Cheesecake Factory

Cheesecake Factory is a chain of Restaurants here in the US. The one pictured above is in Pittsford Plaza, and it always seems to have full parking lot.

There are now more than 150 Cheesecake Restuarants coast to coast. They got there start in 1972 in Los Angeles. There initial claim to fame, was their huge portions of amazing Cheesecakes; 20 different varieties at the time.

Now they are full service Restaurants, but are still known for the excellence of their 50 different kinds of their legendary cheesecakes and desserts like: Godiva® Chocolate Cheesecake, White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle®, 30th Anniversary Chocolate Cake Cheesecake, and Their Ultimate Red Velvet Cake Cheesecake.

I can't say that I have tried any as yet, but perhaps I will soon. I wanted to at least post a shot of how big the Cheesecake portions are... well, perhaps another time.

Tuesdays Cruise Night - More "Hot Rods"

Pictures of a few more American 'Hot Rods'; Taken at Tuesday nights Cruise night.

A Friends Wedding in Prague

I was sent this photo from a Friend in Prague who just got married on the 11th of June.

I LOVED THIS PHOTO and wanted to share it with everyone who might happen to read this blog.

Honza, congratulations and best wishes for all things good....to you and your bride!!

IF I could have envisioned a photo of you and your bride..
This one would have been it. It is PERFECT you. ;-) Cheers.

Made Bread today

Something I have wanted to do for a long while. Make Bread from "Scratch". Flour, milk, yeast and butter with a pinch of salt. It takes a bit of time.. not so much in the making but with the rising and then in baking. But here is the result. Vyborne !

Rhubarb Sauce

It is a rainy and glommy day here today. This morning, after a brief rain shower, I walked into the Village to the Saturday morning Farm Market. Lots and Lots of strawberries. But I bought some Rhubarb. It is a Spring "Fruit", but nature needs some help with this fruit in terms of SUGAR. I wanted to make a Rhubard Sauce.

It is good warm, chilled, over ice cream, over a sweet bread or cake. The pictures above tell the story. Wash the stalks. Cut them into 2cm pieces. Cook them with just a little water for about 15 minutes and then add sugar to taste. I had to add about a half a cup(113grams) of Sugar and it turned out really good.

then, as you can see, i enjoyed a small amount, just plain.

From along the Canal on a summer day

Happy Birthday M....

Wishing you a really great day...

Hot Rods

A Hot rod is a typically American car with a large engine modified for linear speed. It is not built to take curves fast, just to go straight in the fastest possible way. Hot Rods look typically just like these, without a hood or cover over the engine and with headers(exhaust manifolds) showing and without any mufflers to deaden the sound. They are loud. Many times all the visible engine parts are chromed and it is quite impressive to see.

Hot Rod is a term that flourished in the 50's and 60's as did the cars. Now, you usually only see these cars at car shows that are put on throughout the summer months here in the states. These two were at this weeks Cruise Night.

There are many Hot Rod Clubs across the US and there is even a US magazine showcasing just this type of vehicle. The name: yes, HOT ROD Magazine. And Of course, they are nostalgic and always turn a head when they zoom ( loudly ) past you on the street.

"Babybox" saves 50th child in Czech Republic

While I lived in Prague, this type of article appeared in the press frequently. Although at first glance this perhaps seems shameful, it is saving Newborns Lives in the Czech Republic instead of someone abandoning an infant somewhere else and having him/her die. It is an interesting perspective on this society problem and I think an advant-garde approach to saving lives.

A newborn baby boy placed in a "babybox" hatch in the hospital in Mlada Boleslav, central Bohemia, on Sunday has been the 50th baby saved this way since 2005 when the first hatch was installed in the Czech Republic. The first babybox in the Czech Republic was installed in Prague in 2005. Since then another 43 have been gradually established in the country, and more are planned. Prague has the highest number of these incubator boxes.

A babybox or baby hatch is an incubator in which as woman may anonymously leave her unwanted newborn baby without threatening the baby's life or health. Such an act is legal under Czech law and the mother in need does not face any punishment for it.

