The Weekender: September 19 to 22

Niche, in the South End, has tropical plants of every shape and size, and its expert staff is on hand to give you tips on how to care for them. Photo courtesy of Niche 

Eat, Shop, Go

Can you believe that we are already more than halfway through September? If you’re looking to change things up and explore off campus this weekend, we’ve handpicked a list of fun things to do, whether you want to try a new café, deck out your room with trendy plants, attend a local festival, or indulge in a night at the theater.

Allium Market

This specialty foods market, cheese shop, kitchen, café, and bakery in nearby Coolidge Corner was founded in 2017 by general manager Talia Glass, whose vision was to open a food hall serving coffee, pastries, and lunch. Today, Allium uses seasonal ingredients and products from local businesses, such as Clear Flour bread, High Lawn Farm dairy, Bunker Farm maple syrup, George Howell coffee, and MEM teas. Try a muffaletta sandwich, with Smoking Goose mortadella, ham, and capocollo, or the cheese plates; vegan options are also available. Allium has indoor and outdoor seating so you can enjoy the last warm days of the season.

Allium Market, 1330 Beacon St., Brookline, is open weekdays from 7 am to 7 pm and weekends from 9 am to 6 pm. 

Niche

If you love succulents and houseplants, you’ll love Niche. This aesthetically pleasing shop offers a great selection and the knowledgeable staff will help you find a plant ideal for your dorm room or apartment and provide plant care consultations after purchase, so you know how to care for your new greenery. 

Niche has two locations: 619 Tremont St., Boston, and 286 Broadway, Cambridge. Check for hours here. 

Boston Film Festival

The 35th annual Boston Film Festival is here, and this year’s will include screenings of some of the season’s most anticipated movies,  including Jojo Rabbit, starring Scarlett Johanson, and Terrence Malick’s latest film, A Hidden Life. If you have time, hang around for Q&A sessions with the director and actors after each screening. Awards are also presented, among them the new Mass Impact Award, which recognizes a film that “illuminates a social issue that positively affects humanity.”

The Boston Film Festival, Showplace Icon Seaport, 60 Seaport Blvd., Boston, is September 19 through 22. Most films have a reduced price of $10 for students. Buy tickets and view the full schedule here.

American Utopia

One of Broadway’s most awaited shows this season is starting out in Boston. The Emerson Colonial Theatre is hosting American Utopia, a choreographed concert tour by Talking Heads front man David Byrne and an 11-musician ensemble. The theatrical concert integrates choreography, live music, and staging and has been getting rave reviews. 

American Utopia is playing at the Emerson Colonial Theatre, 106 Boylston St., Boston. Tickets for the general public start at $59; there are a limited number of student and military rush tickets for $30, available at the box office starting two hours before each performance. Buy tickets and find more information here.

Fluff Festival

Wondering what all the fluff is about for the 14th annual What the Fluff Festival? This year marks the 102nd anniversary of Fluff, that iconic marshmallow staple, which was invented in Somerville’s Union Square in 1917. The day includes live musical acts, like the Keytar Bear, a cooking contest, Fluff-themed games, as well as an abundance of Fluff-filled treats. The theme of this year’s festival is Fluff Travels: All Roads Lead to Fluff, and it celebrates the culturally rich city of Somerville, home to residents from dozens of countries, like El Salvador, Haiti, Portugal, and Brazil. 

The What the Fluff Festival is Saturday, September 21, in Union Square, Somerville, from 3 to 7 pm (rain date is September 22). Find more information here.