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 list of super sweet things that we’re either doing, wishing that we could do, or conspiring to do this week. From our calendar to yours…

Alcohol & Party Tunes

After a solid week and a half of unforgiving heatwavishness, we need a break. Enter the good folks at the Biltmore: “Hey sweaty sun-burned sweethearts, there’s plenty of shade in the Biltmore Cabaret. But we got a lot more alcohol and party tunes than your standard basement suite…” Even in this cooler heat we think the Biltmore is pretty sweet, so we’re planning on dropping in tonight (Thursday) for DRMHLLR with special guests The Silent Authors and The Ludvico Treatment.  Maybe we’ll even bring some ice.
Aug 6 | Doors 8:00pm / show – later than that | $8 at the door

Macbeth, Only Darker & Funnier

Raise a glass with the Bard’s murderous couple and Dunsinane’s dead as the sun goes down over one of Vancouver’s great new cultural spaces — Celebration Hall at Mountain View Cemetery. Theatre Conspiracy together with GasHeart Theatre put on a performance of Heiner Müller’s adaptation, Macbeth: After Shakespeare. (“Darker and more blood spattered, but also funnier than the original, nobody comes out of it looking good.”). Little tip: park along Fraser  at 39th or on 41st Ave near Fraser and follow the signs through Mountain View Cemetery.
Aug 6 | reception 6:30pm, show 7:30pm | Mountain View Cemetery | FREE

Hey Ladies

Any time spent at a skatepark is good time, but today will be extra special: it’s girls day at the Strath and any female (woman, girl, chick) who wants to skate – even if they have never tried before – can drop by for a clinic sesh. Word is some of the S.L.A.G. girls will be stopping by on their way to Winnipeg for the Chicks Flip Out competition. See you there.
Aug 6 | 12-3ish | Strathcona Skate Park

From skating to surfing

After you’re all revved up, make your way to Antisocial for the Canadian premiere of Dear and Yonder – A feature film by noted surf filmmakers Tiffany Campbell and Andria Lessler. Dear and Yonder si a a villa villa cola production (famed for their skateboarding flicks) and will include a few female skateboarding clips as well as oodles of inspiring surfing footage This special outdoor screening is going to go down in the back alley – where there will also be a BBQ, drinks and a band. Its all FREE.
Aug 6 | 8pm | Antisocial | FREE

Dear Sir or Madam…

Summer should be a little slower. Read a little, eat fresh fruit, drink good wine, get in touch with old friends – that kind of thing. But if old friends are too far away to drop around for a glass of wine, then consider sitting down to pen a handwritten letter. Let ’em know you would pour them a glass if they were a little closer. Yup, every once in a while it’s nice to get something in the mail that doesn’t ask for money, so check out the Regional Assembly of Text, a wonderful Main St. store with a brilliant collection of books, paper, cards, stamps, chalkboards, boxes – and yes – even clothing. On the first Thursday of every month they host a Letter Writing Club. It’s free, open to everyone, and supplies are provided.
Aug 6 | 7:30 pm | Regional Assembly of Text | FREE

Vinocamp

From Vinocamp: “This is definitely not the wine festival. In a more unstructured form than a standard conference, VinoCamp Vancouver, and introducing the world premiere of CheeseCamp, brings wine, cheese, people and technology together in one place, making wine and cheese accessible, educational and fun. A different type of conference, VinoCamp CheeseCamp 2009 is designed for people interested in technology, wine and cheese.” Scout Magazine is a proud sponsor.
Aug 8 | 12 – 6 PM | Thea Koerner House, UBC | $65 ($75 at the door)

Chefs to the Field

The 8th annual “Chefs to the Field” goes down this weekend. Here is why you should attend: It’s a beautiful venue – Terra Nova Rural Park is awesome. Also, the food is going to rock with confirmed participants including Beyond, Blue Canoe, Cibo, Circa Restaurant & Lounge, Crave, Culinary Capers, Diva at the Met, The Fairmont, Goldfish Pacific Kitchen, Papi’s Ristorante, Quince, Raincity Grill, Sheraton Wall Centre, Tapenade, The Mosaic @ the Hyatt Regency and Wild Rice. And most importantly, Terra Nova Schoolyard Society uses proceeds of the event to run programs that connect children with the earth, their food, and their community. There will be live entertainment, a silent auction, restaurant booths, and a green cuisine competition.
Aug 9 | 11am- 4pm | Terra Nova Rural Park | 2631 Westminster Hwy, Richmond

