MONDAY10
Lincoln Center’s annual Mostly
Mozart Festival, a summer tradition
that celebrates the composer’s
talent, moves to the airwaves this
year. Every hour of airtime on WQXR
radio this week is dedicated to the
classical legend.
When Until Aug. 16
Where wqxr.org/story
/mostly-mozartHave an evening filled with poetry,
courtesy of the Whiting Foundation.
Aria Aber, Diannely Antigua, Jake
Skeets and Genya Turovskaya —
each a winner of this year’s Whiting
Award— read their poems.
When 7 p.m. Eastern
Where booksaremagic.netTUESDAY11
Take a master class in ballettaught
by Benjamin Millepied, a choreogra-
pher and the artistic director of L.A.
Dance Project. The company’s digital
platform offers virtual workouts as
well as a video library containing
wellness tips, performances and
interviews. There are a handful of
unlocked options or you can sign up
for a free one-week trial.
WhenAnytime
Where now.ladanceproject.orgWEDNESDAY12
The owners of Gefilteria, an Ashke-
nazi Jewish food companybased in
New York City, share their secrets to
pickling — because surely you’re
sick of all that sourdough bread-
baking. The $25 program includes a
culinary lesson and an introduction to
Jewish history and cuisine.
When 7 p.m. Eastern
Where Visit eventbrite.com and
search “Gastro Obscura Pickling.”THURSDAY13
Take a different look at the brain.
The artist Tatiana Mitra and her
husband, Partha Mitra, a scientist,
studied gray matter from humans,
octopi and zebra finches to create
gigapixel photos and ink drawings.
When Anytime
Wherenysci.org/home/exhibitsJill Filipovic, a lawyer and contribut-
ing opinion writer for The New York
Times, has turned a popular retort
into a rallying cry with her book, “OK
Boomer, Let’s Talk.”In an online
chat, she explains how the decision-
making of older generations has
threatened millennials’ livelihoods.
When 8 p.m. Eastern
Where politics-prose.com/eventsFRIDAY14
Drift away with David Zwirner’s At
Sea digital exhibition, which fea-
tures more than 30 works by the likes
of Gustave Courbet, Diane Arbus and
Cecily Brown. Each of the paintings
and photographs — be it a product of
19th-century Realism or a contem-
porary performance piece — rumi-
nates on one of art’s oldest muses.
When Anytime
Where davidzwirner.com
/viewing-room/at-seaSATURDAY15
Test your imagination and knowledge
of physics with Rube Goldberg, Inc.’s
2020 summer challenge. Water a plant
in 10 to 20 steps using items you have
at home; submit footage of your work-
ing contraption for a chance to win.
When Submissions accepted until
Aug. 21 at 12 p.m. Eastern
Where rubegoldberg.comCatch a recent filmmade by an East
or Southeast Asian directoron
Filmatique, like Phuttiphong Aroon-
pheng’s 2018 drama, “Manta Ray,” or
Jia Zhangke’s 2015 romance, “Moun-
tains May Depart.”
When Anytime
Where filmatique.com/curated-seriesSUNDAY16
Celebrate dance from the Middle
East. The Annual Battery Dance
Festival presents pieces by Hoedy
Saad, who took the ballroom scene to
Beirut; Project TAG, a company from
Iraqi Kurdistan; and Tanin Torabi, a
choreographer and performer from
Iran. The program also commemo-
rates the life of Ayman Safiah, a
Palestinian dancer who drowned in
May.
When 7 p.m. Eastern
Where batterydance.orgCheck out a reading by emerging writers, learn the
secrets of Jewish cuisine and channel Rube Goldberg.
BY ADRIANA BALSAMO AND HILARY MOSSPack Your Week
With New Poetry
And Pickling
ILLUSTRATIONS BY
JORDAN AWAN2 D THE NEW YORK TIMES, SUNDAY, AUGUST 9, 2020Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of
the year, not because of the white-
washed problematic story, but because
of gathering with family and sharing a
meal. The focus on connection and the
lack of hype feel really nourishing,
something that I know many of us are in
short supply of these days. I know it is
August and Thanksgiving is still three
months away, but I highly doubt
Covid-19 will be taking a dip before the
end of the year, and as a planner and a
worrier, thinking ahead gives me some
sense of control. Living in Wisconsin,
I’m wondering if it’s worth coming up
with a creative way to celebrate early
outside, socially distanced, bring-your-
own-food style, since it is highly unlikely
that would be an option come Novem-
ber. Or perhaps there’s another way to
do it safely. I’ve brainstormed some
ideas, but what I’ve come up with
doesn’t really feel satisfying. Maybe I
just need to lick my wounds, grieve that
I won’t be able to be with my favorite
people this year and move on.
SARAH BARLOW, MADISON, WIS.
My husband grew a great beard for the
first time in our 47 years of marriage. I
love it! My beautifully styled, precision-
cut, salt-and-pepper hair grew too.
My solution? Pull it up and put a fake-
hair topknot to match the all-white hair.
I look like a little Grecian goddess
at age 71!
KAREN RILEY, JACKSONVILLE, FLA.
I very much enjoyed Sunday’s craft in
the At Home section: newspaper roses.
It was a good project to occupy some of
this difficult time.
LAURA WYNNE, NEW YORK
TALK TO US
Filling Free Time
And Trying New ’Dos
Readers wonder about the
holidays, embrace different
hairstyles and get crafty.
These letters have been lightly edited
for length and clarity.
On the Cover“This summer I’ve watched my housemate grow a single sunflower from a
seed, and found unprecedented joy in it. It’s been a summer of taking advantage of every
outdoor space, slowing down, noticing more and just treasuring those around us, even when
at a distance.” — Charlotte Ager, artistThe section is meant to serve its readers,
and we’d like to hear about what you need
from us now. Email us with your thoughts
and suggestions: [email protected].
Or visit us online: nytimes.com/athome.CorrectionAn article last Sunday about taking mass transit safely misstated the academic credentials of Sarah
M. Kaufman. She has a degree in urban planning but does not have a Ph.D.