So, let’s get started.

Non-Refillable Pens

I went a little heavy on brush pens and drawing-specific tools on my non-refillable list. These pens are harder to replicate is a refillable version, or no one has made a concerted effort to try.

1. Pilot Futayaku Double-Sided Brush Pen: The model I have is a combination of black ink on one end and grey ink on the other. Both tips are a stiff medium felt-tip brush. It’s a great option for getting a lot in one package. The ink dries a bit more slowly than some others but the black is a dark black and the ink is water-resistant so it can be combined with watercolor, water-based markers or fountain pen ink without bleeding. ($3.30 from JetPens)
2. Uni- Mitsubishi Dual Tip Pocket Brush: For shame! When I selected this pen, I didn’t realize it was impossible to find in the US. It’s a brush pen I found at my local Artist & Craftsman Art Supply store. It’s a soft felt tip-style brush pen with a broad tip on one end and a fine tip on the other. The felt material does lose its point over time but it has good spring and the combination points make it a good pen for lettering, sketching, and linework. It’s waterproof too. The closest comparable pen is the Uni Mistubishi Double-Sided Fine Broad Bush Pen which appears to have a similar combination of points and is listed as water-resistant too. ($4.95 from JetPens)
3. Kuretake Fudegokochi Brush Pen: Shown above is the extra fine version of the pen but I’m a fan of the regular width as well. I haven’t tried the grey but it’s on my list. Even if you’re not into lettering or drawing, the extra fine Fudegokochi Brush Pens are firm enough to give a taste of brush pens without making you feel like the nib is bouncing all over the place. ($4.25 each at JetPens)
4. Sharpie Water-Based Poster Paint Pen (White, Extra Fine Point): This is the BEST opaque white paint marker. In this case, the water-based version from Sharpie far outperforms the oil-based version for most purposes. If you are trying to add those last little highlights, sparkles or other embellishments to lettering or artwork (two words: eye lights) than this is the marker you want. Because its water-based, if you don’t get your eye light of highlight just right, you can use a water brush to lift it out. Look at your local art supply or craft shop to find this particular model. Other colors can be fun too like the fluorescent colors but the only one you really need in the white.
5. Uni-Ball Signo Broad in White: The Uni-Ball Signo Broad in white is the OTHER white pen you might want to add to your pen collection. What it offers that the Sharpie does not is a considerably finer point for even more detail work and it is waterproof when dry. ($2.55 from Jet Pens)
6. Sharpie Pen: If you check below for the Honorable Mention, you’ll see that my husband favors the original Sharpie Marker but I like the Sharpie Pen. It is about the equivalent of an 0.7mm technical pen, the tip is relatively durable and the ink is pretty water resistant. If I’m not using a refillable technical pen or fountain pen with permanent ink, then I am probably using a Sharpie Pen. The cap-off time is pretty good too. It’s inexpensive and widely available making it a great gateway pen. (available in most office supply stores, big box retailers, pharmacies, etc)
7. Copic Multiliner SP: Okay, technically, the Copic Multiliner is a refillable technical pen but I don’t actually have any non-refillable technical pens in the house anymore. I have given all mine away. So… it’s a stand-in for the Sakura Pigma Micron, the gold standard by which all other “felt-tipped” technical pens are measured. Is the Sakura Pigma Micron really the gold standard? It’s debatable. I have burned through more of those pens than I want to admit which is why I don’t own any anymore. The amount of waste I created was shameful. The thin pipes and tips warp and bend with pressure over time, often before all the ink in the pen barrel has been used with no way to repair the pen so the plastic barrel gets thrown away. So, why is it on this list? Because, if you have never used a technical pen before, investing in a refillable Copic Multiliner SP probably seems excessive. So, I recommend investing in one Micron, maybe two. Get a 0.25-0.35 and a 0.5. Sakura doesn’t align their numbering with the nib width exactly so if you prefer to try on of the other brands instead be sure to double check the tip sizing.
8. Caran d’Ache Fibralo Brush Pen: This pen in my top ten surprises me as much as you. I pick this brush pen more often than so many others. I only have this one and I’ve had it for a couple years. I got it in one of the Art Snacks subscription boxes. The felt tip has held its shape, the ink is still flowing smoothly and the hex shape keeps it from rolling off me desk. Not rolling away is a big thing with me. My floors must not be level because anything perfectly round rolls right off my desk and on to the floor and then under something else never to be seen again. For Caran d’Ache, this is a pretty reasonably priced pen too. ($2.25 each from JetPens)
9. Uni-ball Signo RT1 UMN-155 Gel Pen: If you’ve made it this far in the non-refillable list, you finally made it to the gel pens! This is my favorite gel pen. The Uni Signo black ink is waterproof and this retractable 0.38mm model is sleek, comfortable and my all-around gel pen of choice. ($2.85 from JetPens)
10. Pentel Energel (Clena Gel Pen – 0.4 mm): My second choice in the gel pen category is the Energel line. I prefer the Energel needlepoint models for a lifted-above-the-paper writing experience. Both the Energel and Signo are retractable pens which are great for the pocket, bag or backpack for quick notes, lists and other “oh, here, jot this down” moments. They are both good writing experiences and pens that you could easily pass along to a friend or colleague who says “oh, this writes really nice” and you can could then welcome them to the pen fold. (Energel Pens start at $1.80 on JetPens)

