The sun is shining. Hooray!

With very hardworking intentions, I headed over to the picnicker-lined Canal St Martin in the east of Paris. I wanted to check out the new freelancing haven Café Craft, before setting down to a spot of work al fresco.

It was tough, but I finally got pen to paper. Yes, I’d decided to write the old fashioned way given the back-to-urban-nature context, it somehow seemed more appropriate.

Looking around I suddenly felt a sudden surge of bobo-ness. Bobo? This not-so-new word is now used to describe anything a little trendy, creative and vaguely hippy.

It stands for bohème bourgeoise – someone who is little bourgeois (has money) but like to keep in touch with their more creative bohemian side. In Paris, the originally American term extends to cover things like organic food parcels from local farms or electric bicycles.

Freelancing in new co-working spaces or by a canal is definitely boho and this part of the 10ème certainly has it far share of haunts from the Point Ephemère (factory-inspired creative space by the water) to the Comptoir Général (think false colonial décor and vast spaces for fair trade fashion shows) and Chez Prune (slightly grungy high-ceiled headquarters for trendy, yet understated, locals).

I guess the closest Anglophone equivalent would be the Hipster – though I’ve had some mildly heated debates about how far this comparison holds true. A kinda of a hipster à la française?

Well, that’s enough defining – it’s back to work and baby duck watching!