by Michelle Sproule | 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…

Heads Up | Keep in mind that Celebration of Light fireworks start this week (Saturday). Plan accordingly and for crying out loud – don’t try to drive through the West End while the festivities are going down. For serious. If you appreciate your fellow man at all, avoid your automobile this Saturday at all costs.

Aprons For Gloves | The event of the summer goes down on Wednesday. The charity boxing showdown organized by the Aprons for Gloves Boxing Association is pitting Vancouver’s bussers against its barbers and its cooks against its bartenders on July 25th. Should not be missed! | Details 

Rejoice | Tacofino opens at 2327 East Hastings this week, and there was much rejoicing. Take a sneak peek, and don’t forget to bring your appetite. | Details

Vancouver Shoe Swap | Looking for some new shoes? Wanting to unload a closet full of old ones? Either way, you’re in luck this week. Just get yourself to the Vancouver Shoe Swap. Buy, sell or trade your shoes and walk out with some fancy new ones. Footwear must be in excellent condition, so don’t try to sneak in with extra stinky old Vans and hope to walk out with a pair of Manolo Blahniks. Buyers: doors open at 7pm. Sellers: Take your pre-loved shoes in to Heritage Hall between 6-7pm. Note that there will be a $2 charge per pair you want to sell.
Tuesday, July 24 | 6-11 pm | Heritage Hall ( 3102 Main) | $5 | Details

Atelier | Johnny Taylor is having a show at Catalog Gallery this Thursday. Actually, it’s more than a show – he has moved his studio into the gallery. “This idea stems from a long ago trip to Berlin when Johnny came across numerous ateliers-gallery studios where the artist worked every day and showed their creations on site, opening the doors to people passing by. To him it seemed like the dream; your own studio, in your own gallery, showing what you had most recently worked on.” So Johnny has been there, painting like mad and now it’s time for him to pack up and move out. But before he leaves, the gallery is having a closing party to show off everything he has created during his stay. We’ll see you there.
Thursday July 26 | 8pm | 56 Powell | Free

Dine | Andrea Carlson (recently Bishops) and Tyler Gray (Mikuni Wild Harvest) are doing a dinner collaboration above Le Marche St George on Saturday night and we’re guessing it’s going to be mind-blowingly good. The menu will be heavily influenced by local, wild-foraged foods gathered by Tyler, wine selected by Mark Simpson of Artisan Food & Beverage, and dessert will be a Thomas Haas deal. There will also be a 10 minute solo cello performance to kick things off. So pretty fucking great all round.
Saturday, July 28 | Le Marché St. George | $ 

Chow | Ever finish up a yam and black bean taco and wish you had a cold pressed Cucumber kale juice to wash it down with but were dismayed to realize that you were no where near The Juice Truck? Problem solved. This Sunday and for the four Sunday’s following there will be a proper gathering of food trucks steps apart from one another in one place. Yup, a flock of Vancouver’s finest trucks will be parking their butts in the parking lot of The Waldorf Hotel. If you made it to The Waldorf’s Canada Day Block Party you know how awesome it is to be surrounded by food carts. It makes dinner hard to decide on, but what an awesome problem to have. Well, the clever folks at the Waldorf picked up on the enthusiasm and called for a repeat. Expect Off the Wagon, Re-Up, La Brasserie, Soho Road, Mom’s Grilled Cheese, Cartel Taco, Pig on the Street, Guanco, Holy Perogy and The Juice Truck. And the fun doesn’t stop there. There will also be a market of over 50 vendors selling clothing and accessories, art and trinkets, not to mention live music. If you can’t make it this weekend, don’t panic. Cart Fest will run consecutively for five Sundays. Oh, and did we mention the Beer Garden?
Sunday, July 29 | noon to 6pm | 1489 East Hastings | Free admission

Film | Beasts of the Southern Wild is still screening at Fifth Avenue and it looks like a fantastic film (details). You can also nerd out at the Planetarium on Friday night with a special screening of Star Trek (details). If you have kids, take the fam to an outdoor screening of The Incredibles at Nat Bailey Stadium on July 24 (7pm).

Buzz | All of the UBC markets are fantastic, but this week is the bee-themed one, and we love bees. There will be a pollinator-focused farm tour (11am), cooking demos, a Queen Bee storyteller, and oodles of information about what makes our local pollinators so important.
Saturday July 28 | 9am – 1pm | UBC Farm | Free

Learn | Oh, and speaking of bees, we totally want to take Beekeeping for Beginners at the Southlands Heritage Farm. Instructor Christian Duhme (as official beekeeper for the City of Vancouver he keeps bees on the roof of City Hall) will school participants on basic bee biology, hive management, the beekeeping calendar and (best part) honey production complete with honey sampling right out of the hive. How can you go wrong filling your brain with that kind of knowledge?
Saturday, July 28 | 10am | Southlands Heritage Farm ( 6767 Balaclava) | $40 | Details

Gather | Make some space on your schedule for a sweet pop-up market in the old Boneta space at 1 East Cordova this weekend. Yes, there will be shopping (which is just fine by us), but this pop-up also involves workshops, lectures, art exhibition and happy hour. “Expect to find 25 amazing local designers, creative workshops, a flash lounge and an in motion art installation of popsicles and neon bikes, otherwise known as the PopCycle tour” Oh, plus Simon Kaulback of Boneta is giving a one hour talk on the history of how the cocktail has evolved over the last 200 years. Boom.
July 27, 28, 29 | Old Boneta space 1 East Cordova | Details

Eat Local | Want to go to a farmers market to load up on fresh produce but also feel like putting in a bit of time shopping? Good news: Old Faithful is holding it’s second pop-up Farmers Market of the season. Now you can buy fresh produce and not even have to leave downtown. Everything is local, so expect fruits and veggies, baked goods and specialty food items (like jerky, ice cream and dried cherries). Oh, it’s gonna be tasty. See you there.
Sunday July 29 | 11am-5pm | Old Faithful Shop (320 W Cordova)  

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Michelle Sproule grew up in Kitsilano and attended 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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