Harvey, LA

I've been meaning to get to the new Alligator Pear restaurant in Harvey LA for the longest time, and last week I finally made it.

If I was putting it off for any reason, I don't know why - I loved it! Just a little more upscale than neighboring Parrot Pete's (they have the same owner), Alligator Pear offers a fresh take on some local favorites with their daily lunch specials along with a delicious selection of salads, pizza, sandwiches, burgers and more.

The menu offers a few nods to well known local politicos too, with the "Harry Lee Chicken Salad" and "Sheriff Newell's Juicy Ribeye".

The set up is different than most of our New Orleans eateries - a mix of self serve and table service. When you enter, grab a menu and then place your order at the counter where you are given a numbered card that gets swiped at the table of your choice. Drinks are self serve, with free refills. When your food is ready, one of the very friendly wait staff bring it to your table. Be sure to note that a 10% tip is already included in your bill.

My selection was the Royal Palm Salad. While I was a little leery about paying $13.95 for a salad, it was worth every penny. A spring mix with red peppers, red onions and a Champagne vinaigrette was topped with a little tower of Alligator Pear dip (homemade guacamole), crab meat, tomatoes, shrimp remoulade and chopped egg and served alongside crostinis. Delicious!

With the weather starting to cool off, I'll be returning soon to dine al fresco at one of the many outdoor tables that overlook the fountains and let you do a little people watching as well. While that salad may be hard to beat, the soup of the day would be a perfect compliment for a beautiful fall day.

The Alligator Pear restaurant is located at 1901 Manhattan Blvd. in Harvey and opens at 11 am daily. For more information, you can call them at (504) 281-4472.

Copyright 2008. Lisa Heindel and West Bank Living. All rights reserved.

I found myself between appointments today - not enough time to head back to the office but enough that heading to the next property meant sitting in the car waiting...and waiting. Instead, I stopped in at Parrot Pete's for an afternoon snack. After all, they do have a very nice selection of sandwiches and salads and it was past the lunch hour rush so I knew I could get in and out pretty quickly. My intention was to get a salad.

What's that old saying? Oh, yeah. The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

I decided today that my favorite part of being a grown up is being able to sit outside, watch the fountains and have triple berry cake with strawberry-kiwi iced tea for lunch.

Parrot Pete's Gourmet Bakery is located at 1901 Manhattan Blvd in the Fountain Park Centre and is open from 7 am - 7 pm.

Copyright 2008. Lisa Heindel and West Bank Living. All rights reserved.

Developed in late 1990s by Willow Homes, Village Green is yet another exclusive gated community on the West Bank of New Orleans.

Located in Harvey, LA, Village Green is a small community of well kept homes within an easy commute to the Central Business District or NAS JRB New Orleans.   Low Village Green home owners association dues of $360 per year help maintain the attractive entrance to the subdivision, the front and rear access gates and the streets and lighting through the community.

What's nearby?

With it's terrific location facing Manhattan Blvd., Village Green is just minutes from shopping, dining, public libraries, golf courses and more.  The explosion of retail development along the northern part of Manhattan Blvd. gives you easy access to stores like Lowe's, Sam's Club, WalMart SuperCenter, Target, the Palace Movie Theatre and a large selection of local and national coffee shops, cafes, fast food and dining establishments.

The Village Green Housing Market

Three and four bedroom homes are available in Village Green, ranging in size from 1,550 square feet of living up to over 2,300 square feet.  Smaller homes are priced in the upper $100s, while larger homes are available in the low to mid $200s.

Recent sales prices have ranged from a low of $185,000 to a high of $230,000, with an average days on market of 115 days.  Typically, sellers in Village Green provide a one year home warranty to purchasers.

Related Reading:

Village Green Home Owner's Association Covenants and Restrictions

If you are interested in buying a home in Village Green or would like detailed information on a marketing plan for selling your Village Green home, please contact Lisa Heindel, REALTOR®.   Your West Bank Real Estate specialist, I'd be happy to help you meet your real estate goals!

When buying or selling a home on the West Bank of New Orleans or relocating to the New Orleans West Bank, you deserve local expertise and advice. Lisa Heindel provides full time, professional real estate services to buyers, sellers and military transferees in Algiers, Algiers Point, Belle Chasse, Gretna, Terrytown, Harvey, Marrero, Westwego and more.

