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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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!

ART | Hit Emily Carr University on Thursday night to catch a talk with Audain Distinguished Artist-in-Residence, Elizabeth Price. Price uses layers of time and story to create moving image works specifically for gallery environments. Like a collage that spills off the paper to incorporate movement and sound, her work “blurs the boundary between historical fact and fiction, real and imagined narratives.” This public talk will be followed by a reception in the Charles H. Scott Gallery.
Thu, Mar. 16 | 7:30-9:30pm | ECU Lecture Theatre | Room 301, South Building Free | DETAILS

FILM | This week brings the second installation of the Vancouver International Film Festival organization’s five week survey of film: Cinematography & Visual Design. Slide into a theatre seat for the 10:30am start and learn about what makes the medium tick. From VIFF: “Movies are magical: They are seductive blends of art and entertainment that transport us to imaginary worlds. But behind this magic is a complex combination of moving parts—the elements of filmmaking—that are assembled by a creative and collaborative crew. Using production stills and film clips this tightly focused but freewheeling five-part series of lectures will investigate important aspects of the art of film and celebrate the talent and technique of moviemakers.” Rick Staehling (previously the film critic for CBC Radio) instructs the hour-long class. Each class is only $20 – so no need for a student loan!
Mon, Mar. 20 | 10:30am | Vancity Theatre (1181 Seymour St.) | DETAILS

WINE | If you’re interested in conscientious farming and minimal-intervention winemaking, you’ll want to clear your schedule and score a ticket to the winemaker’s dinner going down at Burdock & Co. this Sunday night. Burdock owner/chef Andrea Carlson will plate fresh, locally sourced food to compliment pours from four wineries: Bella, Synchromesh, Nichol and Lock & Worth. Slow down to celebrate and support slower, more mindful methods of making wine, eat some good, honest food, and meet some really nice people. Tickets to Fine Wines and Fresh Fare are $130 and include food, wine pairings, tax and gratuity.
Sun, Mar. 19 | 7-10pm | Burdock & Co. (2702 Main St.) | $130 | DETAILS

MAKE | How many people can say they learned Japanese Bookbinding over the weekend? You can – just get yourself to Blim and take their Saturday afternoon Japanese Bookbinding class. Attendees will receive instruction on how to make two styles of book using the traditional Japanese stab binding technique. Instructor Suzan Lee has oodles of experience (trained at Centre for Book Arts in New York and the a co-founder of the BC Lower Mainland chapter of Canadian Bookbinders and Book Artists Guild) and likely has a few tricks to help you through building your first books! For information call 604-872-8180 or email info [at] blim.ca. Workshops at Blim fill up quickly, so it’s a good idea to check in before you start the registration process.
Sat, Mar. 18 | 2–5pm | Blim (115 E. Pender St.) | $85 | DETAILS

THINK | The Vancouver Institute presents a Saturday evening lecture that promises to exercise your brain cells. James Hansen (Adjunct Professor at Columbia University, Head of NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies) takes the stage at the Woodward Instructional Theatre to speak about global warming and to ask the hard question: “Can The Next Generation Avert A Catastrophe?” As event organizers explain: “[Hansen] is recognized for speaking truth to power and for outlining actions needed to protect the future of young people and all species on the planet. His 1988 U.S. Congressional testimony on climate change helped raise broad awareness of global warming, and his advocacy of action to avoid dangerous climate change.” Big Questions. Get thinking!
Sat, Mar. 18 | 8:15pm | Lecture Hall 2 | Woodward Instructional Resources Centre, UBC | Free | DETAILS

WHISKY | Fuck line ups, green beer and sparkling, shamrock-adorned hats. Celebrate Ireland’s patron saint on the eve of the madness known as St Patrick’s Day with a civilized whisky or a pint of Guinness at the quietly tucked away Shebeen Whisk(e)y House in Gastown. Cut through the Irish Heather (it won’t be an easy task on this busy holiday) and duck out back to the understated and authentic bar to raise a glass.
Fri, Mar. 17 | The Shebeen at The Irish Heather (210 Carrall St) | DETAILS

EAT | We’ve pitched it to you before, but the spätzle/schnitzel situation at Bestie on the weekends is worth bringing up again. Scoot in for brunch and fill up on a satisfying plate of spätzle and eggs or skip making dinner on Sunday night and hit the schnitzel service. And remember, everything goes better with Sunday Cider! No reservations required.
Bestie | Brunch Sat/Sun 11:30am–2pm, Schnitzel Sunday 5pm | 105 East Pender St. | DETAILS

MUSIC | With so much music SO easily accessible, these days it’s nearly impossible to keep up with everything that’s going on in the global and local sonic landscape. Fortunately, this Saturday the venue and pub from Down Under, ANZA Club, is playing host to six underground musicians making modern electronic, R&B, hip hop and soul music in the city. BPM Vol.1 is a fundraiser produced by one of Vancouver’s go-to current music rags, BeatRoute Magazine, so you know your musical education is in good hands. Tickets can be found here. – Thalia Stopa
Sat, Mar. 18 | 7:30 – 1am | The ANZA Club (3 West 8th Ave.) | $12 | DETAILS

TREES |  Being that Mother Nature hasn’t kicked in with spring quite yet, you might want to patch yourself through with an on-screen reminder of what green looks like. Hit The Cinematheque this weekend and watch Call of the Forest: The Forgotten Wisdom of Trees. This film, featuring Botanist Diana Beresford-Kroeger, takes its audience on a tour of trees around the world, through history and into the future. While this film runs Friday through Saturday, Botanist Diana Beresford-Kroeger will be in attendance on Saturday.
Mar. 16-18 | Various times | Cinematheque (1131 Howe St.) | $11 | DETAILS

GREASY SPOON | Greasy Spoon is always on the fancy side of diner fare, but this week it gets extra fancy with French cooking. If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, the Greasy Spoon Supper Series invites our best chefs to plate four courses of old school diner fare in their own way in support of A Better Life Foundation. It’s always a good time, and the chefs really love taking a swing at the ‘diner’ concept. Alison Ramage of Design To Dine is on deck Monday night to cook the next Greasy Spoon dinner. The menu looks good with herb bread and garlic butter, tarte flambee, Smoked sausage with cabbage and spaetzle, cheese ice cream (of course) and a tasty bit of apple strudel.
Mon, Mar. 21 | Two seatings: 5:30pm & 8pm | 43 West Hastings St. | $95 | DETAILS

 

Transition Into 2024 with Some Quality Downtime

From our calendar to yours comes this carefully considered agenda of cool things we are doing, wishing we could do, or conspiring to do in Vancouver, from now until January 8th, 2024.

Scout List, Vol. 601

From our calendar to yours comes this carefully considered agenda of cool things we are doing, wishing we could do, or conspiring to do in Vancouver, right now.

Scout List, Vol. 600

From our calendar to yours comes this carefully considered agenda of cool things we are doing, wishing we could do, or conspiring to do in Vancouver, from March 30th to April 5th, 2023.

Scout List, Vol. 599

From our calendar to yours comes this carefully considered agenda of cool things we are doing, wishing we could do, or conspiring to do in Vancouver over the days and weeks ahead.