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 right now. Note that you can now get the Scout List straight to your inbox by signing up for your subscription here.

BEER | Friday is St. Patricks Day. Downtown will likely be a drunken disaster. But even if the idea of a day of Irish-inspired debauchery and green beer doesn’t speak to you (we don’t blame you), an evening of local craft beers (in natural hues, including a specially brewed, draft only Dry Nitro Stout), cocktails, music and sausage rolls just might! Mount Pleasant’s 33 Acres Brewing Co. (and their adjoining little sister space) will be donning their best Irish pub impression for ’33 Pub Fare’, in celebration of the holiday.  Find out more.

EXPLORE |  Pacific Spirit Regional Park Society hosts Night Quest this weekend! Take a gentle one hour walk along a lantern-lit trail, plus an outdoor evening of storytelling, campfire music, and a bit of wildlife education. Wear sensible footwear, pack a flashlight, and take along a travel mug. Geared toward kids (but highly recommended for all).  This is a really great event that’s appropriate for anyone interested in the mysteries of the forest at night. Register online in advance for a designated entry time. Find out more.

GIGS | Two very exciting headlines in town this week… First up: Alvvays is on tour and stopping in Vancouver for two consecutive nights at the Commodore Ballroom, Thursday, March 16th and Friday the 17th. Any nomenclature thrown at Alvvays – like “dream pop”, “jangle pop”, “neo-psychedelia”, or even the enduring vestiges of the bands “indie-rock” beginnings – are shrugged off by the band’s unique sonic scenery. Their latest album, Blue Rev (2022), is delightfully undefinable. Tickets for these shows have mostly sold out, but are entirely worth scouring Ticketmaster, Craigslist, or Marketplace for. | Weyes Blood is also stopping at the Commodore, on Tuesday, March 21st, in support of the beautifully ethereal, orchestral, and hymnal, And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow. Somewhat predictably, Weyes Blood is also sold out. But this show will be worth more than the hours spent refreshing Ticketmaster and the resale ticket prices combined if you can get your hands on them.

KIDS | If you’ve got kids, know someone who does, or just happen to be an intrepid adult with a particular interest in our local aquatic mammals, then sign yourselves up for the Beaver Tails and Otter Trails tour put on by the Stanley Park Ecology Society. The tour runs around Lost Lagoon this Thursday, March 16th from 7-8pm, so pop some batteries in your flashlight and bring it along! The twilight habitat walk will be guided, so you’ll have the opportunity to find answers to all those beaver or otter related questions keeping you up at night, like, “Why do beavers have yellow teeth?” Or, “Why do otters all pee in the same place?” Secure a spot for yourself and your little ecologists here.

LECTURE | Make your way to UBC for a lecture about freedom of expression and writers in exile, at the Vancouver Institute’s “Defense of Cultural Space” lecture happening at Woodward Instructional Resources Centre on Saturday night. From event organizers: “As head of PEN Canada (Poets, Essayists, Novelists (later broadened to Poets, Playwrights, Editors, Essayists, Novelists). for over a decade, Mr. de Caires defends freedom of expression, and helps exiled writers to establish in Canada. In this capacity Mr. de Caires has edited and co-authored country studies of Mexico, Honduras, India and Guatemala. He is the author of The Winter of a Hundred Books (2010), and A Country Worth Living In (2010). After writing Honduras: Journalism in the Shadow of Impunity (2013), he joined a PEN delegation to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights for a special session on impunity in Honduras. He has been a contributor to the Literary Review of Canada and book reviewer for publications in Canada, the United States and the Caribbean.” Basically, that’s some clout, and this will likely be a very interesting lecture. Plus, it’s free. Find out more.

APPRECIATE | Swing by Pendulum Gallery for a look at works by David Vegt and MW Bowen in their show, Habitual: “This two-person exhibition presents a series of portraits focusing on people who live and work in East Vancouver, highlighting the significant contributions being made to the cultural landscape by this diverse and talented community. These intimate paintings give a personal insight the lives of a fashion pioneer, a tattoo artist, a baker and many more, providing emotional connection into the habitual days of exceptional people.” Find out more.

