Bloomington, Indiana
More than just a college town, this liberal city offers a fresh alternative to big city living
By Lindsay Baron
Published: July 8th, 2006 | 1:47pm
About 30 minutes south of Indianapolis, on the bucolic State Road 37, the land begins to gently undulate. Soon after, the Bloomington-College Ave. exit appears. Should you take it, you will have arrived at an anomaly.
In a state that hasn't voted for a democratic president since LBJ in 1964, Bloomington, or should I say Blue-mington, is a cozy respite of liberalism in a primarily red state. Nowhere else in Indiana will you find such a density of yards containing "War is not the answer" signs or front stoops holding the New York Times.
Such leftist leanings and cultural consciousness result from the town's main attraction: Indiana University, whose 36,000 students hail from all 50 states and 116 countries. Its professors are equally diverse. IU's rambling, leafy campus of stately limestone buildings and patches of red and yellow tulips was named one of the country's five most beautiful in the book The Campus as a Work of Art, by landscape artist Thomas Gaines.
Bloomington, however, isn't only for the 18- to 26-year-old crowd. Ironically, it is consistently named one of the top places to retire. Due to a boom of upscale apartment buildings and an overall downtown revitalization, more young professionals are calling it home as well. Bloomington's combination of small-town charm, walkability, and the intellectual atmosphere and amenities of a big city make it a great place to study, visit, live, or pass time while figuring out who you are and what step to take next.
EXCURSIONS: Before arriving, swing into Oliver Winery, located 10 minutes north of town on State Road 37. Wine snobs complain that Oliver's reds and rosés taste like Welch's, but that still leaves the whites as well as Oliver's lovely grounds. Inside, step up to the bar where you can sample seven of its wines for free. Buy a bottle of your favorite, a baguette, and some fromage then head to the patio or a tree-shaded picnic table by the lake. The Traminette, a floral white wine that I dub "English garden in a bottle," can be drank like water.
In addition to the IU campus, the Bloomington area boasts five other expansive green spaces: Brown County State Park, McCormick's Creek State Park, Deam National Wilderness, Yellowwood State Forest and the Hoosier National Forest.
Outside the city is the country's only Tibetan cultural center, which sits on 90 wooded acres and offers peace-inducing classes like Zen meditation and yoga.
A quiet afternoon can also be spent in one of Bloomington's dozen art galleries. The largest is the John Waldron Arts Center, which has more than two dozen exhibits and a shop that sells exquisite jewelry. Prima Gallery, on 6th Street, carries beautiful-hued, albeit expensive, ceramic teapots and cups. The Indiana University Art Museum, (free to the public) houses 35,000 artifacts including works by Monet and Picasso, as well as an expansive I.M. Pei-designed atrium.
WHERE TO SHOP: Kirkwood Avenue is home to Urban Outfitters and the airy boutiques of Pitaya, Cha Cha and Cactus Flower, whose racks hold trendy little jeans, dresses, tanks, and tees at mid-range prices.
The upstairs of Cactus Flower and The Material Plane, also on Kirkwood, carry vintage clothing, shoes, purses, and jewelry. You can find pieces perfect for any theme party— or fantasy sexcapade— at Vintage Warehouse, in a persimmon orange home at Grant and 4th streets. The shop features a biker-girl bra, candy striper and maid uniforms, a number of blond wigs, as well as leather jackets, jewelry, and beads.
Downstairs from Cactus Flower, TD's CDs & LPs boasts an extensive collection of new and used albums by independent and local artists.
If you're in town on a Saturday morning (fall and spring) or Tuesday evening (summers), swing through the farmer's market in the City Hall parking lot. You can find everything from fresh honey and baked breads to arugula, cantaloupe, and the juiciest of Indiana tomatoes at the beloved 31-year-old market.
WHERE TO EAT: For a city of just 69,000 residents, Bloomington boasts an impressive diversity of restaurants. As the town has the nation's only Tibetan cultural center, it is only fitting that it has one of the nation's few Tibetan restaurants. The Snow Lion, on Grant St., is owned by the Dalai Lama's nephew and has served Richard Gere, Harrison Ford, and Steven Seagal.
Bloomington's best breakfast, for the price and quality, are the thick buckwheat pancakes and home-roasted coffee at the Runcible Spoon, on 6th St. Its canary-yellow walls, worn tables and rugs, aquarium, and marine-themed collages evoke the home of an eccentric grandmother with a fish fetish. Its bathroom, which features a goldfish-filled tub, was named one of the top ten restaurant bathrooms by the Travel Channel.
Just off Kirkwood, the Laughing Planet Café, the town's best fast food, serves healthy, organic Mexican and Asian-inspired grub at fast food prices.
Vegans, vegetarians, or those who haven't had their daily serving of veggies can head to Roots, located on the northeast corner of the Square. Here, you can chow down on healthy dishes like sweet potato fries, eggplant parmesan, or open sesame tempeh salad. Wash them down with specialty teas and fresh fruit juices.
WHERE TO DRINK: Bloomington, of course, has the typical frat-boy sports bars. Nick's English Hut, a two-story Tudor-style watering hole on Kirkwood, has been a tradition for students and alumni for 76 years.
The Upland Brewing Company, Indiana's largest microbrewery, produces six regular and six seasonal award-winning beers, including its widely-sold wheat ale. The 11th street eatery serves healthy twists on traditional pub grub, such as beer-braised salmon with dill crème.
Tutto Bène Wine Café wins the Most Stylish Bar award. Italian for "everything's good," Tutto Bène was birthed from the thought, "What better way to enjoy a glass of wine than to be surrounded by creativity?" The result is a wine lounge-meets-art gallery of chunky chairs and couches, exposed brick, and mustard and rust-colored walls that showcase prints by local artists. Its American innovative, tapas-style cuisine uses fresh, local ingredients. I recommend the hot apple frisée salad — a leafy heap of frisée, granny smith apples, bacon, pecans, and gruyère-swiss cheese with apple cider vinaigrette.
On a Thursday evening or a Sunday morning, head to the Scholar's Inn Gourmet Café and Wine Bar, on College Avenue, where a salivating variety of martinis and champagne cocktails are half-price.
When your liver needs a booze break, head to Soma, on Grant St. beneath the Laughing Planet Café. This retro-decorated coffeehouse offers loose-leaf teas as well as fresh fruit smoothies. I like the Farm Boy Tim, a refreshing concoction of blueberries, melon, rhubarb, peaches, and apple juice. A Magic 8 ball on the countertop amuses customers while they're waiting for their drinks.
Question: Is Bloomington a rockin' town? Answer: It is decidedly so.
Issue #35
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