Gish Picks: Week of March 10, 2010

Click here for more information about The Summer Book® 2010!

WHAT'S NEW THIS WEEK?

Summer is almost here and we want to help you with your summer planning! You can now get our 2010 edition of THE SUMMER BOOK®: A GUIDE TO HOUSTON DAY CAMPS AND CLASSES FOR KIDS AND TEENS at these fine bookstores:

Blue Willow Bookshop

Brazos Bookstore

British Isles

Christ Church Cathedral Bookstore

Fundamentally Toys

Kaboom Books

The Motherhood Center

River Oaks Bookstore

We’ll let you know when we’ve got it stocked in other locations.

SPRING HAS SPRUNG AT RIENZI AND BAYOU BEND.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston is throwing open its doors to spring (and hopefully, spring weather!) this weekend at its two house museums, Rienzi and Bayou Bend. The second annual “Spring House & Garden Days” takes place Friday, March 12 through Sunday, March 14. Organized as a follow-up to the annual River Oaks Garden Club’s “Azalea Trail”, this event will showcase the flora and fauna that populate the celebrated gardens of both mansions. Be sure to check out all the fun for the kids!

RIENZI ACTIVITIES

Saturday, March 13, 11am-3:30pm
Trees and Saplings with Trees for Houston
Kids get to pick up their own saplings and learn how to plant and care for their tree.

Saturday, March 13, 11am-noon
Fowl of Southeast Texas with Wildlife Rehab and Education Center
Kids will learn about wildlife such as the great horned owl and the red-tailed hawk.

Saturday, March 13, noon-2pm
Wildlife Screen Printing with Young Audiences of Houston
Kids will get to make and bring home a screen print of their favorite wildlife or garden creature.

Saturday, March 13, 2-4pm
Organic Gardening with Urban Harvest
Kids will get tips to make organic gardening easy.

Sunday, March 14, 1-5pm
Texas Animals from the Houston Zoo
The “Mobile Zoo” will give kids an up close look at animals and reptiles.

Sunday, March 14, 2-4pm
Printing Wild with Artist Boat
Children will creative native prints as a group while learning about preservation of the ecosystem.

Sunday, March 14, 2-4pm
Landscape and Flower Photography
Bring your camera to this demo with photographer Wendi Schoffstall, who will show how to capture the best photos.

BAYOU BEND ACTIVITIES

Saturday, March 13, 10am-2pm
Fun with ABNC!
Kids will learn about the great outdoors with the staff of the Armand Bayou Nature Center.

Saturday, March 13, 10:30am-12:30pm and 1:30-4:30pm
Science + Nature = Naturalists
These family workshops are presented by Artist Boat and will begin each hour on the half-hour. Everyone will get to paint the scenic gardens of Bayou Bend while learning about preservation of the ecosystem.

Saturday, March 13, 11am-noon
Fowl of Southeast Texas with Wildlife Rehab and Education Center
Kids will learn about wildlife such as the great horned owl and the red-tailed hawk.

Sunday, March 14, 1-5pm
Petting Zoo
There will be young rabbits and more at this special hands-on exhibit.

Sunday, March 14, 1-5pm
Birds’ Nests with Houston Arboretum
Kids will get to make their own nests to take home.

The homes will be open Thursday through Sunday from 10am–5pm and Sunday from 1-5 pm. Admission is $15 for a three-day pass and $10 for a single-day pass. Children 12 and under are free with adult admission.

Parking is free at Bayou Bend at the Memorial Drive at Westcott entrance with a complimentary shuttle between Rienzi and Bayou Bend. Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens is located at 1 Westcott Street and Rienzi is located at 1406 Kirby Drive.

“SHANTI: A JOURNEY OF PEACE” IS TRULY BLISS.

The University of Houston Cullen Performance Hall will be transformed into a truly unique extravaganza during “Shanti: A Journey of Peace,” being presented by the Shanti Choir at 5pm and 8:30pm this Saturday, March 13. The dazzling ninety-minute performance features performers who come from 30 different nationalities and myriad races, religions and backgrounds.