Hot Off The Press

Malaspina Printmakers is pleased to present its Annual Members Exhibition and Summer Fundraiser. Comprised of original prints from Malaspina Printmakers’ membership of over 200 local, national, and international print artists, Hot Off the Press showcases a wide range of original, hand-pulled prints in media such as lithography, intaglio, woodblock, mixed media, monotypes and digital.
until Aug 30 | Mon–Fri: 10am–5pm, Sat–Sun: 11am-5pm | Granville Island

Got Craft – Bite size

A mini version of the popular winter event, Got Craft organisers noticed that their followers were having a difficult time making it through to winter to get their fix of locally imagined goods and came up with the idea to present mini monthly shows that feature twelve rotating vendors. Expect to see cool stuff  from local designers like Owl and Pussycat,  Locomotive Clothing and Scout fave Billy Would. Admission by donation to the Vancouver Craft Mafia. If you’re not familiar with the Got Craft concept, score a little background on their sweet events here.
August 9 | 11am-4pm | Little Mountain Gallery (Main/26th)

Fresh Air Film

There are a number of outdoor movie screenings for you to enjoy around town this week.  Check out Grandview Park on Monday night for Peter Pan, or – for a more grown-up flick – you can watch Oceans 11 (Monday Aug 10) , Alfie (Tuesday Aug 11) or Rebel Without a Cause (Wed Aug 12) at the Hastings Race Track.

Peter Bjorn and John

Swedish trio Peter Bjorn And John are hitting the Commodore Ballroom this Sunday night. A review from Pitchfork explains: “The Stockholm-based trio’s latest LP finds them aspiring to new levels of sonic diversity, exploring everything from lo-fi 80s electronics and shoegaze guitars to slacker beats and icy dreamscapes…one of the better pop records we’ve heard this year.” PS. Get a load of Davey the Dancer in the home made video above, set to PB&J’s mega track Young Folks.
August 9 | 10pm | Commodore | $30 (try Red Cat or Zulu)

Summer of Sound

As part of Vancouver International Film Centre Summer of Sound: Music on Film you can catch Be Here To Love Me: Townes Van Zandt. It was named one of the best ever rock music documentaries by Time Out magazine and Steve Earle once called Van Zandt “the greatest songwriter in the world… and I’ll stand on Bob Dylan’s coffee table in my cowboy boots and say that”.
Aug 9 | 3:45 pm | Vancity Theatre | $8

Chinatown Festival

It’s a good thing that the temperature has dropped a few notches because this weekend Chinatown celebrates multiculturalism with it’s famously hot, sticky and wonderful Chinatown Festival. Wander Keefer Street to take in talent shows, a Chinatown Heritage and Food Tasting Walking Tour, Chinese Folk Art demonstrations, multicultural stage performers, an open-air market with trinkets and gadgets galore, and children’s activities at every turn.
Aug. 8th & 9th (Saturday & Sunday) | Keefer St. / Columbia St.

Harmony Arts Festival

It’s the last few days of the Harmony Arts Festival this weekend. Zip over the bridge for a wonderful outdoor arts festival with everything from live music and fresh-air film screenings to craft markets, artist’s demonstrations and makeshift galleries. The Harmony Arts craft market showcases loads of one of a kind pottery, jewellery, textiles, woodwork, glass designs and much more. (Fridays: 10am – 8pm Saturday, Sunday and Monday: 10am – 8pm).

Giddy-up | Farmer’s Markets

August 9 | 11 am – 3 pm | Carrall Street near Gassy Jack Square | FREE
East Side: August 8 | 9am – 2pm | Trout Lake – can’t miss it | FREE
West End: August 8 | 9am – 2pm | 1100 Block of Comox | FREE
Kits: August 9 | 10am – 2pm | Parking Lot of Kits Community Centre | FREE
DTES: August 12 | 3pm – 7pm | Thornton Park (in front of the Bus Station)| FREE
UBC: August 8 | 9-1 | UBC Farm | FREE (but make a donation – they needs the support)
West Van: August 8 | 9am – 2pm | Dundarave Village | FREE
West Van: August 9| 9am – 2pm | Ambleside – parking lot beside Police Station (off of Bellevue/13)

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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 by the beach in Vancouver 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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