Journalists are supposed to be impartial about their subjects, but in the interest of full disclosure I’ll own up to my love for Bloomington, IN. I spent four glorious years there in the late 1980s, earning a degree (in journalism, no less) at Indiana University, falling for my husband and discovering myself.
But I can’t attribute my affection for Bloomington to a simple case of college nostalgia. The town I knew as a teenage student has evolved into a rich, vibrant small city with plenty that appeals to grown-ups, I.U. alumni or otherwise. Several reputable restaurants with star-power chefs have come to town, enhancing a food scene that back in the day tended toward cheap pizza delivery and the grocery co-op for Birkenstock-wearing grad students. The university’s world-class performing arts department means there’s a concert, play, reading or other live performance nearly every night of the week. And charming bed-and-breakfast lodging beckons travelers from the Ohio Valley area for a weekend trip.
… catch the rest of the travel profile of Bloomington that I wrote for the latest issue of Edible Ohio Valley magazine (along with some great photos by Julie Kramer).
Another attraction: IU’s truly exceptional museum of art.
And the Lilly Library, which has Sylvia Plath’s papers.