We ran across the above poster over the weekend and love the concept. An art exhibition dedicated to Bill Murray. So great. The only thing that would make it cooler is if every Bill Murray loving Vancouverite could contribute some quality art work to the show. Yup, the organizers are looking for quick and dirty work of all sorts that honours “…this peculiar, hilarious and often sad man…From Caddyshack to Broken Flowers…Classics such as Ghostbusters, Lost in Translation or every Wes Anderson film. We want your inspired art on our walls. We are open to any and all interpretations (paintings, drawing, mixed media, film, knitting.. anything)”.

The deadline for submissions is Wednesday. If you have some original Bill Murray work or think you could whip something cool up overnight, get in touch with the creative folks running the show at billmurraylove [at] gmail [dot] com. The show will go down at The Toast Collective on February 11, 2012 (648 Kingsway in Mount Pleasant). Guests are expected to bring red toques, housecoats with pipe in hand and be bearded. There will be cheap drinks, great music and tons of presumably excellent art.

Honour Bound details the many cool things that we feel honour bound to check out because they either represent Vancouver exceptionally well or are inherently super awesome in one way or another.

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…

Vancouver History | The Equinox Gallery has recently opened the doors on it’s new Project Space on Great Northern Way. The massive new digs launched with a 114-photo retrospective of Vancouver photographer Fred Herzog on Saturday afternoon (the shots, space and crowd were all fantastic). Starting this week (February 2nd), the Project Space will be open Thursday to Saturday, from 12pm to 6pm. Find a friend with a car. It’s worth the drive.
Now – March 17 | Equinox Gallery525 Great Northern Way | Free 

Long Table | The Irish Heather’s Long Table Series throws down on Tuesday night. Think lamb burger with mint salsa, shaved asiago cheese, caramelized onions with a radish and arugula salad paired next to a Wee Angry Scotch Ale (veg option is chickpea-stuffed ravioli with lemon, garlic, chilies and pecorino). Damn, that sounds good! See you there.
Tuesday, January 31 | 7pm | The Irish Heather | $18

Watch It! | Stop The Presses (Ten Great Newspaper Movies) continues at the Vancity Theatre. “The newspaper industry is going through turbulent times in as old business models struggle to adapt to the new media world. Meanwhile, in Britain, the reputation of reporters has hit an all-time low after Rupert Murdoch journalists have been exposed as bullies and blackmailers, a corrupt influence on politicians and the police. But as this week-long series of newspaper movies reminds us, journalism can be, and should be, a noble calling, a corrective to the excesses of the power elite, and a vital voice in the democratic discourse.” This week’s line-up includes The Paper, Why Rock the Boat?,  and Shattered Glass. Check it out.
Now – Thursday February 2 | Vancity Theatre | $11

Awww | It’s letter writing time at the Regional Assembly of Text. Get it together now and you could have a hand-written love note in the mail in time for Valentines Day. Think about that for a second. How great would it be to have something other than bank statements and phone bills come through that mail slot? Do a good thing. Send someone a letter. Details.
Thursday, February 2 | 7pm | Regional Assembly of Text (3934 Main Street) | Free 

Get Up | Friday is Creative Mornings, the monthly morning gathering for creative types in the Woodward’s W2 Media Cafe. Each event includes a 20 minute lecture, followed by a 20 minute group discussion. The gathering begins at 8:30am and ends with everyone splitting for work at 10am. This month it’s Gagan Diesh of Design Stamp. Sign-up starts Monday at 11am and tickets go FAST. A second batch of 50 will be available at 4pm and a third at 9pm. Don’t miss out.
Friday, February 3 |8:30am | W2 Media Café | Free

Tunage | Wilco play with White Denim this Sunday. Both are good bands. Wilco is on tour to support their latest release, The Whole Love. Via Pitchfork: “Wilco’s great strength lies not just in Jeff Tweedy’s world-weary inscrutability, but the ways he and the band matched those stark, sometimes startling sentiments to expectation-defying deconstructions of Americana. The best thing about The Whole Love, Wilco’s adventurous, elliptical eighth LP, is the ease with which they’ve recaptured some of that old unpredictability: From Being There through A Ghost Is Born, the band’s best work has always perched itself upon the edge of traditionalism and experimentation, and The Whole Love is the first of their albums in years not to shy away from such risks.” Read the balance of Paul Thompson’s review here. Grab tickets here.
Sunday, February 5 | 8pm | Orpheum | Whoa: $47.50 (orchestra)/$39.50 (balcony)

Artsy Arty Artness | Vancouver Art Gallery changes up it’s ‘Offsite’ installation this week. Kota Ezawa gets busy installing a new piece in the open air site located on Georgia between Thurlow and Bute. Ezawa will speak to his installation at 6:30 on Tuesday on site. It might be slightly chilly, so warm up with a tea or finger of Scotch at Market in the Shangri-La afterwards. If you’re interested but can’t swing the Tuesday evening gig, you can always head to the Gallery on Saturday afternoon when Ezawa and associate curator Kathleen Ritter will be on hand for an informal discussion on the nature of contemporary public art practices and the Gallery’s Offsite public art space in downtown Vancouver. Details here.
Thursday, February 2 | 6:30pm | Georgia between Thurlow and Bute, next to the Shangri-La | Free

