People of Javorník Through the Lens of Ferdinand Bučina

Today we are taking a peek inside of a book entitled Lidé z Javorníka (or simply, People from Javornik) by Ferdinand Bučina (1909 – 1994) who was a Czech photographer and filmmaker. This post isn’t about him – we’ll do that another time. This post is sharing the pages of the book and the way he...

CULTURE, Photography

November 21, 2016

Czechs and the Healthiest Fat Sandwiches

Czechs love nothing more than lard (pork fat or sádlo) and cracklings on bread accompanied with some mustard, a bit of onion, a pickle, and a nice Czech beer. Eating this delicious combination has been known to evoke moments of genuine human joy. Seriously. Sit in any Czech pub on a cold winter night and see the...

Food, LIFESTYLE

November 20, 2016

Czech Style Stuffed Peppers

Today we’ve made Czech style stuffed peppers (Plněné papriky) not using the usual green peppers but substituting little red and yellow peppers instead. The result was absolutely delicious! We’ve used many different recipes and variations of this dish and this one is by far the easiest and one of the most tastiest. I think what...

LIFESTYLE, Recipes

November 19, 2016

Flashback to 1929: Czech Tramp News Covers

Sometimes as we are surfing around the internet we come across something that takes us completely by surprise. This was one such morning. I located the covers from Czech Tramp newsletter from 1929, 1930 and 1931. Tramp came out every Friday, weekly. At the time, a yearly subscription cost 42 CZK (Czech Koruna or Crowns) plus another...

NOSTALGIA, Periodicals, Tramping

November 18, 2016

Antonín Langweil and His Model of Prague

Antonín Langweil (June 13, 1791 – June 11, 1837) was a Bohemian painter, librarian, lithographer, and model maker. He created what’s famously known as the model of the city of Prague. Langweil’s model of Prague represents the city from the years 1826-1837. It is a unique testimony to the form of the Old Town, Lesser...

Art and Design, CULTURE

November 15, 2016

The Moody Blues Perform in Prague – August 20, 1968

The first thing you’ll likely notice about this post is the date. August 20, 1968. Wait… Wasn’t that the eve of the Soviet invasion? Yes. It was. On the evening of August 20, 1968, the Soviets mobilized and struck like lightning. The initiated a massive invasion and by the morning of August 21, Prague alone...

ENTERTAINMENT, Music

November 14, 2016

25 Reasons To Visit the Prague Swans of the Vltava River

From its ancient architecture to the mystical and magical sights you’d never expect, Prague is an open canvas for artists, musicians, writers and photographers who gain their inspiration from this beautiful city. Today we highlight some of the residents that spend most of their time on the Vltava River, the Prague swans. Combing through Instagram, we found some...

PLACES, Prague

November 12, 2016

Czech Beer Goulash aka Pilsner Goulash

Today we made a delicious batch of Czech beer goulash, also known as Pilsner Goulash (Guláš na pivě) because it’s made of delicious Czech beer. Seriously, the main ingredient must be Pilsner beer or you will not get the correct flavor and taste experience. Luckily, they sell Pilsner at our local grocery store, but if you...

LIFESTYLE, Recipes

November 11, 2016

Traditional Crafts at the Castle Šelmberk

Today we stepping back in time to look at traditional crafts at the Castle Šelmberk near Mladá Vožice. This was the ninth year for this event and each year it grows more popular and has a greater attendance meaning that people are gaining interest in their history and the old fashioned arts and crafts. During the...

Czech Republic, PLACES

November 10, 2016

The Festive Mushroom Pickers

Today we are sharing a story and some rarely seen illustrations from Josef Lada. This was originally published in Czech as O svátecních houbarích and appeared in Pestrý týden, issue # 24, published on June 15, 1927. We’ve translated it for you and we’re calling it The Festive Mushroom Pickers. Neighborly chatter was coming from one of them....

NOSTALGIA, Time Warp

November 8, 2016

Louis Armstrong in Prague

When Louis Armstrong visited Prague in March of 1965, at which time he was truly an international star. While groups such as the Beatles were emerging, Armstrong still led the charts with the song, Hello Dolly. It’s still a big mystery as to how Frantisek Spurný arranged for Louis Armstrong to agree to no less than nine – yes...

ENTERTAINMENT, Music

November 7, 2016

The Bread Eating Dogs of the Czech Republic

First things first. A rohlik is made by cutting sheets of soft yeast dough into triangular wedges, then rolling this into slight crescent shapes which are then baked. In the Czech Republic, these are bought 6 to 8 for the equivalent of a US dollar and are eaten at breakfast, lunch, dinner and as snacks. Czech...

Food, LIFESTYLE

November 6, 2016

Czech Fried Cheese or Smažený sýr

Czech Fried Cheese or Smažený sýr is both Czech and Slovak, this ubiquitous fried cheese is found from the classiest Czech restaurant to the shabbiest street cart and all sorts of places in between. That’s because it’s tasty! This is nothing like the mozzarella sticks you are used to. In the Czech Republic, it’s not an...

LIFESTYLE, Recipes

November 5, 2016

Pestrý Týden 1927 Vintage Covers from Czech Weekly News

Today we are looking at Pestrý týden from 1927 – Vintage Covers from Czech Weekly News. Pestrý týden (Variety or Varied Weekly news) was a popular illustrated magazine during the First and Second Czechoslovak Republic during the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. It was published November 2, 1926 to April 28, 1945 and it maintained...

NOSTALGIA, Periodicals

November 3, 2016

The Milliner’s Shop on Nerudova Street

The fine art of hat making is the manufacture of hats and of headwear. Millinery differs in that it is the designing and manufacture of hats. So a hatter is one who makes the hats whereas a milliner designs and then makes, trims and sells the hats. These special hats are usually made of straw,...

Fashion, LIFESTYLE

November 2, 2016

Tomatoes Filled with Cheese and Egg

As the weather gets cooler, everything that is cooked in a large soup pot or baked in an oven just tastes even better. Yesterday we made tomatoes filled with cheese and egg and it was the perfect late lunch on such a day. Aside from my fingerprint on the lens, they sure do look appetizing, don’t...

LIFESTYLE, Recipes