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Hello, GISH PICKS reader!
I am Sarah Gish and I adore Houston, the most diverse city in the country. I have been writing this blog, subtitled CURATED CULTURE FOR KIDS & ADULTS, since 2004.
I focus on my passion to amplify unique Houston arts and culture events and organizations by PICK-ing their weekend happenings. I am an artist and writer and teacher and I am very involved with the art car community, having made 5 "daily driver" art cars including my current car, Iggy the Igniter. I also have an art project, Ignite Your Life!, which is at the center of all that I create and all that I do.
Every week my blog will be topped with a photo relating to Houston's arts and culture, or perhaps a good story! Click on it and enjoy the surprise of where it takes you.
I love to ignite lives and create connections and my words and my art are some of the ways I do that.
Thanks for joining me in my explorations
of creative Houston!
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Before you scroll through this week's PICKS:
please note that there are links connected to the boldfaced words in BLUE, and there are links
connected to all PICKS images.
And!
Scroll to the bottom for info on how to support this blog and to see a NEW FEATURE: a list of weekend events of one art form (theatre, dance, music, visual art, literary, film) that I publish weekly. Also down yonder, you can read my QUICK THOUGHTS and see this week's VIDEO PICK and click on links to my ROUND-UPS of Houston thangs such as
indie bookstores & my fave nature spots.
Also!
At the very bottom you'll find more about me and my offerings of ways I can help you increase your personal peace, including private consultations, labyrinth walks, and workshops.
One more thing...
If you click on a Facebook link -- and aren't on that platform -- the statement "Safari cannot open the page because the address is invalid" might pop up. Click "ok" then click on the "x" on the image of me where it says "See more from Sarah Gish"
and you'll get to the post.
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SUBSCRIBE NOW and you'll never have to miss an edition!
And if you want me to promote your event...CONTACT ME!
| | WEEKEND OF OCTOBER 2, 2025 | | |
It's time for HANDS-ON HOUSTON at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, a free drop-in event held the first Saturday of every month (except in January and July)!
This Saturday, October 4 from 11am-3pm, kids & adults can learn the art of basket weaving with former resident artist and Lone Star Weaver Molly Koehn in HANDS-ON HOUSTON: Mini Basket Weaving. Basketry is an ancient craft that relies on simple tools and natural materials, some of which are grown and harvested in the museum's unique Craft Garden, where the activity will take place.
You can get inspired by the variety of colors, patterns, shapes, and textures of the baskets on view in CraftTexas 2025, then weave your own unique container! The museum is always free.
Note: Please allow 25 minutes to complete this activity. The activity will take place outdoors in the Craft Garden, weather dependent, and is on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last.
HANDS-ON HOUSTON is a free monthly program in which a teaching artist or guild demonstrates a craft related to the current exhibitions. Community members of all ages are welcome and all materials are provided. This program supports HCCC’s mission to inspire and connect people to the art and process of making.
CLICK ON IMAGES FOR MORE INFO.
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This Friday, October 3 through Monday, October 6, Sankofa Collective is presenting the world premiere of HolyOrdinary, a new play by the company's Founding Artistic Director Alric Davis.
This exciting and thought-provoking piece is a poetic and meta-theatrical exploration of the true story of outsider artist James Hampton (note: I LOVE outsider art!). After his first miraculous vision of the Virgin Mary in the early 1900s, James becomes single mindedly focused on creating a throne fit for God to sit on during Judgement Day using trash scraps such as cardboard, tin foil, light bulbs and couch cushions. When he meets Otile Whitehead, a beautiful metropolitan woman, both lives intertwine in a way that affects them -- and all of us -- for decades to come.
Sankofa Collective (originally named the Bayou Theatre Company) was created by Alric Davis and 2 friends when he was only 17 years old, in 2013. Their mission is to utilize the performing arts as an outreach and entertainment source for the underserved population of the Northwest Houston community and beyond.
Since then, the organization has successfully produced three Houston premieres, garnered 7 Broadway World Awards, and offered positive and thought-provoking pre-professional and professional artistic opportunities to at-risk youth and adults within the greater Houston area.Their focus is to expose/educate/enrich with their work and to highlight art created by people of color.
CLICK ON IMAGES FOR MORE INFO.
| | ************************************ | | This Saturday, October 4 from 2:30-5:30pm, join Houston's A.S.S. ("Accordion Super Stars"!) for their 2nd annual celebration of all things Oktoberfest-y, A.S.S.Toberfest, at Dan Electro's. You'll get to experience Houston's only accordion ensemble! CLICK ON IMAGE FOR MORE INFO. | This Saturday, October 4 starting at 6pm, the Eternal Gandhi Museum of Houston is celebrating Mahatma Gandhi's 156th birthday with a special dinner and an evening of performances and speeches. CLICK ON IMAGE FOR MORE INFO. | | Kindred Stories brings the popular YouTube series, Gracie's Corner, to life with a meet and greet this Saturday, October 4 at 10am at the store, 2310 Elgin Street. Celebrate Gracie's Corner's debut picture book, Today Is Gonna Be A Great Day! CLICK ON IMAGE FOR MORE INFO. | The Houston Public Library is hosting a free Kids Craft Time this Saturday, October 4 from 3-4pm at the Kendall Neighborhood Library. It will be a fun and imaginative make-and-take crafting session for kids 5-10 years old. CLICK ON IMAGE FOR MORE INFO. | | Fever presents a variety of candlelight concerts around Houston, and this Saturday, October 4 at 6:30pm, they are presenting Rock Favorites on Strings. The show brings the magic of music to Resurrection MCC under the gentle glow of candlelight. CLICK ON IMAGE FOR MORE INFO. | | The Houston Zoo presents their annual Zoo Boo fall festival through October 31. Costumes are encouraged, and ghouls and goblins will have plenty of favorites to experience, including their Carved Pumpkins display and big Pumpkin Tree.CLICK ON IMAGE FOR MORE INFO. | | |
This week's VIDEO PICK features the story of Casa Ramirez, a heart-filled Mexican folk art gallery and import store founded in 1985 by Macario Ramirez to preserve and promote Latino culture and traditions. Each October, they host festive Day of the Dead celebrations and workshops, including altars created by the community. I was blessed to build one in honor of my brother Geoffrey Gish.
