To do this week: Three ways to love this city
This week: Hack your rowhouse backyard and turn it into a garden, rep your city with this locally designed merch, and drink local.
On the to-do list this week: Show some Philly love. We’ve got a way to hack your rowhouse backyard and turn it into a fantastic vegetable garden. We have some great Philly-area distilleries so you can give your classic cocktails some superb local flavor. And, in case you don’t want that $390 Gucci Philly tee, we have some cheaper ways to show some Philly pride, with some city merch from local designers so you can rep this city in style.
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.
Know this
🏠 NJ just legalized marijuana. How does the law work? by Nick Vadala
🚴♀️ Where can I buy a bike in Philly? by Elizabeth Wellington
😷 What can I safely do once I’m vaccinated? by Grace Dickinson
💰 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:
🇯🇵 Reopening of Shofuso Japanese Cultural Center (Seasonal event / in-person / kid-friendly) The Fairmount Park attraction reopens to in-person guests on the first day of spring with self-guided tours of the traditional Japanese house and garden. New this year is Pebble Beach, an installation inspired by drawings by the site’s original garden designer Tansai Sano, which resembles the rocky shores of Kyoto’s Kamo River. The attraction will be open weekly Wednesday through Sunday. All ages. (free-$12, Opens March 20, japanphilly.org, map, add to calendar)
🔎 Find more of this week’s events, and we even have a kid-friendly events calendar, too.
Grow vegetables from your rowhouse
So you have a tiny backyard, a cramped cement space common to many of Philly’s rowhouses. Hardly a spot for the garden of your dreams, right? Grace Dickinson can help you MacGyver that, with step-by-step instructions for how to build a raised garden bed for any space. And the best part? You can do it on the cheap, for about $150 all in.
Why a raised bed? “The raised bed is much more forgiving to a beginner — in terms of watering, drainage, and just general upkeep,” says Nicole Enders, owner of Philadelphia Box Gardens. And it doesn’t need to be watered as often as small pots. It can also be a good plan if you don’t want to get your soil tested.
What can I plant? It depends how much sun you get. With more sun, you can grow fruiting plants, like tomatoes and eggplant. Shadier plots do better with leafy greens, and many root veggies, like carrots and radishes. We have a diagram that shows you how to lay out your plot, depending on how much sun you get.
When to plant: As soon as the ground thaws and you’re able to work the soil, you can start planting. Crops like lettuce, broccoli, kale, and carrots can all go into the ground now.
Check out the step-by-step instructions for how to build a 4′x4′ raised bed, as well as more tips on what to plant and how to keep your garden healthy, in our complete guide.
» READ MORE: How to turn your Philly rowhouse backyard into a vegetable garden on the cheap
If the spirit moves you
Sure, Pennsylvania’s regional beer and wine are great — but sometimes, you just need to (responsibly) enjoy something a little stronger. Lucky for us, Pennsylvania has plenty of great craft distillers, in the city, suburbs, and also out of town. Nick Vadala chose 15 spots worth a visit for notable imbibibles, including these spots that you might not know:
Pollyodd It doesn’t get much more South Philly Italian than Pollyodd’s take on the beloved lemony after-dinner liquor limoncello. Founder Joanie Verratti is reportedly among the first — if not the first — licensed female distillers since Prohibition. Today, Verratti offers different takes on the digestif, including water- and cream-based ‘cellos, as well as chocolate or banana. 📍 1908 E. Passyunk Ave., 📞 215-271-1161, ✉️ joaniepollyodd@gmail.com, 🌐 facebook.com/pollyodd, 📷 @pollyodd_
Stoll & Wolfe Distillery Open since 2017, Stoll & Wolfe is technically a newer distillery in Pennsylvania — but it’s steeped in more than 250 years of distilling history. They’re based out of the former Bomberger Distillery headquarters, which dates back to 1753 — and cofounder Dick Stoll, who died last year, was trained in the distilling arts by the grandnephew of Jim Beam, and called one of America’s “greatest whiskey distillers” by Whiskey Advocate magazine. So, whether it’s bourbon, rye, or American straight whiskey, that’s a whole lot of history in one glass.📍 35 N. Cedar St., Lititz, 📞 717-799-4499, ✉️ info@stollandwolfe.com, 🌐 stollandwolfe.com, 📷 @stollandwolfewhiskey
Mishka Premium Vodka Founder Russell Fletcher opened up Mishka Premium Vodka in Allentown in 2007, reportedly making it the first and only Black-owned distillery in Pennsylvania. Vodka, of course, is the focus here, with cranberry and honey-flavored varieties, as well as a classic, unflavored version. The distillery is not currently open to the public, but you can place an order online for delivery. 📍 841 N. Gilmore St., Allentown, 📞 858-848-9177, ✉️ info@thislifeforever.com, 🌐 mishkapremiumvodka.com, 📷 @mishkapremiumvodka
» READ MORE: 15 distilleries in and near Philadelphia, whether your taste is for whiskey, rum, vodka, or moonshine
Wear it proud
So, Gucci recently debuted a $390 Philly Vs. Everybody T-shirt. Needless to say, a lot of people weren’t feeling it. While the shirt is raising money for a local charity, Tools and Tiaras, a nonprofit that runs a camp where young girls learn trade skills, the price tag makes the shirt out of the reach of most of us. However, this is a town that has great hometown pride merch, and Elizabeth Wellington shares her faves from local designers so you can rep your city with pride (and support some local folks while doing it). Here are a few of her picks:
Flygirrl Graphic artist Stacey Wilson was one of the first local Philly-based artists to put jawn on a T-shirt nearly 20 years ago. And those of us who remember rocking at Tastytreats often came dressed in their own Philly Jawn tee. Tastytreats is over, but Wilson is still selling her tees for upward of $20 to $35 on her website. 🌐 flygirrl.com 📷 @flygirrl
South Fellini East Passyunk specialty boutique South Fellini is among the local vendors who are most serious about showing Philly love. The selection of beanies and sweatshirts showcase graphics that pay homage to Seven Fishes Christmas Eve dinner, the Citywide Special, and there are many “Fly, Eagles, fly” references, too. We certainly can’t get more Philly than that. And with sweatshirts and tees between $20 and $40, we can buy as many as we want. 📍 1507 E. Passyunk Ave. 🌐 southfellini.com 📷 @southfellini
Philadelphia Independents Co-owner Ashley Peele’s mission is not just to big-up Philly every moment she can, but she and her partners, Tiffica Benza and Jennifer Provost, are hellbent on supporting the local artisans behind the pieces. The store, located in Old City, carries the work of 60 artists, including five apparel makers, at price points that range from $15 to $50. 📍 35 N. Third St. 🌐 philadelphiaindependents.com 📷 @philadelphia_independents
» READ MORE: Forget Gucci. This gear from Philly designers reps this city better. Here’s where to buy it.