Celebrate Summer at the Park This Saturday at Blackstone in Brea

BREA, CA--(Marketwire - Jun 22, 2012) - It's the third day of summer, and everyone can be among the first to celebrate the season on Saturday, June 23rd, as Blackstone in the hills above Brea hosts Summer at the Park featuring food, fun, music and refreshments for the whole family.

Highlighting the event will be an all-American BBQ with hot dogs and sausages served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and an old-fashioned lemonade stand serving strawberry and classic flavors and lemon water pitchers. For dessert, Farrell's will be offering a variety of ice cream treats and toppings.

Throughout the day, a steel-drum trio will lend a festive ambiance and as an added bonus, everyone will receive a special passport to a valuable prize. When they have their passport stamped at all three of Blackstone's great neighborhoods, they'll be entered to win an Apple iPad.

The builders at Blackstone, Standard Pacific Homes and Shea Homes, are also encouraging home owners to bring their friends and relatives to Summer at the Park and learn about Blackstone's Friends and Families Referral Program.

Summer at the Park commemorates the first anniversary of the opening of Blackstone's community recreation center and welcomes the more than 150 new homeowners who have made Blackstone their community of choice for its exceptional value and unbeatable lifestyle.

With prices starting in the low $500,000s, Standard Pacific's Sorano has been extremely popular with young couples and families that are just starting to grow. A trio of two-story residences extends from approximately 1,739 to 2,001 square feet, including three to four bedrooms and as many as three baths. Impressive great rooms and convenience-oriented kitchens enhance the appeal of these homes.

Also priced from the mid $500,000s, Shea Homes' Amber presents distinctive two-story homes that feature large great rooms, versatile lofts and spacious secondary bedrooms. Plus, the beautiful ridgeline setting offers the ideal location for exceptional views. Living areas range from approximately 2,015 to 2,199 square feet, including four bedrooms and two and one-half baths.

Shea Homes' luxury-home neighborhood of Jade provides the flexibility of many floor plan options to match and enhance individual buyers' lifestyles. Desirable downstairs bedrooms and home offices are just a few of the great features, and commercial-style kitchen appliances, grand master suites and up to three-car garages leave no doubt that the homes are of the highest caliber. Measuring approximately 2,806 to 3,360 square feet, the homes encompass four to five bedrooms and three and one-half to four and one-half baths, and they are priced from the high $700,000s.

Blackstone's value-added lifestyle starts at the community's recreation center, which offers residents the opportunity to swim in a junior Olympic pool, relax in an invigorating spa, picnic and barbecue in a park-like setting and spend comfortable summer nights by an outdoor fireplace. And for youngsters, a wading pool and water activity center are "splash" hits.

Leisure-time opportunities also extend to Blackstone's six intimate pocket parks, including one with a tot lot, and a planned 14-acre Brea city park, where family fun will range from picnicking under a tree to playing at the tot lot. With a charming gazebo as its centerpiece, the park will also offer a variety of athletic pursuits, including baseball, basketball, tee ball and soccer. It will join 15 other community parks, including a popular sports park and a 12-acre historical park showcasing Brea's rich heritage.

The value of an A+ education for children living at Blackstone is provided by the top-rated schools of the Brea Olinda Unified School District*. Based on their exceptionally high Academic Performance Index (API) scores, all of the schools that Blackstone youngsters will attend, from kindergarten through high school, will provide them with a superior learning experience.

Kindergartners through sixth graders will attend Olinda Elementary, a California Distinguished School and National Blue Ribbon School which holds the highest API score in the district -- 937 in 2010. Students also benefit from state-of-the-art facilities at the school's brand-new campus, which opened in January.

With its rustic setting near Carbon Canyon Regional Park and Olinda Historical Trails and its proximity to the 57, 91 and 60 freeways, Blackstone offers the perfect balance of rural charm and urban convenience. Residents find it easy to reach employment centers and other destinations throughout Orange, Los Angeles and Riverside Counties.

To join in the fun and celebrate Summer at the Park at Blackstone, take the 57 freeway and exit at Lambert Road. Proceed east on Lambert Road and turn left at Kraemer Boulevard into the Blackstone community. Further details are also available by visiting www.blackstonelife.com or calling each community: Sorano 714-223-0700, Amber 714-961-6011 and Jade 714-223-6908.

Blackstone is a development of Shea Tonner Hills, LLC and Standard Pacific of Tonner Hills, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

For more information, please visit www.sheahomes.com or www.StandardPacificHomes.com

*Schools serving residents of Blackstone are subject to change. For more information on school assignments, please call the Brea Olinda Unified School District at (714) 990-7800.