Celebrate love traditions at Polish Happy Hour TOMORROW

Signs to look for if shopping for a Polish mate
Match-making was an important part of Polish courtship rituals well into the 20th century. The swatka was a professional match-maker who would negotiate a girl’s availability and dowry with her father. Most marriages back when were pre-arranged in this manner. However, the family of an eligible daughter would send out certain signals.

· Southern and Eastern Poland: The cottage of a family with daughters was whitewashed and the windows deliberately splashed with lime.

· In the Kraków region: White splotches would be applied to the fence and gate of houses were girls who had come of age lived.

· In the Podlasie region: The house would be repainted a pale sky-blue announced that a eligible young lady lived there and was now available.

· The Not-So-Subtle Wreath: A more explicit signal was an herbal wreath, the sign of virginity, suspended from a pole in front of the house.

Men did their part too. It was not unusual for a potentially interested suitor would send someone to spy on a girl see how orderly a house she kept and whether she wasn’t loafing on the job.

Excerpted from “Love, courting and marriage – Old Polish style” by Robert Strybel

Get that warm feeling on the inside by learning about love and relationships in Poland when we talk about Polish-style courting at Polish Happy Hour on February 21 from 6 – 9 PM. You can learn a little about those traditions with us as we enjoy some tasty Polish beer and food with our friends at the Justin & Aneta Homer at The Casual Pint in the Shops at Boardman Park. The FEATURED BREWER will be LULU! Established in 1994, the Wąsosz Brewery is one of the most important small brewhouses in Poland today. They create for a variety of beers with unique flavor combinations. We will be sampling LuLu Black Currant Gose and Kiwi American Pale Ale. ZAPRASZAMY!

Celebrate Carnival Polish Style

We are going to have to sacrifice and repent during Lent because we are making sure we are indulging ourselves—and YOU—during the weeks before!

Tickets are on sale for Polish Mardi Gras with style!
Tickets are now available for our Ostatki: A Polish Carnival Celebration on Saturday, March 2, 2019 at 6:30 PM at the elegant Youngstown County Club. Buy yours online HERE or pick up yours today at Krakus Polish Deli & Bakery or The Casual Pint, both in Boardman. Guests will enjoy guided tastings of imported Polish vodka and liquors complimented by an elegant buffet dinner. Our friends will be doing a shopping trip in Chicago and NYC on our behalf and picked up some new and exciting delights for tasting. Great music sets the tone for the evening as guests enjoy trivia meet-and-greets, bead contests, elegant basket raffles, photo booths and other games. The evening will climax with the presentation of the celebratory pączki with a hidden surprise for one lucky winner.

News from Poland by Ted Mirercki
Polish PM Cancels Israel Visit Amid New Holocaust Tensions
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has cancelled a trip to Israel following comments on the Holocaust by Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu was quoted in Israeli media as saying "Poles co-operated with the Germans" during the Holocaust. He later issued a clarification saying he was not referring to the Polish nation or all Polish people. Poland summoned the Israeli ambassador and on Sunday said Mr. Borowiecki would not attend a summit on Tuesday. The meeting, hosted by Israel, is of the Visegrad Group that represents the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. Learn more about this story and more in the most recent edition of Polish Media Watch.

Calendar Highlights
Thursday, February 21 Polish Happy Hour - February, Casual Pint, Boardman... Saturday, February 24 Kiedrowski Pączki Ball... Saturday, March 2 Ostatki... Sunday, March 3 Spring Festival of the Egg,Univ of Pittsburgh... Tuesday, March 5 Pączki, Polkas & Piwo, Kravitz Deli... Tuesday, April 9 Eastern European Congress of Ohio banquet... May 3 YSU Study trip to Eastern Europe... Saturday, May 5 Krakusy Society of Constitution Day Celebration... And you know there will be more to come!