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10 Things That You Should Absolutely Do Between Now & 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! 

RIFFLANDIA | If you can swing it, this is a good weekend to hop a ferry to Victoria. Not only will the sun be shining its beautiful rays all over the fair streets, but it’s also time for Rifflandia, the kickass three day music festival. Death Cab For Cutie, The Airborne Toxic Event, and The New Pornographers will be in town, plus there are a number of smaller gigs worth checking out. Scout picks would be Smash Boom Pow at The Copper Owl on Thursday night, Friday’s performance by Vancouver-based NEEDS (again, The Copper Owl), DJ Rennie Foster at Lucky Bar late on Friday night, and the always amazing Lightening Dust on Sunday.
Sept. 11-14 | Various times and locations in Victoria | DETAILS

BEER | Need another reason to pack up and head out of town for the weekend? Whistler is holding a beer festival. Four days, 50 breweries (local and international) and a keg full of beer-centric events (seminars, talks, tastings and dinners). Expect to see pours from the likes of Four Winds, Hoyne, and Postmark to Double Mountain, Deschutes and Brooklyn. Bring your thirst!
Sept 11-14 | Various times, locations and prices | DETAILS

GYOZA BAR | Seigo Nakamura’s newest Japanese eatery, the highly anticipated Gyoza Bar, opens this week at 622 West Pender. All signs point to this place being a winner out of the gate, so be sure to check it out for first rate gyozas, ramen, and more. Scout took a look inside during staff training and took these sneak peek shots.
11:30am to 10:00pm Daily | 622 West Pender Street | DETAILS

SQUEEZEBOX | The 7th Annual Accordion Noir Festival takes place at the Fox Theatre this week. As festival organizers explain: “From dance parties, to concerts, to cabaret acts, workshops and a community dinner, The Accordion Noir Festival is Vancouver’s chance to be swept away by the deliciously edgy and deliriously sexy world of ‘noir’ accordion.” Folk, punk, indie rock, blue grass, punk – even hip-hop – an accordion can handle it all.
Sept 11-14 | Fox Cabaret (2321 Main St) | Various prices | DETAILS

HARVEST | Make time to attend the UBC Farm annual fundraising festival, FarmAde this Friday. The super fun outdoor event takes place on UBC’s 24-hectare learning and research farm. Originally intended to raise awareness about the farm and help to protect it against the threat of development, this family-friendly BBQ has become a tradition. There will be square dancing, live music, ‘low-impact’ burgers, cold and handcrafted beer, vegan desserts and lots of farm-fresh corn. As always, big props to the UBC Farm for cultivating food and community at the only operating farm in the city! A good time for a good reason.
Fri, Sept 12 | 3-8pm | UBC Farm, 6182 South Campus Road | Free | DETAILS

OCEAN LOVE | Chef Ned Bell just took a nearly 9,000 km bike ride across Canada. The coast-to-coast peddle took him away from home for over two months in order to raise awareness about sustainable seafood. On Friday night you are invited to join an impressive line-up of Vancouver Chefs as they welcome Chef Bell home with a seafood-focused reception. Proceeds go to the Chefs for Oceans Foundation.
Fri, Sept 12 | 6-8pm | Four Seasons Hotel (791 W Georgia St) | $40 | DETAILS

ART ATTACK | 20 local artists (emerging and established) will be on site at the beautiful Waterfall Building this Saturday to participate in Art Attack. Each artist will be provided with a blank 24″X36″ canvass and given 4 hours to use inspiration, focus and paint to transform that canvass in to a finished work of art to be auctioned off in the evening. Stake out a specific artist and watch their process or move about the room and appreciate a variety of approaches. There will also be lectures with leading art industry professionals over the course of the day. Partial proceeds go back to the artists with a quarter of sales donated to a visual-art award for the graduating students at Emily Carr. Have a look at the list of participating artists here.
Sat, Sept 13 | noon – 11pm | The Waterfall Building (1540 W. 2nd) | DETAILS

TREES | It’s a bit of a hike but the Treefest out in Coquitlam sounds interesting: it’s a celebration of trees and heritage with an emphasis on the collection of trees on the old Riverview Hospital land. Tag along on one of the walking tours of ‘significant and unusual trees’ found in the 2 acre horticultural therapy garden or take a seat on a bus for a tour of Riverview grounds with former staff members on board (don’t worry, everything will be fine – no reason to get creeped out). There will also be children’s crafts and games, live entertainment, and heritage building tours.
Sat, Sept 13 | 11am–4pm | Riverview Hospital (2601 Lougheed Hwy) | Free | DETAILS

LANTERNS | This Saturday is the Renfrew Ravine Moon Festival. As night falls in the park a procession of lanterns begins to follow forested ravine pathways. Wander to take in light installations, learn about salmon, rivers and ravines, enjoy roaming performers and live music, and make sure to stop for some tea and moon cake in the Renfrew Field Tea Garden.
Sat, Sept. 13 | Renfrew Community Centre (2929 E. 22 Ave) | DETAILS

GEEK OUT | Get your nerd on at the SFU (Burnaby) Science Open House on Saturday. Roll up your sleeves to participate in hands-on activities, check out some of the live science demonstrations, stand in awe of the engineering projects and generally just enjoy being amazed by what you discover.
Sat, Sept, 13 | 10am-3pm | Applied Sciences Building Atrium, SFU | DETAILS

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.

There is 1 comment

  1. Thanks for helping to spread the squeezy news about the Accordion Noir fest! Only the opening night is at the Fox — closing night is at the Orpheum Annex and Fri & Sat in between are at the Russian Hall in Strathcona, 600 Campbell Ave. Cheers and thanks again for squeezing us in!

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