Gish Picks: Week of August 29, 2007


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 advertise 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!

MAKE READING MORE INTERESTING WITH HOMEMADE BOOKMARKS.

This Saturday, September 1, from 11am until 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. September’s theme is inspired by "Intertwined: Contemporary Baskets from the Sara and David Lieberman Collection", which features functional and traditional baskets as well as mixed-media sculptures. Artists will instruct children and adults in learning a basic weaving technique to create colorful bookmarks they can take to school. Materials will include construction paper, yarn scraps and recycled paper and all supplies will be provided.

After creating your work of art, stay to see "Intertwined" in the main galleries and the beautiful baskets from the Clearlake and Bluebonnet Basketweavers Guilds in the Artist Hall. Houston Center for Contemporary Craft is located at 4848 Main Street in the Museum District.

For more information, call 713.529.4848 or visit www.crafthouston.org.

WHO SAYS THE SYMPHONY HAS TO BE BORING?

Relive the music of James Bond with the Houston Symphony this weekend through songs like "Goldfinger", "You Only Live Twice", "Diamonds are Forever" and, as an added bonus, spy-themed favorites like "Mission Impossible" and "Pink Panther".

The Symphony has also announced their family concert series, which has the following programs:

• Pirates of the Symphony
   October 13, 2007

• 'Twas the Night Before Christmas
   December 8, 2007

• Gotta Dance!
   February 9, 2008

• Philharmonic Fun
   April 12, 2008

For more information, 713.224.7575 or log onto www.houstonsymphony.org.

YOUR LITTLE CARPENTER WILL LOVE THIS ONE.

On the first Saturday of each month from 9am until noon, all Home Depot stores offer free drop-in "Kids Workshops". Children ages 5-12 and their accompanying parent or adult learn about tool safety while building birdhouses, fire trucks, mail organizers, and other items from pre-fab kits. Each child also receives a kid-sized Home Depot orange apron and project pin. There are also "How-to" clinics for Mom and Dad. The next workshop will be this Saturday, September 1.

For more information, call your neighborhood Home Depot or log onto www.homedepot.com.

TAKE YOUTH SOCCER TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

The Houston Dynamo Youth Development Department has teamed up with Velocity Sports Performance to provide a unique developmentally appropriate learning environment, called "Centers of Excellence". These elite training programs are designed for boys and girls aged 8 to 14 and will provide a carefully structured curriculum based on the Dynamo Academy to focus on the technical aspects of soccer. These exclusive sessions are designed to supplement the training the players are currently receiving throughout the year at their clubs.

The Velocity Sports Performance training programs are scientifically designed to improve speed, power and agility - the three pillars of athleticism. There will be a total of 16 sessions and the cost per player is $279. Each player will receive a Dynamo T-Shirt, Dynamo Ball, a Stadium Graduation Ceremony, a Companion Voucher to a Dynamo Game, Individual Player Evaluation, and Dynamo coach and player appearances. The top players from the "Centers of Excellence" will be invited to a special tryout for the Dynamo Academy and to play in a Dynamo All-Star event.

The fall dates and locations are as follows. Each session runs eight weeks from the start date.

Klein High School
Stuebner Airline at Louetta
Sundays, 4-6pm, starting September 9

San Jacinto Junior College
South 13735 Beamer Rd
Tuesdays, 5:30-7:30pm, starting September 11

Quail Valley
1700 Glenn Lakes Ln
Fridays, 5:30-7:30pm, starting September 14

Langham Creek
17610 FM529
Fridays, 5:30-7:30pm, starting September 14

West University Soccer Club
10001 Stella Link
Fridays, 5:30-7:30pm, starting September 14

For more information, call 713.276.7516 or log onto houston.mlsnet.com/t200/youth/excellence/.

ELIZABETH IRVINE OF TRUEWELLBEING PRESENTS AN EDUCATIONAL SPEAKER SERIES AND A LUNCHTIME MEDITATION SERIES THIS MONTH.

Elizabeth Irvine, BSN is a nurse, author and speaker with over 25 years of dedicated professional work in the health care field. Her approach to health and happiness stems from a firm grounding in traditional allopathic medicine that is combined with a healthy holistic way of being. She owns a private wellness practice in Houston and her website, media appearances and speaking engagements inspire thousands every month. She has two programs in September at the Motherhood Center located at 3701 W. Alabama, Suite 230.

The Lunchtime Lecture Series topics are below; sign up for this program at www.motherhoodcenter.com/events.php?eventid=285. The series is $60 and individual lectures are $25; lunch is provided.

• "Five Simple Ways To Create Balance in Everyday Life"
   Tuesday, September 4, noon until 1pm

• "Finding a Quiet Still Space"
   Tuesday, September 11, noon until 1pm

• "Sacred Space: Enhance Your Environment"
   Tuesday September 18, noon until 1pm

The September Meditation Series is focusing on "Finding a Quiet Still Space"
every Thursday in September. Sign up for this program at www.motherhoodcenter.com/events.php?eventid=269. The entire series is $85 and individual sessions are $25.

For more information, call 713.444.6875 or log onto www.truewellbeing.net.

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 parenting (www.freewebs.com/glowfished), marketing, historic preservation, activism, and passion-finding. 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 © 2007 Sarah Gish Designed by West of the World