May Hike in Mt. Diablo Foothills on Saturday, May 4, 2024 @ 11 am

Bring your kids and dogs for a moderate hike in the rolling hills

Dogs are allowed off-leash in this area.

Bring your picnic lunch as we can sit and enjoy our food together about halfway on our hike.

We will meet at the trailhead at the end of Whitecliff Way, Walnut Creek.

Take Hwy 680 to the Rudgear exit and turn left on Whitecliff Way, after you go under the high voltage electrical lines (about 1.5 miles from the 680 exit).

Parking is free and on the street.

If you run late, can't find us, or have any questions you can call 925-683-1853

We are looking forward to seeing you hike with us!

Sokol San Francisco Monthly Hikes

Baylands Nature Preserve on Sunday, April 21, 2024 @ 11 am

Join us in exploring another part of the Bay Area!

The Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve, known officially as the Baylands Nature Preserve, is the largest tract of undisturbed marshland remaining in the San Francisco Bay. Fifteen miles of multi-use trails provide access to a unique mixture of tidal and freshwater habitats.

We will meet at Lucy Evans Baylands Nature Interpretive Center

Meeting place:

We are looking forward to seeing you hike with us!

Speaker Series: Presentation by Lubomir Vejrazka

Saturday, April 19, 2024 @ 7 PM

Veterans Memorial Senior Center, Goldstar Rm - 1455 Madison Ave., Redwood City, CA

We have a unique opportunity to welcome Lubomir Vejražka, author of "Nezhojene rany naroda", and listen to stories about political prisoners during the communist years in Czechoslovakia.

The event is free of charge. There is no special registration for this event.

presentation will be in the Czech language.

April 14 Cooking class

Recipes:

1. Sauerkraut Soup

2. Dill Cream Sauce

3. Gluten-Free Bundt Cake

Cooking Demonstration is on our YouTube Channel - SokolSF Media.

Get Together with Prof. Bohumír Janský and Eva Janská, Ph.D.

Saturday, April 13, 2024 at 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Red Morton Community Center, Rm 8, 1120 Roosevelt Ave., Redwood City, CA

We are delighted to invite our community to meet Bohumír Janský and Eva Janská, who will visit San Francisco on their way to a conference (AAG) in Hawaii.

Do not miss this unique opportunity to meet the highly respected geographer, hydrologist, and explorer Prof. Dr. Bohumir Janský, who discovered the true source of the Amazon River and doc. RNDr. Eva Janská. Ph.D. who is a specialist researcher on Czech Diaspora and migration.

We will hear about some great adventures, learn interesting facts about our 'blue planet', and be awed by people's determination to find their place to call home in the world.

The presentation and discussion will be in Czech and English

The event is free of charge.

Register on EventBrite

This event is hosted and funded by the Czech School of California.

Sokol San Francisco Monthly Hikes

Golden Gate Park with a visit to T.G. Masaryk's bust - March 9, 2024 @ 11 am

Every year, our unit remembers T.G. Masaryk with a hike and a visit to his bust in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. JOIN US!

Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk was a Czechoslovak statesman, political activist, and philosopher who served as the first president of Czechoslovakia from 1918 to 1935. He is regarded as the founding father of Czechoslovakia.

Let’s meet in the parking lot by Stow Lake Boathouse.

From there we will go visit the Rose Garden and the bust of Tomas G Masaryk.

Masaryk's birthday is March 7 so we will lay some flowers at his bust at the Rose Garden.

Sokol San Francisco donated the bust to Golden Gate Park many years ago, come and hear the story.

We will visit the Observatory Deck of the de Young Museum to get a view of the City; it is free of charge and the views are beautiful!

We will continue by the Japanese Tea Gardens back to Stow Lake, cross the Stow Lake Bridge over to visit the waterfalls, and we will end up back by the boathouse.

It is an easy hike; all flat. Hopefully, the flowers will start blooming and we can welcome spring at this beautiful park.

