Why I love Paris

There are two reasons That's Not My Age wants to visit Paris at the moment - and neither of them include the words fashion and week. No. I want to go to Paris to see Eric Cantona, 43, making his stage debut, followed by a spot of nightclubbing at Queen, where Mamy Rock, a 69 year-old DJ is er, rocking la maison.

If we're talking heroes, then Monsieur Cantona is mine. That's Not My Age saw the French footballer play many times for Manchester United, and can confirm that he's worthy of the title, Eric the King. So regal. And now I'm past caring about live football and couldn't afford it anyway, monsieur is the star of stage and screen. How thoughtful. Last year, Mr TNMA bought tickets to see a special screening of Ken Loach's Looking for Eric, followed by a Q&A session with Cantona and Loach. Now, I may be a little bit biased, but the film, a heart-warming tale of love, loss and legends, was brilliant. When Cantona walked into the cinema afterwards, there was a collective gasp, quickly followed by a standing ovation - and a few tears! Even Mr TNMA (a Chelsea fan) got a bit emotional. I was desperate to ask Monsieur C a question, but 'Will you go out with me?' didn't feel appropriate. So, even though I won't be able to keep up with the French dialogue, I'd still like to see my hero perform in Face au Paradis. Oh yes, whether it's on screen, stage or soccer pitch, I love to spend 90 minutes with Eric Cantona.

And then when I've recovered my composure, it'll be off to see Mamy Rock. The superstar DJ who's hot news in Paris. " I like to mix old and new,' says Ruth Flowers (real name) from Bristol, 'so I might put electro alongside the Rolling Stones.' The glamorous grandma started clubbing after her husband died, and may be the oldest DJ in town but in super-sized sunglasses, metallic bomber jacket and tracksuit bottoms, she rocks.



Face au Paradis is on at Théatre Mariguy, Paris.



Photos

Eric Cantona from The Mirror
Mamy Rock from The Guardian

Your purse is on fire!

Now the economy is on the up, well, kind of (just don't think about double dips or that bed of nitroglycerine!), it's the perfect time for a wise investment. Jaeger have dipped into their design archives to create, Jaeger by Jaeger, a collection of classic styles that look just as good now as they did during the last recession. This gorgeous gaberdine trench is based on an original 1977 design, and the best way to wear it? To paraphrase Alastair Darling (or was it Bette Davis?) with the belt tightly fastened, we could be in for a bumpy ride.


What'll you buy for the journey out of recession?



www.jaeger.co.uk

Nat Finkelstein

My 18 year-old self would recoil in disgust at what I'm about to say, but it has to be done....there are only so many pictures of Andy Warhol, Edie Sedgwick and the rest of the Factory crowd that one woman can take. Fortunately, Nat Finkelstein, 'photojournalist, political activist and veteran of the 1960s New York scene' created a diverse body of work including images of Marcel Duchamp, the Velvet Underground (OK, so they were part of the Factory scene but I'm not bored with them, yet) and the civil rights protests of the 1960s.

Until this weekend's gallery visit, That's Not My Age wasn't that familiar with Finkelstein's work, but here's what I know now; he was born in Brooklyn in 1933 (died October 2009), worked under the legendary Harper's Bazaar art director, Alexey Brodovitch, was good for a quote, as in, 'I watched pop die, I saw punk being born,' and although he stayed at the Factory for almost two years, he didn't do drugs. Now that is impressive. So, I swerved some of the Edie pics, but stopped to check out the photos of Warhol meeting Bob Dylan, 'It was like the Dalai Lama and the Pope in a holier-than-thou contest,' said Finkelstein.



Don't you love the photo of John Cale in his black polo neck, diamanté chandelier earrings and rope necklace?

And the glamorous lady in the zebra shift dress with Duchamp? Anyone know who she is?
(Sadly, neither are in the exhibition, they're taken from Finkelstein's website)

Nat Finkelstein: From one extreme to the other is on at Ideas Generation Gallery until February 14.


All photos from www.natfinkelstein.com

Quote of the week

It's good having a friend in the music business, you get to go to the occasional free gig, hang around at crappy after-show parties and use the backstage toilets at Glastonbury. That's Not My Age and friend once went to see Suede at the ICA, London. When I say went to see Suede, I mean the last five minutes. Music industry types have been to so many gigs they don't seem to mind just catching the encore - whereas us civilians like to get our money's worth. So we spent most of the evening in a wine bar round the corner, but what little Suede action I did see was bloody brilliant. Brett Anderson, now 43, is sexy in a Bowie-like way and has the kind of stage presence I'd like to bottle and sell to X Factor wannabes.

He's also straight talking. This week dispelling the myth that life on the road is all women, wine and song:

'Rock's not all about carnal glamour. You spend a lot of time sitting on grubby sofas backstage, fiddling with bits of cheese.'




