Lifestyle & HomeA Girl's Weekend in Bloomington, Indiana

I NEEDED A BREAK SO I PHONED A GIRLFRIEND. Every now and again you have to get away with your girlfriends, leave the kids behind and just…live. In this episode of “one-tank trips” we take on Bloomington, Indiana; a small town in Indiana where Hoosiers reign supreme.

About Bloomington

MORE THAN A COLLEGE TOWN: VISIT BLOOMINGTON

This town is the home of Indiana University, one of the biggest colleges in our country. Now, when I think college town, I think of a bunch of 21-year-old students playing beer pong and a display of school spirit that makes you feel like an outsider if you aren’t an alum. When Visit Bloomington reached out about us having the ultimate girl’s weekend in Bloomington, I decided to take on the challenge of showing ALL that BTown has to offer.

What to Do: Festivals Anyone?

PRIDEFEST: BLOOMINGTON PRIDE

There’s always something going on in Bloomington. Labor Day weekend was no different. From jazz festivals to art galleries, there’s never a dull moment in BTown. We took a stroll down the street from our hotel and followed the Summer sounds to Pride Fest; a celebratory festival for BTown’s LGBTQ community! Love and acceptance filled the air as we walked the rainbow painted streets.

Please note this is an all ages event.

BLAST FROM THE PAST: TD’s CD’s ad LP’s

Looking for a cool place to grab your next vinyl? We stumbled across this basement record shop while strolling through PrideFest. How cool is it that you have to go downstairs into the basement to shop?! There’s also a cool, tucked away underground study room that was filled with college kids when we arrived. Where was this place when I needed to study???

Holy Stromboli! Pepperoni stromboli from Lennie’s Bloomington.

Where to Eat

BARBEQUE WITH A SIDE OF WHISKEY: SMOKEWORKS

I’ll admit it. One of my biggest misconceptions of Bloomington surrounded the foodie scene. We headed over to Smoke Works to check out their BBQ. Decorated with warm tones, bright lights that read “WHISKEY” and a bar that is Instagram worthy, this place had it all…and that was before we tried the BBQ. Add this place to your list for your next girl’s weekend. Pro Tip: Grab the Maple Bacon Bourbon Whiskey (pictured below). You’re welcome.

THE STROMBOLI OF MY DREAMS: LENNIE’S

We had the best time trying all the things at Lennie’s on Kirkwood, just down the street from Indiana University. For starters, we indulged in the ever-so-creamy, slightly cheesy spinach artichoke torta and of course, we washed it down with a beer flight! When we asked our waitress what Lennie’s was known for, she didn’t hesitate to suggest the stromboli. All strombolis are made with romano, provolone, and mozzarella. We ordered the baked crust filled with cheese and pepperoni…all I can say is holy stromboli!

COLLEGE TOWN WITH A SIDE OF FRANCE: LA VIE EN ROSE CAFE

Quite possibly one of the most memorable moments of our girl’s getaway was our stop at La Vie en Rose. It was here that we met Stephanie Laparre, the owner of the most adorable French Patisserie and Cafe. When asked about her baking skills and experience, Stephanie is both humble and passionate. She wouldn't call herself a chef because she is self taught. She referred to herself as simply…a baker. What makes La Vie en Rose so different?

They use local produce WHENEVER possible and fly everything else in from France.
Everything is baked day of. Just feast your eyes on some of the flakiest croissants and flavorful pastries I have ever devoured.

Where to Drink

I’LL HAVE ANOTHER: CARDINAL SPIRITS

As the evening began to wind down, we made our way over to our final “must stop” when visiting Bloomington. Cardinal Spirits Distillery is the perfect place to end an epic girl’s night. The cocktails are strong, the playlist was everything and did I mention the cocktails were strong? Oh. well let’s just say we ended the night right! PRO TIP: Stop by the first Tuesday of every month for Tiki Tuesday at Cardinal Spirits and be transported to an island with all of the tropical drinks your heart desires.

Are you headed to Bloomington anytime soon? Add these places to your list for a guaranteed good time!

Enjoy Today!

xo-Sierra