Oddity Central

Oddity Central

Newly-Opened Chinese School of Arts Is a Real-Life Hogwarts

Posted: 17 Dec 2014 12:56 AM PST

Young Potterheads in China are in for a real treat – they have the chance to study at their very own Hogwarts! Well, it isn't really a school of magic – the building is a part of the Hebei Academy of Fine Arts and will house the school's animation students. But who cares as long as you get to spend hours inside a magnificent castle that strongly resembles Harry Potter's famous school, right?

Images of the impressive school went viral as more and more netizens began to notice that its various turrets and towers are a lot like Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. But the designers of the structure insist that they weren't inspired by J. K. Rowling’s magical world; they simply modelled the castle after European architecture in general. They actually prefer to call it 'Cinderella Castle', since it features a gigantic clock tower.

Sadly, there won't be any shifting staircases or talking portraits inside the castle. But it still is a pretty awesome place for a college. "We want our students to be inspired and this impressive fairytale architecture is exactly what they need for working in a creative environment," a spokesperson for Hebei Academy said. "It's important for the students and for the staff that they feel part of something special, and that is enough magic to ensure what we have created is a fine institution for furthering interest in the study of arts."

Chinese-Hogwarts

Artist Draws Insanely Detailed City Landscapes Entirely from Memory

Posted: 17 Dec 2014 12:41 AM PST

Dutch artist Stefan Bleekrode has been blessed with the most amazing talent – he can draw amazingly detailed sketches of cities he has visited, using only his razor-sharp memory as reference .

The 28-year-old has used his superhuman power of recollection to create ‘Cityscapes’,  a series of sketches of some of the world's most famous cities, like London, New York and Paris. Stefan's drawings are so mindbogglingly detailed that it's almost impossible to believe he relies solely on his memory. Using just ink, he composes dense and realistic images of buildings, streets, lights, bridges and any other details his mind picks up. His sophisticated techniques – stark tonal contrasts, precise perspective, and stunning detail –  make each drawing look photographic, as if they were captured from an aerial vantage point.

Stefan-Bleekrode-drawings

Waitresses at Aptly-Named Shooters Grill All Carry Guns

Posted: 17 Dec 2014 12:05 AM PST

True to its name, Colorado restaurant 'Shooters' is a pro-guns type of place – the waitresses are all packing heat and patrons are encouraged to do the same! Incidentally, the restaurant is located in a town called Rifle, where openly carrying guns in public is illegal.

A sign on the front door of the restaurant reads: "Guns are welcome on premises. Please keep all weapons holstered, unless the need arises. In such cases, judicious marksmanship is appreciated." So when waitresses at Shooters take an order, they not only carry a pad and pen, but also loaded handguns holstered around their waist, Wild West Style.

According to Shooters owner Lauren Boebert, the restaurant is simply allowing customers and employees to exercise their constitutional right to bear arms. “We encourage it, and the customers love that they can come here and express their rights," said Boebert. "This country was founded on our freedom. People can come in carrying their gun, and they can pray over their food."

Shooters-Grill

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