Gish Picks: Week of September 23, 2009


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. And I have something big to announce this week! Now I TWEET! I'm at www.twitter.com/gishpicks and you can follow me to get a cool thought or cultural recommendation daily that's short and sweet. I'm one plugged-in mama, so I promise you'll hear about the best culture in Houston! See you in cyberspace, again! Now, GO FIND FUN!

CAN YOU BELIEVE WHAT THEY'VE BANNED?

It's "Banned Books Week" this week until October 3 and it's amazing to see the books they have banned -- from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland to My Friend Flicka! The Central Library is hosting a “Read Out” this Saturday, September 26, starting at 11am. A bunch of us will be reading from banned books (my pick is Mathilda by Roald Dahl – one of my fave authors whose books have been banned for ridiculous reasons!) Following the reading there will be a film screening of “Fahrenheit 451” and some other activities celebrating freedom of speech. Bring your kids and make a day of it at this beautiful library! And while you’re there, be sure to see my art exhibition in the Art Gallery – it’s called “Mod Mandalas: The Chakra Series” and is sure to leave you well-balanced!

GET UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH NATURE.

It’s a busy week! It's also “Take a Child Outside Week" from September 24-30 and here are a few select outdoor activities I recommend for families. Remember the days when we didn't have to set aside special weeks to get kids outside?! Ah well, enjoy!

First Christian Church - “Scales and Tales: An Evening of Family Fun, Fellowship and Friendly Critters” will take place this Friday, September 25 starting at 6pm.

Houston Arboretum and Nature Center - Free activities each weekday from 2:30-4:30pm and on Saturday, September 26 and Sunday, September 27 from 11am-4pm, they are offering family adventures.

Aurora Picture Show - In partnership with Friends of Mandell Park, the Aurora Picture Show presents a night under the stars with short films about gardening and nature this Saturday, September 26 at 7pm in Mandell Park, 1501 Richmond Avenue.

Miller Outdoor Theatre - “A Weekend of Contemporary Texas Dance” this Friday and Saturday at 8pm.

Discovery Green - This Saturday is “District I Family Day” from 2:30-10:30pm.

ANIMALS TRULY ARE OUR BEST FRIENDS.

“Healing Journey: Animal Guides” is a great exhibition at Methodist Hospital and it’s on view in the Dunn Tower Gallery, Mezzanine Level until September 30. The exhibition explores how the connections humans feel with animals aid in both physical and spiritual healing. Animals feel our joy, our pain, and our stress and interacting with them can lower our blood pressure levels and help us feel calmer. In order to bond with animals, we have to step outside ourselves and learn to communicate on their terms. This exhibition presents their roles as animal companions at home and as therapy animals in a range of therapeutic settings.

I say “Amen!” to that as I dedicate this PICK to our wonderful family dog, Princess, who guards us like a lion and loves us like a puppy.

THIS WEEK'S ATTRACTION...HOUSTON’S NATURAL SPOTS. For more attractions, go to www.gishcreative.com/attractions.htm.

As I said earlier, it’s national “Take a Child Outside Week” – so how do you learn more about nature in Houston? This week I am recommending two websites. The first, Houston Wilderness is a comprehensive portal to all things green in Houston. They have an events calendar and a kids page which has a really cool “Wilderness Passport” that encourages exploration of our many natural sites. Bayou City Outdoors is a fun wilderness club for adults (not really for families, but some of their events are family-friendly) and is worth looking into for ideas. And some cool ways to get the kids moving outdoors are “geocaching” and “letterboxing”. Check those activity ideas out and see if they are fun for your family!

GET YOUR KIDS ONSTAGE WITH THE ALLEY THEATRE’S “YOUNG PERFORMERS FALL STUDIOS”.

Sessions run Saturdays from October 17-December 12 (no session on November 28) and are $200/each.

Morning Classes: 10am-11:30am
TEATRO ALLEY (ages 7-9)
Open up a magic door to language, learning, and adventure as kids explore and perform their favorite storybooks. This studio class will be taught in English and Spanish and incorporate movement, improvisation, and scripted storytelling. Characters from kids’ most beloved books come to life!

Afternoon Classes: noon-1:30pm
CREATIVE DRAMATICS (ages 7-9)
This workshop for young performers introduces students to the excitement of creative drama through children’s literature. Every Saturday, Teaching Artists read a new children’s book with students and explore dramatizing the story through improvisation, movement, music, and props. Lessons will promote physical expression, build self-confidence, and explore students’ imaginations.

There are other classes are available for students 7–16+; please inquire for details. Register online at www.AlleyTheatre.org.

THREE COOL EVENTS THIS WEEKEND.

There are 3 cool fundraisers I wanted to let you know about that are happening this weekend. Let’s hope the good weather holds!

Event #1:
Aerosol Warfare Garage Sale
Saturday, September 26 and Sunday, September 27, 10am-6pm
2110 Jefferson #113
Music, food, and fun!

Event #2:
The Independent Order of Odd Fellows’ Sausagefest
Saturday, September 26, noon-6pm
115 E. 14th Street
Sausages, Feats of Strength, and Yodeling Contests!

Event #3:
“Rock Out for Peace: A Live Music Extravaganza Benefiting Houston’s Peace and Justice Groups and The Canvas”
Saturday, September 26, 3pm-2am
Last Concert Café, 1403 Nance Street
Tickets: $10 (children 12 and under are free)
Fourteen Live Bands, Food, and Drinks!

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 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 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.

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 and: www.saveourlandmarks.org © 2009 Sarah Gish Designed by West of the World