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!

WATCH | Doxa is on, and with almost 100 screenings at various venues about town, there’s plenty to keep you entertained. Highlights include an opening night screening of Virunga (the critically acclaimed film about UNESCO world heritage site Virunga National Park in Eastern Congo), the Secrets & Lies series of documentaries that brings together film that “examines deception and secrecy in all its manifest forms” by covering everything from political cover-ups to little white lies (often accompanied by panel discussions and film maker Q&A’s).
May 2-11 | Various times, Various venues | DETAILS

DUALITY | Every set of eyes picks up different details in a painting or a photograph. A poem speaks differently to every reader in the way that each song resonates uniquely with every listener. How we experience art is influenced by our individual experiences. That’s just the way it just is.The Duality Art Experiment explores this concept, and it opens with an exhibition to showcase the findings on Friday night. From project organizer Shannyn Higgins: “Based on our emotions, experiences and individuality, the narrative can be propelled into different directions. A writer can explore sadness, rootlessness or loss which could in turn inspire a visual artist to see hope, desire or beauty. With the intent to explore this concept further we invited fifty Vancouver based emerging and established artists to contribute to this exploration. Twenty-five writers, poets and songwriters shared a sentence, a lyric or a scribble from their note book. The words were then anonymously paired with a visual artist along with a blank archival rag sheet and seven days to bring tangibility to their words.” All art produced for the show runs a reasonable $200, and Shannyn, who is a photographer, documented all 50 participants during the process of bringing the show together and has produced a companion book ($45).
May 2 & 3 | Friday 7pm-late, Sat 3pm-late | East Van Studios (870 E Cordova) | DETAILS

EAT | Start May off right by loading up a plate with good food, grabbing a seat at a communal table and making a new friends at Perogy Night. On the first Friday of each month, the Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral off Main St. sorts plenty of people out by serving up an authentic Ukrainian dinner and a warm, fuzzy community glow for cheap. A “regular dinner” consists of 6 perogies, 2 cabbage rolls, sauerkraut or salad and sausage and costs just $12 (upgrade to a Super Dinner for $15 and pick up an extra 4 perogies and another cabbage roll). If you’re looking for something a little lighter, borscht served with rye bread is only $4.50. It’s an awesome deal that could only get better if they had $1.50 pie. Wait…they do?! See you there.
Fri, May 2 | 5-8pm | Holy Trinity Ukrainian Cathedral | 154 E 10th | $3.50 – $15 | DETAILS

LEARN | The UBC Farm’s Growing Season Workshop Series is holding not one, but two of their wildly popular Beginners Cheese-Making workshops this week with David Asher Rotsztain. Participants can expect to learn how to make three basic styles of fresh cheese: paneer, yogurt cheese and rennet cheese curds. David will lead participants through the various stages of the cheese-making process and will stick to simple, DIY techniques that can be easily reproduced at home. This workshop will sell out VERY quickly, so get sorted with tickets as soon as you can.
Friday, May 2 | 5:30-8:30 | 3461 Ross Dr, UBC | $42 | DETAILS
Saturday, May 3 | 2pm-5pm | 3461 Ross Dr, UBC | $42 | DETAILS

THE SHOW | Prepare to be blown away this Sunday at the annual Degree Exhibition at Emily Carr. Wander the galleries, hallways, foyers and classrooms of the campus to take in upwards of 300 works by the talented graduating students. Students exhibiting their work have come through ECUAD via Design, Media and Visual Arts, and their cumulative body of work is astounding in breadth and sheer volume (consider tagging along on a one-hour tour). The opening reception for The Show takes place Saturday, May 3 from 5 – 10pm, and officially opens Sunday May 4 at 10am, continuing until Sunday, May 18 at 6pm.
Sunday May 4 | 10am-8pm | ECUAD (1400 Johnston, Granville Island) | DETAILS

OCEAN WISE | The Vancouver Aquarium and Naramata Bench Wineries Association are joining forces this weekend to hold Wine For Waves, a fundraising event for Ocean Wise, the “Vancouver Aquarium conservation program created to educate and empower consumers about the issues surrounding sustainable seafood.” Wine For Waves will offer Vancouverites a first taste of Naramata Bench’s spring release wines paired with seafood prepared by some amazingly talented chefs (Chef Ned Bell of Yew, Chef Bruno Terroso of Poplar Grove, Chef Mark Ashton of Lake Breeze Winery, Darin Paterson of Red Rooster Winery, Robert Cordonier from Hillside Winery, Chris Whittaker from Forage, Tret Jordan from Homer St. Cafe, as well as Nobutaka Watanabe & Chef Daiji Tanaka from Hapa Izakaya and Julian Bond from The Pacific Institute of Culinary Art). Good food and wine for a good cause? You can’t go wrong!
Friday, May 2 | 7pm | Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver, 791 West Georgia St | DETAILS

RACES | The Kentucky Derby goes down in Louisville, KY this weekend. Run every single year since 1875, this Saturday’s will be the 140th race.  If you’re feeling that tight timing (and possibly cash) might get in the way of a last minute trip south to watch the race first hand, consider popping in to the Hastings Racecourse to partake in the excitement. The race will be shown on ‘jumbo’ screens, bets can be placed, and many horse race enthusiasts will gather to make this the closest thing to the vibe in Kentucky as you’ll get without hopping on a plane. Make a day of it by wearing a fancy outfit (with hat, naturally), place a bet, and maybe even find yourself a Mint Julep. Reserve a table for a group at 604.216.5204
Saturday, May 3 | Entry at noon, 1st race 1:50pm | Hastings Racecourse, PNE | DETAILS

OF A FEATHER | This is Bird Week. Being that Vancouver is smack in the middle of the ‘Pacific Flyway’ route for migratory birds (the north-south route that flows from Alaska to Patagonia), we get to see plenty of seasonal species, and the city boasts a number of bird specialists willing to share their knowledge. Become a bird lover! There are so many great ways to get involved: take one of the numerous guided walks at various locations around town, develop your inner naturalist with a Drawing for birders workshop, or sit in on one of a series of talks (The State of Marine Birds in Burrard Inlet goes down next on Tuesday night).
All week | Various times and locations | DETAILS

COLLECT | Good news: our favourite pop-up shop, The Found And The Freed, just opened a permanent location in the old Scott’s Market corner store on Victoria Drive (at E Georgia). Like a cross between a kickass garage sale and a DIY museum exhibit, The Found and The Freed brings together beautiful antiques, artifacts and found objects that lean toward the unique side of awesome.
706 Victoria Drive | Thurs + Fri 12-7 | Sat 11-6 | Sun 11-5 | DETAILS

WALK | After so many months of rain, bare branches and brown grass, it’s inspiring to see the Vancouver landscape shift in to spring. Colours have returned, birds are singing, light is changing – the city is coming alive. Take some time out to slow down and appreciate this time. Spring showers are a reality, wear appropriate clothing, grab a warm cup of something and take a walk. Iona Beach Regional Park (just north of the Vancouver International Airport) in Richmond is a beautiful stretch of sandy shoreline that spreads toward the sea at the mouth of the Fraser River (pictured on the cover of the Scout List this week). In addition to walking the beach (when the tide is out it goes on for ever) there is also a walkable breakwater, as well as raised boardwalks and unmarked trails through marsh areas. Lots to discover and always beautiful.
Iona Beach Regional Park | Cross the Arthur Laing Bridge on your way to the airport but turn right at the first traffic light (Grauer Road). Continue straight (Grauer becomes Ferguson Road which will then become The Iona Island Causeway.)

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 streets with her best friend – a beat up, sticky, grimy (but faithful) camera.

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