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

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, from our calendar to yours!

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. Even if you don’t skate, today is a fine time to take a seat on the sidelines and appreciate the artform from a spectator’s perspective – Leeside, China Creek, Hastings – pick a park and do some hanging out!
Tue, June 21 | All Day / Everywhere | Free

FILM | My Own Private Idaho plays at The Cinematheque this week. Hide out in a delightfully dark theatre with a big bag of popcorn and lose yourself in the 1991 Gus Van Sant film starring River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves. With tones of Shakespeare this critically acclaimed cult classic is the story of two friends hustling on the streets of Portland. As the theatre explains: “Van Sant’s arresting indie film combines audacious style, improbable Shakespearean dialogue, and gritty authenticity into a weird, wonderful, funny/sad tale of unrequited love and skewed family relationships.”
Fri, June 24 & Sat, June 25 | Various times | 1131 Howe St. | DETAILS

CREATE | Local artist Rebecca Chaperon is holding a Secret Crystal Painting Party this Friday and it sounds rad. The artist-led painting workshop kicks off with a crash course in basic painting techniques and image design and moves on to the fun part: rolling up your sleeves to get painting/chatting and listening to music. All materials provided. Plus, this workshop takes place in the art studio where Rebecca does all of her own artwork, so you also might get yourself a cool studio tour as well. 10 people max can sign up, so get in there fast and grab a seat!
Fri, June 24 | 7pm-9pm | 2414 Main St | $65 | 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 a game plan is in order. Narrow things down by hitting the Jazz Festival website for a list of what’s on by date, location or artist. Expect everything from Blues and Big Band, Alternative and Hip Hop.
June 24 – July 3 | Various times and venues | Various Prices | DETAILS

SUMMER | Dinner on a beach, an evening hike, a cold beer on a deck, or building a daisy chain crown in a park – whatever tickles your fancy, you’ve got the maximum hours of daylight to do it this week. Sun rise hovers around the 5am mark right now and once it’s up, the sun doesn’t set until after 9pm. That’s a solid 16hrs of daylight, and reason to celebrate. Starting next week those hours start to slip away minute by minute, so make the most of it now. Yay summer!
All Day | Everywhere | Free

CANTINA BEIRUT | It doesn’t happen all that often so when we tell you there is a Lebanese taco pop-up dinner on the books this week, it’d be wise if you were to clear some time on your schedule. You guessed it, Abdallah El Chami (or “Dallah”) is prepping for Cantina Beirut II as you read this. Get sorted with tickets now and relax in the knowledge that, come Thursday, you’ll be in a taco paradise (think Pulled Beef Shawarma, Crisp Cauliflower and Saffron Chicken Tacos as well as beer and cider for only $3, plus a secret dessert). The last time Dallah held Cantina Beirut it sold out, leaving lots of sad faces adrift on the streets of Gastown, so don’t wait and miss out. $12.50 is a pretty sweet deal!
Thu, June 23 | 6:30-11pm | Hootsuite Media Inc. – 5 East 8th Ave | $12.50 | DETAILS

FARM FEAST | Punctuate the end of the first week of summer with an outdoor dinner on a farm. This Saturday night UBC farm hosts the 5th annual Joy Of Feeding international food fair. It was created by Vij’s Chef Meeru Dhalwala to support “learning, research, and community programs at UBC Farms.” Expect booths manned by fifteen home cooks from different ethnic backgrounds offering their treasured family comfort food. There will be dishes from Chile, Dene First Nation, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Ojibway First Nation, the Philippines, Poland, Italy, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Turkey and the Ukraine. It’ll be a night of heart, soul, and some damn fine cooking!
Sat, June 25 | 5-8pm | UBC Farm (3461 Ross Drive) | $55 (Free for kids under 12) | DETAILS

BEER | There are few things in life more satisfying than a good sandwich washed down by a good brew. Local blog This Sandwich, That Beer has long made it their mission to pair the best of the two, and now they’re matching up the sandwich wizards of Vancouver with the brewmasters of the craft game to compete for the perfect combo on June 26 at the Portside Pub. Proceeds from the event go to Backpack Buddies, a local group committed to supporting inner city kids who could use some lunchbox help. This round of the throwdown is vegetarian, so expect to inhale the magical collaborative pairings of Calabash Bistro x Yellow Dog; Cascade Room x Bomber Brewing; The Dirty Apron x Dageraad; Handtaste Ferments x Powell Street Brewing; The Local Omnivore x 33 Acres; The Uncommon Cafe x Strange Fellows; Biercraft x Main Street Brewing; Hi-Five x Steel and Oak; and The Blarney Stone x Townsite Brewing.
Sun. June 26 | 1pm-5pm | Portside Pub (7 Alexander St.) | $49.50 | DETAILS

CULTURE | Scoot down to the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden this weekend to catch Passion Pride and Memory: an evening of Chinese drama and dance. “An evening of high artistry expressing love, passion, longing, pride and sorrow.” Expect everything from traditional Buddhist melodies to the song of “The Drunken Concubine,” There will be Chinese theatre and martial arts as well as folktales set to music, Yue Opera segments, and a colourful mix of dance performances. A wander through the garden paths skirted by lilypad-covered ponds is like a stroll through an urban oasis; the added layer of music, dance and traditional story telling solidifies the feeling that you’ve been transported to another time and place.
Sat, June 25 | 7:30-9:30pm | Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Gardens (578 Carrall St) | $15 | DETAILS

LEARN | The Stanley Park Ecology Society is offering as series of foraging tours through Stanley Park. Because these tours are carried out in protected areas of the park, there won’t be picking or gathering per se, but this expert-led tour through the pathways and forests of the park will arm you with all kinds of info about edible (and inedible) plants and berries, how they have been used traditionally both by First Nations and Europeans.
Now – October | Various days | 10am-noon| Stanley Park Bus Loop, Rose Garden Lane | $39 | 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 streets with her best friend – a beat up, sticky, grimy (but faithful) camera.

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