Gish Picks: Week of October 31, 2007


Have a safe and Happy Halloween with your family, and be sure to watch out for all of the children on the streets while you are driving tonight! 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. Now, GO FIND FUN!

EVERYONE CAN MAKE JEWELRY FROM FOUND OBJECTS THIS WEEKEND.

This Saturday, November 3, from 11am until 3pm, join Houston Center for Contemporary Craft for "Hands-On Houston", a free craft-activity open house for the whole family on the first Saturday of every month. November’s theme is inspired by "Women’s Tales: Four Leading Israeli Jewelers", which features beautiful contemporary jewelry and objects. Arts education students from the University of Houston will instruct children and adults in creating found-object pendants with wire wrapping and hot gluing. Supplies will be provided but participants are encouraged to bring their own found objects as well.

After creating a work of art, attendees are encouraged to stay to see "Women’s Tales" in the main galleries and stunning metalwork from the Houston Metal Arts Guild in the Artist Hall. Houston Center for Contemporary Craft is located at 4848 Main Street in the Museum District.

For more information, call 713.529.4848 or log onto www.crafthouston.org.

HALLOWEEN FUN CONTINUES THIS WEEKEND.

The Real School is presenting a "Halloweek Fall Festival" this Saturday, November 3 from noon until 5pm indoors at the University of Houston's Campus Recreation and Wellness Center, 4500 University Drive (at Calhoun). There will be family fun with carnival games, jumpers, music, food and crafts. Costumes are encouraged and there will be a contest, so dress your best!

This is an opportunity to learn about The Real School and all proceeds will benefit the school. Presale tickets available online at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/23293. There is free parking at Lot 20 across the street.

For more information, call 713.385.2428 or log onto www.therealschoolhouston.org.

THE AEROS "FAMILY DAYS" ARE BACK.

Select Sundays in the Houston Aeros season are "Family Days", which feature packages starting at $67. The offer includes 4 upper endzone seats, $20 in Toyota Bucks for concessions, special Aeros gifts, free parking, and a post game family activity. This Sunday, November 4 at 4:05pm is a "Family Day" and this game's special gifts are 2 Aeros Koozies and 2 Aeros Mini Sticks. Other scheduled "Family Days" are November 19 and 26, January 7 and 21, February 18 and 25, and April 15.

The Houston Aeros joined the American Hockey League in 2001 after the International Hockey League folded. This current incarnation of the franchise was founded in 1994, and they won the IHL's Turner Cup in 1999 after an impressive 54-win season. They also won the 2003 Calder Cup and are the AHL affiliate of the Minnesota Wild. The red color of the Aeros' logo is the same "Iron Range red" seen in the Wild's logo. The team's name is an homage to the Houston Aeros of the World Hockey Association in the 1970s, one of the teams Gordie Howe played for in the WHA.

For more information, call 713.361.7947 or log onto www.aeros.com.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOW FOR THE 13TH ANNUAL "CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL" COMING TO THE WOODLANDS NEXT WEEKEND.

Award-winning children’s performers educate and entertain kids of all ages during the 13th Annual Children's Festival November 10 and 11 at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands. Families are invited to this weekend of fun, adventure and learning Saturday, November 10 from 10am until 5pm and Sunday, November 11 from noon until 5pm.

In addition to world-class children’s performers, the Festival includes hands-on arts and crafts, interactive games for kids of all ages, educational experiments and amazing creative zones. Costumed characters and mascots from Houston’s professional sports teams roam the grounds and interact with children. The Wells Fargo AdventureZone features panning for gold and fishing for prizes, along with performances on The Woodlands Town Center Community Stage by local troupes such as the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, the McTeggart Irish Dancers and Rhythmic Attitudes of Houston.

Children also can get their faces painted, make one-of-a-kind hats, buy festival souvenirs and meet some of their favorite performers! Each day of the festival ends with the Festival Finale Kazoo-Dah Parade that begins and ends in the AdventureZone. Admission is $5 in advance or $7 at the door and includes every show and activity so there are no tickets, tokens or endless lines!

For more information, call 281.364.3010 or log onto www.woodlandscenter.org.

The Colored Woman and Her Cookie Factory

SHOP, RELAX, AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE AT THIS SOCIALLY, SPIRITUALLY CONSCIOUS BOUTIQUE.

The Colored Woman and Her Cookie Factory is located at 2620 Fountainview, Suite 113 and entering this boutique is like entering another world -- a world of fragrant smells, peaceful energy, beautiful African items and relaxing massages. Owner Hitaji Aziz (host of KPFT-FM's "Earth 101") offers handmade soaps, bath items and a variety of massage services.

All soaps at the store are created with special cleansing and healing ingredients in honor of the journey from the legacy of slavery to freedom in which women excelled at handmade products. The spa services are created with the understanding of the body-mind-spirit connection and are tailored for each individual. Each massage choice boasts different benefits, such as relief from stress, trauma, and depression, lowering blood pressure, releasing lymphatic toxins, moving cellulite and assisting with grounding and life transitions. All massages have the goal of promoting wellness and a time to meditate and get centered. Getting one of these massages is a great way to kick off the busy holiday season with a relaxed frame of mind!

The boutique and massage services are available by appointment and gift certificates (which make great holiday gifts!) are always for sale. Massages range in price from $40 (for quick 30-minute massages) to $190 (for 2 hours); discount packages are available.

For more information, call 713.266.7251 or log onto www.thecoloredwomanandhercookiefactory.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