Meeting place:

We are looking forward to seeing you hike with us!

Petr Janda Concert - February 25, 2024 @ 7 pm

Alhambra Irish House - 831 Main Street Redwood City, CA 94063

Petr Janda, a legend of Czech and Slovak rock music, has been performing with his band Olympic for 60 years since the 60's. They regularly sell out large venues back home and even opened for the Rolling Stones in Prague.

This concert is part of a little solo acoustic tour in California and Florida

Join us in this intimate setting at Alhambra Irish House in Redwood City

Doors open at 7 pm, and the show starts at 8 pm.

Tickets are $35 via the button below or at a higher price at the door

Get your tickets now. They are going fast

This is not a Sokol SF event, but we are happy to spread the word!

Sokol San Francisco Monthly Hikes - Hike at Stanford University

Sunday, February 25 @ 11 am

Hike with us through the Stanford Campus, walking through eucalyptus groves, several specialized gardens, Rodin sculptures, as well as around some of the iconic campus buildings. 

Places to stop for snacks or coffee along the way.

The hike will take about 1.5 hours; it is easy, level hiking in beautiful surroundings.

There are plenty of places to have lunch together (or separately) after our hike at the nearby shopping center.

We will meet at the intersection of Vineyard and Quarry in Palo Alto, in front of the Container Store in the Stanford Shopping Center.

We are looking forward to seeing you hike with us!

Speaker Series with Dr. Yara Salman, MD

Wednesday, Jan 24, 2024 @ 7 p.m. PST

Our Annual Sokol SF Member Meeting will take place at DJ Bistro in Concord.

We will try to stream the meeting via Zoom as well.

We will review the past year’s activities, discuss plans for this coming year, elicit input for what members would like to do and how they would like to get involved, review the financial standings & budget and then vote for the slate of officers.

Lunch will be provided by Sokol SF with a no-host bar

If you plan on attending the meeting in person, you must register so the restaurant can prepare for our event.

Registration closes on January 17, 2024

All members are invited to attend!

Sincerely,
Sokol SF Board of Directors

1/20 Annual Meeting

If you are planning on joining via Zoom, do not register!

The agenda and Zoom link will be sent to all members on Friday before the meeting, regardless if you will be attending in person or virtually.

We are looking forward to seeing your faces in person!

THIS EVENT IS FOR SOKOL SF MEMBERS ONLY

This event HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

Let's get into the holiday mood with singing Christmas Carols together.

Lea is opening her home for this event. Please register only if you know for sure you will be able to come as the event is limited to 15 people. Please bring any musical instruments!

Refreshments will be provided but please bring some samples of your Christmas cookies to share with the other carolers.

You will receive instructions and directions upon registering.

Christmas Cookie Baking and Decorating Classes

Sunday, December 3, 2023 @ 1:30pm and 3:00pm

Orinda Community Center

28 Orinda Way, Orinda CA

We are once again hosting in-person Czech Christmas Cookie Decorating and Baking Classes.

There will be two one-hour sessions:

• 1:30 p.m. - The first session is suitable for kids, but parents must be there with their child.

• 3:00 p.m. - The second session will be for adults only.

Please make sure you register for the time you want to attend.

Please register every person who will be attending.

• 1:30 pm, Register: here

• 3:00 pm, Register: here

We will decorate linecke cookies, gingerbread cookies, and bake vanilkove rohlicky cookies.

NOTE: We will also be working with nuts.

Everyone will leave with baked goodies and in a festive mood! You will receive the recipes as well.

Wear comfortable clothing that you do not mind getting some flour or sugar on :-)

Please plan your arrival so we can start the class on time! Thank you.

Suggested donation is $10 per person

Hike in Mt. Diablo Foothills

Saturday, December 2, 2023 @ 11 am

Bring your kids and dogs for a moderate 3-mile hike in the rolling hills of Shell Ridge Open Space.

Dogs are allowed off-leash in this area.

