Casa Ladrillo

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A two-bedroom, two bath, double-master-suite townhome with a private, enclosed pool available for short-term rentals in McAllen, Texas. The home requires a minimum two night stay and allows a maximum of four guests. Because of numerous points of access to the pool, the home is not recommended or suitable for children ages 0 to 12 years and no unattended teenagers are allowed. Also, no parties or events are allowed.
Please review the house rules here.
Reacting to the pandemic, the make- ready crew is taking extra precautions in cleaning using the recommendations of the CDC.
Visit Evolve Vacation Rentals or an associated site for booking.
A quintessential example of Kerria Heights architecture in the area colloquially known as “Brick City North,” Casa Ladrillo incorporates hacienda styling attributes blended with mid-century, modernist cues. These single story, flat-roofed townhomes were built on a small footprint with compact, yet pragmatic, floorplans. To the passerby, they appear minimalistic, however, the intrigue lies within. Many Brick City homes have unique architectual attributes such as atriums, open courtyards, built-in skylights and saltillo tiled floors. Only a select few feature a completely enclosed, private pool, as Casa Ladrillo does.
Learn more about McAllen at anothersideofus.com
Area Attractions:
- Quinta Mazatlan: Native tropical South Texas plant life surrounds a Spanish-revival estate. (S. McAllen)
- Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge: extensive (prior to border wall seizing) wildlife refuge in the Mid-valley.
- South Texas Nature Center
- Edinburg Scenic Wetlands
- National Butterfly Center in Mission
- Birding (SPI Article)
- Movies in the Park, Westside McAllen
- ArtWalk, Main Street, McAllen
- Nuevo Santander on Main
- McAllen Public Library
- McAllen Chamber of Commerce
- UT RGV Performing Arts Complex
- McAllen Performing Art Center/Convention Center
- McAllen Food Truck Park
- McAllen Visitors Bureau
- International Mesuem of Arts and Sciences
- Las Palmas Race Park
- Groupon Options
- Shary Mansion
- Texas Tropical Trail
- South Padre Island + Fishing & Boating
For Ladies:
For Gentlemen:
For the Family:
Birding in the Rio Grande Valley. Because of its diversity of habitat and its location in the middle of a major flyway, the Rio Grande Valley attracts a large assortment of bird species. Surveys have recorded over 525 species in the region; 39 of them seen nowhere else in the country.
A Texas A&M survey found that around 2.4 million people come to the region annually to watch wildlife, spending over $460 million annually. Birding is so popular in the region that there are festivals centering on the pastime, dozens of ranches that rent photo blinds, the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail, and many parks and wildlife areas with staff to aid birders.
Area Dining:
McAllen:
- El Divino: Known as a go-to place for cocktails, however, dinner is quite nice. Ask for a “vesper” martini. Not far from townhouse.
- Palenque Grille: Visit the bar at Happy Hour and have the tamarind or Jamaica margarita. It is not far from the condo.
- Blue Onion: Lighter-fare for lunch, not far away at all – across from Lowe’s on N. 10th and Dove Ave.
- Santa Fe Steakhouse: A well-established south McAllen restaurant; tried and true. Always delicious. Call ahead, located near La Plaza Mall in South McAllen.
- Mama Mia’s: Pizza & Italian – Business 83, McAllen
- Costa Mesa: 1 block West of 10th and Pecan, & 1 block N.
- Earth Born Market: Delicious, fresh-squeezed juices, bowls and fruit, 10th and Nolana
- Ostioneria Michoacana: Great seafood, just in front of Lowe’s on N. 10th
- Birdie Bistro on Main (note, tables are tight)
- Dragon Warrior Ramen (800 N. Main St.)
- Lucky Sushi Bar
- Salt, New American Table
- Solame, fine dining on Main
- The Centennial Club
- Patio on Guerra
- Koko’s Uptown
- Kumori Sushi
- The Yard: Outdoor bar surrounded by food trucks, downtown
- Greens & Lemons
- The Loretto: Varied menu, great atmosphere, on FM495 closer to Mission
Edinburg:
- Anita’s Cafe #2: Low-key, “cheap and cheerful” Tex-Mex, family owned.
