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 list of super awesome things that we’re either doing, wishing that we could do, or conspiring to do this week. From our calendar to yours…

SUSTENANCE

Winter Farmer’s Market

Head to the Winter Farmers’ Market at WISE Hall to pick up some hearty root vegetables, home-baked bread, crafts, and plenty of other cool bits. Visit EatLocal.org to see the full list of vendors (Scout goes for Pasture to Plate, Little Qualicum Cheeseworks and always a visit to The Fruit Guy for dried Okanagan fruits to snack on).
Nov 21 | 10am – 2pm | WISE Hall | FREE

Tofino Oyster Festival

The good people of Tofino know how to celebrate the oyster, and their 13th annual Clayoquot Sound Oyster Festival will be proof positive: “Twelve oyster farms in the area produce roughly 50,000 gallons of oysters each year, and the festival is a chance for the farmers, chefs, the local community and visitors to come together to celebrate this bounty.” Events include Oysters Afloat (a guided tour to an oyster farm), the legendary Oyster Gala, and the Mermaid’s Ball costume party at the Tofino Community Hall. There really is no time of year that Tofino isn’t an awesome getaway – but the Oyster Festival makes mid-November even more beautiful.
Nov 19-21 | Various locations around Tofino | WEB

FASHION

Hunt & Gather Trunk Show

There is a Hunt & Gather Trunk Show and Sale at Mooncruise this Thursday. Check out Hunt & Gather designs,  brilliant accessories by Sarah J  (you may remember her trinkets from the Hunt & Gather store) as well as a wide selection of Mooncruise goodies. “No shortage of shiny things to choose from!” Yay, shiny things! Mooncruise is located at 235 Cambie Street (between Water St. and Cordova in Gastown, upstairs)
Nov 19 | 5pm-9pm |  235 Cambie Street | FREE

Shop it

Stop by Main Street’s Scout Boutique for some much needed end-of-the-workweek wine and cheese and a Mad Men inspired, pin-up designs fashion show with duds from Stop Staring as well as holiday wear from local designer Sweet Soul. With such a cool sounding name, who could resist? And it doesn’t hurt that you’ll receive 15% off all merchandise in the store…just because you are you. The fashion show starts at 8pm and a live DJ plays ’til late.
Nov 20 | 7pm on | Scout Boutique | FREE

SMARTNESS

Moshe Safdie

This month the Vancouver Institute brings Moshe Safdie to town.  In case you haven’t heard of him before – Mr. Safdie is a Architect and Urban Designer from Sommerville, Massachusetts (previously of Montreal and Palestine) who designed (among many significant buildings) the Vancouver Public Library Main Branch. He will be speaking about Megascale, Order and Complexity as part of the Arthur Erickson Memorial Lecture In Architectural Excellence.
Nov 21 | 8:15 pm |  Woodward Instructional Resources Centre, UBC | FREE

Savage Love

Gather your courage and your deepest darkest sexual questions and head to the Chan Centre this weekend. I know, Chan Centre and deep sexual questions are just two concepts you have never put together – but here is the scoop: American sex-advice columnist Dan Savage (Savage Love) will be at the Centre to give a talk, and answer questions. If you’re keen, you can submit your question in advance by emailing [email protected] and he might answer your question during the talk. “Dan Savage delivers his unique brand of sex advice in the wildly popular “Savage Love,” an internationally syndicated column read by millions of people every week. “Savage Love” is a cultural force that, over the years, has brought LGBT relationships into the mainstream.” (view a video clip of Dan Savage Giving Sex Advice at a Savage Love Live event)
Nov 21 | 8pm | Chan Centre for the Performing Arts  | $27

MUSIC

Thunderheist

Thunderheist plays the Biltmore this Friday night. As the BBC puts it: “He saved her from hip hop, she saved him from obscurity. Feisty Canadian electro-pop duo Thunderheist need each other, and you need them.” You really do. And what a kickass name! We could say Thunderheist again and again. Score tickets at Zulu. Read the full BBC review here.
Nov 20 | 9.30pm | Biltmore | $15

PS, if your in the mood for some Death Metal, Vader plays the Rickshaw.