Honorable Mentions:

• Sharpie Marker: The Sharpie Marker (the classic alcohol-based permanent marker) is my husband’s absolute most-used tool. He spends his days labelling cardboard boxes and other large industrial tasks and Sharpies get the job done. There are not a lot of other options that fill this niche as handily. Everyone needs at least one black Sharpie in their pen cup.
• Pilot Juice Up: First there was the Pilot Hi-Tec C then the Pilot Juice and now the smoother Juice Up pens. These are the premium gel pens. If you want some fun, smooth, retractable gel pens for your bullet journal, then these may be what you want to consider. They are a close second to the Uni Signo line for me. ($3.60 from JetPens)

Refillable Pens

Much of my ballpoint, rollerball and gel pen love has moved from non-refillable pens to more durable, refillable pens. In this category, I’ve included a couple multi-pens as well.

1. Pokka Pens: The Pokka Pen is a recent discovery for me and a very happy discovery. In the era of “please don’t make me use your pen!” the Pokka Pen is the perfect solution for having in your car, in your bag and everywhere you might be required to sign a document or receipt in our new era of social distancing. It is refillable and takes a fairly standard ballpoint refill that writes surprisingly well. So, if you’re having to fill out paperwork at the DMV, your kids’ school or anywhere else, make sure you have one of these in your pocket so you don’t have to use the one on the counter with the daisy attached. There’s no telling how many people have touched it before you. (3-pack for $8.45  from Gentleman Stationer Shop)
2. Fisher Space Pen Bullet: Whether the Fisher Space is the original pocket pen or not is debatable, but it is probably one of the smallest pocket pens. It will easily slide into the pocket of your jeans or spacesuit. It is steely-eyed missile man sleek. It takes the Fisher Space Pen refill, a modified version of the Parker refill, with a pressurized cartridge designed to write in the harshest of conditions. My biggest problem with the Fisher Space Pen is that it tends to go into a pocket like it’s dropped into a black hole and its months before I find it again. It has always resurfaced but be warned, these little guys have a tendency to wander. (starting from $26.35 at Goldspot Pens)
3. Baron Fig Squire Click: There are lots of fans of the Baron Fig Squire and I do like it but I prefer the Squire Click. I like the quiet click mechanism and the slightly more slender barrel of the Click model. It takes the same Schmidt style refills beloved by so many that Retro51 uses which means it will also accept standard Parker style refills like the Retro51 Tornado does. I’m nothing if not a shameless pen hack. ($45 from Baron Fig)
4. Retro 51 Tornado: While many of us are aware that the end of an era is upon us, there are still many places to acquire a classic Retro51 Tornado, even one in a classic lacquer. This pen is an icon of an era, accepting both the Schmidt P8126 capless refill (branded as the Retro51 refill REF5P) and the regular Parker-style ballpoint refills (see the refill guide for the whole list) and becoming the template for hundreds of different designs in their Popper and Limited Edition series for various retailers. Some people love the wide stubby shape of the Tornado pen but there’s no denying that it’s become a classic and an icon. (available at your favorite online pen shops)
5. Uni Style Fit Multi Pen (pictured is a very old Pilot Hi-Tec C Coleto. I think my Uni Style Fit multipen is still in the boxes from my packing my office): The Uni Style multipens are available with 3-component or 5-component bodies and 215 possible refill options to choose from. You are not even limited to using just Uni brand refills either Pilot Acra, Zebra Sarasa and the Uni Style Fit (which is basically Uni Signo gel ink) all fit into the Uni Style Fit multipens. You can also add a mechanical pencil (I always add my mechanical pencil on the clip knock) so one pen can really rule them all. The slender gel refills will run out pretty quickly but somehow it feels a little less wasteful to only throw away the refill rather than a whole pen and these multipens have such a huge variety of color options and tip sizes. It’s possible to outfit a multipen with a range of tip sizes all in one color of ink and another multipen in a range of colors. Maybe one multipen in cool colors (blue, green and purple) and another in warm colors (red, orange and pink). This is getting expensive, isn’t it? I’ll stop now. (pen bodies start at $4.20, components start at $1.65 from JetPens)