Omnomnom | What are weekends for if not for indulging? I don’t ‘do brunch’ nearly enough, so one of my resolutions this week is to make a brunch date. I’m torn between the simple menu at the close and quaint Dunlevy Snackbar or a trip over to Yaletown to try out Chinois for the first time (they’re starting a Dim Sum Brunch of Siu Mai, Lo Bak, Gai Lan with Oyster Sauce, Fried Chicken, Deep Fried Crab Claw, BBQ Pork Steamed Buns and Crispy Squid with chillies – all ranging from $5 to $10). After I’m good and stuffed I’ll be headed for coffee. I’m thinking about that cool little stretch at the tip of  Fraser and Kingsway.  There’s a new coffee joint to try out up that way called Matchstick Coffee Roasters. It’s just opened and it’s pretty sweet and earnest. Beautiful decor and kickass coffee. All followed by a wander along the strip of 15th to check out the new gluten-free bakery, the galleries, and the always fantastic Collage Collage. Can’t really go wrong.

Lord Stanley | Scoot down to Lost Lagoon on Sunday to learn how Stanley Park’s forest has changed over time. What we recognize as a somewhat static character of Stanley Park’s landscape is, in fact, always changing. From pre-glaciation through colonization and in to present day, the soils and vegetation of Vancouver’s best known park have adapted several times over. Get it all straight in your head now so you’ll be armed to impress summer visitors. Pre-registration is suggested as space is limited. Get sorted.
Sunday, February 5 | 1:30pm | Nature House on Lost Lagoon | $10

Tiki Superbowl | Lastly, there is a little thing called Super Bowl going down on Sunday. Any and all sports bars in the city will be open and waiting for you. Our venue pick would be the dark and friendly Waldorf Hotel, as they’re having a Super Bowl Party in the Tiki Bar. “Come watch the The New England Patriots and The New York Giants square off in Super Bowl XLVI in the Tiki Bar. Drink specials, Special Super Bowl Menu and El Garzita’s Half Time Show!” Sounds awesome, and I don’t know a thing about football.
Sunday, February 5 | Doors at 2pm, Kickoff at 3:30pm | Admission is free

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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.

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Early this morning, young Chambar veterans Eleanor Chow and Slavita Johnson finally (softly) opened their highly anticipated new Cadeaux Bakery at 172 Powell St. off Main St. in the Gastown/Railtown nexus (just around the corner from the No. 5 Orange). It’s bright and airy, with an open kitchen and smells that are straight up intoxicating. Offerings include a wide variety of baked goods like flawless croissants jammed with goat cheese and dill, chocolate, and marmalade; beautifully plump and bulbous brioche; quality turnovers; a selection of cookies; salted caramel brownies; and a whole lot more, including coffee, tea and cakes, and wedding cakes (soon to come). We took a whole lot of it home and scarfed like nobody’s business all morning. A grand opening is set for some time in March. Take a look below and enjoy a few involuntary spasms…

ALL ANTICIPATED RESTAURANTS

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…

FIGHT THE MAN | Grab beers at the Rio Theatre on Thursday night. Yes, you read that correctly…The Rio Theatre has finally been awarded a Liquor Primary License and that is cause for celebration. It hasn’t been an easy road for the almost 75 year old Eastside establishment. And here’s the kicker: the theatre can have the precious license, but they are no longer free to show any cinematic screenings (bit of a bummer for a movie theatre). But they aren’t phased. They’re fighters, and they they want everyone to come out for a toast to the future. “We are determined to continue our creative programming and get the Province to revoke this restriction they’ve placed on us so we can continue to be East Vancouver’s best multi-media venue that supports independent films!” Meet us at the Rio to show your support! (DJ’s Live music, burlesque and complimentary popcorn). If you can’t make it out but want to offer your support, take a look at the Theatres facebook page for a FAQ on what individuals can do to help.
Thursday January 26 | 7:30pm – Midnight | No Cover

INDIE I DO | If you or someone you know is getting hitched in the coming year, do us all a favour and attend the Indie I Do show at Heritage Hall this weekend. Brides and grooms don’t have to go mainstream. They don’t have to offer chicken or fish with bad wine. They can do something different. Indie I Do offers a whole new world of possibilities: cupcakes to replace the traditionally bland wedding cake, the ever popular photobooth, super8 film, and cool little letterpress outfits to sort out your invites. Have a look at the list of vendors here and help spread the word. A more inventive wedding is in everyone’s best interests.

