The Vancouver room boom just moved up another notch. Herewith, the cool things that have us considering long-term hotel living at the Fairmont Pacific Rim:

1. Stunning installation by UK artist Liam Gillick that spans 17 floors of the building’s exterior with the phrase “The clouds looked no nearer than when I was lying on the street.”

2. Marble-clad lobby lounge that serves up afternoon tea, cocktails and raw seafood.

3. Live entertainment  on a $225,000 hand-crafted white Fazioli piano with 18 carat hinges.

4. Astonishing 180-foot origami light sculpture by Vancouver’s Joseph Wu that extends the length of Oru, the hotel’s Pan-Asian bistro.

5. Granville Island Florist outpost located within that means never going without fresh roses.

6. Discovery Theatre, a private movie theatre with 18 plush leather seats you can book for slumber parties. Just don’t watch The Shining.

7. Expansive Willow Stream spa with women’s steam room and lounge, and an ocean-view terrace with and forthcoming Jacuzzis and meditation pods.

8. State-of-the-art 4,000 square foot gym with a studio for yoga and Pilates.

9. Serene, spacious rooms—many with balconies—that feature espresso makers and 100 square foot spa bathrooms with embedded mirror televisions.

10. A sixth floor rooftop pool, inspired by the Bel Air in Los Angeles, ready in time for spring.

For more information visit www.fairmont.com/pacificrim

When it comes to Canadian pride, our cup runneth over right now.

And in lieu of winning one of Canada’s 26 Olympic medals co-designed by Aboriginal artist Corrine Hunt, we’re awarding ourselves Imm Living’s totem cups. Designed by Torontonian Rod Southcott, the set of four stackable porcelain cups pays homage to the artistry of our First Nations’ totem carvings.

Our cup of Tim Hortons coffee has never been so culturally cool.

$69.99 at Homewerx, 1053 Davie St., Vancouver, 604-682-2204, www.homewerx.ca

With all the military-inspired fashion this season, it’s tempting to join the troops.

This tailored, studded flak jacket by Roxy gets wins for both a flattering fit and a perfect price point ($69). Four boxes of them just arrived at the store.

Soldier on!

At Quicksilver, 820 Granville St., Vancouver, 604-688-9030, www.quiksilver.com

Between their beautiful people and bustling bistros, we’ve long dreamt of living in Paris. But with the opening of The Corner Suite Bistro De Luxe, we have both just by pulling up a barstool in our own borough.

The luxe interior boasts bright blue Louis XV chairs, Victorian tiles, tufted black leather and the same extravagant espresso machine the Pope uses. And their service extends to having your favourite bottle of wine on hand when you come in—just send them an email.

Like bistros across the Atlantic, there’s a simple wine list and standbys like steak frites and French onion soup, but The Corner Suite does them one better—make that three—with serious cocktails, slick décor and superior service. Dubbed “The Genuine Article,” their cocktail menu is a 30-page tome of classic and contemporary cocktails worth clinking.

As for the beautiful people, even if there isn’t a crowd, the proprietor triumvirate of chef Anthony Sedlak, bartender Steve Da Cruz and manager Andre McGillivray ought to keep you sufficiently distracted.

The Corner Suite Bistro De Luxe, 850 Thurlow St., Vancouver, 604-569-3415, www.thecornersuite.com

His Valentine’s Day fantasy may be French Maid, but we prefer something with French lace that we can wear past February 14.

And what could be more perfect than a bra and brief in blush tones from Agent Provocateur. In addition to appeasing your significant other, the softly sexy Gypsy set satisfies two spring trends—skin tone shades and letting your lingerie take centre stage.

For everyday wear, let just a bit of the bra peek out from the top of a jacket or dress as seen on the Akris runway. And on Sunday, let the set speak for itself and don’t be surprised if he offers to dust the living room en Français.

Bra ($235) and brief ($175) at Agent Provocateur, 1020 Alberni St., Vancouver, 604-688-2712, www.agentprovocateur.com

Let the athletes have their protein shakes, and we’ll have their performance-enhancing cocktails and chow.

Just for the games, Yew has debuted a host of new drinks and dishes. Our pick of plates is the Olympic Burger ($40), which lives up to its name by holding one pound of Kobe and Alberta beef, chanterelle mushrooms, double smoked bacon and Agassiz Farm House cheddar between its buns.

Meant for sharing among six friends, just a sliver left us stuffed. But if you manage to finish it on your own, you deserve gold.

Yew restaurant and bar, 791 West Georgia St., Vancouver, 604-692-4939, www.fourseasons.com/vancouver

Should Madonna and Jesus (as in the pop icon and her male model companion) come into town and want a plush private room to dine in with their disciples, we’ve got just the place.

The Moda Hotel now has a secluded spot for dinner parties and important meetings. With gold high-back chairs, marble flooring and a grand, hand set chandelier from Italy, the sexy round-shaped room is fit for a star, but reservable by you. It seats 12 and serves food and wine from the Cibo Trattoria menu.

Book it soon and you’ll have beat the Material Girl to the table.

Moda Hotel private room books through Cibo, 900 Seymour St., 
Vancouver, 604-602-9570, www.modahotel.ca

Nothing is quite as iconically Canadian as the Hudson’s Bay Company (it predates the Confederation by two centuries, after all) and now they’ve expanded into hip new territory with their first Hudson’s Bay Company store, here in Vancouver.

Stationed on the main floor of its downtown flagship, the special shop-in-shop has the look of a sleek, modern cottage. On weighty wooden tables designed by Toronto artist Dennis Lin, you’ll find trendy takes on the brand’s iconic multi-stripe, including a cashmere cardigan from Pink Tartan ($195) and organic, vintage-washed tees by Shared ($30-$40). Harricana handbags and hats made from recycled fur and Virginia Johnson elk scarves also caught our sartorial eye.

Or channel the voyageurs by ordering one of the Hudson’s Bay Company canoes (from $6,500) on display.

The Bay Downtown, 674 Granville St., Vancouver, 604-681-6211, www.hbc.com

Say hello to Yaletown’s newest see-and-be-seen spot, Society.

Inspired by L.A.’s dining lounges, the latest Glowbal Group venture is a mod mix of luxe and laidback. Tables on the dining level are covered with white linen tablecloths then topped with brown butcher paper and lit by fuchsia Murano chandeliers from above. In the cocktail lounge upstairs, masculine leather library chairs overlook feminine roundabout chaises upholstered in pink velvet. And the unconventional menu marries opposites too, like bourbon milkshakes ($8) and Lobster Shepherds Pie ($18).

This is one unstuffy society luncheon that will leave you stuffed.

Society, 1257 Hamilton St., Vancouver, 604-629-8800, www.society-grg.ca

Now that breakfast meetings are the new lunch meetings, you’ll be glad to hear Market by Jean-Georges now opens at 7 a.m. so you can get that deal done over Alsatian sausages, dim sum, or French toast with roasted apples.

But if the deal requires more time (and perhaps a glass of wine) consider the new Taste of Autumn menus.

We loved the Savory Island Clam Chowder with smoked bacon and thyme ($8 on the bar menu) and Jean-Georges himself highly recommends the new Seared Scallops with Cauliflower.

And if the deal requires home entertainment? Chef Jean-Georges to the rescue once again:  here he shares his new recipe for Seared Gulf Shrimp with Silky Squash exclusively with Vitamin Daily readers on our Forum. Now if only he'd come over and cook it.

Market by Jean-Georges, The Shangri-La Hotel, 1128 W. Georgia St., Vancouver, 604-689-1120, www.shangri-la.com