Katerina Kaftanova (1982)

When I heard that the Czech fashion brand Lazy Eye is moving their showroom to my side of the river, just a few steps from Náměstí Míru, I was delighted (well, my bank account was less pleased).

Lazy Eye was founded in 2012 and has become quite popular since then. The brand is concentrating on 50′s style fashion and all the dresses are made based on authentic patterns from that time. Imagine a feminine silhouette with accentuated waist, ruffled petticoats, thin leather belts, fine fabrics and original design. What I also like is the fact, that each dress is practically a unique design, so it does not happen, that you meet a half of Prague in it .

Besides dresses, you can also find retro bathing suits (made upon request), skirts and accessories as belts or (sun)glasses (these from another brand).

I have to admit that as a mother of a small toddler, I’m often tired. And I need some doping . I Need Coffee is a small café, where I often pick up a coffee to go and continue my stroll towards the Vltava river.

The interior of the café is bright and has an “industrial” feeling. The high chairs are rather destined for a short coffee break than a long talk over a cappuccino which I don’t mind (I think that it is good to have “different purpose” coffee shops).

Once there, don’t hesitate to try something sweet. I strongly recommend to try anything from the talented blogger and baker Chez Lucie or one of the best (homemade) ice creams in town made by Tři kopečky.

If you love Vietnamese food, you should check out the so-called little Hanoi aka Sapa, situated in Prague.

TTTM Sapa, located in the south surround of Prague called Písnice is a wholesale market where you can buy a lot of stuff (the majority of the items sold come from Asia of course). Actually it’s like a town in a town with different amenities for the Vietnamese community: restaurants and bistros (including some bubble tea places) beauty salons, a school, a temple etc.

I’m a big fan of Sapa especially because of the food. I like the Vietnamese groceries, where you can buy different ingredients for Asian cuisine that you can not buy anywhere else (or they are way too expensive) – various vegetables and fruits, herbs, sauces, frozen prawns, alive crabs, strange looking meat, tea, rice, tofu and much more…

Besides checking the shops you should definitely eat there. The criteria of a good place to eat is simple: eat where local people eat! Places which are oriented in one type of food are usually the strike home. My favorite place is a tiny place named Hai Há – the have the best bún chả- it is rich and savory.

P.S. if you go to Sapa by bus, you can take bus 113 from metro station Kacerov (C line) – that is the best way. A second option is the bus 198 from Smichovske nadrazi metro station (B line). The place is really on the outskirts of the city so don’t be surprised

Even if it is located a few steps from the main tourist attractions like Charles Bridge or the Prague Castle, Vojanovy sady has still remained a quiet peaceful spot.

Vojanovy sady is one of the oldest Prague gardens (it was founded in 13th century originally as an orchard). The fact that the whole park is surrounded by buildings (one of them is the Ministry of Finances) gives the place an intimate feel. Dogs are not allowed to enter the park, but you can find a couple of (sometimes) noisy peacocks instead!

There are a couple of interesting things at Vojanovy sady. You can find a beehive, a working sundial and in season you might have the opportunity to taste a pear from one of the numerous pear trees (or some apples and plum too).

But you can simply sit on a white bench, relax, observe people (or secretly listen to their conversations as I do In summer, it also a perfect spot to have a picnic. 

The hall number 22 is one of my favorite places where I go regularly –  the vegetable market takes place there. It is an oasis of fresh vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers from local provenience (although you can also find there imported commodities) of course according to the season. It is actually quite nice to see how the goods (hence seasons) are changing if you go there regularly. 

Some people can not understand, why I tend to buy vegetables there if I do not live in the neighborhood. But it’s simple – the rate quality/price compared to what you can buy in supermarkets is definitely better, in spite of the fact that I like to support local farmers (one note: some are only re-sellers, but you still have plenty of local ones!).

Another favorite represents a small stall with authentic Vietnamese food (and would-be Chinese food). The stall is quite well hidden – you will find it in a small side street just under the hall number 8 schedule. Try any kind of phở soup, bún chả or bún bò khô, it´s delicious! To compare, you can check out the fusion Asian cuisine SaSaZu, which is a music club and restaurant under one roof.