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!

GET YOUR TEENS OUT OF THE HOUSE AND INTO THE FUN.

Your teens can catch “Attention Deficit Improv” for its final show of the summer at the Katy Visual and Performing Arts Center (KVPAC) at 2501 S. Mason Road. Hosted by Black Acre Theatre, the new program promises an evening of comedic ventures ranging from quirky characters to on-the-spot song creation. Age groups alternate between Friday nights, designated for young teens age 13 through 18 and Saturday nights, designated for older teens and young adults 18+; age limits will be strictly enforced. The audience can participate in the fun and games or just sit back and enjoy the show. There is no re-admittance allowed after leaving the KVPAC theatre building. This is a great way to bring young adults and teens together in a safe environment to spend quality time with their friends while being entertained.

Katy-based Black Acre Theatre was founded by Mary Black and Ben Chai, both products of Cinco Ranch High School and active alumni of the Cinco Ranch Theatre Company. Many of the young adults from Black Acre Theatre will serve as Improv Hosts each evening. KVPAC and Black Acre Theatre will provide suitable adult supervision but reserve the right to refuse admittance or request any participant to leave with no refund at their discretion.

Shows are Friday, July 31 from 6:30-9pm for 13-18 year olds and Saturday, August 1, 8-10:30pm for 18 year olds and up. Concessions will be available for purchase and it’s only $7 at the door (cash only).

GET CREATIVE WITH CONES.

This Saturday, August 1, from 11am-3pm, join Houston Center for Contemporary Craft for “Hands-On Houston”, a free craft-activity open house for the whole family on the first Saturday of every month.

This month, kids can join the Texas Association of Original Doll Artists (TAODA) to create a one-of-a-kind cone doll from fabric, stuffed with shredded paper or fiberfill, and tied with ribbon or twine. Embellish your doll with feathers, beads, buttons, paper, glitter and ribbons. Then, create a face with a rubber-stamped image or draw it yourself. Color with crayons, chalk or markers and you’ve got your own original work of art! This activity is suitable for all ages and all materials will be provided. Before or after the activity, get inspired by "Challenge VII: dysfunctional" and "Unknitting: Challenging Textile Traditions", two exhibitions that challenge the traditional uses of wood, textiles and other materials, while celebrating the subversive and unexpected. My favorite piece in the show is a chair that looks like it has porcupine needles coming out of it!

Houston Center for Contemporary Craft is located at 4848 Main Street in the Museum District.

SHOWCASE PERFORMANCES BY YOUTH THIS WEEKEND.

Both the Houston Ballet and the Alley Theatre are hosting performances by youth this weekend:

• Houston Ballet’s Ben Stevenson Academy
  2009 Summer Intensive Showcase Performance
  Thursday, July 30 and Friday, July 31 at 8pm
  Proscenium Theater at San Jacinto Community College-South, 13735 Beamer Road
  
  

  After participating in the six week Summer Intensive program at Houston Ballet’s Ben Stevenson Academy, around 270 dancers ages 9-20 from 40 states and 10 countries will showcase what they have learned. This performance is fully staged by the young artists with scenery, costumes and lights in a state-of-the-art-venue. The performances are open to the public and tickets are $10/adults and $5/students and will be sold at the door.
  
  
  
• Alley Theatre
  Houston Young Playwrights Exchange (HYPE) Showcase
  Friday, July 31 through Sunday, August 2
  Neuhaus Stage, Alley Theatre, 615 Texas Avenue
  
  For the thirteenth consecutive year, the Alley Theatre is providing young playwrights the chance to improve and expand their writing skills with its summer program. Six plays by local teens have been selected to undergo development in a professional forum guided by Alley staff. Please note that some plays contain adult language.

THIS WEEK'S ATTRACTION...CHILDREN'S MUSEUM. For more attractions, go to www.gishcreative.com/attractions.htm.

THE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM ROCKS.

My son Matthew and I recently took a behind-the-scenes tour of the newly renovated Children's Museum of Houston with longtime Director Tammie Kahn (Tammie’s favorite exhibition that day was “Invention Convention,” which has changing experiments daily). If you haven’t been there since it’s been updated, get on your sneakers and go now! The result of their $35 million expansion has been a doubling in size to 90,000 square feet and the addition of seven permanent, bilingual exhibits: “Cyberchase – The Chase Is On!”; “FlowWorks”; “Invention Convention”; “Kidtropolis, USA”; “Matter Factory”; “PowerPlay”; and the ever-popular “Tot*Spot,” which is now on the top floor, providing a safer, quieter place for little ones. I saw plenty of older kids running around – they seemed to really enjoy the faux ATMs at “Kidtropolis,” which is a mini-city in which kids can choose various jobs, such as a bank manager or a politician. Creating such real life experiences is by design: the exhibitions have been re-tooled so that they relate better to lifelong learning skills and success. There’s a new and improved (and bigger!) gift shop, Fiddle Sticks Gifts, and the Kids’ Café features food made fresh daily from scratch. The Houston Public Library is everywhere you want to be and now has a branch in the Museum with their Parent Resource Library.

The Museum can be overwhelming so I recommend checking out the online map beforehand (there is an interactive one online) and plan out your visit by choosing spots to see and events to take part in. If you are bringing older kids, let them wander with a walkie-talkie (or cell phone!) to stay in touch if you are comfortable with that. Summer hours through Labor Day are Mondays through Saturdays 10am-6pm, Thursday Free Family Nights 5-8pm and Sundays noon-6pm. For the Family Nights, either get there early or skip it – we tried that recently and there was a line around the block. The daily entrance fee is only $7 and memberships start at $75 and are well worth the price. Through August 5, the Museum is a drop off point for school supplies as part of the “Operation School Supplies” program. Parking is $3/members and $5-7/non-members – in a covered garage. One last thing to mention: the Museum hosts birthday parties. Whew!

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

© 2009 Sarah Gish

Designed by West of the World