Much of life boils down to finding the perfect spot at just the right moment. While we cannot be much use when it comes to your personal timing, we can definitely help with what to look for.
Historical Clarification: NOT the Z Marks Currently Found in Ukraine
Z Mark – Auto: The all-new 2023 Nissan Z
Nissan’s seventh-generation Z is an iconic sports car reborn for the modern age. Updated for the first time in a decade, the 2023 Z’s sleek design harkens back to its vintage roots and offers affordable luxury with a price starting at $40,000.
“Z is the pure expression of thrill,” says Ashwani Gupta, Nissan’s chief operating officer. “The new Z retains its authenticity as a pure sports car to keep you connected to the road, while bringing in the latest modern technologies to make sure the car can help keep you connected to your life.”
In short, this is a dynamic car built for enthusiasts, by enthusiasts. We’re talking a 3.0-liter V6 twin turbo engine to bump up power output over the previous generation 370Z. Its engine is rated at 400 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 350lb-ft of torque starting from 1,600 to 5,200 rpm. And, of course, you may choose a six-speed manual transmission, including an EXEDY high-performance clutch, or opt for the quick-response nine-speed automatic transmission. The engine is designed to deliver a sharp, yet smooth response to the driver’s input to create a truly thrilling experience.
The 2023 Z’s 8.0-inch display audio touchscreen features six speakers and includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as a hands-free text messaging assistant to keep you in the loop when you’re on the go.
From a design perspective, the long hood, large headlights and racy roof line are fundamentally Z. But it’s achieved a fresh reinvention by melding tradition with the best modern technology.
The new Z is slated to arrive soon at Nissan dealers across the country.
“Whether on an unexplored winding road or your daily commute, the Z brings a smile and awakens the senses,” says Gupta.
Obviously the winning romantic combination does not rely entirely upon an automobile, but we can say that the right choice her can certainly help you get onto the right road.
Z Mark – Fashion: Model Behavior
For years, models of a certain size and shape have been the ones given the luxury of gracing the world’s most regarded catwalks. Many of them have become household names, but the focus has always been about what they are wearing rather than who they are. Slowly but surely, however, fashion houses are becoming more and more familiar with throwing their latest creations on a celebrity to give their designs an added marketing boost — especially in a world that has become obsessed with making a quick impression. But is that really a bad thing?
Prada recently made a rather shrewd move to promote their Fall/Winter 2022/23 collections by calling in A-listers to give their latest threads some Hollywood star power, while highlighting a few key age demographics along the way.
The major names showing off their classic and chic collections included Jeff Goldblum, 69, Kyle MacLachlan, 63, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, 31, and Asa Butterfield, 25.
Random? Maybe not. Not only are these gents incredibly stylish in their own right, but they are all renowned for starring in popular yet incredibly cool roles — for even cooler directors. It was a way of Prada saying “this is where we sit artistically” on the modern cultural platform. There are many purists — and general skeptics — who see this type of move as a distraction from the garments being presented. And in this sense, a purist may be right. But guys like things to be relatable, and often buff and beautiful boys strutting up and down the catwalk doesn’t always push their buttons. However, give a man a brand that nods to David Lynch, Wes Anderson and Sex Education in one swoop, and discerning dudes will take note!
Prada isn’t new to using film as a vehicle for its brand and collections. Back in 2013, the aforementioned Anderson created a clever short film called Castello Cavalcanti. Bearing in mind the film world was crying out for new material from the director at the time, and Prada was behind the production, it was a huge score for the brand in the eyes of many — and original in its delivery. The Italian house has since continued its association with the American director by getting him to design the interiors of a café they created in Milan, so we shouldn’t be surprised by their latest choice of models.
These days, it’s harder to grab attention when it comes to new designs, and that means fashion houses have to get more creative to stay relevant. And an excuse to get more creative should never be frowned upon. But the good thing about these collaborations between the fashion world and Hollywood is that they’re few and far between, and are often used to promote the safer spectrum of their output.
God forbid we see Vin Diesel trudging down the catwalk in a Jean Paul Gaultier frock! But then again, why not?!
At this point, many of us will pretend that we understand that last sentence, and thus how shocking that might be. Then we will move smoothly along in our Z Mark quest. No harm. No foul. (But definitely a pattern.)
Z Mark – Party House: Project Sunrise
Searching for a super yacht to entertain your 20 closest friends? Look no further than Project Sunrise! [A Z Mark Extraordinaire, for the record.]
When money is no issue, clearly the latest sleek concept from multi-award winner Robert Curtò Design should fit the bill — the spectacular gigayacht Project Sunrise.
This new super yacht offers a plethora of open deck spaces on the low superstructure, specifically designed for decreased wind resistance, and a wave-piercing hull to reduce drag. We’re talking 135m set to be prowling the seas at up to 24 knots.
On board, deck space has been optimized to use her 19m beam and 135m of length to create an idyllic island resort vibe with a walking path flowing from deck to deck around the yacht. Inside, you’ll find the interior filled with light flowing in from large windows, structural glass and a Japanese-inspired style with touches such as slatted screens and a water-drop statue using the kintsugi technique coming from a hole on the deck above to behind the bar table on the main deck.
Project Sunrise features a helipad, huge tender garage, astronomical observatory and not one pool but two. There’s also a private gym, an office, an additional gym for guests, a movie theater and two dining rooms. You know, just so you can mix it up. And for those who love water sports, the bow also features a drive-in jet ski bay.
We will dutifully provide a handy-dandy path to get to more super yachts, should you so desire, although that may not be on the Christmas list for many of us this year. We understand what “money is no issue” says in the English language. We must be honest, though, and admit that we are not at all sure what it means. … More to our budget at least, we thus have added a grand addendum (because diminutive addendums seem silly). Consequently, we give you…
Z Mark – Booze!
Let us introduce you to one of the new party favorites around here: Big O liqueur. Now we get a lot of people wanting to send us free stuff in hopes we might talk about them with our readers — and let’s be honest, viewers. We almost never follow through, though, because we have this really silly standard about only promoting things we actually like a lot, and as in the case of something like this new ginger wonderland, we actually know personally.
As you might imagine, we generally have very little trouble getting volunteers to try a new alcoholic concoction, y’know, for scientific purposes. What we have never seen before Big O, however, was a situation where every person that took home their test sample just decided to keep the bottle instead of bringing it back so the next person could try it. We had to buy three more bottles at retail just to get enough “tests” complete for us to feel confident. If nothing else, that one fact should tell you enough, so we will not bother with comments of captivating “almost” sweetness with a warm ginger aftertaste. (We preferred room temperature to chilled, but you should test for yourself.)
What we shall do instead will be tell you what the “lead scientist” on task discovered. To replicate these results — again, in honor of the pure scientific method
Big O naturally has a web site. More importantly, though, Big O has recipes on that web site. We love that. The picture we put together at the side here represents the most popular recipe at this one particular party, but we put together a few of these suggestions, and every option just seemed to add a little verve to otherwise standard fare. Understand we have no little experience around here with evening concoctions, and Big O was a Big Hit with us.
As a bonus, it has a beautiful bottle — and looks count at Penthouse — so it will look awesome on your bar. Besides, how many times will you be able to say this with plausible deniability: “So, can I give you a Big O by any chance?”
Apparently the copywriter got all excited about the new liqueur and forgot to actual put in the Z Marks link. We can do that, though. Makes sense that we would approve of this one, if you think about it. We tend to be fans of things that involve variations on lick.
