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. You can also check it out in the Globe & Mail, from our calendar to theirs…and yours!

CITY DRINKS | The Vancouver Heritage Foundation has arranged for an amazing 1930’s Newspaper Glory Days-themed evening of music and cocktails inside the storied Sun Tower this Thursday night. Listen to jazz (Vancouver jazz musicians James Danderfer and David Blake will be playing), enjoy 30’s inspired cocktails (mixed by Bambudda bar manager Buck Friend), and sample loads of canapés. Historian Daniel Francis will be in attendance with his wealth of knowledge and guests will be invited to take part in small guided tours of the newly renovated upper floor of the tower (recently restored but retaining original fixtures, old school radiators, marble staircases, single paned glass windows and stunning tile work). There will also be some lively conversation about history, architecture, design and the preservation of Vancouver heritage buildings. From Vancouver Heritage Foundation: “Built in 1912 the Sun Tower was one of the earliest steel frame skyscrapers in Vancouver, and was originally the home of the Vancouver World newspaper. It was commissioned by L.D. Taylor, the paper’s owner, and longest serving Mayor in Vancouver’s history. Bought by the Vancouver Sun in 1935, it was renamed the Sun Tower and became known for the distinctive rays of its neon sign. The beaux-arts building has a number of intriguing heritage features including a series of female sculptures surrounding the roof, green dome, and bold symmetry throughout.” The Sun Tower? Now that’s a venue! Extra bonus: there’ll be a raffle and one of the prizes will be a tour of the dome (we checked it out today and it was amazing!). Proceeds support Vancouver Heritage Foundation’s education programming and your ticket includes a $35 charitable tax receipt, so there!
Thu, June 19 | 6pm – 9pm | Sun Tower (128 West Pender) | $75 | DETAILS

NEW PIZZA | The highly anticipated “Bufala” pizzeria recently opened in Kerrisdale. It comes to us via Josh Pape and James Iranzad, the award-winning restaurateurs behind West Hastings’ excellent Wildebeest eatery. We checked it out on opening night and did our best to eat the place whole. What to order? Everything we tried was fantastic, but make sure you don’t leave without trying the smoked ham, pea, taleggio and truffle oil pizza. Holy good god was it ever good!
5395 West Blvd (Arbutus) at West 38th | Lunch & Dinner Everyday | DETAILS

STUDIO TIME | Carylann Loeppky paints portraits — lots of them. Her style sits at the intersection somewhere between cute and creepy and the walls of her studio are full and ready to be experienced. This Thursday, Carylann is opening her studio for Petit Palais, a show of recent works. There’s something great about visiting an artist in their natural habitat. The studio visit brings you the artist, their work, and their process all in one. Dig in!
Thur, June 19 | 6-10pm | Studio 338 1000 Parker Street | DETAILS

GO SKATEBOARDING DAY | There are so many ways to mark Go Skateboarding Day. Take a solo ride, 50-50 your favourite curb, stop by Antisocial to get outfitted with a new complete, or hit one of the many skateparks around the city. Vans Canada is hosting a waffle breakfast and skate at The Plaza (below the Georgia Viaduct at Union and Quebec) as well as skate jam and BBQ at Hastings Bowl (175 Renfrew) between 5 and 8pm. Even if you don’t skate, Saturday is a fine time to take a seat on the sidelines and appreciate the artform from a spectator’s perspective.
Sat, June 21 | All Day / Everywhere | Free | DETAILS

EXPLORE | This is a good weekend to take small people to the Vancouver Art Gallery. It’s Family FUSE Weekend! The theme is Here, There, and Everywhere! From the VAG “Our sense of home, community and the world around us is affected by many influences. Join artists, musicians, dancers, performers and educators as they take you Here, There and Everywhere through a range of interactive activities, performances and hands-on workshops!” As always, there’ll be excellent live music and some extra fun activities to encourage creativity (count on Malaspina Printmakers, The Vancouver Lego Club and The Now Society to help out in that department). What’s more, kids under 12 get in for free (score!) with a paying adult. This is also a good time to check out Douglas Coupland: everywhere is anywhere is anything is everything.
Sat–Sun, June 21-22 | 10am–5pm | Vancouver Art Gallery | 22.50 for grown-ups | DETAILS

