(Image | UNICEF Sverige)

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…

HAITI RELIEF

Strength Through Unity

Excerpted from the press release: Vancouver’s culinary community is responding in full force to the disaster in Haiti with “Strength through Unity: A Gala Affair for Haiti Relief” next Wednesday, February 3, 2010, at 6:30pm in the Terminal City Club. For the first time ever, a group of iconic local chefs will be uniting efforts to pledge support and raise money for the crisis in Haiti.

The ‘Strength Through Unity’ gala evening will be uniting efforts to pledge support and raise money for the crisis in Haiti. The event will showcase an all-star cast of repeat winners from the Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards. 100% of the proceeds will be directed towards disaster relief in Haiti.

This unity is reflected in the cast itself, with top Vancouver chefs Jeff Van Geest (Diva at the Metropolitan Hotel), David Hawksworth (Hawksworth), Andrey Durbach (Pied-à-Terre, La Buca), Angus An (Maenam), Jeremie Bastien (Boneta), and Eleanor Chow (Chambar) all contributing courses. Guests will dine to the music of local singing talent Michelle Richard and legendary bluesman Jim Byrnes.

“We are so grateful that the Terminal City Club has generously opened their doors for this event,” said Jeff Van Geest, local chef and chair of the event. “The Terminal City Club is a perfect venue for showcasing the incredible world-renowned talent of the generous volunteer chefs. It’s not often that you’ll find these people in one room, let alone cooking together. I’m so glad that the “Strength through Unity” gala has been able to rally the local restaurant community for such a necessary cause.”

Only 150 tickets will be available ($150.00) until Monday, February 1. Tickets can be purchased online at here. For further information, to book your tickets, or for sponsorship inquiries, please call “Strength through Unity” spokesperson Melissa Janke at 604-889-3456 or email [email protected].

The Power of a Penny

Unload those pennies from the bottom of your pocket – the good folks at Antisocial are collecting the little copper tokens for their Haiti penny drive. As they point out “people under estimate the power of the penny…” but at the end of the first day of the penny drive, the skate shop was looking at more than $500. Keep the pot growing. We’ll be dropping by for sure.
Jan 21 – Feb 5 | Antisocial

Haiti Fundraising Dinner at Cru

It’s a little beyond the scope of this week’s events – but we’re mentioning it now so you can be sure to get it in on your schedule. Why? Because Haiti is still going to need all the support it can get after next Sunday. From Cru: “support the people of Haiti at an Earthquake Relief Fundraising Dinner. Guests will enjoy an outstanding four-course dinner paired with quality wines. The evening will also feature a silent auction. Cru staff will volunteer their time, and the restaurant will donate all the food and beverages for this important event. 100% of the proceeds from the dinner will be donated to relief efforts in Haiti. The monies raised will also be matched by the Canadian government, doubling the amount of support that will be provided to the beleaguered country. Please help us show the people of Haiti that they are not alone in this time of crisis.”
Jan 31 | 6:30pm | Cru | $100 per person (all donated to Haiti earthquake relief) | 604-677-4111

FLICKS

If you’re looking to kick back this weekend, consider catching a flick. Creation, The True Story of Charles Darwin is showing at Tinseltown; Black History in Film Festival goes down at the Rio Theatre; and Pirate Radio is playing at the good old Norm Theatre out at the UBC SUB. And – also at the Norm – don’t miss the special (one night only) screening of The Dark Side of Oz followed by The Wall. From UBC Film Soc: “If you don’t already know, The Dark Side of Oz is a screening of the first portion of The Wizard of Oz with the normal soundtrack replaced by Pink Floyd’s album The Dark Side of the Moon. The album syncs up surprisingly well with the film. This is followed by Pink Floyd’s The Wall, based on their album by the same name.” This very Floydian night is on Jan 29, (7pm, $4)

COMMUNITY

Fresh Food

The Winter Farmers’ Market at WISE Hall to pick up some hearty root vegetables, home-baked bread, crafts, and plenty of other cool bits. Visit EatLocal.org to see the full list of vendors.
Jan 30 | 10am – 2pm | WISE Hall | FREE

