Houston Lifestyles and Homes Magazine Jan 2010: Calendar of Events in the Houston Area

BEGINNING JAN 16

heavy metal exhibits at hccc, beginning Jan. 16

The Houston Center for Contemporary Craft rocks the metal arts with two new exhibitions: Iron: Forged, Tempered, Quenched on view Jan. 16-May 16, and eXtreme Tea, on view Jan.16-March 21.

Iron: Forged, Tempered, Quenched celebrates the rich history of American blacksmithing by bridging historical and contemporary works and illustrating the wide variety of blacksmithing techniques and processes currently practiced in the U.S. The exhibition is one of the most significant exhibitions of blacksmithed objects in decades.

The exhibition educates audiences about the processes used to create historical and contemporary ironwork. Contemporary pieces are exhibited alongside important historic works, such as farm implements and tools, to allow visitors to visually identify how blacksmithing artists combine contemporary design sensibilities with historical traditions and techniques to create their pieces. The exhibition features more than 40 pieces by 38 artists from across the U.S.

eXtreme Tea is a surprising exhibition of tea infusers and strainers—seemingly mundane household items that hold loose tea leaves for brewing in a pot or cup. However, because of the small scale and potential for minute decorative detail, these items present an exciting challenge for contemporary artists. The exhibition includes tea infusers made predominantly from metal, but also includes pieces made from glass, ceramic, fiber, plastic and combinations of mixed media. eXtreme Tea contrasts traditional tea infusers with inventive contemporary pieces that take these simple objects to extremes.

Located in the Museum District at 4848 Main Street, HCCC is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, noon-5 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, call 713-529-4848 or visit www.crafthouston.org.

of South America in Spirits and Headhunters: Vanishing Worlds of the Amazon.

With over 150 rare and extraordinary objects on display, this new exhibition offers insight into the unique cultures and traditions of the Ka ’apor, Karajá, Kayapó, Tapirapé, Ticuna and other Amazonian tribes.

Spirits and Headhunters features artifacts such as masks, body ornaments, full body costumes, basketry, weapons, pottery, textiles and elaborate feather headdresses. One section of the exhibit, “Guardians of the Forest,” displays an amazing selection of photographs that show the rituals and lifestyles of these Amazonian cultures. Rare images taken by Cristina G. Mittermeier show examples of daily life, such as fishing, women at work, as well as men wrestling and dancing. Visitors will gain a better understanding of village life among the tribes as well as ceremonial practices.

Spirits and Headhunters: Vanishing Worlds of the Amazon will be on display through Jan. 10. For ticket prices or more information, go to www.hmns.org or call 713-629-4629.

Urban Harvest annual fruit tree sale, jan. 9

Urban Harvest will host the 10th Annual Urban Harvest Fruit Tree Sale on Saturday, Jan. 9, from 8 a.m. to noon at Rice University Football Stadium Concourse (between Rice and University Boulevards and Greenbriar).

The event will bring together the largest stock of fruit trees and berries ever assembled on a single in Houston. Among the year-round fruit-yielding varieties for sale will be oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, lemons, limes, kumquats, calamondin, pummelo, satsumas, peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots, cherries, pears, apples, persimmons, pomegranates, pecans, grapes, muscadines, jujubes, blueberries, blackberries, avocados, mangos, starfruit, lychee, dragon fruit, guava, Cherry of the Rio Grande, bananas, figs, papaya, Barbados Cherry, Miracle Fruit, olives and more.

“Fruit Tree Professors” will be on-hand to answer questions and help customers select their trees. There will be handouts on how to care for the trees, and Dr. Bob Randall ’s book, Year Round Vegetables, Fruits and Flowers for Metro Houston, will also be for sale.

There will be pre-sale talks on Jan. 2 and Jan. 5 where photos and descriptions of all the fruit types and varieties that will be available for the sale to help people make informed choices. Go to urbanharvest.org for more information.

children’s museum of houston Seasons of sharing exhibit, through jan. 10

Seasons of Sharing, a holiday exhibit will run through Jan. 10. Learn about seven holidays from around the world. With more than 90 languages spoken throughout the Houston area, this city ’s cultural diversity has found a home within this exhibit. A different cultural holiday will be spotlighted each week in which kids will learn about the culture through hands-on activities and games. The museum will also feature several spotlight performances during this holiday exhibit.

The museum is located at 1500 Binz in Houston. For more information and a complete listing of events, go to www.cmhouston.org or call 713-522-1138.

Houston Cat Club’s 58th annual charity cat show, jan. 9-10

The Houston Cat Club’s annual Charity Cat Show will be held on Jan. 9-10 at the George R. Brown Convention Center, Hall A, 1001 Ave de las Americas.

Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday; and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $8 for adults and $4 for under 12 or 65 and older. Children under 4 are free. Parking is $7 in the lot or $10 per car at the parking garage.

Beneficiaries of the proceeds are local Animal Welfare Groups: The Houston SPCA, Citizens for Animal Protection, the Homeless Pet Placement League, The Houston Humane Society and The Winn Feline Foundation. Shelters receive free space at the show to show off cats available for adoption. Donations come from spectators ’ admission fees.

