Things we’re either doing, wishing that we could do, or conspiring to do this week…

MONDAY

A Skill Every Good Hippie Should Acquire
Blim is a Community Based Art Resource Center that offers access to studio time as well as classes, events and exhibitions. This week at Blim, you can learn how to create your own t-shirts, t-towels, scarves, (whatever) using the traditional technique of African Batik. Blim instructor Yuriko Iga will teach you how to draw with wax and dye shirts in a manner easy enough for you to do in your own home. “Combine elements of the old with ideas of the new to create an interesting hybrid shirt”, they say. Bring your own textiles to print on. It’s also suggested that you bring graphics, text, or line drawings that you would like to incorporate into your creation.
Jan 26 | | 6 – 10 PM | Blim | $60

TUESDAY

Mt. Townsend Cuts Awesome Cheese at Salt
Salt Cellar is holding a special cheesemaker event with Ryan Trail of Mt. Townsend Creamery. Learn about the delectable cheeses produced by Mt. Townsend, sample an assortment of cheeses and enjoy an American wine flight selected to compliment the cheese. Give Salt a call – there are still a few seats left. Hopefully we’ll see you there.
Jan 27 | 7:00 pm | Salt Tasting Room | $40 | Call 604-633-1912

Word Whips Writing Series
Vancouver’s own Pandora’s Collective presents a evening writing workshop at VPL Britannia branch library. “Take the challenge. Pandora’s provides the writing prompts and the opportunity for sharing. Ten to fifteen minutes to write to each prompt. See what you can whip up”.
Jan 27 | 8:30pm | Britannia Library, Gallery Room | FREE

WEDNESDAY

Anberlin Plays Richards on Richards
The gig is sold out, but maybe you know a doorman or something. I don’t. Just thought I would mention it. Damn. How does one get to know a doorman anyway?
Jan 28 | 8:00pm | Richards on Richards | $old out

The Cultch Presents England at the Vancouver Art Gallery
Supposedly Tim Crouch’s opus. “Forget thoughts of skinheads or nostalgia, England is about an empire of a different kind — one of transmigrations and transplantations”. Part of the PuSh fest, performed by two guides within an exhibition. Sounds fascinating.
Jan 28 | 7pm & 9pm | Vancouver Art Gallery | $26 in advance, $30 at door

THURSDAY

2001: A Space Odyssey
Stanley Kubrick’s vision of the future, which is now the past. Whaa? Woah! That totally just happened. If you haven’t seen it already, you’re pretty much messed, and if you have, you probably already picked up on this sweet 4 buck steal. Reefer, I assume, is extra.
Jan 29 | 9:15 | “The Norm” Theatre UBC | $4 (only $2 for members!)

FRIDAY

Wheels, Wings and Waves—a LEGO World of Transportation
This exciting exhibition showcases the history of ground, air and water transportation as seen through the eyes of LEGO builders. Drop in to help LEGO Certified Professional (pardon?) Robin Sather (another one of those ‘job titles’ that blow my mind) build a giant space shuttle that will become a focal point of the exhibition. Somebody please tell me why you have to be a kid to enjoy that…
Jan 30 – Feb 1 | 10:00 am to 3:00 pm| Science World | $17.75

The Creative Mind: Illusions And Perspectives Of Digital Culture
OK, maybe you dig the idea of playing with Lego but you’re not too excited about competing against 8 year olds who are going to out-design you with their eyes closed. Get this: Science World puts on an adults-only (not porn, sorry) evening featuring local artists, a cash bar, a DJ, and access to the Science World exhibitions and galleries. Lego up, yo. Lego-down.
Jan 30 | 6:30-10 pm | Science World | $25

Dean & Britta Play The Vogue
The annual PuSh International Performing Arts Festival boasts the best of national and international artists and their innovative work in the live performing arts: theatre, dance, music and various hybrid forms of performance. Scout pick? The dreamy and melodic tunes of Dean and Britta (Dean Wareham, formerly of Galaxie 500/Luna and his wife, former Luna bassist Britta Phillips perform 13 Most Beautiful…Songs for Andy Warhol’s Screen Tests). For more information and show descriptions visit www.pushfestival.ca
Jan 30 | Various Locations | Various Prices | see website for details

Narcissist Annual Warehouse Sample Sale
If you’re not familiar with Narcissist, have a look at a previous Scout post to see some of their designs. Cool stuff. This weekend only, you’ll find Narcissist flogging their wares, with impossibly tempting price tags (dresses as low as $29 and $39), from their warehouse in Gastown.
Jan 30-Feb 1 | Fri 12 noon – 8 pm, Sat 11 am – 6 pm, Sun 11 am – 4 pm | #307 – 340 W. Cordova (at Homer)

SATURDAY

Dean Wareham at Zulu Records
Galaxy 500, Luna and Dean & Britta front-man Dean Wareham makes an in store appearance at Zulu Records to perform a few acoustic numbers and read from his recently published biography ‘Black Postcards – A Rock ‘n Roll Romance’.
Jan 31 | 4:00 pm – Word is you’ll want to get there early | Zulu Records | FREE

Spygirl at the Polish Community Centre.
Spygirl plays “lush, melodic, elegant, and dark pop/rock”. ‘If Spygirl were an outfit, the outfit would be geek-slick, full in all the right places with with a hot ass”. Might be worth a ticket just to see what geek-slick sounds like. Myspace preview.
Jan 31 | Polish Community Centre

Eat Local
Head to the Winter Farmers’ Market at WISE Hall to pick up some hearty root vegetables, home baked bread, crafts, and plenty other bits. Visit EatLocal.org to see the full list of vendors.
Jan 31 | 10am – 2pm | WISE Hall, 1882 Adanac Street at Victoria Drive

SUNDAY

Chinese New Year Parade
Ring in the Year of the Ox with the 1.5 kilometer long Chinese New Year Parade (route starts at the Millennium Gate at Pender and heads east, turning south onto Gore, then west onto Keefer). It will be crowded, loud, chaotic and may send you on a sensory conniption within your first ten minutes. See you there with kids on.
Feb 1 | 12pm – 2:30pm | Duh, Chinatown | FREE

Year of the Ox at the Chinese Gardens
If you can make it down to Chinatown early on Sunday, the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Chinese Gardens will be hosting a “Celebration in the Courtyard”. The event will include singing, dancing, and crafts for all. The setting is calming and might be a smart antidote to the lunacy of the parade to follow.
Feb 1 | 10am – 4pm | Dr. Sun Yat Sen Chinese Gardens | By Donation

Coco Love Alcorn hits the Havana Theatre.
From the artist’s Myspace page: “As a songwriter and vocalist, she effortlessly embraces her diverse musical influences—jazz, pop, r&b and folk—melding them seamlessly into her own distinctive and compelling sound”. For starters, Intellectual Boys is downright hilarious. Well worth a listen.
Feb 1 | 8:00pm | Havana Theatre | $15

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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 by the beach in Vancouver 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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