our carefully considered list of super sweet things that we’re either doing, wishing that we could do, or conspiring to do this week…

MONDAY

Submarines & Morning Benders at the Biltmore
LA duo, The Submarines and San Francisco boys, The Morning Benders will be playing the wonderful Biltmore Cabaret tonight and, although Zulu and Red Cat are right out of tickets, you can still pick up a pair through Ticketmaster. You should, and here’s why.
Feb 23 | 8 pm | The Biltmore Cabaret | $12 at the door or Ticketmaster

Vancouver Poetry Slam
When Monday night rolls around and you’re looking for a cheap (but mind-expanding) way to spend your time – drop in to Cafe Deux Soleil on Commercial Drive to witness a Poetry Slam. The beer is cold and the talent is impressive.
Feb 23 | 8 pm | Cafe Duex Soleils | Admission by donation

TUESDAY

Sand Mandala
The Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Chinese Garden hosts a delegation of five Tibetan Monks from the Dzongkar Choede Monastery as they create an exquisite sand mandala. As the Gardens explains: “The sand mandala is an iconic part of Tibetan artistic and spiritual culture, meant to convey the expression of inner peace and harmony between the inside and outside worlds. It involves the delicate process of placing multi-colored grains of sand in the shape of a two- dimensional palace.” The creation of the mandala will span five days (today through Saturday) and you can witness the progressively intricate design emerge from one day to the next by purchasing a $10 pass. It will grant you admission for all five says. A portion of proceeds is donated to the Dzongkar Choede Monastery. Click here for a detailed time line.
Feb 24 | various times | Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Chinese Gardens | $10/5 day pass

Glass Knowledge
If you’re hanging around the house Tuesday night, you might want to consider tuning in to CBC 1 for Glass Knowledge: “Montreal writer and critic Will Aitken examines how glass shapes and reflects our civilization our lives…from the multi-coloured glass beads used in the African slave trade; to the mysterious origins of the most famous vase in the world; to the salamander that lives in the bottom of every glass blower’s furnace on the tiny island of Murano, in the Venetian lagoon.” Some of the bits I was surprised to learn: “In the 17th and 18th centuries, Dutchmen of the merchant class avowed their buttocks were made of glass, and because of this condition, were reluctant to sit. Aristocratic Europeans of the same period insisted they be packed carefully in straw before traveling by coach.” Um…pardon?
Feb 24 | 9:05 | Ideas | CBC radio One (690 am) | FREE

WEDNESDAY

A Year In Solitude
The North Vancouver District Library presents Dr. Robert Kull, author of Solitude: Seeking Wisdom in Extremes. Dr. Kull tells of his experience living on the remote Pacific coast of southern Chile with only simple camping equipment and a deep desire to “explore [the] physical, emotional and spiritual effects” of wilderness solitude. This should be a fascinating talk.
Feb 25 | 7 – 8:30pm | North Vancouver District Public Library – Capilano Branch | FREE

Getting Around in Copenhagen
In the Scout inbox this week: “Only in Copenhagen would the Traffic Director be educated as a landscape architect. Of course, in Copenhagen, “traffic” means bicycles as much as it does automobiles. Niels Torslov shows how they plan and build for children in order to encourage an active city, and how their transport policy focuses on cycling, climate change, health and urban livability. Only in Copenhagen would the Traffic Director be educated as a landscape architect. Admission is free but seating is extremely limited and reservations are required. Call 778-782-5100
Feb 25 | 7 – 8:30pm |SFU Vancouver, Harbour Centre building | FREE

THURSDAY

Free Wine?
Yes, free wine. An hour long complimentary wine tasting in fact, at Gastown’s So.Cial at Le Magasin, paired with a few small and delicious bites from executive chef Romy Prasad. A representative from Naramata’s Nichol Vineyard will be on hand to talk about the wine.
Feb 26 | 6-7pm | So.Cial at Le Magasin | I’ll say it one more time: FREE

Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival
This is just a little reminder that the Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival will be winding up this week. Tonights shows sound pretty inspiring. In particular – Journey of a Red Fridge (‘the story of a 17-year-old boy named Hari Rai and his extraordinary journey with the red fridge on his shoulders through the Himalayan Mountains of Nepal‘); Hope in the Himalayas (‘a documentary about an orphanage in the mountains of Nepal’); and Komi, a Journey Across the Arctic (‘document of a perilous four-month journey of the most ancient indigenous people of Siberia with their 5,000 reindeer‘).
Feb 26 | 7:30 pm (doors at 7pm) | Pacific Cinématheque | $17 in advance and $19 at the door

