50 things to do this fall

"Man Ray and Lee Miller, Partners in Surrealism"
This exhibit reads like a timeline of the relationship between the well-known Surrealist icon and the young American woman who was his model, student and lover. Miller was also a groundbreaking photographer in her own right. The exhibit features photography, painting, drawing and sculpture from Ray and Miller from periods throughout their lives, in addition to works from their like-minded friends in 1930s Paris. $15, $11 students; Through Dec. 4; Peabody Essex Museum, 161 Essex St, Salem (978-745-9500, pem.org)

Homebrew beer
The first batch of Sam Adams, the region’s most recognizable beer, was brewed in a home kitchen. Jump-start your own attempt at homebrewing by picking up a kit from Modern Homebrew Emporium (2304 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge; 617-498-0400; beerbrew.com). If your beer hits it big, there’s plenty of other Boston historical figures to name it after. Sylvia Plath Pilsner, anyone?

Watch the students go by
After September 1, Boston becomes a very different city. Students pour into the area’s approximately four bajillion colleges, and suddenly the sidewalks are bursting with young weirdos, fledgling bros and tiny hipsters newly cut loose from their hometown roots. Rather than be stressed out by all these novices invading our bars and streets, we advise you to take a more anthropological perspective. Grab a bench in Harvard Square, Boston Common or Allston (if Allston has any benches) and watch the parade of newbs waft by. It sure beats the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day floats for diversity.

Daylight savings time ends
At midnight (or should we say… 11pm) on Sunday, November 6, it’s time to dial the clocks back an hour, because of Benjamin Franklin or something. It’s supposed to be all about efficiency and rising with the sun, but we’ve got a better idea: stay up super late! You just won a free hour! And since it comes on the heels of Saturday, that means it’s the one night of the year when Boston bars are (sort of) open until 3am. You’re going to be suffering from mini-jet lag anyway, so why not go nuts with your circadian rhythm for one night? Nov. 6.

Must-see movies
While summer movies hold a special, CGIed, popcorn-filled place in our hearts, one of the best parts of logging lots of warm weather cinema time (besides “free” air conditioning) is the abundance of Oscar season movie trailers. This year, Daniel Craig moves into a murdery Dream House on September 30, while Brad Pitt stars as the Oakland A’s mathletic manager in Moneyball on September 23. Johnny Depp takes a break from playing a pirate of the Caribbean to play a reporter of the Caribbean in The Rum Diary (Oct. 28), based on the Hunter S. Thompson novel. Clint Eastwood directs J. Edgar, with Leonardo DiCaprio in the title role (Nov. 9). Ryan Gosling, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Paul Giamatti star alongside director/producer George Clooney in political drama The Ides of March (Oct. 7). That’s a whole lot of leading men, but where are the ladies? Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Winslet star alongside Matt Damon, Jude Law and Laurence Fishburne in Steven Soderbergh’s Contagion (Sep. 9). Michelle Williams is a sure-bet nominee as the title starlet in My Night with Marilyn (Nov. 4).

Cambridge Urban Ag-Fair
Harvard Square has been holding agricultural expos since the 17th century—so pretty much forever. The current incarnation of the fair is only in its third year, but that pedigree has got to count for something, right? Intrepid city growers, bakers and brewers (Cambridge-raised only, please) can bring their prize fruits, veggies, flowers, cookies, drinks and what-have-you for judging in categories like Tastiest, Biggest and Ugliest. No worries if you lack a green thumb; the Ag-Fair also features live music, cooking demonstrations and—most importantly—a beer garden. Autumnlicious. Sep. 18, 11am–5pm. Free. Winthrop Park, Harvard Square (urbanagfair.com)