“Shanti: A Journey of Peace” is a modern "Broadway style" show that combines Western choral and orchestral music with Indian classical music and dances portraying over 5,000 years of the cultural history of India. The expansive, collaborative, local choir performance explores the message of peace, joy and the interconnectedness of us all through the dance, music and images of India. Over 200 Houston performers from the first-of-its-kind Indian-American community choir (the Shanti Choir) unite with the United Nations Association International Choir (UNAIC) to bring the message of “Shanti” alive. If you’re wondering about the origins of “shanti,” it’s a Hindu word meaning “peace” and many Hindu teachings end with the words “Om shanti shanti shanti” as an invocation of living peace. Interestingly, that mantra is also used to conclude some Buddhist devotional ceremonies. Let there be peace on earth!

IRISH DANCERS ARE FEATURED AT ART FEST.

Blossom Street Gallery is hosting a St. Patrick's Day Show, not on THE day, but this Saturday, March 13 from 1-6pm. There will be an indoor art exhibit featuring 30 of Houston's finest artists who work with abstract photography, jewelry design and more and live music by Soul Fixx, an acoustic rock band. Special guest performers from the Cass Academy of Irish Dance will jig it up at 3pm. The Cass Academy was founded by Erin Cass and offers traditional Irish dance lessons in The Woodlands and Katy.

The Gallery is located at 1302 Nance Street on the east side of downtown.

THIS WEEK'S ATTRACTION...HERMAN BROWN PARK. For more attractions, go to www.gishcreative.com/attractions.htm.

I am always on the prowl for unusual attractions and events so I think I found a real hidden gem this week. I’ve lived in Houston my entire life and have never heard of Herman Brown Park, listed as one of the four “flagship” parks in the City of Houston’s inventory (the other three being Hermann Park, Memorial Park, and Lake Houston Park). This whopping 750-acre park is located on the northeast side of Houston, near the junction of Loop 610 and I-10. It offers the most amenities of our city parks, which include a bike path, fishing holes, tennis courts, picnic areas and playgrounds. The center of the park is an area of hardwood forest with hiking trails and the City of Houston and the Houston Parks Board have plans to develop more playgrounds and a soccer field. By the way, I found this park by way of a groovy little book, Best Easy Day Hikes Houston by Keith Stelter. I haven’t been there yet, so if you visit, let me know your impressions.

The park is located at 400 Mercury Drive.

PARENT/CHILD ART WORKSHOP AT BODY MIND & SOUL.

Here's a great way to kick off Spring Break -- grab your kids and join me for art fun. This Saturday, March 13, 2:30-4:30pm I am presenting an "I Can Fly" workshop at Body Mind & Soul, 4344 Westheimer at Mid Lane, 713.993.0550. My workshop provides a great opportunity for you to connect with your child (or children) in a unique way: by learning what they love and by creating a work of art together that you will take home. We'll spend a quiet two hours to learn how to teach children to “fly” – to follow their heart and uncover their bliss. I'll give you some concrete ways to encourage children’s passions which will be followed by an art activity specifically designed to reveal each person’s creativity and joy. During the workshop, there will be time for each child to talk about what makes their heart sing while the group listens.

The workshop is $35 per parent/child pair (children 6-10 years old, please); if you have more than one child you will be bringing, please add $5/child. Each attendee will receive a $25 gift certificate from Hollywood Frame Gallery. Sign up early, as size will be limited. REGISTRATION IN ADVANCE IS PREFERRED.

I present these 3 times a year at Body Mind & Soul and you can also hire me to create a workshop for your group. Give me a call or shoot me an email if you’re interested. I'm here to help!

GISH PICKS is a free weekly email in which I highlight family-oriented cultural events, products or services. Please note that I "highlight" 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.

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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.


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