Sokol SF Newsletter - May 2022 |
|
Dear Sokol Members and Friends,
May is upon us and with it another month chock full of events!
We're thrilled that Anastasia, a member of our Board, has organized a pre-concert wine reception and lecture for us by Czech composer, performer and educator Lukáš Janata preceding the San Francisco Symphony's performance of Antonín Dvořák's New World Symphony on May 7th. As we'll learn from Lukas, this Symphony was inspired by Dvorak's travels to the United States and the people he met while in the New World. And it was this Symphony that was famously brought to the first Moon landing by Neil Armstrong in 1969. We hope you'll join us.
We're also grateful to Ondra, another member of our Board, for organizing an overnight camping trip in Del Valle. So, dust off your tents, unroll your sleeping bags, tune your guitars and get ready to gather in the great Bay Area outdoors to enjoy some fire-side camaraderie!
And we're so pleased that Lea, yet another Board member, is continuing her annual tradition of organizing a hike and visit of the stunning Filoli Estate and Gardens as they come into bloom this spring.
Yes, we're an ambitious group, but we're also fun! Which is why we're headed to the San Diego Cesko/Moravsko/Slovensky Folklore Festival near San Diego - to draw inspiration, but also to enjoy ourselves together in an atmosphere that celebrates our culture.
Finally, if you're not able to make any of our events this month, we invite you to save the date for our Day of Czech Culture, taking place on October 8th in Orinda. It'll be a festival-style day-long event with dancing, booths, food and so much more! You won't want to miss it!
Nazdar!
Linda Janourova
President
|
|
Sokol SF Calendar of Events |
|
May 7, 2022 @ 6:30pm
San Francisco Symphony
A. Dvorak Symphony 9th
From the New World with pre-concert reception and lecture
May 7 - 8, 2022
Family overnight camping in Portola Valley, CA
May 14 - 15, 2022
Visit to San Diego Cesko-Moravsko-Slovensky Folklorni Festival in La Mesa, CA
May 22, 2022
Hike and visit to Filoli Gardens, Woodside, CA
Save the date:
June 11, 2022
Children's Day Picnic at Lake Chabot - planned in cooperation with The Czech School of California
June 2022
Speaker Series Event via Zoom - Special Envoy for Expatriate Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic Jiri Kratky - date and time will be announced soon
October 8, 2022
Celebrate Day of Czech Culture, Orinda, CA
October 30, 2022
Picnic and Sokolsky Beh Republiky, Ryders Park, San Mateo, CA
All event times listed are in Pacific Time
|
|
San Francisco Symphony performs
A. Dvorak Symphony 9th
From the New World
Saturday, May 7, 2022 @ 7 pm
|
|
San Francisco Symphony
presents
Antonín Dvořák's New World Symphony
Sokol members will enjoy
a pre-concert wine reception and
a lecture by Lukáš Janata at 6:30 pm
at Wattis Room at
Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco
The lecture will start at 6:45 pm promptly
After the lecture, we will be guided to our seats.
The concert will follow at 7:30 pm.
For those who have purchased tickets to the concert:
Enter Davies Symphony Hall through the Box Office, located at the corner of Grove St. and Franklin in San Francisco
Once inside the box office, ask any usher for directions to the Wattis Room where we will have the pre-concert lecture
|
|
Family Camping Trip and táborák in Del Valle
Saturday May 7, 2022 to Sunday May 8, 2022
|
|
Please note that the original site at Portola Valley was not available so we are going to Del Valle!
The summer is around the corner and its time to dust off the camping gear. We have a large group campsite reserved just for us by the picturesque lake Del Valle near Livermore.
Come join us on Saturday afternoon and/or stay over night until Sunday.
Let's recreate the czech style camping experience with tents, bond fire, grilling, singing with a guitar, kids playing in the water.
Master plan
* campsite: Hetch Hetchy at Del Valle Regional park
* official check in at the campsite is 2pm
* if you intend to park your car in the parking lot over night, you will need a permit, please reach out to me prior to your arrival and I will distribute the permits. (The number of parking permits is limited, but we can solve the problem of sharing when it comes to it)
* we will set up out tents
* enjoy the lake, nature, surrounding area
* play games, paddle board, swim
* in the evening we will start the fire and start playing guitars and singing songs
* we can grill sausages, smores, etc..
