Posted on Sep 8, 2009 | Tagged in: Houston , events
Are you in Houston and looking for something fun? Saturday, September 12th is Museum District Day in Houston. Just head over to the Houston Museum District between 10 am to 5 pm for a free day of fun and education at the museums within the district. There will be many performances, hands on activities, exhibits, and more to see and do.
The free events at the 17 museums include:
10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m.: Inventor's workshops at the Children's Museum of Houston.
10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.: KHOU-TV Channel 11 anchors and reporters featured at the Houston Museum of Natural Science.
11 a.m.-5 p.m.: Fresco painting with Houston artist Nestor at the Byzantine Fresco Chapel Museum.
Posted on Sep 4, 2009 | Tagged in: healthcare
Eight Houston based children's services organizations are sharing a generous $7.8 million grant from the Hogg Foundation forMental Health. The Hogg Foundation is funding the grants from anendowment established by the Houston civic leader and philanthropist Ima Hogg, who passed away in 1975.
The endowments will span three years, and will only be used forservices regarding mental health for children and their families within Houston and Harris County. Some eligible services include:
- mental health promotion
- prevention
- early identification and intervention
- day-care centers
- transitional living shelters
The Hogg Foundation was founded in 1940 by the children of former Texas Governor James Hogg. The goal is to promote better mental health for Texas citizens. To date, the foundation has awarded 167 total grants worth over $28.3 million from the Im a Hogg endowment since 1976. It is also a part of the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement at the University of Texas.
Source: Houston Biz Journals
Posted on Sep 2, 2009 | Tagged in: Houston
The Interfin Companies LP, the Houston-based real estate developer and creator of landmark projects such as Uptown Park, and HEB Vintage Market have joined together to bring Northwest Houston ‘The Vintage Harvest Festival: A Celebration of Food, Wine & Art’. The family-friendly festival is scheduled from 10:00 AM to dusk on Saturday, November 7th at Vintage Park in The Vintage located off Highway 249 at 10805 Louetta Rd.
Organizers are currently seeking applications from local and regional artists and craftsmen to showcase and sell their work in The Vintage Harvest Festival art zone. Entry fee is $100 and includes a 10 X 10 tent, table and two chairs. If no booth is required, the entry fee is $50. Go to www.vintageharvestfest.com to register online. Deadline to register and submit an application for the juried event is September 30th.
Posted on Aug 27, 2009 | Tagged in: Houston I.S.D. , education
Not one to miss out on the Twitter craze, Houston Independant School District (HISD) educators are using Twitter for updates. Back to school Twitter updates began with Houston ISD members such as Jared Berry, theater director at Pin Oak Middle School, with “It's 4:44 a.m. on 8/24/09 — 1st day of school for 2009-10 term. Can't wait to start the day.”
Many schools are utilizing Twitter's update abilities for a range of things from school news updates to parents, students, and staff members. While it doesn't replace more conventional means such as HISD's mass-calling system, the plus side to using Twitter is that it is a fast, instantaneous way to provide updates to those involved in the Houston education community.
The Twitter updates can be a great way for parents to keep tabs on what is going on in their children's schools. Most school children are very familiar with other social media sites such as Myspace and Facebook, but very few know about Twitter. HISD school teachers hope to educate them about Twitter and use it for scholastic means, so parents and teachers can monitor their progress. The best part is that Twitter is much safer than Myspace and Facebook whereas less personal information is presented, and most interactions on the site come in the form of "tweets", or short update blurbs.
Particularly excited about the momentum in which social media is taking root in Houston schools is Stephanie Sandifer, curriculum specialist for adolescent literacy in HISD. According to her, "There are definitely more educators who are beginning to understand the potential of these tools for communication, as well as for learning." Schools everywhere in Houston are taking advantage of Twitter, are you tweeting as well?
Image courtesy ofchron.com
Posted on Aug 20, 2009 | Tagged in: events , community
Mischer Community residents can look forward to an entertaining, thought-provoking event if they visit the Russian Culture Center this weekend. The RCC has recently opened an Art Exhibition for Dmitri Koustov titled "Megapolis". The exhibit is open now through October 16th, 2009. From Monday through Friday you can see the exhibit from 8:30am to 5:30pm and Saturday from 11am to 3pm. Admission is free and visitors may even purchase some of Koustov's works.
Dmitri Koustov has works all over Europe in private collections through Austria, Germany, France, Russia, England, Singapore, and Finland as well as in the United States, and the Ivanovo Art Museum. His works are comprised of intense, vivid color with balanced harmony. His abstract works bring about emotions of positivity.
"Creating an abstract composition that has a luminous mixture of forms and colors brings me happiness, inner strength and freedom. I hope that viewers will feel the same when they see my works… I think that the task of the artist is to show the things that one can feel but not see. And that’s what I am awaiting from my public-imagination and fantasy" - artist Dmitri Koustov.
Koustov is a graduate from Ivanovo Art Institute, and previously worked in St. Petersberg, Russia and Moscow. Currently he resides in College Station, Texas.
For more information on the exhibit, visit the Russian Culture Center's site at ourtx.org. You can also reach them by phone at (713) 395-3301 or email at rcc@ourtx.com.
Image courtesy of DmitriKoustov.com
Source: Russian Culture Center Official Site and khou.com.
