Stroll Around the Neighborhood: Falling into Autumn
The Brown and White took a stroll around the neighborhood and spoke to various community members about their favorite South Side fall activities and changes they want to see on the South Side.
Zachary Kostantewicz
Kostantewicz is the e-commerce marketing manager for Soltech Solutions. Work brought him to the South Side for this stroll.
Q: What is your favorite thing to do on the South Side?
Zachary Kostantewicz: I think I like the restaurant scene the most.
Q: Any specific restaurant recommendations?
ZK: Social Still is pretty good, and I like The Flying V a lot for something more casual.
Q: If you could change one thing about the area what would it be?
ZK: I wish it was a little cleaner, mainly for aesthetic purposes and quality-of-life purposes.
Q: What would you consider your favorite fall activity on the South Side?
ZK: To go for walks, for sure.
Q: Do you usually go on walks on the Greenway or around other areas?
ZK: Yeah, I usually just kind of do a loop that starts up on Fourth Street and then kind of ends on the Greenway.
Q: What is one place that you recommend all South Side residents should check out?
ZK: I guess the easiest thing would just be the SteelStacks and the ArtsQuest area. If you could see a show or a concert there, that would definitely be an addition to the experience.
Molly and Mark Somalia
The Somalias are South Side residents who went for a stroll.
Q: How long have you been living on the South Side?
Mark: (In) 2015, I bought a house here, and then I bought another place in Easton, and I lived there until 2019. In 2020, I bought another place here and moved back in 2023.
Molly: 2019 for me.
Q: What is your favorite thing to do on the South Side?
Mark: The Greenway is really nice for going for walks.
Molly: When we didn’t have a baby we liked the improv nights at ArtsQuest.
Mark: Not doing it, watching the improv night.
Q: If you could change one thing about the area, what would it be?
Mark: We were just talking about that. She would like swings because there are no baby swings or swingsets on the playgrounds they have.
Molly: Trash would be the more important one for me. It gets pretty trashed.
Q: What is your favorite fall activity to do in the area?
Mark: The two houses I have, I have the gardens and the lights I just put up, so I spend a lot of time out there.
Molly: We’ll do a little propane fire.
Q: What is one place or thing you recommend all South Side residents should check out?
Mark: On our walks sometimes we’ll go to the country club or go for a really long walk to Seven Sirens and grab a beer. It’s expensive, all of this stuff, but if you’re just grabbing a beer and you just want to go for a nice walk and enjoy the day, the Greenway is great. It’s the best part of the South Side.
Jonathan Stanhope
Stanhope is a former Lehigh Valley resident who was visiting the South Side during this stroll.
Q: What is your favorite thing to do on the South Side?
JS: We really like Rakkii Ramen, it’s a great restaurant. I also like the view from the top of Zest.
Q: If you could change one thing about the area, what would it be?
JS: I think more community events like the North Side has…would be really beneficial, something people can get involved with. I know there are a few, but not nearly as many as they have on Main Street.
Q: What is your favorite fall activity to do in the area?
JS: Hiking, for sure. Hawk Mountain Reservation in the middle of (Pennsylvania). Also, the Delaware Water Gap is not terribly far.
Q: What is one place or thing you recommend all South Side residents look checkout?
JS: I would say go to one of the festivals…for Celtic Fest or Musikfest or anything else from the South Side. And restaurants here are better.
Donald Chambers
Chambers is a South Side resident living south of Fifth Street who was strolling with his dog.
Q: What is your favorite thing to do on the South Side?
DC: Now, walking. I love roller skating, pool, bowling…There’s no bowling alley around here, so walking, mainly.
Q: Are you from the South Side?
DC: No. (I’m from) North Jersey (and moved) In 2017.
Q: If you could change one thing about the area, what would it be and why?
DC: I don’t know. A few years ago I didn’t, but I love it here now. I just got Section 8 (a housing choice voucher through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development), and they said I could move anywhere I wanted to, but I said I wanted to stay here. I don’t even want to move back to New Jersey.
Q: What do you think changed to make you like it so much more now?
DC: It’s just peaceful here. You know what I mean? There’s no crime, people are nice. It’s the atmosphere.
Q: What is your favorite fall activity to do on the South Side?
DC: I’ve been watching TV a lot. I got to find me a girl. Take someone out to wine and dine. That’s that. I’m not gonna lie, I don’t do much over here.
Q: What is one place or thing that you recommend all South Side residents should check out?
DC: The Steel Stacks.
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