Kingsway Gentrification Plan

There’s an an open house to view proposals for the Norquay Village Neighbourhood Centre going down at the at the Renfrew Park Community Centre. Get your two cents in – contribute to the plan to revitalize the Kingsway community.
Jan 30 | 11am – 3pm | Renfrew Park Community Centre – 5175 Dumfries| FREE

Skatepark Open House

Thanks to the Vancouver Skateboard Coalition for the heads up on the upcoming Kensington Park Skatepark Open House. A skateboarding facility, similar to the ones in place in Strathcona and Quilchena Parks, is planned for Kensington Park and the public is invited to an open house to view preliminary design ideas and to make comments. VSBC had this to say about the event: “This new skatepark has been proposed to be for more of a ‘bowl’ style park since the last couple of parks we’ve built (Quilchena and The Plaza) have been more street style. As mentioned above, this park is more of a ‘community’ skatepark, not a ‘destination park’ like Hastings. This park won’t be huge, so we should be realistic in our expectations for the design of this park. That’s not to say it can’t be amazing – so hopefully we’ll see you out at the meeting.” Yes you will.
Feb 2 | 5:30 | Kensington Community Centre | FREE

History of Water

Community History of Water at the Britannia Community Centre includes art, music, writing, aquaponics and water filtration displays, a community water history, film screenings, food, and more.
Feb 5 – 26 | Brittania Community Centre | FREE

URBAN LIFE

A Rival to the Olympics

Dr. Steve Miller, Professor of Classical Archaeology at UC Berkeley, will be addressing the Vancouver Institute with a timely lecture entitled: A Rival to the Olympics: Excavating Ancient Nemea and Reviving the Nemean Games. From the Vancouver Institute: “Dr. Miller is one of North America’s most distinguished archaeologists. After excavations in the Athenian Agora he began a long term project at Nemea, one of the four great panhellenic athletic sanctuaries like Olympia, and over three decades revealed much about activities there. He also served during 1982–1987 as director of the American School of Classical Studies, a prominent research and teaching institution in Athens. Several years ago he created a revival of the Nemean Games in the ancient stadium at the site.”
Jan 30 | 8:15 | Lecture Hall No. 2,  Woodward Building, UBC | FREE

Hopenhagen or Nopenhagen?

What was it like being in Copenhagen as the world focused on climate change and the convoluted negotiations among the parties? And what now? Join a panel of those who were on the ground as they share their impressions and discuss the consequences. This session is jointly sponsored by the SFU Public Policy Program and SFU City Program.
Feb 2 | 12 Noon | SFU | FREE

ARTS & LITERATURE

Fresh New Start

Fundraiser for local artists Carrie Walker and Sonja Hebert, who lost their studios in the Christmas Day fire at Broadway and Kingsway. All proceeds will be going to help Carrie and Sonja get set up with a new studio and supplies. This is a great opportunity to show your support for the local arts community. And, you know…if you happen to come home with some amazing locally made art or other goodies, bully for you! Check out the sweet list of items up for grabs here.
Jan 29 | 7pm – 11pm | The Third Avenue Gallery | Info here

Author Event

Annabel Lyon (The Golden Mean) hits SFU to speak on the role her Philosophy degree had on her writing. If you haven’t read the book – here is the first sentence of the Q&Q review to tempt you: “In her first novel, Annabel Lyon brilliantly re-imagines the real-life teacher/student relationship between Aristotle and a 13-year-old boy who would soon transform the world as Alexander the Great…continue. PS. Yes, Annabel will be reading from her work.
Feb 5 | 4pm | SFU Library | FREE

Penniless in New York

Head over to the Vancouver Public Library for a look at the work of artist Jasper Johns. From VPL ” This illustrated talk examines those early years of Jasper Johns in New York and the milieu of supportive artists, dancers and musicians who challenged a generation.”
Feb 3 | 12pm | VPL | FREE

Science & Nerdity

On the Edge of Chaos: Contemporary Neuroscience, Creative Patterns and Material Production
“Emily Carr University of Art + Design hosts an all-day symposium On the Edge of Chaos: Contemporary Neuroscience, Creative Patterns and Material Production to explore how the study of the brain and neuroscience can shed light on art-making and creative processes.” Nerd it up, if you’re in to that sort of thing.
Jan 29 | 9 am – 7pm | Emily Carr | FREE

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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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