Scout knows that smoking is bad for you, don’t smoke.

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…

Before we begin, don’t forget that Friday is Critical Mass. Plan accordingly.

MUSIC & FILM

The Vancouver Film Festival is on with lots of entertainments to choose from. Sitting down with a film guide is advisable, so check the online guide here to devise your plan. I’m looking forward to Take This Waltz: “Set in the oppressive heat of a Toronto summer, director Sarah Polley’s colourful second feature—starring a radiant Michelle Williams—explores the contrasting rhythms of new and mature relationships, and how they alter our images of ourselves.” (I have a thing for the oppressive heat of Toronto summers).
Friday, September 30 | 6:30pm | Vogue Theatre

Also interested in catching Surviving Progress: “Based on Ronald Wright’s bestseller A Short History of Progress, this documentary provides a subversive diagnosis of mankind’s unique abilities and the danger they’ve brought to the world.”
Friday, September 30 | 6:30pm | Granville 7  and Sunday October 2 | 4:15pm | Vogue Theatre

Don’t miss the Stars, The Midway State, and The New Pornographers playing a free gig at the CBC. Details here.
Friday, September 30 | 8pm | CBC | Free

GO GREEN

There’s a seed saving workshop at the Terra Nova Barn this weekend. Dan Jason of Salt Spring Seeds will be on site to teach the age old practice of seed saving .
Monday, October 3 | 5-7pm | Terra Nova l Park (2631 Westminster Hwy) Richmond | Free

Like the idea of a more walkable city? The International Conference on Walking and Liveable Communities is on (dubbed Walk21), and it’s all about “engaging governments, groups and individuals to develop best practices for urban design, transportation mobility, and health promotion to provide the best places to walk to and through.” Get involved. Take one of the the guided walks being offered for free. Check out the line-up here.
October 3-5 | SFU at 149 W. Hastings| Free

Rob Adams – architect, urban designer and Director of City Design at the City of Melbourne – comes to Vancouver to talk about Creating Places for People. “The Metro Vancouver region has been noted for its ability to accommodate growth while maintaining good quality of life for residents. Still, Metro Vancouver faces challenges in advancing the goals of the recently approved Regional Growth Strategy to ensure regional land use patterns support transit, walking and cycling throughout the region.” Get in on the discussion of how we can better create places for people in Vancouver. Free, but reservations are required. Reserve seats here.
October 4 | 7 pm | SFU Harbour Centre (515 West Hastings) | Free

Interested in raising chickens at home? Get the scoop on what’s involved by attending Backyard Chickens 101 at the Strathcona Community Centre. Learn about the basics of proper care and keeping of small urban flocks of hens in this interactive workshop.
October 6 | 7pm-9pm | Strathcona Community Centre | Free

Accompanied by never-before-seen photos from David Halls new book, “Beneath Cold Seas”, local marine-biologist Sarika Cullis-Suzuki provides a knowledgeable and passionate perspective on the
conservation issues facing our coastal ecosystem. David Halls mesmerizing photographs capture our underwater world in a way that will amaze scuba divers and land-lovers alike. Signed copies of Beneath Cold Seas will be available for purchase after the presentation.
Thursday October 6 | 7-8:30 |Central Library, 350 W Georgia | Free

CITY 

The Renfrew Community Centre is holding a Chinese Culture Festival on Saturday. Gobble up Chinese food, listen to music, watch and learn about martial arts, and check out traditional dancing. Grab your free ticket at the Renfrew Community Centre office.  More here.
Saturday, October 1 | 4:30-7:30pm | Renfrew Community Centre (2929 E 22) 

The Vancouver Institute is talking about how big business targets children during an evening with Joel Bakan. Bakan is not only a professor of law (Oxford, Harvard and Dalhousie), a Rhodes Scholar and former law clerk to Chief Justice Brian Dickson of the Supreme Court of Canada, but also the author of the critically acclaimed and award winning book and film, The Corporation. His new project, a forthcoming book entitled Childhood Under Siege: How Big Business Targets Children, gives him some authority on the topic.
Saturday, October 1 | 8:15pm | Lecture Hall No. 2 | Woodward Instructional Resources Centre, UBC | Details

The Vancouver Heritage Commission meets at City Hall on Monday to Discuss Beach Towers. A panel has been struck to looks at and discuss a proposal to significantly change the nature of the ‘iconic’ West End landmark site. Public may attend but cannot address the panel. For a backgrounded on this issue, have a read of a July 22 story in the Vancouver Courier here.
Monday, October 3 | 11 am | Vancouver City Hall (453 W. 12) | Free

CREATIVE

Local creative firm Burnkit presents their Prototypes exhibition this weekend. The show, which focuses on design prototypes, features works by five local designers and architects: Niels Bendtsen(Bensen, Inform Interiors), Omer Arbel (OAO, Bocci), David Battersby/Heather Howat (BattersbyHowat), Barnaby Killam & Stuart Sproule (Red Flag Design) and Lukas Peet (Lukas Peet Design). You can check out some photos here.
Friday, September 30 | 7pm-11pm and Saturday, October 1 | 2pm to 7pm | 397 Alexander

