Moleskine City Notebook

Moleskine City Notebook
Overall Rating: 9/10
Acquired February 2007

Overview: I bought the Moleskine City Notebook, Paris edition to first plan and then accompany me on a recent trip to Europe. Moleskine bills these notebooks as the "guidebook you write yourself." I did just that: I made sure the notebook contained all of the information I would need before I left home, and added my thoughts and observations as I went along. I was able to use the detailed Paris city map (built in to the notebook) to mark the location of my hotel and places I wanted to visit. The built-in subway map was also very handy, both before leaving home (to familiarize myself with the general layout) and during my stay.

Upside: The build quality, the weight of the paper, and the compact size make this notebook a joy to use. As mentioned above, the built-in maps were indispensable. I also enjoyed writing in the notebook so much that it encouraged me to keep notes and jot ideas as I traveled. This kept my entries fresh. The pocket in the back of the notebook was very handy too: I used it to store receipts, ticket stubs, business cards, a copy of my itinerary, and a bit of emergency cash. All this, and it fit comfortably in my back pocket.

Downside: The only downside I found was that the three ribbon bookmarks tended to fray very easily. Even after just a few days of use, the ribbons began turning to small puffs of thread. But even that only added to the "lived-in" character the notebook attained after accompanying me all over Paris.

Specifications:

• Each notebook has an elastic closure, 228 pages, with up to 44 pages in colors and have a sewn binding. There is an inside accordion pocket and three ribbon place markers, each in a different color. 9 x 14 cm (3 1/2 x 5 1/2").
• The Key Map summarizes the overall layout of the city, showing the sequence and location of the zone maps. Each book includes a map of the metro system and list of stations.
• Up to 36 pages of zone maps, ranging in scale from 1:5,000 to 1:17,000 with large-scale maps of the city center, and an alphabetical street index.
• Up to 76 blank pages, giving you all the space you need to write, jot down useful information, and record your thoughts, stories, and memories.
• 32 removable sheets for loose notes and for exchanging messages. 12 translucent sticky sheets, to overlay and re-position, so that you can trace your route as you go. A personal, 96-page archive, with 12 tabs in two series of 6, so that everything that matters most is at your fingertips. The first 6 tabs are printed; the others are blank so you can personalize them with the enclosed adhesive labels.

Verdict: I wish there were Moleskine city guides for more cities. It's not that I'll be able to travel to all of the places they already cover. It's more that I don't want to travel to a city without one. If I head to a city that doesn't yet have a Molskine City Notebook, I'll just have to make do with a blank book. Or perhaps Moleskine's generic travel guide.