Bring your picnic lunch as we can sit and enjoy our food together about halfway on our hike.

We will meet at the trailhead at the end of Whitecliff Way, Walnut Creek.

Take Hwy 680 to the Rudgear exit and turn left on Whitecliff Way, after you go under the high voltage electrical lines (about 1.5 miles from the 680 exit). Parking is free and on the street.

If you run late, can't find us, or have any questions you can call 925-683-1853

2023 California Independent Film Festival

presents Czech comedy

The Owners - Vlastnici

Thursday, November 16, 2023, @ 1 p.m

Orinda Theatre / 4 Orinda Theatre Square, Orinda, CA

Calling All Czech Film Buffs!

Owners of flats in an apartment building meet at a regular house meeting to resolve the necessary sale of attic space to deal with the emergency state of the house. But the seemingly simple vote is complicated by the fact that everyone has their own ideas and agenda.

Please meet Nina, in front of the theatre, between 12:30 and 12:40 pm so that we can go into the theatre together, get good seats, and sit as a group. (And so that there is time for anyone who wants to purchase refreshments :) Nina will be wearing a Czech soccer shirt.

If you can join us, please email sokolsfevents@gmail.com by noon on Wednesday, November 15 to let us know that you are coming.

Simply Write:

1) "Movie" in the Subject line

2) Your Name

3) Your email address (so that we can follow up with you as needed)

4) No. of tickets

Regular festival ticket price: $13 (If we have 6 or more moviegoers the tickets will be only $10)

If anyone is interested, we can go for a cup of coffee, tea, or a beer, at The Fourth Bore Tap Room and Grill (at Theatre Square, adjacent to the theater) after the screening to talk about what we thought of the film or just to connect.

FREE parking (3 hours) at Theatre Square Parking (2 Theatre Square), next to the theater

A. Dvořák's Violin Concerto at the San Francisco Symphony

Join us on Saturday, November 4th @ 7:30 pm, for another outing to the San Francisco Symphony.

Sokol San Francisco has reserved specially reduced-priced tickets in the Orchestra at $25 (normally $75) in advance that are available to our Sokol San Francisco members.

Contact sokolsfevents@gmail.com to purchase yours.

Sight and sound converge in Pictures at an Exhibition as Modest Mussorgsky translates the canvases of his late friend Victor Hartmann into music. Virtuoso violinist Augustin Hadelich brings his eloquent artistry to Antonín Dvořák’s rousing and rhapsodic Violin Concerto.

The concert:

INSPIRATIONS: ART/MUSIC

ARTISTS:

Ludovic Morlot, conductor

Augustin Hadelich, violin

San Francisco Symphony

PROGRAM:

"Latest" [A San Francisco Symphony Commission and U.S. Premiere] - Betsy Jolas

Violin Concerto - Antonín Dvořák

Pictures at an Exhibition - Modest Mussorgsky (arr. Maurice Ravel)

Purchase regular priced tickets and more information

Lafayette Community Park Nature Walk on Saturday, November 4, 2023 @ 10 am.

A surprisingly wild little open space in the middle of Burton Valley! The confluence of two creeks with a diverse array of native plants and excellent birding! It is an easy hike little under 2 miles long. A wonderful place to take family walks with kids and dogs.

Additional information about the hike

Directions: Take St. Mary’s Road to the Lafayette Community Center at 480 St. Mary’s Road. Park in the back, near the tennis courts. You will have the community center on your left and tennis courts on your right. And the bridge where we will meet will be right in front of you. We will meet at 10 am at the bridge.

Directions to the parking lot

Sokol San Francisco and the Czech School of California will celebrate the Day of the Republic with a picnic and the run again this year! This is our third year! We had a great time with you all in 2021 and 2022, and we are looking forward to seeing all your friendly faces again!

For general information about the run and its history, go to: https://www.behrepubliky.cz/

Our picnic and Sokol SF Beh Republiky will take place at the same place as last year:
Sunday, October 29, 2022
Seal Point Park, San Mateo, CA.

