by Michelle Sproule | 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…

Vancouver History | The Equinox Gallery has recently opened the doors on it’s new Project Space on Great Northern Way. The massive new digs launched with a 114-photo retrospective of Vancouver photographer Fred Herzog on Saturday afternoon (the shots, space and crowd were all fantastic). Starting this week (February 2nd), the Project Space will be open Thursday to Saturday, from 12pm to 6pm. Find a friend with a car. It’s worth the drive.
Now – March 17 | Equinox Gallery525 Great Northern Way | Free 

Long Table | The Irish Heather’s Long Table Series throws down on Tuesday night. Think lamb burger with mint salsa, shaved asiago cheese, caramelized onions with a radish and arugula salad paired next to a Wee Angry Scotch Ale (veg option is chickpea-stuffed ravioli with lemon, garlic, chilies and pecorino). Damn, that sounds good! See you there.
Tuesday, January 31 | 7pm | The Irish Heather | $18

Watch It! | Stop The Presses (Ten Great Newspaper Movies) continues at the Vancity Theatre. “The newspaper industry is going through turbulent times in as old business models struggle to adapt to the new media world. Meanwhile, in Britain, the reputation of reporters has hit an all-time low after Rupert Murdoch journalists have been exposed as bullies and blackmailers, a corrupt influence on politicians and the police. But as this week-long series of newspaper movies reminds us, journalism can be, and should be, a noble calling, a corrective to the excesses of the power elite, and a vital voice in the democratic discourse.” This week’s line-up includes The Paper, Why Rock the Boat?,  and Shattered Glass. Check it out.
Now – Thursday February 2 | Vancity Theatre | $11

Awww | It’s letter writing time at the Regional Assembly of Text. Get it together now and you could have a hand-written love note in the mail in time for Valentines Day. Think about that for a second. How great would it be to have something other than bank statements and phone bills come through that mail slot? Do a good thing. Send someone a letter. Details.
Thursday, February 2 | 7pm | Regional Assembly of Text (3934 Main Street) | Free 

Get Up | Friday is Creative Mornings, the monthly morning gathering for creative types in the Woodward’s W2 Media Cafe. Each event includes a 20 minute lecture, followed by a 20 minute group discussion. The gathering begins at 8:30am and ends with everyone splitting for work at 10am. This month it’s Gagan Diesh of Design Stamp. Sign-up starts Monday at 11am and tickets go FAST. A second batch of 50 will be available at 4pm and a third at 9pm. Don’t miss out.
Friday, February 3 |8:30am | W2 Media Café | Free

Tunage | Wilco play with White Denim this Sunday. Both are good bands. Wilco is on tour to support their latest release, The Whole Love. Via Pitchfork: “Wilco’s great strength lies not just in Jeff Tweedy’s world-weary inscrutability, but the ways he and the band matched those stark, sometimes startling sentiments to expectation-defying deconstructions of Americana. The best thing about The Whole Love, Wilco’s adventurous, elliptical eighth LP, is the ease with which they’ve recaptured some of that old unpredictability: From Being There through A Ghost Is Born, the band’s best work has always perched itself upon the edge of traditionalism and experimentation, and The Whole Love is the first of their albums in years not to shy away from such risks.” Read the balance of Paul Thompson’s review here. Grab tickets here.
Sunday, February 5 | 8pm | Orpheum | Whoa: $47.50 (orchestra)/$39.50 (balcony)

Artsy Arty Artness | Vancouver Art Gallery changes up it’s ‘Offsite’ installation this week. Kota Ezawa gets busy installing a new piece in the open air site located on Georgia between Thurlow and Bute. Ezawa will speak to his installation at 6:30 on Tuesday on site. It might be slightly chilly, so warm up with a tea or finger of Scotch at Market in the Shangri-La afterwards. If you’re interested but can’t swing the Tuesday evening gig, you can always head to the Gallery on Saturday afternoon when Ezawa and associate curator Kathleen Ritter will be on hand for an informal discussion on the nature of contemporary public art practices and the Gallery’s Offsite public art space in downtown Vancouver. Details here.
Thursday, February 2 | 6:30pm | Georgia between Thurlow and Bute, next to the Shangri-La | Free

Omnomnom | What are weekends for if not for indulging? I don’t ‘do brunch’ nearly enough, so one of my resolutions this week is to make a brunch date. I’m torn between the simple menu at the close and quaint Dunlevy Snackbar or a trip over to Yaletown to try out Chinois for the first time (they’re starting a Dim Sum Brunch of Siu Mai, Lo Bak, Gai Lan with Oyster Sauce, Fried Chicken, Deep Fried Crab Claw, BBQ Pork Steamed Buns and Crispy Squid with chillies – all ranging from $5 to $10). After I’m good and stuffed I’ll be headed for coffee. I’m thinking about that cool little stretch at the tip of  Fraser and Kingsway.  There’s a new coffee joint to try out up that way called Matchstick Coffee Roasters. It’s just opened and it’s pretty sweet and earnest. Beautiful decor and kickass coffee. All followed by a wander along the strip of 15th to check out the new gluten-free bakery, the galleries, and the always fantastic Collage Collage. Can’t really go wrong.

Lord Stanley | Scoot down to Lost Lagoon on Sunday to learn how Stanley Park’s forest has changed over time. What we recognize as a somewhat static character of Stanley Park’s landscape is, in fact, always changing. From pre-glaciation through colonization and in to present day, the soils and vegetation of Vancouver’s best known park have adapted several times over. Get it all straight in your head now so you’ll be armed to impress summer visitors. Pre-registration is suggested as space is limited. Get sorted.
Sunday, February 5 | 1:30pm | Nature House on Lost Lagoon | $10

Tiki Superbowl | Lastly, there is a little thing called Super Bowl going down on Sunday. Any and all sports bars in the city will be open and waiting for you. Our venue pick would be the dark and friendly Waldorf Hotel, as they’re having a Super Bowl Party in the Tiki Bar. “Come watch the The New England Patriots and The New York Giants square off in Super Bowl XLVI in the Tiki Bar. Drink specials, Special Super Bowl Menu and El Garzita’s Half Time Show!” Sounds awesome, and I don’t know a thing about football.
Sunday, February 5 | Doors at 2pm, Kickoff at 3:30pm | Admission is 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 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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