Gish Picks: Week of September 24, 2008


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! I want to send a special note of caring to those affected by Hurricane Ike, which really includes all of us reading this e-newsletter no matter where you live. I lost power (hence no GISH PICKS last week) and I know many others who are still without it. My heart goes out to all of you having a hard time and I hope that your troubles are lessened by the outpouring of generosity of friends and neighbors. If you are blessed with good fortune during this difficult time, please share your blessings by helping others. We are strong people and won't let this get us down -- in fact, I hope that you have found, like I have, that this experience has brought you closer to neighbors and friends alike. Good luck to all of you!

"THANK YOU, HOUSTON: A CELEBRATION OF GULF COAST VOICES, MUSIC AND FOOD" IS AT DISCOVERY GREEN THIS FRIDAY AT 6:30PM.

I was planning on going to this event which was scheduled a day after Ike visited us -- so it's fitting that it's been rescheduled at a time when our community is rebuilding and needs a lift. "Thank You, Houston" takes place at Discovery Green, across from the George R. Brown Convention Center, where thousands of Katrina survivors were welcomed and housed in September 2005. This third anniversary commemoration of Houston's response to Hurricane Katrina features music by Voodoo Brass Band and Al "Carnival Time" Johnson. You'll hear stories of thanks recorded from survivors by the Surviving Katrina and Rita in Houston project and experience the video exhibition "Who We Are" with photographs by Alice McNamara. They're even providing red beans and rice and jambalaya while they last!

There will be aid agencies and service providers with information on how you can get relief from Ike or how you can help others. KPFT-FM will be on hand to record Hurricane Ike narratives and everyone is invited to bring "ready to eat" food items to assist the Houston Food Bank with hurricane relief efforts. "Thank You, Houston" is sponsored by Surviving Katrina and Rita in Houston, Houston Institute for Culture, and Discovery Green.

For more information, call 713.400.7336 or log onto www.discoverygreen.com.

ENJOY "OPERA UNDER THE STARS AT BAYOU BEND" WITH THE OPERA VISTA PRESENTATION OF "TROUBLE IN TAHITI".

The show goes on at Bayou Bend! Bayou Bend joyfully re-opens its gardens and house museum this Saturday, September 27 for a special outdoor presentation by Opera Vista (rain date: September 28). The gardens will open at 7:15pm and the central hall of the house will be open until 7:45pm for touring. Starting at 8pm will be a performance of Leonard Bernstein’s "Trouble in Tahiti", in honor of the late composer's 90th birthday. Bernstein’s romantic tragedy tells the story of an unhappy couple, Sam and Dinah, who bicker but reconcile in the end. A trio of jazz vocalists appears throughout the show to sing tongue-in-cheek songs about the charms of family life in 1950s suburbia, about Sam’s genius and business skills, and about the joys of married life. The troupe will also sing some Bernstein favorites from his other productions, including “West Side Story”.

Opera Vista's mission is to present modern and contemporary works in innovative, interactive performances. For this outdoor performance, guests should bring blankets or lawn chairs to sit on. Wine, beer, and other beverages will be available for purchase; no beverages except water may be brought in. KUHF-FM, media sponsor for Opera Vista, will award prizes during the intermission.

Tickets are $25/general public and $20/members of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, seniors 65-plus, and students.

For more information, call 713.639.7758 or log onto www.operavista.org.

THE CONTEMPORARY ARTS MUSEUM (CAM) IS HOSTING "FAMILY DAY" THIS SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, FROM 1-4PM.

There will be a variety of programs for children and their parents, including family tours, refreshments, and hands-on art activities related to the current exhibitions, "Sam Taylor-Wood" and "Perspectives 162: Snow". The CAM website reviews each exhibition for families; click on "Families" from their website. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE "SAM TAYLOR-WOOD" EXHIBITION CONTAINS NUDITY AND SEXUAL REFERENCES; PARENTAL DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

For more information, call 713.284.8250 or log onto www.camh.org.

The Ultimate Food Lover's Guide to Houston

THE ULTIMATE FOOD LOVER’S GUIDE TO HOUSTON HAS BEEN RELEASED AND CONTAINS MY ESSAY "YES, HONEY, WE CAN TAKE THE KIDS!".

Many cities like to think of themselves as a “foodie town,” but only one can hold the distinction of the being the city that dines out more than any other in America -- Houston -- home to over 10,000 restaurants. According to the editors of the Zagat Restaurant Surveys, Houstonians dine out more often than do residents of any other major American city so My Table Magazine decided to help you with the decision of where to dine.

The Ultimate Food Lover’s Guide to Houston helps both locals and visitors navigate the city to discover the crème de le crème of the Bayou City’s burgeoning culinary scene. More than simply a restaurant guidebook, it celebrates everything edible in Houston. It is an insider’s manual that spotlights restaurants, bakeries, ethnic grocers, coffeehouses, farmers’ markets, cooking schools, wine bars, sweets shops and much more. This guidebook is not written from afar – the listings are penned by Houston-based food professionals and other experts.

The Ultimate Food Lover’s Guide is available in bookstores, gift shops, grocery stores, and specialty stores throughout Houston, including Blue Willow Books, Brazos Bookstore, Barnes & Noble, and Borders as well as Amazon.com.

For more information, call 713.529.5500 or log onto www.my-table.com.

HERE’S WHERE TO GO TO GET THE KIDS' ARTWORK FRAMED.

Hollywood Frame Gallery is a full service custom picture framing business specializing in framing original movie poster art and is the exclusive Texas dealer of Jim Tweedy's "Friendly Doggies" and "Charlie the RedCat" original artwork. The shop is family-owned and located at 2427 Bissonnet, near The Village Shopping Center.

Hollywood Frame Gallery offers a wide selection of movie art posters and photographic stills from the classics to current releases; creative custom picture framing with designs by experienced picture framers; and a large selection of quality custom picture framing products featuring moulding from industry leaders Larson-Juhl, Roma, LaMarche, Fotiou, Nurre Caxton and Max.

For more information, call 713.942.8885 or log onto www.hollywoodframegallery.com.

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 summertime fun, passion-finding (for adults, children, and parents helping their children), 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 © 2008 Sarah Gish Designed by West of the World