NB! · Moscow · Education · Humour

The Magnificent Family Tree of Bauman University

Books · Observations · Humour

The author does not understand the admiration for a work by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

What I have never been able to understand is the raptures over Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, and over his dullest work at that. It is rather like turning "Ryaba the Hen" into some sort of symbol of the age

NB! · Art · People · Humour

Vincent van Gogh Treats You to Onions, Feathers and All

NB! · Observations · Humour

When Everyone Must Urgently Learn What a Well-Read Young Lady You Are

NB! · Humour

Old Man Colombo Has So Much Yet to See

A haloed saint in a brown habit stands on a rock and bends towards a shark on the shore, with other fish visible in the water behind.

Faith · Art · Humour

Saint Anthony preaches to the fish in a painting by Arnold Böcklin

Saint Anthony Preaching to the Fishes. Arnold Böcklin The shark is positively moved

Observations · Society · People · Humour

Churchill is credited, among a great many others, with the quip that Christopher Columbus was the first socialist: he did not know where he was going, did not know where he was, and did it all at the taxpayer's expense

Churchill is credited, among a great many others, with the quip that Christopher Columbus was the first socialist: he did not know where he was going, did not know where he was, and did it all at the taxpayer's expense. The sole point of the remark seems to

Dark terracotta bust of a man with curled hair tied with a ribbon, on a plinth before a large mirror in an interior with a marble floor.

NB! · Art · Observations · Pop Culture · Humour

Bust of a Man in Patinated Terracotta by Jean-Jacques Caffieri

Why do lifestyle bloggers all have such cheekbones? That was my first thought on looking at this patinated terracotta by Jean-Jacques Caffieri. Incidentally, the bust before us is of a man

Museums · Observations · Humour

French Lessons

French lessons. Le fou en ville A fool in town. Remember it. That is what we call a person who, instead of going to a museum, chooses a shop.

NB! · Pop Culture · Humour

How to tell that you dress like a fool

On a white wall hang a huge dark fork, a golden pear with a leaf and a dark lobster, each with a label beneath it.

NB! · Observations · Humour

Giant metal fork, pear and lobster shown on an exhibition wall

Good morning and bon appétit! Until you have finished the giant metal pear and Pinky the lobster, nobody leaves the table. Here is a fork; I shall be back to inspect.

A gilded pet house with pale blue velvet upholstery, a vaulted roof and an arched entrance stands on a wooden floor among antiques.

NB! · Monarchies · Mores · Pop Culture · Humour

House for a dog and cat, identical to Marie Antoinette's, bought for 800 euros

A dog-and-cat house exactly like Marie Antoinette's. Bought for 800 euros