many robots

In the 'hood rich, LA-styled fabulousness of the new section of the Westfield San Francisco Center [did this city really need another Banana Republic, H&M or Juicy Couture?] there are a couple redeeming qualities. The eclairs at Beard Papa are one [BYO blood glucose meter] and MaiDo stationery is another. They're a Japanese stationery store with all the usual papers, odd notebooks like a series of officially licensed Pantone pads, erasers shaped like Japanese food items and a vast array of pens and pencils ranging from the luxurious to the weird.

I was in there today enjoying the lack of holiday shopping crush that's plagued the neighborhood for the last six weeks and happened upon what I think may be the ultimate Moleskine-compatible pen. Behold, the Pilot HI-TEC-C couleur 04: [click for big]



OK, it's not like I'm revealing an Apple cell phone here but this thing rules. It's small but not so tiny, it has great roller-ball action, the clip fits in the notebook's spine and it even matches my 2007 red weekly planner. This is something I've seen discussed at great length elsewhere and opinions are varied and passionate. I bought it in the hope that I'd use my notebook more this year if I didn't have to worry about having a pen when I wasn't carrying a bag so we'll see.

Here's the rest of the pictures. Yes, my camera's close-up focus sucks.

Labels: gear, moleskine, pen, San Francisco