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…

Biltmore’s 80’s Prom Party

“Wear your sexiest 80’s Prom threads, get your portrait taken, and get highschool drunk while you dance all night to the DJ stylings of Spike & Caitlin, aka DJ Demanda & DJ Mysticious, aka Amanda Stepto & Stacie Mistysyn from the original Degrassi Jr High television series.
June 18 | Doors 8:00pm | Biltmore | $10 at Zulu and Red Cat

Opera marathon?

Yup, Opera Pro Cantanti presents its second annual gala-marathon of great opera singing. “Come and hear our amazing lead singers and our wonderful comprimario singers sing your favourite selections from the past two seasons. As well, we will present highlights from the coming season’s new productions: Verdi, Macbeth, Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice, Purcell’sDido and Aeneas, Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle, and Menotti’s The Old Maid and the Thief. This is also an opportunity to talk to our singers while you enjoy a piece of opera cake. Because we love to sing so much and have so much exciting music to present, this will be a long evening. Feel free to come and go as you wish. We will seat new arrivals during the evening whenever there are breaks between numbers.” This event will cost $20 per person and tickets can be purchased from cast members or at the door on the evening of the performance. (keep in mind that these are the peeps that bring you by donation opera without fail every Sunday night – a 20 no and again is well deserved (and get you some cake at intermission)
June 19 | 6:30 pm | Cambrian Hall | $20

Family Fishing Weekend

“B.C.’s Family Fishing Weekend is an annual opportunity for families to enjoy the sport of fishing in the province’s tens of thousands of lakes and non-tidal streams with a free three-day licence, compliments of the BC Government. The 10th annual Family Fishing Weekend, June 19-21 this year, taking place across the province in nearly 50 different locales, including many in the lower mainland and on Vancouver Island, celebrates the sport of fishing, fish, their habitat and the outdoor beauty of the province.” Check out the website for details

Point Grey Fiesta

Should be a wild weekend on Tenth Ave. The fun begins Friday night with street cooking and entertainment, hits a mid-point with the Chip’s Not Dead Yet run (on Saturday) and culminates with candy floss and mini-donut hangover at the carnival in Trimble park on Sunday or a special ‘Worship in the Park’ – if you’re in to that sort of thing… (Sunday only). Our bet is that Saturday will be the day to attend – West 10th will be closed from Blanca to Alma for a street party including on-street entertainment & outdoor cooking, a Fiesta Parade featuring antique cars, a Mariachi Band, Piñatas, chalk art, and great sidewalk sales.
June 19/20/21 | Friday night / Sat all day (beginning with a the parade at 9:15) | FREE

Scandanavian Midsummer Festival

Traditional Scandinavian entertainment continues throughout the weekend with folk dancing, choirs, and all manner of cultural displays. Enjoy a salmon BBQ and Scandinavian foods like Danish smørrebrød and tiny, extra super addictive Swedish meatballs (note shrewdly that Ikea is a festival sponsor). And yes, the Valhalla beer garden is totally on. For the full programme – have a peek here.
June 20 & 21 | 11am – 11pm Friday, 11 – 6pm Sunday | Scandinavian Community Centre (in the land of Burnaby) | 5 beans for an all day pass (kids are FREE)

Fathers Day

Do something to recognize Dad today. A quick flip through my in-box reminded me of this deal at DB Bistro: “Chef Stephane Istel’s created the ultimate menu for fathers, grandfathers, godfathers – for everyone in the family. Enjoy a very large, very succulent triple-A cut of beef prime rib cooked to perfection on the bone – big enough for two to share. Chef’s three-course menu includes choice of soup, salad or duck pate appetizer, beef prime rib chop with seasonal vegetables, and a decadent chocolate mousse tower.” Sounds pretty good, but there is also the $55 special menu at Lumiere that might go over quite well (and doesn’t include football – which, for me, is a bit of a bonus).

Also, if your Dad loves beer as much as mine, you might want to check out the Diva at the Met for a special five-course brew-master’s dinner featuring pairings of handcrafted beer. Diva chefs Dino Renearts and Jeff Van Geest have teamed up with the award-winning R&B Brewing Company to offer a Father’s day feast that sounds pretty awesome. For only $55 bucks you can line Pa up with…Local Oysters 3 Ways (and an R&B Sun God Wheat Ale), Albacore Tuna & Pink Salmon Tartare (paired with an R&B Bohemian Lager), Bacon Wrapped Sloping Hill Pork Loin, a little Farmhouse Cheddar (with R&B Hoppleganger Ipa) and a Blackberry and Dark Chocolate Napoleon (along side a glass of Dark Star Oatmeal Stout). Really, what more can I say?