Health care personnel in the respective hospital receives a signal from the "full" box and can look after the baby immediately.

The First Day of Summer

Happy Birthday Mom

Mom... I got the date right this year. Wishing you a wonderful Birthday on this the 85th remembrance of your birth... Happy Birthday Mom !!!

Porsche Speedster

...from Cruise Night.

This is a very rare Porsche. It is the same type of car that James Dean used to drive and the type that he died in when he crashed it back in Sept 1955.

Happy Fathers Day Dad

...and Little Brother too.

Another Fairport Porch

You may note, that many of the houses I have posted here have the American Flag flying and/or Red, White & Blue banners hanging on railings... this is typical of many small town and villages in the US, especially here in New York State...

Americans are very patriotic.... we like our flags, the stars & Stripes, our parades, our summer band concerts, our summer time ice cream...and picnics in the parks...

Fairport Porch

Another Difference; CZ vs US

To je skoda... it is a pity, but over Here on this side of the pond, you will never see guys like these in small towns in the US.

But wait; There is a Renaissance Festival about a 100km from Rochester which takes place in Sterling, New York, which takes place only on weekends from 9 July through 21 August. It is a Full Renaissance Village out in the middle of the country which offers a hint at what Medieval Life was like, with Jousting, a dunking pond, food, crafts, Games, Archery, etc. Perhaps a nice place to visit on some weekend this summer.

Update: Massive Strike Paralyzes Prague

Prague, June 16 (CTK) - The union protest that started at midnight has paralysed mainly public transport in Prague where the underground (metro) has been stopped for the first time ever.

A mere 40 percent of trams and 20 percent of buses operated in the capital at 5:00 CEST. Trains went to a halt across the country. At some places they have been partially replaced by buses.

Public transport is limited in the regional capitals of Brno, south Moravia, Olomouc, north Moravia, and Usti and Labem, north Bohemia.

Bus carriers went on strike in some areas of the country only. Most of them have joined the strike symbolically.

The strike was called in protest against the government's prepared reforms of the pension, healthcare, welfare and tax systems. The main target of transport workers’ strike action is Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek (Top 09), who sought a court injunction forcing unions to postpone their action from Monday to Thursday. The unions say his reforms are taking away benefits and increasing their payments.

Unions representing Prague city transport staff say the proposed reforms will do away with their annual travel pass, cancel meal tickets worth around Kč 10,080 a year, up pension payments by an annual Kč 6,000 and wipe out another around 110 perks and benefits. Taxes on wages will rise from 15-19 percent, health insurance increase by one percentage point to 6.5 percent and value-added tax (VAT) rise from 10 percent to 14 percent in 2012 and then to a single rate of 17.5 percent in 2013. In return, they say Kalousek is offering compensation of around Kč 3,000.

The strike is organised by the Coalition of Transport Unions (KDOS) that roofs 13 union branches.

Massive Strike to Paralyze Prague Today

The Coalition of Transport Trade Unions (KDOS) that roofs 13 transport unions declared a strike for Thursday. The unions want to protest against the government´s planned health care, pension, welfare and tax reforms.

The unions shifted the action from this past Monday to Thursday in reaction to a Legal injunction, but then extended it to 24 hours from the originally planned 13 hours.

The strike is to start at midnight from Wednesday to Thursday.

It is expected to halt railway transport and urban transit in many larger cities, above all in Prague. The capital is expected to be totally paralyzed according to published reports.

Both passenger and freight trains will stop won't resume their operation for 24 hours, assured Jaromír Dušek, a labor union leader. This will include international high-speed trains which will have to wait at the Czech borders until the strike is ended in order to be allowed to enter the country. Dušek added that the Prague subway will be paralyzed in the same way.

Prague's key arteries are going to be blocked by protesters, in addition labor unions consider a massive march through the capital. There may be blockades on other important highways in the Czech Republic as well.

Miners and Czech Post logistics employees will join the strike too, air traffic workers have not announced their participation yet.

