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 agenda 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…

FRESH AIR

Get to know Stanley Park all over again with a Stanley Park Ecology Society educator who is leading a two-hour expedition. Expect to be lectured as you go on the broad concepts of ecology and how they relate to Vancouver’s green gem. Wear yer wellies!  More information.
January 16 |1:30-3:30pm | Lost Lagoon Nature House | $10

Winter won’t last forever, so make the most of it. Grab your skates (or rent them on site) and hit Robson Square for a spin before regretting not doing it for yet another year. If you’re out of practice, nice thick gloves and a bit of bum padding are both recommended.
Robson Square | 9am -9pm | skating FREE (rentals $3) | Details

ART

This is your last chance to take in the Robert Adams and Song Dong: Waste Not exhibits at the VAG. They come down on Sunday.

The Audain Gallery opens a group exhibit this week. It’s called The Long Take: Videos On Architecture And Social Space. The show brings together “national and international artists whose work seek to represent the scales, angles and details of architecture and the urban territory as well as the more hidden relations of the city, such as gender and space and the effects of socio economic processes.” More here.
Now – February 26 | Audain Gallery at  SFU Woodward’s (149 W Hastings) | Free

Shane O’Brien (not the hockey player, but an MFA from the University of Colorado and co-owner of Gallery Jones) gives a lecture on Sunday about “various aspects of the business of art, from the logistics of how galleries operate, to a more subjective analysis of what makes for successful work.” Expect to also hear about different market avenues for art and profiles of different art buyers (private, corporate, private). Sounds fascinating. The lecture is free and open to all. However, they ask that you please RSVP by phone or email as seating is limited. 604-879-9306 or jacana [at] jacanagallery [dot] com. More details here.
Sunday, January 16 | 8pm | Jacana Gallery (2435 Granville) | Free

Natalie Purschwitz & Kelly Lycan come together for the provocatively titled “I Can See Your Underwear” exhibition at Centre A.  “During a three-month production residency, the artists have accumulated and arranged a vast array of plastic materials that are being re-activated as installations.” No one knows how to ‘re-activate’ like Natalie Purschwitz.
January 15 | 7pm | Centre A (2 WHastings ) | Free

LITERARY

Listen up, biblionerds: the UBC Continuing Studies Writing Centre is holding its yearly used book sale this week. Expect a wide variety of subjects, from cookery and classics to history and political science. Books are 50 cents each, and proceeds go to awards and scholarships in the UBC Writing Centre.
January 13, 14 | 10 am – 4pm | UBC Writing Centre | CHEAP!

The Robson Reading Series has Sheila Heti (How Should A Person Be?) and Bren Simmers (Night Gears) lined up for a Friday night reading series on Friday at the UBC Library Bookstore in Robson Square (plaza level). More information here.
Friday, January 14 | 7pm | 800 Robson ( Howe/ Hornby) | Free

Local author Anne Giardini (daughter of Carol Shields) reads from her novel, Advice for Italian Boys.
Tuesday, January 18 | 7pm | VPL  350 W Georgia |  Free

MUSIC

Lifted from the Zulu Report: “Here’s a show that’s going to be great. Two shining examples of local greatness: Duffy and The Doubters and Sex Church. Duffy and the Doubters will bring the r-o-c-k with their fuzzy garagey tunes. We like this band and it’ll be nice to hear the songs from the LP come to life. And making the night even that much sweeter will be Zulu’s beloved Sex Church who are consistently great at what they do: Sun Ra meets The Penetrators deep garage gold. Come on out and we’ll have a real cool time.”
Saturday, January 15 | Interurban Gallery (1 E. Hastings)

Catch Vancouver indie folk/rock band Minto at the Media Club on Friday night. They play with Henry and the Night Crawlers and The Albertans. Should be a gas.
Friday, January 14 | 8pm | The Media Club | $10

UBC Opera ensemble presents Opera Teas on the Stage (shortened versions of operas in a cabaret setting). Reservations required, please call 604-822-6725 to reserve. Details here.
Sunday January 16 | 2 – 4pm | 6344 Memorial  Rd, UBC | $20

Local artists Maxi Theophile Talbot, Sophia Danai, KDence, and Dj K-Rec throw down at Blim on Friday night. “Sick tracks to keep the beat flowing through the night. Come get your fill and treat your soul right!!”
January 14 | 8pm – 12am | Blim | $8–10 sliding scale

AWESOME MISCELLANY

Bored and a little weird? Why not take a quick class on Ballistics at the Vancouver Police Museum. The hour-long workshop explores the types of evidence that investigators use when a firearm may have been involved in a crime. You never know when that sort of thing will come in handy, so get yourself sorted here.
January 19 | 6:30pm or 8pm | Vancouver Police Museum |