* if the night sky is clear, we can watch the stars
* on Sunday morning, join us for an early swim or an easy yoga session
* then hanging out, playing in the water, slowly packing our tents and leaving for home
What to expect
* bring your own tent/camping gear
* bring your own food and drinks
* no shower, chemical toilets available
* 3/4 mile hike from the car parking to the campsite, we will have a dolly available for transporting stuff from/to cars
* firewood for the bond fire will be taken care of
* bring charcoal for grill if you want to use it
* alcoholic beverages are permitted and allowed
* pets are allowed
Before you arrive
* reach out to us for parking permit
* or share cars if you can
Ideas for more activities
* flying the kite (if there is enough wind)
* paddle boarding (if no wind)
* badminton
* bike riding
* singing with the guitar
* bond fire
* grilling
* morning yoga
* swimming in the lake
* hiking
Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or if you get lost on the way.
Ondrej
206-556-1726
|
|
Visit to San Diego
Cesko-Moravsko-Slovensky Folklorni Festival
in La Mesa, California
Saturday May 14, 2022 to Sunday May 15, 2022
Last few days to register! Registration closes May 5th
|
|
Join us for a field trip to Southern California!
On Saturday we will spend the afternoon visiting the festival in La Mesa and on Sunday we will have a breakfast together; after breakfast we will go to the International Village in Balboa park in San Diego. There is a Czech and Slovak House where we can sample traditional pastries and coffee. During the afternoon, hosts willingly answer questions about our two republics and provide information about the artifacts on display. The rest of your weekend will be at leisure.
To join us for a weekend of fun in Southern California you need to do the following:
- register by clicking on the "Register for the event now" button
- book you hotel - you can pick your own
- transportation is up to you
- we will meet at the festival at 1 PM to get the table
- together we will enjoy the festival on Saturday afternoon and visit San Diego on Sunday
Last few days to register! Registration closes May 5th
Sokol SF has limited funding set aside for Sokol SF members planning on attending the festival. Sokol SF will cover the ticket cost to the festival and a small portion of travel expenses (amount dependent on number of participants).
|
|
May Hike and Visit to Filoli Gardens
Sunday, May 22, 2022
|
|
This month we will combine both popular events into one.
You can participate in both or choose just one.
The plan is:
- we will meet at 10 am at Filoli
- we will take a hike on this beautiful property for about 1.5 hour
-
we will have a picnic lunch together near the Filoli house (we encourage you to bring your own food or there is a cafeteria at Filoli)
-
12:30 - 3 pm we will go visit the beautiful Filoli gardens - Sokol SF will cover the entry fee for Sokol SF members who will register at sokolsfevents@gmail.com by Tuesday May 17
|
|
Speaker Series Event - Special Envoy for Expatriate Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic Jiri Kratky
Date and time (in June) will be announced soon
|
|
Please join us for an informative presentation via Zoom by Special Envoy for Expatriate Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic Jiri Kratky. He will give us the news relevant to Czechs living abroad including the proposed law about voting abroad.
|
|
Be a part of the Day of Czech Culture!
There are three opportunities to do so:
|
|
Czech Salon Dance BESEDA
Looking for dancers!
|
|
This very special dance that links folk dance forms with the elegant dance style will
come to life again at our “Day of Czech Culture on October 8th in Orinda.
Česká beseda was introduced at a particularly important time in Czech cultural history,
a period characterized by a great upsurge of activity in art, politics and cultural events of
all kinds. The initiators were poet Jan Neruda, musicians Ferdinand Heller and Bedřich Smetana, dancing master Karel Link and other Czech artists of the new national cultural life.
Česká beseda is performed by four couples in a square formation and consists of
four parts, each has several sections (various steps variations).
All potential dancers are WELCOME!
|
|
Design a T-shirt for the occasion |
|
As you may have read, we're planning a festival-style Day of Czech Culture this fall and we're looking for a gifted graphic designer to create a logo for this very special event! We're hoping to use it on all of our marketing - from flyers to t-shirts.
Here's what we're envisioning that our logo (or graphic image) should include:
- Sokol SF logo
- American flag
- Czech flag
- Slovak flag
- Something that evokes images of a Czech festival - dancing, delicious food, beautiful imagery of the old country!
The winner will be recognized on the Day of Czech Culture and will receive a free lunch voucher!
We invite you to let your creativity flow!
