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…

Bees Knees | Vancouver’s new hub of DIY culture, Homesteader’s Emporium, is holding a Honey Extraction workshop this week. Yup, that’s right – Two Bees Apiary beekeeper Lianne will be on site on Tuesday to dish on when honey should be harvested, how to take it from hives, what tools you might need, as well as how to bottle or jar the end product. You’ll also learn which steps to take for fall management of a healthy, happy hive. Even if you don’t have a hive going, this sounds pretty fascinating. Because bees!
Tuesday, August 21 | 6-8pm | Homesteader’s Emporium (649 E Hastings) | $5 suggested donation | Details

Get Kinda Fancy | Throw on some slick duds and hustle down to Chinatown for a late summer soiree. The Vancouver Heritage Foundation is hosting an evening of cocktails and hors d’oeuvres in the Wing Sang building (restored by Bob Rennie and given City of Vancouver Heritage Designation in 1999). Highlights beyond the snappy dress and nibbles will include the opportunity to learn about Emily Carr’s early years so you can impress your friends with background knowledge of one of the province’s most famous artists and the chance to join in a ‘curator’s game’ of artifact or ratification. Fun stuff. Fancy stuff. Oh, and proceeds support the Vancouver Heritage Foundation.
Tuesday, August 21 | 6-8 pm | Wing Sang Building ( 51 E. Pender ) | $90 | Details 

Fresh Air Cinema | The number of opportunities to watch outdoor films on the big screen in Stanley Park is quickly dwindling. Off The Wagon tacos make dinner an easy fix, now just stake out a spot on the grass and settle in for a late summer screening of Labyrinth starring David Bowie’s hair.
Tuesday, August 21 | Dusk | Stanley Park at Ceperley Meadow (2nd Beach) | Details

Sprout | Fall is coming, so it’s time to think about a shift in seasons and boosting that immune system of yours. Eating well is key. Here’s just the thing: the All About Sprouts Workshop at Britannia Centre goes down this week that’ll teach you all about sprouting methods, fill you in on the health benefits and leave you with a few recipes. Proactive or what? Cost includes one sprout starter kit per participant as well as sample snacks.
August 23 | 6:30pm – 9:30 pm | Britannia Centre | $15 | Details 

Birds of a Feather | Nerd out with a date in Stanley Park on Sunday morning. Specifically, grab a coffee and slip down to Lost Lagoon for a walk and talk that will fill you in on local bird identification and behaviour. Pre-registration is suggested as space is limited and we are a city jam-packed with nature nerds. Once you’re done, stroll down Denman and take a look at the progress at Espana.
Sunday, August 26 | 9-11am | Lost Lagoon Nature House | Details

Chill | It’s a good week for music in Vancouver. The Cult is playing at The Commodore Wednesday (Details); Metallica is playing a gig at Rogers Arena (Friday, August 24); Black Mountain is headlining an Outdoor Summer Concert at The Waldorf (Ladyhawk will also be there), and DJ’s Rhek and Arems will be at Calabash on Friday night. They’ll be playing Golden Era Hip Hop for your listening pleasure. The huge upside of Calabash? It’s not a club, so no douchebags. Only good music, good people, Caribbean food and proper drinks.

Wildebeest | The most highly anticipated restaurant opening of 2012 goes down this Tuesday. Yessir, Wildebeest has finally arrived! Get the full low down here.
120 West Hastings | Tuesday, August 21st from 5:30pm | Good luck getting a seat

Movie by the Harbour | Did you miss your chance to catch an outdoor movie on Tuesday night? Pack the picnic basket, grab a blanket and head for Harbour Green Park for a movie under the stars. Jurassic Park is playing Friday night! What better way to watch this flick? Grass at your fingertips and leaves rustling above your head – talk about the full experience, right? Bonus: this event is a community fundraiser for the Vancouver Food Bank. Also, velociraptors!
Friday, August 24| 8:30pm | Harbour Green Park (1199 West Cordova) | By donation

Brunch | What are weekends for if not for indulging? Here’s an idea: schedule a late start and go for brunch. Make a date with friends or go it alone with a good, old fashioned newspaper (preferably not a local one – yikes). We like The Dunlevy Snackbar or Medina. And don’t let the line at the latter deter you – the lavender lattes and waffles more than make up for it.

Old School | If you are planning to make it to the PNE this year, you better get on it. The annual exhibition ends September 3rd. That’s only a week and a bit left to get your fill of mini doughnuts and corn dogs like they’re meant to be had.
Now through September 4 | Daily from 11am ’til late | PNE ( Hastings and Renfrew) | Bus it | Details

Regroup | Sunday suppers are an important thing to do. Whether you’re in the park on a blanket with friends or going retro with family in the dining room, it’s a good day to get grounded and prepare yourself for the week ahead. Sometimes preparing Sunday dinner is awesome fun and totally rewarding, and sometimes it’s a lot of work. Depending on your energy levels, hit up a farmers market (Kits and West End both go down Sunday – details) for fresh food to share or head to The Irish Heather for the best of both worlds: traditional Roast Beef dinner “English style” with real roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, Solefood kale & roasting jus with a pint of De Koninck. Extra: you don’t have to clean up.
Sunday, August 26 | Dinner time | Details

Have a greet week!

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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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