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…

The Scout List

Cheap eats of the week are delicious, old-school perogies handmade by church volunteers. A ‘regular dinner’ will cost you $11 and consists of 6 perogies, 2 cabbage rolls, sauerkraut or salad and Ukrainian sausage. For something a little lighter, go for the borscht served with rye bread. Just three bucks.
Aug 6 | 5 till 8 pm | Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral | 154 E 10th | $3 – $14

Good reason to head for Steveston: the mid-summer lantern fest. Hooray for lanterns! OK, It’s more of a floating lantern procession than a full-on festival, but it’s very lantern forward and that’s what counts. The Still Moon Arts Society is bringing it, The Spirit Fish Project, an art and watershed awareness project that aims to connect communities to the water they use by demonstrating how water travels from backyards through streams and rivers and out to the oceans. “Water is the circulatory system of the earth and we want to celebrate it and all the living creatures whose very lives depend on clean, accessible water.” Good cause + lanterns = see you there. Find out all about the event here.
August 6 | The Gulf of Georgia Cannery | Noon till dark | Free

It’s the West End Cultural Celebration, y’all. Hit the 1000 block of Broughton for live music, a multicultural craft fair, face painting – gotta have a facepainter – oh, and 25 cent hot dogs (like Ikea but cheaper and without instructions). Details.

The forecast is calling for rain, so it could be a good weekend to catch a flick. Inception is playing, like, everywhere, but if you’re looking for a little something off kilter, consider hitting Vancity Theatre for Wha Do Dem, an indie adventure flick with music by MGMT, Santigold, The Congos and Mr Lexx. It looks like a good movie, so…bonus. Get the scoop on showtimes here.

Or there’s the Mad Max and Road Warrior double bill at the Rio (Midnight on Friday), which should kick some post-apocalyptic ass. As always, there’s a reduced ticket price if you have the guts to show up in costume (I am the Lord Humongous!). My guess is that there are more than a few Mad Max fans in the closet, so here’s your chance gang! Check out the Rio website for all the juicy details. There’s probably three cheers in it for you if you rock up a la Tina Turner.

At dusk on Sunday, float your hover board over to David Lam Park for an outdoor screening of Back to the Future. It’ll be less fun if it’s raining, unless lightning strikes your Delorean. Get the full story here.

And clear your schedule next week for Film Noir Festival at Pacific Cinémathèque. “The pitiless urban nightmare that is film noir — a nasty, nihilistic netherworld of hard-boiled anti-heroes, double-crossing dames, deluded and disillusioned dupes, rain-slicked city streets, and existential dread and loneliness — is one of the American cinema’s most aesthetically rich, influential, and angst-ridden genres. Pacific Cinémathèque’s annual Film Noir summer series celebrates noir in all its stylish, seductive and cynical glories, and has become one of the most popular events on our calendar.” Tip: it will be better if you start off with a Steve Da Cruz cocktail or two at Corner Suite Bistro Deluxe (try the Chicago Fizz or Holy Toledo).

On Saturday, Heritage Vancouver continues with their vision to cultivate “a culture that values and protects our built heritage” through their latest walking tour offering: Kits, Elites & Robber Barons. It’ll be a good one. Meet on the beach at the north foot of Trafalgar Street, just off the 2600 block of Point Grey Road at 10am Saturday. Find out more…

There is something called a Bubble Bash happening on the steps of the VAG on Sunday at 3pm. Here’s the scoop from organizers: “We’ll be gathering on the steps of the Vancouver Art Gallery (facing Howe St.) and letting loose with a blast of bubbles! This tiny section of the bustling downtown core of Vancouver will temporarily be overrun with the …glee that thousands of bubbles can create – not to mention the thousands of bubbles themselves! Bring your bubble machines, bubble guns, assorted bubble blowers, and bubble solution and help create something magical.” Let’s hope the Toronto cops don’t show up. Find out even more here…