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• Featured New Orleans West Bank Homes
• Search All New Orleans West Bank Listings
• What's My Home Worth? - A Free Online Valuation of your New Orleans West Bank Home

Here's the disclaimer part:  The opinions expressed here are strictly those of the author, but you are free to share yours in the comments.  All information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Copyright 2008.  Lisa Heindel, All rights reserved.

As we move into the busy spring selling season, I spent this weekend showing property all over the West Bank of New Orleans.  One of the great neighborhoods that I toured with clients was Magnolia Trace, an exclusive gated community in Harvey, LA.

Developed in the 1995, Magnolia Trace was one of the first upscale, gated communities on the Manhattan Blvd. corridor.  The subdivision has been the site of multiple Parade of Home featured properties and remains an in-demand location on the West Bank.  The community has an active home owner's association and is a covenant controlled and building restricted community, with low home owner fees of $600 per year.

With a great location right off of Manhattan Blvd., Magnolia Trace is less than 10 miles from downtown New Orleans, making your commute a breeze.  If you are stationed at NAS JRB New Orleans, a quick 15 minute drive will take you from your door to the front gates of the base.

Things to do around Magnolia Trace:

• Just outside the gates is a beautiful branch of the Jefferson Parish Library
• Right around the corner are several restaurants, coffee shops and small boutiques
• Travel down Manhattan Blvd. and take in a movie, go out to eat, or do your shopping at the numerous nearby stores such as Target, WalMart, Lowe's, Sam's Club, Best Buy, Linens-N-Things and more.  You can even check out the new Circuit City that just opened at Manhattan and the West Bank Expressway.

Homes and Land for Sale in Magnolia Trace:

There are only 3 available homes in Magnolia Trace at this time.  Priced from $399,000 to $475,000, these homes offer 4 or 5 bedrooms and 3+ bathrooms, with an average size of over 3,200 square feet of living area.  If you would rather build your own custom home, there are 3 lots still available, all priced under $120,000.

Interested in learning more about buying in Magnolia Trace?  Contact Lisa Heindel, REALTOR® by phone at (504) 616-6262 or by email at lisa@lisaheindelsells.com.  I'd love to help you find your next West Bank home!

When buying or selling a home on the West Bank of New Orleans or relocating to the New Orleans West Bank, you deserve local expertise and advice. Lisa Heindel provides full time, professional real estate services to buyers, sellers and military transferees in Algiers, Algiers Point, Belle Chasse, Gretna, Terrytown, Harvey, Marrero, Westwego and more.

• Subscribe to West Bank Living by Email
• Featured New Orleans West Bank Homes
• Search All New Orleans West Bank Listings
• What's My Home Worth? - A Free Online Valuation of your New Orleans West Bank Home

Here's the disclaimer part: The opinions expressed here are strictly those of the author, but you are free to share yours in the comments. All information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Copyright 2008. Lisa Heindel, All rights reserved.

The Residence: Luxury Townhouses on the West Bank of New Orleans in Harvey, Louisiana

I was lucky enough today to have a chance to visit one of the lovely, luxury townhouses at The Residence at Park Avenue in Harvey, LA. With a great location right off of Manhattan Blvd., this secure and gated community is a hidden gem right here on the West Bank of New Orleans. Drive through the gates and take a tour with me....

Some of the wonderful amenities in this fabulous neighborhood:

• Restricted and secure gated access
• Private clubhouse and exercise room
• Heated pool and hot tub
• Private courtyards
• Beautiful cobblestone paved sidewalks
• Reasonable home owner fees include lawn care

No cookie cutter townhouses here! Each unit has been custom finished to suit the owner while still fitting the style of the neighborhood.

Developed in 2003, there has historically been little turnover in The Residence community (the last unit sold was in 2006). There are some lucky buyers out there right now, though, with 3 units currently listed for sale - all for under $400,000. Each of these luxury townhomes has 3 bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths. Not your typical small townhouses, the available units have from 1,920 square feet of living area to over 2,300 finished square feet and garages tucked discreetly behind the units.

Are you ready to live in luxury? If you want to know more about The Residence at Park Avenue, give me a call and we can schedule your private showing today.

When buying or selling a home on the West Bank of New Orleans or relocating to the New Orleans West Bank, you deserve local expertise and advice. Lisa Heindel provides full time, professional real estate services to buyer, sellers and military transferees in Algiers, Algiers Point, Belle Chasse, Gretna, Terrytown, Harvey, Marrero, Westwego and more.

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Copyright 2008. Lisa Heindel, All rights reserved.