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…

So. This is a good weekend to ditch the car, for sure. First off, it’s Pride, so get your LGBT on and strut, don’t drive. And don’t forget about the Celebration of Light gongshow in English Bay. Keep in mind that traffic restrictions will be in effect downtown on Wednesday, August 1 and Saturday, August 4. Public Transit never looked so good! On these evenings, vehicle access in the West End and Kits Point will be limited to residents who can prove residency through car registration or a resident permit parking decal.

Fresh Air Cinema | Grab a blanket and get yourself down to Second Beach on Tuesday night. Enjoy a little sunshine on your face and sand between your toes, watch the sun set and then relax for an outdoor movie. This week it’s Olivia Newton John and John Travolta dazzling in Grease. And speaking of Grease, have you heard this cover of You’re The One That I Want by The Lennings? It’s so good. Pro tip: the Off The Wagon food truck will be on site, so if you wanted to score a taco dinner, you’re in luck, hombre.
Tuesday, July 31 | 9pm | Stanley Park (2nd Beach in between the water and Stanley Park Drive) | FREE | Details

More or Less | Shudder Gallery has a slick-sounding installation going on until Saturday, and think it’s deserving of a proper look-see. Vancouver collective studioCAMP (Ian Lowrie, Nigel Dembicki, Genta Ishimura) have rigged up a show that examines the relationship between built environment and inhabitants: “Built space is navigated and understood through a series of interfaces (light switches, walls, heat vents, etc.) yet there is often a struggle with its inhabitant in understanding the structural nuances of these systems. The link between a reservoir, a water faucet and a sewer is common knowledge, but what do we imagine when we think about how that technical system is actually physically shaped and how it operates when placed in our surrounding architecture? MORE OR LESS is a whimsical manifestation of this relationship and seeks to highlight and play with our ‘more or less’ knowledge of how the built environment around us actually exists.” This sounds like the kind of show that gets you thinking. Keep your brain sharp by taking in some art. Maybe head to The Keefer or Bao Bei for a summer cocktail afterwards.
Now through – August 4th | 433 Columbia | Free | Details

Long Table | There are two pretty fantastic reasons to go to the Irish Heather this week. On Tuesday night there is a freakin’ Clam Bake (beer steamed local clams with corn bread, corn on the cob and salad with a Kronenbourg for only $18) and on Wednesday night you might still be able to score a seat for the Pit For Your Supper event (trade 2 hours of labour for spiced pork loin with potato salad, fresh cut slaw and a Fat Tug IPA). E-mail [email protected] for the skinny.
Tuesday July 31 or Wednesday Aug 1 | 7pm | The Irish Heather (212 Carrall Street) | Details 

Vintage | Good news: Duchesse Vintage And Such is opening this weekend. We’ve been waiting for this for a while now. Located in Chinatown (on Columbia Street between Pender and Hastings), Duchesse will carry vintage clothing and accessories as well as retro kitchen and housewares and all manner of curious bits and pieces. Doors open for the first time on Saturday, so scoot down to Chinatown for a look. Keep your eye on Scout for an advance look at what to expect.
Saturday August 4 | 430 Columbia | Details 

Absorb | Vancouver-based designer Omer Arbel (Creative Director of Bocci and super talented dude whose diverse works include everything from the designs for the 2010 Winter Olympics medals to the lights at Tacofino) is speaking at Creative Mornings this week. Tickets for this are already on sale and they go fast. Released in batches, the first set has already been snatched up. The next batch goes “on sale” (they’re free) at 4pm and your last chance is at 9pm. Hook yourself up right now. Click here. Arbel will be speaking on his approach to design (which is really inspiring and impressive) and we think you should check him out. Again, tickets go fast. Get sorted.
Friday August 3 | 8:30-10am | W2 Media Cafe (#250-111 W Hastings) | Free

Home-Grown Design | Celebrate where you come from by checking out the Made in BC show at Emily Carr. This exhibition showcases functional two and three-dimensional objects created by designers born in or residing in BC.  “Both vernacular (popular-folk designs) and works created by professional graphic and industrial designers are included in the exhibition.” Items in the show were gathered together to create a teaching collection inspired by the University’s online course, BC Design History. Visit the BC150 Applied Arts website for additional information.
Sunday, August 5 – Saturday, August 25 | Emily Carr University Concourse Gallery | 10am-6pm daily | Free | Details

Live Action | The Yellow Crane Festival of Art and Design is another good reason to scope out Granville Island this weekend. It’s (literally) a demonstration of the creative process in action – Emily Carr University students working in open studios. This is a really cool idea. Artists and students from a wide range of disciplines (ceramics, book arts, illustration, painting, mixed-media sculptures, and Aboriginal arts) will be doing their thing while onlookers get a better feel for the process involved. It’s an interactive gig, too. You can ask questions, get your hands dirty, take pictures, and even bring a tired item from your closet and have it up-cycled while you watch! Have a look at the Facebook page to get a feel for some of what you’ll see.
Saturday, August 4 – Mon, August 6 | 10am-6pm |  Yellow Crane – Granville Island between Emily Carr and GI Hotel | Details

Smoking Sausage | The Livable Laneways project is on again this Saturday. Once grotty back lanes transformed into an area of activity and creativity – so inspiring! Last week was the farmers market, and the week before Blim put-on a craft market. This weekend? It’s the sausage cook off! You get to eat and vote on specially crafted sausages made by local Mount Pleasant restaurants (Hyde Eight 1/2, The Cascade Room, the Rumpus Room, and Rhizome Café are all entering the cook off). Good karma tip: proceeds go to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank.
Saturday, August 4 | 5-9 pm | Main Street (laneway between Broadway and E. 8th | $3 | Details 

Get down | It’s Pride time people. There are oodles of celebratory events going down but the big ticket is the parade. Beginning at 11am this Sunday, The Vancouver Pride Parade travels along Robson street to Denman, down Denman to Beach Avenue and ends at Sunset Beach (where the real party begins). For all the juicy bits (Davie Village dance party, Sunset Beach beer gardens, outdoor market, live music) leading up to the main event and the full scoop on the Pride Parade proper – skip over to the Pride site here. This deal attracts in excess of 125,000 people, so keep that in mind. Leave the car at home and take lots of good, respectful energy with you.
Sunday August 5 | 11am to 6pm | Everywhere – but specifically Davie/Denman/and English Bay | Free | Details 

Eat Local |Don’t take one single opportunity to hit-up a Farmers Market for granted. The day will come when those hard working framers will pack up and retreat back to the cold, winter rains and you’ll be sorry you didn’t get to more markets. Grab locally grown produce from good people at your neighbourhood farmer’s market. Main Street on Wednesday rocks!
Trout Lake Farmers Market | Saturday | 9am-2pm | Duh, Trout Lake
Kitsilano Farmers Market | Sunday | 10am – 2pm | 2690 Larch @ 10th
West End Farmers Market | Saturday | 9am-2pm | 1100 Block Comox
Main Street Thornton Park | Wednesday | 3pm – 7pm | Main Street Station at Terminal

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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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