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…

CULTURE

A group show is going down at the LES Gallery on Powell. It’s called Whilst moving backwards through a series of thresholds, one finds oneself, inexorably, indoors. Quite the mouthful. Works by Maryanne Casasanta, Steven Hubert, Bitsy Knox & Les Ramsay.
Friday, July 8 | 7pm-10pm | 1879 E Powell | Free

The Waldorf is showing new works by Colleen Heslin. “Picnic at Bluefish Caves is a disassembled group of a popular national icon. This series of work attempts to access multiple readings by reassembling colour, shapes and line. These collaged images open new perspectives and ideas within history and design.” So yeah.
Thursday July 7 | 8pm | Room 106 in The Waldorf Hotel | FREE

Gastown’s Catalog Gallery has joined forces with artist/blogger The Jealous Curator to bring to Vancouver New York photographer Mikael Kennedy. Kennedy spent the past decade on the road Kerouac-style with his Polaroid camera taking thousands of pictures while drifting across the continent. In 2010, he had his first solo show in New York City, entitled ‘Shoot the Moon’ (an exhibition of 500 Polaroids edited down from thousands). The Jealous Curator became so besotted with Kennedy’s work that she set to work bringing at least some of the exhibit to Catalog. The gallery is showing 50 images pulled from the original ‘Shoot the Moon’ show. They’re all photographs of women. “The images are titled with the name of the woman, the location of the photo, and the year, leaving it completely up to the viewer to piece these relationships, friendships, and chance meetings together.” It’s a pretty sweet show.  We recommend you drop in for a proper perusal.
Now – July 17 | Catalog Gallery | 56 Powell | Free

The Creekhouse Complex on Granville Island is hosting ReVision this weekend and next. It’s a recycled art exhibit and festival featuring work made from used, salvaged, or scrounged materials. Getting exposed to new ways to use old materials is already inspiring. Check it out.
July 8-17  | 11am–6pm | Creekhouse (1551 Johnston) on Granville Island | FREE

The Vancouver Public Library is having a book sale (wait, don’t they normally lend them for free?). Head down to the main branch to pick up all sorts of summer reads that you won’t have to give back. Try to get there early, as the good stuff goes fast. If you can’t make it until later in the day, keep in mind that admission ends 30 minutes before the sale closes.
Thursday, July 7 | 10am-9pm | Alma VanDusen & Peter Kaye rooms, Central Branch, 350 W. Georgia | .75 to $2.50

It’s roller derby time, baby! Portland’s Axles of Annihilation (yeah, that’s their real name) sweep into town to tough it out against our very own Terminal City All-Star team. “The last time the Terminal City All-Stars squared off with a Portland team, they blew the roof off the place.” Advance tickets are available in person at Flaming Angels (4307 Main Street) or online at Brown Paper Tickets.
Saturday, July 9 | 6pm | Minoru Arena (7551 Minoru Gate) | $20

If you don’t think roller derby is your bag (you don’t know until you try), maybe ballroom dancing is. Starting this Friday night you can float down to Robson Square for a little summertime swing. Snag a free lesson from a professional instructor and dance the night away (well, at least until 11pm). There will be performance dancers in full costume showing off as well. More information.
Friday evenings | 8-11pm | Robson Square | FREE

MUSIC

The Kulth Festival (pronounced coolth) is a cool little folk music festival going down in Coombs next week (July 16 + 17 at The Coombs Rodeo Ground on Vancouver Island). Billed as “The Folk Festival with an Edge”, Kulth has gathered a pretty impressive group of talented musicians to entertain, including Ron Sexsmith, Piper Davis, Headwater. While they’re gearing up for their main event they’re also bringing Vancouverites a sampling of what to expect with a free gig at the Electric Owl this week. Piper Davis will be there, so will Elekwent Folk, T Nile, Neighbour and The Boom Booms. Find out more about the festival here. Keep your eye on Twitter for an upcoming Scout giveaway of a Kulth weekend pass.
Electric Owl preview: Thursday, July 7 | 5pm-12:30am | The Electric Owl | Free
The Kulth Festival: July 16 + 17 | The Coombs Rodeo Ground, Coombs Vancouver Island

