Archive for October, 2010

What’s in a name?

Posted October 28, 2010 by
in Cabinet of Curiosities | Add your comment »

Image by Jeff Lowe

Our recent discussion about the ABP/1 reminded me of a couple points of trivia I figure our readers might be interested in: where do our planner names come from?

Many of them, unfortunately, are shrouded in the mists of time, but here are a few etymologies I’ve managed to track down:

• Visoplan: As you might imagine, VISO stands for “vision” and PLAN for “planning.”

• IB Traveler: This is the English “translation” of a French format called ITALB, where “ITAL” stands for “Italy” and “B” for “Benedetto” (the name of the manager of Quo Vadis Italia in the 70’s).

• ABP/1: As I mentioned in this comment, this format was named after the factory in Marseille where our plastic covers were originally manufactured. It stands for “Au Beau Plastique,” which means “The Beautiful Plastic.”

• Minister: Contrary to what English speakers might imagine, this name takes its cue from the French word for “Secretary” – i.e., Secretary of Defense, Secretary of Education, etc.

Alas, no-one seems to know where Sapa X comes from…

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Les Couleurs des Encres Herbin

Posted October 27, 2010 by
in Cabinet of Curiosities, Editorial, Pens, Paper & People | 3 comments »

For years I have been asking J. Herbin to send us the origin of the Herbin inks – the name and the inspiration behind the color.  Unbeknownst to me, Quo Vadis Japan had been asking for the same thing!

We recently received the information, and posted it on the J. Herbin website here.

I didn’t modify their English translation. I thought their wording best expressed the romance and the poetry of each color.

Earlier this year Quo Vadis Blog readers voted for a ”Fall Colors” Herbin ink giveaway.  In honor of Halloween, a small orange Rhodia pad or a black dotPad will be included for each lucky winner.

The contest will run next week.  Good luck to all!

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You can have it all

Posted October 26, 2010 by
in Pens, Paper & People, Planning Tips | Add your comment »

Sarah Hart-Unger, an enviably well organized pediatric fellow and blogger, gave a talk this summer at the Healthy Living Summit that I’ve been meaning to blog about for a while, because we participated in it, indirectly! Sarah has long been a fan and friend of Quo Vadis planners, and she even gave some away at the end of a very inspiring talk about planning and time management.

Sarah’s talk was called You Can Have it All, and her thesis was that time management can help you get the most out of your life by making sure you get around to doing the things you love. The video, which is here, is well worth watching for inspiration and tips about getting things done. And check out the shots of Sarah’s Space 24 beginning around minute 10:00!

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Notes inserts! (And giveaway.)

Posted October 25, 2010 by
in Announcements, Pens, Paper & People | 48 comments »

People have long been asking for notes inserts they can tuck inside their planners, and I’m pleased to announce: they’re available! Each insertable booklet contains 16 blank, white pages, and fits into our Minister, Academic Minister, Space 24 and Scholar formats. Here’s what the cover looks like:

The suggested retail price is $2, and if there’s enough demand, we’ll roll them out to other formats and sizes.

In the meantime, we have a few samples to give away, so if you’re interested, comment on this post before Friday at 12:00 pm EST and we’ll pick the winners at random.

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To-do tattoo

Posted October 21, 2010 by
in Cabinet of Curiosities, Pens, Paper & People, Planning Tips | 2 comments »

Image by Rob and Stephanie Levy

I found this amazing photo on Flickr while searching for a picture to illustrate my recent post on to-do lists.

I often scribble important to-dos on the back of my hand. This Aussie took the idea a big step further with a to-do list tattoo. The lines on Steph’s arm are blank, and I’d guess she uses a sharpie to fill in each particular task.

Check out Rob and Steph’s Flickr stream for more amazing photos.

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Confusing Size Trends

Posted October 19, 2010 by
in Editorial, Pens, Paper & People | 4 comments »

In the past two years, pocket-size planners have gotten increasingly popular. They are inexpensive, and easy to carry around and pull out to write.

But in the last couple of weeks, we have gotten emails from people looking for large-size planners, Habana notebooks and sketchbooks.

Sales for our largest products continue to generate interest and enthusiasm: weekly planners – Prenote (8 1/4 x 11 5/8″ – 21 x 29.7 cm) and Note 27 (8 1/4 x 10 1/2″ – 21 x 27 cm) are towards the top in sales; as is Rhodia’s No. 18; and Clairefontaine’s clothbound and staplebond notebooks–all 8 1/4 x 11 3/4″ or A4 European letter-size.

What do you make of the trends going in different directions?