There are three categories: children under 10, children under 14, and adults

The registration fee for an adult is $10 (or 200 CZK if you are paying in CZK).
Acceptable forms of payment are PayPal or bank transfers from a Czech bank
There is no registration fee for children, but they need to be registered.

Should you have any difficulties with registration or payment, please get in touch with me at sokolsfevents@gmail.com.

Please read the instructions carefully!

Sokol San Francisco members who register for the run by September 15, 2023 will receive a complimentary Sokolsky Beh Republiky Under Armour T-shirt from Sokol SF. After you complete the registration, you need to send an email to sokolsfevents@gmail.com with your name a T-shirt size. Sizes are limited, so register and send in your email early. First come, first serve.

If you are not a Sokol San Francisco member, you can purchase this year’s event T-shirt in the morning during check-in. As the number of T-shirts and sizes is limited due to logistics, it is on a first-come, first-served bases.

Due to the logistics of getting the t-shirts, race bibs, and medals from the Czech Republic to the USA,
you need to register and send your email with the T-shirt size to sokolsfevents@gmail.com
by September 15th, 2023

You can register after this date to October 24, 2023, but the T-shirt, bib, and medal will not be guaranteed.

Sokol SF members - after you register, do not forget to send your name and t-shirt size to sokolsfevents@gmail.com

After the run, we will have a picnic sponsored by Sokol San Francisco and the Czech School of California. Charcoal, water, and coffee will be provided. Bring your own picnic lunch and maybe something to share.

We look forward to seeing you at the picnic and the starting line! Mark your calendars and start training! 
Register for SBR: BěhRepublikyID

You do not need to run to come to the picnic. Everyone is welcome. You can help us cheer on the runners.

The San Jose Sharks will be playing the Boston Bruins on Thursday, October 19, 2023 @7:30 pm

Let's Cheer Together

We are purchasing our tickets in section 222 in rows 15, 16 or 17 or near these rows so we can sit and cheer close together!

Sokol members and friends will be there with their Czech spirit and some Czech flags to wave.

September hike on Sea View Trail starting at Steam Trains in Tilden Park on Saturday, September 9, 2023 from 9:30am to 12pm.

We will meet at 9:30am at the upper/overflow parking lot of the Tilden Park Steam Trains at the Sea View Trailhead.

Steam Trains:

2481 Grizzly Peak Blvd. Berkeley, CA (Google Maps to Steam Trains)

Look for the SOKOL SF Signs

We will hike the Sea View Trail for one hour and then back to our cars, which is the most scenic trail.

Bring a sun hat, water, and sunglasses. A portion of the trail is not shaded.

The trail has some short uphill parts and then levels out. We will pace ourselves so everyone can participate.

The historic steam trains open at 11 a.m. and are a memorable Berkeley attraction for kids of all ages. A ride costs $4

Learn more about the Tilden Park Steam Trains.

August 27, 2023 in Tiburon, CA

Informal "Ironman" Triathlon - We apologize, but we have had to cancel this event.  

Hike in Vasona Park in Los Gatos on Saturday, August 19, 2023 @ 10 am.

 Join us for a 2-3 mile walk in this beautiful tranquil setting.
It is an easy trail, suitable for strollers and older people. It will be a relaxing walk.

If you are interested, you can also join a meditation session, so bring a blanket if you want to sit on the ground, or you can sit on a bench.

Enjoy the company of your Czech friends and their friends.
Bring your kids; there is plenty for them in the park.
Check out the nature, train, carousel, playground, and relaxation/meditation.

There are bathrooms along the trail. Water fountains are also along the trail.
Snack Shack has some enticing offerings as well.

If you are interested you can stay longer
there are boats to rent, a train to ride, and a playground to enjoy.

For more information about the park and its facilities, go to Vasona Lake County Park.

Street parking is free, or there is paid parking within the park.