I don’t know if you’ve heard, but the City of Vancouver is throwing a bit of a bash in Stanley Park this weekend. 125 years! Now that’s a birthday worth celebrating. Make your way to the free outdoor festival at Brockton Point to see some awesome musical performances. “The performers, artists, musicians and athletes taking part in Summer Live have personal connections to Vancouver. They have different backgrounds and followed different paths, but this place helped form them and many of them know it inside and out.” Scout picks:

Fond of Tigers – July 8 | 7pm | Trail’s Edge Stage
The New Pornographers – July 9
Neko Case – July 9 | 7:45 Coast Capital Savings Stage
Veda Hille – July 10 | 2:45 | Trail’s Edge Stage
Dan Mangan – July 10 | 9:30pm | Coast Capital Savings Stage
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra July 10 | 5:15pm | Coast Capital Savings Stage

July 8, 9 & 10 | Click here for show times | Brockton Point in Stanley Park | Free

Holy amalgamated boy band tour! New Kids on the Block AND Backstreet Boys play to a sold out Rogers Arena Friday night. Crazy. If you want to rock it like an early 9o’s teen on Saturday night, tickets are still kicking about for, like, almost $100. Your call.
July 9-10 | doors 6:30pm, show 7:30pm | Rogers Arena | $30-$100

Experimental/Punk rock band Shearing Pinx “unleash the beast that is their new LP Rituals” with a live show at Zulu Records Thursday night. Always a good time at Zulu!
Thursday, July 7 | 7:30pm | Zulu Records | FREE

If you’re up for a little opera, Opera Pro Cantanti presents Verdi’s Rigoletto over in Mount Pleasant. “Rigoletto is court jester to the Duke of Mantua. When he cruelly ridicules Monterone, a man whose daughter has been disgraced by the womanizing Duke, the jester goes too far. Monterone curses the laughing Rigoletto with misery. It is a curse that will affect not only Rigoletto but also the one he loves the most—his own daughter.” So that’s uplifting.
Sunday, July 10 | 7pm | Cambrian Hall (Welsh Society) 215 E 17th Ave | $18

Memphis is playing the Media Club next Thursday. And you don’t want to miss that.
Thursday, July 14 | 9pm | Media Club (695 Cambie) | $14

COMMUNITY

If you live in or around the neighbourhood of Little Mountain you might want to get involved in an upcoming open house to learn about development concepts for the area located between 33rd and 37th Avenue and Main and Ontario Street. It’s your chance to view 3-D development concept options and provide feedback. The City is leading the process to guide the redevelopment of this 15-acre site. City staff, the developer (Holborn Properties) as well as representatives from the community will be available to answer questions and hear your suggestions. Details.
Saturday, July 9 | 11am-2pm | Riley Park Community Centre (50 E 30 Ave (@Ontario).

The Britannia Planning and Development Committee has been hard at work looking at options for facility renewal of the Britannia Community Centre and now they want your input. Join in an evening of conversation about the developing vision for the centre. This is a real community event: live entertainment, video presentations, food and prizes. If you live in the hood and are interested in learning more about what’s happening, this is an important gig to make it to. More information here.
Thursday July 7 | 6-9pm | Britannia Centre (1661 Napier) | Free

There is a super huge rummage sale going on in the West End over the weekend. Up to 40 vendors will be unloading the bits and pieces that are cluttering up their houses so that you can buy ’em up and clutter your own home (it’s the circle of life, Simba). There’s no charge for admission and refreshments will be available. Word on the street is that you can pick up a generous-sized bag of popcorn for only a buck.
Saturday July 9 | 10am-4pm | Lord Roberts Elementary School (Comox and Cardero)

Strathcona and Cottonwood Community Gardens are holding their annual garden open house this Sunday. Head down to the DTES to wander the seven acres of unique community garden space, sit in on a free workshop, take a tour, listen to live music, learn about plants and gardening techniques as well as permaculture, composting, winter gardening, mushroom growing and bee-keeping. Oh, and bring cash for the plant sale. There will be a variety of inexpensive perennials, annuals, ground-cover and shrubs. You can even buy honey made by DTES bees! Admission is free, and all sales go towards the non-profit volunteer-run gardens.
Sunday, July 10 | 11am – 2pm | Strathcona and Cottonwood Community Gardens (Prior and Hawks)

Speaking of Strathcona, if you’re in the hood on Saturday night and you’re wondering what the heck is going down. It’s the Union Street Block Party and, as usual, we’re going to rock it until late.

