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.

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Now, GO FIND FUN!

"WHAT'S THAT SOUND?" FAMILY DAY IS COMING TO THE HERITAGE SOCIETY MUSEUM
THIS WEEKEND.

This Sunday, January 27 from 2-4pm, the Heritage Society is hosting a free Family Day in conjunction with the current museum exhibition, "Sounds of the Past". Visitors will learn about the history of sound machines and their inventors and visit with local collectors who will demonstrate some of the vintage phonographs and radios on exhibit in the museum. Kids can try their hand at sending messages using a telegraph key and Morse code or enjoy a swing dance performance by Second Cup Swing that showcases music from past decades. They can also create modern music in a karaoke studio and visit a crafts table to make an old fashioned communication device or a "CD Critter".

The Heritage Society Museum is located at 1100 Bagby Street in Sam Houston Park at the edge of downtown Houston. Its goal is to preserve the history of the community through preservation, restoration of historic structures, exhibition, and educational programs. Visitors should park in the paved lot directly behind the historic Kellum-Noble House; you can enter the lot via Allen Parkway inbound.

For more information, call 713.655.1912 or log onto www.heritagesociety.org.

"PAINTED CITYSCAPES" FAMILY ART WORKSHOP IN KATY.

This Friday, January 25 from 4:30 until 5:30pm, the Katy Visual and Performing Arts Center (KVPAC) is holding a free family art workshop exploring the art of city landscapes through paint and other delightfully messy media. The workshop is open to all ages but parents must stay with their children. Admission is free but tickets are required and may be picked up at KVPAC beginning 1/18/08 on a first-come, first-served basis. KVPAC was founded seven years ago in a small room off a dance studio in a warehouse and since then has grown, forcing a move to the Great Southwest Equestrian Center at 2501 S. Mason Road.

For more information, call 281.829.2787 or log onto www.kvpac.org.

DANCE HOUSTON PRESENTS HIP HOP AT ITS FINEST.

This Saturday, January 26 at 8pm at the Wortham Center, Dance Houston is presenting its 2nd annual urban dance festival, the "Winter Formal". Over one hundred and fifty local dancers will take the stage with headliners Marvelous Motion, FLY KiDS, and Revolve Dance Company.

The "Winter Formal" gathers together Houston's finest hip hop companies to showcase the various styles of urban dance that are native to our city. A startling variety is presented, one that portrays Houston artists as diverse, talented, and sophisticated. Dance styles of will range from smooth R&B to rough krumping and intricate popping to wild break dancing. To mix things up, FLY KiDS will set their signature hip hop moves to classical music and Revolve Dance Company will perform their polished contemporary dance with a hip hop soundtrack. Also on the lineup are performances by Planet Funk and a debut by Ghost Crew. Dance Houston’s mission is to increase dance appreciation in the city by making dance concerts fun, relaxed and affordable. DISCOUNT TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE AT WWW.STUBDOG.COM.

For more information, call 713.526.1049 or log onto www.dancehouston.org.

JOIN THE KICK-OFF OF A FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN FOR THE RECIPE FOR SUCCESS FOUNDATION.

Houston’s star chefs and food loving hosts are once again joining forces to raise money on behalf of the Recipe for Success Foundation with “We’re Cooking Now! a gala in small bites,” a series of thirteen unique culinary opportunities held throughout the winter and spring of 2008. The kick-off, “A Suite Life Food Rave,” will be January 31 at Hotel Zaza and will feature Executive Chef Bradley Manchester. Eleven delectable dinners later, the series will wrap on May 6 with “Pasha Perfect, an Exotic Culinary Adventure,” in the penthouse of Gracie and Bob Cavnar, showcasing the creative talents of The Glass Wall’s Chef/Owner Lance Fegan.

"We’re Cooking Now! a gala in small bites" are events for 16-50 people ranging in price from $100 to $1,500 per person. Discounts are available to supporters who purchase more than $5,000 in tickets. The Recipe for Success Foundation is dedicated to combating childhood obesity and encouraging long term health by altering the way children understand, appreciate and eat their food.

For more information, call 713.520.0443 or log onto www.recipe4success.org.

MOMSRISING IS TAKING ACTION ON TOXIC TOYS.

More than 20 million toys have been recalled over the last six months which is a startling statistic that's really terrifying for parents of young kids. Our Congress is trying to pass a law that will make our children's toys safe again, but the administration--with the help of Nancy Nord, the head of the federal agency in charge of making sure our children's toys are safe--is trying to kill the bill because they don't like regulating corporations.

Along with members of MomsRising, I feel that's outrageous and have signed the petition (www.salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1768/signUp.jsp?key=2827) demanding that Congress pass this legislation to make our children's toys safer and work to replace Nancy Nord, the head of the CPSC. We are telling Congress "We demand safe, lead-free toys for children. Congress must strengthen the agencies responsible for protecting kids from toxic products and remove the bureaucrats who are standing in the way." In addition to getting this bill passed by Congress, you can check www.healthytoys.org for ratings which provide a relative measure of high, medium and low concentrations of several hazardous chemicals or chemical elements in a toy or children's product.

For more information, log onto www.momsrising.org.

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

© 2008 Sarah Gish

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