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 12 to February 18, 2020. 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

LAUGH | The Just For Laughs Northwest kicks off this week and brings with it a plethora of funny people. Bill Burr headlines (good luck getting tickets…try stalking Craigslist). There are still some tickets left to the Margaret Cho show at the Vogue on Saturday night so don’t stall on scooping those as they’ll be gone soon. Also, Jay Pharoah is at The Venue next week, and Melissa Villaseñor (first-ever Latina cast member of Saturday Night Live) is doing a stand-up gig at Yuk-Yuks February 13-15. The fun continues straight through to February 25th. Take a look at the JFL website for complete line-up deets.

GIG | Luna is blasting into town from the United States (and the 90’s) this week. What a great way to spend a mid-February Thursday night: have a nice cold beer and slip back in time. Luna will be performing Penthouse (their classic third album which featured guests Tom Verlaine (Television) and Laetitia Sadier (Stereolab) and was called “one of the essential recordings of the ‘90s” by The Rolling Stone. Not familiar? Hit up Youtube for a listen and then rustle yourself a ticket over here.

LAST CHANCE | The Cindy Sherman exhibition is getting ready to move on. Don’t miss your chance to check it out. This weekend is sweet timing because if you visit on Saturday afternoon you can sit in on a panel discussion for some pre-viewing context. From the VAG: “Moderated by Public Programs Coordinator Stephanie Bokenfohr, panelists will discuss Sherman’s practice in relation to concepts of performance, gender, fashion, aging, social media, sharing and identity.” The panel discussion is free for members or with gallery admission but registration is required. The very last day to see Cindy Sherman will be on March 8, 2020. Don’t wait. Find out more.

KIDS | Grab a kid or two (if you don’t have any of your own, borrow one from a friend) and head out to UBC to participate in the topsy turvy awesomeness of putting kids in charge. Get this: “For too long, UBC has been run by adults. It’s time for kids to take charge. During Kids Takeover UBC, youth are given meaningful roles alongside staff and volunteers to set agendas and participate in arts and culture.” Hit up arenas, museums, galleries, classrooms and theatres to experience everything from kid-sized performances and workshops to kid-led facility tours, drop-in family hockey and public skating and even a House That Tells Stories. Extra cool bonus: food trucks, crafts and a marching band. Too bad they aren’t in charge of budgeting, exam marking, dissertation scheduling and handing out bursaries, too! Still, “Kids Take Over” sounds like a fun start. All-access family passes $40, and this event tends to sell out. Find out more.

VINI VOLPE | Not in to the Valentines thing? You can stay home and hide (we often do). But there is another option, a more elevated one: there is the Vini Volpe Anti San Valentino option at Caffè La Tana. No cupids. No set menus. No ‘couples’ specials. Just a laidback glass of wine in a pretty room with music, good lighting and fine people. There will also be cicchetti (Italian for small plates and snacks). Sounds exactly perfect, right? It gets better: this is a no-reservation situation. Just swing by when you’re ready. Find out more.

LISTEN | Looking to clear your head? Music might help. How about a spot of Handel? Two of the late Baroque composers more famous works – Water Music and the Funeral Music for Queen Caroline – are being performed in the ballroom of Hycroft Manor on Saturday. Grab a seat and let the music take you to another time. Your $35 ticket includes a complimentary glass of bubbly (which will help with the letting-go factor). Afternoon performances are already sold out, still possibility of the 8pm performance. Find out more.

LOVE | Fancy a bit of romance? Natural Born Killers (1994) is on at The Rio this Saturday night (11:30pm). The film was based on a screenplay by Quentin Tarantino and directed by Oliver Stone. From The Rio: “Easily one of cinema’s greatest couples, Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis star as two young, attractive serial killers who become tabloid-TV darlings, thanks to a their cross-country killing spree and a sensationalistic press that charts their every move, led by an uncanny Robert Downey Jr. Also starring Rodney Dangerfield, Tom Sizemore, Tommy Lee Jones.” Get into it guys! Nothing says romance like a little Tarantino, right? Find out more.

EXPLORE | It’s cool out, but moments of sunshine are expected throughout the week so be prepared to pounce when one of those precious moments presents itself. We suggest bundling up and heading to Whytecliff Park (West Van) for a wander. Winter beaches have a lot to offer. Swimming isn’t advised, but the cold water sure is clear and nice to stare at. Take some time out to appreciate the seaweed, shells, rocks and beach glass. Climb around on the cliffs (carefully) or sit on a log with a hot tea and contemplate how great it is to live in a city skirted by a shore that lets you touch down with nature. On your way back to civilization you can also schedule in a stop at Savary Island Pie Company for a warm bowl of soup and some of the best bread in the city! Find out more.

FAMILY DAY | Hooray for family! If you don’t have one, you can always build one out of friends (sometimes it’s easier that way). However you roll, make good use of this day off by getting together with the people you love. Take a walk, linger over coffee, maybe sit down for a good meal. We suggest hustling over to the Pacific Spirit Regional Park where there will be a Nature Fun by the Fire event involving wildlife story-telling and songs, nature talks, and marshmallows roasting — all in a beautiful rainforest! Everyone is welcome and this event is free. Find out more.

BEER | If you’ve been hearing about a lot of cool new breweries on the North Shore, and still haven’t found the time to acquaint yourself with all the tasty things they are doing, it’s time to get caught up. To make it easy, The Shipyards Brewery District is hosting a crawl in the Lower Lonsdale area that will sort you out. At only $25 tickets for a 16oz pour from the good peeps at North Point, Beere, House of Funk, Streetcar and Green Leaf, this is a no-brainer. Hooray for Family Day beer drinking! Find out more.

PLAN | Pecha Kucha tickets are now available. This edition of Vancouver’s coolest speaking event goes down March 12th and the line-up of speakers is – as always – diverse, engaged, and ready to inspire. Take a look at who will take the stage here. You know you hate it when you find out it’s sold out and you didn’t get a ticket. Don’t let that happen! Score tickets here.