Just a Mead 5-subject spiral notebook. It's not super thin paper, but it's not really heavy, either. I've never had an issue of bleed through, but I don't write on the back side of the page, either.

A Pigma Micron might work well for you: http://www.sakuraofamerica.com/Pen-Archival

Sharpie makes a pen specifically for writing with now; grandparent post is probably not referring to the gray permanent marker you're envisioning.