Until a month ago I always used post-it notes to note down grocery list, make some fast budget calculations, etc. while using notebooks for writing ideas, etc. Then I finally realized it made no sense having more then two notebooks and doing my daily writing on a small post it note.
I settled on the Rhodia bloc #13, the paper comes off easily, the paper quality is perfect for fountain ink. My only fountain pen the Parker Latitude with a fine nib doesn’t write smoothly on Rhodia and Moleskine paper. I finally decided to go ahead and purchase a Lamy Safari, I wanted the charcoal one but the store doesn’t have it neither did they hear of it. But they do have a white one which I hadn’t seen on JetPens so I got one with a fine nib.
Since then I have been using the Lamy Safari with Noodler’s ink and the Rhodia everyday for daily notes like grocery, budget, and other mindless information.
As for my Moleskine they are all more then two years old as I don’t use them frequently but the Noodler’s ink bleeds too much through the paper while with Rhodia paper there isn’t almost any bleeding. I hope the new special Moleskines have better paper, I want to get the Recipes Moleskine, but if the bleed is too much I would have to get a pen specially for writing in it. I’m a habit person I like having pens for special purposes.
In any case I’m sold on the Lamy Safari, the price here at the store is the same as JetPens excluding the shipping costs, they have converters and I got a chance to hold the pens and decide on the color. The Pen writes flawlessly, now I only wonder if I can take it with me in my bag or if the risk of ink spill is too great?
I went to Paris for three days this week, pretty much unplanned. Thalys train had a special deal and before I knew it we had tickets and a room booked at Best Western close to Porte d’Orleans. Considering it was unplanned and only for three days we didn’t do much. After three years of not going anywhere due to dialysis I now just seize opportunities without too much thinking and planning.
My condition still isn’t up to par since my transplant surgery in March so all that walking around Paris where hard on my legs. I now have muscle pain in my feet and legs. So all my energy went into walking rather then hardcore photo taking.
We went to the shopping district where Lafayette is but I’m not a fashionista so I was rather looking for stationary shops or a paperie like said in French. Believe it or not it was at the Monoprix supermarket across the hotel that I found Rhodia notebooks for sale. I couldn’t believe it, here in The Hague I only saw them at one stationary shop and one that is located in the same street as the queen work palace, go figure.
So on the last day I went back there and bought both the orange cover and a refill notebook for it. Oddly enough they only had squared paper and no lined ones. Even in another shop they didn’t had lined ones. I’m not that familiar with Rhodia so maybe they only have squared paper.
Then right before leaving for Garu du Nord to take the train back I went into Muji which was also across the hotel. I never heard of them before but when I saw their notebooks and pens I knew they where good. I bought a few notebooks, two 0.5mm gel pens and 2 highlighters. Now back home I made some internet research I realized I should have also bought the 0.38mm pens. Oh well I can always buy online.
So after three days walking around, taking some photos, eating french food I came back with these:
Those Muji gel pens write real nice, I like them better the Pilot G2, maybe even better the the Pilot Hi-Tec. This is writing on Muji paper, still have to try it on the Field Notes and the Moleskine. I’m slowly becoming a paper and penphile if there is such a word.
If the color notebooks of Field Notes weren’t subscription only I’d probably buy the colors I like most. Also next on my list are the Sharpie Pens, I already have a shop in mind, I only need to mail them on shipping cost as they handle one steady fee which is way to much for four pens.
