Friday, May 15, 2009

Morandi; Cafe Prague

In my wanderings this afternoon, I stopped by our local Italian Cultural Institute, which is hosting a small exhibition of etchings & drawings by Giorgio Morandi. The works come from the Estorick Collection in London. I know that Morandi has a special reputation for the Italians, but he's an artist I have no experience with. The majority of the works come from between the wars & are all either landscapes or still lifes. The drawings appear to be tentative studies & not finished works at all. I thought the landscapes etched with Morandi's very fine cross hatching to be the best works. The contrast between the banality of the subjects & the artist's close observation gives them an enigmatic feeling.

Cafe Prague on Merchant St.On the other side of the block, I discovered the new location of Cafe Prague in the alley-like Merchant Street. I was very sad when I found the Pacific Street location closed, so it was nice to know that the place is still in business. The new location is airier but not as funky & Bohemian. The friendly hostess gave me a menu to take away & told me that they also have a place on Mission between 17th & 18th Streets.

6 comments:

The Opera Tattler said...

I just passed the Cafe Prague in the Mission last Friday, on my way to dinner at Foreign Cinema. I was always very fond of the place on Pacific Street as well.

Immanuel Gilen said...

That's so sad! I loved that place too, even though I never even went there (I walked past it on the way to work a block ever) - perhaps it's partly my fault then that it moved!

Axel Feldheim said...

What, you walked by but were never lured in by the Czech beers & the sultry Czech staff?

I need to get out more, since I had no idea that they had opened additional locations. The Pacific Street location was very cool, being close to North Beach, Chinatown & the Financial District, yet just a little out-of-the way. I once worked nearby in Hotaling Place. I don't even know if this little area has a name.

Stephanie Dodaro said...

Always sad to see a homespun restaurant leave NB.

IG: "I loved that place too, even though I never even went there..." That is funny. Only because I can hear you saying it, with much enthusiasm.

AF: The area's called Jackson Square. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackson_Square,_San_Francisco,_California

Immanuel Gilen said...

Hotaling Place is one my favorite little places of San Francisco (and Jackson Square one of my favorite areas in general, with all the architecture & design stores and the brick architecture); it's completely unlike everything else in this city.

I always walked past at 9 in the morning, so it was never open...plus they probably wouldn't serve me one of those Czech beers anyways, right?

Axel Feldheim said...

But you're so charming. I'm sure they would serve you at Cafe Prague!

But now that we all agree that Jackson Square is very cool, where is one supposed to hang out there now that Cafe Prague has removed to a new location?