Gish Picks: Week of November 5, 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!

DA CAMERA AND THE MENIL COLLECTION PRESENT FREE MUSIC IN THE GALLERIES FEATURING CELLIST SONIA WIEDER-ATHERTON.

Da Camera of Houston and The Menil Collection present a free performance by cellist Sonia Wieder-Atherton this Sunday, November 9 at 3pm, 3:30pm and 4pm in the Byzantine Fresco Chapel Museum. Wieder-Atherton performs music by J.S. Bach for unaccompanied cello in an interactive and informative concert. Combine a visit to the Museum or the Menil Collection (where admission is always free) and you've got a great family art outing. The Byzantine Fresco Chapel Museum is located at 4011 Yupon at Branard and music in the Galleries is sponsored by Target. There is limited seating and the recommended age for this event is 12 and up.

Sonia Wieder-Atherton is considered one of the finest and most original musicians today. Having studied in Paris and in Moscow, she perfectly combines both French and Russian styles of cello playing. In addition to performing most of the great classical cello repertoire, Sonia Wieder-Atherton is also passionate about contemporary music and has premiered many works, often dedicated to her, including Betsy Jolas’ "Episode Cinquieme", Ohana’s "In Dark and Blue" and Pascal Dusapin’s "Incisa" and his cello concerto "Celo".

She has worked with many great orchestras including the Orchestre de Paris, Orchestre National de France, Orchestre National de Belgique, Liege Philharmonique, the UNAM Mexico, Orchestre National d’Ile de France and performs regularly at many international music festivals such as Flanders, Shangai, Jerusalem, Strasbourg, Kuhmo, Monte Carlo, Aix-en-Provence, Sintra, Ars Musica, IRCAM and Bath.

For more information, call 713.524.5050 or log onto www.dacamera.com.

FREE DANCE WORKSHOP SERIES AT THE HOUSTON MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCE.

This sounds really fun! You and your family can learn the latest dance moves from Dance Houston's top dancers while enriching your understanding of the human body. These free workshops teach the basics of Latin and hip hop dancing as well as the science of dancing including anatomy, physiology, and physics. This fun experience is a great way to liven up your visit to the world-famous Body Worlds 2 exhibit.

Upcoming dance workshops will be:

Saturday, November 8, 11am-12:30pm
Urban Landscapes: Hip Hop to Contemporary Jazz

Saturday, November 29, 11am-12:30pm
Tropical Grooves: An explosion of Latin Moves

For more information, call 713.526.1049 or log onto www.dancehouston.org.

"Strega Nona" presented by Houston Grand Opera

HOUSTON GRAND OPERA PRESENTS "STREGA NONA" AT THE CENTRUM IN SPRING.

Houston Grand Opera’s "Opera to Go!" presents "Strega Nona" for free this Saturday, November 8 at 10am at The Centrum, located at 6823 Cypresswood Drive in Spring. This version of "Strega Nona", based on the Caldecott Honor book by Tomie de Paola, is touring for the very first time. This show is a great way for children to see Big Anthony learn a valuable lesson about respecting other people’s property while working with the magical pasta maker, Strega Nona.

This performance is part of the Cypress Creek FACE "Children’s Series Concerts"; upcoming shows include A.D. Player’s "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe" on January 31, 2009 and Carranza Puppets’ "Rumplestiltskin" on March 28, 2009.

Cypress Creek FACE, a non-profit performing arts foundation, brings a variety of performances to The Centrum, a world-class, 885-seat facility on the campus of the Cypress Creek Christian Community Center on Cypresswood Drive in Spring.

For more information, call 281.440.4850 or log onto www.cypresscreekface.org.

"I CAN FLY!" WORKSHOP FOR ADULTS AND CHILDREN WITH ME THIS WEEKEND.

I am leading a great workshop for families and parent (or caregiver)/child pairs. It's an "I Can Fly!" art workshop in which parents will learn how to encourage their children to follow their heart, kids will learn about what makes them sing, and the family group will get to make a piece of art together. Join me at Body Mind & Soul this Saturday, November 8 at 2pm; you can sign up in advance or as a walk up for $5 extra. For more information, click here. This is a great way to connect with children and to also get in touch with your inner ARTIST and I'd love to see you there!

HOLLYWOOD FRAME GALLERY HAS FRAMING AND FAMILY FUN!

Hollywood Frame Gallery, at 2427 Bissonnet, 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 and is a great place for framing that special Christmas present or children's artwork.

This Saturday, November 8, from 6-9pm, they are hosting "In Goldens We Trust," a fundraiser for Golden Beginnings Golden Retriever Rescue (GBGRR). The Gallery and artist Jim Tweedy are fighting the money-losing blues with fun activities for kids like the “Rubber Ducky Grab” that will keep our economy afloat and a “Pinwheel of Fortune” for lots of cool prizes, including a Mexican vacation and an Ipod. This complimentary reception will include a wonderful buffet and the unveiling of Jim Tweedy's latest work to benefit GBGRR: "In Goldens We Trust!" The original acrylic will be auctioned off to benefit GBGRR and there will be a prize drawing for a signed, custom-framed giclée print of "In Goldens We Trust.”

The organizers figure that even if the economic times are uncertain, you can always invest in gold -- golden retrievers, that is! Your investment will bring a lifetime of love, loyalty and laughter and all proceeds will go to GBGRR. Artist Jim Tweedy and lots of golden retrievers will be in attendance. That sounds like doggone good fun!

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