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, April 15-21, 2021.

APPRECIATE | The sun is out and so are cherry blossoms. These beautiful, varied, fluffy blossoms are a timely reminder that nothing lasts forever – not even pandemics. Hang on friends, we will get to the other side of this. For now, distraction is key, and a weekend of sakura viewing is on point. Pro tip: the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival has a fantastic map of over 3000 trees across the city indexed by cultivator name, location and estimated bloom date. They even have a special category for the most photographable trees. Have a look here.

LISTEN | The latest Track & Food Podcast hosts Jamie Mah and Mickey McLeod talk with Chef Alex Sandoval (Le Crocodile). Cooking under world renowned Chef Ignacio Mattos at his Estela restaurant in New York City, Sandoval thought she had things locked down. Then then pandemic hit and everything changed. Two days later she was on a flight back to Vancouver, her life forever altered. Have a listen over here.

EDUCATE | Skip the ‘Circuit Breaker’ induced Netflix binge and take a walk in the forest to learn about edible plants! Spring is springing! The trails behind the Jericho Sailing Centre are a fine choice for a discovery walk. All sorts of wild edibles are sprouting through the ground and popping from the branches: magnolia, dandelion, stinging nettle, flowering currant, fiddleheads, and miner’s lettuce. Need some help figuring out which plants are edible and which are not? We’ve always had good luck finding guide books at The Paper Hound and Pulp Fiction. Remember: identify and learn, don’t pick or eat.

LA LUCHA | Planning a picnic? Burdock & Co. is offering Peruvian snacks for park hangs as part of their La Lucha pop-up. Charcoal grilled beef heart, mussels with pico de gallo, crispy pork belly sandwiches and more Plus there will be beer. Not your average PB&J situation. Get in on the action here.

QUICK! | After selling out within an hour of its first iteration, the fine folks at The Acorn will be hosting a second sandwich pop-up this weekend. Swing by the takeout window on Sunday for offerings such as Beet Pastrami or “Crispy Chick…We Mean Mushroom” sandwiches with smoked onion potato chips and a variety of salad-y sides. It sounds like The Acorn might have their outdoor seating up and running by the weekend, so add one of their $5 pints to your order, grab a seat on the patio and pretend it’s summer! The pop-up runs Sunday, April 18, 11am-2pm (or until sell out). More information here.

SLURP | Here’s another scoop for you: Little Pilot pops-up on the edge of Chinatown this week. The tiny take-away shop (temporarily replacing Chef Patrick Hennessey’s excellent Barbara on East Pender St.) will have three options of udon noodles (veg, pork, prawn) as well as some sake/wine and beer. Pick-up only. Pre-order via DM @littlepilotyvr. More information here.

CAPTURE | The 2021 Capture Photography Festival continues to showcase all manner of ‘lens-based art’ created by emerging and established artists. This week we are looking forward to checking out Gregory Geipel’s exhibition “Still Vancouver“. From Capture: Geipel’s show “…records how the artist has walked the streets of Vancouver, carefully documenting the unique, yet often overlooked fixtures that have remained amidst the city’s rapid urbanization. His photographs are shot with meticulous, if not deadpan, composition and attention to moments of symmetry that are often difficult to find.⁠” Still Vancouver is on view from April 14–30, 2021⁠. More information here.

BEER | What are sunshiny weekends for if not to drink beer on a patio? For a handy guide of local breweries offering seats and suds in the sun, have a look at the latest edition of Patio City where we focus on the community of brewery patios that have proliferated around the Lower Mainland and share words of wisdom from their staff on how to make the most of outdoor drinking and snacking in the weeks ahead. Our personal fave right now (because it’s around the corner from our office)? Superflux!

CONTEMPLATE | Check out the ongoing exhibit at the Museum of Anthropology, A Future For Memory — Art and Life After the Great East Japan Earthquake. It’s a mixed media exploration in reconciling with the physical and emotional trauma from the aftermath of the tsunami that struck Japan in 2011. Book your time entry ticket here.

CLEAN | The only possible drawback of all this sunshine is that it picks up on all the dust and grime that was able to accumulate over the dark winter months. If you’re in the mood to do some spring cleaning, we suggest you check out the David Suzuki Foundation’s “Non-toxic disinfecting” and “How to de-clutter” tips. Find out more.