Gish Picks: Week of July 14, 2010

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WHAT'S NEW THIS WEEK?

Summer is a time of comings and goings with lots of fun in between! And for me, it’s been a time of change and separation anxiety (mine, not my kids’!). My kids are growing up --and so am I! Today I sent my second son off on a trip and the first one left yesterday for overnight camp for a month and I feel a pang of sadness while I am doing the victory dance. I am reminded how hard parenting is – we love our kids intensely for the first 18 years of their life and they return that love until around 14 or 15, when they still love us fiercely, but they can’t show it at the risk of looking uncool. And I am constantly torn between wanting a break from my young’uns or spending lots of time with them doing the cool cultural activities I recommend! All I know is that “the days are long and the years are short” as my mother used to say. I can’t believe my kids are 10 and 15 years old – and that I’m going to have to get used to them needing me less. It’s the cycle of life and this is how it should be, but that doesn’t make it any easier. To cope with this, I turned to what comforts me in tough times: art! I re-read one of my favorite poems about motherhood by Billy Collins, “The Lanyard”; I dare you to see if it doesn’t make you cry. I know many of my friends are going through the same experience -- or have survived it -- so I take comfort in knowing I am not alone. I hope you will too!

On a completely different note, I’ll be booking all ads for GISH PICKS that will run July 28, August 4, 11, and 18 by next Monday, July 19. If you’d like to market your product, service, event, or summer camp, please contact me asap and I’ll set you up.

Have a great week!

MO' MOVIES FOR SUMMER!

I have already written about summer film festivals at area movie theatres and parks, but wanted to let you know about new films for families. The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston is hosting special summer matinees today at 2pm ("The Secret of Kells") and next Wednesday, 7/21 at 11am and 2pm ("Kid Flix Pix: The New York International Children’s Film Festival"); both feature entertaining animated films. "Standing Ovation" (billed as a "Junior High School Musical") opens this Friday and on 7/23, "Ramona and Beezus" will unspool. And if you haven't seen "Toy Story 3" -- don't miss it! It's especially timely for those parents who are going through the letting go process (see "What's New" above!). The first "Toy Story" came out in 1995 -- so Andy had to eventually grow up and we see how he deals with that in this version. It's a great tale of community, leaving home, and giving back.

FRESHLY PLANTED “LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS”

This weekend, Theatre Under The Stars is presenting what they promise is a fresh twist on the carnivorous cult classic, “Little Shop of Horrors,” in their 43rd free summer musical at Miller Outdoor Theater. A down-and-out skid row floral assistant becomes an overnight sensation when he discovers an exotic plant with a mysterious craving for fresh blood. Soon "Audrey II" grows into an ill-tempered, foul-mouthed, R&B-singing carnivore who offers him fame and fortune in exchange for feeding its growing appetite, finally revealing itself to be an alien creature poised for global domination! Perfect for family fun, you’ll hear rock, doo-wop and Motown, mixed with comedic flair, Little Shop-style. And before the July 17-18 performances, Target will provide a free arts station where children can decorate their own canvas school bag. TUTS is one of 80 organizations nationwide partnering with Target for “Arts and Wonder” weekend, in hopes of making the arts more accessible for families.

“Little Shop of Horrors” plays every evening through July 18 at 8:15pm.

IT’S ROLLER DERBY, GRRRL STYLE

Did you know we have an awesome women’s roller derby league here in Houston? Houston Roller Derby hosts bouts monthly March through September at Kicks Indoor Soccer. Their next bout is this Saturday, July 17 and they’re welcoming the Hustlers team from Austin's flat-track league, Texas Rollergirls, for the fifth bout of the season. The game will start at 7pm with a match-up between home team The Brawlers versus The Hustlers of Austin, followed by a game between home teams Bayou City Bosses and Psych Ward Sirens (doors will open at 6pm). As a relatively new sport following its resurgence in the late 1990s, roller derby has evolved from season to season, becoming more competitive and athletic as its skaters further hone their skills and develop new strategies. Since organizing in 2005, Houston Roller Derby has grown into a league of 50 skaters that sells more than 1,200 tickets for each bout. HRD is one of 78 member leagues that make up the Women's Flat Track Derby Association. HRD is ranked sixth out of 19 in the WFTDA South Central Region and was one of the top 12 teams in the nation to compete at the WFTDA national championships in November 2009. By the way, if you’re a woman over 18 and want to get some mad skating skills, HRD is currently accepting applications for their recreational league, which starts July 13 and will meet on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 7pm at Dairy Ashford Roller Rink. As they say on their website, “Girls from all levels of skating ability come to us, so do not fret if you have never been on skates!”

Tickets cost $12 in advance or $15 at the door. Skating with the rec league is $8/night.

THIS WEEK'S ATTRACTION...THE 1940 AIR TERMINAL MUSEUM. For more attractions, go to www.gishcreative.com/attractions.htm.

If you haven’t checked out the 1940 Air Terminal Museum, this weekend is a great time to go because they’re hosting their monthly “Wings and Wheels” family event, which takes place on 3rd Saturdays from 10am-5pm. The Museum is housed in Houston's original art-deco air terminal at William P. Hobby Airport and it showcases the rich heritage of aviation including Houston's fascinating aviation history. Between airline traffic, business aviation and frequent fixed wing and rotary wing general aviation traffic, the Museum has an air show every day. It’s been open in the 1940 Air Terminal's north wing since January 2004 and is completing expansion into the newly restored ticket lobby and south wing which will include historic aircraft exhibits in the newly restored 1928 Carter Field Airmail Hangar. The museum is restored and operated by the Houston Aeronautical Heritage Society.

The Museum is open 10am-5pm Tuesdays through Saturdays and 1-5pm on Sundays. Regular admission is $5/adults, $2/children and free for members of the United States military, law enforcement, firefighters, and their families. The admission price for “Wings and Wheels” is a little higher ($10/adults and $5/kids) because it includes lunch, static aircraft tours, special programs in the Starliner Theater, museum tours, and admission to the museum.

TARGET ARTS WEEKEND

The "Target Arts & Wonder Free Family Event" is this weekend (July 16-18) and is an event in which families are given the opportunity to see more of the arts while spending less. Target is sponsoring free or reduced-price admission to arts and cultural events nationwide; in Houston, the Children's Museum, Ensemble Theater, Houston Zoo, Museum of Fine Arts, and TUTS are all participating. Enjoy!

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: 713.482.7065 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