SEE A LIVE GIG | The Treelines, The Ruffled Feathers, and Sidney York are playing the Biltmore this Thursday night as part of the Steam Whistle Brewing Unsigned Indie Music Series. For only a $5 cover, this is the gig of the week for sure (find out more here). Alternatively, The Rickshaw is having Concrete Blonde in on Thursday night and  The Pack A.D. (with Pierced Arrows and Black Wizard) on Saturday. And for something completely different, Doomtree is at Fortune Sound Club on Saturday. Check it out.

STUFF YOUR FACE | This Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, the north plaza of the Vancouver Art Gallery will become Street Food City. Yes, our dream is coming true: a flock of food carts will congregate in a common geographic location long enough for a street food buffet of sorts. Coma is offering two tacos with Korean brown ginger tea and orange, rosemary truffles for $15; Tacofino throws down with a two tacos for $10 deal; ReUp BBQ will have Bacon Explosion sandwiches ($8), New Mexico chili with smoked pork shoulder ($6), and black bean and corn chili – veg ($4.5o); Brasserie rotisserie chicken sandwiches will be going for a mere $6.25; It’s All about Grill will have a skewer of chicken, pork, rib-eye, lamb or bacon-wrapped sausage for $7.50; while Soho Road, Mom’s Grilled Cheese and The Juice Truck will round out the crowd. Start early. If you need a digestive break, head in to the VAG. By the time you’ve wandered through Shore, Forest and Beyond (coming down January 29th) you will be considerably more cultured and ready for a second visit at Street Food City. Dig it.
Tuesday 24, Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 | 11am-3pm | North plaza @ Vancouver Art Gallery (Georgia Street between Howe and Hornby)

GALLERY HOP | Slip in to the Winsor Gallery to catch the Winter Group Show before it comes down on Sunday. The exhibition features works by Attila Richard Lukacs, Angela Grossmann, Alan Switzer and Trig Singer. I’m particularly besotted with Singer’s Cadillac Hotel and David Wilson’s Crossing Over. Take a look.
Now until January 29 |  Winsor Gallery (3025 Granville) | Free

GET VEGUCATED | “Vegucated” is a documentary film follows three “meat-and-cheese-loving New Yorkers who agree to adopt a vegan diet for six weeks. Part sociological experiment, part science class, and part adventure story, “Vegucated” showcases the rapid and at times comedic evolution of three people who share one journey and ultimately discover their own paths in creating a kinder, cleaner, greener world, one bite at a time.” All cool, though I noticed that the event is co-sponsored by Liberation BC. That group has done a pretty shitty job of winning over Vancouverites with their asinine, myopically extremist methods (picketing local, independent restaurants, for example), but whatever. Though their involvement makes me cringe, it shouldn’t get in the way of you or I appreciating a perfectly fascinating film.
Tuesday January 24 | VPL Main Branch (350 W. Georgia) | Free

EAT LOCAL | The Winter Farmers Market goes down Saturday. Load up on fresh local food (I’m planning to grab organic local eggs, fingerling potatoes and fresh herbs for a Sunday morning fritatta). You can also pick up fresh locally made breads, dried fruit, preserves and cheeses. Bonus: scoot down to Marche St George for a post market coffee and croissant.
Saturday | 30th and Ontario Street in the East Parking lot and Plaza of Nat Bailey Stadium | DETAILS

STORYTELLING | Raincity Chronicles teams up with the the City of Vancouver Food Policy Group to put on a special night with a focus on local food systems this week. The series of storytelling nights features a diverse roster of Vancouverites who will be taking the stage and speaking to a theme. The theme this month is What Feeds Us. Hook yourself up with tickets!
Friday, January 27 | 6:30pm | Salt Building (Olympic Village) | DETAILS + TICKETS

BUY A BOOK | Look outside. This is perfect, curl-up-on-the-couch-with-a-good-book weather, so set aside a bit of ‘book browsing’ time at an independent bookstore this week. Pulp Fiction has opened it’s third location (1830 Commercial Drive) and they’re sporting a fine selection of new and used books. They still have shelves to fill and they’re happy to look at books for potential purchase, so if clearing house was part of your Chinese New Year preparations and you’ve got boxes of books looking for a new home, now you know what to do with them. DETAILS

CELEBRATE THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON | Find a way (that doesn’t include driving) to get yourself to Chinatown for the Chinese New Year parade on Sunday. Crowds are always huge and rain will likely be a factor, but don’t be a sissy. This is a Vancouver tradition, so be there! The Parade starts at noon at the Millennium Gate on Pender and travels east along Pender to Gore. It then turns south onto Gore, west onto Keefer and ends at Columbia. For some pre-parade entertainment, nip in to Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Gardens for Chinese tea and traditional dumpling making.
Sunday, January 29 | 12 noon | Chinatown | Free

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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.

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Amazing | The Frock Shop (311 Carrall between Hastings & Cordova) | $45

EVERY COOL THING WE WANT