“I only drink Champagne on two occasions, when I am in love and when I am not.” Coco Chanel

I absolutely love beer, but those who know me well call me Bubblehead, and they know that my true passion is champagne. The effervescence of a cold glass of champagne makes every moment feel special. Champagne is like a long-term commitment, while beer is more like a fling.

I just discovered a new spot in Prague that I haven't checked out before. I'm excited to go and give it a try, and of course, I'll let you know what I think. And guess what? They offer Champagne from Collet, which is an amazing Champagne house. Can't wait to share my experience with you at Champagneria and let you know if this is merely a fling, or if it will lead to an engagement. 

Bubblehead enjoying Champagne on a visit to Paris

  

Do you know this man?

Do you know this man?

Neither did I (should I hang my head in shame?). He is Carlos Relvas (1838-1894), a founding figure of Portuguese photography.  And between this photo of him and his work, I like this man... and am honored to now know of him.

I feel as though he takes photos of what makes him happy.  Not that I know, that is just what his photos make me feel

Landscape. Portugal, 1876-1878

Sheep, ca 1870, New toned print from stereoscopic collodion negative

So to all of my creative friends in Prague and anyone else who's artistic, check out his work at Galerie Rudolfinum now through September 15th.  Read more about Carlos and the exhibit at PragueTV 

Wednesday's House Insignia of the Day Revealed...House at The Three Wild Ducks (U tří kačerů)

House at The Three Wild Ducks (U tří kačerů)

I was hoping you'd know what this insignia symbolizes.  If anyone does, please let me know.  I can tell you that there is a wonderful gallery housed in this building, Michal's Collection Galerie - drop by!

Location:  Husova 13, Old Town

Wednesday's House Insignia of the Day Revealed - At the Three White Roses (U tří bílých růží)

At the Three White Roses (U tří bílých růží)

This insignia is on one of the most beautiful buildings in all of Prague!  This 3-story building constructed in the late 19th century on the site of a far older medieval residence is today more widely known by the surname of its builder.

Any guesses?

As inscribed in the fresco ornamentation of the façade, the name of "V.J. Rott" invokes the founder of the longstanding family firm, Vincenc Josef Rott, who opened his first shop on the site in 1840.  

Vincenc Josef Rott

Initially, he traded clocks and musical instruments, but later extended his scope to include iron tools and ironmongery of all possible types.  In fact, a prosperous iromongers' flourished in the house almost up to the very end of the 20th century, retaining its fame among the citizens of Prague even under state ownership during the years of Communist rule.  The frescoes decorating the façade are the work of the late-19th century Czech painter Mikoláš Aleš, and inspired by the theme of the various professions that make use of iron tools: a peasant with a scythe and his wife with a sickle, a medieval blacksmith and a housewife roasting chicken on an iron spot, a gardener leaning against an iron rake.  

 Mikoláš Aleš

Aleš, whose most famous artwork is on the calendar with allegorical depictions of the twelve months on the mechanical clock of the Old Town Hall only a few steps away, also managed to include "three white roses" that gave the building its name - positioning them on the highest gable.  

Drumroll please, because you know what's coming don't you?  A legend!...

So, according to legend, the original house was the residence of three sisters, as beautiful as three white roses.  Their parents died while they were still young, and the girls inherited a great fortune.  Yet what they had in property did not make up for their deficiencies in common sense, since all three of them in turn fell victim to the same man.  Disguised as three different suitors of considerable property, he married each girl in turn and took her abroad with her dowry of many chests filled with gold pieces - where he then robbed and deserted her.

 Today, the building serves as a 4-star hotel, aptly named Hotel Rott.  There also used to be a wonderful crystal shop that sold stunning glassware, but now it's a Hard Rock Cafe.  

Address:

U Rotta (Rottův dům, U tří bílých růží) - Malé náměstí 3/142, Staré Město 

Rott House, At the Three White Roses - Small Square 3/142, Old Town

House Insignia of the Day Revealed - House at the Stone Bell

  

To hear the voices of Prague's bells when they toll forth the noon hour is an experience never to be forgotten. Only one bell can never add its tones to the rich chorus - the one walled into the corner of the Gothic palace on Prague's Old Town Square.  

The House at the Stone Bell (Dům U kamenného zvonu) is one of Prague's most historically valuable buildings; the first written mention of it dates from 1363, yet the building itself is still older.  It is, in fact, a palace of medieval High Gothic style, whose façade at the time of construction must have ranked among the most beautiful in all of Europe.  The process of uncovering the original Gothic core was preceded by a  full 30 years of restoration work, during the course of which the exterior façade was gradually stripped away of many layers acquired over years of modifications.  

Architects and historians believe that this Gothic palace was likely constructed as the Old Town residence of the Czech king Jan of Luxembourg and his consort, Queen Eliška Přemyslovna.  It is also possible that the building was the birthplace of Czech king and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV, however, we certainly know that he resided in the building during his adulthood, specifically in the year 1333 after his return from France to Bohemia.  

