It can be easy to get discouraged these days. Everywhere we look, there are signs of a struggling planet and, often, it’s difficult to see a clear path to an effectual response. 2022 may well eclipse recent years as the hottest on record. Rainfall has alternated between being absent or violent in Pennsylvania, one of
MorePhoto by Margo Reed Anarchist Book Nook by Emily Kovach You might not expect to find a radical bookstore among the pawn shops and window displays of sneakers and jewelry on South Street. But at 704 South, there it is: the storefront for Wooden Shoe Books and Records, an all-volunteer collective that’s been a mainstay
MorePhoto by Margo Reed Kooky and Calm by Emily Kovach Ann Tetreault has always been a book lover. Her parents—both teachers—would frequently stop to peruse bookshops with their children, and Tetreault became a book collector at a young age. She studied literature in college and got her master’s degree in folk studies, going on to
Moreby Emily Kovach Entering a comic book shop can feel intimidating. Will you encounter a peevish clerk, à la the Comic Book Guy on “The Simpsons,” already and always disappointed by your plebeian lack of knowledge on the finer points of the X-Men universe? Or will it be a male-dominated space, dismissive or unwelcoming to
MorePhoto courtesy of Philly Farm & Food Fest Manayunk StrEAT Food FestivalMain Street will be closed off all day April 10 to accommodate the spring edition of Manayunk’s biannual fiesta. Dozens of food trucks will offer gourmet food, along with live music on Green Lane, Cotton Street and Shurs Lane. The Manayunk StrEAT Food Festival
MoreIllustration by Kathleen White Horticulturist Lynn Ellen Wolf has been helping Philadelphians make the most of their gardens at the Greensgrow Farms nursery since 2008. Here are her tips on making the most of the season. Start with a vision. “Before you come [to the nursery], take some time to look through stacks of books [or
MoreCommunity Gardening Wisdom collected by the Neighborhood Gardens Trust It takes time and patience“When we finally got a chance to have a garden plot, we were so excited! We’d waited over 10 years to officially get a chance to be part of a special part of our neighborhood. Although we had our own garden plot—it
MoreThree low-maintenance perennial container ideas that will work in very different urban environments by Laura Everard When you’re choosing your own plants for a perennial planter, look for those with similar requirements for sun exposure, watering and soil type. Each of these ideas is designed to create a fantastic arrangement that will wow year-round. Hot,
MorePhoto by Neal Santos The Urban Kitchen Garden by Alex Jones The term “kitchen garden” conjures an image you might see in a history textbook: A woman, probably of Western European descent, harvests something delicious and at the peak of ripeness from a large, bountiful patch of cultivated land mere yards from what is almost
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Illustration by Kathleen White Safe to Grow? by Alex Vuocolo Jennifer Morales knew that the soil beneath her community garden at A and Indiana streets in North Philadelphia might be contaminated. But without the resources or know-how to test the soil herself, there was no way to be sure. “There used to be a
MoreEveryday Beauty by Marilyn Anthony Sisters Joy Johnston Howard and Beth Johnston launched Sistercraft in 2015 to bring “beauty and love into other people’s lives.” Their handmade brooms, blankets, quilts and afghans are symbols of a clean, warm home, but the pair also see their work as a way to push back against the cold
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