LOVE office supplies!! I am very partial to colored post-its of a very particular size, a certain type of pen, organizational gizmos, and doodads of all kinds! And…for me, it’s never the same online…I like to look at everything in the store…
@poetsheart, I use the Circa system. A few years ago I looked at that and the Arc system, and at that time it looked like the Arc system was going to be discontinued. I have the punch and it is great to be able to customized notebooks.
For paper nerds, the Circa paper is beautiful.
@neatoburrito, There is a Circa sale going on now at Levenger’s.
Fwiw, there is a difference in the size of the rolls between the original Atoma and the US copycats. The Atoma are smaller and work better for smaller notebooks. Levenger make good products and the choice of paper is subjective.
Atoma, Huh? Wow, I had no idea this notebook system went back so far. Very cool indeed. I’ve been using it for about ten years, and absolutely love it. Levenger sells an even heavier-duty punch (can punch up to 15 sheets at a time) that I’m seriously considering because it seems to open up even more possibilities for custom covers than those I currently have. For instance, the ability to cut Strathmore 500 cotton rag illustration board to size, make art on it, and then use it for sketchbook covers appeals to me a lot. Right now, I use heavy sheets of translucent plastic (sold at craft stores for quilters to make templates) to make my covers because it’s the thickest and most durable material I can find that fits within the height clearance of my punch’s opening.
Is that a shoot of your pen case?
Snort! L-)
Yep, PH, that is my pen case, but I do not travel with that thing. I get it out once in a while but refrain to take them out as I am known to lose things faster than most. The fifth from the left is the Lamy 2000. At the other end, there is the Meisterstuck MontBlanc from the graduation days. I should try it some day.
Oh, yes, I have a favorite Papermate in ultra fine point, blue ink.
I have several different disc sizes for this system, the smallest being 1/2" and the largest being 1 1/2". I got the half inch size (silver tone plastic) when Rollabind was still in business. I bought a set of eleven 1 in. silver aluminum discs from Levenger shortly before Christmas, which is about the right size for watercolor sketchbooks of 140lb paper, meaning not too big (which would leave a canyon sized gap between opposing sheets in an open notebook), or too small (which would severely limit the number of sheets I could carry in such a sketchbook). As for the paper available through Levenger for CIRCA, I find it to be head-swimmingly over-priced, but of extremely good quality. I particularly love the Dot Grid Paper. Those subtle grey dots are elegant, lending just enough help to keep your writing on course, yet discreet enough to not call attention to themselves. It’s smooth and thick, and takes fountain pen ink beautifully. No feathering. No bleed through. Clairefountain paper is nice, but I prefer Rhodia (another pricey French paper) which unfortunately makes me a bit light-headed every time I buy it. 
Xiggi, Lamys are great pens, aren’t they? They are highly favored by many plein air sketchers world-wide, often filled with Platinum Carbon ink (because though it’s water resistant, it won’t fowl up most modern fountain pens). I noticed the MontBlanc among the bunch, as well as a few Parkers. Have you really not inked up that Meisterstuck yet? What, pray tell, are you waiting for?
Rhodia writing pads!!! I love them. The paper is so smooth and luxurious. And I love the orange covers. Unfortunately, I would look unbearably pretentious if I used them as a lawyer (and I’d go broke in the process).
I like writing on Rhodia gridded notepads with fleshly sharpened Palomino Blackwing pencils. Both the paper and the pencils are so smooth that it just makes me happy.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B006CQWILK/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/179-9191107-4570427
I used to be able to find black Faber Castel pencils that also had a beautifully smooth lead but I can’t find them any more.
nottelling, I think that you are duty-bound to periodically uphold the stereotype of the pretentious barrister, so carry those orange covered Rhodias with pride! 
Seriously though, that paper is lovely, isn’t it? I also like the greyed blue-violet dots on its dot grid pads. Have you ever checked out some of the Japanese notebooks @ Jetpens.com? OMG, some of them actually make Rhodia’s offerings look almost economical 8-|
Wow, I just looked at that site and you are right – $50 notebooks! Makes the $15 Rhodia notepads look reasonable!
I think you need to do a comparative test and report back!
Have you ever read Paul Auster’s Oracle Nights? It is about (among many other things) a writer with an obsession with a particular brand of notebook that is about to be discontinued. High drama indeed!
Haha, I have found my people.
Rhodia? I loved the four colors notebooks for school work. Greatest investments ever.
Dotted notebooks? that is why I switched from the Moleskin to this: http://www.amazon.com/Leuchtturm-Notebook-Dotted-Medium-Orange/dp/B0095FFTP2
Just realized my daily notepad is from Levenger. Shoot, I am official a supplies’ snob. I better order some fancy ink for my fountain pens to keep up with this group. 
I can’t help but quote:
From Oracle Nights, Paul Auster
Wow. I can’t thank you guys enough for turning me on to the circa / arc notebooks. Last night my D and I went to Staples and bought the punch, a nice leather cover (25% off), extra discs, and a ream of 28 pound 25% cotton ivory paper. Then we printed the faintest dotted lines on some. She’s so excited to go back to school (break ends tomorrow) armed with a single notebook with unlined, lined, and quad paper. I’m going to get her the levenger aluminum discs for her birthday. She LOVES it. It’s just perfect for her.
That’s great, neatoburrito! I’m so glad your daughter has a notebook that makes her happy!
Xiggi, your pen case is unbelievable! When I started this thread I didn’t know whether anyone would respond. Little did I know that as a pen nerd I’m a lightweight!
notelling, Thank you for posting the excerpt - wonderful passage, wonderful writing.
This is the store I visited a number of times. Not as large as an Office Depot or Staples, but loaded with neat stuff: