I have restless legs syndrome. Not the kind that you supposedly get when you’re sleeping (you’ve seen the annoying commercials), but the kind that doesn’t let me stay in one place for too long. And by too long I mean a week, tops.

So as much as I love college (and man, do I love college), I find myself constantly abandoning my lovely apartment and my amazing friends in an attempt to get off campus. And the Carousel Center doesn’t count.

After two and a half years of these disappearing-act shenanigans, I think I’ve compiled a pretty trustworthy list of places to escape to when Marshall Street is feeling a little too claustrophobic. Therefore, it’s my goal this semester to get you all off the Hill and into Syracuse and its surrounding Central New York hidden gems. It’s no New York City, but it’s certainly not Podunk enough that you can’t have a good time if you have an open mind.

And with Valentine’s Day quickly approaching (countdown, men: four days), you’re likely to see a lot of guys wishing they could escape anyway.

Turning Stone always seems like an appropriate man-hideout, but you won’t find much solace there this weekend: The popular casino in Verona is advertising dinner specials for lovey-dovey couples (complete with flowers for the ladies!) all weekend.

With four restaurants to choose from and a bring-your-own-booze policy, expect to see lots of drunken 20-somethings from Syracuse University and surrounding colleges gambling away their single sorrows or wining-and-dining their easily impressed girlfriends.

If you’re looking for something with a bit more class (I’m not sure why you would – we are in college!), there’s nothing more cultured than a vintage showing of ‘An American in Paris,’ on Valentine’s Day itself. SYRFilm is presenting a viewing at 4 p.m. Sunday at the Palace Theater in Eastwood (2384 James St.). Tickets are $5 a pop for us broke students, unless (drum roll, please) you want to pull out all the stops and attend a champagne and dessert party after the show for only $10 more.

It’s not for me. I’ve been to Paris, seen Google’s Paris-love-story-in-a-search-engine and Gene Kelly never really made me swoon, but then again, my idea of a romantic night is a box of Franzia and a basketball game. Hopefully more girls here at SU have higher expectations and will be impressed with your old-school wooing. Plus, who doesn’t love a glass (or two, or six) of champagne?

If you can convince your sweetie to celebrate the mushy holiday one day late, you can crack into one of downtown Syracuse’s best weeks of the year – Dining Week!

Starting on Monday and for $25 a person, you can experience a three-course meal at a restaurant you would otherwise only be able to afford if you saved up your Chuck’s beer money for a month or more (and we know you’d never do that).

L’Adour, the classy French place at 110 Montgomery Place, is about as romantic as it gets, though Pascale Wine Bar & Restaurant (204 W. Fayette St.) and Lemon Grass/Bistro Elephant (238 W. Jefferson St.) come in at close seconds. Check them out and leave your North Face and baseball cap at the door unless you want a glare or two from a hostess.

Of course, if you’re flying solo this V-Day, the man-cave that is Turning Stone does deliver one bright spot for your weekend: the New York Amateur Boxing Championship ‘Break Up’ on Friday and Saturday (tickets at ticketmaster.com) – because nothing says love like gambling and a friendly fist fight.

Emily Warne is a junior public communications major. Her column appears weekly and she can be reached at eawarne@syr.edu.

Published on February 10, 2010 at 12:00 pm