Gish Picks: Week of October 15, 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!

ENJOY A FREE PERFORMANCE THIS FRIDAY FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE PERFORMING AND VISUAL ARTS (HSPVA) AT DISCOVERY GREEN!

This Friday, October 17, Houston’s best young musicians, actors, dancers and artists from HSPVA will dazzle audiences in a free event beginning at 7pm at Discovery Green. The event is a tribute to Nancy G. Kinder, former Board Chair, Discovery Green Conservancy. Made possible by generous support from Andrea and Mayor Bill White, this annual event will take place every year until 2010 and will honor Mrs. Kinder.

Since its official opening on April 13, 2008, Discovery Green has placed a strong emphasis on supporting cultural and educational themes in its programming. During the inaugural spring season, 172 events drew more than 77,000 people to the park for free weekly exercise classes, live music concerts, outdoor films, organic Green Market, Saturday children’s programs and monthly art performances. Discovery Green is located in downtown Houston at 1500 McKinney across Avenida de las Americas from the George R. Brown Convention Center.

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

ENJOY TWILIGHT TOURS AT BAYOU BEND.

Enjoy audio tours of the Bayou Bend Collection and see the gardens at dusk in this rare and special opportunity to view Miss Ima Hogg´s historic home at night. The tours will take place each Thursday in October from 5-8pm (last entry is at 7pm) and there will be complimentary wine and light hors d´oeuvres available. This is an excellent chance to enjoy the grounds and home in a leisurely way in the cool of the evening.

You can also join the Museum this Sunday, October 19 as they celebrate "40 Years of Family Day at Bayou Bend!". This free Sunday afternoon will be filled with performances, activities, and fun from 1-5pm (last entry is at 4:30pm). Bayou Bend is located at 1 Westcott Street off Memorial Boulevard, near Memorial Park.

For more information, call 713.639.7750 or log onto www.mfah.org/bayoubend.

JOIN MY TABLE MAGAZINE AND DOMY BOOKS FOR THEIR "FOODIE FLICKS SERIES".

Here's a great way to combine food and celluloid: come to the "Foodie Flicks Series" at Brasil (2604 Dunlavy at Westheimer) in which they present nine wine- and food-related movies on Sundays through December 7. Each film begins at sunset in the courtyard behind Brasil and the adjacent Domy Bookstore. There is no admission charge; however, there will be food specials, a cash bar on the patio and free servings of the secret concoction, "My Table Snack Mix". This Sunday, October 19, they are screening the original "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" (with Gene Wilder). Yummy!

For more information, call 713.529.5500 or log onto www.my-table.com/section/news/68.html.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW FOR "COOL BRAINS! INPRINT READINGS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE" ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26.

"Cool Brains! Inprint Readings for Young People" presents award-winning author/illustrator David Macaulay on Sunday, October 26 at Zilkha Hall, Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, 800 Bagby, at 3 pm; doors open at 2:15 pm. Macaulay will make a lively presentation, followed by a book sale and signing, providing an opportunity to visit with the author.

The Way We Work is a fascinating exploration of the human body that focuses on the inner workings of the human body as the author takes readers on a playful and fascinating visual journey through it. His preparation for the book was thorough: he spent four years reading about the human body and took a dissection course. What resulted was an exhaustively researched compendium of how and why almost anything functions, from human eardrums and electric guitars to calculators and cash. He collaborated on The Way We Work with medical writer Richard Walker. Trained as an architect, Mr. Macaulay taught for 25 years at the Rhode Island School of Design.

"Cool Brains! Inprint Readings for Young People" is presented by Inprint, a Houston-based nonprofit dedicated to inspiring readers and writers. Admission to this event is free and open to the public.

For more information, call 713.521.2026 or log onto www.inprinthouston.org.

TEXAS RECREATIONAL LACROSSE LEAGUE (“T-ReX LaX”) IS BACK.

Sign ups are going on now through November 16 for Houston’s T-ReX Lacrosse League. As youth lacrosse programs flourish in schools across the state, the goal of T-ReX LaX is to give young players an opportunity to learn and compete in an age-appropriate manner. With top instructors from respected area coaches and players, T-ReX LaX is dedicated to meeting the needs of developing lacrosse players. Sessions take place Sunday afternoons from 2-4pm for K-8 and the high school division plays from 4-5 pm. Players will work on skills, drills, and have the thrills of putting it together in games. Featured guest speakers will add to the education of young athletes. The final session will conclude with a raffle of lacrosse gear and tournament championship games.

The League will take place on Sundays, November 16 and 23, December 7 and 14, and January 11, 18, and 25. The League is $235 for girls (grades 3-8) and boys (grades K-8) and $125 for high school boys and girls. Rental equipment is available on a limited basis. Each fully paid player will receive a free jersey, harrow packet with water bottle, lanyard, and sticker. All sessions are at the St. John's School fields at 2401 Claremont Drive.

For more information, call 713.850.0222, extension 264 or log onto www.creaseranch.com.

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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