Activities during the show include: CFA Feline Agility Competition, Pedigreed Cat Competition, Household Pets Competition, Dr. John R. August, professor of feline internal medicine at Texas A &M University, will be the special guest.

There will be book signings by award-winning feline authors Amy D. Shojai, known for her pet health care books, Carole Nelson Douglas, noted creator of the Midnight Louie Cat Mystery series, and Dusty Rainbolt, known for cat care and behavior books, her monthly product reviews, and her quirky science fiction and fantasy novels, on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Copies of their books will be available for purchase.

The Ask-The-Vet-Kiosk will be manned from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. Spectators have the opportunity to discuss their cats ’ health with highly qualified veterinarians from the Houston area. Enjoy the Shopping Mall with lots of vendors —for the humans, and felines in their lives.

Visit www.houstoncatclub.org or call 713-853-8000 for additional information.

events at discovery green, during january

Houston Skating Stars will take place on Mondays at 6 p.m. The region’s best figure skaters, coaches, precision teams and ice show performers bring their talent to The Ice. Event performances sanctioned by U.S. Figure Skating.

Jazz On Ice will be held on Tuesdays from 7 p.m.-9 p.m. Veteran Houston jazzman Jawad caresses the senses and lightens the heart. Impromptu sets on the Anheuser-Busch stage might include Stevie Wonder, Sting, Dylan, Babyface or Bacharach.

Silver Blades on the Silver Screen with Mix 96.5 on Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. offers a collection of the best holiday and skating movies shown on the super-sized screen on the Anheuser-Busch Stage. Log on to www.mix965houston.com to vote for a favorite holiday movie.

Cool Tunes, HOT Ice with Hot 95.7 on Fridays from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. features Houston’s most wanted DJs from Hot 95.7. Guests can skate to the best beats every Friday.

Holiday Green Market is held on Sundays from noon-4 p.m. The Central City Co-op Green Market at Discovery Green expands to include holiday products from resident artists and craftsmen, using local and sustainable materials. This is a great chance to pick up unique gifts, as well as veggies.

Recycling Sundays presented by Biolage will be held on Saturdays from10 a.m.-2 p.m. Bring paper, glass, plastic and aluminum cans on the first Saturday of the month.

Discovery Green is open every day from 6 a.m.-11 p.m. For more information, go to www.discoverygreen.com or call 713-400-7336.

roco’s conductorless! concert, feb. 13-14

River Oaks Chamber Orchestra will perform its annual Conductorless! Concert on Feb. 13-14, and welcomes internationally acclaimed piano soloist Simone Dinnerstein, and dynamic Chinese composer Chen Yi.

The Saturday concert will begin at 5 p.m. at The Church of St. John the Divine, 2450 River Oaks Blvd. in Houston. Tickets are $25; $10 for students and are available at rocohouston.org, by phone at 713-665-2700 or at the door.

The Sunday concert and Valentine’s dinner will also begin at 5 p.m. at The Houstonian Hotel, 111 North Post Oak Lane in Houston.

For more information, contact Terri Golas at 713-665-2700 or e-mail terri@rocohouston.org.

CONOCOPHILLIPS RODEO RUN, feb. 27

The 23rd annual ConocoPhillips Rodeo Run, which includes a 10K race and 5K fun run/walk, will take place on Saturday, Feb. 27. The event raises scholarship funds for Texas youth and will once again lead the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo ™ Parade past thousands of cheering spectators in downtown Houston.

A record 13,000 participants are expected to dash through the streets of downtown past thousands of spectators. Since its inception, the ConocoPhillips Rodeo Run has raised more than $2.2 million for the HLSR Educational Fund.

Runners and walkers will experience Houston’s only point-to-point 10K race and 5K fun run/walk in a festive atmosphere that celebrates Houston ’s heritage.

To register, visit www.ConocoPhillipsRodeoRun.com, call 281-293-2447.

jay z in concert, feb. 22

The Toyota Center will welcome Jay-Z back to Houston on Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. In the midst of his first college tour, promoting his latest No. 1 album, The Blueprint 3, and his recently released video game sensation, DJ Hero: Renegade Edition, the unstoppable Jay-Z has decided to cross the country again with his BP3 North American tour. He will be joined by Grammy-nominated rapper Young Jeezy when they open the tour in Houston.

Ticket prices range from $49-$119, and are available by calling 866-446-8849, at most Houston Randall’s stores or go to www.toyotacentertix.com.

4th Annual Larry Dierker “My Team” Celebrity Golf Tournament, feb. 22

The 4th Annual Larry Dierker “My Team” Celebrity Golf Tournament benefiting Literacy Advance of Houston will be held on Feb. 22 at BlackHorse Golf Club, 12205 Fry Road in Cypress.

Larry Dierker, retired Houston Astros pitcher and author of My Team and It Ain’t Brain Surgery, will host the annual tournament. Proceeds from the tournament benefit Literacy Advance and its free classes offered to the community.

For sponsorship information or to reserve a team, contact Judy McFarland at 713-266-8777, ext. 22, or e-mail golf@literacyadvance.org.