Bright Sunshine & Surrounding Purpose: The Light Of South Bend, Indiana - Feature
The texture of a morning in South Bend, Indiana is quiet and content with the bright sunshine blazing through the spread out refinement of the Doubletree Suites over looking a locked river that flows by inconspicuously below.
The area is known, of course, for Notre Dame which encompasses everything around it. The incessant rapture of Catholicism wraps itself through every measure of the university's being. Its determination and discipline is unfettered. In a two-hour tour surrounding the elements of the university, the engaging brotherhood of Brother Sorin resounded loud and clear. The grounds are immaculate and the symmetrical nature of the lines throughout the university shows an engagement of engineering and planning unseen perhaps except in the high echelons. Greek does not exist here...just the penchant of the Irish. The university itself didn't become co-ed until 1972.
The purpose of revolving through town involved the Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival which encompasses both a professional production this year in "Henry IV" and a downtown performed student performance by The Young Company of "Merry Wives Of Windsor". While "Henry IV" is still in rehearsals on campus, the young performers braved droplets of rain and an overpowering punk style band on the other side of a combing Arts festival to make their voices heard.Another angle to be appreciated and known when coming into town or to see Notre Dame is the dichotomy of food options in its direct vicinity.
On the campus, Sorin's, named aptly for the college's founder, sits in the new structure of the Morris Inn, dexterous in its fine dining and refined palette. The intention of a brisk turkey and wild rise soup gave way to a healthy Mediterranean panini with cucumber, olives, lettuce and hummus integrated with a light smattering of french fries. The conversation tone an volume is light so it is perfect for a meeting on-campus.
Outside the South Bend downtown area, there lurks a series of brewhouses. One of the more engaging and defined destinations is the Evil Czech Brewery in its echelons of rock. The solid side understood its heartiness in full bloom The sheer heaven of the mushroom truffle mac and cheese was shared for its sheer ability to overwhelm while a small but not overdone caesar salad personified what was to come. Chato's Torta understood the necessity of fresh blending the essence of shaved ham with pineapple, swiss cheese, avocado, lettuce and mayo while the slightly seasoned fries gave chase without overwhelming.
In the essence of downtown, the space surrounding the Doubletree Suites was sleepy but distinctly fun and chill. The architecture within the super structure of the hotel allows for an interesting inflection of space especially when both a Starbucks and a wedding can exist within the same drift.
For the early morning space, this arena also offers Baker's for breakfast within an open vaulted ceiling. The breakfast buffet offers much but for the low calorie structure the aspect of an egg white omlette with sundried tomatoes, feta cheese and spinach hit the spot with a light element of fresh wheat toast.
Venturing out into the surrounding blocks, the Madison Oyster Bar offers late night travails with 3 levels of fun. The bottom floor includes a dim bar with a wait staff with the ability to think on the fly. The signature oyster sandwich breaded in its wantonness fills quickly with fries steak emblazoned in their texture.
In comparison for lunch, the Woochi's Asian Fusion offers a slightly off-putting structure with sushi served at an actual bar and not in front of the sushi chefs. The Alaskan roll and red snapper sushi, enhanced with miso soup, were intrinsic but not overwhelming as the airport called.
South Bend, Indiana knows its balance in both simple pleasures but diversity of pleasure without going outside the comfort zone. While still a college town buoyed obviously by Notre Dame, it is still able to retain its own identity in an essential tug of war.