President Klaus calls for "Reagan approach" to break strike: "The Mayor of Prague should fire them all" Klaus dismissed the planned strike as an alleged abuse of the trade union organisation for political blackmail on Friday already.

While I lived in Prague, at least once a year there always seemed to be a Threat by the Transportation workers Union to strike. It never happened. For what ever reason, as the day started; nothing. I Could catch Tram 9 in the morning as usual.

This one sounds like it WILL HAPPEN>

Tuesday Nights - Cruise Night in Fairport

Cruise night: an expression meaning that people drive around in their flashy car and meet in a town parking lot along side the Erie Canal to talk, show their cars and listen to music..

Every Tuesday throughout the summer, the Village of Fairport puts on a "Cruise Night"

Last night I took my evening walk in the village. At the end of the hour walk, I stopped at "Cruise Night". Cool cars, mostly from the 1950's and 1960's, perhaps vintage is a good term. Last night the band that was playing was called: It's My Party.

A local All Girl singing group with back-up by Bass, Guitar, Sax, trumpet, electric keyboard, Drums and Percussion. They were excellent, but the Three Girls doing the singing. Great harmony and vibrancy. They were fantastic. Their sound was straight out of the Girl groups of the late 1950's and early 1960's. They even dressed the part, in their 1950's brightly colored dresses. It was all Really quite excellent.

I can't wait for next Tuesday... perhaps they will be singing there again. ????

Eclipse of the Moon in Bohemia this night @ 21:09

Today there will be an eclipse of the Moon whichis the first to be visible in the ČR in seven years. This is also the first Lunar Eclipse of 2011 and the first of two such events this year.

The eclipse today will be the longest total lunar eclipse since July 2000(which lasted 107 minutes). It will last a record 101 minutes and it will be the only full eclipse visible from the Czech Republic between February 2008 and September 2015, the Czech Astronomical Society writes on its www.astro.cz website.

Another rarity is that the eclipse occurring today June 15, is less than five days before the summer solstice. The Moon will find itself close to the Centre of the Milky Way which will make objects in space very well visible.

Prague, as reported on May 26 (CTK): "From Bohemia, a large part of the eclipse will be observable. The Moon will appear on the southeastern horizon at 21:09, already fully immersed in the Earth's shadow."

"The eclipse will culminate at 22:13 when the Moon disc will go through the darkest part of the Earth's shadow. It will find itself 7.5 degrees above the horizon, in the Ophiuchus (Serpentarius) constellation."

The eclipse's full phase will end at 23:03."

My Friends in Prague; enjoy it, it sounds really intriguing and should be quite a spectacle. Cheers.

Strawberry season

Now this will make my friend Tomáš shudder.. Strawberry Wine. ;-)

I opened this bottle of wine that I had stored while I was living in Prague.

Wow, I was quite surprised at the richness of taste; like fresh strawberries. I was also surprised that this was more like an apertif than a wine for drinking. A deep ruby red and thick like a cream sherry, but thicker...

This was produced by a small vineyard in Pine Bush, New York; Baldwin Vineyards.

Tomáš: This might be what one might call a sipping wine... The initial taste is quite amazing.. but it is very sweet, almost like an ice wine. Not sure one could drink a whole wine glass of it.

Vanilla Sugar

As I use to walk the isles of Tesco or Albert while living in Prague, I always enjoyed seeing products that I knew Did not exist in the States.

Here is another one: Vanilla Sugar.

The Czech version by Dr. Oetker: Vanilkovy cukr. Rip open the small packet and you get a sudden rush of vanilla...

The British version sold at Tesco. Very Similar to the higher priced brand.

NOTE: Tesco is a British Chain that is most comparable to Walmart over here. They have large grocery stores on the ground floor which include a 2nd floor filled with clothes, cosmetics, CD's, cards, dishes, electronix... you name it.

2011 Annual Finger Lakes Porsche Club Show

Went south through wine country this morning to a small Village called Hammondsport. It sits at the end of Keuka Lake, one of the "Finger Lakes" here in Central/Western New York.

