Monarchies · Museums · Observations · Science · Paris
An ominous sign? At Versailles, the Passemant perpetual clock has stopped. This famous astronomical clock, acquired by Louis XV on the recommendation of the French Academy of Sciences, is supposed to display dates up to the last day of the year 9999, but something has gone wrong.. The clockmakers of
Coming Up · Art · Society
On 26 June the Lazy Mike gallery opens "You Are Not Alone", a charity exhibition: proceeds from the sale of works by 12 contemporary Russian women artists will go to the women's mutual aid fund of the same name. Among the works are some we have
Moscow · Society · Pop Culture
The artistic director of the Oleg Tabakov Moscow Theatre, the actor Vladimir Mashkov, has spoken out on the introduction of QR codes for admission to cultural institutions:. "I was vaccinated as soon as the opportunity arose, I was one of the first to have the jab, and I consider
Cinema · Books
The first of three screen versions of H. G. Wells's "The Island of Doctor Moreau" (1932 Erle C. Kenton, 1977 Don Taylor, 1996 Frankenheimer-Stanley) may seem the most naive, but on reflection "Island of Lost Souls" is quite a modern horror story, whose
Faith · Society · Pop Culture · Rome · Humour
Pope Francis I Strikes a Deal with Spider-Man on Reform of the Vatican. But seriously, the man in the Spider-Man costume is a genuine superhero: Mattia Villardita, who devotes all his free time away from work to visiting sick children, whom he delights by dressing up as popular
Art · Mores · Humour
A mature lady checks that she has not forgotten how it is done. The French artist Paul-Émile Bécat became widely known precisely for his frivolous illustrations, and if you google his works, you will find far more ticklish scenes
NB! · Cinema · People
Geography · Art · Maps · Monarchies · Humour
A half-naked lady with a remarkable coiffure sits enthroned upon a sumptuous chariot drawn by two exceedingly large armadillos. Why, this is America, of course! One guesses it at the first glance. At any rate, this is the image chosen for that enchanting part of the world by Jean
Observations · Science
Came across some interesting statistics on Napoleon's marshals. The average age at which they died, for instance, was a little over 65. The youngest to go was Marshal Lannes, who caught a bullet in the neck in Egypt, was wounded in Italy, fell from his horse in Spain,
Coming Up · Art · Observations · Paris · Society Pages
Ladies, Put Your Names Down for Tiaras! In the historic Maison Chaumet on the Place Vendôme in Paris, an unprecedented exhibition of jewels from the jewellery house of Chaumet, entitled “Napoleon and Joséphine”, is running until the middle of July. I was fortunate enough to visit the colossal exhibition of
Faith · Observations · Rome · Humour
In his customary good spirits, the Pope not only handed out autographs to the eager crowd this morning, but gladly tried on a pileolus offered to him and exchanged the gift for his own papal zucchetto. No fuss, no fanfare, and most warmly. Pope Francis is love ❤️ ps Time was
Moscow · Observations · Society
For me, the day the war began means watching the traditional selection of films on television at home and recalling stories that matter to our family, yet it is still interesting to watch new traditions of the Day of Remembrance and Sorrow emerge at the level of an entire country.