The main objective of this website is to scout out and promote the things that make Vancouver such a sweet place to be. We do this with an emphasis on the city’s independent spirit to foster a sense of connectedness within and between our communities, and to introduce our readers to the people who grow and cook our food, play the raddest tunes in our better venues, create our most interesting art, and design everything from what we wear to the spaces we inhabit.

The Scout List is our carefully considered first rate list of super awesome things that we’re either doing, wishing that we could do, or conspiring to do this week. From our calendar to yours…

EAT

Scotcholate

Take $75 over to The Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts this Friday for Single Malt Scotch and Chocolate.For those of you who need more information beyond where to be and how much money to bring: “Always a sold-out event renowned for its originality and elegant ambiance, this year the fabulous evening will be led by Marcus Von Albrecht of Mava Foods and feature the sampling of Ileach Peaty, Finlaggan Old Reserve; Ileach cask strength – (won the 2nd best scotch in the world), and Laphroaig 10 yr old – single malt scotches paired with delicious chocolates from Xoxolat Chocolaterie, plus Marcus’s hand made white chocolate and dark chocolate whisky truffles, and desserts from the chefs at PICA.
Oct 16 | 6:30 to 9:30 pm | Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts | $75

LISTEN

Chris Rock

If you’re hanging around Thursday morning and looking for something to do – you can tune in to the CBC for an interview with Chris Rock. CBC interviews Chris about his new project – he is taking on the role of executive producer and presenter of a new documentary called Good Hair – a film that takes a look at the culture behind African-American hair styles. When is Chris Rock not going to make your day even better?
Oct 15 | 10 am | CBC Radio One – 690 on the am dial

Chad VanGaalen at the Rio

From Zulu Records: Recently short listed for the illustrious Polaris Music award, Calgarian Chad VanGaalen has in quick time won over critics and fans alike with his instantly infectious songwriting craft. Deftly weaving together a strange brew of instruments – guitars, synths, horns, strings, vibraphone, drum machines, tapes, found sounds etc. – Chad effortlessly concocts songs loaded with indie charm, delicate melodies, and soul. Add his amazing voice – that approaches Neil Young’s haunting falsetto – and the result is simply magical. Chad is not to be missed!”
Oct 15 | 9pm | Rio | $25 and selling fast

Chad VanGaalen at Zulu Records

If you miss your chance to buy a ticket, or if you just want as much Chad VanGaalen as you can possibly get – here is a tip: Chad will roll by Zulu on the way to the Rio and play a few songs – for free!
Oct 15 | 7pm | Zulu | FREE

Berube at the Biltmore

Folk rocker from Montreal, Mark Berube , plays the Biltmore this week with guests Shuyler Jansen and Willow Rutherford. Skip over to Berube’s Myspace page for a listen to Yesterday’s Halo. Perfect Autumn drive in the country music.
Oct 19 | 9pm | Biltmore Cabaret | $12

Yo La Tengo

For a 25 beans you can take yourself to the Commodore to see Yo La Tengo this week. Here is a bit of info from Matador: “Most of us fans have a silly tendency to look at our favorite musicians as being the smartest people in the world. Within their lyrics we know we’ll find the answers to everything, if we just look hard enough. In truth, most musicians are no smarter than any of us—often much less so. You can find many books on this subject. Georgia, Ira and James of Yo La Tengo are exceptions to this rule, and Popular Songs, their 12th (or 14th, depending on what and how you count) album is the proof.” Have a listen…
Oct 21 | 10pm by the time they actually get on stage | Commodore | $25

GREEN

Greening Your Home

I keep coming across this free lecture series at the Radha Yoga space on Main – haven’t been but the series sounds interesting: “Experts in environmental and community sustainability present inspiring and practical ideas to use in your home, your building and your community. This is one way we want to share our learning from Radha’s Green Building project this summer. This Saturday: Lecture on greening buildings and sustainability with Bryce Gauthier of Projects in Place and Toby Barazzuol of Strathcona’s Green Zone. ”
Oct 17 | 2pm | Radha Yoga & Eatery ( 728 Main) | FREE

Eat Local!

The list of outdoor markets continues to dwindle this week. Make the most of these last days and hit the market in your neighbourhood while you can. Pick up delicious breads, jams and canned veggies, as well as harvest fresh produce like onions, green onions, radishes, shallots, spinach, sprouts, Swiss chard, garlic scapes, beets, carrots, squash, pumpkins, and corn. It’s a pretty awesome time of year. Enjoy it while it lasts. PS. Dear 2009 soil, thanks.
West End: Saturdays until Oct 24 | 9am – 2pm | 1100 Block of Comox | FREE
Kits: Sundays until Oct 25 | 10am – 2pm | Kits Community Centre | FREE
DTES: Wednesdays until Oct 21 | 3pm – 7pm | Thornton Park | FREE
West Van: Sundays until October 25 | 9am – 2pm | Ambleside | FREE

Apple Festival

This fall fest is educational, delicious and inexpensive. Not only can you visit the tasting tents to sample up to 60 varieties of new and heritage apples (all grown in BC) but you also can learn from members of the the Vancouver Island-based BC Fruit Testers Association, members of which will be on site to give grafting and cider-pressing demonstrations. There’ll also be Master Gardeners available to discuss apple-related diseases and pest management for those of you who have trees at home. And if you see those people who have trees and are getting free expert advice but you’re jealous because you don’t have a tree – don’t fret. You can also buy many varieties of apple trees grafted onto dwarfing root stock to plant in your own garden. But the best, superbest part? No end of apple pie, hot apple cider, caramel apples, apple chips and organic BC apple juice.
October 17 & 18 | 11am to 4pm | UBC Botanical Garden | $2 (kids free)