The store features traditional Mexican and Latin American folk art, books, clothing, and home decor, and supports local Latino artists and writers. The gallery has been run by Macario's wife, Chrissie Dickerson Ramirez, since his death, and will be closing in the spring of 2026 after she retires. Casa Ramirez is located at 241 W. 19th Street in Houston Heights.
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I meet people all the time who don’t think Houston is a nature city and that there is any reason to walk for pleasure. Well, friends – I disagree! I created an annually-updated list of my fave local nature spots in honor of Earth Day many years ago, so start your exploration of our green by checking that out here.
And there are several walking groups, events, and challenges, listed below. Git on yore running shoes and let’s go!
Houston Chronicle Raj Mankad has started a free-wheeling Westheimer Challenge that’s super fun and includes riding METRO Bus #82 and traversing Westheimer’s entire 17 miles. There are plenty of hiking groups in Houston, including HTX Outdoors; the Houston Women’s Hiking Group (it’s a private group but publicly visible so you can request to join it); and Meetup groups such as Houston Area Trails & More.
There are also great options for walking – both tours and freeform. Laura Conely offers many kinds of walks through her company, Urban Paths. Buffalo Bayou Partnership has Wellness Walks/Bayou Roots/Nature walking tours. And Architecture Center Houston is starting up their walking and bicycle tours again – these are annual events on Saturday mornings from October through May.
There are also plenty of places for walking on your own, including the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center, which just received a $90K grant for conservation. And you can create your own group, meeting up at Memorial Park, Hermann Park, or one of the other 300+ city parks! You can also hoof it at scenic spots like Houston Botanic Garden and Mercer Arboretum & Botanic Gardens. Whatever you do, get moving. Walking is good for physical and mental health, a perfect mix for an ignited life!
And, as you may know if you’ve been following me for awhile: I love walking the path of labyrinths! Please join the Houston Labyrinth Walkers Facebook group and you’ll see what’s happening in our area. I’ll be offering another walk in December, which I’ll highlight here in GISH PICKS and also in that group page.
And here’s an exciting walkway that’s coming downtown next year, just in time for FIFA World Cup 26: the Main Street Promenade! The crowds will love it.
It’s Texas GO VEGAN Week (through October 7), so how about you try some of that fare? I’ve got a great annually-updated list of local vegan spots in my round-up here (and in this blog every week) to get you started.
National Night Out in Houston is always celebrated in October due to our sweltering heat in August, when the rest of the country celebrates. It’s happening next Tuesday, October 7 and Midtown Houston has some fun events planned as do several spots in the greater Houston area.
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IN THESE TIMES: I made a decision about my writing of this blog during this time when there are so many negative things swirling around and lives being upended because of our current presidential administration. I am keeping up with that and am speaking out in ways I think are most effective. I am doing what I can to make changes and to aid people whose lives are being affected. I have been tempted to address how that affects the arts each week but that feels too heavy.
Instead: I pray that GISH PICKS will serve as a beacon of hope and a continued amplifier of local arts and all that is good as we experience this time together. For over 20 years I have presented Houston's diversity of art forms and communities and ideas -- and that will not stop. My heart is with you, and with all of us. Please join me in protecting our democracy! You can start here.
| | Click on each image below for my ROUND-UPS! | | ...LEARN MORE ABOUT ME... | | |
HIRE ME! If you want to learn ways of getting centered -- or igniting your life -- or getting your creative juices flowing...
click on the images below for more about my work and then please contact me if I can be of service at 713.492.1173.
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If you'd like to support my passion to amplify our community of artists, nature spots, farmers markets, vegan eating, indie bookstores, and arts & culture organizations, click here to donate ANY amount of money to my company using your credit card or PayPal account. Please note that your donation is not tax deductible.
You can also pay me via Venmo (@Sarah-Gish) or Zelle (713 492 1173). Or, if you'd prefer to snail mail me a check, that's great! Please make the check payable to Gish Creative and mail it to: Gish Creative, 1940-A Fountainview Drive, PMB 116, Houston, Texas 77057.
You can also support my blog -and- promote your event or organization by purchasing ads. Please email me for my rate card, demographics, and more information. I'd love to help you reach my wildly loyal readers.
Thank you so much!
| | Alrighty -- time to log off and go enjoy Houston art & culture! | | P.S. I have 2 lists for GISH PICKS -- one for adults and one for families. Each list gets the same blog weekly -- both also get separate targeted emails. You can be on both lists or just one if you wish -- it's super easy! Just scroll down and click on "Update Profile" (see pic above). | | | | |
