Student Lookout: Late-night bites and an ABBA disco party

Goooooood morning/afternoon/whatever time it happens to be that you’re reading, folks.

Hope you’ve all enjoyed this clear, sunny week, even if you did get back to the daily grind of higher education recently. May your transition continue smoothly and your studies be engaging.

Unnecessary idioms aside, I’m wondering what y’all are doing for Valentine’s Day, if anything? I know it’s a silly holiday, but it’s still possible to make it fun and low-key! Shoot me a text and let me know if you have anything going on — or if you think it’s truly the most idiotic thing ever and would prefer to stay as far away as possible from it. Both are valid opinions, honestly.

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Let’s get started …

Deals Download

Check out these student discounts:

• Students (and teachers) get 10% off at Well Within on Thursdays.
• HoM Korean Kitchen offers 15% off for students.
• Seymour Marine Discovery Center offers free admission to UC Santa Cruz students and 25% off for all student tickets.

DEAL OF THE MONTH: Student ticket price for Santa Cruz Warriors with promo code STUDNT

Buy your tickets online in advance to get this deal and use code “STUDNT” to unlock $10 off your ticket price. To purchase your ticket, visit the Santa Cruz Warriors’ ticket site, choose your game and then enter your promo code in the unlock section (seen in the image below).

➤ Want to share these deals with your friends? Have them sign up for Student Lookout texts with this link.

Good Eats

New Leaf grab-and-go ($ - $$)

Grocery shopping at New Leaf Community Markets might be a little expensive, but there are some solid-to-great food items for a quick lunch on the go. My personal favorite is the coastal kale salad, a bright, light kale salad with sprouts, sunflower seeds, pickled onions, a lemony vinaigrette and more. You can get a big or small container, and frankly, it doesn’t get old. New Leaf’s hot food is worth checking out, too, with a surprisingly solid pizza and a good mix of veggies and protein — not to mention a pretty affordable and tasty deli.

If you love food, too, be sure to check out the work by our local food expert, Lily Belli. Recently, she shared some of the city’s major plans for downtown’s redevelopment. There could be as many as 10 new dining options along Front Street, with some of those facing a revitalized San Lorenzo Riverwalk. A brand-new look, that’s for sure.

Inside Santa Cruz: Late-night bites

As school begins to pick up, so do the late-night study sessions and the hunt for cheap food. As you approach the late evening or early hours of the morning, you sometimes can’t help but want a change of scenery or a late night pick-me-up. So for this edition of Inside Santa Cruz, here is a list of five different places that are open into the evening hours where you can either study or get late-night eats and drinks.

Woodstock’s Pizza ($$)

Hours: 11 a.m. - midnight (1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday)

If you’re needing good deals on food, free wifi or a place that stays open past 10 p.m., this is your spot. Located in the heart of downtown Santa Cruz on Front Street, Woodstock’s has been a student and community staple for a variety of reasons. While Woodstock’s can be costly, its deals are honestly unmatched. There are ongoing discounts throughout the day, with late-night deals running until closing. Lunch deals such as “one slice, one soda’’ cost $7.25, while “sandwich and soda” is $8.95, allowing anyone to dine for less than $10.

There is a deal specifically for college students, who can save $6 when purchasing any extra-large pizza with at least one topping. For the people needing a cheap drink, every Wednesday from 6 p.m. to closing, when you purchase your first pint of beer at full price, the rest of your pints are half price, with some starting at $2.50.

LuLu Carpenter’s ($$)

Hours: 7 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Lulu Carpenter’s offers a comforting and calm atmosphere for anyone needing to study, work or meet with friends. Located in downtown Santa Cruz on Pacific Avenue, Lulu Carpenter’s opens early and stays open into the late evening. The business offers free coffee delivery with a minimum purchase of $10 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., delivering to most of the city of Santa Cruz, parts of Scotts Valley and parts of Capitola. Along with having free delivery services, Lulu’s offer free wifi, gender-neutral bathrooms and vegan and gluten-free options.

Yan Flower ($)

Hours: Sunday - Thursday: 11 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Friday - Saturday: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Yan Flower’s homey atmosphere allows for those from all walks of life to find a hot, delicious meal. Located on lower Pacific Avenue, Yan Flower has been around since 2006. This unassuming restaurant is known for its cheap lunch deals and affordable food. Its lunch specials run from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. and let customers dine on an entree, steamed rice and a spring roll from $6-$9. The cost of combination plates doesn’t exceed more than $14, but you are always guaranteed a day or two of leftovers. While Yan Flower doesn’t offer any free wifi, it does make for an amazing last-minute cheap meal.

The Penny Ice Creamery ($$)

Cedar Street hours: noon - 11 p.m.

Need a late-night sweet treat while you study? The Penny Ice Creamery has multiple locations: Aptos, Pleasure Point, downtown and Scotts Valley. While the hours can vary from location to location, you are sure to be able to access delicious ice cream in the late evening. The Penny Ice Creamery has been making its in-house ice cream with locally sourced ingredients since 2010. Because the business uses ingredients that are organic and grown by local farms, the flavors are constantly changing. Its Cedar Street location offers free wifi, so any student can go in and enjoy a late-night treat while studying.

Verve Coffee ($$)

Pacific Avenue hours: 7 a.m. - 6 p.m.

While this isn’t a late-night spot, this coffee shop is worth mentioning because of its atmosphere. Verve Coffee offers an aesthetically pleasing and relaxing environment that can entice students to get their work done. Its locations range from Capitola and Seabright to downtown Santa Cruz, with the Seabright location closing at 5 p.m. Verve Coffee offers an array of food options, including gluten-free to vegan options. It offers a house-made bourbon syrup that, while non-alcoholic, will make you never want to go back to chain coffee companies. While Verve Coffee is quite popular and can be fairly busy, it is well worth the visit.

These options can definitely help to save some money and get you out of a study or drunken trance. If none of these options fits with your lifestyle, you can check out Lookout’s Santa Cruz student recommendations. Not only are there study spots listed, but also a variety of options for anyone looking to explore Santa Cruz.

Around Town - Events

Did you know that we have an events calendar? BOLO, which stands for Be On the Lookout, is our hub for the best events in the county. See all the listings here.

Here are some events you should check out:

Gimme Gimme Disco: A dance party inspired by ABBA, Friday, 8 p.m.
I honestly had no idea that the Catalyst threw themed parties like this until a housemate of mine started going to them. But I digress. If you’re looking for a night out, but have perhaps frequented other venues in town a bit too often, the novelty of a disco-themed dance party might appeal to you. I dare you to wear roller skates and try to survive the night.

West Cliff Valentine’s Outdoor Market, Saturday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Speaking of Valentine’s Day, this might be a decent starting point for those on the hunt for gifts. It’ll be your classic outdoor market with local artists, artisans and food trucks, and you might find something worth picking up for a certain someone in mind.

Migration Festival, Saturday, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Trying to get outdoors this weekend? If you wanted to head to the beach, I’d suggest giving Natural Bridges State Beach a shot, where you can participate in the 36th annual Migration Festival. This is an event where you can learn about local animals and their migration patterns, as well as enjoy some hand-on activities. Even if you don’t go to the festival, the park is beautiful and worth a walk around.

And a bonus UCSC campus event:

➤ Want more? If you’re still looking for great things to do, check out Wallace Baine’s Weekender here.

Puzzle Center

Got what it takes to decipher this Word Search puzzle? Put yourself to the test. If you enjoy these, check out our full Puzzle Center.

Lookout Job Board

Are you looking for a job? Check out our job board for Santa Cruz County openings.

➤ More local jobs: Browse more open positions on the Lookout Job Board.

That’ll just about wrap it up for this week. Y’all behave yourselves, OK?

— Max

If you have recommendations on places we should feature next week, pass them along and we’ll send you a free Lookout T-shirt. Email your ideas to student@lookoutlocal.com.