Ice Dreams

SUN 9/19

There’s nothing like seeing cute little girls smiling and dabbing their eyes
atop a podium to give an entire nation of preteens Olympic fever — and give
their parents a headache. No, softball won’t do. It’s time to buy the leotards
and tights, folks; gymnastics and figure skating are where it’s at. This weekend
you and your divas-in-training can practice your crossovers and camel spins
alongside ice-skating silver medalist Sasha Cohen at the Marshalls Skate Fest
at Memorial City Mall. Participants will take part in an on-ice clinic with
Sasha and several coaches from United States Figure Skating, and she’ll be available
for autographs when she’s not dodging amateur salchows.

So if your tykes take naturally to the ice, they can talk to Sasha about modeling
contracts, Campbell’s Soup endorsements, and what to do about runs in their
tights. We suggest they ask her if figure skating involves more work than putting
on a feathery costume and some lipstick. Maybe then they’ll go back to the ballpark.
1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, September 19. IceSkate USA, 303 Memorial City Drive.
For information, visit www.usfigureskating.org.
Register early; space is limited. Free with preregistration. — Julia Ramey

Benevolent Birdies

MON 9/20

Slice a ball into the trees, and you’re likely to feel some self-loathing.
But if you’re golfing for cancer patients, your ineptitude with a five-iron
won’t matter so much anymore. After 12-year-old Nicholas Alexander Higgins died
from a heart defect 11 years ago, his family decided to celebrate his life and
his love of golf by hosting a charity golf tournament. For the past six years,
its proceeds have supported heart patients at Texas Children’s Hospital and
helped fund a summer fellowship program for minority premedical students. And
all you have to do is play golf. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. Monday, September
20. River Ridge Golf Club, 3133 Brazos Oak Lane in Sealy. For information, call
713-516-3309. $150. — Julia Ramey