Another great Zulu in-store

Hightail it over to Zulu records Saturday afternoon for an in store performance by legendary musician Billy Bragg. Do get there early as space is limited and standing on the street outside with your ear pressed to the window as all the cool kids hang with Billy inside would really suck. You can catch Billy Bragg at the Commodore for a full gig – Zulu has the tickets.
Nov 21 | 2pm | Zulu Records | FREE

THEATRE

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

“The ultimate con is on and it’s been set to music! Lawrence Jameson cons ladies; Freddy Benson cons women. Both men are unscrupulous. After they meet on a train they soon discover that the small town on the French Rivera isn’t big enough for the both of them. What ensues is outright naughty, bawdy fun as a frantic game of one-upmanship takes us on a roller-coaster ride of hilarity.”
Nov 21 | Playhouse | somewhere in the neighbourhood of $35

THE CREATIVE CLASS

The East Side Culture Crawl

I look forward to this event all year long. The annual three day wonder brings us common folk together with East Side artists (painters, jewelers, sculptors, textile artists, furniture makers, musicians, weavers, potters, printmakers, photographers, etc) in their natural habitat – the artist’s studio. With a map in hand (available at studios and shops in the community or online at Crawl website) members of the public slowly drift from one studio to the next, taking in the art, talking to the artists, and generally feeling the warm glow that comes from breathing in paint fumes. It can be quiet and introspective or engaging and social. The Crawl is a fantastic way to get a feel for the rich artistic community of the East Side. Have a look at last year’s Scout post for a more detailed snapshot. Support your local artists!
Nov 20,21,22 | Various locations | Eastsideculturecrawl.com for details

Make-it

It’s “Make-it” not “Naked”. The Handmade Revolution rolls in to the Croatian Cultural Centre with a line-up of one-of-a-kind handmade items from over 90 of Canada’s hottest urban artisans and designers brought to you by Make-It.  “Make It fuses indie shopping with music spun by top Vancouver DJs to create a dynamic, upbeat experience!” In case you’re wondering – “All the Cool Kids shop at Make-It”
Nov 20-22 | Croatian Cultural Centre | $5

Fab Fair

Featuring jewelry, handbags, scarves, hats, and belts from 45 local designers. Pick up goodies from Bad Girl Chocolates, earrings by Crass and Sugar, neckalces by Gingerly Designs. All good stuff made in Vancouver by Vancouverites.  info at fabfair.ca
Nov 21-22 | 11 am–5 pm  | Heritage Hall | 15th and Main | $2

All Hand-Made

The All Hand-Made Sale at the Granview Church boasts home-baked goods, an apple pie contest, locally grown and organic vegetables, jewellery, pottery, soap art and textiles.
Nov 20, 21 | 7.30 – 9.30 pm | Grandview Church | 1803 E 1st

Pomegranate Midwives Maternal Creations

Crafts and Art made by Mamas from the ‘hood. “From craft circles to MOMA, mothers have brought incredible vision and interpretation to our world. While some women have become famed for their works, other women make art a part of daily life; photographing, painting, sewing, sculpting, beading, kneading, staging, framing. The art of craft-making is both ancient and contemporary. Circles of women have been gathering throughout the ages and this has served them as a means for supporting each other creatively, emotionally, and productively. Making art is a social statement.”
Nov 29 – 21 | 5:30 – 8:30 | Little Nest | 1716 Charles Street

Etsy

And finally, there is an Etsy sale over at the Cambrian Hall. Look for Sassy Vintage and Lucky Troll, just two of 30 Etsy crafters flogging their wares.
Nov 21 | 11am – 5pm | Cambrian Hall | $2

ART

Toby Reid @ Antisocial

Head to the MINI Gallery at Antisocial Friday Night for an artists reception featuring Toby Reid. The show continues until Dec. 20
Nov 20 | 8pm | Antisocial | 2337 Main St. | FREE

Stories from Places and Times Distantly Close

“Western Front Exhibitions and Media Arts are pleased to present Stories from Places and Times Distantly Close, the Vancouver premiere of works by internationally recognized media artists Cinema Suitcase and Will Kwan. At a time when the existing economic system has arguably proven itself unsustainable, this exhibition offers a closer look at the seemingly distant places and times where the consequences of free global trade can be felt in tangible and direct ways.”
Nov 20 | 8pm | Luxe Hall, Western Front | FREE

Drawing on Vancouver

From Walrus: “This show gathers a few locals and a couple outsiders to celebrate Vancouver through drawing. A drawing can be as simple as a sketch done in seconds or can take months of detail and labour. They are more than just the pre-planning process of a larger work. Drawings can have a looseness that give a greater feeling of immediacy.”
Nov 19 | 6 to 9 pm | Walrus | 3408 Cambie St.

(small scale) – An Art Show

New work by Teresa Porter, Laura Koch, Michal Tkachenko, and Anna Vandas. (small scale) is running as an un-official East Side Culture Crawl Exhibit, officially at Little Mountain Gallery with a pre-Crawl opening reception on Wednesday, November 18, 7-11pm. Show runs Nov. 18-29.
Nov 18 | 7pm on | Little Mountain Gallery | FREE

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Michelle Sproule grew up in Kitsilano and attended Bond University in Australia and the University of Victoria before receiving her graduate degree in Library Sciences from The University of Toronto. She lives by the beach in Vancouver and enjoys wandering aimlessly through the city’s shops and streets with her best friend – a beat up, sticky, grimy, and uncooperative camera.

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