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…

ART

Ready for the COOLEST coffee table book, evah? Yes you are! This is East Van is complete and ready to grace a prominent place in your living room today. Not familiar? This is East Van ($35) is a community photo project started by two cool as heck Vancouverites, Erin Sinclair and Jason Uglanica. The pair have been working really hard for a long time to bring together a whole whack of images taken by local photographers into book form in a way that captures what’s happening in East Vancouver right now. It’s finally done and premiering at Make It! (see below) this weekend. If you can make it to Make It!, you can pick up a copy here. I can’t wait to see it! Congratulations to all who participated. Stay tuned for info on the This is East Van book launch at the Waldorf (May 5).

Don’t miss the pop-up shop for west coast tattooist, James Acrow at catalog this weekend. Acrow’s exhibit coincides the with the West Coast Tattoo and Culture Show and will run late so enthusiasts can swing by either before or after they hit the PNE for the Tattoo show. Have a look here.
April 15,16,17th | 1pm-midnight | Catalog Gallery 56 Powell | Free

Yes. You heard that right. The West Coast Tattoo and Culture Show is in town. Not only will there be scores of the world’s best tattoo artists, but you can also take in the graffiti art exhibition, live bands (yeah Rich Hope!), a traditional pin-up pageant, a burlesque show, and Vancouver’s Terminal City Roller Girls. Read that again, bubba! Details here.
April 15-17 | PNE Forum ( 2901 E Hastings) | $15

Ken Lum is giving an artists’ talk at Emily Carr on Friday. “Since he began exhibiting his art in the late 1970s, Vancouver-based artist Ken Lum has developed a complex body of work that includes performances in public spaces, sculptures produced from rented furniture, studio portrait photographs that merge with faux corporate logos, paintings of incomprehensible language, mazes made of mirrors inscribed with texts, and works that mimic the signage found in low-end strip malls. With each of these varied forms, Ken engages with the structures, systems and ordeals that shape our lived experience of the everyday world.” More here.
Friday, April 15 | Emily Carr University of Art + Design Room 301, South Building | 6pm | Free

FILM

Russell Brand’s Arthur is out on the big screen. Watch the trailer here. I’ll take Helen Mirren over Liza Minnelli any day, but improving on Dudley Moore is gonna be pretty tough.

The Waldorf tees up Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, starring Elizabeth Taylor.
Sunday, April 17 | 2:30 pm | The Waldorf Hotel | Free

Life Aquatic plays at the Rio. “Wolodarsky, go get the keys to that fishing boat and throw them in the water. No, wait. They might have another set. Just blow it up.”
Friday, April 15 | Rio Theatre | Doors @ 11:30. Show @ midnight | $8/$7 in costume

If I could only catch one film this week it would be Good Food Bad Food at the Vancity Theatre. “Contributor after contributor – whether from France, Brazil, Morocco, Ukraine or India – demonstrates the importance of seeds and the quasi-monopoly held on their production and distribution by firms such as Monsanto […] Alarmist and disaster films have been made, and they have served their purpose; now it is time to show that solutions do exist, to give a voice to farmers, philosophers and economists who are inventing and experimenting with new alternatives, all the while explaining why our society is mired in the current ecological, financial and political crisis.” –  director Coline Serreau
April 15 – 20 | Vancity Theatre (1181 Seymour) | $11

GLUTTONY

Maybe you’ve got plans out of town next next weekend and you’re concerned about missing the Easter Bunny. Or maybe you just really love chocolate Easter eggs and one Easter simply isn’t enough for you. Problem solved: There’ll be an Easter egg hunt, arts & crafts, play time, face painting, and mini petting zoo in Coal Harbour this weekend. Woot.
Saturday Apr 16 | 10am-noon | Coal Harbour Community Centre | $5

As always, hit the Winter Farmer’s Market for fresh locally grown veggies and treats. Breakfast tacos with a cinnamon bun chaser is what I’m talking about. Also, you can grab dried apples and fruit leather, eggs and fresh greens. Get over there and support your local farmers and food artisans!
Saturday, April 9 | 10am – 2pm | East Parking Lot/Nat Bailey