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Note the details

Posted October 18, 2010 by
in Editorial, Planning Tips | 2 comments »

Image via little blue hen

I keep a running to-do list on my desk at all times, in a cheapo Steno notebook that has a vertical red line down the center of each page that splits it into two columns. I use the left-hand column for work-related items, and the right-hand column for errands.

In general, my list of tasks is pretty big-picture — prepare a couple of posts for this blog, for example, or research an article I’m writing. It gives me a good overview of what I’m working on at any given moment, and helps me make a mental calculation about what I need to be doing with my workday. It also doesn’t typically look unmanageable, which is something that helps me stay both happy and productive. If my to-do lists get too long, I get anxious whenever I look at them, and lose time and emotional energy worrying whether I’ll be able to get everything done.

When I get really busy, however, I find it impossible to keep things from slipping through the cracks if I don’t get more granular: find the photograph I need to illustrate my post on the ABP/1, say, or email Mr. So-and-so to schedule an interview. Usually, at that point, I start a whole new list that’s separate from my big-picture overview, and balance that piece of paper on top of the other notebook, or fasten it with a paper clip. I still struggle with the issue of being overwhelmed, but that’s a lot better than overlooking some task because I’m too harried, and adding even more stress to my life.

How detailed are your lists?

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Guest post: French design meets New York hotels

Posted October 14, 2010 by
in Pens, Paper & People, Where to Go? | Add your comment »

This morning, my French counterpart, Murielle, took on a topic that’s close to home here in New York City… French-designed hotels. I worked with our product manager, Cecilia, to do a quick translation; you can find the original post here.

The French journalist Sylvie Adigard, who specializes in trends and design, came back a few weeks ago from a trip to New York, where she scouted out a few hotels… and not just any hotels! She took a closer look at ones that had recently been renovated by famous artists and interior designers — that were “made in France”!!! Among them were The Mark, Ace Hotel, The Standard & Le Royalton. The designers and artists, Jacques Grange and Philippe Stark, brilliantly participated in the renovation of these hip hotels in the Big Apple while preserving an “industrial loft” look.

Each hotel reflects, in its way, the spirit of its neighborhood. Located in the heart of Manhattan, along the Hudson River or the High Line, the Mark, Ace Hotel, The Standard and Le Royalton expose a brand new decor and make a proud and strong statement of the trends set by NYC hotels. They represent a return to the essentials, with the precious help and talents of our French interior designers!! Whereas Jacque Grange contributed to the renovation of The Mark Hotel, opened in 1927, Philippe Stark created a sophisticated and complex renovation for Le Royalton, which reopened in 2007… And the Ace Hotel affirmed its willingness to be a common place where New Yorkers and also tourists meet… For all these reasons, why not go to New York to report and check out these new trends for ourselves? New York, New York…

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Le nouveau blog français

Posted October 12, 2010 by
in Announcements, Pens, Paper & People | 1 comment »

Our French parent company recently launched a new blog about writing, culture, and communication, so if you speak French or you want to practice, head on over to J’ai rendezvous avec ma vie (“I’ve got an appointment with my life”) and check it out. Murielle, who’s pictured above, is the self-described working girl and maman hyperactive who runs and writes the blog. Here’s how she introduced herself to us in an email:

” My name is Murielle. I’m a French woman, living in a big town in France. I can say I really need to be active in my own life. I can’t live without sun, flowers and enthusiasm. I love listening music and singing in my car. That gives me the energy to work and be kind of a wonderwoman I can say !! Discussing with friends of mine is one of my favourite leisure. I also appreciate silence, that gives me inspiration and ideas to write on the Quo Vadis blog. I can’t spend one day without laughing, and one week without swimming. Every week I swim more than 1km with an aqua mp3, in a swimming pool not far from my house. My favourite color ? Brown… like the dark chocolate I eat every day !! I’ve got an ipod of course, 2 children, 3 orchids and no pets.”

We’re currently exploring cross-blogging and other ways to work together, so look for more from Murielle in the future!

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A planner full of inspiration

Posted October 11, 2010 by
in Pens, Paper & People | 1 comment »

I’m not much of a quote person — there are lines that I appreciate and have committed to memory, but they tend to be quite random, and very context-driven. (For some reason, this line from Oliver Cromwell pops up during disagreements.)

I was still intrigued to learn that author JT Ellison keeps a passage from Homer in her planner. It’s a prayer to the muse, and I imagine it’s quite inspirational to remember that larger purpose as she consults her to-do lists and appointments.

Do you keep any quotes in your planner, or on your computer or workspace?

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