FRIDAY

Fried Chicken Friday
Only on Fridays will fried chicken fiends have the opportunity to gobble up Fuel’s famous version of the country classic. Every Friday (beginning this week and lasting through the summer), chef Robert Belcham will marinate organic Polderside chicken, cook it sous vide in buttermilk, fry it and serve it (or have someone else serve it) to you paired with a glass of R&B Cream Ale for just shy of twenty bucks. From a Fuel press release: “The chicken arrives on the plate crispy and succulent. Each week features a different garnish, depending on what ingredients happen to be fresh, in season, and on the Fuel kitchen’s hot list. Mouth-watering choices might include fresh baked biscuits and AJ’s gravy, coleslaw, or juicy watermelon. Whatever the addition, the flavours will surprise and entice the palate.” I’ve had it, its worth making special arrangements to slip out of work for.
Feb 27 | lunchtime | Fuel (1944 Fourth Ave) | 19.50

Fuse
It’s that time again – the last Friday of the month. This time around special guest curator David Pay, artistic director of Music on Main, brings a night of artists, musicians and performers to compliment current exhibits. You know with his connections there will be some great music going on…
Feb 27 | 6pm to midnight | Vancouver Art Gallery | $17.50 Adult and Free for Members

SATURDAY

Eat Local
Head to the Winter Farmers’ Market at WISE Hall to pick up some hearty root vegetables, home-baked bread, crafts, and plenty of other cool bits. Visit EatLocal.org to see the full list of vendors.
Feb 28 | 10am – 2pm | WISE Hall, 1882 Adanac Street at Victoria Drive | FREE

What Is America?
Esteemed historian, author, Massey Lecture participant and Saltspring Island resident Mr. Ronald Wright discusses his most recent best seller: What Is America? A Short History of the New World Order as part of the Vancouver Institute’s public lecture series. From the publishers description:

“The USA is now the world’s lone superpower, whose deeds could make or break this century. For better and worse, America has Americanized the world. How did a marginal frontier society, in a mere two centuries, become the de facto ruler of the world? Why do America’s great achievements in democracy, prosperity and civil rights now seem threatened by forces within itself? Brimming with insight into history and human behaviour, and written in Wright’s captivating style, What Is America? shows how this came to pass; how the United States, which regards itself as the most modern country on earth, is also deeply archaic, a stronghold not only of religious fundamentalism but of “modern” beliefs in limitless progress and a universal mission that have fallen under suspicion elsewhere in the west, a rethinking driven by two World Wars and the reckless looting of our planet. A fresh, passionate look at the past and future of the world’s most powerful nation, What Is America? will reframe the debate about our neighbour and ourselves. ”

Feb 28 | 8:15 pm | Lecture Hall No. 2 Woodward Instructional Resources Centre, UBC | FREE

Speaking of Maya
Downtown Eastside Centre For The Arts recognizes Black History Month with a tribute to Maya Angelou at St. James Community Square. Proceeds go to supporting the Centre.
Feb 28 | 8pm | St. James Community Square | $15 Tickets Tonight

Fifty Dead Men Walking
A young Belfast man is recruited by British intelligence to infiltrate the IRA in this award-winning feature. I love Ben Kingsley – and I know he’s in this somewhere.
Feb 28 |7:15 | Pacific Cinématheque | $9.50

Smokadelic Saturdays
I don’t know, dude. Just thought I’d throw this one in there to see if you’re paying attention.
Feb 28 | 12-8 pm | Vancouver Seed Bank

SUNDAY

Opera In The Afternoon
Opera Pro Cantanti presents a special Open House performance. “A Festival of Opera Scenes” will include staged scenes from Rigoletto, La Traviata, I Puritani, and Lucia di Lammermoor.
March 1 | 3 pm | Cambrian Hall (215 17th Ave E) | Pay by donation | Info 604-646-0406

LOOKING AHEAD

Australian Bushfire Relief Fundraiser
Press release details:

Please join us to support a great country consumed by natural disaster.
Hundreds of Australians in the State of Victoria have lost their lives in bush fires raging across the South East, and the death toll continues to mount. Most who have survived have lost their homes and livelihood. Millions of animals have perished in the uncontrollable blazes.
Donnelly Hospitality Management has compassionately offered Republic Nightclub as a venue to generate monetary support for the Australian Red Cross, destined to aid the victims of this crisis.

• $20 cover charge – larger donations graciously accepted
• Complimentary Republic Cocktail with donation
• Raffle for Premium Liquor Gift Baskets – $2 per ticket, per basket
• Live Music provided by Soul Stream

For more information, please contact: [email protected]; [email protected]

MARCH 2 | 9pm to close | Republic Nightclub | $20

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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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