Festival D’ete

Founded in 1974, Le Centre culturel francophone de Vancouver is a non-profit association with a mandate is to “offer artistic, community and educational programming in French to the Francophones & Francophiles in Metropolitan Vancouver.” To this end, ‘Le Centre’ throws together an annual celebration of Francophone music with an emphasis on the “multicultural character of the international Francophonie, which includes more than 40 countries around the world having French as one of their official language.” Stages will be set up on the street, music will fill the air, and people will be talking in French.
June 20 | From 1pm | 7th Avenue West | Day FREE / Concert prices vary – see website

Earth Save Potluck

Whip up a vegan dish for 8 (Earthsave Canada has lots of suggestions if you haven’t tried your hand at Vegan cooking before), grab a serving utensil, ingredient list & your own eating dishes & cutlery and make your way to the beautiful and tranquil Jericho park for a Potluck dinner. (expect prizes for best home-made vegan dishes, raffle, book/merchandise/membership table & sometimes a sponsor table).
These are vegan potlucks, but not potlucks for vegans – everyone is welcome. Potlucks “regularly attract up to 50 people–some know each other, many don’t. Potlucks usually feature a wonderfully diverse array of fine vegan cooking. We also award prizes for best dishes and feature an informative after-dinner presentation.” FYI: “Earthsave Canada is a non-profit, educational organization promoting awareness of the environmental, ethical and health consequences of our food choices. They advocate the move towards a plant-based diet for environmental sustainability, better health, and compassion toward non-human animals”. I don’t know – just trying to be open minded…
June 20 (21st if 20th is rainy) | 5pm | Jericho Park | FREE

Shopping the Recessionista Way

Today’s Recessionista Shopping event is all about pleasing women who love clothing, accessories and beauty products – but are on a budget. The event will feature 40 local designers and stores selling their fabulous items – all for $25 or less. The Recessionista Shopping Series will also feature 4 Beauty Booths where guests can enjoy services such as manicures, massages and makeup applications.
June 21st | 10:30 – 4 | Heritage Hall | FREE

Greek Day

Best to take the bus or ride a bike to Greek Days on Broadway today because you won’t be the only one there. Streets will be overflowing and, as usual, the energy levels will be high. Look for kids area with rides, activities, games and arts and crafts, “a junior and senior youth photography session where the little ones become the official photographers, the Hellenic Experience Tent is where one can discover the flavors of Greece, a cooking tent with local chefs demonstrating the secrets of Greek cooking, a Visual Arts Tent with artisans at work and pieces to purchase, The Krinos Foods Main Stage will feature all day entertainment and the evening concert, The Open Road Music Stage will feature acoustical bands and also an evening theatre production. There will also be many roaming entertainers, Greek goddesses, warriors and hero’s to mingle with.” Click here for the full scoop.
June 21 | 11am to 9:30pm | Broadway between Macdonald and Blenheim| FREE until you start ordering souvlaki

Farmers Markets this week…

Good places to buy locally grown produce from good people. In season this month: luscious salad greens, green onions, radishes, shallots, spinach, sprouts, sunchokes, tomatoes, Apples, delectable rhubarb, fresh strawberries. You’ll also find Bay leaves, chervil, rosemary, sage, savory goat and cow’s milk cheese, yogurt, eggs, beef, chicken, lamb, pork, cod, sablefish, shrimp, salmon, tuna and an inspiring array of bedding plants.
East Side: June 20 | 9am – 2pm | Trout Lake | FREE
West End: June 20 | 9am – 2pm | 1100 Block of Comox | FREE
Kits: June 21 | 10am – 2pm | Parking Lot of Kits Community Centre | FREE
DTES: June 24 | 3pm – 7pm | Thornton Park | FREE

Also opening this week: UBC Farm Market. Totally worth the trip for great produce and delicious treats. Take a wander through the farm grounds, visit with the chickens, admire the medicinal garden. Chill.
Saturdays | 9-1 | UBC Farm

oh…and check out the outdoor market in the Arts Club parking lot at
Granville Island (Thursdays)

George Vancouver turns 252

A little wiki on the man: “Captain George Vancouver RN (June 22, 1757 – May 10, 1798) was an officer in the Royal Navy, best known for his exploration of the North-West Coast of North America, including the shores of the modern day Alaska, British Columbia, Washington and Oregon. Vancouver entered the Strait of Juan de Fuca, between Vancouver Island and the Washington state mainland on April 29, 1792. His orders included a survey of every inlet and outlet on the west coast of the mainland, all the way north to Alaska. Most of this work was done from small boats powered by both oars and sail because maneuvering larger sail-powered vessels in uncharted waters was generally impractical and dangerous due to strong tidal waves. Vancouver was the first European to enter Burrard Inlet (beyond Stanley Park), the main harbour area of the present day City of Vancouver, Canada. This was on June 13, 1792.”
June 22 | all day long, baby.

English Bay Bistro

The Vancouver Park Board invites you to view the Development Permit Application plans for the new English Bay Bistro. The plans are available to view at the Park Board Administration Office (Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm), online, and at tonight’s public open house. If you don’t want another Watermark-style restaurant (all show and regrettable food), remember that decisions are made by those who show up.
June 24 | 5-7pm | Park Board Admin Office (2099 Beach Avenue) | FREE (until tax time)

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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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