Gish Picks: Week of January 13, 2010


Welcome to this week's "Gish Picks", where I highlight family-oriented cultural events, products or services. Please note that I "highlight" these events, but I don't know if they are appropriate for your particular children, so choose wisely based on age, maturity and interests. I know many of you go to events based on GISH PICKS recommendations; PLEASE remember to tell the organization that you are there because of us. Word-of-mouth like yours helps our business to grow. In the same spirit, please also feel free to share GISH PICKS with friends and families. Do you have something you would like to promote on Gish Picks? Advertisers can promote family-friendly events, products or services to Houstonians all over the city and the surrounding area who are active parents, involved citizens and great shoppers. We love doing this community service and want to keep it free for our readers but in order to justify the hours spent researching, writing and designing this newsletter, we need advertising support. If you'd like to learn more, please click below. We're busy putting together THE SUMMER BOOK: A GUIDE TO HOUSTON DAY CAMPS AND CLASSES FOR KIDS AND TEENS, so if you are the director of a summer camp program, please check our website for details. The book will be available in bookstores March 1. Stay tuned for details! TWEETIN' FOR CULTURE! Hey tweet peeps! Follow me on Twitter you'll get lots of PICKS of fun times in Houston – news you can use. I look forward to being stalked by you! Now, GO FIND FUN!

EXPLORE ASIAN INFLUENCES AT BAYOU BEND.

Asian countries have had a huge impact on our culture – there’s proof of that every time we drink tea! This Sunday January 17, 1-5pm, Bayou Bend hosts a free “Family Day” that explores the origins of this cultural inspiration. Families can enjoy dance and music from Asian cultures and then tour the collection as they see firsthand the Asian influences in Bayou Bend – from tea to design to fashion. There will be performances by Ari Rang Korean Folk Dance (1:15pm); Dilruba (2:30pm) and Dance of Asian America (3:30pm). Bayou Bend hosts a free “Family Day” each month; different outdoor and indoor activities, demonstrations, and performances are scheduled around a special theme. They offer tours of the first floor of the house and plenty of hands-on activities, refreshments, and door prizes.

Bayou Bend was designed as a private residence for philanthropist Miss Ima Hogg and her brothers, Will and Mike. Although the house was not built until 1928, the room settings faithfully re-create interiors from previous eras. Miss Hogg donated Bayou Bend to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston in 1957, with the understanding that it would be converted into a house museum. Over the next decade, rooms that once served Miss Hogg's personal needs were transformed into period settings to showcase her superb collection. Although the house opened to the public in 1966, Miss Hogg continued avidly to collect for her beloved Bayou Bend until her death in 1975 at the age of 93.

ART CHANGES LIVES, ESPECIALLY IN PRISON.

I love it when art truly makes a difference and in the case of the Children’s Prison Arts Project, it’s tangible. Talento Bilingüe de Houston presents “Making a Difference: Paintings by Children's Prison Arts Project,” an exhibition which will be on view through January 29; the gallery is open weekdays 9am-5pm. The Children's Prison Arts Project is a year-round program of creative writing, theater and visual arts workshops to encourage constructive self-expression, positive self-images and non-violent solutions in incarcerated/neglected youth. As they learn, the kids explore creative and artistic expressions, increase their ability to work on tasks from start to finish, and learn how to use the arts to communicate difficult thoughts and feelings. Art is the catalyst for self-expression and it is through their creativity that these youth can begin to envision a new and better life for themselves.

HOCKEY IS GOOD FAMILY FUN!

Houston Aeros hockey is great affordable fun for families & groups! This Saturday, January 13, the Aeros host Canada Night and Boy Scout Night so you won’t want to miss out as the Aeros battle the Toronto Marlies at Toyota Center. Game time is scheduled for 7:35pm and the first 3,000 fans receive a set of Aeros trading cards! Call 1.866.GO AEROS to reserve your seat.

Visit www.aeros.com for the Aeros TV schedule with FS Houston this season. Also, make sure you follow the Aeros on Facebook and Twitter for inside news and specials! Houston Aeros hockey…Experience the game!

THIS WEEK'S ATTRACTION...MOVIE THEATRES WITH DINING. For more attractions, go to www.gishcreative.com/attractions.htm.