ART | Two new exhibitions are showing at the Vancouver Art Gallery: Hard-Edge (abstract paintings from the 1960s and 70s) and Shary Boyle’s multimedia, Outside the Palace of Me. The Hard-Edge exhibition emerges from the depths of the gallery’s own collection, and includes the works of many Canadian artists, such as Takao Tanabe, Roy Kiyooka, and Jack Bush. Many of the Hard-Edge paintings on display are being shown for the first time since their acquisition, while Shary Boyle: Outside the Palace of Me uses drawing, sculpture and automatons to explore the central idea of the self and its expression through theatre. Both of these exhibits run until June 4th, so you’ve got some time to pay them a few visits. We recommend slipping by on a Tuesday, when tickets run by donation (with a $5 minimum) but kids up to 18 have free admission. Seem interesting? Book your visit here.

CHEERS | Cantina 189 quietly turned one-year-old recently, and we are not too shy to say that this is one of our very favourite places to go for a cocktail. Not only do they offer some of the most unique and expertly crafted drinks in the city, but they’re good people, play good music, and on Fridays and Saturdays the bar is open up until around 2am. If you’re rolling with a crew, it might be a good idea to reserve one of their few tables (do that here). Definitely try La Numero Uno (Beefeater gin, mezcal, citrus cordial, hoja santa, herbs, vetiver).

CELEBRATE | Nowruz, the Persian New Year, is fast approaching, and we suggest that you gather with friends and family, then head to Delara for a feast of sabzi polo ba mahi (fish and herbed rice)! Starting Monday, March 20th, and continuing through to Sunday, April 2nd, this friendly Kitsilano restaurant is offering a limited number of whole roasted rainbow trout, served with herbed rice and other accoutrements. Have a look at the beautiful spread via their IG feed here. While sabzi polo ba mahi will only be available during dinner (4-9pm), brunch and lunch service is also stunningly beautiful enjoyed in their dining room solarium. Delara is open every day. Find out more.

HISTORY | Dressed for History: Why Costume Collections Matter opens at the Museum Of Vancouver this week. This exhibition features examples of women’s fashion circa 1750–2000, as curated by four local collectors, to recognize the importance of “preserving costumes to document the past and inspire our present and future.” From the Museum: “Clothing is the most personal of artefacts. It reveals so much about who we are, what we do and what we value. Clothing conveys information about occupation, social and economic status, gender and cultural identity and political and religious affiliation.” Have a peek at what to expect and then make some time to stop in and check it out in-person. Find out more.

EQUINOX | Put away your heavy sweaters and puffy coats, and dig out some lighter layers – Spring gets real next week! The Vernal Equinox (Monday, March 20th) officially signals the beginning of longer days and warmer weather. It’s time to turn soil and appreciate the cherry blossoms! Fun fact: There are those who claim that the Vernal Equinox is the only day of the year when an egg can be perfectly balanced on its end, and hours of frustration/fun can be had giving it a shot.

The following events Don’T HAPPEN FOR A WHILE, but THEY’LL SELL OUT, so we’re telling you now:

SOLVE | The keen collection of architects, planners, designers and place-makers behind Urbanarium are hosting a debate about the DTES that needs as many ears as possible… From event organizers: “The Downtown Eastside Plan (2014) was created to protect low-income residents and other community members by restricting new development and uses not specifically targeting the poor. Many believe the DTES is Vancouver’s last authentic and compassionate neighbourhood in the city; others see a neighbourhood in decline. Is it time to rethink the DTES Plan to allow for a greater mix of self-supporting uses, residents and businesses? Or, does the DTES Plan effectively protect a vulnerable population and preserve/provide the best possibility for a cohesive neighbourhood?” Important issues. There is a reception from 6-7pm, followed by a debate (moderated by Frances Bula) from 7-8:30pm. Find out more.

LEARN | Plants experts, Makiko Suzuki and Atsumi Hashimoto, take the spotlight at the Shedding Light talk coming up on Thursday, March 30th. They’ll be chatting about Japanese edible plants growing locally in “More than Weeds, The Cultural History of Japanese Edible Food Plants in BC“. Attendees to this free event will learn a bit of history, as well as how to identify, responsibly forage and cook edible plants. Fascinating stuff. You know spaces will fill up. Get on the list now.

COMMUNITY. NOT CLICKBAIT.