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. From our calendar to yours…

TUNES

Swing by Zulu records (where the wax is starting to heat up) on Friday evening to stock up on summer tunes and enjoy a civilized beer with other well cultured music appreciators. They’ve been hit with some great stock of late including some juicy jazz platters. Bring a friend, play your selections on their vintage system while they pour the suds. Everything in the store – new, used and collector LP’s & 7″ – are on sale this one night only. Oh, did we mention….free R&B Beer? See you there.
Friday, August 5 | 7pm | Zulu Records 1972 W.4th | Free

Next up: The Smiths Disco party. Oh hell yes, William. Indulge your most maudlin self in a night that will open your eyes with gloomy dance-pop at The Waldorf (do they hang the DJ at the end?). Sort yourself out here.
Saturday, August 6 | Doors at 10pm | Waldorf | $10 (gets you in all the other great events happening that night at The Waldorf)

MusicFest Vancouver is on. Classical, jazz, and world music tunesmiths throw down with dozens of concerts in Vancouver’s best venues. Things get rolling on Friday night with Canadian superstar Sarah McLachlan crashing the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. Find out more here.
Friday, August 5   | 8pm | Orpheum | $100ish beans but probably pretty impressive

If your budget is a little tighter than the $100 required to activate the seat selection button at the Orpheum on Friday night, don’t fret. The Sidewalk Cellist will be gracing the Napier Greenway over on Commercial on Saturday. Nothing like wandering The Drive on a warm summer afternoon, drinking in a mixture of patchouli, weed and cello. Props to local cellist Clara Shandler for making this possible.
Saturday, August 6 | 2-4pm | Napier Greenway

This weekend is the Vancouver Chinatown Festival.  Last year, 50,000 festival goers converged on the streets of Columbia and Keefer in Chinatown to check out the open market, take a historic walking tour and let the kids go crazy in the ‘Kids corner’ while they took in multicultural stage performances and whatnot. This year, they’re working with the theme “Food for Folks” (sounds kind of hokey – but we’re betting it’ll pan out).  Ahem, have you tasted those twirly potato thingy’s that they serve at the night market? Weird food aside, expect innovative new programs, cooking demonstrations and games that relate to food culture. More information.
Saturday, Aug 6 + Sun, Aug 7 | 12-6pm | Chinatown at Columbia & Keefer | Free

FLICKS

The Warriors is on at the Rio this week. Can you dig it?  Recall, if you will, the The Riffs, The Rogues, The Orphans, The Lizzies, The Baseball Furies. Man, those Furies still freak me out! Made in 1979, it’s a ”highly stylized action classic set in New York. A messianic crime lord calls a meeting of all the city’s gangs with plans to unite them against the cops. He gets assassinated and The Warriors are set up by a rival gang to take the fall. The Warriors then find themselves fighting fpr their lives on their way across the city to their home turf of Coney Island.” But it’s waaaay creepy. Particularly those Baseball Furies. Warriors…come out to play-ay-ay!
Friday, August 5 | The Rio Theatre (1660 E Broadway) | $8 ($6 in film-related costume)

The Lady from Shanghai is playing at the Pacific Cinemtheque. “Rita Hayworth stars in this bizarre and baroque film noir, directed by Orson Welles at the top of his game.” Stoked for this.
Saturday, August 6 | 7pm | Pacific Cinemtheque | Details

David Lynch’s Wild at Heart is on at the Vancity Theatre. “This Cannes Palme d’Or winner is a no-holds-barred over-the-top thriller, with Nicholas Cage cutting loose as Sailor Ripley, and Laura Dern matching him every inch of the way as Sailor’s main squeeze, Lulu. This is a lurid but also somehow romantic escapade, riding roughshod over the American Dream. As Lulu puts it, “This whole world’s wild at heart and weird on top.”
Friday, Aug 5 8:50 pm & Saturday, Aug 6 8:50 pm | Vancity Theatre | Details

Catch The Muppet Movie for free outdoors!
August 8 | Dusk | Robson Square (across from the VAG) | Free

Catch Jaws for free outdoors!
August 9 | Dusk | Stanley Park (near Second Beach Pool) | FREE