Now that the new year is firmly off the ground, it’s time to break those dieting resolutions and head out to Houston’s movie theatres that offer restaurant food. I have listed the options below; have fun noshin’ and watchin’!

Star Cinema Grill has 2 locations – in Clear Lake and Conroe – and boasts “films, food, full bar.” They don’t allow kids under 5 unless it’s for a G or PG movie; kids 6-17 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

You’ll find wacky and weird flicks at Alamo Drafthouse, which has 2 locations – West Oaks and Mason in Katy. They don’t allow children under 6, except on Tuesdays, when they have a “Baby Day” at the first matinee of each show.

Also with 2 locations (Copperfield and CityCentre), Studio Movie Grill is starting a new series, “Kid Toons Family Movie,” on Saturdays that features $2 films.

GET CLOSE TO OPERA IN THE HEIGHTS.

There's no need to be intimidated by opera, thanks to Opera in the Heights. This company is unique in Houston because their productions make classical opera come alive for everyone — from the opera devotee to the novice. Excellence is the essential and the productions are high-energy events in an intimate and unintimidating setting. This is truly opera for everybody.

OH continues their season with two operas this spring. Giuseppe Verdi's "Un Ballo In Maschera," a tale of love and politics will be onstage January 28, 29, 30 and February 4, 5, 6 at 7:30pm nightly and Puccini's classic love story "La Boheme" is onstage March 26, 27 and April 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, also at 7:30pm nightly.

FAMILY MUSIC FOR BABIES AND PRESCHOOLERS!

Your children will love Musik-Go-Round, an early childhood music studio located in Bellaire that promotes music development in children birth to 5 years old. It uses the acclaimed Musikgarten curriculum that offers a sequential plan of musical development to grow with your child all the way to group piano lessons. Activities will include bouncing and rocking songs, finger play and body awareness, and singing, listening, and imaginative play. Musikgarten classes stimulate the brain, foster physical and language development, and cultivate listening skills. Director Jill Vaughan has a degree in music education from Miami University and taught private piano lessons to both children and adults for over 12 years before becoming certified and licensed in Musikgarten.

Musik-Go-Round currently offers classes for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers, with parent (or caregiver) participating in class with their child(ren). Encouraging families to grow together musically is a primary goal of the program.

Sign up your kids now for classes that are available in 7 or 14 week sessions beginning Tuesday, January 26. Classes will meet at Bellaire United Methodist Church, 4417 Bellaire Boulevard, Room 220, on Tuesday mornings. Visitors are welcome to attend a free demonstration class on Tuesday, January 19 at 9am, 9:45am or 10:30am; see website for details.

For more about my marketing company, Gish Creative, and the services we offer, please click here. You are on this list because I thought this e-newsletter would be helpful to you or because you signed up for it. However, if you want off this list, click here and you're a goner. Please feel free to tell your friends to subscribe by clicking here.My goal is to serve as an information resource for Houston parents through my various endeavors, including:

GISH PICKS, which is online (www.thesummerbook.com/gishpicks_archive.html) and in the Houston Community Newspaper group (www.hcnonline.com);

THE SUMMER BOOK®: A GUIDE TO HOUSTON DAY CAMPS AND CLASSES FOR KIDS AND TEENS (www.thesummerbook.com) which comes out annually on March 1 and is sold at bookstores all over Houston, including Barnes and Noble and Borders; and

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS, INTERACTIVE WORKSHOPS, PRIVATE CONSULTATIONS, and ART PROGRAMS that cover topics such as summertime fun, passion-finding (for adults, children and parents and children together), marketing, historic preservation, art classes, and activism. All of these services can be tailored for any audience and budget.

The purpose of GISH PICKS is to help parents become aware of all the fun things they can do with their children in Houston and the surrounding area, so HAPPY TRAVELS! Please do give me feedback and ideas, as you are out there in the trenches also looking for interesting things for your family and I want to hear what you find. If you are having trouble getting to a website listed here, try hitting the “Ctrl” button and left-clicking on the web address, which should make it “live”.


Sarah Gish Gish Creative 1940-A Fountainview, PMB 116 Houston, Texas 77057 phone/fax: 713.532.1173 email: sarah@gishcreative.com web: www.gishcreative.com and: www.thesummerbook.com and: www.saveourlandmarks.org © 2010 Sarah Gish Designed by West of the World