Gish Picks: Week of October 24, 2007


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 advertise 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. If you are having trouble viewing this newsletter complete with images, please click here. Now, GO FIND FUN!

JUMP LIKE JACKIE CHAN AFTER SEEING THE SHAOLIN WARRIORS.

For more than 1,000 years, the Shaolin Temple has been the heart and soul of Chinese Kung-Fu. Perfecting the art of hand-to-hand and weapons combat, the Shaolin Monks train in martial arts for several hours every day. Now they will bring their fully choreographed theatrical production displaying their disciplined spiritualism, stunning movement and deadly martial arts prowess to Houston for the first time. This is a unique artistic performance not for the faint of heart, but one that kids will love.

The Society for the Performing Arts presents the Shaolin Warriors this Saturday, October 27 at 7:30pm and Sunday, October 28 at 2pm at Jones Hall. As a special treat, they are presenting a FREE "Martial Arts Master Class" from 1:30-2:30pm on Saturday, October 27 in the Melcher Gymnasium at the University of Houston, 3855 Holman Drive.

For more information, call 713.227.4772 or log onto www.spahouston.org.

ART MIX CREATIVE LEARNING CENTER IS HAVING A PARTY AND YOU'RE INVITED.

Art Mix will be celebrating the Fall Season with an awesome "Halloween Celebration" this Friday, October 26 from 4 until 6pm. Come in costume and join in two hours of creative fun: there will be great art projects, spooky stories, cookie decorating, dancing, and more! This is great free fun for the whole family!

Art Mix is hosting several holiday camps: "Fall Harvest" (November 19-21); "Winter" (December 17-21) and "New Year’s" (January 2-4). It's also not too late to register for their fall classes, since tuition is prorated and classes run until December 14. The first fall chill is in the air, but their "Pop-In Studios" are warm and loaded with creative fun from Monday through Thursday 9am until 6pm and on Fridays from 9am until 5pm. Art Mix is located at 3701 W. Alabama, Suite 250, at the corner of Timmons and W. Alabama.

For more information, call 713.552.9028 or log onto www.artmixlearning.com.

"FIRE FEST 2007" PROMISES REAL FIREFIGHTERS, REAL FUN, and REAL THRILLS.

The Houston Fire Museum presents "Fire Fest 2007" this Saturday, October 27 from 10am until 5pm. Admission is free and food, beverage, and ride coupons are sold onsite. The annual "Fire Fest" event is designed to educate the community about the fire service with live fire demonstrations and fire trucks. Emphasis is on fire and life safety and FUN! Food and vendor booths, live music, a Kid’s Zone, and the 3rd Firefighter’s Annual BBQ cook off complete the outdoor event. In addition, the winners of the 33rd Annual Fire Prevention poster contest will be on display. The community is encouraged to watch the fire and rescue demonstrations performed by HFD’s Red Thunder and meet their firefighter heroes in a dynamic setting.

The event takes place at the Fire Department Training Academy at 8030 Braniff Road (off Telephone Road behind Hobby Airport) which adds to the excitement. Proceeds from "Fire Fest 2007" benefit the Houston Fire Museum's educational, outreach and expansion programs. The Houston Fire Museum is an educational nonprofit located at 2403 Milam Street that was created in 1982 to educate the community on fire and life safety and the history of the fire service. "Fire Fest 2007" is also sponsored by the Houston Fire Department and the Harris County Firefighter’s Association.

For more information, call 713.524.2526 or log onto www.houstonfiremuseum.org.

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

T-ReX Lacrosse League rekindles the spirit of the "Little Lacrosse League", the group that played in the first ever Youth Lacrosse Games in Texas -- Home and Away with Plano in 1995. As youth 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. On December 2 and 9 players will work on the fundamentals of the game in preparation for league team competition beginning on January 6, 2008. Players may also join a team once league play has begun. With top instructors from respected area coaches and players, T-ReX LaX is dedicated to meeting the needs of developing lacrosse players.

Each Sunday from 1:30 until 4:30pm, 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, December 2 and 9, January 6, 13, 20 and 27 and February 3. The League is $235 for girls 3rd through 8th grade and boys kindergarten through 8th grade and $95 for high school boys and girls. Rental equipment is available on a limited basis and 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.

DREAM. SCREAM. BELIEVE: IT'S DYNAMO PLAYOFF TIME.

Our professional soccer team, the Houston Dynamo, is headed to the 2007 MLS Cup Playoffs, so be there to support your men in ORANGE! The Dynamo is squaring off against FC Dallas on Friday, November 2, 7:30pm at Robertson Stadium and it will be a game to remember, so get your tickets now online. Get into the Dynamo spirit by picking up Dynamo Playoff signs starting tomorrow, October 25, at all Soccer 4 All locations (www.soccer4all.com/soccer4all/text_1.asp?s_id=0&). You can also download cool Dynamo wallpaper for your computer AND decorate your pumpkin with "Forever Orange", creating a unique "soccer ball".

The Houston Dynamo were recently nominated for El Premio de la Gente’s “Most Popular Soccer Team of the Year” award. El Premio de la Gente is the Hispanic People’s Choice Awards, which recognizes the top artists and, starting this year, the most talented and popular sports athletes and teams in Mexico and the US. Nominations are made by the specialized sports media, and fans across the U.S. are solely responsible for selecting the winner in every one of the categories for which the award is offered.

For more information, call 713.276.7500 or log onto www.houstondynamo.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 parenting (www.freewebs.com/glowfished), marketing, historic preservation, activism, and passion-finding. 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 © 2007 Sarah Gish Designed by West of the World