Gish Picks: Week of December 2, 2009


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. FREE MUSIC! Hey tweet peeps! Follow me on Twitter and be eligible to win a cool kids' cd, such as "The Tortoise and the Hare," "Hot Peas and Butter," and other titles from Sugar Mountain PR. I'll choose a winner from all followers signed up TODAY. Be sure you know how to "direct message" since that's how you'll be notified that you’re a winner. You'll get daily PICKS of fun times in Houston – news you can use. I look forward to being stalked by you! Now, GO FIND FUN!

HANDS-ON HOUSTON WITH ART CLAY HOLIDAY ORNAMENTS WITH ANN RUSH

This Saturday, December 5 from 11am-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. This month, kids will make their very own holiday ornaments using the new Art Clay Copper Clay with artist Ann Rush. Made from real copper, these handmade clay ornaments will be a festive addition to your home or tree! The activity is appropriate for ages 3 and up and requires no previous experience. All materials will be provided. Many thanks to Art Clay World for providing the Art Clay Copper Clay!

Before or after the activity, get inspired by the current exhibitions: “Celebrating Our Creative Spirit: Texas Federation of Fiber Artists” (fiber art), “Texas Masters Series: Rachelle Thiewes” (metal art jewelry), and “Rock, Scissors, Paper” (art using found paper).

Houston Center for Contemporary Craft is located at 4848 Main Street in the Museum District.

TRAVEL TO CELTIC NATIONS WITH DANNY O'FLAHERTY AND FRIENDS.

Catch a glimpse of an Irish Christmas by taking the whole family to the one day only performance of “A Celtic Christmas” this Sunday, December 6 from 2-4:30pm at the University of St. Thomas Jones Hall. This special performance is presented by the Center for Irish Studies and has been a Houston holiday tradition since 1990 when Danny O’Flaherty teamed with Welsh harpist Robin James Jones to present the first show. Kids of all ages will enjoy seeing the sights and sounds of Christmas in the spirit of the Celtic Nations of Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Cornwall, Brittany, Galicia, and the Isle of Man as the show weaves together the evolving music, myth and customs of this unique region of the world. The show’s catchy tunes and bold spirit have made it a holiday favorite at O’Flaherty’s Irish Channel Pub in New Orleans and, after a one year reprieve due to Hurricane Katrina, the show is back on with Danny O’Flaherty and friends. The storytelling and songs are of Christmas from another era and culture but you only have to go to the University of St. Thomas to see it!

Tickets are $10/adults and students with ID (any school) are free. Jones Hall is located at 3910 Yoakum.

IT'S ALWAYS WARM IN A MOVIE THEATRE!

With lots of days off from school coming up, a perfect way to brighten the holidays is by going to see movies. Here are some that you won’t want to miss.

Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
“Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale”; “Strega Nona”; and “Lon Po Po”
Sunday, December 6 at 2pm and 3pm

The Museum’s monthly family event, “Target Free First Sunday” is focusing on the topic “Tell Me a Story,” so each film they’ve selected relates to a popular children’s story. The day will be full of other fun, including art activities, singers from Opera in the Heights, banjo music from the artist JAWAD, and travels throughout the Museum’s galleries, where kids can learn stories and sketch. TFFS is from 1-5pm and is free and open to the public.

Aurora Picture Show
“The Best of the New York Children’s Film Festival”
Saturday, December 12, 4pm (preceded by a 2pm kids’ arts workshop)
Spacetaker, 2101 Winter Street, Winter Street Studios

Hedgehogs and love letters, ants on a mission, a bunny left at the laundromat, and a Jurassic journey are a few of the delightful stories in this 60-minute program recommended for children ages 3 and up. Spacetaker hosts a kid’s art workshop starting at 2pm followed by short films at 4pm. New York Children’s Film Festival is North America’s largest festival of film for children and teens and stands at the forefront of a movement to define a new, more provocative and compelling film for kids.

Houston Museum of Natural Science
“Disney’s A Christmas Carol 3D”
Daily showtimes vary

Yes, this is the one with Jim Carrey in theatres “everywhere” but see it at the Museum and you’ll get to visit the permanent exhibit halls too! And if you can stop by this Saturday, December 5, you’ll get to see Santa and his reindeer and 80,000 pounds of SNOW for only $5! This event and many others have been planned as part of the Museum’s “Fun Hundred Events” that celebrate its 100th birthday this year.

THIS WEEK'S ATTRACTION...THE GEORGE RANCH HISTORICAL PARK. For more attractions, go to www.gishcreative.com/attractions.htm.

