Quo Vadis Habana - New Journal

I recently started using a new journal: Quo Vadis Habana - 8.25 x 11.75, Blank Paper, Black. It was $30 from Goulets.

Notebooks for people who like to write! This large-sized leatherette cover notebook features 80 sheets of 85g Clairefontaine ivory, super smooth blank paper, an elastic closure, and an inside pocket for notes and cards.

This is my first unlined journal and I like it. My lines are fairly straight and I no longer have to worry about avoiding descenders from the line above - nice. I like a big journal. My last journal was a Basic Clairefontaine Clothbound Notebook - 8.25 x 11.75. It had very nice paper, but would not lie flat (which, I hate to admit, drove me a little crazy).

The Quo Vadis lies perfectly flat. Is the nicer cover and the fact that it's flat worth double the price? It is to me.

I wish they hadn't changed from the 90g paper, though.

I've been meaning to get one of those, but instead, smaller one and ruled (4 X 6.375). I hope it lays flat.

Despite having plenty of blank journals still to fill, I bought one of the Habanas from Goulet's, and just started using it for my latest journal. The attractions, apart from overall quality, are the larger paper size and unlined paper. Small ruled pages just feel too confining.

It's lovely paper to write on, does indeed lie flat, has a nice cover, sewn in bookmark, and that handy pocket for loose sheets. My only dislike is that they put an 81st sheet at the back, in addition to the 80 that they advertised. Why complain about the bonus? The problem is that they put a sticker with company information on the last page, which really doesn't go with the "classy" look of the notebook. Leaving it on there or cutting off part of the page would look ugly; trying to peel it off of paper would leave a sticky mess. Part of the reason to pay extra for paper that I can get for less in cheaper bindings is the image. Why spoil that? Not the Goulet's fault. I wrote to the manufacturer, but no answer yet.

And it is expensive. I typically go through a journal in two or three months. As I said, plenty of other journals still waiting to be filled, so I may wait a few years before getting another one of these.