Scout List: Our Eclectic Agenda For Discerning Vancouverites…

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…

The Waste Festival spreads across the city. The playoffs are on.  And the sun is set to make an appearance. Do you even need a Scout List? Just walk out the door.

CULTURE

Music Waste is on and events are so numerous and so flippin’ good that it’s almost pointless to try to narrow it down. Skip over to the Waste website for a look at the schedule and you’ll see what I’m on about. I guess if someone held a gun to my head I could come up with a shortlist of gigs that would be on my must-see list, and that list would go something like this: On Friday I’d hit Zulu for in-store’s with War Baby (6pm), Walter TV (7pm) , and Spring Break (8pm), then I might high-tail it over to Campagnolo for some crispy ceci and wine before stopping in at the Electric Owl to hear the Shilohs play (10pm), after which I’d bolt to the Biltmore for a bit of Fine Mist (11pm). Finally, I’d wander back down to Hastings Street to catch Apollo Ghosts at the Astoria (1am).

On Saturday I’d take the kids to Red Cat Records for the all ages afternoon show with Woolworm at 2pm and Thee Ahs at 3pm before skipping down to Gene for Prophecy Sun at 4pm. In the evening I’d start out at Antisocial (The Spreads play at 10pm), head to Electric Owl for Sun Wizard at 12:30am and then scoot over to the Waldorf for No Gold at 1am. All of the venues are within walking distance (they say) of each other and full festival passes are only $15 (deal of the century). Passes can be found at: Neptoon Records (3561 Main Street); Zulu Records (1972 W 4th Ave); Scratch Records (726 Richards Street) and Redcat Records (4332 Main Street).

Gastown’s Catalog Gallery opens a new show this Friday. This one features work by Caleb Beyers…I read something about a Lamborghini cast out of materials from the earth? Catalog never disappoints. More here.
Opening Reception: Friday June 3 | 56 Powell (right across from Sea Monstr Sushi) | Free

This is a good weekend to take small people to the Vancouver Art Gallery. It’s Family FUSE Weekend! “Expect the unexpected and consider the absurd as artists, dancers, musicians, filmmakers and other creative artists lead workshops, performances, tours and activities proving that there are no limits to the imagination.” Kids under 12 get in for free (score!) with a paying adult. Imagine the unimaginable and turn the world upside down. Or something…
Saturday–Sunday, June 4–5 | 10am–5pm | Vancouver Art Gallery | 22.50 for grown-ups

George Vergette: Stranded and Broke in a Strange Town opens at Gallery Jones (1725 W 3rd) this week.  New paintings by Vergette will be on display starting on Saturday (June 4) with an opening reception on Thursday, June 9. Get out there and expose yourself to art!

Catch the Spread at Chapel Arts over the weekend. This is an art show with a special focus on community building and artist promotion exploring alternative strategies for young and emerging artists to show their work in an underfunded art’s community. All work shown will be under $300. Find out more.
June 3 | 8pm-2am | Chapel Arts (304 Dunlevy)

The Fair (International Contemporary Art in Vancouver) gathers 18 local and international galleries about town and stuffs them all in to one super-fantastic exhibition of contemporary art at The Waldorf. Ooh, the efficiency of seeing the wares of 18 galleries in one location!
June 2 – 5 | The Waldorf Hotel (1489 E. Hastings)
Opening Reception: Thursday, June 2, 7pm – 11pm
Friday, June 3, 5pm – 11pm
Saturday, June 4, 1pm – 5pm
Closing Reception: Saturday, June 4, 7pm – 11pm
Sunday, June 5, 11am – 2pm

It’s Italian Day on the Drive. Music, food, bocce and soccer. Throw in a good cup of coffee and a little bit of sunshine. Does it get any better?
June 5 | 12pm – 5pm | Commercial Drive (Venables to Grandview)

Velopalooza is on, get your bike out and join in on some of the activities. There’s something for everyone:  DIY bike fixing workshops, bird-watching biking, garden-admiring biking, bike church, hoolahooping and biking, bike-poker, bike-bbq, bike-jousting, a bike sandwich nazi ride, the Deep Cove Doughnut Dive, bikes and beers…and I’m not freakin’ kidding about any of that. You name it and add a bike to it and it’s likely going down. Velopalooza is on now and runs through to June 19. Check it.

Collingwood Days are on. This year, it’s an “old fashion fair with a multicultural flair! There will be multicultural food, activities and entertainment, as well as a world class BMX bike air show, carnival games and bouncy castles.” And you know it’s gonna be good when they break out them bouncy castles!
Saturday, June 4 | Carleton Elementary School (3250 Kingsway) | Free

Does the relationship between a strong economy and a healthy planet seem at odds? Join a collection of authors, economists, filmmakers, and activists to discuss whether or not we can simultaneously expand our economy and decrease our ecological footprint at the De-Growth Conference this weekend. Considering the kind of conversation and inspiration you will be party to at this hot mess, the $30 ticket price seems like a steal. Go earth!
Saturday + Sunday, June 3-4 | SFU Harbour Centre (515 W. Hastings).

