A no messing around guide to the coolest things to eat, drink and do in Vancouver and beyond. Community. Not clickbait.

SCOUT LIST: 10 Things That You Should Absolutely Do Between Now & Next Week

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…

LECTURE | Heritage Vancouver is known for providing public programming that promotes an understanding of the importance of our city’s past. This week, however, they’ve gone a little off topic (but no less fascinating) by joining up with the Canadian Art Deco Society. Together, they’re present a lecture about the Art Deco architecture of Mumbai, India with Bombay Art Deco Architecture, A Visual Journey 1930-1953 author Navin Ramani.
Tuesday, November 20 | 6:30pm | Atithi Indian Restaurant (2445 Burrard St.) | $40 (includes buffet, wine and appetizers) | Details

ESCAPE | Vancouver is expecting rain every day this week. How nice would it be to press pause on that? As unlikely as that might seem, there is a way. Hide out at the Bloedel Conservatory for a few hours. While the Parks Board website explains that “the Conservatory sits beside the beautiful Quarry Gardens and has a panoramic view of the city’s skyline and mountain backdrop,” you won’t be seeing much of a skyline this week. Instead, go for the artificial temperature, exotic plants and flowers and free-flying tropical birds. With a little imagination (and a few props like sunscreen and a pair of flip-flops), you might just forget how miserable it is outside.
Monday to Sunday | 10am – 5pm | Queen Elizabeth Park (4600 Cambie St.) | $5.60 | Details

HOUSING FOR CREATIVES | Homelessness isn’t the only negative consequence of Vancouver’s lack of affordable housing. It also prohibits and constrains the growth of a vibrant creative class, and a city without creatives – especially those just starting out – is a dull but very real prospect. Head down to the Hive in Gastown this Thursday night for a brainstorming “visioning workshop” from The Laboratory of Housing Alternatives featuring a panel of experts and community leaders who are all on the same page.
Thursday, November 22 | 6pm – to 9:30pm | #210 The Hive (128 W Hastings St) | Details 

LITERATURE | Booker Prize winning queen of Canadian Literature Margaret Atwood is in town this week. She’ll be at the Chan Centre on Thursday night to explore zombies (she’s midway through publishing a 13 part serialized novel The Happy Zombie Sunrise Home on Wattpad), and the question of whether or not one can ever write about the future. This is a woman who could talk about turnips and come off sounding profound, so we’re betting this will be an inspired evening.
Thursday, November 22 | 8pm | Chan Centre for the Performing Arts (6265 Crescent Rd) | $15 | Details 

PECHA KUCHA | As usual, the organisers at Cause + Affect have gathered great group of locals for Pecha Kucha, each one charged with the task of taking the stage to use 20 images to tell a story in 6 minutes and 40 seconds. Expect to hear some cool things from Lizzy Karp of Rain City Chronicles, Norman Armour of PuSh International Performing Arts Festival, TJ Schneider from The Shop Vancouver, Dani Tatarin from The Keefer, the Victory Gardens girls – Lisa Giroday, Sandra Lopuch and Sam Philips, among others. If you weren’t able to snag tickets (they sold out in three seconds), don’t fret and stay tuned. We have a pair to give away later this week.
Friday, November 23 | 7pm | Vogue Theatre (918 Granville St) | $15 | Details 

HOMECOMING | Vancouver garage-rock duo The Pack A.D. have been on tour for a while and this Friday they finally play to a home audience. They’ll also be premiering their new video for Positronic. It’ll likely be a hell of a show, and we hope to see you there.
Friday, November 23 | Commodore Ballroom (868 Granville St) | Details

BUY ART | Return those empties, sell some books, dip in to the piggy bank, do whatever you have to do to pull together some cash and then get yourself to Emily Carr’s Annual Student Art Sale this weekend. This sale is one of the best ways to score original art from talented local artists before they’re discovered and their prices climb beyond reach of us normal folks. Browse through everything from paintings and prints to sculpture and clothing. Consider it holiday shopping, but for yourself.
Fri, Nov 23 – Sun, Nov 25 | 12-5pm (Fri til 8pm) | Concourse Gallery, ECUAD (Granville Island) | Details 

CRAFTY | The community of Strathcona is getting together for a kickass winter craft fair this weekend. The little neighbourhood (bordering on DTES and Chinatown) is jam-packed with talented, creative, and community-minded people. This is a seriously worthwhile craft event that will put a big dent in your holiday shopping list. Santa will also appreciate that you support local artisans and independent designers.
Saturday, November 24 | 10am-5pm | Strathcona Community Centre (601 Keefer) | Details 

FASHION | It’s cocktail dress season! A quick flip through the racks at department stores, thrift stores (or your best friend’s closet) you will have noted that black is the predominant cocktail dress colour. It may be simple, flattering and sophisticated, but black hasn’t always been every party-goer’s uniform. Looking back in history, black garb has been associated mostly with mourning and piety. Curious about how black made the transition out of churches and into receptions and dinner parties? Me too! Costume historian Ivan Sayers will tell the whole story of The Little Black Dress. Dressing up in your favourite LBD is encouraged.
Sunday, November 25 | 2-4 pm | Hycroft Manor (1489 McRae Ave) | $22 | Details 

LOU REED SONGBOOK | A slough of local musicians are getting together at The Waldorf this Sunday night to play tribute to the music of Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground. Get out of the rain and slip back in time with performances by White Poppy, Adam Sabla, Ian Browne, Jason Corbett, Colleen Rennison, Johnny de Courcy, Le Faz, Eric Campbell, Kevin House, Rebecca Russell, and Rod Bruno. Go on, take a walk on the wild side!
Sunday, November 25 | 7pm | The Waldorf Hotel (1489 East Hastings) | $by donation | Details 

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late-may-2009-169Michelle 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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