Gish Picks: Week of June 4, 2008


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. 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. Do you have something you would like to promote on Gish Picks? Advertisers can promote family-friendly events, products or services to Houstonians all over the city and the surrounding area who are active parents, involved citizens and great shoppers. We love doing this community service and want to keep it free for our readers but in order to justify the hours spent researching, writing and designing this newsletter, we need advertising support. If you'd like to learn more, please click below. Now, GO FIND FUN!

KIDS CAN MAKE HAND-WOVEN TAPESTRIES.

This Saturday, June 7, from 11am until 3pm, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft presents "Hands-On Houston", a free craft-activity open house for the whole family on the first Saturday of every month. This month fiber artist Lynn Gammon will introduce children and adults to some basic hand-weaving techniques. Each participant will use a cardboard hand loom to weave a mini-tapestry. The activity is suitable for all ages and all materials are provided. After weaving a mini-masterpiece, participants are encouraged to see fabulous fiber art and other crafts made by the exceptional Texas artists in "CraftTexas 2008" (on view in the main galleries through August 17). Houston Center for Contemporary Craft is located at 4848 Main Street in the Museum District.

For more information call 713.529.4848 or log onto www.crafthouston.org.

CELEBRATE "NATIONAL TRAILS DAY" THIS WEEKEND.

The Houston Arboretum and Nature Center is celebrating "National Trails Day" this Saturday, June 7, with a variety of activities including an 8am Volunteer Trail Work project in which their trails will be upgraded and improved; kids 12 years old and up with parents are welcome. At 10am there will be a ribbon cutting and rededication of the Alice Brown Trail Loop, a 2,500 foot trail that is one of the most popular trails of the Arboretum. And from 10am until 2pm, families can take a "Trail Puzzle Hike" in which visitors will collect puzzle pieces as they "hike" the Arboretum. Redeeming the puzzle at the Information Desk will get participants a one year membership in the Arboretum's Trail Trekkers walking club. Refreshments will be provided.

The Houston Arboretum & Nature Center, a lush 155-acre nature preserve, is one of the city’s greatest natural treasures. Located in Memorial Park, only four miles west of downtown Houston at 4501 Woodway Drive, the Arboretum is home to more than 160 species of birds and 33 kinds of butterflies. Visitors can explore and enjoy five miles of trails. The Arboretum grounds are free and open to the public daily, except major holidays, from 7am until 7pm.

For more information, call 713.681.8433 or log onto www.houstonarboretum.org.

THERE ARE KIDS' FILMS EVERYWHERE THIS SUMMER AND HERE ARE A FEW THAT I FOUND FOR YOU:

The Studio Movie Grill/Copperfield is offering films Monday through Thursday at 11am through August 22. They also offer private screenings for families with special needs children; this Saturday, June 7 at 11am they are showing "Kung Fu Panda" (kids are free, adults pay regular admission). Go to www.studiomoviegrill.com.

Rave Motion Pictures’ Yorktown 15 Theater is offering free movies on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10am through Wednesday, July 30. Go to www.ravemotionpictures.com.

St. Mark’s United Methodist Church at 600 Pecore is offering free movies on the third Friday of each summer month with free popcorn and lemonade on their front lawn. Go to www.smumc.org.

The Regal Marq*E Stadium 23 on the Katy Freeway is offering free films on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10am through August 6. Go to www.fandango.com/edwardshoustonmarqe23andimax_aaojh/theaterpage.

The Museum of Fine Arts is offering their free "Family Flicks" on the first Sunday of each month. “Bringing Up Baby” will be screened Sunday, July 6 at 2pm. Go to www.mfah.org.

Pearland Parks and Recreation is offering their free "Friday Night Flic" series for families on Fridays at 8:30pm throughout July (except July 4th). Movies will be shown on a drive-in size screen in Independence Park at 3919 Liberty Drive. Go to www.pearlandparks.com/fridaynight.shtml

YMCA COOL DAYS. MORE FAMILY FUN. ALL SUMMER. NO SWEAT!

This summer, your YMCA membership is more valuable than ever! Not only can your kids participate in fun Y programs, like swimming, sports and camps, but your entire family can also enjoy big discounts and savings at other cool places around town. YMCA's "Cool Days" partners include The Houston Zoo, The Houston Museum of Natural Science, The Children's Museum, The Health Museum, AD Players and many more! Spend quality time with your family this summer at YMCA Family Nights and Special Events, AND around town with YMCA's Cool Days partners!

YMCA Cool Days...you'll run out of summer before you run out of fun!

For more information, log onto www.ymcacooldays.org or stop by your local YMCA.

IT'S COOL TO HAVE GOOD MANNERS...

Kids ages 5-19 will learn how to be more confident and feel better about themselves with help from Eticool School. Developed in 1992 by Helen Perry, courses are designed to give young people communication skills and manners vital to their success. An on-location class, your session can be a one-time event or series of 3-8 sessions. Venues include birthday parties, churches, synagogues and school groups. Don't worry - Miss Perrywinkle keeps it fun!

Topics covered include:

• How to Give a Polite Introduction
• Boundaries - What’s OK and What's Not
• Telephone Manners
• Kindness and Consideration
• Conversation Confidence
• Handling Awkward Situations
• The Art of Saying Thanks
• Table Manners
• Appropriateness in Dressing
• Thank-You Notes
• Party Manners
• Exposure to Classical Music
• Courtesy - It's For Family Too!

Former/current sponsors of Eticool School include Houston Country Club, Neiman Marcus, St. Vincent de Paul School, St. Michael School, St. Anne School, Incarnate Word Academy, Second Baptist School, Beth Yeshuren School, Grace Presbyerian School, Pecan Grove Country Club, Sweetwater Country Club, and The Briar Club.

To book classes or for more information, please call 713.781.6009 or log onto
www.helen-perry.com.

PARLEZ FRANÇAIS AT THE ALLIANCE.

The Alliance Française is starting up a new series of French classes for children the week of June 9. Their children’s program immerses children ages 4-15 in the French language, allowing them to learn in a natural way, through visual, kinetic and auditive experience. Classes meet in three-week sessions Monday-Thursday mornings from 9:30am until noon. Tuition is $350 for the 3-week sessions. Registration must be in advance or a $25 late fee will be assessed and there is a one-time registration fee of $15 for new students. You may register by phone anytime using a credit card.

For more information, call 713.526.1121 or log onto www.afdehou.org.

For more about my marketing company, Gish Creative, and the services we offer, please click here. You are on this list because I thought this e-newsletter would be helpful to you or because you signed up for it. However, if you want off this list, click here and you're a goner. Please feel free to tell your friends to subscribe by clicking here.

My goal is to serve as an information resource for Houston parents through my various endeavors, including:

GISH PICKS, which is online (www.thesummerbook.com/gishpicks_archive.html) and in print through the Houston Community Newspaper group (www.hcnonline.com);

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 helping their children), marketing, historic preservation, art classes, and activism. All of these services can be tailored for any audience and budget.

The purpose of GISH PICKS is to help parents become aware of all the fun things they can do with their children in Houston and the surrounding area, so HAPPY TRAVELS! Please do give me feedback and ideas, as you are out there in the trenches also looking for interesting things for your family and I want to hear what you find. If you are having trouble getting to a website listed here, try hitting the “Ctrl” button and left-clicking on the web address, which should make it “live”.


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 Designed by West of the World