It’s Heritage House Tour time. This is your chance to peek inside historic buildings throughout the city on a self-guided tour without being charged with B&E or being thrown in the slammer for peeping your Tom. Each year, a different selection of homes in neighbourhoods across the city are lined-up for participants to shuffle through. Eastside tip: Benny’s in Strathcona (Union and Princess) will be having a BBQ for tour goers.. Meat!
Sunday, June 5 | 10am-5pm | $40

Jewellery and fashion accessory designers slide in to Heritage Hall over the weekend to make sure you’re properly accessorised for the summer. Score handcrafted jewellery, bags, hats, belts and various other trinkets of probably high awesomeness.
Saturday, June 4 | 11am-5pm | Heritage Hall (3102 Main) | $2

There’s a Memory Box Workshop at Chalk. What’s that, you ask? “Not sure what to do with that drawer full of found objects, mementos, photos and keepsakes? Local artist Valerie Arntzen has a passion for these objects and will show you how to incorporate them into a Memory Box. A Memory Box is a place to honour a person, place or thing. It can reflect your childhood, your family, your travels, a special occasion or someone you want to honour..the ideas are endless. This workshop will introduce students to assembled art techniques, with the goal being to create one finished Memory Box.” So there you go. Click here to register.
June 5th | 1pm-4:30pm | Chalk | $65

On Tuesday night, former first lady Laura W. Bush takes the stage at the Centre For Performing Arts to talk about her life experiences. Zzzzzz. She’s expected to talk about life before, during, and after the White House, which is to say it’ll be too long. BYOB.
Tuesday, June 7 | Centre in Vancouver for Performing Arts (777 Homer) | $40-125

GLUTTONY

Wander and people-watch through the “shopping extravaganza” at the Chinatown Night Market and then grab a cocktail at The Keefer or Bao Bei.
Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night | 6:30-11pm | Keefer between Main and Columbia

This is weird. There’s a cruelty-to-artists meanathon called East Feast going down this Sunday. Here’s how it works: pay a modest amount ($15) to enjoy afternoon tea while three preselected artists each make presentations promoting their work. The audience then votes on which artist will receive their funding. Grassroots micro-funding at its most bizarre, relying on a hybrid of community engagement and schadenfreude to get by.
Sunday, June 5 | 2pm-4pm | The Canucks Family Education Centre, Britannia Community Centre | $15

If you’ve got a c-note burning a hole in your pocket, consider hitting this cool fundraising dinner for the Downtown Eastside Centre For The Arts. $100 will get you dinner prepared by local chef Marci Toms and live music. The venue is a heritage house in Kitsilano (you get details of the exact location once you purchase a ticket). Your dough is going to a good cause, providing opportunities for creative exploration, engagement, and expression in the heart of the city. The Centre gives artists, social enterprises, and community groups interested in contributing to the cultural, social, and community development of the neighbourhood the opportunity to participate in creating. If you’re interested, contact Mel ASAP, (there are only a few tickets left): mel.lehan22@gmail.com.
June 4 | 6pm | Location is TBA | $100

Trout Lake Farmers Market | Saturday | 9am-2pm | Trout Lake | Free
Kitsilano Farmers Market | Sunday | 10am – 2pm | 2690 Larch @ 10th | Free
West End Farmers Market | Saturday | 9am-2pm | 1100 Block Comox | Free
Thornton Park | Wednesday | 3pm – 7pm | Main Street Station at Terminal | Free

FLICKS

The Outsiders AND Rumble Fish play at the Rio. Wanna go?
Friday, June 3 | 11:55pm | Rio Theatre | $8

Machete Maidens are unleashed at Pacific Cinematheque.
Friday, June 2-5 | various times | Pacific Cinematheque | $11

Meanwhile, Vancity throws down in Lynchian fashion with Blue Velvet and Eraserhead!
Friday, June 3 | 7pm | Vancity Theatre | $11

Sadly, there’s nothing is playing at the Hollywood on Broadway. “The Fairleigh family is truly heartbroken to announce that in late May the Hollywood Theatre will be undergoing a change in ownership, largely due to increasing property taxes, HST, and the changing market for movie consumption, in which films can be downloaded for free. Thank you to all the wonderful people who have supported the Hollywood all these years. All the best to you, Vancouver film-lovers!”

Bummer.

If you are involved in or know of an event that you think we should add to the Scout List, drop us a line and we’ll see what we can do. Keep in mind that we’re looking for cool, cheap and accessible events. Michelle [@] Scoutmagazine [dot] ca.

