Forget "Cashmere Mafia" and "Lipstick Jungle," today's modern woman would do best to skip the glitzy Prada-power lunches and hit the history books.

We learned more about feminine prowess in the first few lines of Mademoiselle Boleyn than any Patricia Field-styled prime-time hit. The oeuvre tells the tale of the Boleyn sisters growing up in the French court through the eyes of the youngest and most famous sibling, Anne. Filled with racy romps, unrequited love and sisterly rivalry, author Robin Maxwell weaves an intriguing explanation of how young Anne overcomes the odds to be Queen of England.

It's the perfect pre-Valentine's Day read so you can brush up on your womanly charms and he can brush up on you!

Read more at www.robinmaxwell.com, buy online ($12.54) at www.chapters.indigo.ca

While we love browsing dust jackets of newbie authors hoping to discover the next Nicole Krauss, sometimes it’s just easier to let someone else do the discovering for you.

That’s why we love the Literature Chick blog written by a New York woman who manages to devour several books a month, posting  reviews of  enticing titles like The Woman Who is Always Tan and Has a Flat Stomach,  The Girl Who Stopped Swimming, How to Teach Filthy Rich Girls and Grub. She even gives a nod of approval to Canada’s own Leah McLaren (The Continuity Girl) and interviews authors we might never get to meet.  

Read up at http://literaturechickarchives.blogspot.com/

Elizabeth Gilbert who?

You know you have your own Eat, Pray, Love somewhere within you and now you have the opportunity to start your very own opus.

Vancouver’s Listel Hotel is hosting a “The Art of Writing Your Life” workshop in honour of International Women’s Day, led by a senior editor of the noted literary journal Geist.

There are both sleep-out ($50) or sleep-in ($288) prices—we do imagine a wine-fuelled pajama party as you and your fellow female scribes compare your racy bios.

See, you didn’t even need to divorce your husband, go on anti-depressants and flee to India!

“The Art of Writing Your Life,” Saturday March 8, 1-5 p.m. at the Listel Hotel, 1300 Robson St., 604-681-9161, www.thelistelhotel.com.

$288 price includes one night stay, ½ bottle of wine, breakfast at O’Doul’s, in-room French press coffee, notebook and pen, plus a copy of Vancouver Stories and a subscription to Geist.

For more info visit www.geist.com/life-workshop

Run, waddle or skip your way to the theatres this weekend and catch Juno, the best movie we've seen in ages. Here are ten reasons why:

10. The subtle Vancouver scenery. We spotted the track from Eric Hamber High School, the inside of Coquitlam Town Centre and the tiny Surrey neighbourhood of Morgan Creek.

9. The ultra-organic, lyric-heavy soundtrack with killer tracks from Cat Power, The Kinks and co-stars Michael Cera and Ellen Page, who duet on the aptly-titled "Anyone Else But You." Listen here.

8. The biting dialogue laced with witty sarcasm ("I'm already pregnant, so what other kind of shenanigans could I get into?") from first-time screenwriter Diablo Cody.

7. The reunion of "Arrested Development" dynamic duo Jason Bateman and Michael Cera.

6. Michael Cera's gym uniform, complete with mustard-yellow shorts and matching terry cloth head and wristbands. Trust us, it will take you back to the days of dodgeball and faking Aunt Flo to avoid suicide sprints.

5. Montreal-born director Jason Reitman, who also brought us another Vitamin V fave, Thank You For Smoking.

4. The priceless cameo appearance by "The Office's" Rainn Wilson, who kicks off the opening scene and coins Juno "Fertile Myrtle."

3. Dancing Elk High: the best high school name ever. We can almost smell the Canadiana!

2. Ellen Page. Could she be any cuter, smarter or cooler? We don't think so. Plus she's Canadian so there's no doubt that we're in love.

1. The fact that we wanted to see it again while it was still playing.

Preview the movie trailer here www.foxsearchlight.com/juno/

Check movie listings at www.mytelus.com/movies

Now that you’ve done sex, drugs and rock & roll, how about Sexsmith, Feist and the VSO?

In this special pre-Olympics concert at the Orpheum Theatre, soulful Ron Sexsmith sets up Feist who will be backed up by the VSO, performing original arrangements composed just for the show.

Valentine’s date anyone?

7:30 p.m, February 12, 2007. Tickets from $59. For more info and to order, click here.

Our stylishly bookish Toronto editor Athena Tsavliris offers up her hit list of good winter reads.

The Man Who Planted Trees by Jean Giono
A touching and poignant fable about a selfless shepherd who devotes his life to planting acorns.
$8.95 at www.amazon.ca

Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel threads nine stories that span topics from war to domestic discord in India and the U.S. $11.64 at www.amazon.ca

D V by Diana Vreeland
Diana Vreeland’s autobiography chronicles her 50 years of trendsetting as fashion editor of Harper's Bazaar, editor-in-chief of Vogue and creator of dozens of famous exhibits. $91.16 at www.amazon.ca

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Written as a children’s book, this classic 1943 novella (one of the 50 bestselling books of all time) about a pilot downed in the Sahara Desert is a philosophical exploration of sadness, solitude and adulthood. The restored illustrations are a charm. $10.76 at www.amazon.ca

All My Friends Are Superheroes by Andrew Kaufman
Hilarious debut novel by Canadian author Kaufman follows protagonist Tom as he navigates a world where everyone is a superhero–except for him. $14.82 at www.amazon.ca

Copy chief Maria likes to exercise her vast vocabulary (and donate rice to charity) by playing the word game at www.freerice.com

Editor-in-chief Sarah wiles away the hours watching the 24/7 live product testing done by the gorgeous cast of www.honeyshed.com

Vitamin T editor Athena loves checking out the beautiful products and prototypes submitted to Generate at www.gnr8.biz

Vitamin M editor Marianne adores New York and has become shamelessly addicted to eavesdropping on Manhattanites’ conversations. It’s not always pretty but it’s awfully entertaining. www.overheardinnewyork.com

Heaven forbid Amanda, our publicity and marketing assistant and resident McDreamy addict, miss an episode of “Grey’s Anatomy.” She catches up on episodes of her favourites shows (and future McHusbands) at www.fanpop.com

When Persepolis premiered at Cannes last May, the audience applauded for 20 minutes.

Based on Marjane Satrapi’s comic-book memoirs of growing up in Iran during the Islamic revolution, this wonderful black-and-white animation won the Prix du Jury and is a contender for Oscar.

We know where we’ll be on Christmas Day.

Release date December 25, 2007.

Ever wondered what your hairdresser does when he’s not making you beautiful?

If he’s hanging with The Tomorrow Collective, chances are he’s cutting edge when he’s not cutting hair.

The Collective’s Brief Encounters performance series is a très original night out where you can check out some very daring artistic duos who are given only two weeks to create something fantastic together before they go live. 

Witness performances by a hairdresser with a cellist, a yogi with an actress, and a ballet dancer with a graphic designer, for starters. 

Now if they would only pair up a chef and a sex therapist, we’d pay double to see that. 

Brief Encounters 8 runs December 5, 6, and 7 at The ANZA Club, 3 W.Eighth Ave.,Vancouver,  $15 at the door.

Read more at www.tomorrowcollective.com