On the flipside, the Rosewood Hotel Georgia is opening its doors next weekend. “The hotel has been lovingly restored in preparation for its revival and counts one of the country’s largest private collections of Canadian art among its unique draws. An exquisitely restored Spanish Ballroom, Sense A Rosewood Spa, nearly 10,000 square feet of deluxe banquet and meeting facilities, 110 breathtaking crystal chandeliers and intimate lobby lounge”. The hotel is offering a special introductory rate of $192.70 (valid for a limited number of rooms and an advance purchase and a two-night minimum stay applies).
Friday July 15th | Rosewood Hotel Georgia

The Indian Summer Festival is on. Lots to do: attend The Wellbeing Experience (experts from India and Canada discuss and demonstrate yoga, health and ayurveda), the Indian Film Festival, author readings and panel discussions. Oh, and The Art of Indian Cuisine with Vikram Vij! Looks like a fascinating week of events. Check it out here.
July 7 -17 | Various times and locations | Visit website for details | FREE

FOOD

The Bearfoot Bistro World Oyster Invitational takes place in Whistler this Sunday. Oyster pros from around the world will be competing and because it’s an Andre St. Jacques show, you know the wine is going to be flowing like the Zambezi in the rainy season. This is going to be shucking good time, guaranteed.
Bearfoot Bistro | Sunday, July 10th | 2-5pm | $45 | Details

The Living Local Expo ~ The Food We Eat is going on Thursday night (as opposed to The Food We Don’t Eat?). Stop in at the Beaumont Studios and catch a screening of Fresh (a documentary film about the food we eat and where it comes from). After the film, a local expert will offer Vancouver-based solutions and answer questions about creating more sustainable lifestyles and communities. There will also be tables featuring local vendors showcasing products and information that offer sustainable solutions to the problems highlighted by the film. Sponsors include Planet B, Bullfrog Power, Gorilla Foods, Shoo-foo, Green Zebra and a variety of other local restaurants and business making a difference. Sounds like an all-around good idea if you ask me.
Thursday, July 7 | 6-11pm | The Beaumont Studios (316 W 5) | $2

If you can swing the hefty price tag ($190) Outstanding in the Field should go right to the top of your Amazing Things I Could Do This Weekend list. There are few events in the year that I look forward to more than this one. The mid-summer feast, complete with linen table cloths and wine pairings, magically materializes (with the help of a troupe of culinary gypsies) in a field or meadow close to the city for only one night and then vanishes without trace by the next morning. Read all about it in a previous Scout post here. “If you’ve never heard of this operation before, it’s a group out of California led by surfer/artist/chef Jim Denevan that navigate their way across the continent hooking up with local farmers, chefs, artisan producers and winemakers to host mind-boggling, multi-course dinners in jaw-dropping natural settings, everything from tidal beaches and farmer’s fields to vineyards and forest groves.”  Vancouver is lucky to have the Outstanding crew make two stops in BC this year. One at Pemberton’s beautiful North Arm Farm (Saturday, July 9) and one at the Glorious Organics farm in Aldergrove (Sunday, July 10). Chef James Walt of Whistler’s Araxi will be cooking in Pemberton while David Gunawan from West Restaurant will be cooking in Aldergrove. The events will sell out (for good reason), so get sorted quickly. Click this.
Aldergrove: Sunday July 10 | Glorious Organics Farm | $190 | Details here
Pemberton: Saturday, July 9 | North Arm Farm | $190 | Details here

Cin Cin is opening for lunch. Spring pea and mint soup with pancetta and morel mushroom fritter, here we come.
Monday – Friday | 11:30am-3pm | 1154 Robson Street

