When food is free, I'm there. When Phyrst fries are free, I'm definitely there.

On Tuesday nights, the Phyrst, 111 1/2 E Beaver Ave., offers free fries from 10 p.m. to midnight and a new half price drink special from 9 p.m. to 11. These two deals make a Tuesday at the Phyrst a great night out.

Fully's Famous Fries are made upstairs at Famous Ernie's Cheesesteaks. Normally $2.50 for a plate and $4.00 for a tray, the fries are fresh-cut and wonderful. Though my hands were stained with grease after eating them, they were very tasty paired with my half price Blue Moon.

Servers bring out trays every so often filled with boats of the yummy fries seasoned with salt and pepper. The boats remind me of summers at Kennywood, Pittsburgh's traditional amusement park, eating the amazing Potato Patch fries.

The fries also have a surprising benefit: they help men succeed at picking up ladies.

Case in point: my roommate and I were sitting at a table waiting for the rest of our posse when a waitress arrived with a boat of fries - and pointed to the man who sent them over.
A State College romance at its finest. His name is Herb, he's a junior and now we're madly in love. Okay, everything but the very last part is true. But I thought treating two ladies to free fries even after he saw us down two servings was a laughable gesture. I like a man who appreciates the hefty amount of food I can stomach. Thanks, Herb.

-Beth