Bo-bo chic

I learned another important French word this week: bo-bo. Coming (I think) from bourgeois and bohemian, it translates roughly as “hipster.” The neighborhood we are in for our final stop (in Paris’s 19th arrondissement) is apparently bo-bo central, and expensively retro style is on constant but oh-so-casual display.

Our apartment is a perfectly curated pied-a-terre in a converted factory. Mostly IKEA, with vintage touches and knowingly snarky (is that redundant?) pictures and books strategically scattered. This morning over coffee, one of the neighbors thoughtfully provided piano music to waft in gently during lulls in traffic noise. The charming young couple who live here use their AirBNB proceeds for vacations and play money, visiting their in-laws when guests take over.