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!

NOTHING SPELLS FUN LIKE BOAT TOURS AND STARGAZING.

Jesse H. Jones Park and Nature Center in northwest Houston is busy, busy this weekend! On Saturday, January 31 the staff is offering pontoon boat tours along Spring Creek. Boaters will learn about the area’s natural history and wildlife and tours are offered throughout the day. That evening, the North Houston Astronomy Club will host a stargazing night at 7pm – the Club will teach about planets, stars, and other celestial bodies. There’s nothing like looking at stars away from the city lights! And mark your calendar now for the Park’s “Homestead Heritage Day” on Saturday, February 7 from 10am-4pm, where families can get a taste of Texas life during the 1800s. Jesse H. Jones Park & Nature Center is located at 20634 Kenswick Drive in Humble and it’s named after Jesse Holman Jones, the son of a Tennessee farmer who brought his family to Texas with dreams of a better life. Then seventeen, Jesse completed a four-month business course in Dallas in only five weeks, and then became an instructor. Jesse soon found that teaching was not his calling and wandered from job to job until finally becoming a manager at his uncle’s lumber company. He used his financial savvy and business instincts to go on to build a fortune in the construction and building industry. Thirty-five of Houston’s earliest skyscrapers were built as a result of Jones’ efforts to make Houston a top-ranking city. His legacy lives on through the Houston Endowment, which he and his wife, Mary Gibbs Jones, established in 1937. It was the Endowment that gave the Park the seed money to be built.

Saturday’s programs are free and open to the public, but reservations are required.

THIS IS A SORCERER’S APPRENTICE YOU’VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

My son Matthew and I have been going with friends to see Company Onstage children's theater productions for four years and their most recent production, “The Sorcerer’s Other Apprentice,” has to be their best production yet! The costumes are wonderful as is the acting and singing. In this story, young Chip wants to be a genuine wizard, not just an apprentice. Her boss, Merwyn the wise Sorcerer (not to be confused with Merlin!), sends Chip on a special quest to meet a very independent princess and a fiercely funny dragon. In the end, she discovers that she is a real wizard after all. COS was founded in 1977 by Joyce Randall McNally, formerly the associate director of the Alley Theatre. She began by offering acting classes for children and adults at St. John's Presbyterian Church in southwest Houston and in 1982, COS moved to its present location in Westbury Square, transforming space that had been used as a lamp store into a community theater. In 1986, COS was organized as a Texas non-profit corporation and a Board of Directors was formed. Its mission is to serve the community by offering professional quality performances of contemporary and classic theater for children and adults in an intimate setting at affordable prices. COS provides the opportunity for everyone in the community to participate in theater by attending performances, taking classes, or volunteering for all phases of production.

Performances are onstage through February 14 and are on Saturdays at 11am and 1:30pm at 536 Westbury Square. Tickets are $8/each.

ITALY COMES TO HOUSTON.

The Italian Cultural and Community Center and Italiane di Houston are hosting a family event, "Festa Di Carnevale," this Sunday, February 1 from 3:30-5:30pm at the Italian Cultural and Community Center at 1101 Milford Street in the Museum District. Everyone is welcome and is encouraged to wear a costume or at least a mask and there will plenty of games, snacks, music and fun for children. "Festa di Carnevale" is an Italian festival for children that is full of costumes, parties, and celebrations before the time of "quaresima", a time of quiet introspection 40 days prior to Easter. Parents are encouraged to join in the fun by dressing up as well!

Admission is children/$2 and adults/$5 (snack and beverage included).

For information, call Rita Fiore at 832.863.7074 or email italianedihouston@yahoo.it.

WITH A CHORUS LIKE THIS ONE, WHO NEEDS A LINE?

The critically acclaimed HGO Chorus takes center stage in "Chorus!", an operatic journey that is a dynamic and colorful production featuring Houston's finest singers performing some of the most heart-stopping choruses of all time, from Puccini's Madame Butterfly, Bizet's Carmen, Verdi's Macbeth and more."Chorus!" is onstage January 30 through February 13 and great seats are still available for performances on Saturday, February 7 and Friday, February 13.

Purchase tickets online at www.HoustonGrandOpera.org or call 713.228.OPERA (6737).

SMART, SAVVY MOMS DISCUSS SOCIAL MEDIA AT HOUSTON'S "MOM 2.0 SUMMIT" FEBRUARY 19-21.

Women. Moms. Marketers. Houston is about to be hit with a wave of awesome gals (along with a Guy and Mr. Mann!) coming together at the Four Seasons for the Mom 2.0 Summit on February, 19-21, 2009. The Mom 2.0 Summit is a meeting place for moms, marketers, bloggers, mompreneurs and smart savvy women to get to know one another, swap ideas, and meet some great peeps. A place to connect, converse, and build relationships. This year's Summit discussions will focus on social media, marketing, networks, and brand building. We will explore what those relationships mean and how we all contribute to social media. Are you curious what this whole Social Media thing is about? Well, so are we! Curious how it can help you streamline, share, enhance or make your life better? Us, too! Or, do you just love a great party with other amazing women? Um, yes please! Well, we've gotcha covered! We've put together an amazing group of women (and a few lucky guys) to gather in Houston to discuss all of these topics and much, much more. We'll also feature a two day expo aimed at giving you the best of services and products for women, and of course...the parties! How could we forget the parties?! We hope to see you at the Summit in February! For inquiries please contact monica@mom2summit.com.

Special for Gish Picks Readers! The Mom 2.0 Summit will be offering 10% off all ticket types, be it the full conference registration, or the "light version" of Networking (aka: parties!) and Expo ticket. Just enter the code GISH when registering.

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

© 2009 Sarah Gish

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