Category Archives: Brands

Pen & Ink Sketchbook: Then & Now Review

This look at the Pen & Ink Sketchbook is the 2nd post in my “Then and Now” series, examining various notebook brands that have been around for a while to see how they’ve changed. (See my “then and now” post about the Rhodia Webnotebook). I am always griping about how Moleskine’s notebooks have declined in … Continue reading Pen & Ink Sketchbook: Then & Now Review

Neil Gaiman on Notebooks and Fountain Pens

During an interview with Tim Ferriss, Neil Gaiman talks about his love for Leuchtturm notebooks and the Pilot Falcon fountain pen, among other writing tools: Tim Ferriss: You mentioned distraction earlier and your dangerously adorable son, which I certainly agree with. I had read somewhere, actually, before I get to that, this might seem like a … Continue reading Neil Gaiman on Notebooks and Fountain Pens

Nolty Daily Book and Other 2020 Diaries

My Nolty addiction went a little overboard this year. I was so intrigued by some of the 2020 formats that I ended up buying 4 diaries, including the new Nolty Daily Book. I’m not totally sure how I’m going to use all of them! First, the Nolty Efficiency Notebook Gold. This is my second year … Continue reading Nolty Daily Book and Other 2020 Diaries

Yoseka Notebook Review

Yoseka Stationery is a wonderful little independent stationery shop in the Sunnyside neighborhood of Queens, NYC. I visited the shop about a year ago and had a great chat with the owners, Daisy and Neil. I bought my Kokuyo Sketch Book there, as well as some ink. (I felt like I’d showed admirable restraint, given … Continue reading Yoseka Notebook Review

2019 Image Diary

As mentioned in a recent post about my daily carry notebooks, I’ve been using an extra Nolty diary to keep a scrapbook of interesting images, often artworks seen in the newspaper or a magazine, or sometimes just random clippings and bits of washi tape. A couple people have asked if I print out online images, … Continue reading 2019 Image Diary

Notebook Addict of the Week: Gary Varner

What notebooks would you pack for a year-long road trip? Gary is back home now, I think, but he spent a year traveling around the USA in a camper van and the photos below show the notebooks he brought with him: What does a stationery fanatic and writer do to haul the necessary tools and … Continue reading Notebook Addict of the Week: Gary Varner

Productivity Planners

Here’s an interesting reader question about productivity planners: Hi I wonder if you have reviewed (productivity) Planners or if your readers can recommend some. Semi-business types with annual goals to help track goals break down tasks and monitor progress. Something like these type of planners: – http://nymag.com/strategist/article/best-undated-planners-productivity.html Of the undated planners mentioned in the linked article, … Continue reading Productivity Planners

Notebooks from Ireland

Ireland is a fun place to visit. But I didn’t find it a wholly satisfying place for notebook shopping, which is always on my agenda when traveling. A few months ago, I was in Dublin and a few other towns, but most of the time, the pickings seemed slim. It was hard to even find … Continue reading Notebooks from Ireland

How Reporters Take Notes

An interesting item from the New York Times: (Some of) the Many Ways Times Journalists Take Notes If news reports make up the first draft of history, a reporter’s notebook is where that draft begins. Whether it’s an iconic quote scribbled in a notepad or a detailed scene describing a moment in time, the notes that … Continue reading How Reporters Take Notes

Notebook Hack (Attempt): Moleskine + Stillman & Birn

It’s been a while since I attempted any sort of notebook hack or alteration (except for removing the pen loop from a Taotree notebook), but I recently decided to do a little experiment. I’ve always like the Moleskine City notebooks because they have a nice thickness, with more pages than the normal pocket size notebooks. … Continue reading Notebook Hack (Attempt): Moleskine + Stillman & Birn