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 January 15 to January 21, 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.

SNOW | Pile all your softest blankets on the couch, make a massive batch of popcorn and settle in for a marathon day of movie watching because…SNOW. Might be a good idea to book the whole weekend off and catch up on some reading as well, right? If you do decide to venture out to any of the suggested venues below,  it’s probably best to call ahead to make sure doors are open. Find out more.

EXPLORE | Not a stay-at-home kinda person? Pull on your boots, wrap up in your warmest layers and head out for a walk. Crisp winter air in your lungs is invigorating, plus snow makes everything beautiful! If you’ve got snow tires and don’t mind a drive among the uninitiated, the Endowment Lands are a lovely place to spend an hour or two in the white. Not sure if you’re up for a long trek but still want a bit of fresh air? Consider a spin around the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Gardens in Chinatown. Serene at any time of year, the carefully manicured gardens are only more stunning wearing a dusting of snow. Extra bonus: East Van Roasters is nearby for a post-wander hot chocolate tasting flight. Find out more.

GO BOWLING | Want exercise but don’t want the cold? Plan some indoor fun. Grab some friends and hit your local bowling alley. Commodore Lanes on Granville Street and Grandview Lanes over on Commercial Drive are both good places to start. While Grandview offers 5-pin and 10-pin bowling with the added bonus of black light bowling (ooh, look at it glow!), Commodore Lanes also has billiard tables and a lounge. In the end, both venues have all the elements necessary for a good (indoor) time, so hit ’em up.

ESCAPE | Hiding out at the Bloedel Conservatory for a few hours might be a good call this week. While the Parks Board website explains that “the Conservatory sits beside the beautiful Quarry Gardens and has a panoramic view of the city’s skyline and mountain backdrop,” you may not be seeing much of a skyline this week. We suggest you slip in to the triodetic dome for some artificial tropical warmth, exotic plants and flowers, and the cheerful (almost) free-flying birds. With a little imagination you might just forget Vancouver is covered in snow! Find out more.

LISTEN | There are a number of gigs going down this week that will be worth braving the weather for. Montreal-based singer songwriter Patrick Watson plays The Vogue on Thursday with Brad Barr of The Barr Brothers opening for him. King Princess is at The QE (also Thursday) and Cold War Kids drop into The Commodore on Sunday. A mid-January concert goes a long way!

NOIR | David Lynch’s ‘ultra cool and very cult neo-noir’ mystery Blue Velvet plays at The Rio this Friday night. “Strange, sexy, brilliant and surreal, Blue Velvet is widely regarded as one of the best films of its decade, earning Lynch his second Best Director Oscar nomination. The film is very much a showcase for Lynch’s stylish visuals and occasional bouts of disturbing (if not weird) imagery, its moody aesthetic enhanced further by a memorable score from legendary composer Angelo Badalementi…”. Starring Dennis Hopper, Kyle MacLachlan, Isabella Rosselini, Laura Dern, Dean Stockwell “…and a very severed human ear.” Find out more.

POLKA PARTY! | It’s Malanka (Ukrainian New Years) on Saturday night. For a proper celebration, we suggest you head to The Ukrainian Cultural Centre in Strathcona for live performances, dancing and a fine Ukrainian dinner. Tickets are $60 and can be bought here. Can’t swing the full ticket price but want to get in on some portion of the action? You can scoot in after 9pm for live music and a lively Ukrainian dance party for only $10. Find out more.

DINE OUT | Strapped for cash after the holidays but still keen on exploring Vancouver’s diverse culinary scene? Lucky for you it’s time for Dine Out. This year, 300 restaurants are on board offering everything from discounted, multi-course and prix fixe meals ($15, $25, $35 and $45 per person) to special events and classes (love the sound of the Chinatown Dumpling Masterclass). 2020 Dine Out Vancouver Festival kicks off with The Great Big Taste grazing style tasting event at The Rocky Mountaineer Station this Thursday and runs until February 2nd. There’s a lot of ground to cover. Develop a plan of attack here.

RELAX | Looking for a way to get grounded before tackling another work week? Why not check out Cozy Stretch + Live Cello at Stretch Yoga this Sunday? Slow. Meditative. Soothing. Move your body while a cellist plays calming music to accompany your practice. If you aren’t super relaxed at the end of the class, be comforted that you are mere steps away from several fine restaurants ready to pour you a punctuating glass of wine. Find out more.

OPEN | Vancouver lands two brand new and likely excellent restaurants this week. Check out the Chinese street food-inspired Old Bird on Main Street (opposite The Acorn) and the Italian-meets-American BBQ joint Say Mercy in the Fraserhood (from the same crew that gave us the critically acclaimed Mackenzie Room).