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.

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Now, GO FIND FUN!

KIDS WELCOME AT THE HOUSTON POLO CLUB.

If you think polo is out of your league or not for you because you have kids, guess again. The Houston Polo Club kicks off their fall season this Sunday with games open to members and non-members alike. To make it more fun for families, the Club has incorporated a free “Children’s Chukkers” tent that will have rotating activities just for kids each week. This Sunday, September 14 at 5:30pm, Mad Science will host the "Chukkers" with fun, hands-on science activities for kids. Other organizations under the tent will be Mad Science of Houston; Page Parkes Corporation; Gish Creative; Downtown Aquarium; Golden Beginnings Golden Retriever Rescue, Inc.; Blue Willow Bookshop; and the Fire Museum.

The Houston Polo Club showcases the best in the sport of polo and has offered spectacular special events since 1928, including weekly tournaments each spring and fall. Matches take place every Sunday during the season at various times (check their online schedule for details). Happy trails! Tickets are $25 (open seating) and $50 (reserved seating).

For more information, call 713.681.8571 or log onto www.thehoustonpoloclub.com.

"GEPPETTO & SON" COMING TO HOUSTON'S ZILKHA HALL THIS WEEKEND.

ACT@TUTS presents Disney's "Geppetto & Son", a combination of the much-loved classic Disney cartoon Pinocchio (along with its familiar song hits "When You Wish Upon A Star" and "Got No Strings") and the popular Drew Carey television film "Geppetto". This new take pulls a few fresh strings for the most famous puppet in the world and, with careful guidance by the film's composer, Disney's "Geppetto & Son" pairs the modern sensibility of "Wicked" with the traditional storybook tale for a fun and fresh result. Tickets for the show are $26-$31.

ACT@TUTS, short for the Apprentice Conservatory Training at Theatre Under The Stars, is an extension of the classes taught through The Academy at Theatre Under The Stars Humphreys School of Musical Theatre, with a focus on talented actor/singer/dancers 13 to 18 years of age. It aims to offer opportunities in complete musical theatre pieces with an emphasis on the performer, supplemented with some physical production and technical aspects.

Classes include Intermediate and Advanced Studies in such areas as Tap, Ballet/Jazz, Acting, Improvisation, Scene Study, Voice and Theory, Musical Theatre Workshop, and Directing. Academy students have numerous opportunities to put their training to work in performance, with final shows at the end of every session as well as student matinee projects and traditional seasonal events.

To purchase tickets call 713.558.8887 or log onto www.tuts.com.

SMITH'S OPTICIANS HAS THE BEST EYEWEAR AROUND.

If you are into funky frames like I am, then you'll love the underground hit for eyeglasses, Smith's Opticians, located at 4313 Austin and Wheeler Streets on the edge of downtown Houston. Smith's is the only place that I go to get my unusual frames and their fashion doesn't even break the bank: they have over a thousand styles to choose from, ranging from $28 to $150. See what fellow Houstonians have to say about Smith's on the "Hot Town, Cool City" website: www.hottowncoolcity.org/view/site/detail/120/.

For more information, call 713.524.8884.

SEE A "BIRTH" THIS WEEKEND.

"BIRTH" (Bringing Information and Resources to Houston) is proud to sponsor the production of "Birth", a play by Karen Brody onstage this Saturday, September 13 at 7pm and Sunday, September 14 at 2pm at HITS Theatre, 311 W. 18th Street. "Birth" is central to the BOLD (Birth on Labor Day) movement that seeks to create space for women to make empowered choices about their birth experiences.

Pat Jones, founder of BIRTH and producer of the Houston performance of "Birth", believes in the power of this play to impact the community and the world. Based on over one hundred interviews playwright Karen Brody conducted with mothers across America who gave birth between 2000-2004, "Birth" tells the true stories of 8 women painting a portrait of how low-risk, educated women are giving birth in America today.

For more information, log onto www.boldhouston.org.

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

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