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Ten Things That You Should Absolutely Do Between Now And Next Week

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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!

FRESH AIR FILM | Grab yourself some tasty summer picnic food and stake-out a spot on the grass with your best blanket because Tuesday night is movie night in Stanley Park. This week: The Lego Movie. From IMBD: “An ordinary Lego construction worker, thought to be the prophesied ‘Special’, is recruited to join a quest to stop an evil tyrant from gluing the Lego universe into eternal stasis.” A threat we can all relate to – ETERNAL STASIS MUST BE STOPPED!
Tues, July 8 | Dusk | Stanley Park at Ceperley Meadow / 2nd Beach | DETAILS

TOUR DE GASTOWN |  Wednesday evening is the Gastown Grand Prix. Riders from clear across North America are here to participate in the 1.2 course through the streets of this historic Vancouver ‘hood – get in on the fun! Secure a good spot (Chill Winston, Six Acres, Pourhouse, or The Diamond all look like nice options) and settle in to watch blurs of spandex zoom by lap after cobblestoned lap (35 for women, 50 for men). There will be a few other people in the crowd, so pack light and take public transit (driving to this gig isn’t advisable as parking will be a nightmare).
Wed, July 9 | 5:45 Opening Ceremonies | Gastown | Free | DETAILS

STARS | There’s a rad show going down at the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre on Thursday night. Science Fair is an art exhibit and interactive ‘science fair’ that also involves – ahem – music, wine, and beer. Wander the planetarium, sip on civilized glasses of wine and consider the relationship between art and science. Expect a show of paintings, illustrations, sculptures and awesome installations made by visual artists and enthusiastic science wonks (the artist’s reception, located in the lower lobby exhibit area, begins at 7:30pm). Later in the evening (around 10pm) there will be a technician-guided star show in the planetarium accompanied by synth-psych music by Sinoia Caves, Von Bingen, and Kensington Gore. What a trip!
Thu, July 10 | 7pm | H.R. MacMillan Space Centre (1100 Chestnut) | $20 | DETAILS

MUSIC | The Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden kicks off it’s Enchanted Evenings summer concert series this week, and this year there’s a twist to things. The soothing draw of the serene swaying bamboo and lily pad-strewn ponds remains, but for the 2014 season the concert series shakes things up with reservable seats, gourmet picnic dinners (order in advance for $10-$29), plus wine and beer. The first concert of the summer is Chinese-Western musical fusion ensemble Silk Road Music. If you can’t make the concert, don’t panic as there will be a total of five Enchanted Evenings and each will have a unique feel and tempo. Silk Road (Friday,July 11); Tomoe Arts (Thursday, July 17); Jim Byrnes (Thursday, July 24); Vancouver Piano Ensemble (Thursday, July 31); and Deanna Knight and the Hot Club of Mars (Thursday, August 7).
Fri, July 11 | Doors 7pm | 578 Carrall St. | Concert $25, Picnic / Wine extra | DETAILS

CLOSING | At the intersection of decision-making, all possibilities are open. Choose the right over the left, one job over another, answer the phone or don’t – multiple futures waiver in that moment; “…and all our possibilities collapse into the singular of what is, rippling outward from the moment of decision to affect our lives in ways unknown…” Those moments are the subject of Vancouver artist Adam Lupton’s final show – What’s In Store For Me In The Direction I Don’t Take? – at The Positive Negative Gallery in Chinatown. Lupton, who has run the gallery for the past several years, is closing shop to move to New York where he has been accepted to grad school (congratulations Adam!). If you have never been to the Positive Negative gallery, this is your last chance to check it out. If you have, this is your opportunity to get in and wish Adam good luck while standing in a room full of his latest work – a pretty swell way to make an exit!
Fri, July 11 | 7pm | Positive Negative Gallery | 436 Columbia St. | DETAILS

BASEBALL | The Vancouver Canadians are in town all week playing games at Nat Bailey Stadium. Nothing says summer like a bag of peanuts, a cold beer and a baseball game on a home field. Canadians play Everett Friday through Sunday and then take on Eugene Monday through Friday of next week. Thats a game every day (most games begin at 7pm) and sunshine on the weather forecast.
July 11 – 18 | Scotiabank Field at Nat Bailey Stadium (4601 Ontario St.) | $12.50 | DETAILS

