Thanks to Susan's organizational skills, philofaxers from New York (and Boston) met for a 3rd time on 3rd Avenue in Manhattan's Midtown East. We had a good mix of old faithfuls and brand-new faces: Susan, Sheila, Pat, Jenna, Michele, Raquel, and Nan.
We spent an hour or so in Sam Flax, checking out not only Filofax organizers and Flex by Filofax, but also Kate Spade organizers and lots of cool gift items. The Personal, Compact, and Pocket were the popular sizes of the day, and everyone was captivated by colors, notably a bright orange Metropol (I think) that Pat took home for her daughter. Susan and Michelle were pining for the Osterley, but there were none in stock.
I was looking for a change from the red Finsbury I've been using for a few years, and found a stunning steel-blue* Cuban that, once I had in my hands, I could not bear to put back in the display case.
Then we retreated to our usual restaurant, Le Pain Quotidien, for their delicious sandwiches, baked goods, and other light dishes. After dinner, I brought out some Blue Bear items that someone sent me a few years ago when she decided to stop using 6-ring organizers. Happily, some of them have found new homes. There'll be more next time!
Yes, we did make a pile. I didn't take photos myself, but we had plenty of photographers, including a professional one, so I expect we'll see some pictures soon!
Here's a link to Susan's blog entry about the meet up (with pictures!).
*According to www.filofax.co.uk, the color is called Ink.