From our calendar to yours comes this carefully considered agenda of cool things we are doing, wishing we could do, or conspiring to do in Vancouver from February 27 to March 5, 2019. Please note that you can now get the Scout List – with a few extra pieces of intel included – sent to your inbox every Thursday. Sign up for your subscription in the sidebar
LAST CHANCE | Get your blood flowing by hitting Robson Square for a final lap around the ice rink. It closes for the season this Thursday so don’t wait around! Take your thermal mug, some nice thick gloves and some cash (although skating is free, equipment rentals are ‘cash only’ – skates $4, helmets $2). Rink hours are 9am-9pm. Hurry! Find out more.
LISTEN | The Institute for the Humanities at Simon Fraser University has been considering the impact of noise on your well-being. They’ve been thinking about honking horns, car alarms and sirens as well as lawn mowers, leaf blowers, construction zone noises and boisterous nightclub crowds. And now they’re asking, is noise just the price we pay when we live in urban areas? Head to SFU Harbour Centre on Thursday night to hear a panel of distinguished noise experts weigh in on the state of noise pollution in Vancouver. This event is free, open to the public and possibly a little noisy. Find out more.
BAKING | The lovely folks from Flourist are popping-up at Di Beppe this weekend. Hustle down to Gastown to score yourself a loaf (or two). And while you’re at it, stock up on flour, whole grains and beans, plus cookies, brownies, and other treats (we heard a rumour that there might be cake). Oh, and be sure to take an, empty jar with you for free sourdough starter with your purchase! Find out more about this weekend’s pop-up here and get up to speed with this Scout feature on the upcoming brick & mortar spot here.
JAPANESE FOOD FAIR | The Vancouver Buddhist Temple is holding a food fair in Railtown on Sunday. Expect delicious, reasonably priced homemade dishes served at long lunchroom tables and a great community vibe. As one event organizer explains: “All the food is homemade and is unbelievably good. There’s also a large social hall that can sit a couple hundred guests, so you can stay and eat or take it to go. Some would say the food is enlightening!” $6 homemade maki rolls and $5 ohagi and chicken teriyaki? Count us in! Find out more.
ART | Steve Baylis: Contemplated Realities opens at The Ian Tan Gallery this week. From the gallery: “Using cold wax and oil, Vancouver artist Steve Baylis creates mosaics of gleaming colour. The complex depth of his painting is not arrived at through illusion but is rather built on the surface bit by bit. Baylis’ montage of particles adjust on visual whims, as the pigments play together and reveal a multitude of compositions. The effect results in paintings that breathe with limitless individual fragments, congealing in a eukaryotic whole.” Hard to picture? That’s why you should carve out a little time on Saturday afternoon (2-4pm) to hit the opening reception and check out Baylis’ work with your own two eyeballs. Contemplated Realities opens Saturday, March 2nd and is on the walls until March 31. Find out more.
FAN EXPO | If you’re walking around downtown this weekend and notice an uptick in the number of stormtroopers, superheroes or anime characters, that’s probably because Vancouver Fan Expo is on. The three-day event will include exhibits, discussion panels, celebrity photo-ops, autograph sessions, screenings, workshops, comic book shopping and a whole lotta cosplay. Find out more.
POT | The Science & Policy Integration Network (a local group that aims to connect scientists and policy makers in a variety of areas) is hosting a Potential of Pot event out at UBC this week. From event organizers: “On October 17th 2018, Canada made history by becoming the second country in the world to formally legalize recreational cannabis. From a policy perspective, this was no small task, requiring collaboration across multiple sectors from both government and the greater community. Nearly 5 months has now passed since legalization – so how have things been working out so far?” Expect knowledgeable speakers and experts (from areas such as healthcare, research, industry, law, and education) to weigh in. Snacks provided, because pot. Tickets here. Find out more.
WELL BEINGS | Balance, inspiration and connection are not always easy states to achieve, so why not take Monday off work and head to Chambar for a solid dose of all three? Well Beings begins at 9:30am with a coffee and tea reception followed by a series of short talks by an impressive line-up of speakers (check here for the full list), and finishes with cocktails and food. While content and subject matter of the day will be geared towards women/non-binary folx working in the wellness and hospitality industries, all industries and people are welcome to attend. We expect this will be a sell out, so move on tickets fast (here).
WHISKY | Every year the Vancouver Writers’ Festival puts on a fundraising event called Whisky & Words, and every year that event sells out, because who doesn’t love the concept of unlimited rare whisky tasting for a good cause? This year, event organizers got wise and have added six ancillary whisky-centric events that will allow even more whisky enthusiasts a chance to participate. The Masterclass series of workshops will pop-up at locations across Granville Island in the early evening of March 8th (we’re letting you know about them now because they too will sell out and we want you to grab a place while you still can). Class themes range from “Women & Whisky” (led by Canada’s first female Scotch Ambassador) and the science of whisky-making to a survey of who is making what on the local scene and how whisky and writing have such an intimate relationship. For a full description of classes, click here. Tickets are reasonably priced at $65 and include tastings and light food pairings. Bonus: all ticket purchases will include a $40 tax receipt. Find out more.
EXPLORE | Why not ride the skytrain to New Westminster? The 3rd Annual Innovation Week (March 2-8) kicks off Saturday and with it comes seven days of events, activities designed to activate the community, inspire communication and reveal new corners of the city to curious visitors. Make the most of this cooperative weather by bundling up for an invigorating walk along the Pier Park boardwalk. Recharge with warming pitstops for coffee and a treat at the Old Crow cafe, and maybe dig into something delicious at Longtail Kitchen in the River Market food court. Then, put aside an hour and hop across the street to check out the New Media Centre’s latest exhibit, magnetic_T, featuring four International artists exploring ideas of magnetism. As the daylight wanes, wind down by drinking up some sunshine at El Santo with a cocktail off their “Creative” list, like the Frida (Montelobos mezcal, spiced hibiscus tea, orange juice, egg white and orange dust). Also take note that the Anvil Centre is hosting its own PechaKucha event this Saturday night (March 2nd). You can hook yourself up with tickets (only $7.50 each!) here.
Freebird in River Market is closed but you can get some favourite dishes at sister restaurant Longtail down the hall.
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Thank you for posting our Women’s Day programming!
I appreciate you posting my art exhibition at Ian Tan Gallery:)
I hope to see you there!