restaurant week is back!

The only thing better than being served a full course meal is being served a full course meal at a fraction of the cost.

This past Sunday, Jan. 22, marked the beginning of Restaurant Week in Easton. Eleven eateries are offering lunch for $8 and three-course dinners for $30. This weeks offers locals the opportunity to eat great food for a great price, while also helping out the local restaurants. Sette Luna, Mangia Italian Restaurant, Colonial Pizza & Pub, Ocean, Mex Tex Trio, River Grille, The Standard Restaurant, Vintage, Widows Tavern & Grille, Phoenicia Middle Eastern Cuisine and Porters' Pub will be offering tasty food for a lower price through Saturday.

Also, you can enter to win four tickets to "Shrek the Musical" at the State Theatre in Easton while dining at any of the restaurants participating in Easton's Restaurant Week. Maybe not a show you would normally opt to go to, but hey, if you win free tickets, you gotta go!

I'm always looking for the good deals or specials, and when it comes to eating out, Restaurant Week is just about the cheapest way to get quality dishes for less.

So the best part of Restaurant Week is that it is coming to Bethlehem next week, beginning on Sunday, Jan. 29. With varying price points, 32 restaurants will offer breakfast, lunch and/or dinner menus all week long. Some participants are Apollo Grill, Blue Grillhouse and Winebar, Burger's and More by Emeril, Mama Nina’s Foccacheria, The Melting Pot, Starters Riverport and many more. For a full listing of the restaurants, and links to their menus, visit the Downtown Bethlehem Association's Bethlehem Restaurant Week page. An added bonus: when you dine at any participating restaurant, fill out a entry form for their gift card drawing. Five winners will be awarded gift cards for two to every participating restaurant.

Restaurant Week can also be a time to try out new foods or new restaurants. Since the prices are considerably lowered, maybe try a new appetizer or entree, or a whole new eatery altogether (Might I suggest Blue, one of my favorite places to go in the area).

So start planning now because the deals are only here for a short time. And make sure to take advantage of all the food and sweepstakes opportunities.

the age-old college student dilemma

"But I'm a poor college student."

We've all heard that excuse before. And as a full-time college student who is working two jobs, I know that situation all too well. Despite my lack of funds from time to time, I've made it my goal to always find new and exciting things to do that fit my budget. When I'm at Lehigh, my schedule is so jam-packed that it's hard to find time to slow down and relax. Ironically enough though, whenever that time comes around, I'm bored. So why am I ignoring all the possibilities the Lehigh Valley has to offer?

During my summers, when I'm not working, I'm always on the lookout for fun ways to spend my hard-earned cash. Whether it's new activities, local events or places to go, I keep my eyes and ears peeled for anything that might be entertaining, but also inexpensive.

I've never really done this at Lehigh though. Bethlehem, and the greater Lehigh Valley, is a place billowing with things to do. Not all of them are budget-conscious, but many are. And I want to take advantage of that while I'm still here.

I know the Lehigh Valley has more to offer us. So, I'm making it my personal goal to not only find what's going on in the Lehigh Valley, but to make sure college students low on dough have the information to take advantage of all the less-expensive opportunities the Valley has to offer too.

So to get started, here are a few links that always have ideas for fun and affordable ways to fill your free time:

• Downtown Bethlehem Association:From First Fridays to craft shows to town clean-up days, the DBA's calendar is always packed with fun, interesting and exciting ways to not only get involved in the community, but also to have a great time.


• Discover Lehigh Valley: Offering many ways to "play, stay, eat, save and discover," this organization encourages community members to embrace experiences in Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton.


• Local newspaper sites: The Express Times and The Morning Call both offer their readers interactive community calendars that allows them to browse events by date or by a search bar.