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Tall Oaks buyers enjoy gourmet brunch while planning their new homes Chef James Gender prepares a special brunch on Sundays in the model home at Tall Oaks-Wyndham Deerpoint Homes' new community of semi-custom residences. New home shoppers who visit Tall Oaks in Elgin quickly discover how delectable the well-equipped kitchen designs are. But the pleasures of savoring Wyndham Deerpoint Homes' new community of semi-custom residences don't end once they become buyers. As they finalize plans for their new homes, future residents have been invited to gather in the Tall Oaks model home on Sundays, where they indulge in a delicious brunch provided by local gourmet chef James Gender, owner and executive chef of Chef James' Place in Geneva, Ill. Wyndham Deerpoint Homes views its Sunday brunch get-togethers as a very practical way to allow buyers to experience a Wyndham Deerpoint custom-designed kitchen. "Unless they have experience purchasing and designing homes in the past, most buyers are at a loss when it comes to planning their kitchen," said Diane Robinson, director of marketing for Wyndham Deerpoint Homes. "It's often after you've moved in and are actually working in the kitchen that you discover some details you may have overlooked - such as deciding on an entertaining style island vs. a working island, convection oven, extra dishwasher, adding a vegetable sink and other upgrades." Wyndham Deerpoint Homes aims to inspire its buyers with fresh kitchen design ideas they can implement before their blueprints are ordered, Robinson noted. A recent brunch created by Chef James at Tall Oaks started with strawberries and cream cheese crepes drizzled with Grand Marnier sauce, followed by a goat cheese and sun-dried tomato quiche that preceded a poached salmon in a lemon caper sauce. Apple Tartin was served for dessert. "I go through the preparation of each dish step-by-step and when it is done, everyone enjoys " said Chef James, noting that the brunch demonstration usually last three hours. The intimate setting encourages conversation with guests sitting at the huge granite island where Chef James prepares, demonstrates and serves the brunch. The Whitehall model is equipped with a commercial-grade six burner stove, convection oven, a built-in wall oven and microwave. The kitchen also boasts a wet bar, a wine cabinet and two dishwashers - including one that is specially designed for crystal and china. A vegetable sink completes the elegant island, built for entertaining. The idea for the brunch came about earlier this year when Wyndham Deerpoint Homes was brainstorming a way to make the design and selection process easier and more comfortable for buyers - who can often feel intimidated with a virtually limitless selection of products, materials, colors and fine finishes to choose from. "Hosting a Sunday brunch was the perfect solution. Now, while our buyers are going through the building process, they can come out and enjoy a wonderful meal by a professional local chef, see how the kitchen functions, check on the status of their home's construction and meet their future neighbors long before they even close on their home," said Robinson. Judging by its success to date, it's likely the Tall Oaks brunches will continue for some time, noted Chef James. "Everyone is really positive about it," he said. "One recent guest was a restaurateur in Chicago who's been in business for a number of years. He was incredibly impressed by the concept of enjoying a gourmet meal and going over the finer details of his future home." Tall Oaks buyers can choose from 10 distinctive floorplans - including two ranch designs and two first floor master bedroom plans - and each offering three to four bedrooms, two-and-a-half to four baths, two-to three-car garages, nine-foot first floors, wood-burning fireplaces, kitchens with oak hardwood floors, 93% efficient gas furnaces, sodded homesites with professional landscape packages, full basements and a professional, transferable 10-year warranty. Other standard amenities (depending on the plan) include a den, first-floor master bedroom, volume ceilings, dual staircase, hearth room, large two-story foyer, and second floor laundry. A loft, bonus room, sunroom, bay windows, Whirlpool tub and upgraded trim are among the popular options available. Base prices range from $402,900 to the $530,000s (all prices subject to change without notice), with homes spanning in size from approximately 2,000 to 4,100 square feet. Located off Rt. 20 near the intersection of Russell and Plank Roads in the west portion of Elgin, Tall Oaks is set on a handsome parcel that boasts quarter-acre to half-acre estate-sized homesites (10,000 to 18,000-square-foot lots), mature, preserved trees, lush foliage, attractive landscaping and ponds. Community streetscapes offer plenty of curb appeal, thanks to garages that are either side-load or recessed from the front door. All the homes include Hardie Plank siding architectural roof shingles. Tall Oaks is located in the highly rated Burlington School District 301. What's more, the community is easily accessible to Rt. 90, Randall Road shopping and three local Metra stations offering quick service to downtown Chicago and other destinations. Homeowners can take advantage of the variety of Elgin area attraction, including city parks, local golf courses, the state-of-the-art Gail Borden Library, the Elgin Symphony Orchestra and the Centre of Elgin downtown family recreational facility featuring an indoor aquatic center, fitness center, climbing wall and track. The Tall Oaks sales center is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. To reach the community, take Rt. 20 to Plank Road, turn left onto Russell, and then turn left onto Winding Hill Drive into the Tall Oaks entrance; proceed ahead to The Whitehall model at 163 Winding Hill Drive. For more information on Tall Oaks or Wyndham Deerpoint Homes, call Keith at 847-289-9600.

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