6. Zebra Sharbo X LT3 Multipen: The Sharbo X is a step up in materials from the Uni Style Fit in regards to multipens. Its a more rugged, metal body which holds 3-components. The most notable feature of the pen is that it takes standard D1 sized refills making finding refills easier. Zebra also makes some of the most coveted D1 refills with its 0.4mm gel and 0.5mm emulsion ballpoint refills. Add to those the 0.3mm mechanical pencil refill and the Sharbo X becomes the tiny writer’s favored multipen. ($28 for the body, components start at $2.65 from JetPens
7. Big i Design Ti Arto EDC: Since the release of the Ti Arto EDC pen, Big i Design has created several other iterations of their refill locking pen but I still like the original best. The pen barrel uses a chuck-locking design (like the way your drill locks onto you bit) to grip onto any refill you want to use. It’s the pen that puts an end to the question “Which pen will take my favorite refill?” This one. There. Done.($90 from Big i Design)
8. Parker Jotter Ballpoint Pen: What needs to be said about this classic click pen which take the most common refill? It’s available in tons of materials — plastic, metal, combination of the two. You can get it new or used because they’ve been making them forever. Chances are your parents probably have one tucked in a drawer somewhere that they got as a gift, maybe from their parents. (starting at $8.95 on Goldspot Pens)
9. Caran d’Ache 849 Ballpoint Pen: The Caran d’Ache 849 is a classic design. It’s more slender than the Retro51 or even the Baron Fig Squire Click. The pen takes its dimensions from the Caran d’Ache pencils which are slightly more robust than the average hex pencil. There is minimal branding on the pen, only the brand name, hidden under the clip. Caran d’Ache uses a refill similar to a Parker style refill but flat on the end so, with some slight modifications, it’s possible to get a standard Parker refill to fit but it can be touch-and-go. A similar mechanical pencil is available, the 844 for 0.5mm or 0.7mm or the Fixpencil for the lead holder model but these seem to be harder to find and not available in as many colors as the pen. Overall, the 849 is an icon and once you find one that strike your fancy, either for its brillance or its simplicity you too will be under its spell. (starting at $19.20 on Pen Chalet)
10. Lamy 2000 Multisystem: Reams of (digital) paper have been written about the Lamy 2000 fountain pen but not much gets said about the other iterations of the Lamy 2000 line. The Makrolon material alone used to create the original pens (and mechanical pencil) are noteworthy since very few other manufacturers have been able to maintain production with this type of fiberglass material for long. I like the weight-controlled multipen since it baffles my brain how it actually works. Tip the pen so the color bar you want is facing up and then click the knock on the top and voila! the refill you want is selected. To retract the refill, press the knock again. Repeat the process for the next color you want. Amazing. Then you add in the warming feeling of the Makralon, the smooth taper of the shape of the pen barrel design and the overal aesthetic of the pen and honestly, what’s not to love? Not a fan of Lamy’s refills? Remember those really good Zebra D1 refills I mentioned earlier? They fit in the Lamy 2000 Multisystem… just sayin’. (€€56.20 from Appelboom)

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Inside, the journal features 375 prompts (192 pages), two on each page to write or draw your impressions. In our current world, it is the perfect time to reflect on some of our thoughts, simple pleasures, and inner dreams.

Examples of some of the prompts include:

• Write the longest word you can think of.
• How do you spend your days off?
• Open a drawer and draw what’s inside.
• What is privacy?
• What does water taste like to you?

You can open the book and write or draw the first prompt that speaks to you. Then tomorrow, open the book to another page. No one says you have to start at the front of the book and work from front-to-back. Do whatever you want. Journaling doesn’t have to be epic or intimidating. It can be short, silly, fun, bite-sized, simple or as complicated as you want it to be.

We have reviewed the paper used in BaronFig notebooks and journals in the past and find the paper to be good for pen, pencil, ink and fountain pen.