“Journey to a place and time where cattle and cotton are king and Texas is a country all its own” say the folks at the George Ranch Historical Park, a great place to discover Texas traditions and see live history. The ranch in Richmond, Texas (a quick 30-mile drive from Houston) has a 480-acre living history site which offers hands-on experiences of life covering the past 100 years and costumed historical interpreters. The history of the Ranch itself began in 1824 when this was still Mexico and the first American pioneers settled near the Brazos River. In the years since, the ranch has passed through four generations and grown into one of Fort Bend County's landmarks. Today the Ranch is a 23,000-acre working cattle ranch with the family's original "home place" serving as the public site. There are three places to visit in the Ranch that represent Texas through the ages: The 1830s Jones Stockfarm; The 1890s Davis House Complex; and the 1930s George Ranch Complex, which was built by the fourth generation of the family, Albert and Mamie George.

Coming up December 11, 12, 18 and 19, the Ranch is hosting their annual “Campfire Christmas” celebrations which include guided tours, delicious period food, and festivities with singing and story-telling around the Oak Grove campfire with the George Ranch cowboys. In true Texas tradition, this event will be held in spite of the weather! Start times begin at 6pm and rotate every 30 minutes until 8pm.

The Ranch is open Tuesdays-Saturdays, 9am-5pm and tickets are $9/adults, $8/seniors 62+ and $5/kids 5-15 years old. Children 4 and under are free. Tickets for the “Campfire Christmas” are $35/seniors, children, and groups of 10 or more and $40/adults.

JOIN VOICES BREAKING BOUNDARIES FOR AN EAST END LIVE ART PRODUCTION: “VBB’S TEN-YEAR ANNIVERSARY: A DECADE OF DISSENT”.

This Saturday, December 5 at 7pm, join Voices Breaking Boundaries as they celebrate their 10-year anniversary and receive a proclamation from the City of Houston at 7:30pm. VBB uses art to create justice, take a stand on difficult issues, and to cross boundaries by bringing together diverse groups. This event is free and open to the public and honors artists and organizations who have participated in VBB productions throughout the decade.

Highlights include:

photographs by Paul Hester, who documented VBB's early shows, and youth workshops; by Eric Hester, who currently serves as VBB's documentary artist; and by Burnell McCray, whose work covered VBB's early shows in southwest Houston and who recently rejoined us on the East End;

short screening of “Houston Artists and Dissent”, a 2004 VBB documentary by filmmaker Laura Harrison, who interviewed more than thirty artists regarding their views on art, activism and dissent;

a brand new short film by Faroukh Virani that captures VBB's first decade;

performance by director/educator Keisha Breaker's Lee High School girls' dance troupe;

music by the Free Radicals, Tyagaraja, and Kayumanggi Pinoy rock band; and

drinks, food and a celebration cake!

“A Decade of Dissent” takes place at Houston Institute for Culture, 708-B Telephone Road. The show is cosponsored by Houston Institute for Culture and KPFT 90.1 FM.

CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS WITH THE HOUSTON CHILDREN'S CHORUS!

"Kids and Christmas" Holiday Pops Concert
December 19, 5pm
Alice Pratt Brown Concert Hall at Rice University
Tickets: $15-$20 (discount for groups of 10 or more)

Your feet will be tapping as the children perform favorite holiday classics and jazzy pop tunes, accompanied by professional musicians. This popular concert is the perfect ingredient for a happy holiday season!

Concert of Sacred Christmas Music
December 20, 4pm and 7pm (two performances)
Chapel of the Villa de Matel Convent, 6510 Lawndale
Tickets: $25 (discount for groups of 10 or more)

This concert showcases the children's clear voices with beautiful carols and sacred songs that will bring back memories - and create new ones.

Coming Attraction: Auditions for boys and girls in grades 4 through 8 for HCC's spring season! Do your kids love to sing? Do they enjoy performing on stage for famous people and happy crowds? Do they want to make new friends? Do you want them to sing at Carnegie Hall next June? If you answered yes to these questions, then call today at 713.650.3800 to schedule an audition for the Houston Children’s Chorus! Rehearsals for their 2009-2010 spring season will begin in January and are held in a convenient central location.

To purchase concert tickets, learn more about the Chorus, schedule an audition, or buy one of their CDs, visit www.houstonchildren.org or call 713.650.3800.

ART LEAGUE HOUSTON WINTER CAMPS

Art League Houston is thrilled to announce its first winter art camp for kids. Participants will enjoy drawing, painting, collage, paper folding, printmaking and much more! Join them in their newly remodeled bungalow for a wonderful winter experience. Space is limited to twenty (20) participants per session, so register today! The schedule is as follows:

Monday, December 21–Wednesday, December 23 9am–noon/1pm–4pm
Monday, December 28–Wednesday, December 30 9am–noon/1pm–4pm

The camps are for 5-8 and 9-12 year olds. Tuition is $90, registration fee is $60 (registration fee is waived for ALH household members).

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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

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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 © 2009 Sarah Gish Designed by West of the World