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Hello, GISH PICKS reader!
Welcome to my world and my words. 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 an info-preneur. I love to gather information of all kinds -- I used to round up Houston's most interesting summer day camps for parents which I published as a book and online for 15 years as The Summer Book. And I wrote about indie film screenings for 20 years in my monthly Gish at the Movies column.
I am very involved with the art car community, having made 5 "daily driver" art cars since 2003. My current car, Iggy the Igniter, is integral to my art project, Ignite Your Life!, which is at the center of all that I create and all that I do.
Let's have fun! 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.
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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 most PICKS images.
And!
Scroll down for info on how to support this blog and 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. My Artist Portfolio is there too so please view and please enjoy!
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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If you read this online, or it was forwarded to you --
SUBSCRIBE NOW and you'll never have to miss an edition.
If you want me to promote your event...CONTACT ME!
And if you want to donate to me, thank you!
| | WEEKEND OF OCTOBER 29, 2026 | | |
This Sunday, November 1 at 7:30pm, enjoy an evening of live music as Third Space Music launches its new season. Hear works by Debussy and Puccini, including String Quartet in G Minor by Hannah Duncan, Annie Chen, Jimmy Cunningham, and Jeremy Kreutz, and Angelica Paraphrase by Keoni Bolding, Jeremy Kreutz, Andrew Pedersen, and Olena Blagulyak. CLICK ON IMAGE FOR MORE INFO.
| Ars Lyrica will get you into the Halloween spirit with a devilishly entertaining evening of Baroque music this Saturday, October 31 at 5pm. The program includes spooky musical selections featuring mezzo-soprano Nikola Printz and violinist Manami Mizumoto. Costumes are encouraged for this haunting musical adventure. CLICK ON IMAGE FOR MORE INFO. | | |
Celebrate family, ancestry and Latin American folk art traditions at MECA's annual Día de Muertos Festival! Explore beautiful ofrendas (altars), shop with local artists and artisans, enjoy live music and dance on three performance stages, sample festival foods, and let the kids get creative with art activities. The free Fest takes place this Saturday, October 31 & this Sunday, November 1, 11am–7pm. CLICK ON IMAGE FOR MORE INFO.
| This Saturday, October 31, from 10am until 2pm, celebrate Día de los Muertos with a colorful and free Dia de Los Muertos Family Day & Art Market at the Pearl Fincher Museum of Fine Arts! Enjoy live performances, local artists and vendors, hands-on crafts and activities, and plenty of art and culture for the whole family.CLICK ON IMAGE FOR MORE INFO. | | I recently met some lovely college theatre students, so I was inspired by them to PICK some upcoming college productions. Onstage now or coming soon: College of the Mainland/Shakespeare's R&J; University of Houston (main campus) School of Theatre & Dance/Rumors; University of Houston (downtown)/The Underpants; University of St. Thomas/The War of the Worlds; Texas Southern University/Sun Ra. CLICK ON EACH COLLEGE NAME FOR MORE INFO. | Celebrate the 10th anniversary of Sculpture Month Houston with an immersive exhibition featuring works by more than 20 artists. Explore the exhibition through November 21 in several unique silo spaces at Sawyer Yards, then return this Saturday, October 31 at 3:30pm for a special afternoon of art, an animatronic adventure called Tales From The Spitting Tree: The Dream of the Imp, and live music by Houston-based Philosophy Stone. CLICK ON IMAGE FOR MORE INFO. | | Next Tuesday, November 3 at 11am, bring the little ones to Miller Outdoor Theatre for a fun, child-led party (Joey's in charge!). Get ready to sing, dance, and play along at this interactive musical party for kids and families. Featuring catchy original songs, playful storytelling, lively rhythms, and plenty of audience participation, this high-energy show encourages creativity, confidence, and fun. It's a great way to recover from a sugar-filled Halloweeen! CLICK ON IMAGE FOR MORE INFO. | This Friday, October 30 from 6-9pm, enjoy an outdoor free screening of Disney's Coco at Trebly Park in downtown Houston. Grab the family and a blanket, bring some takeout (there are plenty of restaurants nearby), and celebrate Día de los Muertos with family-friendly activities before settling in for this heartwarming animated film about family, music and remembering loved ones. Be sure to check the weather and website before you go! CLICK ON IMAGE FOR MORE INFO. | | |
It's the start of November which means it's time for the annual wonderful Ann and Stephen Kaufman Jewish Book & Arts Festival! The schedule this year is from November 1 through November 15, and is as robust as ever.
Opening night on Sunday, November 1 at 7pm features speakers Rachel Goldberg Polin & Jon Polin, the couple whose son Hersh was taken hostage during the October 7 attacks in Israel. The closing night, on Sunday, November 15 at 7:30pm, features Merryl Goldberg with her book Notes of Deception: How a Quartet of American Musicians Outwitted the KGB – The Untold Russian History of a Daring Cold War Mission.
I am personally very excited about the book Theater Kid because we raised a theater kid who makes his way in the world easily and with charisma (check out what singer Josh Groban had to say about theater kids here!). On Saturday, November 7 at 7:30pm, legendary Broadway producer Jeffrey Seller will discuss his deeply personal memoir, tracing his journey from a turbulent childhood in suburban Detroit to producing groundbreaking musicals including Rent and Hamilton. I plan on being there -- maybe I'll see you? This week's VIDEO PICK features an interview with Seller about his book. It's so great.
Learn more and get your tickets for the Festival here.
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Happy Arts & Culture Weekend!
(and hey, keep scrollin' -- there's more below)
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In case you missed it: I am sober (and have been for a long time)! Click on the photo of 20-something me for more about my recovery story, which began many moons ago in 1985. I love sobriety and all that it’s brought me, and I want to encourage anyone struggling with addiction to give it a try.
Feel free to contact me anytime about this! I love speaking to groups or doing workshops so reach out and let's change the world. The best way to catch me is by phone -- 713.492.1173.
Houston has so many resources: the best place is to start with Alcoholics Anonymous Houston. If it's SOBER PICKS you want, there are a myriad of fun activities without booze created by the Party Sober Partnership, The Phoenix, Sober Girls Houston, and Sober Recreation Committee as well as by healing organizations such as The Center for Healing Arts and Sciences (unfortunately closing their doors September 30 -- information about how to stay in touch with them is on their website), and others throughout the Greater Houston area. Check 'em out and have clear-headed fun.
| | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | | Click on each image below for my ROUND-UPS! | | |
HIRE ME!
If you want to learn ways of getting centered ~
or igniting your life ~
or getting your creative juices flowing ~
or finding your purpose ~
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). | | |
P.P.S. 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 and the White House being destroyed because of our current presidential administration. I am keeping up with that and am speaking out and taking action 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 unprecedented 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.
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