Music, sort of. Performance, a little. Architecture, um, yes? I like the sound of the MOV event on January 20, though I can’t say I’ve ever heard of Architectural Karaoke (and I’m the daughter of an architect). Apparently it exists and MOV is the place to take it all in. “Architects face off in provocative and funny reactions to some of Vancouver’s architectural icons.” Cash Bar. Details.
January 20 | 7:30pm | Museum of Vancouver | $12

The Year of the Rabbit is upon us. (Chinese New Year goes down on the first Sunday of the Lunar or Chinese New Year (3rd of February). Don’t get caught without your Rabbit mask. Head to the DTES to sit in on one of several preparatory rabbit mask-making workshops.  Find out more…
January 17, 18 | 2-4pm | Carnegie Centre, 2nd Floor Lounge
January 19, 20 | 1:30-3:30pm | Oppenheimer Park

If you’re kicking about downtown on Saturday afternoon and you see a crowd gathered at the Library and wonder what’s going on, it’s a demonstration in support of WikiLeaks. On a related note: Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has sold his memoirs (to be published in March 2011 under the title Wikileads: My Time at the World’s Most Dangerous Website). So, while I’m sure he’ll appreiate the support, he doesn’t really need it, if you get what I’m saying.
January 15 | 2-5pm | VPL Main Branch | Free

If you have $100 in your pocket and your looking to up your knowledge of successful heriage restoration projects in the city, you’re in luck. Hang out at the Merchants Bank Building next Wednesday night an learn all about the building’s restoration under local architect Paul Merrick.   Details.
January 19 | 5:30 – 8 pm | 500 Granville (@Pender) | $100 (donation to Heritage Vancouver.)

The PuSh International Performing Arts Festival is coming up. The fest brings Vancouverites a line-up of theatre, dance, music (and various “hybrid forms” of performance) from all over the world. Check back next week for the action we’re looking forward to. If you can’t wait that long, head over to the PUsh website and choose your own adventure.
Jan 1 to Feb 6 | Various times and venues

MOVIES

Sofia Coppola’s new film Somewhere opens at the Fifth Avenue this week. So does Barney’s Version. Either one is a safe bet for solid entertainment.
January 14 –  | Various times | Fifth Avenue Cinemas | $12.50 ($8.50 on Tuesdays)

Hey, Flock of Seagulls, guess what? Pulp Fiction is the midnight movie at the Rio this week (Friday). A little bit of late night Tarantino is always a good way to start a weekend. Outfit yourself with a costume and take a few beans off of the price of admission.
January 14 | 11:55pm | Rio Theatre | $10

The Green Hornet (and Kato) hit the silver screen. Support local and see it at an independent joint like the Rio (4:15pm, 7:00pm and 9:30pm nightly).

The Hollywood is showing Carlos (the Jackal) and A Woman, A Gun and a Noodle Shop.
January  14-20 | 7:30 /10:15  | Hollywood Theatre |  $8

Hayao Miyazaki’s legendary Spirited Away is playing out at the SUB.  It is said to be highest-grossing film in Japanese history, and for good reason.
Now until Sunday January 16 |  7pm and 9:30pm | $6

London River is playing at Vancity Theatre. “Failing to reach her daughter in London after the bomb blasts of 7/7 2005, Elisabeth (Brenda Blethyn) journeys to the capital and shows up on Jane’s doorstep – a flat above a Halal butcher in Finsbury Park. But Jane’s not home. The police aren’t much help – they’re inundated with enquiries from concerned friends and family. The hospitals have posted lists of the injured, but her name isn’t among them. As she continues to search, Elisabeth keeps bumping into a North African, Ousmane (Sotigui Kouyate). Their children were a couple, it seems – but neither parent can comprehend what this might mean for their chances…” Find out more here.
Friday January 14 |  6:30pm  | Vancity Theatre |  $10.50

EAT

Bishop’s celebrates 25 years with a special four-course menu that includes Bishop’s classics like Goat Cheese Salad, Qualicum Bay Scallops, Lamb Three Ways and Death by Chocolate. The menu will be on offer Sundays through Thursdays starting January 13th through February 10th ($49)

Get yourself clued in to the proper handling of knives at Barbara-Jo’s this weekend. Ther is still one session of hands-on knife skills classes with spaces available.
Saturday, January 15 | 12 noon | Barbara-Jo’s Books $70

The Baker’s Market is a good reason to visit the ghost town known as Olympic Village. It’s actually a nice area. Stuff yourself with baked goods and then walk the seawall to burn them off.
Saturday, January 15 | 11 am – 3pm | Creekside Community Centre

Sean Heather’s Long Table Series puts Roast Beef with yorkshire pudding & roasting jus (with a 16oz Pint Of Driftwood Ale) on the 40 foot communal table this Sunday evening. Oh Yorkshire Pudding! I do love you. More info.
Sunday, January 16 |  7pm | Salty Tongue | $17

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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 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.

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