Psssssst

Don't tell anyone! Look what Mr Amazon brought me today... Woooooop.

The 'Encounter' range by Lonely Planet is my favourite travel series ever.. They just pack the very best info in the appropriate amount of detail and put it in a handy travel size. They break each city down into a zone-by-zone format and include tips from locals as well as brilliant short reviews and shiny, shiny pictures. The books have a main writer (always a resident of the city) and at the back there is always a fold out street map. Phew! I've got three now (Barcelona, Paris) and they're just fab fab fab.

I didn't really know what to expect when I bought the Moleskine. I've been completely sucked into the romance and extravagance of the brand and couldn't resist the shiny New York edition Moleskine. I've thumbed through it a few times now. There are maps, notecards, and pages and upon pages of... lines. From what I gather, you sort of write the guidebook yourself. You keep it through the years and add to it each time you go there or research your visit. It's too clever, honestly. How often would you go to a restaurant/cafe/general place and think 'I need to come back here', well you jot it down in your city notebook and you'll never forget where it was. Jeez, how did I survive before I found this?!