Naomi Aberly hosted a $10,000-a-plate fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee last night at her house on Strait Lane. (I would have been there, but my budget for Wednesday dinners is only $8,500, and the Dems are really strict about these things.) Because President Obama was there, so were a gaggle of White House reporters, including Todd J. Gillman, chief of The Dallas Morning News‘ Washington bureau. Here’s how he (sort of) described the property:

The president arrived at the Aberly home — a hard to describe mansion that looks something like a concert hall or catering facility, with lots of modern columns lit dramatically — about 7:17. Some 90 minutes later, the traveling entourage of reporters and photographers, staff and security rolled out behind the presidential limo.

The Dallas Central Appraisal District values Aberly’s estate at $10.9 million. For comparison’s sake, Toni Brinker’s place across the street is valued at a measley $4.5 million.

Dallas Morning News reports the Developers of the Preston Hollow Village will add an office spaces to the mixed-use development. The 42 acre land at the northwest corner of Central Expressway and Walnut Hill Lane will include grocer Trader Joe’s, which is expected to open early next year.  This will make the second for the Dallas area, after the Lower Greenville store is expected to open this summer.

The development will also include retail shopping, apartments and town homes. Provident Realty Group of Dallas is projected to break ground for in June.

(Staff Photo: Allison Somowitz)

Tucked into Steve and Jane Sanders’ cozy Preston Hollow abode is a 2,000-square foot chamber that’s an ode to his fondest childhood memory: riding trains from camp. He began collecting trains after he closed his hobby shop on Central Expressway in the 1970s. Read more about this indoor marvel and the latest trends in interior design in Homes and Design, which premieres in this week’s newspaper.

Southfork Ranch housed Halliday for her 102nd birthday celebration. Photo: @watchwithus on Twitter

Around Dallas, there are two pieces of iconic real estate that everybody should (and does) know about: Southfork Ranch and Ebby Halliday. It makes sense, then, that J.R.’s place was selected to house the “Duchess of Dallas” and her family of associates for a celebratory breakfast feting her 102^nd birthday yesterday morning — agreed?

P.S. Although Halliday’s company-wide party was yesterday, we’d recommend sending personal birthday wishes a bit later in the week. Her actual date of birth is March 9, 1911.

Real estate blogger Candace Evans got me all a-twitter recently with the above teaser-tweet, which hinted that the pitcher’s home just might be on the market in Preston Hollow. As it turns out, the property belongs to another Derek Holland — good news in my opinion, considering how many World Series-era Rangers have already hit the highway (bye, Josh). But Candie’s photos of the home‘s zebra print carpet and hot pink workout room are worth checking out, anyway.

It’s the end of the month, and you know what that means: the Dallas City Council meeting is upon us. Two items on the agenda affect Preston Hollow.

First is a public hearing on granting a Multifamily District on property zoned a Duplex District on the north side of Del Norte Lane, west of Hillcrest Road. The second refers to granting a Planned Development District for a “nursery, garden shop, or plant sales use, a landscape contractor’s maintenance yard, and certain residential and nonresidential uses” on property that’s zoned a Single Family District. This is proposed for the southwest corner of Northaven Road and Freda Stern Drive.

Staff recommends denial for the first, but approval for the second. WOAH. I smell drama. Show up tomorrow at 9 a.m. to find out what happens.

Before you speed over to Preston Road, let’s clarify: Cindy and Howard Rachofsky have put their family home at 5911 Glendora Ave. on the market, not the Rachofsky House at 8605 Preston Road, which is open to the public and often hosts events.

But the Glendora home is a similar stark white, ultra modern piece reaching 5,800 square feet. Built in 1997, it includes four bedrooms, five and a half baths, and a study. Don’t forget the balcony and organic garden.

As of Tuesday, the home was listed for $2,695,000 with Claire Dewar of Briggs Freeman.

If you are looking for a new home this new year, how about the newly listed home owned by Tom Hicks? The home is a 25-acre home in Preston Hollow on Walnut Hill Lane near the Tollway. Forbes is naming the home “America’s New Most Expensive Home For Sale”

We will have more information in this week’s Preston Hollow People issue!

At a (very) brief visit to City Hall yesterday, I listened to the City Council approve a permit to allow the development of a private street on the north side of Forest Lane between Hampstead Lane and Creekway Drive.

If you’re like me, you are probably wondering what a “private street” entails. Or am I the only one that didn’t know?

After doing some digging, I found it’s just a fancy name for a gated community.

The undeveloped site, approximately 3.6 acres, will now be developed with 8 single-family homes by Sharif & Munir Custom Homes. The paperwork was originally filed in October, and now the company has the council’s official approval.

According to the submitted documents, the development will have one main entry/exit (via said gate), and the residents must maintain the property accordingly.

The City Council has scheduled a public hearing on the plan to build a new apartment complex on the south side of Bandera Avenue, between Hillcrest Road and Turtle Creek Boulevard. The hearing will happen Wednesday afternoon, after several others on the council’s agenda.