Camps and Photos and Beer, oh my!

I’ve been MIA. And not the Diplo kind. But I’m back. And it feels good.

This city doesn’t stop for me, and I’ve missed some great events in the last few months. And this weekend is no exception.  Check out these great arts + events happenings in the town of H this weekend.

Recaps to come soon about Mom 2.0 Summit, and lots of plans and big changes to come!

Missed you all.

Saturday, February 28th

ArtCamp @ Caroline Collective

Artcamp is an informal, community-based event to discuss the state of the arts in Houston and develop an informed strategy on how we can collectively support our arts community. The format is open and decided upon by those in attendance but we have several goals that we will achieve through open discussion and peer-to-peer educational sessions:
- Inform participants of available resources online and offline
- Share best practices among organizations, including audience development, fundraising, board and volunteer recruitment, and online outreach
- Share best practices among artists, such as developing their careers, promoting themselves and their work, obtaining gallery representation, and building an online presence

The schedule for the day will include educational sessions and a townhall discussion section. Through this discussion we hope to determine the difficulties that local artists and members of the art community experience, the common solutions to problems, and voice concerns, comments and suggestions for improvement. The final session of the day will be a focused townhall discussion proposing sustainable solutions to educate and deliver resources to members of the community to ensure the improved success and continued communication at all levels.
The event runs from 9:30ish til 5pm. Feel free to drop in whenever.
Here’s the link to the Artcamp site: http://barcamp.org/ArtCampHouston

Spoken Honestly: fine art photography of Three Heart Photo

Two of my most favorite Houston photographers will BOTH be holding photo shows this weekend @CoffeeGroundz.  Just my luck!  Check out both the Tracys this weekend, TracyLynn (ThreeHeartPhoto) on Saturday and Tracey (Funny Girl Photography) on Sunday.Yippee!

Andrew Karnavas and Clory Martin will be playing 2 sets at Saturday’s show.  One set at 3pm and one at 8pm.  THe show runs form 1pm-10pm.  Please stop by and show these amazing photogs some love.

Sunday,  March 1st

Roadtripping Texas: photography by Tracy Manford
4-7pm | Coffee Groundz | 2503 Bagby

Drink Houston Better @ Poison Girl
Benefiting the Orange Show for Visionary Arts
Poison Girl | 5pm

Poison Girl has invited the Orange Show to take part in Drink Houston Better on Sunday March 1 from 5pm-2am. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Orange Show.
Drink Beer. Help the Orange Show.  win win.

Tags: arts + events, caroline collective, coffee groundz, friends, orange show, photography

2008 Wrap-up: November

November: Sick, Sick, Sick

Looking back at all the goings on in October, it’s no wonder November was filled with more sickness, this time it knocked me out for weeks.

Image: Ed Schipul

November kicked off with the Orange Show’s Annual Gala, this year themed Dia de los Muertos. Had a blasty as usual dressing up and volunteering with MagsMac, Jason, Tiff, Shannon, Foofers, Hala, Erin, and Andrew. 

Soon after, I got very ill with an upper respiratory infection + strep throat that just won’t go away.  Smashed in between was my Lasik surgery, at which I was praying to Jesus, Mary AND Joseph that I didn’t cough when the laser hit my eye. I think the Valium helped. Yes, I’m most certainly it did. And of course, as I should have guessed, things weren’t to go as planned.

The right eye went fine. I won’t get into the details of Lasik for you squemish readers, but everything was cut, peeled and lasered just fine. However, when they got to the left eye, they apparently discovered what I had been claiming for years! My left eye is smaller than my right! After trying about five times to get the Lasik instrument in my eye, they took a break and decided on PRK for the left eye.  The eventual result would be the same, but it would take longer to heal. Figures!  The result has been great! For someone who has been in glasses or contacts since 2nd grade, it’s an amazing feeling to awake from sleep and see your alarm clock clearly. It’s a dream. But it’s real.

November was also the month we were blessed with little Kailey. As some of you have read (if not you can read the post here), in November my parents were given custody of my 3 month old baby cousin, Kailey. Since then, our lives have transformed as the whole family has pitched in to help give Kailey the best care and safe home as possible. She’s been such a joy to be around. Thanks for all  your well wishes and prayers for her!  She is doing fantastic! All healed and grow to be quite the chubber! Will update more in the New Year. | View my Baby Kailey set on Flickr.

Even though I was down for the count for most of November, it was still jam packed with events. I had the pleasure of helping Tina Zulu with the DJ Melodic Benefit Raffle at Block 21, spend an awesome evening at HappyKatie’s for the Nintendo Wii Fit Party (where I scored my very own Wii Fit!!), saw my first show at Houston’s new House of Blues, and celebrated the birthday + engagement of my best, dear friend, Taneka. One of SEVEN wedding I’ll be celebrating next year!

Tags: 2008 wrap-up, block 21, house of blues, houston, LASIK, orange show, the black crowes, yearly recap

2008 Wrap-Up: April + May

Here is the second installment of my 2008 monthly recap.  You can catch up on Jan-March here.  I’ll post June and July tomorrow. Moving to a new WP template, too!

April: Defensiveness

Houston Chronicle

April things really started picking up at the Caroline Collective, a coworking space in Houston that I was asked to help open with Matthew Wettergreen and Ned Dodington. The media really started pick up on what we were doing, so lots of photo shoots, interviews, and tours went on in April. Matt and I stayed up all night customizing a Wordpress template, which eventually turned into the current Caroline site. I understand now how programmers can work for hours and hours at a time. Addicting! Taught myself some CSS in the process. Now I’m hooked.

