At Mayfair, we believe building a sustainable community lies in the dedication and expertise of our team. We’re delighted to introduce the newest addition to our team, Development Manager James Tipton. As development manager, James is responsible for overseeing the development activities and guiding the execution of the vision for Mayfair.
A Texas A&M graduate with over five years in property development and management, James brings with him a wealth of knowledge and passion for community growth in New Braunfels. We sat down with our newest team member to learn more about his career journey and what inspired him to join Mayfair and New Braunfels.
Q: Can you share a bit about your background and experience in development?
Prior to coming to Mayfair, I worked with another development group in New Braunfels that was developing a master-planned community similar to Mayfair in size and scope. Most of my experience in development was gleaned from that project.
Q: What motivated you to take on the role of Development Manager at Mayfair?
I saw the advertisements for the Mayfair community and had done a fair amount of research on Southstar to know that the product they will deliver would be special and positively impact New Braunfels.
Q: New Braunfels is a unique and vibrant community. How do you envision aligning your expertise with the values and aspirations of its residents?
New Braunfels feels like a small town with so many charming characteristics, and being a part of the community itself, I particularly enjoy that small-town feel. I believe that sentiment is the exact outcome that Mayfair is trying to replicate in New Braunfels. We want Mayfair to be a small town in and of itself.
Q: What are your top priorities for enhancing the living experience for residents and the New Braunfels community?
I want residents to want to be in Mayfair for more than just where they start and end their day. Mayfair has the potential to be a one-stop shop for all kinds of living, and I want to help deliver that vision. There will be numerous benefits in the public amenities and added points of interest that will increase the quality of life for the Mayfair residents and the people of New Braunfels as a whole.
Q: What are you most excited about in this development?
I am excited about the emphasis being placed on the parks and trails. With one of the first projects being delivered, including a pump track and a disc golf course, I think it will add so much to the community right away.
Q: What innovative amenities or features are planned at Mayfair that will make the community stand out?
The way Southstar has planned the phases of Mayfair is unique. A seamless integration of parks, commercial property, and residential space makes Mayfair stand out from other developments in the region.
Q: What do you foresee the lasting impact of Mayfair being on New Braunfels?
The commercial opportunities, the parks and trails, and the variety of residential housing options will all contribute to the City of New Braunfels, producing that small-town feel that will be accessible to everyone in New Braunfels.
Q: What does being a part of a project like Mayfair mean to you?
We get to create a brand new community from scratch. The excitement and vision for a project like this is a “can’t miss” opportunity, and being part of that means a new adventure every day.
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The holiday season is all about joy, warmth, festive get-togethers, and, of course, delicious food. In the spirit of celebrating the festive season by way of our taste buds, the team at Mayfair is delighted to share some of our favorite holiday recipes and local New Braunfels dining and shopping secrets so you can find the perfect ingredient to elevate your holiday feast or a last-minute stocking stuffer for the fellow foodie in your life.
Join us on this culinary journey through mouth-watering recipes, cherished holiday traditions, and the best New Braunfels has to offer.
The Mayfair Team’s Favorite Holiday Recipes
Green Bean Casserole
Todd Richert, Broker
Ingredients:
- 2 cans of green beans (substitute fresh if desired)
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- ½ cup milk
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- Black pepper as desired
- 1 1/3 cups french fried onion rings
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Stir soup mix, soy sauce, milk, black pepper, green beans, and 2/3 of the onion rings together in a 1 ½ quart casserole dish.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until bubbling.
- Remove and stir; add the remaining onion rings on top.
- Bake for an additional 5 minutes or until onions are golden brown.
Butter Bundt Bread
Thad Rutherford, President & CEO
Ingredients:
- 1 stick butter
- 3 packages of Hungry Jack biscuits (10 oz)
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Melt one stick of butter in a bundt pan.
- Arrange the biscuits in the pan without separating them.
- Bake for 25-35 minutes.
- Use a rack to cool.