The notebook comes in the same matte finish box that all the other Baron Fig Confidant notebooks ship in making them supremely giftable.

The timing for this product couldn’t be more perfect. I’m sure when BaronFig planned it, they couldn’t have predicted that so many of us would be housebound, stressed out and possibly unemployed and needing a way to think about the things that made us thankful and happy. Now, to open up the page in Simple Observations that says “What’s the purpose of life?” and write “to pick 4-leaf clovers, drink cheap beer and make waffles.” Sounds good to me.

DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided free of charge by BaronFig for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

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Believe it or not, I’ve never tried a Baron Fig Squire, so when the latest limited edition, Adrift ($60), arrived for review, I was eager to play with it!

As many of you know, the Squire is Baron Fig’s understated, elegant rollerball. It comes in a variety of colors, as well as shorter limited editions. The pen body is made of aluminum in a sleek, smooth design that is a consistent circumference except right at the ball point. The Squire also uses a twist mechanism to open the pen.

Adrift is their ocean themed edition and the first to feature a full wrap around theme. From Baron Fig, the inspiration for the edition is:

Putting an idea on paper is like sending a letter out to sea—there’s no knowing where it will end up. Set your ideas adrift and discover the treasures they bring.

Here’s a quick rundown on the stats:

• Aluminum pen body
• Length: 5″/12.5cm
• Weight: 0.85oz/24g

I find the whimsical design charming and I can’t decide if my favorite is the sea turtle or the octopus!

The Squire is a smooth writer and wrote beautifully with minimal pressure.

The Squire is a beautiful pen, there’s no denying that. I think when compared to Retro 51 (the closest competitor I can think of in the industry), it comes down to aesthetics and ergonomics. The Squire is elegant and minimalist with a touch of whimsy, whereas the Retro 51 is more classic (retro?) and employs a variety of designs and textures. Both have balanced bodies, and while the Squire is sleek and ergonomic, the Retro features a tapered body, which I confess I find slightly preferable when I’m holding it in my hand. Both are beautiful choices to elevate the writing experience with a roller ball!

• Papers: Maruman Mnemosyne N182A Inspiration Notebook A5 ($10.50)
• Pen: Baron Fig Limited Edition Squire: Adrift ($60)

DISCLAIMER: Some of the items included in this review were provided to us free of charge for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

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Congratulations! I hope you enjoy your new Work/Play!

The post Giveaway Winner: Baron Fig Work/Play III appeared first on The Well-Appointed Desk.

The Work/Play editions are designed to balance work and play. On the left side of every page is dot grid, and on the right side is blank paper, allowing for both structured and unstructured use. This hard-bound notebook has an embossed cover, matching front/end pages and 192 pages of 90gsm white paper. Finally there’s a ribbon bookmark to be sure you can keep your place!

Let’s get to the giveaway part!

TO ENTER: Leave a comment below and tell me what stationery item you’re using most right now. Play along and type in something. It makes reading through entries more interesting for me, okay? One entry per person.

If you have never entered a giveaway or commented on the site before, your comment must be manually approved by our highly-trained staff of monkeys before it will appear on the site. Our monkeys are underpaid and under-caffeinated so don’t stress if your comment does not appear right away. Give the monkeys some time.

FINE PRINT: All entries must be submitted by 10pm CST on Friday April 10, 2020. All entries must be submitted at wellappointeddesk.com, not Twitter, Tumblr or Facebook, okay? Winner will be announced on Monday, April 13. Winner will be selected by random number generator from entries that played by the rules (see above). Please include your actual email address in the comment form so that I can contact you if you win. I will not save email addresses or sell them to anyone — pinky swear. If winner does not respond within 7 days, I will draw a new giveaway winner. Shipping via USPS first class is covered. Additional shipping options or insurance will have to be paid by the winner. We are generous but we’re not made of money. US and APO/AFO only, sorry.

The post Giveaway: Baron Fig Work/Play III appeared first on The Well-Appointed Desk.

I hadn’t invested in any of the Baron Fig guided notebooks to date as I didn’t really see a need for them. My notebooks tend to be a lot more haphazard. I have trouble reserving notebooks for one specific task. My brain is a permanent brain dump. That said, when I recently discovered that I am lactose intolerant AND decided to go vegetarian (again.) I realized I needed a notebook to compile recipes and recipe modifications in one place. Voila! A use case for the Baron Fig Savor notebook ($24).

As is true of all Baron Fig hardcover notebooks, the Savor comes in a lovely paperboard box (these make great pen trays so don’t throw them away!). The box is white with tomato red ink and gold foil accents.