Entries due by June 20th.
|
|
If you own a business or know about a business whose products would enrich our Day of the Czech Culture, please let us know at sokolsfevents@gmail.com
|
|
This month, we'd like to give special recognition to sisters
Helenka Livingston and Vera Goupille
and thank them for their generous donation towards Sokol SF membership fees for those members facing financial hardship.
Thank you Helenka and Vera for your Sokol spirits!
|
|
Sokolske hudebni odpoledne
Saturday April 2, 2022 @ 2pm
|
|
Thank you, Ondro, for opening your home again for this musical event!
Opet jsme se sesli s hudebnimi nastroji pri sobotnim odpoledni. Tentokrate pribyla trubka a kytara Elvise Presleyho. Na setkani prisla spousta novych tvari a take pevecke stalice. Na grilu vytvarel dobroty osvedceny grill master a vino vsech barev se podavalo v ruznych teplotach. Doslo i na Jelinkovu slivovici a Becherovku.
V hojnem poctu cca 30 lidi jsme hodovali a peli az do tmaveho vecera. Deti byli vitanou soucasti zabavy jejich rodicu. Akce byla opet zdarila.
|
|
Virtual Czech Easter Cooking Demonstration
Saturday April 9, 2022 @ 11 am Pacific Time
|
|
We hope everyone had wonderful Easter! Thank you to all who joined us for Sokol SF Virtual Cooking presentation.
Below you will find our Easter recipes.
Please check our Youtube channel and subscribe, the video recording will be added soon.
You will find our previous recordings there too!
|
|
|
Hike in Mt. Diablo Foothills
Sunday April 10, 2022 @ 11 am
|
|
Great group of hikers! You guys did great on all those hills. We had some beautiful views of Mt. Diablo and the valley. The orange hues of the california poppies and the purples of the vetch still decorated the hills.
Cow herd on the move interrupted our picnic lunch on the rocks so we ended up in a nice shady area and enjoyed Easter Beranek, Mazanec and egg salad which were made during the Virtual Czech Easter Cooking Demonstration on Saturday! Also thank you to everyone who brought and shared their řízek - schnitzels, fruits and cookies with the rest of the group !
It was nice to spend some active time as well as lunch time together.
See you on the next one!
|
|
Easter egg decorating and pomlázka braiding class
Sunday, April 10 @ 2 pm
|
|
Thank you, Blanko and your whole family, for organizing this Easter time class!
And to Eliska for a beautiful recap.
Thank you to everyone who attended the Easter Egg Decorating Class on April 10th, it was a huge success. Even though it was originally intended to be just for adults, we actually had more children come in than we had grownups! At first, everyone practiced on paper cutouts of eggs, but soon both adults and children were confident enough to draw on real and plastic eggshells. And the designs everyone drew!
The first type of egg decorating that we taught were the Wax Relief eggs, which are drawn with hot wax melted over candles. Don’t worry, no one got hurt, but we did spill a bit of wax. The adults followed the patterns on the template eggs, drawing beautiful flower motifs and delicate borders. The kids brought creativity into the room, mixing and matching colors, and drawing abstract designs.
The second type of egg decorating we taught were the Blue Onion eggs, named so because they are drawn with blue ink and usually have an onion somewhere in the design. This style was more liked by the adults than by the children; however, the children that drew on these eggs did also follow the templates we prepared for them. The finished eggs were threaded onto ribbons, which required the mental concentration of a brain surgeon! The end result did, however, look very nice.
After we had decorated all the eggs that we could, we stepped outside for a bit to weave some pomlazkas. Even though it was getting a bit chilly, everyone had fun trying to find the perfect twigs to use. Actually weaving the pomlazkas, though, was a lot harder than it seemed. Each pomlazka is made up of eight twigs that have to be woven in a very specific pattern, a challenge even for the more experienced weaver. We managed, though, and got eighteen very nice pomlazkas out of it.
During the weaving, the evening got colder and we had to move to the warmth next to the barbecue grill. Those who finished their pomlazkas got a ribbon to tie onto the end of it and a warm sausage as a reward. We also ate a traditional Czech baked lamb, which is not a lamb at all but a cake, get this, in the shape of a lamb.
All in all, the whole experience was amazing. Eighteen people (7 adults and 11 children) attended, decorating 49 eggs, and using 144 willow twigs to weave eighteen pomlazkas. The course was fun, the atmosphere unmatched, and the eggs beautiful. We really hope to see everyone again for next year’s Easter Egg decorating class!
