A Hong Kong-Inspired Cafe, and More New to Boston This Fall

Embrace the cooling temperatures with cozy sweats, indoor mini golf, stunning photography exhibitions and more.Adopt an impressionist point of view at this new experience.

IMMERSE Immerse yourself in the beloved works of Monet, Renoir, Degas, Cassatt and more with Lighthouse ArtSpace Boston’s Immersive Monet & The Impressionists (immersivemonet.com) exhibit. Through Sept. 25, you won’t want to miss Monet’s larger-than-life water lilies dancing across the wall or Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s joyous Parisians, thanks to state-of-the-art video mapping and animation. Richard Ouzounian, creative consultant for Lighthouse Immersive, says the experience allows visitors to truly experience the world of artists. “All around you are people in the same room, making very personal choices of what to look at. We are all one, but we are all individuals at the same time. It’s a totally unique way of looking at art,” Ouzounian adds.

The sculpting midi dress from SHEER is the perfect LBD.

DRESS Who says you can’t mess with classics? Well, whoever says it, Sheer Sebag is defying it with a reinvented LBD, now available in white. “It’s more than a dress; it’s your armor,” says Sebag, founder and CEO of SHEER (sheerthebrand.com). “When you step into the dress, you are stepping into your SHEER beauty, power and confidence,” she says. Using a patented hidden solution built into the dress that combines three layers that are designed to shape and enhance your body in all of the right places, this dress is sure to be an everyday staple in anyone’s closet.

Rubato’s steamed char siu bao is stuffed with housemade char siu pork filling.

TASTE International foodies, this one’s for you. After 22 years of running the successful Contempo bakery and eatery in Quincy, local culinary legend Joyce Chan is passing the torch to her son Laurence Louie as he launches Rubato (@rubatofood), a Hong Kong-inspired cafe. Louie and his wife, Rary Ratsifa, bring a taste of the Chinese hub to Boston with a variety of sweet and savory bao and other mouthwatering menu items like Hong Kong French toast and congee rice porridge. Open for breakfast and lunch, you won’t miss the neon sign, tortoise green tile decor and window seating begging you to stop in for a bite.

The Duchess crossbody handbag from Cushette in pink and gold leopard

ACCESSORIZE Dress up any ensemble with Cushette (shopcushette.com), the newest local handbag retailer. When her own accessory needs weren’t met, founder and owner Catherine McCavanagh decided to take matters into her own hands, and shoppers are loving the luxe line. “Hingham and Boston are such dynamic and stylish communities, so the fact that those living here like what I am doing is incredibly flattering and reassuring,” she says. With an assortment of oversized crossbody bags, clutches and belt bags, each chic design is crafted with durable velvet. This season, shop new cool colors like muted browns, blacks and champagne.

America’s Family was recently co-presented as part of the Shared Stories program at RoxFilm.

WATCH Just in time for Hispanic Heritage Month, Cinefest Latino Boston (cinefestlatino.com) is launching the 2022 hybrid film festival at local theaters—join Executive Director Sabrina Avilés in a showcase of handselected Latino films. “Cinefest Latino Boston is committed to using the power of film to break stereotypes, bring cultures and communities together and reveal the complex issues affecting the Latinx community in the United States, as well as communities in Latin America and Spain,” Avilés says. Although the lineup is not finalized yet, last year’s included Missing in Brooks County, The Brothers, Perfume de Gardenias and more—this years picks are sure to be just as alluring.

Albumen print by Felice Beato of Pehtang Fort on Aug. 1, 1860

SEE Explore 19th century images of China through 130 photographs in dialogue with paintings, prints and decorative arts at the Peabody Essex Museum (pem.org) with its latest exhibit, Power and Perspective: Early Photography in China, opening Sept. 24. The collection displays the evolution of photography and how it was used to introduce Chinese culture to the Western world through thought-provoking images of war, trade and travel. Among the images, exhibit curators Karina Corrigan and Stephanie Hueon Tung agree on a favorite: John Thomson’s “Curio Shop, 1868-1872,” which depicts the Wah Loong and Cumwo shop in Hong Kong.

LunchDates matchmakers Laura Kenney, Jill Vandor, Taylor Higgins and Kailee Coogan

DATE This cuffing season, ditch your old pick-up lines and flirty eyes for some advice from the pros. LunchDates Professional Matchmaking (lunchdates.com) has been helping Boston singles find their person for over 40 years, and now they’re letting locals in on the secret to success. For one hour, join executive matchmaker Jill Vandor in her online crash course of dating dos and don’ts. “There has been such overwhelming demand for dating advice since emerging from the pandemic,” she shares. “Bostonians love passionately. Whether it’s our sports teams or our romantic lives, we give everything and want it back in return.”

The Boston-based brand features soft, comfortable sweats, leggings and more.

SHOP Transitioning your closet from summer to fall has never been so fashionable, thanks to Always Be Grateful’s (abgthebrand.com) newest collection. The Boston-based brand crafts buttery soft sweats, leggings, swimwear and hats to keep locals looking their best while maximizing comfort—the main goal for founder Marina Varano. “I truly think people realized how workable high-end sweats could be if they are good quality and neutral colors,” she says. Each drop has limited quantities, so be sure to check out the website for a line of sweats in browns, creams, grays and black. The only question left is which—or how many—colors to choose.

Play a round of tech-infused mini golf at Puttshack’s newest location in Seaport.

PLAY With neon LED lights, digital tracking and score keeping, wheel of prizes and beer pong, this is not your average game of mini golf. The name is Puttshack (puttshack.com), and it reinvented the friendly competition with its newest location opening in Seaport this fall. The upscale tech-infused game allows players to enjoy mini golf throughout the year with its indoor space, perfect for Northeastern winters. After a round, head to the restaurant and bar for a variety of mouthwatering options like the Puttshack poutine or wood-fired octopus.