Finally, collaboration by the Kaiser that’s as adorable as his beloved kitty cat, Choupette.

Meet the Mon Shu Girl, mischievous little face of Karl Lagerfeld’s Shu Uemura holiday collection. Curious why Shu and not Chanel? Well, Karl has been using Shu Uemura pigments for years to do all his illustrations. Straight from Kaiser’s brush and onto our eyes and lips, we love the deep hues of the Prestigious Bordeaux ($85) eye and cheek palette, the Karl Black ($20) golden speckle nail polish, and the vivid Mon Shu Red ($31) lipstick that the Mon Shu Girl wears.

Although, what we really want to know is: Which colour is Choupette’s favourite? —Anya Georgijevic

Launches today at Holt Renfrew, www.holtrenfrew.com

The only thing more decadent than eating caviar is dabbing it on your face.

And if you're due an afternoon of luxury, look no further than the serene and gentle Golden Caviar facial at CHI, The Spa at Shangri-La. Unwind in your private suite complete with bathtub, separate shower, change room, fireplace and lounge area (yes, the treatment rooms are bigger than most Vancouver apartments).

But why fish eggs? Caviar extract is complemented by soy protein, shea butter and lactic acid, which combine to moisturize, protect from sun damage and assist in the natural regeneration
process, meaning noticeably brighter and
smoother skin.

Unintended side effects of this chichi facial include a faux posh accent and forgetting where you docked your yacht. —Maria Tallarico

Golden Caviar Facial, 90 minutes, $185 at CHI, The Spa at Shangri-La,
www.shangri-la.com

We know you shouldn't judge a restaurant by its light fixtures… but it's hard not to when the stunning specimens are made from curtain pulleys reclaimed from the late Pantages Theatre further along Hastings Street.

Housed in a building from 1888, Wildebeest has been drawing crowds to its 1930s Toledo's lab stools that bring you up to eye level with your waiter.

All the better to order the more-ish smoked Castelvetrano olives and the delicious country paté that comes in its own mason jar.

Do order a bottle of the Helena rosé (just $21) sourced from a tiny producer in Italy and named for his daughter.

And speaking of children, the restaurant was named by an owner's son, whose favourite animal is the wildebeest.

Will it be yours, too?—Sarah Bancroft

Wildebeest, 120 W. Hastings St., Vancouver, 604-687-6880, www.wildebeest.ca

Seinfeld reruns, DVD sets of My So Called Life and catching The Way We Were on TV… sometimes an oldie but a goodie is much more enticing than another superhero movie.

With that in mind, we're marking our calendar for the first-ever Vancouver Retro Cinema Fest (September 23-30), which is stacked with classics and cult favourites like Pulp Fiction, Ghostbusters, The Big Lebowski and Back to the Future. A full throwback cultural experience, there'll be costume competitions, trivia contests, prizes and themed drinks.

And if you really wanna kick it old school, find somebody to make out with in the back row. —Maria Tallarico

September 23-30 at Denman Cinema, tickets $20-$25, www.vancouverretrocinema.com

What’s the best meal of the week?

Easy: brunch. But what if you want to expand your breakfast/lunch repertoire beyond the ubiquitous eggs and bacon? Then head to Rosewood Hotel Georgia’s rooftop oasis, Reflections, which now serves Sunday brunch al fresco. Our favourite wake-me-up feast is a pescatarian’s dream: the West Coast seafood platter for two with oysters, crab legs, side-striped shrimp, smoked and candied salmon, mussels and clams for a cool $25. It’s worth diving into. —Kelsey Dundon

Reflections at the Rosewood Hotel Georgia, 801 W. Georgia St., Vancouver, 604-673-7043, www.rosewoodhotels.com

We love out-of-town guests.

Just not when they’re crashing on our couch. From now on, we’re sending our family and friends straight from YVR Arrivals to check in at the Burrard Hotel. The Vancouver staple has been a landmark since it first turned on its neon sign decades ago, but its brand new look earns it a spot in the hearts of the economically minded jetset. With an inner courtyard filled with palm trees and pastels, it hardly feels like Vancouver.

Huh. Maybe we’ll book a night there and leave our friends at our place instead. —Kelsey Dundon

The Burrard, 1100 Burrard St., Vancouver,  604-681-2331, www.theburrard.com

For a shoe that dates back to the 13th century, the espadrille has done a remarkable job at staying in vogue summer after summer.

It may have been popularized by Spanish peasants, but this shoe is undeniably the chicest summer flat. The simpler, the better: the espadrille is at its best when it remains true to its classic shape. Enter Soludos, the ultimate classic. Whether exploring the markets of Barcelona, lounging in the French Riviera, or simply strolling about Vancouver, we’ve found our summer essential. —Anya Georgijevic

From US$25.91 at Shopbop.com.

Now that chef David Hawksworth is back in the kitchen, it’s a whole different culinary ballgame.

The highly anticipated and newly opened Hawksworth creates playful, elegant and delicate dishes, presented in the most beautiful manner. The Foie Gras Parfait ($20) with sculptural cotton candy and the Dungeness Crab Salad ($18) with intricate lemon foam, other than being-beyond belief delicious, could hang in an art gallery. The bacon consommé that accompanies the Grilled Sturgeon ($24) redefines the way we look at bacon (it's not just for breakfast anymore). And a sampler of macarons ($12) makes for a truly happy ending to a spectacular meal.

Hawksworth's dining area may just be the chicest room in town. Watch as the staff breeze around the restaurant with such poise, as if they’ve been open for years. —AG

Hawksworth Restaurant, 801 W. Georgia St., Vancouver, 604-673-7000, www.hawksworthrestaurant.com

He was at the helm of Lumière and is currently a judges’ darling on Top Chef Canada. So when we heard Chef Dale McKay was opening his own place, we just couldn’t wait to get in!

Ensemble's lively bistro-style room is ideal for casual gatherings and its shared plates concept makes it easy to sample as many dishes as possible. It would have been a crime not to order the Dungeness Crab Spiced Melon Soup ($9), a dish that dazzled the Top Chef Canada judges. Other triumphant dishes included the Herb Risotto ($9), a rich and flavourful little serving, the buttery Beef Shin with fries ($12), and the Pulled Pork sandwich ($8.50) that was a divine companion to a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon.

So that’s what being a Top Chef means…. —AG

Ensemble, 850 Thurlow St., Vancouver, 604-569-1770, www.ensemblerestaurant.com

Have we got a surprise for you!

Ever since friends floored us with an out-of-the-blue birthday bash, we’ve loved surprises. Our latest obsession? The Never Surprise. Singing sweet harmonies reminiscent of Elliott Smith and Wilco, the Vancouver-based duo has perfected the art of the mellow melody. With folksy tunes that beg for backyard BBQs, they have us longing for warm summer evenings. But we’d happily listen to them indoors too. Lucky for us, The Never Surprise will be performing tomorrow (May 5) at the Railway Club in celebration of their self-titled debut album.

And when they become Canadian folk heroes, well, that won’t be a surprise at all. —KD

See more here.