Meg and Jack ooze cool, so when they toured our every province and territory, we felt hip by association.

Shot on 16mm in the summer of 2007, White Stripes Under Great White Northern Lights follows the non-siblings from coast to coast on a series of planned and impromptu concerts. They jam with elders in Iqaluit, sing with commuters on a Winnipeg city bus and perform at a bowling alley in Saskatoon.

We’re red, white and cool.

Tickets from $8, 9 p.m. on March 11 at Cinéma du Parc, 3575 Parc Avenue, Montreal, 514-281-1900, www.cinemaduparc.com
Limited Edition Box Set ($259.99) available March 16 at www.whitestripes.com

Before we all started running around in boyfriend jeans, the queen of bespoke femininity was called Coco.

In our quest for elegance we’re seeking advice from The Gospel According to Coco Chanel. This witty style guide includes timeless tips and lessons in grace inspired by the legendary designer.  Modesty is sexy - Chanel always referred to her chauffeur as the "mechanic."  Men’s closets are there to be raided - she looked fabulous in Boy’s sweaters, belted at the waist. Simplicity is chic -  outrageous jewelry always looks best against a simple black dress.

That’s why we’re loco for Coco.

The Gospel According to Coco Chanel, $15.64 at Amazon.ca

Had we known we could bring snacks, we’d have got into live classical music years ago.

There’s no need for cultural apathy with Les Mélodînes lunch-hour concerts at Place des Arts. Each Thursday until April, the Studio-théâtre opens its doors to brown baggers and top-notch musicians like pianist Daniel Moran and classical guitarist Daniel Bolshoy. And, if you’re looking for something pretty to catch the eye of that handsome oboist, carry your lunch in this.

But please leave the crunchy carrots at home.

Tickets $8, Les Mélodînes, 12:10 – 12:50 pm, February 18 to April 8, Studio-théâtre, Place des Arts, 175 Ste-Catherine Street W., Montreal, 514-842-2112, www.laplacedesarts.com

Trust the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts to launch a colour-inspired retrospective in the gloomy month of Februray.

The first of its kind in Canada, Tiffany Glass: A Passion for Colour presents 180 vases and glass-blown lamps from 19th century designer Louis C. Tiffany (son of the legendary silversmith).  Extra special are the magnificent stained glass windows, including one striking piece that was inspired by a Toulouse-Lautrec watercolour.

Tiffany Glass: A Passion for Colour, February 12 to May 2, 2010, The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, 1379 Sherbrook Street W., Montreal, tickets $15, 514-285-2000, www.mmfa.qc.ca

Those days of waiting until 4 a.m. to catch the latest hot DJ set have lost their appeal.

Thankfully our favorite Montreal turntablist Misstress Barbara has come out from behind her mixers with I’m No Human. This debut album blends her signature synth sounds with drums, bass and actual (gasp) lyrics. We love the catchy "I’m Running" single with Sam Roberts, the electro version of Leonard Cohen’s "Dance Me to the End of Love" and the newly released remix of "Four on the Floor," sung in English, French and Italian.

She performs with her band Girls On A Ducati tomorrow night at the very civilized hour of 9 p.m.

February 4, 9 p.m. Club Soda, 1225 St-Laurent Blvd., Montreal, tickets from $20, 514-908-9090, www.geg.ca

I’m No Human, $7.99 on iTunes.

Just because you’re flying solo this Valentine’s Day doesn’t mean you don’t deserve something sparkly.

Treat yourself to a pretty compact ($80) from Birks. Silver-plated with scattered Swarovski crystals, this sleek and chic mirror comes in handy for emergency touch-ups and spinach-in-teeth checks. And really, whether you’re contentedly coupled or sublimely single, V-Day should be spent looking into the eyes of the person you love most.

At Birks, 1240 Phillips Square, Montreal, 514-397-2511, or www.birks.com

Before the hipsters and trendy cafes took over, the heart and soul of Mile End was its alleyways.