Oh and Mr That's Not My Age has just informed me that this Suede gig is in his all time top 10 live performances:



The band are reforming in March but Mr TNMA doesn't want to go, oh no! 'One should never go back,' he says. I didn't need telling. After seeing New Order at Glastonbury in 2005, Bernard Sumner's embarrassing dad-dance was enough to convince me revivalism is wrong.

And, now for a small survey:

1. Firstly, I'd like to know if anyone has ever been to a decent post-gig drink-up? (I want dates, names and rider details, please.)

2. Have you ever seen one of your all-time favourite bands 10 or 20 years down the line? And how was it for you?

3. Don't you think Mr Anderson looks very fine in his classic shirt?


Quote and photo from The Guardian.

My favourite shop: Caravan

As retail guru, style icon and prime minister-in-waiting, Mary Portas slowly slips down the page, That's Not My Age has decided it's time for another stylish lady who knows how to make a shop look good. Meet Emily Chalmers. Interiors stylist and owner of Caravan, an emporium of loveliness in Shoreditch, London.



Chalmers loves to mix old and new, and describes her style as 'vintage, floral, bohemian.'



The drape (in the background) is made from old silk scarves, and there's a larger version upstairs in the Caravan office but that's....



Two stand-out products are the Deborah Bowness wallpapers and Jielde lamps. (Chalmers and Bowness brought an old sixties doll's house back to life in the January 2010 issue of Elle Decoration.) Other items worth a mention are French designer, Natalie Lete's beautiful rugs and the Bambi lamp, of course.



And then there's Bagpuss, the shop cat, who likes to meet and greet the customers.



Obsessed by dwellings from an early age, Chalmers chose the name Caravan because she likes the idea of moving around, not staying in one place, 'Everything changes. Places change - it's good for shops to move.' And the 41 year-old is not kidding. Caravan has relocated three times in the last six years - but fortunately this inspirational stylist and co-author of an impressive range of interiors books knows how to transform an old industrial space into a modern day palace, and is more than happy to share her secrets.


How to add a touch of Caravan style to your home:


1. Layering is important. Hang things on the wall - plates, mirrors, a vintage dress - at different heights, or drape a silk scarf over a lamp.

2. Follow your heart rather than the latest trends. Nobody wants to live in a show home, it's much better to think laterally, make a flower display using an old teapot or group vintage postcards together on the wall.

3. If you surround yourself with things you love, you can't go wrong.

And finally, I couldn't possibly leave without asking the lovely Emily for a fashion tip...

Over-forties style:

'I use layering with clothes as well as interiors. It's a clever way to cover up. For me, the good thing about age is that I can quite easily not buy anything new. I'd rather spend a day sorting through my clothes than shopping. It's great to find classics you can get out again and again.'

Which just about sums up the essence of Caravan style. Vintage. Modern. Cool.


Do you have any tips for adding a touch of individuality to a home?


Caravan, 3 Redchurch Street, London E2 7DJ
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7033 3532

www.caravanstyle.com

www.emilychalmers.com

Photo of Emily by Bård Ek

Your purse is on fire!

Introducing a new addition to That's Not My Age's repertoire.... what's hot this week, otherwise known as what I'd splurge on if I had money to burn (sadly not the case as I've just paid my tax bill, but hey!)

Inspired by the Golden Globes and with the Oscars coming soon - it's nice to make an effort, even if it's all in my mind - this week's purchase would be a fabulous dress from Halston Heritage. And though I'll always be a punk at heart, I find the prospect of slinking around in silk jersey very appealing. Yep, I'd opt for Halston over Westwood at the shake of a Studio 54 cocktail.


What would you buy if you had more money than Simon Cowell?


Halston Heritage is available from Net-a-Porter this spring.

Portas for prime minister

Don't tell Melanie Rickey (or Mr That's Not My Age), but I have a grown-up lady crush on the fabulous Mary Portas, 49. Not only does the queen of shops look fantastic, she has ace taste in music. Her Desert Island Discs, this week, included Marvin Gaye, Radiohead, Maria Callas and Mungo Jerry's In the Summertime - throw in The Clash's White Man in Hammersmith Palais and That's Not My Age would be begging for a civil partnership. Her analysis of Brand Cameron's new poster in The Daily Telegraph was superb. 'Presenting us with this fake, high-gloss image of perfection suggests that the Conservatives have little understanding of what's going on in the real world.' Style- wise, Portas recommends David Cameron takes a trip to Savile Row, 'Obama can pull off the dressed-down look because he's always immaculately turned out, so when he doesn't wear a tie, he's making it clear he's in informal mode. Cameron runs the risk of never looking formal enough to be taken seriously.'

From high street to Downing Street, Portas gets my vote any day.


The queen of shops says finding your own look comes with age. Simple, well-cut clothes and a good hair cut help. What do you like about Mary Portas' style?


Photo from www.telegraph.co.uk


Mary Portas is launching a new website in January.