Inside the box, the tomato red fabric cover is debossed with a graphic of plate, fork and knife. The book includes a white fabric pagemarker and a matching red elastic for closing the book.

The inside end papers are picnic blanket, red plaid with a space for your name or other annotation.

The first page of the book has an explanation for the icons and how to use the guided pages.

I’ve entered several of my recipes already (using fountain pen) and discovered a couple plusses and minuses. The three columns for ingredients provide lines that are short for most ingredients, even with my small handwriting. Longer or more complicated recipes really require using two pages. So, something like the Mediterranean Sweet Potatoes recipe shown above would work much better if I had started it on the left hand page for the main potato part and used the right hand page for the sauce and garnish. As it is, the recipe is a little cramped on the page.

I like the guides along the edge but I would redesign the placement to provide a space for oven temperature (where applicable) and a bit more space for more recipe types — soups/stews, salads, and maybe baked goods/breads that is separate from desserts… because with the current icons, where am I supposed to put cornbread? It’s not a dessert, main dish or appetizer… so it’s a side dish? Hmmm….

I love the icons at the bottom for dairy-free, vegetarian, gluten-free and low carb.

My next recipe to try is this Tofu stir fry. I found it in a magazine and cut it out and pasted it into the Savor notebook. I was able to add a diagram for cutting the tofu for frying (which I messed up the first time I drew it… smart, Ana!). Once I make it, I’ll add in my star rating.

I also have some print outs jammed in the back of the book of recipes I’m still adjusting. I am still trying to find the perfect vegan pancake/waffle recipe. I’ve tried a lot and none of them have been “just right.”

That said, the Savor is giving me the perfect place to put recipes I love, with notes and adjustments and keep them all in one place. Recipes are definitely something I want ALL in ONE PLACE. For me, this notebook is a great start on my new (accidentally) vegan diet.

If you also need to collect your recipes in one place, Baron Fig sent me an extra Savor guided notebook to giveaway.

Giveaway Details

TO ENTER: Leave a comment below and tell me your favorite recipe is — vegan recipe ideas are most appreciated and yes, cocktails count (there’s an icon for that!). Play along and type in something. It makes reading through entries more interesting for me, okay? One entry per person.

If you have never entered a giveaway or commented on the site before, your comment must be manually approved by our highly-trained staff of monkeys before it will appear on the site. Our monkeys are underpaid and under-caffeinated so don’t stress if your comment does not appear right away. Give the monkeys some time.

FINE PRINT: All entries must be submitted by 10pm CST on Friday, February 14, 2020. All entries must be submitted at wellappointeddesk.com, not Twitter, Tumblr or Facebook, okay? Winner will be announced on Monday. Winner will be selected by random number generator from entries that played by the rules (see above). Please include your actual email address in the comment form so that I can contact you if you win. I will not save email addresses or sell them to anyone — pinky swear. If winner does not respond within 7 days, I will draw a new giveaway winner. Shipping via USPS first class is covered. Additional shipping options or insurance will have to be paid by the winner. We are generous but we’re not made of money. US and APO/AFO only, sorry.

DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided free of charge by Baron Fig for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

The post Notebook Review (and Giveaway): Baron Fig Savor appeared first on The Well-Appointed Desk.

The size of the bag measures about 11″ wide by 17″ tall with a depth for 4″. The original backpack was about an inch taller. The interior comfortably fits a 15″  laptop, a tablet computer (I have an iPad Pro 11″) and a pile of notebooks and accessories.

The zippers feature large teeth metal zips, as close as they could probably get to YKK zippers or they are YKK. They have custom pulls so I can’t say for sure. Either way, they work pretty well and feel durable. If you run into any friction issues, you can use some wax paper on them to make them less sticky.

The straps on the bag are thick canvas. Even fully loaded, the bag is comfortable without excessive padding on the straps. I did not traverse the Andes with the Venture Slimline backpack so I can’t say for certain that they are comfortable over the long term but I have about a quarter mile walk to and from my office each day and I never noticed the backpack, even stopping for chats. I never noticed the weight or any pinching from the straps. Non-padded straps might be a make-or-break for you, though.

The grab handle on the top of the bag is folded canvas webbing like the straps. The fabric is very soft and the placement of the grab handle is wider than on the original Kickstarter Minimal Backpack which was stitched a little too close together and made it uncomfortable to use. This is a definite improvement.