Robert and Tammi Van Westen of Van Westen Vineyards will be in the Salt Cellar on Tuesday night. Hook up with them and a bunch of other good people to share some cheese and charcuterie paired with Van Westen wine. Did you have something better planned? Find out more…
Tuesday, April 19 | 7pm | Salt |  $40

SPRING

Hands-down the coolest event of the week, perhaps season: Bikes and Borshch at Strathcona’s Ukrainian Cultural Centre. I’m really, REALLY looking forward to this one. Cheap bikes, vintage bikes, bike fixin’ and Ukrainian cabbage soup. It’s going to be AWESOME!
Sunday, April 17 | Ukrainian Cultural Centre | 805 Pender | Free

Vancouver Whitecaps play Club Deportivo Chivas (LA) out at Empire Field on Saturday.
Saturday, April 16 | 4pm | Empire Field | $20 – 100

Up for a little Guerrilla Gardening? Round up any shovels, gloves durable plants that you can legally get your hands on and get ready to work. If you want to find out more, like where the guerrillaing will go down (word invention!) contact leita [at] vancouverpublicspace [dot] ca. She’ll hook you up.
Saturday, April 16th | 3pm – 4pm | Location TBD (that’s how Geurrillas roll, yo) $1-5 appreciated

It’s time to open your windows, bitches! “But they’re painted shut” you say? Ta-da, Jim Stiven of Vintage Woodworks to the rescue. Jim will lead a hands-on, illustrated course on historic wood windows. He’ll discuss how to balance historic integrity, current functional requirements, aesthetics and energy efficiency issues relating to windows. The day will also include the demonstration of the repair and maintenance of a painted-shut, double hung wooden window. Drool. Full scoop at the Vancouver Heritage Foundation website.
Saturday April 16 | 9am-5pm | $125 (cheaper than a new window)

It’s the ideal time of year to join urban farmer Chris Thoreau and learn about how to start and maintain an organic garden at home. Chris will walk you through some of the main steps involved in establishing your garden. Some of the topics Chris will cover include: assessing your yard, converting your lawn into a garden, taking care of your soil, composting, how to plan and choose your crops, inviting wildlife and diversity to your yard, and the proper utilisation of local resources.
Saturday, April 16 | 10am-1pm | 6182 South Campus Road, UBC | $25

Last chance for cash and carry cherry trees! Sounds dirty…
Saturday, April 16 | 9am to 5pm | VanDusen Botanical Garden

VANITY

It’s time for the Chosen Ones. All the vintage spring frocks a girl could hope for, carefully curated by those who know.  It doesn’t get better than this.
Pre-sale—Friday April 15th, 8-11pm | Waldorf Hotel

Now, to accessorize! Score one-of-a-kind trinkets handmade by local designers at the Make It! show this weekend. The homegrown show marries indie shopping with a fully licensed bar and DJ. Clever idea, a glass of red wine or two makes the reality of financial responsibilities seem much less pressing. That new set of earrings on the other hand? Must. Have. Those. Info here.
April 15, 16 + 17 | Friday: 4-9pm, Saturday: 11am-6pm, Sunday: 11am- 5pm | Croatian Cultural Center (3250 Commercial)

MUSIC

Sex With Strangers are throwing a CD release party at the Biltmore tonight.
Thursday, April 14 | The Biltmore Cabaret | $10

Jon and Roy play the Venue.
Thursday, April 14 | 8pm | The Venue | $17

And Tame Impala plays The Commodore next week. Listen to how good this action is!
Thursday, April 21 | 8pm | The Commodore Ballroom | $23

And hey, it’s Record Store Day on Saturday! There are two particularly sweet gigs going down for Record Store Day that you won’t want to miss (too bad there isn’t a shuttle going between them). Details…

…not only is Zulu having a huge sale on new and used CDs, 7″s, LPs as well as a prime selection of exclusive Record Store Day releases but they’re also throwing down with door prizes, free concert tickets and an instore performance by No Gold and Yukon Blonde. As always, Zulu also pulls through with refreshments. Zulu Records.
April 16 | Sale – all day / in-store 6:30 – 8pm |Free

Over on Main, Red Cat is planning a crazy day of good deals and Record Store Day shwag. And then the bands start…1pm – Blind Horses; 2pm – Dead Ghosts; 3pm – Mode Moderne
4pm – Hard Feelings; 5pm – Loscil w/ Jason Zumpano; 6pm – Von Bingen.

