Signing with Sara Moulton, celebrity chef, food editor and television host to promote her new cookbook, “Sara Moulton’s Everyday Family Dinners” (Simon & Schuster; April 6, 2010) on Saturday, June 12, 2010. The event is FREE to the public. Sara Moulton’s Everyday Family Dinners book is available for purchase at Faraday’s Kitchen Store.

Admired by millions as the host of Cooking Live, Cooking Live Primetime, and Sara’s Secrets, Moulton was one of the Food Network’s defining personalities during the outlet’s first decade. In addition to her work on the Food Network, the energetic Moulton has been the Food Editor of ABC-TV’s Good Morning America since 1997, and in April of 2008, Moulton launched a new 20-episode television series on public television, entitled Sara’s Weeknight Meals. Sara was the Executive Chef of Gourmet Magazine for twenty-three years.

“I am so happy to be at Faraday’s Kitchen Store and share all my new tips, tricks and recipes for helping the home cook get dinner on table (and have fun doing it!) every night of the week,” said Sara Moulton.

In conjunction with the April 2010 release of her third cookbook “Sara Moulton’s Everyday Family Dinners” (Simon & Schuster), Chef Moulton and exclusive sponsor Chantal Copper Fusion, have organized a multi-city tour that stops at Faraday’s Kitchen Store on Saturday, June 12, 2010 – 11:00 AM FREE Cooking Demonstration and at 12:00 PM (noon) Book Signing of her April 6th release of “Sara Moulton’s Everyday Family Dinners.”

Faraday’s Kitchen Store proudly carries the innovative Chantal Copper Fusion cookware line, featured on the “Sara Moulton’s Everyday Family Dinners” book tour, because it blends the superior performance of copper with non-reactive enamel providing numerous benefits for customers who demand performance from their cookware and also want the benefits of healthy kitchens.

Got this from the Jody Zemel, someone in planning for the City of Austin.

Thank you for your interest in this case and for all the comments that have been sent to the Case Manager on this project.

The land owner has applied for an Administrative Site Plan to develop a Randall’s at this location. That application is being reviewed by City staff for compliance with relevant City codes, ordinances, and regulations.  The City of Austin’s review of this site plan application is not subjective.  There are several reviewers who will be reviewing this application for regulatory compliance with relevant City ordinances, rules, and laws concerning development law. The City’s review for this location relates only to specific infrastructure/development requirements (transportation, environmental, water quality, and drainage).

For administrative site plans, there is no vote or public hearing available—the landowner must comply with all the development laws.

Administrative Site Plans do not go to a public hearing at Planning Commission for a vote, unless there is a specific zoning issue involved.

Because this site is located in the Extra-Territorial Jurisdiction (ETJ), there is no zoning at the site to review, and it is simply an administrative application.  Without zoning, there are no City of Austin land use regulations at all for this site.  Once the applicant shows compliance on their plan with all City requirements listed above, The City of Austin is required to approve the permit.

The City of Austin’s review on this site plan is due by June 14, and at that time, the case manager, Donna Galati, will compile all reviewers’ rejection comments into a Master Report, and send that to the applicant and any registered Interested Parties. Interested Parties will receive copies of the Master Report, and notification of administrative action on the case.

After the applicant receives the Master Report, they have the opportunity to change the plans according to the reviewers’ rejection comments.  The applicant can then submit an update, and city staff has 2 weeks to review, and another master report showing which comments are cleared and which remain is sent out to the applicant and Interested Parties.  This process of update and review continues until either all comments are cleared and the permit is issued or the application expires.

If you live or own property within 500 feet of the property, you can be a registered Interested Party. You will need to contact the case manager, Donna Galati, if you wish to be listed as an Interested Party.

The applicant’s name and contact information is available on the notice, if you wish to contact the landowner.

If you wish to view the information that the City of Austin has on this case online, please go to

https://www.ci.austin.tx.us/devreview/a_queryfolder_permits.jsp and enter SP-2010-0102D under Search By Case Number or Old PIER Permit Number, then hit Submit.

You may also want to contact Safeway, who is the corporate owner of Randall’s stores in Texas.

The Safeway Texas Division office is located in Houston and supports three major markets. In Austin and Houston, Safeway operates Randall’s stores.

Below is the contact information I found on the on Business Wire for the press release that is linked to your blog.

Public Relations – Connie Yates, 214-355-7315

Link here

PLEASANTON, Calif., May 19, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Property Development Centers (PDC), a wholly owned subsidiary of Safeway Inc., announced today that it plans to acquire nearly 61 acres in the Lake Travis area of Austin, Texas to develop a 163,027 square foot mixed use shopping center, anchored by a new Randalls supermarket. Construction is slated to start this fall with an opening in 2011.

Located at the entrance to Steiner Ranch, the center is at the southwest corner of RM Highway 620 and Quinlan Park Road in Austin, Texas. Steiner Ranch, an upscale planned community of over 4,000 existing single-family homes and apartment units, was developed by Taylor Woodrow Communities/Steiner Ranch, Ltd. in partnership with the Kucera Companies.

While the majority of the 61 acres being acquired will remain undisturbed and in its natural condition, the Randalls-anchored shopping center will sit on approximately 15 acres and will include a bank, several restaurants, a variety of retail shops and a medical/office building. “We are excited to begin this project and bring to the people of Austin’s Lake Travis and Steiner Ranch area a superior shopping experience, convenience and retail variety that they need and deserve,” said David Zylstra, COO of PDC.

The Randalls store at Steiner Ranch will be over 60,000 square feet and will feature full-service seafood, meat and deli departments, as well as a full-service bakery, and a Starbucks. The store will also have expanded organic and conventional produce departments, expanded beer and wine selections and a full-service pharmacy.

“This is going to be a special store with a broad range of products and services tailored to the tastes and needs of the Steiner Ranch community,” said Randalls Food and Drug President, Tom Schwilke. “We have been serving the Austin market continuously for nearly 40 years, and we look forward to extending that record through this important project.”

From Gene Arant in the forums…

All I can say is, WOW! Steiner Ranch, you are awesome! The 1st semi-annual Post Garage Sale Drop-off/Donation Drive was an incredible success. The drop-off was to start @ 12:30 but when we arrived to get ready for our first drop-offs, the Gene Arant Moving truck (mind you this is large box truck) was already HALF FULL @ 12:00 noon! By 1:00 it was full to its entirety & I had to run & get a U-Haul which was in turn full by 2:30pm. The Dress for Success sponsor, Cathy Henry and my wife, Susan stayed behind taking additional donations as Tracy of Tracy’s Bikes 4 Schools and myself went to unload the trucks … only to return and fill my moving truck to the brim, AGAIN! I would like to send out a huge THANK YOU to all that came out to make this a success. Through your generosity, we all were able to bless many families and individuals in need! We will see you in the fall …

Golf Tournament to Benefit Flipnastics Level 5 Gymnasts

When:        Monday, June 7th
12:30pm Registration – 2:00pm Shotgun
Four Man Scramble Format

Where:       Falconhead Golf Course

Cost:          $100/single player
$400/team
** includes Dinner
OR

$750 Sponsorship – Hole Signage, Team of 4, 8 Drink Tickets and Dinner

Underwriter donations are also needed.

All of the proceeds will benefit the Flipnastics gym. Please e-mail Kelli Nokes at kellinokes@yahoo.com for a registration form.

We have a one year old son, and have a full time nanny that takes care of him 5 days a week. We are looking to share her time with another family that has a kid in a similar age group and needs child care full time. We are open to discussing times/days and other arrangements criteria.

Please let us know if you are interested! Call at 512-266-4502 or email at hema91@gmail.com