“For every travelller who has any taste of his own, the only useful guidebook will be the one which he himself has written.” — Aldous Huxley

When I got my Moleskine DC City Notebook a week or so ago, this quote was inscribed on the bottom of the first page. How true it is, to have a local’s view of a city. So, I’ve begun writing my own guide to DC to give to visiting friends and family while they’re out and about, and to have them fill themselves.

The notebook is sturdily bound, comes with three ribbons to mark various places (allowing one to have a map marked, as well as a spot in the guidebook and one in the blank pages, which is fairly handy. In addition, there are Color Maps of the City (with Metro stops!) and a fold out Metro Map so that you can easily get around.

In addition to a series of 70 some blank pages, there are a serious of sectioned pages, designed for various experiences to be encapsulated in a nutshell of a few lines. These sections include “Places, legends and recipes” and “Bars, wineries, stories” and other combinations of literal and metaphysical objects.

The back of the journal contains a lovely pocket to stuff your metro ticket, or a few other small things of local color, as well as a parcel of tracing paper to use with the maps or other things.

The only complaint I really have about it is that it only comes in the small 3 1/2″x5 1/2″ size instead of the larger 5″ x 8 1/4″ which I find easier to grip and write in. I almost feel like I have to obsess over each and every character, which is annoying. But, if you’re looking for an awesome city project, maybe perfect for a summer intern, hook someone up with one of these and let them go to town.

Moleskine has a city blog for those users of their new notebooks, but I think we’re getting the shaft here in DC as we don’t have one yet. I think that needs to get fixed, don’t you?

Pick up a City Notebook at Moleskine US for $17.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs