username@gvsu.edu, where username is found
in the URL above.)
To use the book, simply place the coupon on the table before ordering. The waiter will then reduce your bill by the cost of the less expensive entree (or the maximum value of the coupon). Read the coupon carefully because some are not good after a certain time (usually 7:00 p.m.) on Friday and Saturday night. A few aren't good at all on Friday and Saturday night. Most restaurants limit the number of cards per table to three; but, some allow only one or two per table. Finally, be sure to present the coupon before ordering. Waiters get annoyed when they have to prepare a bill twice because you didn't give them the coupon in advance.
Candi and I have only had trouble using Entertainment coupons once: The manager of a restaurant in Duluth decided to stop accepting coupons on the weekend. The waitress noticed our coupons before we ordered, so we could have left had we chose to do so. We have never had problems with people not knowing what the coupons were or looking down on us for using them. However, do remember to base your tip on the price of both meals before the discount is applied. Using the coupon does reduce your bill, but it does not reduce your server's workload.
Atlanta's Entertainment book is $20 from either (1) the box office in the Student Center, or (2) www.entertainment.com. (I recommend waiting for a "free shipping" special if ordering it online.) The book's "year" runs from November to November, so if you wait until about May, you can get it for as little as $10 or $15.
Even if you aren't sure how often you'll use the book, buy it anyway. It will pay for itself after two nice meals. Also, you have the opportunity to browse the book at the Student Center.
We especially enjoy taking guests to dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory. The old building and interior decoration make the restaurant feel expensive, even though it is very affordable. (The free and easy parking is also nice.) The location allows us to show people "the city" and point out the important buildings. (We're both from small towns in Michigan. Skyscrapers tend to impress our guests.)
The restaurant is at 249 Ponce De Leon Ave: the south side of Ponce two blocks east of Piedmont. Free parking is available around the corner in the garage near the corner of Penn Avenue and North Avenue. Phone (404)-872-2841.
If you want to see a show badly enough to pay full price, get your tickets at the box office. It's a five minute bike ride or 15 minute walk from the CoC; and, you will save the $3 to $6 per ticket TicketMaster service charge. Also, the theatre once offered $5 pre-paid parking at the Wachovia at the corner of North and Peachtree. That lot currently costs $8.
I highly recommend you visit the Fox at least once, even if you pay full price. The interior of the building is absolutely astounding. (Make sure you step into the restrooms in the lowest level at least once.) Realize, however, the theatre is almost 100 years old; therefore, the acoustics are not good in places. In addition, the cheapest seats are so far away that you can't see the performers' faces. Consequently, better seats are usually worth the additional cost.
I'm not aware of any student discounts or rush tickets for the Fox. If you hear of any, please let me know.
Let's Try This is Tech's Improv comedy troupe. The best way to see LTT is to catch them after a DramaTech play. They don't perform after every play, so be sure to check their schedule.
There are three second-run theatres in Atlanta. None are anywhere near as nice as the first-run theatres with stadium seating; but none are terrible either.
| Name | Address | Location | Cost | Condition | Concessions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Center 6 | 2505 Chastain Meadows Parkway | Kennesaw --- behind the Pier 1 on Barrett Parkway just East of I-575 | $1.75 | Old, but decent | Cheap |
| Venture Cinema | 3750 Venture Drive | Duluth --- next to the Sam's Club at Venture and Steve Reynolds Blvd. | $0.99/$1.99 | Old, but decent | Very Cheap |
| The Picture Show | 4400 Upper Roswell Rd Suite 110 | Marietta --- near the corner of Johnson Ferry and Upper Roswell | $1/$1.75 | New and clean | Expensive ("first-run" prices) |
| Town Center Value Cinemas | 700 Gwinnett Dr. | Lawerenceville | $0.99 | (We have never been there) |
| Airline | Program Name | Frequent destinations | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta | Delta Web Fares | Charleston, Nashville, Jacksonville, Roanoke, Tulsa, Washington, Portland | Also check out Delta Fan Fares (essentially the same as Web Fares, but destinations are tied to major sporting events). | |
| American Airlines | NetSaavers | Chicago, St. Louis, Miami, Dallas | Offers deals for both this weekend and next weekend. Allows Friday night departures | |
| Midwest Airlines | Best Care Web Fares | Milwaukee, Omaha, Grand Rapids | Offers deals for both this weekend and next weekend. Midwest is a "business-class" airline (wide leather seats), so fares are about $220 to $240. | |
| United | E-fares | Chicago O'Hare, Washington Dulles, and (rarely) San Francisco | Web site is not Opera or Mozilla Firebird friendly. | |
| Air Tran | Net Escapes | (New program) | If you're between 18 and 22, check out X-Fares. | |
| America West | Weekend Surf 'n' Go | Phoenix, Los Angeles | Also check out Surf 'n' Go Sports. | |
| Northwest | Cybersavers | Detroit, Memphis | Limited offers to/from Atlanta |
There are a few things you need to know about these campgrounds:
There are many different campgrounds in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest; however, we have visited only these two. I expect that all the campgrounds are as nice as Andrew's Cove and Chattahoochee River, but many are much more popular.
| Store | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Save Rite | Lowest prices | Older stores, poor produce |
| Aldi | Lowest prices, good produce | Limited selection, cash only |
| Food Depot | Very low produce prices. Excellent produce | Prices on non-produce items are nothing special. Price tags list wholesale price. You pay 10% more than tag. |
| Kroger | Double coupons, many new stores, large selection | Poor produce, need member card for biggest savings |
| Publix | High-service store, always clean, decent produce, no membership cards | Moderately expensive (at least more expensive than Kroger). |
| WalMart | Overall lowest prices | Only "Super WalMart" sells groceries. Time spent in checkout can outweigh savings |
| Sam's Club | Lowest prices on some items (e.g., milk, meat, some snacks) | Requires membership ($35/year). Not all items are good deal. Location can be inconvenient |
| Harry's Farmers Market | Excellent produce, lots of ethnic food hard to get elsewhere | Few locations. Many items are expensive (others are very cheap) |
| Dekalb Farmers Market | Excellent produce, lots of ethnic food hard to get elsewhere | Only one location: On Ponce in Decatur. Many items expensive |
For the most part, we shop at Kroger. The double coupons and the convenient location make up for the lower prices at SaveRite and Aldi. In addition, many grocery stores (including WalMart) in Atlanta will match a competitor's advertised price if you bring in the competitor's ad. (Price match usually applies only to prices and excludes "gimmicks" such as buy-one-get-one-free.)
When it comes to buying produce, only farmer's markets (e.g., Harry's and the DeKalb Farmers Market) beat Food Depot; however, for the most part, the only thing worth buying at Food Depot is produce. Once a month we go to Sam's to stock up on meat.
Be careful when shopping at warehouse clubs (e.g., Sam's club). Some items are always good deals (in particular, milk, meats, and cheese); however, some items (such as chicken broth and spaghetti sauce) are actually more expensive than Kroger! Many items look like a good deal, but are more expensive than Kroger's sale price. (Of course, you need to be patient enough to wait for a sale.) Part of the issue is that Sam's sells only name-brand items. Although the name-brand items may be a good deal at Sam's, you may be better off buying the Kroger or Publix brand.
Check out Value Page, upons, The Shopping Queen and other online coupon sources.
For stores without web pages, try using The Yahoo Yellow Pages for store locations and maps.
In our experience, the best way to get to a Phillips Arena event is to exit Tech by the Engineer's Bookstore and turn left on Marietta. Just before you get to the Omni hotel, there is a small lot on your right that charges $6. (If I remember correctly, it is at the corner of Marietta and International.) It's a 5 minute walk to Phillips Arena, but it is safe: you walk in front of the Omni Hotel and through the CNN Center. The main benefit of this lot is that you can avoid the downtown congestion when leaving: Simply turn left onto Marietta and go back to campus.
Our second choice is a $5 pay lot on the southeast the corner of Techwood Drive and International Blvd. It's cheaper than our first choice, but traffic is worse. The garage across International (somebody suggested that it was called the Inforium) also charges $5; but, last time we were there, they charged on the way out, which caused a long delay. On the other hand, this lot has better security: closed-circuit TV and gates.
If you do park on the street, read the signs carefully. There is limited parking along 15th, 16th, and Lombardy. 15th and 16th have time limits during the week, and no-parking times for street cleaning. Lombardy now has parking meters. Also, we have seen evidence of break-ins along Lombardy (although, we suspect the cars broken into were parked overnight). Some streets (most notably Peachtree Circle) allow parking for only those with permits (much like Home Park). I usually park along Westminster or Lafayette near Peachtree Circle.
Candi and I tend to arrive at noon for a 2:30 matinee, buy rush tickets, then eat a picnic lunch, or walk through the art museum (the general collection is free if you have a membership); therefore, I have never had trouble parking in the neighborhood.
The Arts Center is currently undergoing a major expansion. When construction is complete, I expect the parking situation to change --- especially if the expansion includes a parking deck.
The short term lot is free for the first 10 minutes, and only $1 per hour for the next two hours. We find that it is easier to park in the garage (and occasionally pay the $1) when dropping people off or picking them up than it is to deal with the curbside congestion.
Remember that the Ferst Center and DramaTech offer free parking. So, on performance nights, you (or your guests) should be able to park in lots near the Ferst Center without getting a ticket --- even if you have no parking pass at all.
I have heard rumors that Tech is coming out with a pre-paid parking card. When they do, you will be able to buy a card with at least $100 of pre-paid parking, then park for $4/day using this card. Assuming that parking increases to $500/year and you drive in 32 weeks/ year (i.e., are gone in the summer or borrow a parking pass from somebody who is gone), then this system is cost-effective for those who drive in at most 3.5 days a week on average. I think this system is perfect for those who can usually walk, bike, or take MARTA to campus, but still buy a parking pass for cold or rainy days. It should also encourage more people to car pool.