You’ve probably heard that The Interior Design Show West is setting up shop at the Vancouver Convention Centre this weekend. “IDSwest is an edited event showcasing contemporary, cutting edge and original design.” Highlights should include keynote speaker Ross Lovegrove, all the opening night festivities, and a ton of local talent.
Friday, September 30 – Trade Only, no General public 10AM-4PM
Friday, September 30 – Open to General public 4PM-9PM
Saturday, October 1 – General Public 10AM-6PM
Sunday, October 2 – General Public 10AM-5PM
September 29 – October 2 | Vancouver Convention Centre, 1055 Canada Place

There’s a cool design popup going in at the Cutty Contemporary Art Gallery Pop Up Exhibition. “New Design British Columbia is an exhibition showcasing contemporary, multi-disciplinary work from British Columbia’s emerging design community. Set to align with IDSWest, this exhibition will explore regional ideas in furniture, lighting, ceramics, outdoor apparel, and the principles of object making.” Looks like some sleek stuff. Love the look of the Mario Sabljak chair and the Nathan Martell light. Check it out.
Now – October 16 | 564 Beatty | Free

This is going to be good. It’s the “No Junk At This Trunk’ show at Walrus. Local jewellers bring out their new work and expanded collections to show while guests chat them up over drinks. Showing at the trunk show are Aysen Bozyigit, Keiko creative, Henderson Dry Goods, Hilliard Design, hk + np studio, Lemon Park, Monica Berdin and Stranger Things Millenery. All fine local peeps with super cool goods. See you there.
Wednesday, October 5 | 69pm | Walrus Home (3408 Cambie) | Free

ART

Local artist Johnny Taylor is doing an open studio exhibit of recent work done over the course of the last 9 months on the 4th floor of the Save On Meats building on Friday, September 30. Details here.

Dougal Graham: Only at Night is showing at the Trench Gallery and I highly recommend it – cool paintings that incorporate glossy magazine imagery. More here.
Now until October 15 | Trench Contemporary Art Gallery (102-148 Alexander)

Indulgence opens at the Cantu building on Kingsway. Curious? Find out about this show here.
Thursday, October 6 | 6-9pm | 196 Kingsway @ 10

Bon Voyage! Sayonara! See You Later! The LES Gallery calls it a day and they’re throwing a bash to say farewell. After 7 years showcasing local artists’ work, the sweet little gallery is closing its doors. They’re hosting a one night, “express your love for the LES event, where you can take away ephemeral objects that you’ll always be able to remember the LES Gallery by”. Bonus: confetti and drinks. LES Gallery.
Friday September 30 | 7-11pm | 1879 Powell | Free

The Museum of Anthropology has a new exhibition opening this weekend: A Green Dress: Objects, Memory, and the Museum. “Do objects remember? Or are they wrapped in the memories we bring to them, like layers of stories folded around a picture, a voice, or a worn-out shoe? In this exhibit, created to complement  Hiroshima by Ishiuchi Miyako, opening in The Audain Gallery on October 13, visitors are invited to experience selected objects and media from MOA’s worldwide collection. Some are ancient, some are new. Some are inscribed with their histories, while others are uprooted – their origins, makers, and journeys erased or forgotten. Some, like the green dress of the title, speak to memories and relationships not contained by the Museum but still part of living communities.”
Saturday, October 1 | Museum of Anthropology (6393 NW Marine) | $15

GLUTTONY

It’s Rosh Hashanah. Nelson the Seagull has some pretty amazing Challah bread.

BETA5 is opening their doors this weekend. Don’t miss this first chance to check out their line-up of chocolates, chocolate covered fruits and nuts, chocolate bars, caramels, and other creations because they won’t be open again until the next Saturday. More here.
October 1 | Saturdays, 11am-5pm | 413 Industrial Avenue

UBC Farm’s Maya in Exile Garden is putting on an interactive traditional cooking class next weekend. Workshop leaders will teach participants how to make squash flower soup with beans, salsa verde made from tomatillos, corn tamales with fresh beans, and fresh corn beverage with special squash. There will also be some talk about medicinal and culinary uses for various herbs and vegetables grown right there in the Mayan garden.
Saturday, October 1 | 2-4pm | UBC Farm | $30

AIDS Vancouver Celebrity Dim Sum happens on Saturday. Fred Lee and Sophie Lui emcee an event where celebrity pairs serve carts of dim sum to guests. Proceeds support members of the Asian community who are at risk for AIDS. Details.
Saturday, October 1 | 11 am–1 pm |Sun Sui Wah Seafood Restaurant (3888 Main)| $50

Oh yeah, The Baker’s Market is on again. Hook yourself up with artisanal breads, scones, pain au chocolate, macaroons, madeleines, cupcakes, marshmallows, chocolates and the like. Take your own containers and bags. Find out more here.
Saturday, October 1  | 11am–3pm | Moberly Arts & Cultural Centre, 7646 Prince Albert (2 blocks East of Fraser @ 60th)

October is here, and that means that our Farmers Markets will start to disappear. Don’t miss out! Grab locally grown produce from good people at your neighbourhood farmer’s market now!
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
Westside Pocket Markets | Thursdays | 3-7pm | Kits Neighborhood House, 2325 W 7 | Free
UBC Farm | Saturdays | 9-12pm | UBC Farm – 6182 South Campus Road

This Monday at the Long Table Series you can grab yourself a homemade ground chuck burger, piccalilli relish, Dubliner cheddar, crispy onions, hand-cut chips and a Blood Alley Bitter for only $16. Or, if you’re a vegetarian, crispy polenta, organic tomato sauce, fresh basil and parmesan shavings (with a pint, natch).
Monday, October 3 | 7pm | Irish Heather | $16

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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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