Czech culture at home: 5 tips for what to stream, eat, and read this weekend, March 12-14

"Daisies" (Sedmikrásky ) is a Czechoslovak surrealist film from 1966 by late director Vera Chytilova. Set in the context of World War II it follows two main characters both named Marie, showing their antics as they engage in all sorts of anti-social behavior. The film is Chytilova's most well-known and was wildly controversial during its time. “In true feminist tradition, Chytilova combined intensive intellectual effort with a feminine feeling for beauty and form,” Czech author Josef Škvorecký said of her masterpiece. "Daisies" is seen as a bold critique of the male attitude towards sex, but let to clashes with the communist party for its depiction of food waste. The movie is available to view on DA films streaming site.

Sunday, March 14 at 16:00 (and again on March 25) you can take part in a rare online guided tour of the 13th-century Broumov monastery that lets you go behind the scenes of the beautifully preserved Benedictine monastery library. The tours (in Czech) focus on a number of interesting facts about its history to the present day, covering information that isn't normally covered during the regular tour. There are frescoes, galleries, and many books in the library, and you get to see it all online for CZK 80. You can register for the tour here.

When it opened in Vinohrady in 1992 RadostFX was Prague's first vegetarian restaurant. Renowned for their weekend brunches, the venue is now serving a hybrid menu of Greek, Indian, Mexican, and Middle Eastern classics with a vegetarian twist from their pick-up window. From a beet hummus starter to corn flour tortilla tacos with tofu or Chinese dumplings enjoy world flavors without leaving home and support local business. Ordering details are here.

Tereza and Jon are an international couple that hosts a podcast where they share their thoughts on the latest episodes of the American-reality show "90 Day Fiancé." Jon is from the states (Connecticut, to be precise), and Tereza is from the Czech Republic. They provide a unique perspective on the show which compares their own romantic journey to that of the couples on the program. In a recent interview, they said Tereza’s Czech stories are a big hit among the thousands of listeners from around the world including an increasing number of fans from the Czech Republic.

Madeleine Albright's latest memoir shares her journey over the last 20 years. Released in spring 2020, Hell and Other Destinations is said to "reveal this remarkable figure at her bluntest, funniest, most intimate, and most serious...a tale of our times anchored in lessons for all time, narrated by an extraordinary woman with a matchless zest for life". Buy it locally in English from Dobry Knihy.