Charles IV

The name for the House at the Stone Bell appeared for the first time in 1413.  As the name suggests, it was called after a stone bell, whose replica is placed at the corner of the house.  According to a legend, because as you know by now everything in Prague is tied to a legend, the bell was placed there after it had fallen from the Church of Our Lady Before Týn.  

Today, the House at the Stone Bell is administered by the Gallery of the City of Prague, which uses it for art exhibits and concerts.

House at the Stone Bell

Staromestske namesti 13, Praha 1

Happy Birthday, Josef Lada!

A Czech Christmas wouldn't be complete without Josef Lada's simply drawn carolers, snow-covered villages and nativity scenes.

Josef Lada was born on December 17, 1887, in Hrusice.  He was a Czech painter and writer and best known as the illustrator of Jaroslav Hašek's WWI novel The Good Soldier Švejk.  He produced nearly 600 cartoons of the Švejk characters, depicting Austria-Hungary officers and civil servants as incompetent, abusive and often drunk.

Josef Lada

Born in the small village of Hrusice, his father was a cobbler and the family was very poor, but Josef seemed to have a very happy childhood and loved Christmas.  Years later he recalled with relish the traditional foods his family prepared and said he loved their small and modestly decorated Christmas trees more than the wealthier boys whose trees reached the ceiling.

The village of Hrusice

Lada's villa in Hrusice today houses his museum

Josef Lada was sent to Prague to be an apprentice binder, but art was his passion and he loved to paint and draw.  Entirely self-taught, he created his own style as a caricaturist for newspapers, and later as an illustrator.  His first illustrations were published by a magazine called Maj.  He also wrote and illustrated the adventures of Mikeš, a little black cat who could talk.

Mikeš and his travels...

Two years later Josef had his fateful first meeting with Jaroslav Hašek.  Decades later, Hašek's The Good Soldier Švejk and his Fortunes in the World War would be most people's first introduction to Lada's distinctive art, at least outside of the Czech Republic.

The Good Soldier Švejk 

In this country, however, many people associate Josef Lada with his wonderful Christmas paintings, many of which have been appearing on Czech Christmas cards for generations.  Typical images include large families in simple but cozy rooms; the men smoking pipes while rosy-faced children marvel at Nativity scenes.  Other typical Lada Christmas figures include carolers, and children building snowmen or sledding.  Invariably, there is snow all around, and while it may be a dark the village looks calm and pretty, and the wooden houses warm and welcoming.

His grandson, also called Josef, says that the reason his grandfather's illustrations remain so popular over five decades after his death is that everyone can relate to them.  "I think that with his art he managed to capture something general, something that everybody can accept.  His pictures from all four seasons were so perfectly done that everyone finds something in them, everyone finds a bit of their own childhood.  They show villages and the countryside as they used to be, but aren't any more.  I think that's why his work is still so popular."

In the 1970s there were Lada calendars in which religious figures were removed and replaced by, for instance, a bowl of apples.  Now, however, all of his wonderful Christmas illustrations are exactly as he painted them.  

Chances are that if you receive a Christmas card from the Czech Republic it may very well feature one of Josef Lada's timeless images.

Josef Lada 

December 17, 1887 - December 14, 1957...buried at Olšany Cemetery in Prague

"The Apotheosis of Love"

Alfons Mucha (July 24, 1860 - July 14, 1939) is perhaps the best known Czech artist, thanks in part to his Art Nouveau posters.  And now, the Mucha Foundation is presenting an exhibition of his work on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of his birth.

My favorite work of Mucha's is entitled Summer and is part of Four Seasons, a series of decorative panels from 1896.

Summer is my favorite season, and this piece evokes memories of the lazy days of summer...

Summer

Four Seasons

"The Apotheosis of Love"

Hundreds of designs, photographs, and paintings representative of Mucha's work will be on display at The Municipal House now through September 30, 2010.

Also on display will be the studies Mucha made for his grand Slav Epic, which is currently on display in Moravský Krumlov because a suitable location has never been found to display these immense canvases in Prague.  First denounced by Hitler, Mucha's Slav Epic works were repressed behind the Iron Curtain for decades...rolled up and stored away for 25 years!  His true virtuosity is just now beginning to surface.  

Slav Epic

Part of one of the Slav Epic panels...

And what better place to show the works of Mucha than in the temple of Art Nouveau architecture itself, The Municipal House. 

 Located in the heart of Prague on Republic Square (Náměsti Republiky), the Municipal House features stained glass by "Mucha

"The Apotheosis of Love" at The Municipal House

Now through September 30th

Daily 10 am - 7 pm

Charity Photo Exhibit at the Municipal House - Don't Miss the Works of Photographer Angelo Purgert

Don't miss this amazing opportunity to see photographer Angelo Purgert's work at the Municipal House.  Sunday (August 15th) is the last day of the exhibit so get over there ASAP!

The First Republic was a period of style, decency, romance and gentlemen (a period that I would like to see brought back if I do say so myself).  It is this period that inspired Angelo Purgert, who in his photographs combined, in an entirely original manner, the First Republic style with a touch of present times.