One of the nicest features of the Venture Slimline backpack are the pair of hidden side slit pockets that are perfect for holding your phone or keys. They are kind of hidden along the seam line so they are not super visible to passersby and keep your phone and keys from ending up at the bottom of the front pocket.

The zippers and pulls on the side pockets were upgraded between the release of the Minimal backpack and the Venture. The pulls are now branded and easier to open and close. I find this more convenient but the original Kickstarter backpack had smaller pulls that were a little fiddly which could make the bag feel a little more secure against pickpockets.

The front pocket is large enough to hold a lot of miscellaneous items. I have my vintage Girl Scout (Be Prepared!) zip bag for charging cables and other accessories for my electronics, my pill case and my Hobonichi Weeks calendar in this pocket.

The main compartment has slash pockets on the back for laptop or large notebook/folders. It’s not quite deep enough to hold a large ring binder but a standard-sized notebook, laptop or file folders would fit here. There is another pocket about halfway down to hold a tablet or smaller notebook. Then at the bottom are a couple additional slash pockets for cards, a pocket notebook, etc. The bottom two pockets have not ended up being all that useful to me but I tend to keep all my miscellany in pouches or cases rather than requiring my bag to have specific pockets for my specific needs.

The Venture Slimline backpack unzips all the way around like a suitcase which means that the bottom of your bag does not end up becoming a wasteland for detritus. From the inside, you can access the side pockets on the front of the bag as well as two additional pockets above and below the side pockets that are only accessible from inside the bag. They are small pockets but could be used for cord wrangling, storing a small wallet or other items.

The back of the backpack had room for a pencil case, my Moment wallet, another pouch for cosmetics and a sketchbook. Of course, since these pouches are floating freely in the backpack, should the bag accidentally unzip, my pouches will end up on the ground. The zippers never unzipped on me but I was always a little worried that if both pulls weren’t at the top of the bag, the possibility existed.

The photo above is everything I was carrying in the backpack. The laptop was subject to change depending on whether or not it was a weekday or weekend. My work laptop is a 15″ while my personal laptop is a 13″.

For comparison, the grey color of the fabric from the original Kickstarter Minimal backpack (in front) and the darker Venture Slimline in the back. You can also more easily see the different in the side zipper pulls.

The original Kickstarter Slimline backpack featured a large logo label centered under the front pocket.

The Venture Slimine backpack now features a small embroidered logo in the lower right hand corner on the front of the bag.

Overall, the improvements are welcomed and the bag is a good value for the price. If you live in a particularly wet climate, I’m not sure how waterproof the fabric is since its just canvas without any waterproofing treatment.

If you are just schlepping your goods from your house to your car to your office or coffeeshop of choice and back, then this is probably not a deal breaker. The fabric could probably be treated with something but I’m out of my depth here. (I recommend searching on YouTube for videos on waterproofing canvas. It’s essentially one part wax and one part linseed oil and heat. There are some serious outdoorsman demoing the process. Find the one that seems doable for you.)

For all the pockets on this bag, there is no outside water bottle slot. While I seldom carry water around with me, I do carry a travel mug of coffee with me wherever I go and it would be nice to have a convenient place to put it.

DISCLAIMER: Some of the items included in this review were provided to us free of charge (none of the Apple products were free. I bought those with my own money but, hey Apple, if you want to sponsor this blog, I think the whole staff would be on board for that!) for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

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One cover illustrates people on the daily commute on the train, another folks on the beach and the third out walking in the park. As a former Chicagoan, these scenes could easily be the L, the North Ave Beach and along Lakeshore Drive. I’m sure folks in other cities can substitute their own rail system (if you are lucky enough to have one), your favorite spot to lie in the sun and the best place to take a walk (be it park or parkway). So, the books give me a little bit of nostalgia for my hometown but also for warmer days as we all bundle up like sherpas for the blustery winter ahead.

Inside, the “Flagship” medium size softcover notebooks provide the same features we love about Baron Fig’s products already: 72pages of sewn bound 90gsm paper with 5mm dot grid and lovely rounded corners.

The Baron Fig medium still features their own unique dimensions at 5.4″x7.7″ (137mmx195mm). To compare, a standard A5 size is 148x210mm. A Baron Fig medium notebook will fit into a notebook cover designed for A5 sized notebooks but there will be excess space.

The NYC edition is an aesthetic treat and I love that Baron Fig is doing different things with their special edition notebooks than what Field Notes does. The original illustrations are a refreshing change and let Baron Fig shine on their own.

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