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!

WRITE | This Thursday is Letter Writing Club at The Regional Assembly of Text, which is good for many reasons. Chief among them is that Mother’s Day is imminent and if you haven’t done anything about letting your Ma know just how much you love and appreciate her, this is the perfect opportunity to get moving on it. If you’ve never heard of it before, the wonderful Main Street store sports a brilliant collection of books, paper, cards, stamps, chalkboards, boxes, and – yes – even clothing. On the first Thursday of every month they host an evening of letter writing that’s free and open to everyone with supplies provided. Just imagine your mother’s face when she opens the mail to see a hand-penned letter from you waiting for her. Good move, genius.
Thu, May 5 | 7:30pm | Regional Assembly of Text (3934 Main) | Free | DETAILS

SPACE | Do you find things like quantum fluctuations, gravity, dark matter, and cosmic structures oddly compelling? If the answer is yes (and how could it be anything else?), you’re going to want to get yourself to the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre this Thursday night when Dr. Michael Turner (theoretical cosmologist from The Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics in Chicago) takes over the Planetarium Star Theatre for a special simulcast lecture from the Adler Planetarium in Chicago: The Big Bang to the Multiverse and Beyond. Expect to have your brain filled with thoughts on whether or not out universe is part of a larger multiverse, what’s behind the speed up of the expansion of the universe and WTF is dark matter, really? You’ll leave smarter, so go.
May 5 | 5-7 | H.R. MacMillan Space Centre | DETAILS

BUY LOCAL | Got Craft? You should! Make your way over to the The Pipe Shop in North Van this weekend to check out the supercool handmade wares of over 75 independent artists. Expect everything from locally crafted ceramics, jewellery, clothing and accessories to caramels, salt, oils and bitters. Set aside a piece of your weekend to explore what your neighbours and community members are busy creating. So. Much. Good.
Sat + Sun, May 7 + 8 | 10am-5pm | The Pipe Shop (115 Victory Ship Way) | $5 | DETAILS

ART | The annual Degree Exhibition at Emily Carr is on! A group exhibition of a magnitude rarely encountered, The Show is really worth a visit. Wander the galleries, hallways, foyers and classrooms of the campus to take in upwards of 300 works by the talented graduating students. The artists have come through ECUAD via Design, Media and Visual Arts, and their cumulative bodies of work is astounding in its breadth and sheer volume. Consider tagging along on a one-hour tour to help provide some context. The opening reception for The Show goes down Saturday night and officially opens Sunday, May 8th at 10am, continuing until 5pm on May 22.
May 8-22 | ECUAD (1400 Johnston, Granville Isl) | DETAILS

DESIGN | Spring-cleaning has commenced! Now that you’ve purged yourselves of tired hand-me-down couches and grungy old IKEA bookcases, it’s time to replenish. From May 5th to the 8th, make your way to Address at the Waterfall Building and get yourself sorted. This four-day affair – curated by local designer Kate Duncan – has got you covered with aesthetically divine, handcrafted pieces of furniture and home accessories that can enliven and style-up any living space. There are roughly twenty contributing makers taking part to show everything from planters and bathtubs to textiles and tables.
May 5-8th | 11:00am-6:00 pm | Waterfall Building | 1540 West 2nd Ave | DETAILS

DOXA | The Documentary Film Festival (DOXA) takes to screens around town starting this week. With over 85 documentaries on the roster this year, there’s plenty to keep you entertained and informed. This week, explore the grotesque and increasingly gargantuan world of artist Laurie Lipton; sit ringside for a look at professional lucha libre wrestling in Mexico; and satisfy your inner bibliophile with a screening of The Act of Becoming, a documentary not about books themselves but about the relationship a reader can have with a literary work. There are also panel discussions and many, many more films. Check out the full line-up here.
May 5-15 | Various times, Various venues | DETAILS

DAY AT THE RACES | The Kentucky Derby goes down in Louisville this weekend. Run every single year since 1875, this Saturday’s will be the 142nd of its kind. If you can’t make it to Kentucky, pop in to the Hastings Racecourse for the next best thing: live streaming Derby races on the jumbo screen in an authentic racecourse setting. Make a day of it by wearing a fancy outfit (with hat, naturally) and maybe place a bet or two. First Post goes down at 1:50pm, with the Kentucky Derby live on the big screen starting at at 3:30pm.
Sat, May 7 | Doors 9am, 1st race 1:50pm | Hastings Racecourse, PNE | DETAILS

OF A FEATHER | This is Bird Week, folks. 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. There is no better time to become a birder! From Bird Week organisers: “The theme of this year is ‘Birds in our Garden’ and many events will tell something of the special connection between plants and birds.” There are so many great ways to get involved: take one of the numerous guided walks at various locations around town, catch a bird related movie screening, learn bird taxidermy, get creative with an illustrated story, pick up some bird friendly plants at a special plant sale, and so on — there is something for every age and level of interest.
May 7-14 2016 | Various times and locations | DETAILS

COMMUNITY | The Stone Soup Festival goes down on Commercial Drive this weekend. The celebration of food, art, environment, and community will include planting, urban foraging and medicine-making workshops, a “Saving Our Wild Salmon” slide show and talk, as well as live music and free soup! From event organizers: “More than ever, people are aware of the issues of food security, food justice, the benefits of sharing resources and eating ‘local’. Stone Soup will celebrate the diversity of food in our neighbourhood, the environment and it’s importance to the culture of our community.” Get into it — a strong and united community can do some amazing things~
Sat, May 7 | 12-5 pm | Britannia Community Centre (1661 Napier) | Free | DETAILS

POP-UP | Weekends can fly by too quickly; stretch out the fun by sitting down to a ‘low country seafood boil’ this Sunday night. Chef Todd from HandTaste Ferments joins forces with East Van hangout The Lido, Harkness Butcher, and Brassneck Brewing to help you close out a fine few days off around a communal table with fine friends and good food. Roll up your sleeves and dig into a huge feast of fresh local clams, mussels, side shrimp and crab served family style with organic vegetables and nice cold beer. Expect a messy meal so dress the part and don’t get fussy about service – this is dinner with pals! $30 gets you so much food and a welcome drink at The Lido as well as a few at the supper.
Sun, May 8 | 6:30pm | Meet at The Lido (518 East Broadway) | $30 | DETAILS