- Starlite Burger: Delicious, old-school, flame-broiled burgers
- Green Ceviche: Fresh light and inexpensive made to order ceviche
- Sidebar: A hidden gem for cocktails and dinner, downtown Edinburg
Weslaco:
- Nana’s, an awesome experience in culture and cuisine. Extremely affordable and fun. Take Expressway 83 east to FM1015, head south.
South Padre Island:
- Yummies Bistro
- The Palms Resort Cafe on the beach
Area Events:
- McAllen Farmers Market, every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Charro Days Fiesta
- Borderfest
- CajunFest
- Texas Citrus Fiesta
- RGV Birding Festival
- Explore McAllen
- PalmFest
- Winter Texan Times (Great resources)
Shopping:
- Bass Pro Shops
- Progresso
- La Plaza Mall, McAllen
- McAllen UpTown
- Vida, Interiors and Accents
- Ruben’s Grocery (Yes, a grocery story is worth the trip)
- Bell’s Farm to Market: Fresh Valley fruit, walk-in store
History and Architecture:
- Roma, Rio Grande City and Zapata: Incredible architecture and food in the historic districts of all three cities.
- Arroyo Colorado, Rio Hondo and the shipping channel: a natural tributary running through the Rio Grande Valley of Texas out to the bay. During WWII, it was dredged by the Army Corp of Engineers to make a navigable waterway to transport supplies to the military base in Harlingen. (SH 107/US 77)
- Old Pan American University, Edinburg: There are numerous buildings north of the square in Edinburg with early 1900’s buildings, many which have been restored.
- The Museum of South Texas History: Remnants of the old Hidalgo County Courthouse Jail with extensive archives of Rio Grande Valley and South Texas history.
- The McAllen Style
- McAllen Heritage Center
- TransBorder Architecture
- Cite Specific Four Projects
- RGVMOD
- Historical Marker Trail
- Preservation Texas
- Texas Architects
- Larry Speck
- Amazon Books
- Valley Historic Tour (Courtesy of Texas Historical Foundation, ©1991)
- Historic_Sites (Courtesy of Texas Historical Foundation, ©1991)
- Texas Archives (video)
- Hidalgo_county_courthouse, Architect’s Historical Brief
- McAllen History Information
- Brick City, North McAllen
Rideshare Services:
- Uber and Lyft operate in the area, however, Lyft seems to be more prominent.
Pool Safety & CPR
1 min CPR video Instructions for children, click here.
Other House Info:
• Wifi password in welcome email and house guestbook
• Why no cable? All TV’s are Smart TV’s, however, UHF antennas are provided; directional antenna info, here. Channel lineup here.
The Story behind Casa Ladrillo:
I’ve always been enthralled with both Brick City subdivisions since my childhood. I thought they were some of the most interesting homes in the area. They’re quirky, compact, functional and both Brick City North and Brick City South are located in great parts of town. I’ve always wanted a Spanish style home, but something atypical from the standard of white stucco and clay roofed version. I love the style of these townhomes. Some are vast and expansive, while others small and functional. Many units with open-air atriums no longer have them because they’re terribly challenging to cool. Vast areas of glass and sliding doors didn’t help that situation.
So in considering the update to 712 Kerria, I wanted to go with a classic style; touching on a hotel aesthetic, but with more personality. I had a lot of ideas and inspiration to sort through. You can view my Pinterest board to get some insight. There are hints of modernism in the contemporary decor. You’ll see varied styles of art (some period to the time of construction) with nods to the local area and a muted color palette for the furnishings. The intent is to feel as if you’re in a private escape. The enclosed pool certainly helps with that goal.
About the Garden
Casa Ladrillo’s garden area was originally quite stark and uninviting. The whole area was covered in red bark chips with just a few scattered plants, namely the two sage bushes. From inception, the design aesthetic was to create a thriving tropical environment in a very small space. Seating for 4 was also very important. Lan Sawyer, a prominent RGV landscape architect did the initial design, infrastructure, planting and fountain work. Later, artist Graydon Parrish, added his personal touches to the space bringing in exotic tropicals that would thrive in the microclimate.
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