Grandma’s Simple Sage Cornbread Stuffing
Terry Ramirez, Vice President of Operations
Ingredients:
- 6 cups of pre-prepared cornbread, slightly stale/dry and broken into chunks
- ½ stick of butter
- 3-4 stalks of celery, chopped
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 cup turkey, chicken, or vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons sage (fresh chopped if available, dried if not)
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Melt your butter in a large skillet, ideally cast iron.
- Cook onion and celery until they just start to soften and become translucent.
- Add half of your stock and simmer on low heat for 5 minutes, uncovered.
- Turn off the heat. Stir in the cornbread, sage, and the rest of the stock.
- Dump the stuffing mix into a baking dish and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the top layer of stuffing begins to brown and crisp.
Thanksgiving Dressing
James Tipton, Development Manager
Ingredients:
- 1 bag Pepperidge Farm cornbread stuffing
- 1 bag Pepperidge Farm herb-seasoned stuffing
- 1 lb breakfast sausage
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 1 cup celery, chopped
- 3 eggs
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- 4 cups chicken broth
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Mix stuffing, eggs, and butter.
- In a skillet, brown the sausage, then add the celery and onion. Cook until translucent.
- Add the sausage and vegetables to the stuffing mix.
- Add chicken broth until the stuffing is very moist.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until fully heated through.
Slow Cooker Pumpkin Pecan Bread Pudding
Kristi Robinson, Director of Marketing & Community Relations
Ingredients:
- 8 cups stale (or oven-dried) bread, cut into cubes
- ½ cup toasted pecans, chopped
- ½ cup cinnamon chips
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup canned pumpkin (pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup butter, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
Instructions:
- Grease your slow cooker and place your bread cubes, cinnamon chips, and toasted pecans inside.
- Whisk your eggs with the pumpkin, cream, sugar, butter, and spices.
- Pour the egg mixture over the bread cubes; if necessary, stir very gently to ensure complete coating.
- Place the lid on your slow cooker and cook on low heat for around 4 hours.
- Optional: Serve with vanilla ice cream!
Fried Turkey
Chip Mills, Senior Vice President
Ingredients:
- Turkey
- Hot grease
Instructions:
- Place turkey in hot grease, and don’t burn down the neighborhood—thanks, Chip!
Mayfair’s Favorite Holiday Traditions and Decor
What good is an epic Christmas feast if you don’t have the decor to go with it and great people to join the celebration? The crew at Mayfair also has some thoughts about those all-important holiday aesthetics and the beloved family traditions that stand the test of time:
- Tree decorating (James Tipton). “Whenever our tree goes up (usually the first week of November), everyone in the house takes turns hanging their personal Christmas ornaments until the tree is full. It’s a simple but fun time to get together and watch that year’s tree come to life.”
- Advent calendars (Kristi Robinson). “My favorite home decoration is our advent calendar. My mom made it when our daughter was born, and we count down the days until Christmas by pinning fabric items to the holiday scene. As she got older, we started racing to see who could mark the most—it helps my record greatly now that she’s a teenager and sleeps in half the month!”
- Stockings (Chip Mills). “I remember the childhood Christmas stockings that my mom and grandmother made. Mine was Frosty the Snowman.”
- Cut-your-own Christmas tree (Thad Rutherford). “I loved when I used to take the kids to Elgin and cut down a Christmas tree, even in Texas! (Although it was small…)”
- Christmas morning stockings (Terry Ramirez). “I love having the stockings hanging empty all month long. In our house, Santa fills the stockings, so it’s always a joy to watch the kids (at any age) come down Christmas morning to see their stockings filled.”
- Christmas light cruise (Todd Richert). “My favorite Christmas tradition is driving around on Christmas Eve looking at Christmas lights, then heading to midnight mass.”
Mayfair’s Favorite Holiday Hotspots for Shopping
If you still need some gift ideas, these New Braunfels restaurants and gift shops are Holiday game-changers. Here are some of our favorite local shopping (and eating) secrets:
- Farmer’s Market & 2tarts (James Tipton). “We’re big fans of the farmers market that sets up in the Krause parking lot every Saturday. There are so many different vendors and random things you can buy, from food to houseplants. We are also guaranteed to make our way through 2tarts at least once over the holidays for a fun treat.”
