The ISA 120 Luxury Yacht Really Floats My Boat

The ISA 120 really is one of a kind. The sophisticated looking and technologically advanced yacht was built in the 45,000 square foot International Shipyard in Ancona, Italy. It is a streamlined, slim design with 3 decks and spacious, well-designed interiors. The ISA 120 has avant-garde propulsion and stabilization systems, and truly exceptional performance in addition to its stunning looks.Now three years since its debut, the ISA 120, fiberglass planning yacht is the absolute jewel in the crown of the Ancona shipyard. This is the 9th incarnation of the yacht.The yacht has exceptional peak speed - 36 knots, for a 120 foot yacht: The engine is a 3 Mtu 16V 2000 M93, each 1790 kW, coupled to 2 KaMeWa hydrojets and 1 central booster makes the boat extremely agile and maneuverable, with quick acceleration, gentle deceleration and turning.Under the scope of constant innovation, the shipyard has chosen to develop and install the new stabilization system Quantum Zero Speed™ on the latest ISA 120. The active fins react instantly to the demands of the wave movement, contrasting it and reducing rolling during cruising to a minimum, making the yacht very stable also at anchor, thanks to the fact that when the yacht is moored the fins unfold to a wing, thereby increasing the active surface area by one third.Another important feature is the use of Quantum stabilizers even in speedy cruising. There is no perceivable reduction in speed, as the yacht easily maintains speeds in excess of 33 knots.There is a balanced ratio of external and internal space: large sea terraces with teak decks, the cockpit and flying-bridge are offset against the enormous light and airy indoor lounge area and the spacious cabins.
Aft deck and alfresco dining:Foredeck:The interiors can be fully customized. The owner’s cabin, for example, laid out on two floors, makes the best possible use of the bow area of the main and lower decks. Below are some shots of the interior.click on the images to enlargeLiving and lounging areas:interior dining:Guest cabins and baths:Crew cabins:galley:The Saloon /Kitchen:The Master Cabin and bath:Wanna buy one? Go here to purchase.Wanna charter one? Go here to do that.If drooling over mega yachts is your thing, be sure to see this previous post on the Wally Power 118 Superyacht of check out the wild Oculus Yacht here.

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Jason Higgins' Hog Shop. Pearls For Swine.

above: Blogworthy cookie cutters, Fetal bites are shaped like embryos.Hogmalion & Company is the fun and twisted wit of one man, Jason Higgins. Self described as embracing a Trinitarian philosophy, bowing down to Amy Goodman, John Waters, and the late, great Mr. Whipple (1916-2007), his online store has products to match his obviously sick, but sophisticated sense of humor. Playing on politics and pop culture, The Hog Shop offers gifts guaranteed to make cynics smile.Here are a few of my favorite products from The Hog Shop.Fetal Bites cookie cutters:His homemade soaps, packaged as Christ Butter, Love Butter or Satan Butter:various corks and wine stoppers:Che-a-pet: Che Guevara Chia petThe Wine Monkey:Barackas:Pet Barack:Overdue postcards:Sani-Claus:The Soft Klub:While You Were Out Cold notepads:And there's more to see at the store.All products hand-made in Charm City, Maryland.Shop the Hog Shop here.

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ArchiTech's Future Perfect: Mid-Century Modern Design Drawings

above: Henry P. Glass, Wacker Plaza Lobby - View From EntrancePencil on tracing paper, 1955, 16 x 21 inchesArchiTech is a historically comprehensive commercial gallery of architectural art, in Chicago's River North gallery district. Their recent show, Future Perfect: Mid-Century Modern Design Drawings opened January 9 and ends this weekend on May 30, 2009.The majority of the works in the exhibition are those of late Chicagoan architect and designer, Henry P. Glass (for which the gallery also serves as the representative of the estate) but the show also includes a few works by Vincent Raney, Bertrand Goldberg and R.G. Martelet.David Jameson, the gallery owner, describes the exhibit as follows:

Mid 20th Century Modernism's most flamboyant designers. Industrial and architectural drawings from post-war to post-moon landing.Utopian visions were nothing new to America's architects and designers after World War II. However, triggered by an explosion of affordable real estate and hopeful consumerism, manufacturers of the post-war era followed an entirely different design approach. This new philosophy of sensuous shapes envisioned furniture, lamps and radios as almost living beings that could run out to the buyers' car.Henry P. Glass was perfectly suited to this new visual language. Freed from his Nazi prison camp, he began his design career in America with drawings that practically walked off the paper and into production.Television and tourism helped transform the new reality away from wartime into the future and that's where we wanted to live. Bertrand Goldberg created theaters, hospitals and apartment buildings that could have come from colonies on the Moon.In the era when a man's vehicle could resemble his rocket ship to get there, Ron Martelet drew speedboats that could transform into their own transport trailers. His Jet-Skis of the 60s looked to be straight out of "Goldfinger."What began as atomic nightmares transformed into space age dreams in "Techni"-colors that were no longer army drab but instead, pink, aqua and hues never before classified. Mid-Century Modernism was something completely different.

Here are some drawings from the gallery exhibit. Please click on the images to enlarge:above: Henry P. Glass, Kling Studios LobbyPencil on tracing paper, 1946, 18 x 23 inchesabove: Henry P. Glass, Kling Studios Director's OfficePencil on tracing paper, 1946, 18 x 23 inchesabove: Henry P. Glass, Hotel Flamboyant Typical Cottage,Graphite on Paper, 1949, 21 x 42 inchesabove: Henry P. Glass, Hotel Flamboyantdimensions unknownabove: Henry P. Glass, Design for Hairpin ChairPastel and ink on toned paper, Circa 1940s, 9 1/2 x 15 inchesabove: Henry P. Glass, DH1 Laminated Plywood ChairPrismacolor on paper collage, 1966, 10 1/4 x 12 inchesabove: 1958 Chair, Graphite on tracing paper, 195811 1/2 x 8 1/2 inchesabove: Henry P. Glass, Night Table LampGraphite on tracing paper, Circa 1949, 16 x 13 inchesabove: Henry P. Glass, Desk LampGraphite on tracing paper, Circa 1949, 16 x 13 inchesabove: Henry P. Glass, Swingline Desk and ArmchairPastel and colored pencil on tracing paper, 1949, 16 x 13 inchesabove: Henry P. Glass, Eastern Knitters Sales RoomWatercolor and collage on toned paper with shaped mat, 1946, 20 1/2 x 30 inchesabove: Vincent Raney, Detail of Theatre for Los BanosPencil on drafting linen, 1947, 15 x 16 inchesabove: R.G. Martelet, Detail of Design B (Boat/Trailer Combination)Prismacolor and chalk on toned paper, 1961, 16 x 30 inchesabove: Bertrand Goldberg, Architect; Henry Gould, Delineator, San Diego Theater, La Jolla Marker on artist's board, 1969, 12 1/2 x 17 1/2 inchesclick here to see more of David's notes on the Exhibition:above: ArchiTech Gallery Owner David Jameson, photo by Jay KingArchiTech Gallery730 North Franklin Streetsuite 200Chicago, IL, USA60654

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