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. You can also check it out in the Globe & Mail, from our calendar to theirs…and yours!

ART | Cindy Sherman meets Dzunuk’wa opens at the Satellite Gallery this week. Emily Carr University, The Museum of Anthropology, The Belkin Gallery at UBC, and North Vancouver’s Presentation House Gallery share the Satellite Gallery as an off site exhibition site for their institutions. This show sees curators from each institution coming together to present a selection of works from the ‘eclectic and unpredictable’ collection of Vancouver-based arts patrons, Michael and Inna O’Brian. The range will be impressive with everything from paintings to ceremonial regalia to conceptual photography on display. Make your way down to the Seymour Street gallery for the Thursday evening opening reception.
Feb 13 | 6-9pm | Satellite Gallery (560 Seymour Street, 2nd Floor) | DETAILS

INDEX | Pulling Feathers from a Broken Tooth opens at Powell Street’s Index Gallery this week. Curated by Scott Lewis, this group exhibition features works of painting and collage from artists Casey Wei, Jeremy Jansen, Johan (Sprinkles!) Björck, Megan Hepburn, Scott Lewis, and Steve Hubert. Pulling Feathers continues until March 13 but try to make it out for the opening reception Thursday because it’ll be pretty rad.
Thurs, Feb 13 | INDEX (1305 Powell St) | DETAILS

SCRUB UP | Feeling dirty? Good news: Blim is offering a Gourmet Soap Making class this week. Instructor Roberta Wover of Ripe Soap Company will give an overview of the history and basic chemistry of soap making, introduce the materials, supplies and equipment that you’ll need and will let participants know about safety considerations when working with sodium hydroxide (phew). You’ll also learn how to amp things up with natural colours, herbs, spices, clays and scents (that’s the gourmet part). And all in time for Valentines Day!
Thurs, Feb 13 | 6-9pm | Blim (115 Pender St. E) | $91 (incl. all materials) | DETAILS

HEY BABE, WHAT’S YOUR SIGN? | Looking for something a little different to do with Valentine’s Day? How about a tour of the night sky from the perspective of an astrologer and an astronomer? Cool, right? Vancouver astrologer Rose Marcus will team up with Astronomy and Physics superstar (and all around awesome dude) Dr. Jaymie Matthews to present a tag-team effort to explain the connection between stars and lovers.
Fri, Feb 14 | 7:30 & 9pm | H.R. MacMillan Space Centre (1100 Chestnut St) | DETAILS

LOVE HANGOVER | Rain City Chronicles has joined forces with Sad Mag (a great local mag­a­zine that cel­e­brates inde­pen­dent art and cul­ture on a quarterly basis) to present Love Hangover – a gathering of a diverse roster of Vancouverites to speak to the general theme of love. Settle in to hear stories about crushes, first dates, flings and relationships that ended in hilarious disaster (they promise a few happy endings as well). The aim of the evening is to make everyone in the audience “feel a little less alienated by the omnipresent pressure of Valentine’s Day.” Rain City Chronicles believes that everyone has a great personal story to tell and they make it their business to create opportunities for our communities to share them. So get into it! This is going to be priceless stuff.  Super bonus details: East Van’s rock-and-roll choir, Kingsgate Chorus, will be on site to belt out some heartbreak tunes and there’ll also be tarot readings, magazine specials, and drinks.
Sat, Feb 15 | Doors 6:30pm, Show 7:30pm | The Rickshaw Theatre (254 E Hastings) | $15 | DETAILS 

THINK | The Vancouver Institute presents an evening lecture with local real estate marketer and art lover Bob Rennie on Saturday night. Rennie will speak why collecting art is important. From the Vancouver Institute: “Well-known in Vancouver for his exceptional contributions to urban development, Mr. Rennie is one of North America’s foremost experts on and collectors of contemporary art, focusing on works related to identity, social injustice, appropriation, painting and photography. His collection is frequently on loan to institutions like the Guggenheim Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Centre Georges Pompidou, Smithsonian and Tate.” TL:DR: Rennie has some street cred when it comes to art and he’s going to throw around a bit of his expertise on Saturday night, so don’t miss out.
Sat, Feb 15 | 8:15pm | Lecture Hall 2 | Woodward Instructional Resources Centre, UBC | DETAILS

TOTALLY BAKED | The Bakers Market is back! Starting this weekend you can load up with artisanal breads, scones, cookies and cakes out at the Moberly Arts & Cultural Centre. We’re guessing this weekend will see all manner of heart shaped red and pink macaroons, madeleines, cupcakes and marshmallows, too. Lots of gluten free and vegan options – the whole shebang. It’s like a dreamy dessert buffet or the biggest bakery you’ve ever set foot in. Show some love for the environment and take your own containers and bags.
Sun, Feb 16 | 11am–3pm | Moberly Arts & Cultural Centre, 7646 Prince Albert | DETAILS 

SCIENCE | Head out to UBC this week (and next) to get in on an entire festival focused on the evolution of life. FestEVOLVE honours the science, theories and physical evidence of evolution through talks, museum tours, a series of hands-on activities (including crafts with an evolutionary spin, puppet shows, a workshop on how to create your own fossils, a DNA extraction demonstration). Bonus: this Wednesday is Charles Darwin’s birthday and you better believe that the Beaty Biodiversity crew have some good stuff planned for that (just imagine a cake making event in which participants present their most creative efforts to bake and decorate evolution or ecology-themed cakes). FestEVOLVE kicks off on Wednesday, February 12th and continues until Sunday, February 23rd.
February 12-23 | 10am-5pm | 2212 Main Mall, UBC | DETAILS

FILM | As the 86th Academy Awards approach (March 2), we need to educate ourselves on what’s in the running. The Wolf of Wall Street, American Hustle, Her – there’s still time to catch the big guns at theatres around town, but if you’ve already covered the major players and want to get into the details, Vancity Theatre can help. In an effort to bring you up to speed some of the lesser known films in the nominee line-up, they’ll be screening the nominees for the Academy Award for Best Short Film in the Live Action and Animation categories now through March 1.  There’s some really great stuff hiding in the quieter categories. Don’t forget the little guys!
Now – March 1 | Various times | 1181 Seymour St | DETAILS

HUSTLE | Miley Cyrus is in town. If you’re looking for something a little more…er…mature, how about Band of Horses together with Pink Mountaintops at the Vogue or The Pixies with Best Coast at the Orpheum? Not bad for a Monday night in Vancouver, right? The problem is both that gigs are sold out, so you’re going to have to pull a few moves in order to score a seat. We have faith in you; a good seat at a small venue is worth ten at Rogers Arena, so get hustling.
Band of Horses: February 17, Vogue Theatre | CRAIGSLIST
Pixies: February 17, Orpheum | CRAIGSLIST

Check the Globe & Mail every Thursday for our Special Weekend Edition of the Scout List

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Michelle Sproule grew up in Kitsilano and attended 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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