Posted on Aug 12, 2009 | Tagged in: business
This September a new restaurant, Bistro Alex will be opening its doors to Houston. Fans of Brennan's of Houston can now rejoice, as the new restaurant will be a mixture of Brennan's signature Texas creole and classy fine dining. Opening under Alex Brennan-Martin, this new eatery will be a treat for those who have a taste for Louisiana creole cuisine mixed with Texas flavor.
Fans of Brennan's of Houston mourned its loss when it went under due to a fire during the hurricane of September 2008. Its rich history of over 40 years of culinary excellence has built quite a following in Texas. Given its history and anticipation, the news of its resurrection in the form of Bistro Alex is definitely something to talk about.
Bistro Alex's opening will coincide with the opening for Hotel Sorella this fall. The new restaurant will seat 160 in a space of 4,000 square feet and will be open for lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch. Hungry patrons can enter the restaurant through Hotel Sorella's lobby or through Cafe Rose, directly below.
The new design is being completed by The Johnson Studio, the same company responsible for Fearing's in Dallas. It will compliment the sophisticated look of the hotel while maintaining its own feel, sticking with a natural color palette of brown, blue and green, giving an inspirational nod to nature.
While classic dishes are certainly on the menu, the creative entrees, wine and exquisite cuisine are what people come for. Pricing for food is on par with Brennan's, and Brennan-Martin promises there will be great value in both menu and wine pricing. Look forward to seeing Bistro Alex opening this fall along with Hotel Sorella.
Posted on Aug 6, 2009 | Tagged in: going-green
CenterPoint Energy Inc., is working with Houston to install new smart meters within the city at the request of funding. Under a $200 million grant applied for by CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric LLC to the US Department of Energy, the “Houston’s Smart Grid: Transforming the Future of Electric Distribution & Energy Consumption” Project would see this goal realized.
Why the upgrade? The new meters send usage information to both CenterPoint Energy and consumers. This means citizens can check their electric usage online updated at 15 minute intervals. Those without internet or a PC can check their usage via an in home monitor. The new system even notifies CenterPoint about power outages automatically.
If funding is approved, CenterPoint would use $150 million towards installing these smart meters, and use the remainder to install a new intelligence grid, which includes self healing technology, advanced metering systems, and other tech that improves performance and reliability.
The plan is set to span 5 years, which began in March 2009. Currently there are already 45,000 meters installed and they plan on having 145,000 by the end of the year with the aid of funding. Within time, more Houston residents will be “smart” with their energy.
To learn more, visit CenterPointEnergy.com.
Posted on Jul 31, 2009 | Tagged in: Houston , business
Across the globe, the “American Style” is ever present and subsequently, a growing demand for “made in America” products is on the rise. In the forefront of this demand is Farouk Shami, CEO of Farouk Systems, Inc., the Houston company that manufactures over 50 different CHI hair styling devices and products. In the spirit of this ideal, Farouk has sold his South Korean plant, severed ties with China and has opened a $23 million, 500,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in North Houston.
Yesterday was the grand opening of the CHI USA facility, held simultaneously with a huge job fair at Greenspoint Mall hosted by Farouk Systems. Over 1,200 jobs are expected to be open for the manufacturing plant, and will gradually be filled by next year, as qualifications of prospective employees are determined.
“As an American citizen, as a Houstonian, as a proud Texan, as a manufacturer, I’m proud to be bringing jobs back to the U.S.,” says Shami, who emigrated from Ramallah, Palestine, to the United States in 1965.
If you would like to learn more, click here to watch the ABC 13 news broadcast videos about the Farouk Systems job fair.
Source: Houston Business Journal
Posted on Jul 21, 2009 | Tagged in: Houston , economy
According to the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, new residential construction in the nation rose 3.6% last month to an annual adjusted rate of 582,000 homes, a full 20,000 more homes built from last May.
Single-family homes have predominated the increase in construction, rising 14.4%, while multifamily projects, such as new apartment units and other commercial real estate developments, declined approximately 25.8%.
While funding to buy homes still remains tight, says IHS Global Insight economist Patrick Newport, financial plans are available for interested homebuyers who have good credit and secure an adequate down payment.
It seems that more families are carefully taking the next step and buying new homes, steadily nurturing the housing market back to its former levels.
Source: Houston Business Journal
Posted on Jul 13, 2009 | Tagged in: Houston , economy
The Houston housing market was able to stay out of the jaws of the recent recession, but many of the city’s residents did not escape unscathed.
In an effort to help keep history from repeating itself, the local broadcasting company of PBS Channel 8 will be hosting “’Facing the Mortgage Crisis,’ a community engagement initiative designed to connect area residents to trusted foreclosure prevention resources.”
Highlights of the program will include short, informative TV “spots” that will answer all of homeowners questions about topics like interest rates, collection notices and more.
An extended version of this on-air Q and A will show on August 4th from 7-8pm. Hosted by Emmy-award winning producer Patricia Gras, “Facing the Mortgage Crisis: A HoustonPBS Town Hall Meeting” will feature specialists form nonprofit organizations guiding viewers through issues related to the mortgage crisis. Volunteers will also be taking calls and emails with viewer’s questions during the program.
To send in your own questions, please email mortgage@houstonpbs.org, or visit www.houstonpbs.org/mortgage for learn more or for further contact information.