Eliska Nejedla
|
|
Czech-style summer camp for parents with children
the theme: Ctyrlistek
June 12 - 19, 2022, Lake Tahoe Area, CA
|
|
Join a group of dedicated parents and their kids
for camping where everybody speaks Czech.
The goal is to simulate Czech summer camps, with Czech games, songs, stories, and atmosphere.
A group campsite is reserved at
Sugar Pine Point State Park, by Lake Tahoe.
The theme of this summer camp is Ctyrlistek!
Let me know if you would be interested in joining us.
Space is limited.
This event is not organized by Sokol SF.
|
|
Postavy a příběhy České Kalifornie
Frank Koci - 1904 - 1983
Malir z ery beatniku
By Amb. Jaroslav Olša, Jr. Czech Consul General
Nezmiňují se o něm žádné publikace o Češích v Americe, nepsalo se o něm v českoamerických novinách a nezdá se ani, že by se kdy účastnil nějakých krajanských akcí. Těžko také říct, jestli po desítkách let strávených v Americe ještě plynně hovořil česky – ovšem svůj vztah k rodné zemi dával najevo na svých obrazech, které podepisoval s háčkem nad c a jeho američtí přátelé také věděli, že ho mají oslovovat „Kou-či“.
|
|
Note: For those of our subscribers who may not be able to read the Czech language, we recommend using the following online translator developed by researchers at Charles University called CUBBIT:
|
|
The annual Czech film festival titled “Czech That Film” has been established in 2012. Currently, it is the largest Czech cultural event in the United States. It is a film festival of best recent Czech films held throughout the United States every year, with a range of screenings and discussion with cast and crew.
The 11th edition of the Czech That Film will take place ONLINE
from May 13 to May 22, 2022 and through several live screenings in the USA.
|
|
May is the month
of
The Prague Spring International Classical Music Festival is a regular showcase of outstanding world artists, symphony orchestras and chamber ensembles. It takes place every year in Prague from 12 May (from the anniversary of the death of the important Czech composer Bedřich Smetana) to 4 June. It has been a representative showcase of world music culture and its latest trends since its inception. It gives space to many orchestras, conductors, singers, ensembles and soloists.
Theatrical performances are also a part of it. Most of the program takes place in the Smetana Hall in the Municipal House and in the Rudolfinum, the others on other Prague and non-Prague stages.
The first year was held in 1946 under the auspices of the President of the Republic Edvard Beneš on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Czech Philharmonic. The organizing committee was composed of important personalities of Czech music. Karel Ančerl, Leonard Bernstein, Sir Adrian Boult, Rudolf Firkušný, Jaroslav Krombholc, Rafael Kubelík, Moura Lympany, Yevgeny Mravinsky, Charles Munch, Ginette Neveu, Jarmila Novotná, Lev Oborin, David Oistrach, Jan Panenka have already received enthusiastic applause on the Prague festival stages.
Since 1952, the festival has opened with a cycle of symphonic poems My Homeland by Bedřich Smetana.
The festival commemorates important musical anniversaries by presenting a selection of compositions by jubilant authors, world and Czech premieres of contemporary composers. Top quality artists and orchestras are invited to concert performances.
The Prague Spring Festival also takes care of young performers. The competition of the same name was established a year after the festival's inception and is held annually in various instrumental disciplines before the festival's concert program.
In addition to classical music, the festival program has always included several jazz music concerts in recent years.
|
|
Česká Katolická Mise v Kalifornii
|
|
Please see their website or sign up for their Věstník for the dates and places for mass schedule.
Father Libor Svorcik is inviting you to a mass every third Sunday in San Francisco!
The next one is on May 22 13:00 hod., Nativity Church (240 Fell St, SF)
|
|
Slavný Čech, bez kterého by Porsche v Americe nikdo neznal |
|
Vasek Polak Sr. was a significant figure in Porsche motorsport and played a major role in establishing the marque’s presence in the United States in the 1950s and onward. His son, Vasek Polak, carries this legacy into the 21st century .
|
|
Sokol San Francisco is a non-profit organization operating as an independent unit of the American Sokol Organization (ASO) and its Pacific District. Sokol SF provides physical, educational, and cultural programs for all who are interested in Czech, Moravian, and Slovak culture and their history, as well as those who are bonded by a common heritage and ethnic identity.
Sokol credo is “a sound mind in a sound body”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