The Vancouver Library is showing The Other Boleyn Girl (two sisters contend for the affection of King Henry VIII. Based on the novel by Philipa Gregory, the movie stars Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson and Eric Bana)
Thursday, August 4 | 6:30-8:30pm | Vancouver Public Library Main Branch | Free

The East Van Wine Academy is screening of Blood Into Wine this coming week. Great flick. “Like a Rock ‘n’ Roll version of Sideways, Blood Into Wine is the hypnotic, enthralling, and downright revolutionary documentary about Tool’s Maynard James Keenan and winemaker Eric Glomski as they battle the elements and naysayers to make world class wine in the hostile deserts of Arizona.” The super-cool bit? Wines from Blood Into Wine’s Arizona Stronghold will be available by-the-glass during and after the film.
Wednesday, August 10 | Screening at 8pm | Waldorf Hotel | $10

ART + DESIGN

You know and love the selection of Vancouver-made trinkets that you can pick up at Portobello West, now you can get your portobello fix in between the main events as Portobello Petite opens this month at the Rize (Kingsway and East 10th Ave). This hyper-local pop-up market will feature bits by Elroy Apparel, Jenn Ellis, Street Cat Designs, littleMoSo and Beta5 Chocolate
Thursday, August 4 – August 27 | 11am-5pm  | The Rize (Kingsway and East 10th Ave)

On Friday night there’s an opening reception for this cool little design shop opening up on Kingsway that we think everyone should check out. Caste Projects is setting up a one month temporary digs and open studio workspace. Opening night will also serve as a venue for the launch of a small collection of furniture and home-wares, as well as a curated selection of new products from local and international designers such as Caste Projects, Henderson Dry Goods, Stranger Things Millinery, Larry and The Found & The Freed.
Friday, August 5-31 | Mon-Fri 11am-5pm, Sundays 12pm-5pm | 196 Kingsway

The Ayden Gallery is opening a new group show called Tangled Wires. Artists exhibiting include Brent Clowater, Andy Dixon, Adam Dodd, Ensoe, Alison Lilly, Robert Mearns, Colin Moore, Scott Sueme and Andrew Young. “This exhibit highlights 10 of Vancouver’s up and coming painters exploring paths less traveled in their respective mediums and genres. Split up into pairs with an eye for combining contrasting styles, artists will collaborate on five gallery installations as well as hanging a selection of new works.”
Friday, August 5th | 7pm to 11pm | Ayden Gallery, 88 W Pender (International Village)

There is still time to head over the bridge to West Vancouver this weekend for the awesome Harmony Arts Festival. It’s like getting out of town without all the driving and packing. What is it? A beautiful little arts festival stretched out along the beachfront in West Van. Drift between live music performances and fresh-air film screenings to craft markets, artist’s demonstrations and makeshift galleries. The craft market showcases loads of one of a kind pottery, jewellery, textiles, woodwork, glass designs and much more.

Until Monday, August 8 | all day and evening | Ambelisde, West Vancouver | Details here

There’s a contemporary dance gig going on at the VAG on Tuesday night (otherwise known as cheap night – admission by donation). Dance and music inspired by the gallery spaces adds an extra oomph.
Tuesday, Aug 9 | 7 and 8pm | Vancouver Art Gallery | by donation

Down on Granville Island, Transformation – The Built Surface Exhibition is on at Emily Carr. From ECUAD: “Transformation is an exhibition of work that brings together artists compelled to uncover, excavate and enrich surfaces of found objects. These practices point to an interest in creating alluring surfaces that draw viewers to consider ordinary and unconventional materials in new ways. Using the vocabulary of reclaimed materials, surface treatment and form as a metaphor for the lived experience, these works encourage us to consider objects beyond what they initially seem and to focus on their possibilities.” Opening reception goes down Sunday evening, the show continues until August 13.
Sunday, August 7 – Saturday, August 13 | 10am-6pm | Concourse Gallery, Emily Carr University of Art and Design | Free | Details

