Happy Valentine's Day! I hope you feel the love as you go about your day tomorrow (don't forget to love not only your significant other but also your kids -- they love Valentine's goodies too!).

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!

OH YEAH, I LOVE CHOCOLATE.

So I'll be heading to the Bayou Bend "Chocolate Family Day" this Sunday, February 17 from 1-5pm. And I'm not alone in my amore -- chocolate is the world's most popular dessert and, in fact, ever since America's first chocolate factory was established in Dorchester, Massachusetts in 1771, Americans have been enjoying chocolate in every conceivable form.

This month, Bayou Bend joins the celebration with a day of chocolate-based art and activities. Kids will get to create chocolate-flavored spoons to use later in a favorite hot drink and make miniature sculptures with chocolate-scented modeling clay while storytellers and puppeteers provide chocolate-inspired performances.

Bayou Bend hosts "Family Days" on the third Sunday of each month. The Museum is located off Memorial Drive just west of Shepherd. It is one of the Museum of Fine Arts' Decorative Arts Centers (the other is Rienzi, located at 1406 Kirby Drive).

For more information, call 713.639.7750 or log onto www.mfah.org/bayoubend.

CELEBRATE "BLACK HISTORY MONTH" WITH JONES PARK IN HUMBLE.

This Saturday, February 16 at 1pm, there will be a "Black History Presentation" with Frank Jackson, Mayor of Prairie View, who will speak on the history and contributions of early blacks in Houston, Harris County and Southeast Texas. Later that evening, the park will host a Pioneer Campfire -- "Freedom Spoken Here" -- at 6:30pm. Families can enjoy an evening around a campfire as locally renowned singer/performer Jean Donatto tells the story of Phillis Wheatley, the first black poet to publish a book and earn a living from writing. All ages are welcome and the campfire is free.

Jesse H. Jones Park & Nature Center, a Harris County Precinct 4 facility under the leadership of Commissioner Jerry Eversole, is located at 20634 Kenswick Drive. All programs at the park are free of charge and open to the public.

For more information or to make reservations for the Pioneer Campfire, call 281.446.8588 or log onto www.hcp4.net/jones.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW TO SEE AUTHOR KATHERINE PATERSON.

Next Saturday, February 24 at 3pm at the Cullen Theater in the Wortham Center, "Cool Brains! Inprint Readings for Young People" will present an afternoon with award-winning children’s author Katherine Paterson, who wrote Bridge to Terabithia, which was recently made into a feature film. Paterson will read from her work, followed by a book sale and signing, during which audience members can meet the author. Admission is free and open to the public, and plenty of seating will be available.

For more information, call 713.521.2026 or log onto www.inprinthouston.org.

HELP THE GREATER TEXAS PEACEJAM PROGRAM BY ATTENDING A TRAINING SESSION THIS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16.

PeaceJam is an international education program built around Nobel Peace Laureates who work personally with youth and inspire and create a new generation of young leaders committed to non-violence and positive change in themselves, their communities and the world. Teens study the work of a Nobel Peace Laureate, carry out a community service project, and then attend a conference to meet Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Betty Williams, a mother and homemaker in Belfast, Northern Ireland who began a grassroots peace movement that eventually led to a peace accord. 12 Nobel Peace Laureates have come together to support the PeaceJam mission. Since the inception of PeaceJam in 1996, more than 40,000 teenagers worldwide have participated and created more than 100,000 new service projects to further the cause of peace.

Here are ways you can help spread the PeaceJam:

• Start a PeaceJam group in your school, church, youth organization, or neighborhood. All you need is an Adult Sponsor and youth. The next sponsor training is February 16 from 9am until 3pm on the UH central campus.
  
  
• Volunteer to help before and during the conference.
  
  
• Donate to sponsor a child ($75 registration fee) or to help the PeaceJam program (go to www.peacejam.org for donation details).
  
  
• Spread the word to friends, churches, schools, and the media.

For more information, call 713.743.8039 or log onto www.uh.edu/news-events/newsrelease.php?releaseid_int=135.

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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