CULTURE

The Graduate hits the Granville Island stage this week. Official opening night is next Wednesday. If you aren’t familiar with the film, here is the Playhouse’s short and sweet synopsis: “Benjamin Braddock is a little worried about his future. Just out of college, he doesn’t know what he wants from life—but it sure isn’t plastics. Then he meets Elaine. The only problem? She’s Mrs. Robinson’s daughter!” Need more? Have a look here. It’ll be a good one.
April 14 – May 14 | Granville Island Stage | $30

Make your way to the Little Mountain Gallery fundraiser at WISE Hall on Thursday night. Help with the last push behind the efforts to get LMG rezoned to be a Theatre. They are so close! You know they’ll appreciate your support, and a good night of fun will be had.
Thursday, April 14 | 8pm | WISE Hall | part with at least a $10 donation at the door?

The clever folks over at Cause + Affect are rigging up a mini Pecha Kucha Night this weekend. Proceeds go to Architecture For Humanity’s ‘Rebuild Japan‘ plans. Here is the deal: presenters will use the 20 images to illustrate how Japan inspires them and how we can find solutions that help deal with the issues at hand whether earthquake, tsunami or nuclear – and the road to recovery after experiencing such tragedy. No ticket will be required but limited seating means that the first bums there are the first bums to get seats.
April 16, Saturday | 4pm | The Cascade Room | Suggested donation $10 at the door

Habitat Open Forum at the VAG. Cool kid Lindsay Brown is at the Vancouver Art Gallery on Tuesday night to talk about the 1976 Habitat Forum. As a writer and designer, Lindsay will no doubt have a multitude of interesting things to say. Members of the public are invited discuss their experiences and impressions of the event and to bring memories, stories, photos, or other mementos. Very cool.
Tuesday, April 19 | 6pm | Free with Gallery admission (19.50)

Should Vancouver grow up? Architects Jack Diamond (T.O.) and Rick Cook (NYC) slip into town to discuss whether taller buildings can set new standards of beauty and sustainability in our city at the free public lecture: “New Heights in Architectural Excellence”. More information. Kinda sounds like a lecture that Lindsay Brown (above) would be interested in attending!
Tuesday, April 19 | 7:30pm | Fairmont Hotel Vancouver (900 W Georgia) | Free

If you haven’t had a chance to check out the MERKINtile show at the 221a Gallery, this weekend would be a good time to do it. On Saturday there will be an artist talk aimed at giving the public an opportunity to engage in the discourse surrounding gentrification, commodity and self-identity. It will (hopefully) address the changing built environment of Chinatown and the Downtown East Side. It will be curious to learn about the ways in which Merkins and gentrification are related. Yup. I just wrote that.
Saturday, April 16 | 2pm | 221A Artist Run Centre |Free

Vancouver International Poetry Festival (April 18-23) spreads across the city with the aim of harnessing the diversity of spoken word in Canada and beyond. They’re lookin’ to “…redefine the bounds of poetry with shows that present a diverse and exciting mix of poetic styles and interdisciplinary explorations.” I’m betting that that’s exactly what they’ll do. Do your best not to miss Van Slam Finals Night at The Rio. Poets have been competing throughout the year to qualify for this playoff event and it will be pretty kick-ass. The top eight fight for a spot on this year’s poetry slam team. And you thought you knew what poetry was all about! You don’t know jack until you catch this show.
Monday April 18 | 7pm doors, 8pm show | $15/advance $20/door

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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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