Based on the 1920s childhood of writer Ted Allan, the film Lies My Father Told Me takes us wistfully back to the days when milk was delivered by horse-and-cart and retail therapy meant schmattes and tchotchkes. Winner of a 1976 Golden Globe, the film tells the bittersweet story of a little boy and his grandfather peddling junk in the neighbourhood’s back alleys.  ust released on DVD, a newly restored version is being screened at the Segal Centre’s CinemaSpace followed by a post-film discussion with co-producer Harry Gulkin.

Now maybe we can convince the boys at Café Olympico to bring us our lattes on horseback?

DVD, US $29.95 at Ergomedia.com
Tickets from $6; 7 p.m. January 26-27, at CinemaSpace, Segal Centre, 5170 Cote St. Catherine W., Montreal, 514-739-7944, www.segalcentre.org

We’ve always been attracted to tortured-artist types, but it’s usually best to admire those boys from afar.

A new IMAX film about artist Vincent Van Gogh lets us get a little bit closer, without all the heartache. Van Gogh: Brush with Genius goes inside the mind of the russet-haired Dutchman, tracing his life and creative flow from age 27 until his tragic death ten years later. Each blue and yellow brush stroke is brought to life in glorious 70mm, offering striking images of the masterpieces he created in Arles, Paris and Saint-Rémy.

It's like a night at the museum, with popcorn.

At the Montreal Science Centre, 333 de la Commune St. W., King-Edward Pier, Old-Port of Montreal, 514-496-4724, tickets $12, www.centredessciencesdemontreal.com

Zest is the secret of all beauty. There is no beauty that is attractive without zest.

-Christian Dior

Zesty fashion junkies will love a new Dior biography by ROM Textile and Costume Curator, Alexandra Palmer. Dior looks at how the seminal couturier built up his fashion house in post-war Paris to become one of the most successful brands in the world.

It was Monsieur Dior who established the 1950s curvy wasp-waisted look that still struts down catwalks today. And he was a shrewd businessman who pioneered merchandising licenses (the likes of which have made Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein very wealthy indeed).  The book also features over 100 gorgeous images that will have you roaring, "J’adore Dior."

Dior, $24.44 at Amazon.ca.

Grab a glass of wine and a spot by the fireplace—these are winter reads worth staying in for.

Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelseaby Chelsea Handler
Comedian Chelsea Handler’s star has risen this year, and her hilarious and outrageous collection of personal essays has her deadpan delivery of intelligence, wit and bawdiness—it’s a perfect dose of Chelsea for those who can’t stay up late enough to watch her talk show. At Amazon.ca.
Maria Tallarico, managing editor

The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss
It sounds like the ultimate Slacker’s Handbook, but it’s a great, practical guide for the self-employed (or would-be self-employed) on how to run a more efficient and profitable business while you work hard-on your tan! At Chapters.ca
Sarah Bancroft, editor-in-chief

Foam on the Daze by Boris Vian
A moving tale of unrequited love—simply sublime! Published in 1947, one of the Parisian author's only translated books. At Amazon.ca. Elsa Vecchi, Montreal editor, French edition

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
Set aside a weekend for this book. From celebrated Swedish crime writer Stieg Larsson, it is so gripping you won’t be able to put it down. At Chapters.ca
Athena Tsaviliris, Toronto editor

Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger
Niffenegger’s spooky sophomore novel is a meaty ghost story about sisters, twinship, love and loss. Perfect for tucking up under the duvet on a cold winter’s night. At Amazon.ca.
Marianne Wisenthal, Montreal editor

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith
In this literary mash-up, Austen’s beloved cast of characters is faced with an outbreak of undead (politely referred to as “unmentionables”) in addition to the usual courtship and classism. Natalie Portman just signed on to produce and star in the film adaption. At Chapters.ca.
Joy Pecknold, Vancouver editor

The Private Lives of Pippa Lee
by Rebecca Miller
Stuck between her former self and the woman she created, the protagonist is forced to examine her life and decide how to move forward. Miller, the daughter of the famed playwright and wife of our favourite butcher (Daniel Day-Lewis) adapted the novel into a star-studded movie this year but it’s a case of read-the-book-before-you-see-the-movie. At Amazon.ca.
Malwina Gudowska, Calgary editor