To do this week: Follow the new rules

On the to-do list this week: Take a breath. Have a drink? Get outside? I don’t know. Just take care of yourself as we seemingly take a step backward in this pandemic.

What’s on my personal to-do list: I’m taking Craig LaBan’s advice and going out for oysters at Sweet Amalia Market and Kitchen this weekend.

We’ve collected our best Philly tips all in one place here. Stay healthy, stay safe, and get vaccinated.

— Jillian Wilson

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

Here is one highlight from our weekly events calendar:

Can’t Wait Live at the Mann Center 🎶 (Music / in-person / outdoors) This “concert for jobs, justice and care” is presented by the Working Families Party and features Saweetie, Wyclef Jean, Mavis Staples, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and Beach Bunny. R&B singer Ne-Yo takes the place of rapper DaBaby who was dropped from the bill after making homophobic comments at Rolling Loud fest in Miami last month. (Free with text message RSVP to 30403, Aug. 13, 4:30 p.m., 5201 Parkside Ave., manncenter.org)

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

Yesterday, the city announced new mask and vaccine requirements for all indoor businesses.

Masks are once again required at all indoor businesses and institutions, whether or not you’re vaccinated, unless the business is requiring staff to get vaccinated and is requiring proof-of-vaccination from patrons. The new requirements went into place at 12:01 a.m. today and are in place to slow the spread of the highly transmissible delta variant of COVID-19.

The mandate is a little confusing, but we’re here to help comb through some of the information.

Do all businesses have to require masks? No. If businesses require staff to get vaccinated and require proof of vaccination from patrons, they do not have to require masks. In other words, masks are only required in the indoor spaces that are not checking guest’s vaccination status and are not requiring staff to get vaccinated.

How do I show my proof of vaccination? How do I get a vaccine card if I lost mine? According to the city, valid proof of vaccination includes a CDC card, a vaccine record from the health department, vaccine passport apps, or cards from other countries. If you can’t find your vaccine card and were vaccinated in Philadelphia, you can contact the city’s COVID Call Center at 215-685-5488 or covid@phila.gov to get a record of your COVID vaccination status. This record is not a copy of the card you received when you were vaccinated, but it will still show proof of vaccination.

» READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Philly’s new COVID-19 vaccine and mask requirements

It’s pre-Friday. Let’s have a drink.

We have a new guide to 10 cocktail bars in the Philly region that are known for their classic or creative drinks. One place on our list uses locally grown and foraged herbs to create seasonal amari, another creates cocktails using house blends of bourbon and sweet vermouth, and another has an all-vegan menu of cocktails, including boozy beverages made with vegan “egg whites.” Maddy Sweitzer-Lamme shares 10 local cocktail bars to add to your must-visit list, and here’s a quick preview:

R&D Cocktail Bar: In Resa Mueller’s cocktail program, every element is elevated: house blends of bourbon and sweet vermouth, which means their drinks are a step above what you can execute yourself at home. R&D recently redesigned their menu to focus more descriptions of each drink’s flavor and vibe and less on ingredient lists. This approach, she says, encourages people to trust the bartenders and try new things. The team at R&D also oversees the cocktail programs at Suraya and El Techo, so if you like what you’re drinking at R&D, those are spots with a few tasty drinks as well. 📍1206 Frankford Ave., 🌐 rdphilly.com, 📷 @rd_philly

Philadelphia Distilling: The magic at Philadelphia Distilling is twofold: They make the spirits, including Bluecoat Gin and Vigo Amaro, and all the drinks are made with fresh produce, like citrus, strawberry, and kiwi. The cocktail menu is small, but has range, from their take on punch (with Bluecoat gin, citrus, bitters and soda) to Dutch Courage #8, (with Bluecoat barrel-finished gin, citrus bitters, habanero honey, and amaro).📍25 E. Allen St., 🌐 philadelphiadistilling.com, 📷 @philadelphiadistilling

Booker’s: Booker’s is a neighborhood hangout where the cocktails are, just like the the vibe, friendly and approachable. This isn’t the type of place where the bartenders will have to explain the menu to you. Their bar programs includes drinkable, refreshing options like a ginger-spiked manhattan, a spicy whiskey sour, and a summertime frosé.📍5021 Baltimore Ave., 🌐 bookersrestaurantandbar.com, 📷 @bookers.westphilly

» READ MORE: The best cocktail bars in Philly

Michael Klein reports that the opening-soon-in-Philly ice cream shop Van Leeuwen is scooping up free ice cream samples today, Aug. 12, and on Aug. 16 and Aug. 17 via its roving ice cream truck.

See here for ice cream truck locations in the coming days, and make plans to stop by for some free ice cream. Brooklyn-based Van Leeuwen is loved for its variety of ice cream — it has 10 vegan flavors and 14 varieties of 18% butterfat ice cream.

Sorry to the Halo Top in my freezer, but you’re going in the trash. Sign me up for butterfat ice cream.

Van Leeuwen opens its first Philadelphia location on Aug. 18 at 13th and Sansom streets.

» READ MORE: Free ice cream from the Van Leeuwen Ice Cream truck

Here’s something that caught our eye from a Philly-area Instagram account that I think is worth sharing:

FDR Park is a South Philly gem. It’s huge (350 acres!), beautiful, and even has a lake in the middle. Fairmount Park Conservancy recently extended its free FDR Park digital scavenger hunt through Sept. 20, giving you more time to explore the huge park and learn about the lesser-known areas.

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