DIG IT | The Vancouver International Jazz Festival is on. A fair number of the concerts are free and with so many gigs going on (hundreds of performances are scheduled) a game plan is in order. Narrow things down by using the ‘Performance Finder’ function on the Jazz Festival website for a list of what’s on (everything from Alternative and Indie to Big Band, Blues and Hip Hop). Scout picks include Norwegian songstress Susanna at Ironworks (June 21) and Bestie and The Belle Game at David Lam Park (June 29).
June 21 – July 1 | Various times and venues | Various Prices | DETAILS

BOOK ARTS | Head down to the Vancouver Public Library this Saturday to check out the Book Arts Fair. If you’re curious about the book as an object of art then this is the perfect venue to see some interesting stuff. Bookbinders and artists will be on site to show you altered books, bookbinding techniques and styles, the process of letterpress printing, and a variety of paper arts. This isn’t a stuffy museum-grade exhibit; you can touch and buy and ask questions. This event is put on by the B.C. Lower Mainland chapter of the Canadian Bookbinders and Book Artists Guild, so there’ll be some serious book smarts in the room.
Sat, June 21 | 10am-1pm | VPL Central Library, 350 W. Georgia St. | DETAILS

GO GREEK | Walk, take the bus or ride a bike to Greek Days this weekend. I mention modes of transportation because you won’t be the only one there and you’ll want to focus on having fun, not parking. Spend the day roaming a car free Broadway taking in live entertainment and enjoying good food. Expect Greek goddesses, warriors and heroes, Greek coffee and Mountain Tea, olives and lots of baklava. There’ll also be an Hellenic Experience Tent, cooking demonstrations, kids activities and, more. This event is free (until you start ordering souvlaki, Greek salad, gyros, roast lamb, filo pastries, et cetera).
Sun, June 22 | 11am to 9pm | Broadway, from McDonald to Blenheim | Free | DETAILS

CHOW | Food Cart Fest is set to make its tasty return this Sunday. A fleet of some 20 food trucks will be parked around communal tables at a site located between Olympic Village and the Cambie Street Bridge. Expect Soho Road, Mom’s Grilled Cheese, Mogu, Roaming Dragon, Yolks, and Tacofino – maybe even The Juice Truck. And the fun doesn’t stop there. There’ll also be live music, a community market, and all manner of ancillary vendors making it the raddest bit of undeveloped real estate in the city for one day of each week of summer.
June 22 – Sept 22 | 12-5pm | 215 West 1st | $2 (free with donation to food bank) | DETAILS

EAT LOCAL | Grab locally grown produce from good people at your neighbourhood farmer’s market while you still can. You won’t want to look back and wish that you had made it to more markets!
Main Street Thornton Park | Wednesday | 3pm–7pm | Main Street Station at Terminal | DETAILS
Oak Street | Wednesdays | 3-7pm | Oak and 49th | DETAILS
Yaletown | Thursdays | 2-6pm | Mainland between Davie & Helmcken | DETAILS
Trout Lake | Saturdays | 9am-2pm | North Parking Lot, John Hendry Park | DETAILS
West End | Saturdays | 9am-2pm | 1100 Block of Comox (across from Nelson Park) | DETAILS
Kits | Sundays | 10am-2pm | 2690 Larch @ 10th | DETAILS
Main Street | June 4 | 3pm-7pm | 1100 Block Main (Thornton Park) | DETAILS
Lonsdale Quay | Saturdays | 10am-3pm | East Plaza 123 Carrie Cates Court, North Van | DETAILS
Ambleside | Sundays | 10am-3pm | 1500 Bellevue (between 15th & 16th), West Van | DETAILS

Check the Globe & Mail every Thursday for our Special Weekend Edition of the Scout List

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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 streets with her best friend – a beat up, sticky, grimy (but faithful) camera.

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