The village was hosting The Finger Lakes Chapter of the Porsche Club of America's Annual Porsche Show. An excellent turn out; about 25 Porsches showed up from not only our Club but also the Buffalo/Niagara Region Club. Lunch was included in the Registration fee, as well as assorted morning donuts and Dunkin Donuts coffee.

It took about 2 hours to get there, driving through picturesque hills, valleys and past many vineyards. The temp was pleasant at about 70 F or 24 C, with the sun peaking in and out from heavy clouds. A nice event and good to see friends once again.

A Sweet Difference

Sugar for ones coffee or tea comes mostly in these tubes in the Czech Republic.

Something you would never find here in the US.

and the two glass sugar dispensers are unique to Europe as well... the clear tall one, dispenses One "Teaspoon" of sugar at a time; if you rock the container back and then pour it out.

This Morning, Two Fawn

Out in "my backyard" this morning, two baby deer or two baby fawn.

Hezky Den a mej se hezky taky. tak ahoj

Tall Reflections

Class of '69 Reunion

Today was June 9th: 6 : 9. I ran into a friend from High School just two days ago in a shop not far from Fairport. He and I used to be best friends while in High School. I recognized him right off. In the course of our conversation he mentioned that our 42nd High School Reunion was going to be this Thursday: June: 6 9th ( class of 1969 ).

So this evening I was off to Pittsford, the next town over where I went to High School and where the Cafe is that currently has 11 of my Prague photographs hanging on the wall.

It was nice. Not too many people there. I hadn't seen most of them in 42 years. Wow, a lifetime. Funny, we all mentioned how back 42 years ago, we never thought about reaching 60 and we all are doing just that this year. Funny.

But it was such a nice evening talking to old friends...like it was only yesterday that we graduated. I even brought a photo album of our Senior Day off and the picnic we had in Powder Mills Park...they thought it was amazing I had them still and brought them.

And rekindled some friendships as well.

American "Car" Art from the 60's

This type of drawing/picture was quite "In" in the 60's and 70's in the peak days of American Car Culture. Cars that had been highly modified into "Hot Rods" were the rage and that bred a group of Artists that drew art work like that pictured above.

I actually still have three t-shirts with Ed Roth designs spray painted on the back..and they still fit, after all these years.

This photo was taken at Watkin Glen International Raceway a few weekends back. Interesting this type of Art Work focused entirely on Detroit Muscle Cars and never on Porsches, so I still do not know why one of the crew had this painted on his tool chest...

...in "my" backyard

I have a small forest which my Apartment faces in the back of the Building. My Balcon looks out into this wooded area.

I noted color way up in their the other day and took a walk up into the area and this is what I found. Lots and Lots of flowers and a Well worn Deer path as well...

Lidice

This Past Thursday saw the premiere, In Prague, of the long-awaited film 'Lidice', the first Czech production to tell the story one of the darkest periods in Czech history, the destruction of The village of Lidice, located just a small distance from Prague, by the Nazis in 1942.

All of the men as well as boys aged 15 and up were killed and all women and most of the children were sent to concentration camps. In what for Czechs was one of the most horrific episodes of World War II, the Nazis murdered the inhabitants of Lidice and razed the small village to the ground in 1942, as part of reprisals for the assassination of the German governor of Bohemia and Moravia.

The men were immediately executed, while almost all of the women and children were later killed at Nazi death camps.

In all, 82 of the village’s 103 children died in the gas chambers, and it was in their honour that a group of life-sized bronze statues was erected at the Lidice Memorial in the 1990s.

The brutal act was part of extensive Nazi retribution for the assassination of acting Reichsprotektor Reinhard Heydrich. The Nazi's then flattened the village so nothing remained of it.

The Movie of this atrocity has gotten mixed reviews in Prague, but still I can imagine it is quite moving. It has long been awaited in the Czech Republic and is finally out. I hope to be able to see it at some point with English Subtitles.

Old Time Fire Engines

Four Old Time Fire Engines as seen at the Memorial Day Parade.

The Top one is Fairports.