Learn From New York City

Janette Sadik Khan, New York City’s transportation commissioner, discusses what we could to change urban environments in Vancouver. From SFU: “As New York City’s Transportation Commissioner, she helped introduce protected bike lanes, pedestrian plazas, sustainable street designs and, most dramatically, closed five blocks of Broadway in Times Square to vehicles — while improving traffic flow! Find out how she transformed New York and how that could affect us, our health, and our urban environments.” Free admission; reservations required. Call 778-782-5100 or email [email protected]
Oct 19 | 7 pm | Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre | FREE

BUY

Blim

18 Blim Community Market The Blim Community Market hits Main Street this weekend and you should make a point of stopping by, here is why: not only will you see oodles of cool stuff but your attendance shows support for local talent and supports local economy. Check out fashion, accessories, supplies, fine art, vintage items and records. Don’t miss your chance to grab some ridiculously cheap and super delicious coq au vin from Open Sesame.
Oct 18 | 11am–5pm | Cambrian Hall | By donation

READ

Writers & Readers Fest

The line up for the 2009 Vancouver International Writers and Readers Festival is pretty sweet. “There’s something for everyone at this year’s Festival,” says Hal Wake, Artistic Director of the Festival. “We’ve got international luminaries like John Irving, The Time Traveller’s Wife author Audrey Niffenegger and Sarah Waters. Our lineup of eight French-language authors is truly formidable, led by Marie-Claire Blais, who will be appearing in events for both English and French-speaking audiences. For spoken word fans there is beat-box balladeer C.R. Avery. It’s a mark of the Writers Festival’s stature that authors want to come here and enjoy the enthusiasm of Vancouver-area readers.” Kicking off the Festival week is a tribute to Alice Munro on Sunday evening (October 18). International literary stars Richard Ford, Alistair MacLeod, Elizabeth Strout (winner of the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction), Amit Chaudhuri and Joan London, hosted by Eleanor Wachtel, will celebrate the life and work of Munro, who will be in attendance to hear what her work has meant to other eminent writers”. We’re talkin’ 69 events.
October 18-25 | Granville Island | Website

Hutchinson and Malla

An Evening of Poetry and Short Fiction with Two of Canada’s Most Critically Acclaimed Emerging Literary Talents Chris Hutchinson and Pasha Malla. From UBC: “Pasha Malla burst onto the Canadian literary scene with the publication of his debut short story collection The Withdrawal Method (House of Anansi Press, 2008), which was longlisted for the Giller Prize and won the 2008 Danuta Gleed Literary Award and the 2009 Trillium Book Award. The Withdrawal Method was also selected as one of the Globe and Mail’s Top 100 Books of 2008. Pasha is a regular contributor to McSweeney’s and is currently working on a novel that will be published by Anansi in 2010. Originally from St. John’s, Newfoundland, he now lives in Toronto….With imagination, wit and scrupulous candour, Chris Hutchinson’s poetry negotiates and renegotiates the shifting no-man’s-land between self and others, introspection and public life. His second collection of poems Other People’s Lives has just been released by Brick Books. Poems from his debut poetry collection, Unfamiliar Weather (The Muses’ Company, 2005) have been translated into Chinese and have appeared in numerous Canadian and U.S. publications. Chris was born in Montreal and has lived in Victoria, Edmonton, Vancouver, Tempe, AZ, and most recently Kelowna, BC where he teaches English at Okanagan College.” Still need to know more? Visit the website.
Oct 19 | 7pm | Robson Square | FREE

Light A Candle

Diwali goes down this weekend. The name of the festival comes from the Sanskrit word dipavali, which means ‘row of lights’. Throughout the festival, fireworks, candles and lanterns are lit to symbolize the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. Sounds like a pretty good reason to light a candle if you ask me. The big event (Diwali Downtown) is a day-long “extravaganza” that involves everything from Bollywood dancing to samosas. It all happens at the Roundhouse on Sunday. Prior to Sunday there are there are a slough of free and culturally enlightening Diwali workshops to take part in. Organized by the Vancouver Celebrates Diwali Committee, workshops showcase local South Asian arts, music, food and dance and take place at various locations around the city and are facilitated by experienced local artists, and involve the participation of pre-schoolers, elementary school students, families, seniors, and the general public. Workshops take place at community centres and neighborhood houses across the city. Specific workshops include:
Thursday October 8 – West End Community Centre 4:30pm – 6:30pm
Saturday October 10 Renfrew Community Centre 5:00pm – 7:00pm
Wednesday October 14 Killarney Community Centre 1:00pm – 3:00pm
Thursday October 15 South Vancouver Neighborhood House 1:30pm – 3:30pm
Friday October 16 Renfrew Community Centre 10:00am – 11:00am, 1:30pm – 2:30pm
Friday October 16 Sunset Community Centre 5:00pm – 7:00pm
For a full list of activities check out their website here.

WATCH

Hangover Beverage Garden

The gang at the UBC FilmSoc Club mix it up this week with a Hangover Beverage Garden. Basically – the premise is to consume themed drinks while watching a movie about hangovers. “Bring your best hangover story for a chance to win great prizes! (But hey, don’t go be irresponsible just to get a good story!)” Costumes are encouraged.
Oct 15 |7-9pm | The Norm Theatre at the SUB | $6 / $3 for members

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Michelle Sproule grew up in Kitsilano and attended Bond University in Australia and the University of Victoria before receiving her graduate degree in Library Sciences from The University of Toronto. She lives by the beach in Vancouver and enjoys wandering aimlessly through the city’s shops and streets with her best friend – a beat up, sticky, grimy, and uncooperative camera.

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