GLUTTONY

Al Fresco dining really is one of the most satisfying perks of the summer. If you haven’t done it already, get moving! Sadly, this weather won’t stick around forever. Ta-da: perfect opportunity… Tonight (Thursday, August 4th between 7:30pm and 10:30pm) The Harmony Arts Festival and House Wine will be serving up the “The Best of the West,” an evening of the province’s best food and wine. There are some outstanding restaurants and wineries participating in the event, all putting BC’s best foot forward. Check it out…Beachside Forno, Carmelo’s Ristorante, Fraîche Restaurant, La Régalade French Bistro, Louis Gervais Fine Foods & Catering, Mangia E Bevi, Restaurant Chez Michel, The Beach House Restaurant, The Observatory Restaurant, Zen Japanese Restaurant – and to drink – Black Hills Estate Winery, Blue Mountain Vineyard & Cellars, CedarCreek Estate Winery, Haywire, JoieFarm, Laughing Stock Vineyard, Mission Hill Family Estate, Poplar Grove Winery, Quail’s Gate and Tantalus Vineyards! That’s quite the set up to be held outdoors at the foot of the 14th Street pier. All the details here.
Thursday, August 4 | 7:30pm | 14th Street Pier, Ambleside, West Van | $75

Saturday, August 6 is National BBQ Day. Scout suggests a quick run by Save On Meats, Big Lou’s or the Trout Lake Farmer’s Market for supplies.

Everyone loves a pie competition, right? Scout sure does. Get your fix this weekend in the Woodwards Atrium. 3 categories: Savoury, Sweet and Artistic.
To enter click here.
Saturday, August 6 | W2 Woodwards

Wander and people-watch through the “shopping extravaganza” at the Chinatown Night Market and then grab a cocktail at The Keefer or Bao Bei.
Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night | 6:30-11pm | Keefer between Main and Columbia

Sunday Night Roast hits the long table at the Irish Heather this Sunday night and it won’t be alone. Accompanying said Roast will be Yorkshire pudding and roasting jus as well as a nice cold pint of R&B’s most delightful Bohemian Pilsner. What better way to end a week than that? Don’t fancy mea? No problem, there’s always a veg option on offer.
Sunday, August 7 | 7pm | The Irish Heather | $16

Grab locally grown produce from good people at your neighbourhood farmer’s market. Main Street on Wednesday rocks.

Trout Lake Farmers Market | Saturday | 9am-2pm | Trout Lake | Free
Kitsilano Farmers Market | Sunday | 10am – 2pm | 2690 Larch @ 10th | Free
West End Farmers Market | Saturday | 9am-2pm | 1100 Block Comox | Free
Thornton Park | Wednesday | 3pm – 7pm | Main Street Station at Terminal | Free
Dundarave (West Van) Saturday | 9am – 2pm | Between 24 & 25 on Marine
Oak Street Market | Wednesday | 3-7pm | Oak @ 49th (Unitarian Church) | Free
Westside Pocket Markets | Thursdays | 3-7pm | Kits Neighborhood House, 2325 W 7 | Free

NATURE

There’s a Native Edible Plants Workshop at World In A Garden site at 57th and East Boulevard this Sunday. The World In A Garden is a multicultural urban agriculture project that educates community and youth on the nutritional, cultural, social and environmental benefits of a just and local food system. That’s an important gig. They’re putting on a cool workshop this weekend that I hope to attend. “Redefine local with an exploration of edible plants native to beautiful British Columbia. Patrick Wilson of Linnaea Nurseries will guide participants through the identification, uses and benefits of native edible plants, speaking specifically about the cultural significance of First Nation heritage on our food. Participants have the opportunity to learn from First Nations culture and our own native edible garden! As a thank you from The World In A Garden and their community partners, participants take home a native starter plant and a copy of Organic Gardening magazine. Now we’re talking local!”
Sunday, August 7 | 11am-1pm | Located at the intersection of W. 57th Avenue & East Boulevard | $20

Introduction to starting your own Aquaponics system – with a guided tour! Comprehensive overview of what it takes to design, build, start up and maintain your own backyard scale aquaponics system. The instructor will cover: everything from system design and components and start-up, maintenance to fish and plant selection and care and harvesting. Participants will have a chance to tour an indoor system (30 gallon tank) and an outdoor system (85 gallons of tank volume) and will have an opportunity to look at a functioning aquaponics systems ask questions, and engage in discussion. If you’re interested in attending please contact Jodi at [email protected]
Sunday, August 7 |  1 – 3:30pm | 1922 Adanac St | $30

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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 in beautiful Strathcona 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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