- New Braunfels Smokehouse & Stahlman’s at Bear Creek (Kristi Robinson). “I always stop by New Braunfels Smokehouse during the holidays for Pecan and Raspberry Kringle. They are delicious! Then Stahlman’s at Bear Creek has amazing local jams, jellies, sauces, and even cute fresh holiday décor.”
- New Braunfels Candle Company. Everyone loves a nice candle for a Christmas present, and you won’t find any finer than the handmade offerings right here in New Braunfels at the New Braunfels Candle Company on Castell Avenue. In addition to some of the highest quality candles in Texas, they also have candle-making classes and a lovely line of bath and body products.
- New Braunfels Art League. For a truly one-of-a-kind gift, there’s no better source than your friendly local artists—and the New Braunfels Art League has the work of hundreds of them curated in one convenient location for shopping or just a little art appreciation. Put the New Braunfels Art League on your list of destinations for holiday shopping this year, and you’re sure to find something brand new for that person who truly has everything.
Mayfair – Your Home for the Holidays and New Braunfels Dining
The whole team at Mayfair would like to wish you and yours a wonderful holiday season this year, and we look forward to seeing you in the new year.
Nestled within America’s amber fields and independent farms lies a timeless autumn treasure. The pumpkin patch is where magic and nostalgia intertwine, and every pumpkin has its own tale, waiting to be told through you, your imagination, and your best efforts with a carving knife. Aside from being the perfect place to choose the perfect jack o’ lantern for Halloween 2023, a great pumpkin patch might also have games, face painting, a corn maze, hay rides, hot cider, and any number of other treats. Texas tends to do everything a little bigger, and the pumpkins — and their patches — are no exception in terms of both size and fun!
If you’re looking for pumpkin patches in New Braunfels, look no further than the New Braunfels Pumpkin Patch 2023. It’s conveniently located at the popular Rockin’ R tour operator in Gruene, TX. Carve out your perfect day on the farm with your family.
New Braunfels Pumpkin Patch 2023 Details
Where: The Pumpkin Patch at Rockin’ R takes place at Rockin’ R Gruene, located at 1405 Gruene Road, nestled along the scenic banks of the Guadalupe River.
The Rockin’ R’s main business is operating river rides and other tours, but they put this family-oriented customer service experience to great use running their Pumpkin Patch event. Consider coming back during the summer months to try out one of their hugely popular Guadalupe River tubing packages, with prices as low as $25 for a basic tube.
Local newspaper readers voted The Rockin’ R Best of New Braunfels 2023, so you know your New Braunfels Pumpkin Patch 2023 experience is in good hands with them.
Please note that there are three other Rockin’ R locations along the Guadalupe River alone and others on the Comal River. The Rockin’ R facility you want to visit for fall pumpkin patch fun is the Rockin’ R in Gruene, once again located at 1405 Gruene Road.
When: The Pumpkin Patch at Rockin’ R is a month-long event, opening September 30 and lasting through November 18. However, it is only open Wednesdays through Sundays, with operating hours of 10 AM to 8 PM. The pumpkin patch operates throughout October and into November, but you may want to plan your visit around the special “Fall Market & Festival” event taking place for one weekend only, on Saturday, October 28, and Sunday, October 29. This is a special event where the pumpkin patch is filled with vendors, face painting, food, and other fun.
What: Rockin’ R’s month-long pumpkin patch has a full complement of traditional and unique pumpkin patch amenities, including:
- Awesome fall photo opportunities
- Fall decor
- Various activities for the kids
- Seasonal treats and drinks
- The pumpkin patch itself, of course!
Little Pumpkin’s Play Patch – Young Children’s Pumpkin Patch New Braunfels, TX
For the younger kids, Rockin’ R maintains a separate installation called “Little Pumpkin’s Play Patch.” While the standard pumpkin patch is free to enter, Little Pumpkin’s costs $10. Children under two are free, however, and there is also no charge for parents who are only supervising and not partaking in the fun.