KHATSAHLANO | Things are always pretty awesome along West 4th, but that Khatsahlano Street Party really takes the Kits experience to a whole new level. There will be 8 stages located across 10 blocks of West 4th. These will showcase over 50 of Vancouver’s finest independent bands and solo musicians as well as many other artists and performers. So grab some sunscreen and good walking shoes and don’t plan on being home for dinner. This is a full-day gig that you won’t want to leave early. The Poppy Family Experience, Humans, Lightening Dust, Aiden Knight, Bend Sinister, The Shilohs – the list goes on and on. Check out the full line-up of performers here and develop a game plan to maximize your live outdoor free musical enjoyment. Plus, beer gardens!
Sat, July 12 | 11-8pm | Along 4th Ave between Burrard & MacDonald | Free | DETAILS

FARMACIE | A summer evening long table farm dinner is something that everyone should do at least once. If you haven’t managed to attend one yet this season, consider heading out to the Fresh Roots Schoolyard Market Garden at David Thompson Secondary this Saturday night for Farmacie, a community dinner celebrating local food. Expect lots of fresh veggies, bread from Nelson The Seagull (with a delicious sounding smokey zucchini hummus), some arugula, mint and cilantro salad (with blueberries, feta and a lime jalepeno vinaigrette),  basil gnocchi, sausages, and pavlova with fruit for dessert. Chefs Juno Kim and Marika Richoz will be preparing the feast with proceeds going to support Fresh Roots. “Fresh Roots transforms open spaces into thriving neighbourhood gathering places through urban agriculture. More than growing a garden, they grow communities. Their schoolyard market gardens are working farms and living classrooms on school grounds.” That’s a pretty solid cause. Remember that the price of your ticket includes beer and wine.
Sat, July 12 | 7pm | David Thompson Secondary School (1755 E 55th Ave) | $125 | DETAILS

ART | Over the last few years many of Vancouver’s galleries have re-located to a parcel of land between Main Street and Clark Drive just above Industrial Avenue. Some of these new tenants have given the area a new name – ‘The Flats’ – and this weekend they are planning to strut their stuff with a collective summer bash boasting numerous exhibitions. Get this: Monte Clark Gallery will be showing Evan Lee and Jonathan Syme; Equinox is showing works by LA artist Etienne Zack; Macaulay & Co has Shawn Hunt in to give a talk (2pm); The Wil Aballe Art Project has an artist talk (Jordy Hamilton, 5pm); Gallery 295 is holding an opening reception for Scott Billings; The Winsor Gallery opens a two-person exhibition of Angela Grossmann’s Swagger series and figurative sculpture by David Robinson alongside an exhibition of paintings by Alessandro Papetti (talk 3pm); Chernoff Fine Art has a Photosession opening reception (12pm); and Field Contemporary Gallery has a performance at 1pm and a talk at 4pm. That’s 8 galleries with full walls and added bonuses of attending artists, talks, and performances, all in one wee microhood.
Sat, July 11 | Various locations “The Flats” | DETAILS

ESCAPE | If you’re in need of a summer vacation but can’t manage to slip away from work for a long weekend, consider heading to Bowen Island for the day. Exploring beaches and forests on Bowen is a fantastic way to spend an afternoon. There’s no need for a car. If you catch the 11am boat from Horseshoe Bay as a walk-on passenger you will arrive at the Marina Pier just in time for lunch (we highly recommend ordering yourself a rice bowl from Shika – just to your right as you disembark the ferry). This weekend is Steamship Days and there will be lots of activity as a result. Expect to see beautiful specimens of wooden boats brought over by The Vancouver Wooden Boat Society, as well as antique cars, live music, performance, a summer market, real live artists and patient, talented people leading kids’ activities (not to mention those great beaches and lovely shaded forest trails).
July 11,12,13 | Bowen Island | DETAILS  

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

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

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There are 3 comments

  1. Oh, the Flea Market!! Thanks. In Port Moody it’s Monday live Jazz Night
    (Jul 14th) at the Gallery Bistro. Always a relaxing time. Goes on till about 10.

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