“Gallery walls are the conventional way to display art, but this summer the UBC Botanical Garden will be the backdrop for an exciting exhibition. Art In The Garden takes place in the heart of the UBC Botanical Garden with an exhibition of works by over 25 B.C. artists.”
August 7 & 8 | 10 am – 5 pm | UBC Botanical Garden

Don’t miss the championship round of the Terminal City Rollergirls. It’s the last roller derby game of the season. More information.
August 7 | doors 5 pm, game 6 pm | $20/10 | Minoru Arena

Join naturalist Terry Taylor and find out the secrets of Beaver Lake with an explorative walking tour. Details.
August 8 | 1:30-3:30 pm | Lost Lagoon Nature House | Grown-ups $10/ Kids $5

Glowbal needs volunteers. No joke – here is the skinny: “Union Gospel Mission and the Glowbal Collection present a community barbecue providing free gourmet meals of chicken, beef brisket, ribs, potato salad, coleslaw, corn bread, baked beans, iced tea, and butter tarts to residents of the Downtown Eastside.” Yay, Glowbal! More information at the Glowbal blog.
August 10 | 10 am–4 pm

Say Wha?! – Readings of Deliciously Rotten Writing. Lifted straight from the source:”Have you ever read a poorly written novel and thought to yourself, who publishes this crap? Or come across a hilariously out of date self-help book in a thrift store? Perhaps you flipped through Sarah Palin’s autobiography and guffawed at her life story. Well, that’s what SAY WHA?! is all about.” More here.
August 11 | 7pm | Cottage Bistro (Main and 29th) | $5 minimum donation

Vieux Farka Toure plays the Biltmore on Monday night.The Son of Ali Farka Toure plays songs from his critically acclaimed record, Fondo (The Road). It will run you about $20 beans, but it may very well be the best 20 you spend this year. Check Zulu for tickets.

But wait, there’s also Bonnie Prince Billy at the Vogue on Wednesday night. It’s a hefty $28 hit for this gig, but again, money well spent. Have a listen. Grab tickets from Zulu. They are super nice and deserve your business. We might not have heard about this show if it wasnt for them. Thanks Zulu.

Make your way to SFU for an interesting sounding book launch and read next Thursday. Authors Catherine Lutz and Anne Lutz Fernandez’s book on car culture promises to bring out a diverse crowd. Carjacked: The Culture Of The Automobile And Its Effects On Our Lives will fill up. I’m telling you now.
August 12 | 7 pm | SFU Harbour Centre | Free, but reservations required – more info.

And don’t forget to get your weekly shopping done at a farmers market this week. There are many locations to choose from and each market has a unique line-up of vendors. Here’s a quick round-up of good places to buy locally grown produce from good people!

East Side: Saturday | 9am – 2pm | Trout Lake | FREE
West End: Saturday | 9am – 2pm | 1100 Block of Comox | FREE
Dundarave (West Van) Saturday | 9am – 2pm | Between 24 & 25 on Marine
Kits: Sunday | 10am – 2pm | Parking Lot of Kits Community Centre | FREE
DTES: Wednesday | 3pm – 7pm | Thornton Park | FREE
UBC Farm Market: Saturday | 9-1 | UBC Farm

Ready for your bag and pantry this week are Apricots, Arugula, Asian Greens, Beets, Blueberries, Broccoli, Carrots, Celery, Chard, Cherries, Collard Greens, Garlic, Kale, Lettuce, Mustard, Mushrooms, Greens, Green Onions, Cooking Onions, Fresh Herbs, Snap Peas, Peaches, Potatoes, Raspberries, Rhubarb, Spinach, Strawberries, Tomatoes, Turnips, Zucchini, honey, baked goods, and many more tasty bits.

——————————————————————————————–

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 in beautiful Strathcona and enjoys wandering aimlessly through the city’s shops and streets with her best friend – a beat up, sticky, grimy, and uncooperative camera.

——————————————————————————————–