So, what exactly does your little pumpkin get for their $10 admission fee? A full day of fall fun, including:
- Unlimited playtime in the corn pit (think a vintage fast food restaurant ball pit, but full of corn kernels instead of plastic balls)
- Unlimited playtime on the jump pad
- Up to two “make and take” fall crafting projects
- Access to the bubble station
- Access to a variety of fun kids’ games, including “dress the scarecrows”
Fall Festival & Market at Rockin’ R’s New Braunfels Pumpkin Patch
The Rockin’ R pumpkin patch will also host a special Fall Festival & Market event on the weekend of Saturday, October 28. Bring your entire family down to the Rockin R’ and enjoy:
- All sorts of vendors with fall decorations, foods, handmade goods, crafts, etc.
- Seasonal cuisine and themed drinks
- Face painting
If you are interested in becoming a vendor at the Fall Festival & Market, you can send an application through the Rockin’ R website.
Fall Field Trips to the New Braunfels Pumpkin Patch
A field trip with the whole class is a great way to experience the Pumpkin Patch at Rockin’ R and make lifelong memories with friends, teachers, and classmates.
If you’re an educator considering a Texas pumpkin patch for a fall field trip destination, consider the package Rockin’ R has to offer you:
- $8 per child discounted admission rate for schools (versus the normal $10 admission fee for Little Pumpkin’s Play Patch)
- Access to the standard Pumpkin Patch
- Admission to Little Pumpkin’s Play Patch (corn pit, jump pad, bubbles, crafts, etc.)
- A special field trip Scavenger Hunt
- Gumball Machine with prizes
In addition to simply being a fun time for kids of all ages, a seasonal trip to a functioning pumpkin patch offers all sorts of potential for educational experience in areas like:
- Biology
- Weather
- Farming
- Business
- Physical fitness
- Art
Please note that food is not included in the field trip package, but you can access picnic facilities for eating packed lunches.
Mayfair, TX – Your Year-Round Home in New Braunfels
Instead of visiting New Braunfels for the excitement of pumpkin patch season, why not consider making it your new home? With various floor plans, styles, and ownership options being developed right now, Mayfair is a world-class residential development in New Braunfels that makes a perfect home base for year-round fun in the Texas Hill Country and beyond. Much like you might circle the pumpkin patch for hours before selecting the perfect orange gourd that speaks to your unique aesthetics, Mayfair offers various unit types and purchasing options to fit every style.
There is no better time to move to New Braunfels, TX, by way of Mayfair than right now. After all, as soon as pumpkin patch season wraps up, another postcard-perfect Christmas in New Braunfels is just around the corner, and you won’t want to miss it.
At Mayfair, we believe in the power of vision to drive progress and shape the future. Our Mayfair Map serves as a compass, guiding us through the evolving landscape of our project in New Braunfels, Texas. We embrace the idea that visions are not set in stone but rather a culmination of insights, learnings, and innovative thinking. Our Vision encapsulates our dreams, ambitions, and the collective wisdom of our team. It outlines the path we envision for our project and acts as a strategic guidepost, empowering us to make informed decisions and navigate the complexities of our ever-changing landscape.
Welcome to Mayfair, coming to life in New Braunfels, just down the road from historic Gruene. Soon offering a variety of inspired new ways to live in a community filled with parks, connected by trails, energized by events and anchored by Midtown Mayfair — a vibrant shopping, dining and workplace district. Where food, friends and fun are a short walk away.
Here are just a few facts and figures about the small town, big living that we’re building.
Join Chip Mills, Senior Vice President of SouthStar Communities, overseeing the Mayfair development, as he takes us on a tour of the Mayfair property in its early construction phase.
“New Braunfels is a special place, and what we’re building is going to stand the test of time,” he said.
Watch the video below to see the vision for how a landscape of grass and brush will soon be home to a thriving community full of amenities for residents of varying economic means and lifestyles—and how he’s carrying on a family legacy by bringing this project to life.
Located in the heart of the Austin-to-San Antonio corridor, bisected by I-35, Mayfair will offer 6,000 residential units, 70 acres of commercial development, 120 acres of mixed-use space, and more than 2,000 new jobs in the region. More than 330 acres of public parks will also be added to the area, connected by trails and bike paths connecting to schools, homes, and retail offerings for easy accessibility.
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