Czech Mugs for Your Coffee or Tea

Most everyone loves a good cup of coffee (or tea) and what better way to announce your Czech-ness than with one of these unique Czech mugs that let the world know you are a proud Czech! At times, it is necessary to share commercial content. After all, we are affiliates of the various sellers and...

LIFESTYLE, Shopping

Magical_Cavern_Prague_Reon_Czech_Painter_Vanished_Shaman

May 21, 2018

Fairy Tale Paintings and the Magical Cavern of Prague

Today we slip into the magical world of Czech painter, Reon Argondian. Though he was born in Prague with a different name, Jan Zahradník, and was given a Czech name that translates to gardener by birth, the powers that be wanted to suppress the garden of his mind. Born on the 21st of July 1948, he...

Art and Design, Bohemians, CULTURE

May 18, 2018

Španělský Ptáčky, Spanish Birds or Simpy Beef Rouladen

Growing up, I ate Španělský Ptáčky (Czech Spanish Birds) thinking they were really some poor little birds from Spain that somehow made it into our kitchen and on to my dinner plate. I never would have guessed that their recipe goes all the way back to the 16th Century! You see, Maria of Spain and Maxmilian...

LIFESTYLE, Recipes

May 16, 2018

Vladimir Ambroz and His Symbolic Performance Art

Vladimir Ambroz is a name often associated with graphic design, but Ambroz is also a photographer and performance artist. Vladimír Ambroz’s virtually unknown activities in the field of performance art, interventions in the public space and actions related to staged photography lasted only a few years. In the late 1970s, he was part of the Brno...

Art and Design, CULTURE

May 14, 2018

The Old Town Hall of Prague by Count Lützow

What I am sharing today was a published extract from the speech delivered by Count Lützow (Lützow) W, D. LITT. OXON. PH.D. PRAG., at the Old Town Hall of Prague on the occasion of the visit of the Lord Mayor and Deputation of the Coronation of the city of London on the 18th of September,...

Architecture, Czech Republic, History

May 11, 2018

The First Cup of Coffee In Prague Goes Back to the Early 1700s

Do you ever wonder where the first cup of coffee was in Prague, or how it even got there? The first Europeans to get acquainted with coffee were mostly travelers. The first traveler from the Czech lands to mention coffee was Kryštof Harant of Polžice and Bezdružice (Czech: Kryštof Harant z Polžic a Bezdružic, 1564...

History, NOSTALGIA

May 7, 2018

Bohemia: Czechs in New York at the Settlement at Long Island

In looking at Czechs in New York and their history in the United States, we cannot overlook Bohemia. Today, Bohemia is a hamlet in Suffolk County, New York, United States. In 2010, the population was 10,180 based on the census. Bohemia is situated along the South Shore of Long Island, in the Town of Islip,...

History, NOSTALGIA

May 5, 2018

Happy Birthday to My Beautiful Mother, Anna Hilmar

My mother, Anna Hilmar (Anička Hilmarová, born Anna Müllerová) arrived on this earth on May 5, 1944. It was Friday, under the sign of Taurus. In 1944, the world was plunged into the chaos of World War II and yet this beautiful ray of sunshine came into the world. When Anna was born, her father, Vaclav Müller...

PEOPLE, TresBohemes

May 4, 2018

1945 Soviet Propaganda Posters for the Liberation of Czechoslovakia

Today we are looking at 1945 Soviet propaganda posters for the liberation of Czechoslovakia as well as learning a bit about the Prague Uprising (aka Pražské povstání), an attempt by the Czech resistance to liberate the city of Prague from German occupation during World War II. “This is Prague! Americans and English, help us” We need guns....

History, LIFESTYLE, NOSTALGIA

April 30, 2018

The Face of Prague – Beautiful Images from 75 Years Ago

If you are an old friend and supporter of this site, you know that I love old documents, photographs, books, records and ephemera in general. More so, I love sharing my discoveries with you, the readers. That is precisely why I was inspired to share The Face of Prague – Beautiful Images from 75 Years Ago....

CULTURE, History, Photography

April 29, 2018

While You Are Sleeping (Zatím co ty spíš) by Miroslav Černý

Today I am sharing one of my most favorite Czech songs entitled Zatím co ty spíš (While You Are Sleeping) by Miroslav Černý. I have yet to listen to this song without crying! Once you read the lyrics below (in both Czech and my translation to English), you will understand why! Unfortunately, I cannot locate a...

ENTERTAINMENT, Music

April 25, 2018

Věra Čáslavská: The Eloquent and Graceful Gold-Medal Winning Protester

Věra Čáslavská of the Czech Republic is the only gymnast, male or female, who has ever won an Olympic gold medal for every individual event in gymnastics: all-around, vault, uneven bars, beam, and floor exercise. Čáslavská also has the distinction of holding more individual gold medals than any other gymnast in Olympic history. In fact, she...

Bohemians, PEOPLE, Women

Býchory_Chateau_aka_Castle_of_the_Stradivarius_Violin

April 23, 2018

Býchory Chateau, Castle of the Stradivarius Violin and Jan Kubelík

Near the city of Kolín lies a small village known as Býchory (only 7 km northeast). In this village, sits a unique a Neo-Gothic castle chateau estate. Today we are going to call the Býchory chateau, the castle of the Stradivarius violin because it was once owned by world famous Bohemian violinist and composer, Jan Evangelista Kubelík. Jan Kubelík was...

Bohemians, Czech Republic, ENTERTAINMENT, History, Music

April 17, 2018

The Moravian Brethren Heritage of the First Lady Barbara Pierce Bush

The former First Lady Barbara Pierce Bush, the wife of President George H. W. Bush, is the 7th generation American, who descended from the Moravian Brethren family bearing the name Demuth. Former First Lady Barbara Bush Wife of 41st President and Mother of 43rd Dies at age of 92 She was a Moravian The Demuth...

PEOPLE, Women

April 16, 2018

Byt a Umění Issue 2 for Czech Contemporary Housing Culture

Today once again, we are looking at Byt a umění (Apartment and Art) Revue for Czech Contemporary Housing Culture: Architecture, Interiors, Painting, Decoration, Sculpture, Plastics, Arts, Gardening, Handicrafts, Exhibitions, Auctions and more. In this edition (Issue 2, 1931), the writers express their frustration with a lack of change in Czech building practices. It seems they...

Architecture, NOSTALGIA, Periodicals

April 9, 2018

31 Bohemian, Moravian and Slovak Writers You Never Knew Existed

Today I am proud to introduce you to 31 Bohemian, Moravian and Slovak writers you (probably) never knew existed. I was inspired to write this based on a book entitled České Album Spisovatelé which translates to Czech Album of Writers published in 1919 in Prague. Each of these individuals were born in the late 1800s and I was...

Bohemians, History, PEOPLE