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To do this week: It’s been one year. Here’s how to reflect on it.

This week: How to remember this strange year better, plus sweet treats and what to expect at this year's Flower Show.

It's been one year of the pandemic. As much as we want to forget this year, it's valuable to think about how we will tell the story of what happened.
It's been one year of the pandemic. As much as we want to forget this year, it's valuable to think about how we will tell the story of what happened.Read moreCynthia Greer
    by Staff Reports
    Published 

On the to-do list this week: We’ve officially hit one year of pandemic. It feels like a strange kind of anniversary. But it’s worth a pause, as Elizabeth Wellington reminds us, to think about how we will tell the story of this year (and why that matters). We have tips on how to do that better. We also have Flower Show tips, and we have treats, including vegan doughnuts and Irish potatoes.

And remember: We’ve collected our best Philly tips all in one place here.

Stay healthy, stay safe, and, as much as possible, it’s still a good idea to stay home.

— thingstodo@inquirer.com

Know this

  1. 🏠 NJ just legalized marijuana. How does the law work? by Nick Vadala

  2. 🚴‍♀️ Where can I buy a bike in Philly? by Elizabeth Wellington

  3. 😷 What can I safely do once I’m vaccinated? by Grace Dickinson

  4. 💰 What do I get from the stimulus bill? by Nick Vadala

» Ask us a question through Curious Philly: Inquirer.com/askus

Do this

Here is one highlight from our weekly events calendar:

  1. 📚 Harriett’s Bookshop One Year Soca Celebration (Community / in-person) Fishtown’s Harriett’s Bookshop celebrates its one-year anniversary with a music-filled sidewalk sale featuring the sounds and beats of Soca music. Every hour on the hour from noon to 6 p.m., DJs, drummers, and musicians perform in front of the bookstore. (Free, March 14, noon-6 p.m., facebook.com, map, add to calendar)

🔎 Find more of this week’s events, and we even have a kid-friendly events calendar, too.

How will we remember this year?

The answer isn’t as easy as you think: The stress and trauma of the past 12 months affect our ability to form clear memories. So it’s essential that we think now about how we will tell our story of the pandemic. As Elizabeth Wellington writes: “Our memories of our lives this year — and the lives lost — will shape how other people think of this time. So while we may still be inside the experience, we should start reflecting on what we will remember.” Here’s how to tell your own story better:

  1. Believe in the importance of your story. It doesn’t matter if you are not the loudest voice in the room; your story matters, said Hillary Rea, founder of Philadelphia-based story sharing collective, Tell Me a Story. If you believe your story is valid then prepare to tell it. Period.

  2. Document the details. “Document the feeling and the fact,” said storyteller and comedian Cecily Alexandria. “That is how you will find what is your truth.” Write. Take pictures. Sketch. Whatever you do, it’s important to document your memories as they unfold, and be as authentic as you can.

  3. Don’t rush it. There is a rush to record the story, so your memory is accurate, but there is no rush to tell it. Why? Because, Rea said, “You want to tell your story from your scars, not your wounds.” If you hurry your story while it’s happening, it can get in the way of healing. “Understand that some of these stories won’t be ready to be told for a while,” Rea said. “And that’s OK. We all need time to process.”

  4. Know your perspective will change. You may record an event with intense feeling today, but a day, a month, or a year later, you might be less emotionally charged. Acknowledge that, Alexandria said. That shift in your perspective may signal growth or closure. And that is a part of your story, too.

  5. Listen to others. Your story matters, but so does everyone else’s. “It’s important that we share our stories collectively, but we have to actively listen to others’ stories, too,” Rea said. Being exposed to a breadth of experiences helps prevent us from discounting those who are different from us.

» READ MORE: Pandemic trauma affects our memory. Here’s how to be intentional about the way we tell the story of this year.

How the Flower Show will work this year

For the first time in its nearly 200-year-long history, the Philadelphia Flower Show is headed outdoors. For nine days, June 5-13, the show will fill FDR park with colorful floral and plant displays, along with educational installations and activity-based hubs, rain or shine. Grace Dickinson got into the weeds on how it will work. Here are some highlights:

  1. This year’s show will be divided into three “districts”: the design district, with 27 large-scale floral and landscape displays; the plant district, with a curated version of the Horticourt, the show’s annual plant competition; and the garden district, packed with educational exhibits with experts to field questions.

  2. 🎟️ Tickets are limited and must be purchased in advance online. You will need to select a date and time window: either 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. or 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.. (Opening day hours are slightly different; tickets are available for 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. or 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.) With an upgraded ticket, you can also book a guided early-morning tour before the show opens to the public. Tours are available from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., June. 6-13, and tickets run $110 each. For more information, visit phsonline.org.

  3. 📍 FDR Park, Pattison Ave. and Broad St.

  4. 📅 June 5 (opening day) 8 a.m.-5 p.m., June 6-13 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

  5. 🏷️ $45, for adults, $30 for those ages 18-29 years old (only available during weekday afternoons), $20 for children ages 5-17 years old, free for children 4 years old and under

» READ MORE: What to expect at this year’s Flower Show

Eat it

Hungry? We have some good snacks for you:

  1. Plant-based treat time: Grace Dickinson searched high and low for the city’s vegan doughnuts, whether you’re partial to the yeast or cake varieties. Coconut custard and s’mores, carrot cake doughnuts topped with an actual square of carrot cake, or a doughnut inspired by Good Humor’s strawberry shortcake ice cream bar? Yes, please.

  2. Global cuisine: We can’t travel the world again, yet. But you can eat like you are, without leaving Phlly. Craig LaBan found a world’s worth of eating in Northeast Philly, including a dim sum feast with baked, steamed, or sweet glazed char siu pork pastries; sumptuous Thai, like a house-blended panaeng curry; Colombia grill, like slow-roasted whole chickens or churrasco skirt steak; and Palistinian fare, like goat biryani, chicken Malabar and irresistible dal makhani. Yum.

  3. Seasonal fare: It’s St. Patrick’s Day next week. And while this year won’t be marked by overfull bars, there are still some traditions we can have. So here’s where you can buy Irish potatoes in Philly this year. Because the Philly-specific sweet tuber-looking treat is still on the table for a pandemic St. Pat’s.

Bookmark it

We’ve been answering questions about COVID-19 for many months now, questions like When do I replace my face mask?, Can I get the flu and the coronavirus at the same time? and How can I wear a mask and not fog up my glasses?

We break down all the answers to your questions. And we’ve collected all of our stories at Inquirer.com/covid-tips