The Real Dallas Housewives

Real Housewives? 7 awesome women we'd love to see represent Dallas on TV

It's official: The Real Housewives franchise is coming to Dallas. We spotted a Bravo camera crew at the 20th annual DIFFA/Dallas Holiday Wreath Collection, with their cameras pointed at LeeAnne Locken and Tiffany Hendra, among others, even though the network has yet to confirm the cast.

According to a spokesperson, "Bravo has not yet made any announcement for The Real Housewives of Dallas and has no further comment." Another spinoff, The Real Housewives of the Potomac, also is set for 2016.

The executive vice president of Bravo Media, Shari Levine, does say in a release that the network is "happy to extend the franchise with Potomac and Dallas, giving Bravo fans more of what they desire: stories of dynamic women who make us laugh, cry, cheer, and experience unforgettable moments we can't stop talking about."

"As for The Real Housewives of Dallas, it's a natural extension of the franchise with a Southern twist that 'ya'll' will enjoy," echoes Andy Cohen, who serves as executive producer of the franchise, in the same release.

While we wait for the official word on whose exploits we'll be following, we put together a list of badass women we'd be excited to see represent Dallas on the small screen.

Suzanne Droese
Droese's fabulousness is matched only by her fabulous client list. The founder of Droese PR always is out and about with her architect husband, David, at haute events like Two x Two. We also appreciate how this mother of twin teenage boys and entrepreneur empowers the young women who work for her.

Nancy Koen
Our editors' pick for this year's Stylemaker Awards, the fashion industry veteran also is the co-founder of B. Stellar Jewelry. The East Dallas mom is stylish, obviously, but she's also just so darn likable.

Dawn Neufeld
The wife of former NFL player Ryan Neufeld is much more than just a celebrity spouse: She's also a lawyer, TV personality, CultureMap video host, and activist in the autism community. Neufeld's volunteering efforts have stretched across Dallas and beyond, and her autism involvement has no doubt helped shine a light on the condition her son shares.

Melissa Rountree
Mom, Realtor, champion of myriad causes, and our 2014 readers' choice Stylemaker, Rountree is the whole package. And, because she doesn't seem to sleep, she's also a fitness instructor at Bar Method and the founder of online fitness apparel retailer Level 3 Active.

Pat Smith
Obviously. The famous philanthropist's beauty is matched only by her generosity. She does untold good works through her Treasure You foundation and with her husband, NFL great Emmitt Smith, and their charities. Who wouldn't want to see this power couple in action?

Gail Warrior
We're always eager to check in with Warrior, who, aside from running her company Warrior Group, heads up the Heart of a Warrior Foundation and oversees Warrior Elements, a luxury active lifestyle brand. Plus, that name, right?

Kimberly Whitman
This lifestyle and entertaining expert has built up quite the brand, writing several books and serving as Southern Living editor-at-large and Today Show contributor. Oh, and did we mention she's also the new lifestyle editor-at-large at CultureMap? (And the social maven's RSVP Social Calendar is coming with her.) She's always been someone worth watching.

Kimberly Schlegel Whitman

Photo courtesy of NorthPark Center

Kimberly Schlegel Whitman

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Editor's note: The top Dallas news of the week begins with a big accolade for an area city. Plus, a massive mixed-use development is on its way to McKinney, and we introduce you to the Tastemaker Awards nominees for Dallas Bar of the Year. Get the details on our most popular stories below, then visit our event planner for weekend fun.

1. Dallas-Fort Worth suburb blooms as No. 1 best place to live in U.S. One Dallas-area city took the top slot on a new list of "the 100 Best Places to Live in 2025." The list — from relocation marketing platform Livability.com — put Flower Mound at No. 1 for its appealing size and affordability.

2. Massive mixed-use development coming to key intersection in McKinney. McKinney is getting a new $1.3 billion mixed-use development. Called Long Branch, it will be a 155-acre project at the northwest corner of US-75 and the future 380 bypass, consisting of housing, retail, office, grocery, and hospitality.

Long Branch McKinney Long Branch development planned for McKinney Rendering courtesy of Creation

3. 10 best bars in Dallas for 2025 craft cocktails and community. It's time to toast the 2025 Bar of the Year nominees in our annual Tastemaker Awards. The list includes new and not-so-new bars, ranging from a subterranean lounge to a bar perched high in a downtown hotel.

4. 6 Dallas bars unveil new on-trend cocktail menus for spring 2025. Dallas restaurants regularly roll out menus these days that follow the season, keeping things fresh by taking advantage of whatever's being harvested. But bars are getting in on the action, too, unfurling creative drink menus that make the most of seasonal ingredients and flavor trends.

5. Wildlife authorities now find avian flu in mammals in Texas Panhandle. The avian flu creeps closer and closer: According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), recent testing has detected Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in mammal species in Texas including foxes, raccoons, striped skunks, and domestic cats located in the Texas panhandle.