April was also the month that Matthew defended his 7 year long thesis at Rice University. I was glad to be there to share in this moment with him, and to celebrate this awesome accomplishment.  Afterward, he, Ned, Michelle and I headed for the Son Volt show at The Continental Club, a spectacular set by those guys, a perfect end to a great day.

Guy Kawasaki at HTC

Web 2.0 guru Guy Kawasaki also visitied Houston in April. After meeting some super talented H-town ladies at SXSW, he couldn’t keep himself from finding out what was in the water in Houston. He shared many principles of success, one that particularly stood out for me: Don’t Be Afraid to Polorize People. With success, will come negative and positive attitudes. A lesson I learned a lot about this year.

May: Mergers & Misunderstandings

Migs + John Volunteering at the Art Car Parade

As summer approached, May was filled with parties:  Art Car Parade, my first Derby Party (thanks to Bill and Angela Green!), and my very first introduction to Sarah Gabbart and her crafting lounge, Sew Crafty Houston. | full Sew Crafty Set.

I also learned in May that my company was being acquired by Halliburton. A shock to us all, but a change that has so far worked out wonderfully in my favor. I’m excited about the new role I hold there, and am looking forward to help take Halliburton into the world of Web 2.0!

May was a tough month emotionally, as the opening of Caroline grew closer, as did stress surrounding the opening party, balancing personal and professional lives, and strained friendships. I ONLY got though that month because of the awesome support of ma peeps and this awesome community in Houston. And to that I am ever thankful to you all.

Tags: 2008 wrap-up, art car parade, caroline collective, coworking, guy kawasaki, orange show, sew crafty houston, yearly recap

Orange Show Craft Gala Workshop at Caroline

Yes, the O Show, fo’ show is headed to Craft Night at Caroline this week.

Each year, the OS holds craft workshops leading up to their BIG GALA to help makes decorations and crafts.  The last workshop will be tomorrow (Tuesday) at Caroline Collective (how convenient, on craft night!).

I attended one of these last year and it was incredibly fun! Beer + Food + Crafts + O Show = hella fun.

Tuesday night from 7-10pm we’ll be working on Sugar Skulls, Papel Picado, and Paper Flowers in preparation for the Dia De Los Muertos themed Gala this Saturday, Nov 1st.

BTW, if you are looking to Volunteer for the Gala on Saturday, shoot me and email. I’m getting a group together and it promises to be the most fun you’ll have all year. totes. ridic.

Hope to see you at Caroline Tuesday and slash or at the Gala on Saturday!

Tags: arts & crafts, arts + events, caroline collective, gala, orange show

Don't Ever Say There's Nothing to Do Here

…because i’ll beat you.

This weekend is shaping up to be NUTS!  Nuts I say!

Let’s just get into it:

Friday

Hey you artsy fartsies, if you’re looking for a night out of openings, tonight, check out b.s. artblog’s recomendations for an itinerary.

Discovery Green hosts the 10 Year Anniversary of Wes Anderson’s Houston-filmed, Kevin Menchaca-starring (ok, starring is a strong word) Rushmore. 7:30pm at Discover Green Park, free.

Boot Scootin’ Boogie your way over to Leon’s Lounge for Dave Wrangler’s monthly Vinyl Ranch. I can’t believe it’s almost been one year since my last bday bash there. Geez, time flies.  10pm-2am, free.

Saturday

Here’s where things get sticky.  Stay with me.

Start your day off at the new Montrose Farmer’s Market in the La Strada parking lot. An awesome KSG write up on Houstonist here.  God, I love me some KSG.  (not to be confused with MSG).

Head over to Caroline Collective for the Save Ferris…Save Lives Leukemia Lymphoma Society fundraiser, for screenings of 2 of the 80’s best Breakfast Club @ 8,  Ferris Bueller’s Day Off @ 10.  Don’t forgot your 80’s costumes!  $20 adults, $10 kiddos.

The Orange Show, with the help of our favorite local brewery, Saint Arnold, hosts the Annual Foamraiser.  7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and will feature music by the Sideshow Tramps and The Grass Skirts. Tickets are $20 pre-sale, $25 at the door and include unlimited samplings of Saint Arnold brews. Proceeds benefit the Orange Show Concert Series. Um, did i mention BEER?
Get Kristin2Go’s preview of the event here.

If you are still standing, don’t miss James Pants’ exciting Houston debut at the MFA’s Mixed Media Series. If you’ve never been to one of the Mixed Media Series. WTF? do it do it do it do it.  Art Crowd members get into the VIP, so see ya in there!  Not an Art Crowd member? Become one!  It’s only $25 more to your yearly MFA membership.  worth it, i tell ya. See ya in VIP?
Admission:
$15 General Admission
$10 Students with ID
FREE FOR MFAH MEMBERS
18 and up

Sunday

Rumored that Ms. Spears will be making an apperance on the VMAs.  I’ll be speanding the day hoping and praying this it true.  Oh gawd Britney, this is what we’ve been waiting for.  Don’t screw it up!!!!

Have a good weekend, peeps!

p.s.  so this seems trown together, it was. no pretty pictures.    DEAL.  But if you MUST see pretty pictures, check out brentabousko’s post on the weekend here.  And he’s so  much cooler than me.

Tags: arts + events, caroline collective, discover green, leon's lounge, mfah, orange show