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!

CULTURE | Robert Davidson will be hanging out at the Vancouver Art Gallery this Saturday. The Haida artist, widely recognized for his exceptional skills in carving, printmaking, painting and jewellery design, will be onsite to talk about his process and the challenges and inspiration that comes from drawing on traditional and contemporary Haida forms and iconography. This event is free with admission and open to all but does require a ticket. Tickets are available from the Membership Desk of the VAG beginning at 2pm on Saturday (limit 2 per person).
Sat, Jan 9 | 3pm | Vancouver Art Gallery (750 Hornby St) | Free with admission ($20)  DETAILS

VIEW | In his new exhibition The Special, local artist Kevin Lanthier creates photo montages of iconic Vancouver houses and buildings to create false but immediately familiar vistas. “The assembly of the pieces is done with the intention of creating a series of hyperreal, yet nostalgic little worlds, each of them distinctly and recognizably Vancouver.” The opening reception for The Special is this Friday (7-11) but the show itself runs through to the 30th. A must see!
Jan 7-30 | Hot Art Wet City (2206 Main @ 6th) | Free | DETAILS

SCIENCE | One isn’t awarded a Nobel Prize for going the easy route. In some cases, it requires an above average understanding to even comprehend what the winner is being recognized for. Having someone to synthesize and convey the significance is a great help. Enter our saviours, the SFU Faculty of Science! Every year around this time they celebrate the newly-awarded Nobel Prize winners in chemistry, physics and medicine/physiology by asking their learned faculty members to take to the stage and “explain the impact of these prizes to the community and highlight the connection between fundamental and applied research.” Prepare to be fascinated.
Thu, Jan 7 | 3-5pm | SFU Burnaby | Free and open to all | DETAILS

DRAMA | Reach back to late 80’s angsty high-school films and you’ll invariably stumble across Heathers (Winona Ryder, Christian Slater). It’s the story of a once nerdy girl who is inducted into the cool kids’ clique and becomes so frustrated by their nasty and vapid behaviour that she joins forces with a dark sociopath in a plot to kill the cool kids. The cult classic has now been made into a musical and it’s showing at the York Theatre this week. The performance comes with warnings for strong language, mature content, nudity, smoking, and loud noises…so it sounds halfway good already. Opening night is Friday, and the show continues to January 17th.
Jan 7-17 | 7:30pm | York Theatre (639 Commercial Dr) | $15-40 | DETAILS

ART | Oh man, Equinox has it going on this weekend with two shows opening Saturday. The first, Seeing Things, is a gathering of new paintings by local artist Erin McSavaney that marry the realism of photographed landscapes with colourful embellishments. McSavaney’s beautiful works have a way of conveying life and experience without incorporating the movement of people. Instead, the artist allows the stillness of bridges, fences, buildings and hedges to speak volumes. Outstanding stuff. The second show, Water’s Edge, is a collection of photographs by local legend Fred Herzog. From dark and curtained windows to barber shop doorways and neon signs, Herzog’s quiet documentation of life through capturing its smaller moments is magic; it doesn’t matter how many times you see his work, it always resonates with weight. Opening reception is this Saturday (2-4pm)!
Jan 9 – Feb 6 | Tues-Sat, 10am-5pm | Equinox Gallery (525 Great Northern Way) | DETAILS

PATRIOTIC | Hustle down to The Cinematheque this weekend to catch Canada’s Top Ten Film Festival. “Established in 2001 by the Toronto International Film Festival, this celebration of excellence in our national cinema showcases Canadian achievements in feature-length films, short films, and student short films.” Things kick off with a reception, refreshments and filmmakers on Friday night and continue with screenings of all shapes and sizes through the week. Of particular note is the Saturday night cross-country screening of Into the Forest (Ellen Page, Evan Rachel Wood) with a live video Q&A with director Patricia Rozema.
Jan 8-17 | Various times | Pacific Cinematheque (1131 Howe St) | DETAILS

EAT LOCAL | Some of the bravest of our local farmers and food producers gather their goods at Winter Farmers Markets to keep us well fed through the colder months. There are two markets to choose from this weekend. Head to the Nat Bailey Stadium parking lot on Saturday or skip over to the skatepark at the PNE on Sunday and load up on locally grown fruits and veggies as well as fresh bread, honey, dried fruits, and scores of other goodies.
Sat, Jan 9 | 10am-2pm | Nat Bailey Stadium (4601 Ontario St) | DETAILS
Sun, Jan 10 | 10am-2pm | Hastings Skatepark, PNE (Renfrew and Hastings) | DETAILS

MAKE | Learn to make fruit vinegar. Taught by food preservation and permaculture enthusiast Silvia Di Blasio, Homesteaders Junction offers a three hour class that will school participants on everything from fermentation basics to infusion methods. “Learn hands-on how to apply these techniques, which equipment and supplies to use, how to troubleshoot, and what the best practices to make each vinegar are.” Participants are invited to choose between apple, pineapple, stone fruits or oranges, and/or berries and will leave with at least one finished product to take home.
Sun, Jan 10 | 11:30am-2:30pm | Homesteaders Junction (649 E Hastings St) | $35 | DETAILS

FRESH AIR | Winter beaches have a lot to offer. Swimming isn’t advised, but cold water is clear and especially nice to stare deep in to. Take some time out to appreciate seaweed, shells, rocks and beach glass. Climb around on cliffs or sit on a log with a hot tea and contemplate how great it is to live in a city skirted by a shore that lets you touch down with nature without prohibitive travel time. Skies are rumoured to be clear. A walk at Iona Beach would be a beautiful way to start Saturday.
Any day | Any time | Free

TAKE IT OFF | The seventh annual No Pants Skytrain Ride takes place this Sunday as part of a global de-pantsing movement organized by an international improv comedy group Improv Everywhere. This heads up is just as important for those dying to strip down on public transportation as it is for those keen to avoid maximum skin viewing on their daily commute. How does it work? From the event organizers: “Board the Skytrain. As soon as the doors shut, stand up and take your pants off and put them in your backback. If anyone asks you why you’ve removed your pants, tell them they were ‘getting uncomfortable’ (or something along those lines).” It sounds pretty straightforward, and there is always an opportunity to make a new friend when your pants are down.
Sun, Jan 10 | 2:30pm | Vancouver Art Gallery (North side, by steps)| DETAILS

To submit an event for consideration, email events [at] scoutmagazine.ca

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.