——————————————————————————————–

Michelle Sproule grew up in Kitsilano and attended Bond 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 shops and streets with her best friend – a beat up, sticky, grimy, and uncooperative camera.

——————————————————————————————–

Cool Thing We Want #278: Local Artist Julie Morstad’s Sweet “Milk Teeth” Drawings

Love the sweet and macabre illustrations by local artist Julie Morstad. A collection of her Marcel Dzama-reminiscent drawings is back in print and popping up around town. We spied some at Dandelion Emporium (2442 Main) the other day. Milk Teeth ($17) is published by Drawn and Quarterly.

ALL THE COOL THINGS WE WANT

Scout List: Our Eclectic Agenda For Discerning Vancouverites…

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… Read more

RECAP: Container Gardening Class For City’s Backyardless At Gastown’s “Old Faithful”

by Michelle Sproule | Gastown’s Old Faithful – truly of Vancouver’s coolest stores – held a workshop last weekend called Container Gardening 101. This was an in-store class teaching the basics of growing herbs and greens well above the earth’s surface for those bereft of backyards. We snuck in to catch the tail end and were so inspired by the throng of happy gardeners that we got in touch with workshop instructor Lisa Giroday to ask her about how our readers could pull together a container garden on their own. Lisa sent us back the following:

5 tips to consider for anyone who wants to grow in a container…

1: Before you put anything inside your container, the most important factor to consider is drainage. The ideal container has holes in the bottom for water to drain out completely, most plants are NOT happy when there roots are constantly soaking in water. With this in mind, you want the container to elevated so that the water can drain completely and not collected in a pan below.

2: Do a little research and plant what’s right for what you have. Most plants are happy with 4 hours of sun a day, but there are a few such as tomatoes, eggplant and peppers that love the heat and south facing sun, so make sure your spot is the right fit for your food.

3: Soil is also a very important component to the success of your container plants. It needs to be nutrient rich, but not too heavy. A light-weight soil than can drain well is ideal. Also don’t forget, if you’re eating what you’re going, don’t save money buying the cheap stuff, splurge, spend a few extra and buy organic.

4: There are two options for planting: seed and started plants. For either, timing is important. If you plant too late, the plant won’t have time to mature before it gets cold and it can no longer survive. If you plant too early, there may not be enough heat for the seed to germinate or the plant to survive the cold weather. So like in various steps above, do a little research and figure out when the best time to plant your food.

5: Maintenance is very important. By this, I mean watering and feeding. Containers dry out or get water logged rather quickly, so be sure to check everyday if your plant is not getting enough or too much water. Also be sure to feed your plant with some organic compost by mulching (piling up) at the base where the plant meets to the soil to ensure that all the right nutrients are available for your plant to grow.

For those looking for further guidance, Old Faithful also carries a few great gardening books.

Garden Wisdom & Know-How ($24.95)

A Little Piece of Earth – Maria Finn  ($24.95)

Terrarium Craft – Amy Bryan Aiello & Kate Bryant  ($22.95)

Considering how many young Vancouverites can’t afford the luxury of a backyard, it’s no surprise that this sold out on the double quick. If you weren’t one of the lucky, forethinking ones and you’ve been troubled by it in your highrise ever since, don’t fret your would-be greenthumb a second more, for there are similarly-themed workshops coming down the pipe. Bookmark the Old Faithful blog and the Scout List for news about an upcoming Terrarium workshop.

Scout List: Our Eclectic Agenda For Discerning Vancouverites…

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… Read more

Scout List: Our Eclectic Agenda For Discerning Vancouverites…

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… Read more

Cool Thing We Want #276: Television Series Posters By Austrian Designer Albert Exergian

I’m currently besotted by the posters of Austrian designer Albert Exergian. This series commemorates television shows with simple, telling graphics. Personal faves include Prison Break, MacGyver and Californication. They run about $50. Check and by ‘em here.

Cool Thing We Want #275: Julia Rothman’s “Daydream Wallpaper” For Hygge & West

At first I was drawn in by the Wellingtons, but really, it’s the wallpaper. A double roll measures 27″ X 30′. The vertical repeat is 36″. Score some here for $105.

A “How To” Guide For Unfortunate But Keen Greenthumbs Who Are Bereft Of Backyards

Want to maintain a garden but can’t because you invested your savings in a shoebox on the 23rd floor? Via Life on the Balcony, the internet giveth:

The first thing you need to do is obviously find a pallet. I’ve had good luck finding them in dumpsters behind supermarkets. No need to be squeamish. It doesn’t smell. At least, it doesn’t smell that bad. Don’t just take the first pallet you find…

Step by step instructions here.

Scout List: Our Eclectic Agenda For Discerning Vancouverites…

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… Read more

« Previous Page — Next Page »