Picnic tables are available, and we can enjoy lunch together.
Bring your own and/or goodies to share!

Bring water, a towel, a hat, and sunblock.

All registered for the hike will receive a small surprise!
To register, please send an email to Simona (masleka2000@yahoo.com).

If you need more info or you get lost, please get in touch with Simona.

Children's Day Picnic in Lake Chabot on June 10, 2023 - more info coming

Sokolske hudebni odpoledne on June 4, 2023 - more info coming

Sokol SF invites you to a Literary Competition - Sokol SF vás zve na LITERÁRNÍ SOUTĚŽ

submit your work by May 31, 2023

Zveme Vás na literární soutěž. 

Napište nám BÁSEŇ na libovolné téma - téma které Vám je blízké. 

Pravidla soutěže nejsou omezena: téma, jazyk, styl a délka básně.

Můžete také využít metodu code-switching, což znamená, že báseň můžete napsat kombinovaně - ve více jazycích. 

Autor může být i anonymní. Prosím, dejte do poznámky při zaslání své básničky.

Věková hranice není omezena. 

Básně budou zveřejněny v červencovém 2023 eVěstníku, kde budete moci hlasovat a rozhodnout se, která báseň se Vám líbí nejvíce. Tři nejkrásnější básničky budou odměněny, sladkou odměnou. 

Svou báseň zašlete do 5/31/2023 na e-mail: sokolsfevents@gmail.com

A v srpnovém eVěstníku vyhlasíme vítěze.

We invite you write a poem on any topic you feel comfortable writing, employing whatever style you prefer. 

The rules of the contests are limitless: topic, language, style, and length. Feel free to utilize the "code-switching" method, which means you can crisscross the language in your writings in multiple different languages.

If you wish to remain an anonymous author, your submissions can be published without your name or any other identifiers, just let us know.

There is no age limit in this contest. 

All poems will be published in our July 2023 newsletter and our readers will be voting on their favorite poem/poems. Winners will be announced in our August newsletter. All contestants and readers will be available to vote on their favorite poem. The authors of the most liked poems will receive some sweet prices. 

If you wish to participate, please submit your poems to

sokolsfevents@gmail.com no later than 05/31/2023. 

Winners will be announced in our August 2023 newsletter.

Join us for a pickleball afternoon organized by Sokol SF and the Czech School of California.

Come learn and play this popular racquet game for all ages.

Bring your kids or grandchildren as well.

We will have 4 courts and will accommodate players of all levels.

We will meet on Sunday, April 30, 2023, at 2 pm at the tennis courts at Bowditch Middle School, Foster City

All the equipment (paddles and balls) will be provided

We plan on having several performance categories

(kids introductory, kids competitive, adults introductory, and adults competitive).

The goal is to have fun and move around!

You are invited to a family afternoon full of music on April 22, 2023 @ 2 pm in Episcopal Church, 555 Waverley St, Palo Alto.

If your children play an instrument or sing we are inviting them to perform at our event. If you play with your children, you are invited to perform too.

Czechs are the nation of musicians so let's get together and make some music!

Zveme vás na rodinné hudební odpoledne. Najdou se mezi námi mladí hudebníci, kteří hrají na hudební nástroj nebo zpívaji, kteří by se rádi tohoto veřejného představení v Palo Alto zúčastnili? Děti by dle zájmu mohly vystoupit též s rodiči a výběr skladeb by byl na jednotlivém účastníkovi.

Jestliže máte zájem spolupodílet se na této akci jako vystupující, prosím, napište sokolsf@gmail.com, cc vharris.csoc@gmail.com

Srdečně jsou zváni nejen účastnící, ale i všichni diváci. 

The Bauers perform a puppet show as part of their final tour of the US.  The performance will take place in Orinda this Sunday @2pm and is complementary. 

We will have a small kiosk with lightly used Czech children's books for you for small (optional) donations.  

**Note - the performance is taking place in the Czech language.

We hope you'll join us!