Gish Picks: Week of March 24, 2010

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WHAT'S NEW THIS WEEK?

Isn't LIFE interesting? If you want to know more about it, catch the new BBC/Discovery Channel series, LIFE, on Sunday nights, 8-10pm, between now and April 21. My family and I loved PLANET EARTH and this series is by the same makers -- we watched the first episode last Sunday and it's really great. Oprah Winfrey narrates the story of life's creatures, planets, and habitats in a way that is educational yet gripping.

I recommend that you don't miss out on LIFE!

"YOUTH ART MONTH” WRAPS UP

This weekend closes out “Youth Art Month”, a national event created in 1961 by the Art and Creative Materials Institute in association with the National Art Education Association. Various arts organizations host events and Governor Rick Perry and his wife select ten pieces of art that exemplify the theme (this year it is “Art Shapes the World”), which you can view here. Clear Creek ISD is participating by presenting an exhibition of approximately 500 works of art produced by students K-12th grade from March 25-April 7 at The Arts Alliance Center at Clear Lake, 2000 Nasa Pkwy, Nassau Bay. Other events include an art workshop this Saturday, March 27 at noon at Discovery Green and the 2010 Texas Art Education Association annual Houston Area Youth Art Month Exhibition at Discovery Green’s HPL Express Library.

SO MANY COOL EVENTS THIS WEEKEND!

Sometimes I just can’t limit myself, so here’s a quick recap on four events I think sound fun for families. Pick one or pick ‘em all!

“Peace, Love, and Art” is the theme of the Katy Visual and Performing Arts Center’s annual “ARTS for ALL! Family Festival” this Saturday, March 27, 10am-5pm at LaCenterra at Cinco Ranch, 23501 Cinco Ranch Boulevard in Katy. The event is free.

The Houston Institute for Culture is hosting a benefit concert and live video shoot (for an Artery documentary) with the band Pistoleros de Tejas at The Artery, 5401 Jackson Street starting at 7pm on Saturday, March 27 . Suggested donation is $5-10 and benefits HIC’s youth programs.

Kemah Boardwalk is hosting a free “Steel Drum Music Fest” this Saturday, March 27 and Sunday, March 28 – they promise good family fun. Hours are 10:30am-11pm (Saturday) and 10:30am-10pm (Sunday).

Fantasy, sci-fi, and horror illustrators, animators, and webcomic gurus are in town this weekend at “Comicpalooza,” held at the George R. Brown Convention Center. Ticket prices vary and start at $10/children and $20/adults.

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

Grab your kids and head to Terry Hershey Park this weekend for an easy volunteer opportunity: the annual “Trash Bash” this Saturday, March 27 from 8am-noon. The “Trash Bash” takes place at several locations and the cleanup at Terry Hershey Park is sponsored by the Bayou Preservation Association. The actual work takes place 9-11am and is followed by a free lunch from 11am-noon -- free t-shirts and fun environmental activities are also promised onsite. Please contact BPA in advance to volunteer.

Five hundred acre Terry Hershey Park is located at 15200 Memorial Drive between N. Eldridge Parkway and Highway 6. It’s named after Terese "Terry" Hershey who, with then Congressman George Bush, defeated a proposal in the 1960s to channelize and pave Buffalo Bayou, as had been done earlier to portions of the banks of White Oak Bayou and Braes Bayou. She was a tireless supporter of conservation causes and founded BPA with her late husband, Jacob “Jake” Hershey. The Park contains 12.5 acres of a hike and bike trail as well as restrooms, gazebos, a lighted walking trail, exercise stations, playground, and picnic sites. And if you enter the section of the park between Memorial Drive and I-10, check out their walk-in sundial: your shadow will tell you the time if you stand on the appropriate stone (as long as the sun is shining!).

DISCOVER JUST HOW MUCH FUN SUMMER CAMPING CAN BE AT THE YMCA!

Soar through outer space. Roam through the jungle. Or experiment with wacky science. A world of discovery awaits youngsters up to 12 years old at one of 38 YMCA summer day camps all across the area. No one creates camping experiences quite like the YMCA. For more than 125 years, children of all ages have discovered real, big, fun and memories and friendships to last a lifetime. With the most age-specific programs available, your child can literally grow with the YMCA, enjoying one incredible camp right after another. Have teens? Got Talent? Bring it to the YMCA this summer. The stage is set for you to shine. The YMCA presents “The Show”, a weekly tribute to some of today’s most-popular reality television shows, where kids are the stars. And, for those seeking an overnight camp packed with adventure, there’s YMCA Camp Cullen.

Learn more about all of the YMCA camping programs or register online at www.discoverymcacamping.org.

STUDENTS, START YOUR ENGINES.

Student engineers from 50 high school and college teams across the Americas are competing this weekend for the title of the most fuel-efficient vehicle during the "2010 Shell Eco-marathon Americas®", taking place for the first time on the streets of downtown Houston. Student teams will make history by competing in high-mileage, eco-friendly “Prototype” and “UrbanConcept” vehicles fueled by gasoline, hydrogen, diesel fuel, liquid petroleum gas (LPG) or solar power. The winning teams in both the Prototype and UrbanConcept categories will receive a grand prize of $5,000 USD for their school. The Eco-marathon takes place at Discovery Green and begins with student test runs all day long on Friday, March 26. Events and races will continue on Saturday from 9am-8pm (the official challenge kick-off is at 9am) and Sunday, 8am-7pm (the winner announcement/awards ceremony is at 6pm.)

As an energy company, Shell is focused on reducing the environmental footprint of its operations and products and helping meet the world’s growing demand for energy in secure and sustainable ways. The Shell Eco-marathon® inspires others to think about energy efficiency and offers a platform to work on solutions in a very practical manner. Additionally, the Shell Eco-marathon demonstrates the importance of science and technology and how Shell encourages graduates in these disciplines to pursue a career using these core skills. Event sponsors this year include the City of Houston, SKF USA, Inc., Autodesk, Michelin, and Pennzoil.

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