Gish Picks: Weekend of July 13, 2012

Click here for more info about the Redcat International Children's Film Festival

WHAT'S YOUR PICK THIS WEEKEND?

Greetings and welcome to GISH PICKS: A GUIDE TO CULTURAL ACTIVITIES FOR FAMILIES, a free weekly e-newsletter/blog I created as a service to the Houston community. Please enjoy!

I am loving this rainy weather – it’s a perfect day to read, get caught up on work, or watch movies. Whatever you’re doing, I hope you’re taking the hint from nature to slow down and enjoy. Something I plan on enjoying this weekend is ArtHouston 2012, a feast for the eyes that features art at more than 30 galleries all over Houston this Saturday, July 14, all day long. It’s free so grab the kiddos and enjoy some mighty fine shows. Speaking of art, the International Museum of Women/IMOW has launched a wonderful online exhibition, “MAMA: Motherhood Around the Globe,” which features a monthly rotating online gallery of the art, stories and ideas of a new, global generation of mothers. They’ve also spearheaded a global pop-up photography project called “Making Mothers Visible.” IMOW is seeking financial donations – especially ones that can help their MAMA exhibition -- so if you can assist them in this endeavor, please do so by clicking here.

The Colorado fires have been heavy on my mind – thankfully, as of yesterday, they have been fully contained, but the state still needs help in recovering from this most destructive wildfire in its history. If you’re so moved, go to www.helpcoloradonow.org to help. Some good news here locally is that Historic Houston has recently re-opened its Salvage Warehouse, which is a great place to find reclaimed materials for your building needs. I love that kind of preservation in action! The warehouse is open Wednesdays-Saturdays from 10am-4pm. Speaking of preservation, Preservation Houston is leading a walking tour of downtown Market Square Park this Sunday, July 15 at 2pm. It’s a great way to teach your kids about Houston’s history firsthand.

I’m always doing workshops, talks, and art activities, so please come out and see me when you can – for a complete list of my upcoming schedule click here.

Want to win a free copy of THE SUMMER BOOK: A GUIDE TO HOUSTON DAY CAMPS AND CLASSES FOR KIDS AND TEENS? It’s easy: LIKE my GISH PICKS Facebook page TODAY and you’ll score! I’ll send you a book as soon as I get your mailing address which you can Facebook message me or email me. I’ll be doing this throughout the summer, so stay tuned for announcements here and be sure to check your Facebook message box to see if you’re a winner. And big congrats to Susan Pain, Ryan Romig, Pam Taylor-Glass, and Mary Ann Marucci who were my likers last week.

I’m still posting (almost) daily about “Houston Gems” – places, people, and things that make Houston great – so follow me on twitter (www.twitter.com/sarahgish) or “like” my HOUSTON GEMS Facebook page to learn about cool Houston. All my past gems are archived on twitter (search for #houstongems) and on the Facebook page, so you can grab them and EXPLORE! Speaking of exploring, I know you’ll be looking for more fun field trip ideas for your family, so check out my ATTRACTIONS page on my website. There’s no excuse not to get out there and see the wide world of Houston!

Have a great week and GO.FIND.FUN.

I SCREAM, YOU SCREAM, WE ALL SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM.

This is a yummy delight! It’s “National Ice Cream Day” this Sunday, July 15 so our friends at The Children’s Museum of Houston are chillin’ with the cream during their “2012 Summer of Fun” events and they want you to join in the fun.

Here’s the SCOOP on all you can do:

Ice Cream Making: Get ready for this brain freezing extravaganza as you shake, rattle, and roll your way to this tasty frozen treat you make yourself in Kid’s Hall.

Design Your Own Ice Cream Flavor: What flavors would your ideal ice cream have? So many combinations to choose from and YOU get to decide at Junktion.

Ice Cream Patterns: Swing by Junktion and follow this unique ice cream making game.

Wemberly’s Ice Cream Star: Go on an adventure with Wemberly’s story and explore the properties of matter and why our ice cream melts at Junktion.

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Ice Cream: Avoid the brain freeze and figure out all the possible combinations of a two-scoop ice cream cone using 3 different flavors at the Exxon Mobile Math Cart.

Testing Simple Sugars: Go beyond making and eating your ice cream by testing the sugar contents in all your favorite treats in our Power Science Lab!

The Children’s Museum of Houston is open SEVEN DAYS A WEEK in the summer (Mondays-Saturdays, 10am-6pm and Sundays, noon-6pm) and is located at 1500 Binz. There is a “Free Family Night” on Thursdays from 5-8pm and the doors open at 9am for members the second Saturday of every month. Please note that the activities, events and times are subject to change for the Children’s Museum celebration of “National Ice Cream Day,” which was established in 1984 as the third Sunday in July by President Ronald Reagan.

FINE MUSIC FOR ONLY A DOLLAR.

This Sunday, July 15 at 7:30pm, the Houston Symphony hosts their annual summer “Chronicle Dollar Concert” at Jones Hall in which all seats are only a dollar and there will be a special performance on the harp by Megan Levin, this year’s Gold Medalist in the 2012 Ima Hogg Competition. Music on the program will be Shostakovich: Festive Overture; Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4; and Ginastera: Harp Concerto.

And coming up on July 21, the Houston Symphony is presenting a musical accompaniment to the movie “The Wizard of Oz” as it plays on the big screen above the orchestra, also at Jones Hall. See all the details here.

YOUNG SONGWRITERS BURST ONTO THE SCENE.

This Sunday, July 15 at 7pm, head to The Woodlands and Dosey Doe’s Big Barn for the “Real Life Real Music Songwriters Camp Showcase.” Under the guidance of professional songwriters Susan Gibson, Kathryn Hallberg, and Kyle Hutton, budding young songwriters spent the week learning the mechanics of writing, recording and, now, performing their own compositions. Says the Dosey Doe website “Expect to be surprised & teary eyed!” The Dosey Doe Big Barn has become known as one of the great listening rooms in the country featuring nationally recognized artists from contemporary to country, from jazz to bluegrass and everything in between. Their dining hall is a 150 year old barn from Kentucky that is made entirely of 300 year old growth oak and birch.

The “Real Life Real Music Songwriters Camp Showcase” is $10/person and the Big Barn is located at 25911 I-45 North.

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 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 GO FIND FUN! 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.

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Sarah Gish GISH CREATIVE 1940-A Fountainview, PMB 116 Houston, Texas 77057 phone/fax: 713.482.7065 artist.mama.connector.changemaker. © 2012 Sarah Gish Designed by West of the World