Gish Picks: Week of October 8, 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!

CHINESE DANCE AND CULTURE COMES TO MILLER OUTDOOR THEATRE (RAIN OR SHINE) THIS WEEEKEND.

See fourteen phenomenal guest artists of the Shanghai Dance Company this Friday, October 10 and Saturday, October 11 at 8pm as they perform "Splendid China: New Discoveries". Chinese culture comes to life with the company's highly anticipated Houston debut that features all-new dazzling and acrobatic choreography performed by China's top dancers. A rising star in China, Shanghai Dance Company has captured the hearts of adoring audiences all over the world. The company has won numerous medals at China's most prestigious dance competitions and is considered to be the number one dance company in the country.

In "Splendid China III", Shanghai Dance Company portrays new and exotic treasures from China. Audiences will travel back in time to witness the Qin Dynasty Emperor's fearless warriors in action and the Wei Dynasty's slim-waisted ladies. Tai Chi meets Kung Fu in the artistry of the sword and the epitome of grace is inspired by calligraphy paintings of China's scenic rivers and mountains.

This concert is presented by Dance of Asian America, a Houston-based non-profit organization dedicated to bringing top dancers from China to perform for American audiences. The heart of this mission is uniting cultures of the East and the West through dance. In "Splendid China III", Dance of Asian America and Mitsi Dancing School, Houston's most established Chinese dance school, will perform three of its signature works including "Flower in the Rain".

Admission is free; for more information, call 832.630.5048 or log onto www.danceaa.org.

FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD!

This Sunday, October 12 from 1-4pm, join the Heritage Society for the Family Day: "Setting the Table: How Food Has Changed in America". This event will focus on food traditions and how our attitude towards food has changed over the centuries.

Families can explore the many aspects of the foods we eat as well as how we prepare and serve them by viewing the exhibit, “What’s Cookin? Two Hundred Years of American Foodways”. Visitors of all ages can try their hand at gadget games and food quizzes and there will be kid’s arts and crafts, including face painting and making pasta skeletons or macaroni necklaces. Texas Children’s Health Plan representatives will be on hand to present tips on nutrition and healthy eating for the entire family and there will be healthy refreshments to enjoy as well as kid-friendly recipes to take home.

For more information, call 713.655.1912 or log onto www.heritagesociety.org.

THEY'LL CARVE 'EM LIKE NOBODY ELSE DOES.

Join the staff of the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art as they teach the secret skills of cool pumpkin carving this Saturday, October 11 from 2-5pm in a free workshop. Attendees will learn how to turn a plain old pumpkin into a Halloween work of art and they'll also do fun stuff with pumpkin guts, scary skulls and there will be other spooky surprises.

Happily, The Orange Show and The Beer Can House have been repaired post-Ike and both sites are open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays from noon-5pm. Group tours are available on weekdays by appointment.

For more information, call 713.926.6368 or log onto www.orangeshow.org.

LEARN TO ELIMINATE STRESS AT "HEALTH AND HAPPINESS 2008" AT THE END OF OCTOBER.

Renowned humanitarian leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar of the Art of Living Foundation will be teaching a special yoga and meditation workshop called "Health and Happiness" in Houston from Thursday, October 30 through Saturday, November 1. The workshop will include yoga, meditation, and powerful breathing exercises for stress management as well as take-home techniques for greater peace of mind and well-being. With these techniques, one can sleep better, reduce anxiety, lose weight, and live more fully and joyfully.

Sri Sri is in Houston as a guest of the Mayor and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. The Art of Living Foundation offers programs to uncover the strength, peace, and joy that lie at the core of every human being. By nurturing the spirit and compassion of every individual, the Foundation seeks to help build a global society that is free of stress, violence, and misery - and full of service, wisdom, and celebration.

For more information or to register for the workshop, call 877.278.6354 or log onto www.artofliving.org/houston.

SON OF A GUN, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE BIG FUN!

Laissez les bone temps rouler at the Golden Beginnings Golden Retriever Rescue (GBGRR) fall dinner on Saturday, October 18 at 6:30pm at the historic residence of the French Alliance at 427 Lovett Boulevard in Montrose. “A Golden Evening on the Bayou” will feature a delicious dinner by Bayou City Seafood ‘n Pasta as well as music, entertainment, an incredible silent auction, a raffle with something for everyone, scrumptious desserts and coffee. The evening will benefit Golden Beginnings’ tireless rescue efforts.

GBGRR was founded in Houston in 1999 and has saved thousands of homeless and abandoned dogs from death in shelters or on the streets, and placed them into permanent homes, where they are cared for and loved for a lifetime.

Tickets are $45/each and are available online at www.gbgrr.org or by contacting the Alliance Française at 713.526.1121.

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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