Brunch is such a civilized start to ones Sunday, don’t you agree? Try Sunday brunch at the Dunlevy Snackbar (Hastings and Dunlevy). This weekend they’re serving up Southern-style corn bread topped with poached eggs and walnut pesto and a side of tomato peach salad. All the cool kids will be there…
Sunday, July 10 | 11am-3pm | 433 Dunlevy between Hastings and Pender | $9

Grab locally grown produce from good people at your neighbourhood farmer’s market. Main Street on Wednesday rocks. Pick up some beautiful garlic scapes and fresh pasta from Campagnolo, add a little olive oil, some lemon zest, lots of pepper and freshly grated parmesan. See you there.

Trout Lake Farmers Market | Saturday | 9am-2pm | Trout Lake | Free
Kitsilano Farmers Market | Sunday | 10am – 2pm | 2690 Larch @ 10th | Free
West End Farmers Market | Saturday | 9am-2pm | 1100 Block Comox | Free
Thornton Park | Wednesday | 3pm – 7pm | Main Street Station at Terminal | Free
Dundarave (West Van) Saturday | 9am – 2pm | Between 24 & 25 on Marine
Oak Street Market | Wednesday | 3-7pm | Oak @ 49th (Unitarian Church) | Free

Farmers Markets are the best way to load up on fresh local food, but with the majority of markets taking place on the weekend, it can be hard to stretch your provisions a whole week. No worries. Now you can replenish the pantry on Thursdays too. The Society Promoting Environmental Conservation is setting up Westside Pocket Markets through July and August (If you’re on the Eastside, don’t fret, you already have Main Street on Wednesdays). This is no average pop-up market. Expect educational workshops on winter gardening and how eat local on a budget.
Thursdays, Now – September 8 | 3 pm-7pm Kits Neighbourhood House, 2325 W 7 | Free

FILM

Now that summer has finally arrived, lets make the most of it. Eat outside, dance outside, watch movies outside. Fresh air flicks are popping up all over town. What a delightful way to while away a summer evening. Bring your own blanket and snacks. It’s free and it’s fun. This week:
Ghostbusters Thursday, July 7 | Dusk | West Point Grey Park | FREE
Fried Green Tomatoes – July 11 | Dusk | Robson Square (across from the VAG) | Free
Field of Dreams July 12 | Dusk | Stanley Park (near Second Beach Pool) | FREE

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is on at the Vancity Theatre. “By and large trashed when it was released in 1998, Terry Gilliam’s whacko psychedelic satire has since been, not rehabilitated exactly, but reclaimed by the Hunter S Thompson fans it was always meant for. A big, lurching, cock-eyed, shape-shifting beast of a movie, slouching towards Sin City, it’s venomous in its horrified take on American escapism in its myriad forms (whether the lounge lizards are chemically induced matters not a jot) but also very funny. And the Depp/Del Toro double act is one for the ages.” More here.
Saturday, July 9 + Sunday, July 10 | 8:30pm | Vancity Theatre (1181 Seymour) | $11

And for something completely different, consider Pacific Cinematheque for Markéta Lazarová. “A near-unanimous selection as the greatest Czech film of all time in a 1998 survey of 100 Czech critics and film professionals, František Vlá?il’s monumental Markéta Lazarová is a “crazed musk ox of a movie, a nightmare epic of warring medieval tribes . . . the most convincing film about the Middle Ages made anywhere” (Michael Atkinson, Village Voice). Bergman’s The Seventh Seal meets Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai in a sprawling, visually dazzling, brutally realistic portrait of 13th-century Europe at the crossroads of paganism and Christianity.” Cool.
Saturday July 9 + Sunday, July 10 | 6:30pm | Pacific Cinematheque | $11

Meanwhile, in mainstream movie land, Horrible Bosses comes out this week and it looks pretty funny on account of Kevin Spacey. So great.
Friday, July 8… | Various times | Various Prices

If you are involved in or know of an event that you think we should add to the Scout List, drop us a line and we’ll see what we can do. Keep in mind that we’re looking for cool, cheap and accessible events. Michelle [@] Scoutmagazine [dot] ca.

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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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