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!

SOUP | What’s better in winter than a warm bowl of healthy soup? A trip to Jamaica, that’s what! But seriously, if you haven’t made soup before and you’re not sure where to start, UBC Farm is offering a soup-making class this weekend that’ll sort you out. Learn how to incorporate local, seasonal ingredients into roasted vegetable stocks, miso-based broths, creamy purees and bean and lentil soups. Recipes will be vegetable-based and vegan-friendly, so grab a friend and get learning.
Wed, March 5 | 5:30- 7:30pm | UBC Farm Centre (3461 Ross Dr) | $45 | DETAILS

INDULGE | Make room on your schedule to head to The Four Seasons Hotel this Thursday night. Chef Ned Bell, along with Four Season’s lead bartender, Justin Taylor, have invited West Restaurant’s executive chef Quang Dang and bartender David Wolowidnyk, as well as chef Jonathan Chovancek and mixologist Lauren Mote from Bittered Sling, to come to Yew Seafood + Bar to get in on a little chef-swapping action (rather than stay teamed up with their usual chef, bartenders will be partnered with a chef from one of the other two teams). The price of the ticket might be steep, but it’s worth it to have three fantastic chefs and three equally talented bartenders working together to present one six course meal. See you there.
Thurs, March 6 | YEW Seafood + Bar (791 W Georgia St) | $125 | DETAILS

COMMUNITY | If you live in or are concerned about any of the neighbourhoods that the City’s new Community Plans are – er, planning – you might want to make your way to the Arts & Culture Alliance building at 938 Howe St on Thursday night. Heritage Vancouver Foundation has assembled a line-up of guest speakers including Holly Sovdi (West End Planner) Tom Wanklin, (Senior Planner, Downtown Eastside Neighbourhoods Group) and James Boldt (Heritage Planner) to chat about heritage in the context of Community Plans. From Heritage Vancouver: “Over the past two years, Heritage Vancouver has participated in all four of the current Community Plan updates including the West End Plan, approved by City Council on November 20th, 2013, The Downtown Eastside Plan to be presented to Council on March 12th and the Marpole and Grandview-Woodland Plans, still in progress. During this process, each of these communities spoke out strongly, and their local heritage has played a much more prominent role in each of the plans than was ever anticipated.” Topics covered will include the importance of preserving heritage and ways in which the city might implement these recommendations. Attendees are invited to ask questions and share ideas (always a nice thing to encourage).
Thu, March 6 | 7-9pm | Arts & Culture Alliance | #100-938 Howe St. | FREE pre-registration required

PORTSIDE PULP | Poke your head in to Gastown’s Portside Pub for a pint of Persephone Golden Goddess Ale and a look at a new art exhibition called Pulp this Friday night. Artists participating in Pulp were challenged to capture the old maritime heritage of Vancouver by “…blending port-based Vancouver archival imagery with Men’s Adventure Magazine and vintage “pulp” paper-like references”. All 23 paintings are monochromatic and overflowing with “macabre, anachronistic, mythical, science fiction, and nostalgic cinematic thrills set on an old-timey Vancouver backdrop.” Participating artists include Drew Young, Jay Senetchko, Caroline Weaver, Stefan Tosheff, Francis Tiffany, Noah Stacey, and Ilya Viryachev.
Fri, March 7 | 7-10pm | The Portside Pub, 7 Alexander St | DETAILS

GET UP | Friday is Creative Mornings, the monthly AM gathering for creative types at SFU Woodwards. Each event includes a 20 minute lecture followed by a 20 minute group discussion. It begins at 8:30am and ends with everyone splitting for their respective offices at 10am. This month, CM speak to the theme “Hidden” with photojournalist Wendell Phillips taking the stage to talk. Sign-up here for the ticket lottery (tickets go FAST, so don’t sit on it).
Fri, March 7 | 8:30-10am | Goldcorp Centre for the Arts (149 W Hastings) | DETAILS

HOMAGE | The late night movie at the Rio Theatre this week is Almost Famous. It’s a grand affirmation of everything that good about drugs and booze, promiscuity and the general recklessness of youth and rock n’ roll. Get out your best rockstar/groupie costumes for $2 off the already very reasonable $8 ticket price and grab a beer and a grilled cheese for the show. Vancouver comedian and coming-of-age-angst specialist Sara Bynoe will be hosting the evening, so that’s another added bonus you have to look forward to. Also: Billy Crudup, Frances McDormand, Jason Lee, Zooey Deschanel, Jimmy Fallon, Anna Paquin, and Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Fri, March 7 | 11pm | Rio Theatre (1660 E Broadway) | $8 | DETAILS 

ART AUCTION | The Western Front is holding it’s 41st Annual Gala Dinner and Art Auction this week. The evening, held at the The Grand Luxe Hall, includes a cocktail reception and dinner by Hawksworth, musical entertainment and an auction. Ticket prices are steep, but consider that proceeds from the night help support arts programming and solid efforts to foster a vibrant cultural scene in Vancouver (and a vibrant cultural scene makes everyone happy). The online catalogue has some interesting pieces – I particularly like the Gordon Smith (Untitled, 2013) and The Sorrow the Joy Brings (2012) by Noa Giniger. Have a look at the auction catalogue here. Or, if you like to see the actual physical item, nip in to the auction preview evening on Wednesday night (7-9pm) and take a look first hand.
Sat, March 8 | 6pm | Western Front Grand Luxe Hall 303 East 8 | $185 | DETAILS

UKULELE FESTIVAL | The Vancouver Ukulele Festival sold out last year and chances are good that it will sell out again this year. Know why? Because ukuleles are rad. This year’s festival includes a multi-performance concert at St. James Hall ($18 in advance and $25 at the door) that will include a fine line-up of ‘Ukesters’ (Danielle Ate The Sandwich, The Quiet American, Daphne ‘Ruby’ Roubini, founder of The Vancouver Ukulele School with Ruby & Smith, Ralph Shaw, and Guido Heistek). Sunday brings a full day of workshops for every level of ukulele enthusiast from beginner through to advanced but, bad news, workshops are already sold out. Don’t make the mistake of thinking the concert won’t sell out, too.
Sat, March 8 | 7pm | St James Hall (3214, W 10th Ave) | DETAILS

GROW WHAT YOU EAT | Despite recent dustings of snow, we’re beginning to see green bits poking through the ground and on branches. Sure, it still seems a little grey and soggy, but we’re through the really rough part, and spring is now on the horizon. It’s time to start prepping your garden, making a plan, and caring for your soil. If you aren’t sure just where to begin, the girls of Victory Gardens can help. Join in on their straight-forward and hands-on Early Garden Workshop this weekend and get tips on how you can start an early garden. Learn what plants are best suited to these early spring temperatures, get schooled on soil preparation and learn how to start growing indoors in order to plant outside in the coming weeks. Bonus: all attendees will get a handout and package of seeds for early growing.
Sat, March 8 | 10:30am | Chalk (593 E. Georgia St.(E Georgia @ Princess Ave) | $20 | DETAILS

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS | March is that turning point on the calendar when we can begin to remember longer days and hold on tight to the knowledge that the warmth of summer is on its way. Thankfully, that momentous point (Daylight Savings Time) comes this week. Late Saturday night – or, more accurately, at about 2am on Sunday morning – clocks will spring forward, making room for a little more daylight, which is always a good idea in our books.
Sun, March 9 | 2am  

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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