The photographs presented at this charity photo exhibition were taken in Prague's important First Republic locales, such as the Municipal House, hotels Ambassador, Imperial, and Paris; cafes Slavia, Louvre, Imperial and Adria.  Locations, naturally, also include Myšák, the First Republic confectionery, and the National Technical Museum, as well as the streets of old Prague and various parks.

The exhibit will allow you to travel back in time to the beginning of the last century and enjoy the atmosphere of that time time.  The exhibit will end on August 15th, culminating in an auction of the displayed works.  All proceeds from the auction will be donated to the Children's Home in Dolni Počernice, Prague.  To ensure the greatest possible financial aid for the children's home, all participants in the project have selflessly agreed to give up their royalties.  

Angelo Purgert was born in 1965 in Prague.  The beginning of his career was, thanks to his father, linked to the legendary Flexaret camera.  His photographs have been published in foreign publications, commercial and advertising materials.  He co-operated on the concept of the book entitled, "The Best of Prague", which has been published in eight languages, to which he also contributed photographs.

Sat & Sun 10-6 pm

Municipal House Clubrooms, Namesti Republiky 5, 111 21 Prague 1

Klícová socha (Key Sculpture)

Klícová socha (Key Sculpture)

"The Key Sculpture (Klícová socha) represents a personal polemic on development within the Czech Republic in the last 20 years.  Of course, it’s neither a celebratory monument nor simply a critical piece. The sculpture expresses the ambivalence  I feel when I look at present-day society and politics..." (Jirí David, artist)

This interesting 6-meter tall sculpture stands in Franz Kafka Square just off Old Town Square, and consists of 85,741 keys that were brought by the public to Vodaphone branches throughout the Czech Republic, thus creating the largest collection of keys in the world!

Designed and built by Jirí David, this impressive work of art was unveiled o March 9, 2010.  The sculpture symbolizes the 20 years that have passed since the Velvet Revolution.  Keys were picked as the main theme because jangling keys were the symbol of pro-democratic rallies, organized by Vaclav Havel, in 1989.  The sculpture spells the word "Revoluce " (Revolution).  There has been some controversy regarding Jirí David's key sculpture because the work was sponsored by Vodaphone, an international telecommunications company - money from an international company for a national symbol raised some questions in the Czech Republic.

 The artist, Jirí David, is the most influential Czech artist of the last 20 years.  With their free use of signs and political symbols, his paintings distinctly shaped the post-modern program at the turn of the 1980s and 1990s when he also began working with installations and written texts reflecting the position of the artist and art in society.

My favorite piece of Jirí David's work is an installation entitled "Heart on Castle" because it reflects how I feel about Prague.  Anyone care to surprise me with it as a gift? 

"Heart on Castle" by Jirí David

Pete Best signed the Lennon Wall yesterday!

From The Prague Daily Monitor: 

Prague, June 29 (CTK) - Pete Best, former drummer of The Beatles, signed the John Lennon Wall on Kampa island in Prague's historical centre Tuesday.

Later on Tuesday, Best had a concert with his current band in the Czech Music Museum in Prague that was held within the "Beatlemania" exhibition.

He said he came to Prague to add his signature on the Lennon Wall and to support the link between Prague and Liverpool because many Czechs visit Britain but do not go to Liverpool.

After John Lennon was murdered in 1980, people started writing love and peace slogans and making pictures on a wall in Prague centre dedicated to him. Czech communist police damaged the inscriptions and pictures regularly in the 1980s, however, Lennon's fans always renewed them again.

Best recalled the days when he played with the legendary band. He said The Beatles had undergone the crucial change during a four-month stay in Hamburg, Germany, where they played six to seven hours almost every day.

Best said he was not angry at the other players anymore for making him leave the band but that his relations with the rest of the Beatles ended due to his departure.

He said he was in no contact with Paul McCartney and that he last talked to Ringo Starr in 1962.

Ringo Starr replaced Best behind the drums in 1962.

Pete Best, now 68, played with the Beatles in 1960-1962. He was the most popular member of the band among the fans, especially the girls. As the real reason of his departure is not known, there are many theories why he was made to leave the band.

"Idiom"

Remember a few days ago when I asked if anyone knows what this is?

Well, I have the answer for you...It's entitled "Idiom" and it's a tower of ....books!

Have you ever been to the Prague Municipal Library in Marianske Square?  If not, you should.  It's in the city center just off Old Town Square, and located inside is this magnificent sculpture by artist Matej Krén.  

Matej is actually a quite well-known artist who studied in both Bratislava and Prague.  He was born in 1958 Trenčín, then Czechoslovakia, today Slovakia.  Sine the early 90s, Matej has exhibited his works in museums and galleries throughout Europe, as well as overseas.  In 1998, this wonderful sculpture was placed in the Municipal Library.  By using mirrors, Matej created an unusual effect of infinity...but it's hard to describe and the picture doesn't do the sculpture justice.  You know how I'm afraid of heights right?  Well, let's just say that viewing this sculpture made me feel as though I was about to fall into an infinite abyss.

Matej Krén currently lives and works in Prague.