Czech culture at home: 5 tips for what to stream, eat, and read this weekend, Feb. 12–14, 2021

The 1977 film Dinner for Adele (Adéla ještě nevečeřela) is available with English subtitles from the Czech streaming service Aerovod.

The detective story set at the start of the 20th century features Rudolf Hrušínský in a main role. The strange props and animated sequences were created by Jan Švankmajer, In the plot, the literary detective Nick Carter comes to Prague to investigate a missing dog case. This eventually leads him to a crazed botanist and his carnivorous plant named Adele.

Director Oldřich Lipský is best-known for his 1964 western comedy Lemonade Joe (Limonádový Joe aneb Koňská opera). Dinner for Adele is also known as Adele Hasn't Had Her Dinner Yet, Adela Has Not Had Supper Yet, and Nick Carter in Prague.

The Jan Amos Komenský Museum in Uherský Brod will be presenting historical photos and videos of Masopust (Fašank) over its Facebook page until Feb.14. Masopust is the Czech version of Mardi Gras. The museum normally organizes a parade, but this year they are doing it online. They will show photos of celebrations and traditions in many towns from the district, focusing on different town every day.

“At least in this non-traditional form, we want to draw you into this traditional event. We know that nothing can replace participation in the procession, the smell of cakes, donuts and other carnival dishes, but we will all be looking forward to it all the more next year,” the museum said.

The town of Strání will also be streaming historical videos over Facebook.

Chinese New Year and Lunar New Year celebrations may be canceled this year in the Czech Republic, but the team at Teplá kačka is still spreading some cheer, having put lanterns outside the restaurant. The eatery offers a range of Asian street food dishes from dim sum dumplings to Peking duck with sesame pancakes. On top of this, the restaurant also has a Valentine's Day menu which you can order for yourself and your loved one for Sunday.

The restaurant also offers vegan and vegetarian options for diners with specific dietary requirements. You can order for delivery across Prague via Sebou, with delivery costing CZK 30 for the Letna or Holešovice area or CZK 59 for other areas in the city. You can order collect from the restaurant with last orders at 7 p.m.

Czech poet Vítězslav Nezval traveled through Vienna, Paris, southern France, and Italy for a month in 1933. While at a cafe in Paris, he had a chance meeting with André Breton and Paul Éluard, two influential poets in the surrealist movement, Upon his returning the Czechoslovakia, Nezval founded the Czech Surrealist Group with Karel Teige, Jindřich Stýrský, and Toyen.

This new translation of his poems from that trip, Farewell and a Handkerchief – Poems from the Road, was published in May 2020. It brings this overlooked work to a modern audience. Most of the entries deal with his time in Paris, a visit that transformed the poet’s life. The book is available from Amazon in paperback and for Kindle.  

Prague-based singer-songwriter Alasdair Bouch has released his new single “Out of My Mind,” which can be streamed from Bandcamp.com.

The single is his first studio release in over six years, because he has been focusing on my work co-writing songs for other musicians in the Czech Republic and beyond. “The challenging situation in 2020 gave me the opportunity to devote some time to my own music,” he said.

The song is about acceptance, compassion, and setting new boundaries in the aftermath of a doomed love affair. It comes from the forthcoming EP Desolation Peak, and is his first studio release since the 2014 album Go Forth!