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 8-15, 2021.

EXPLORE | Need a change of pace? Slip away from shore and into nature in a kayak! A few hours of calm water and paddling will leave you clear headed and ready for a good night’s sleep. And who wouldn’t be better off with a little bit of both? Deep Cove Kayak rentals range from two hours to full day and beyond if you’re super keen. Rates include paddle, lifejacket, whistle, and all other mandatory safety equipment. Although these guys have one of the largest kayak rental fleets in Canada, there will be a fair number of outdoor enthusiasts aiming to get out on the water this week, so be sure to book your boat in advance (1-2 days ahead of time is recommended). Find out more.

POP UP | Although the Pie Shoppe ladies are taking the week off to recharge, their Powell Street storefront is still putting out some sweet treats this weekend for a one-day-only bake sale pop-up. Sisters Julia and Karli of Trove Desserts will be setting up shop there this Saturday (April 10th) from noon to 4pm (or until they sell out). Peanut butter stuffed chocolate explosion cookies, glazed apple-chai hand pies, three flavours of Nanaimo bar, palmiers and fudge brownies are just a handful of what you can expect on the menu. Bonus: as if you needed another excuse to pay them a visit, Trove Desserts is also handing out free chocolate chunk cookies, just for the occasion! Find out more.

HIKE | This is the weekend that we get to leave our coats at home and remember what summer feels like. Don’t get too comfortable as we know from experience that rain will return before real summer has a chance to settle in. Still, don’t waste a minute of these days of dry skies either. Get outside! Walking and hiking traffic will be heavy, so aim for a trail or wander that is less popular if you want to maintain distance. We’re thinking of hitting Iona beach, but Vancouver Trails has a good list of local hikes of various distances and levels of difficulty, check it out here.

PITCH IN | Renfrew Ravine Park needs a spring cleaning. Throughout the year the bushes, branches and waterways of this tiny patch of east Vancouver wild inadvertently collect bits of city garbage. Nature doesn’t create this junk, so let’s help out by removing it. Put on your grubby jeans, roll up your sleeves, grab a pair of tongs and comb the ravine for garbage with a team of other socially distanced volunteers on Saturday, April 11th, 10:30am – 1:30pm. Fresh air AND good karma! Find out more.

PATIOS | With solid doses of sunshine in the cards for the next week circumstances are looking good for a little bit of patio dining. We’re looking forward to scoring a seat at Ugly Dumpling (sweet south facing tables, dumplings and wine – how perfect!). Really though, any patio will be fantastic. With covid numbers on the rise and dine-in options off the table, distanced outdoor service will be in high demand. Plan ahead with this handy patio guide. Be nice to your servers, tip well and spread as much love as you can.

PARKS | Can’t find a seat on a patio? Don’t fret. This weekend will be perfect for beaches and parks and all of your favourite restaurants have take-out options ready to roll. Bento box and sake, beer and burgers, burritos and margaritas, charcuterie plates, oysters and wine — it’s all doable. For a guide on who is doing what, check out Scout’s Take This Out column here.

ART | There’s a new exhibition opening at Slice of Life Gallery today called Sticky / Squishy / Icky: A Ceramics & Multimedia Art Exhibit. This is definitely not your average ceramics show! It’s full of goopy, silly, amorphous and other-worldly clay things created by three very unique local artists: Hee Jun Ahn, Michelle Bourget and Isabel Wynn. You can check it out in person now until April 12th by booking a reservation here. Find out more.

MORE ART | The School for the Contemporary Arts at Simon Fraser University presents Supercharged, the BFA Graduating Exhibition 2021. Whether you peek in on your own time or set up a Covid-safe student tour, you can expect to see an assortment of works from photography, sculpture and video to painting, performance and installation. It’s the students’ response “…to a palpable charge in the air that is present in the current state of our world as we emerge from various levels of lockdown.” Supercharged opens April 15th, but we’re telling you now so that you can register for a viewing or tour. Find out more.