You live in Bloomington. (At least for now.) That's about two hours away from the nearest Saks Fifth Avenue, four hours from the closest Bloomingdale's and a couple of days (or a few hundred bucks in airfare) to reach the swanky boutiques of Rodeo Drive.\nThink your best shopping option is the J.Crew catalog? Think again. Indianapolis is only an hour away, and the city has more shopping possibilities than you might expect from a city better known for racecar driving than swanky department stores. It's not New York; it's not even Chicago. But it beats the hell out of the College Mall. So grab your Mastercard, fill up your gas tank and head north on State Road 37 for the best shopping in, well, Indiana.
Circle Centre\nCircle Centre opened to much fanfare back in September 1995. And it's no wonder. It had a Nordstrom, for God's sake. It also offered shoppers a host of other trendy shops previously unavailable to central Indiana shoppers. More than five years later, this sleek Mecca of consumer delights continues to beckon shoppers throughout the region.\nThe shops\nCircle Centre blends upscale-mall favorites such as Banana Republic, Abercrombie & Fitch and Ann Taylor with only-in-Indy shops like Back Home Indiana, the Colts Pro Shop and Pacer's Home Court II. Other specialty stores in this mall include Victoria's Secret, Clarks England, Doubleday Book Shop, The Athlete's Foot and The Museum Company store. And of course, there's Nordstrom … while there, check out the massive shoe department, which carries everything from chunky Doc Martens to strappy Stuart Weitzman sandals. Ladies, don't skip the cosmetics department, where you'll find brands not available in Bloomington, such as Bobbi Brown, Stila and Philosophy. In the men's department, you'll find sleek khakis and lush sweaters with names like Tommy Bahama and Ralph Lauren sewn into the labels, while the young women's department carries everything from funky Betsey Johnson dresses to French Connection sweaters to fitted Michael Stars tees.\nThe eats\nFood options are limitless at Circle Centre. If you're short on time or money, try the food court. Its offerings are a definite cut above the usual burger-and-slice-of-gloppy-pizza fare of most mall food courts. Frullati Cafe, purveyor of deli-style sandwiches and salads, is a good bet (Don't miss the fruit smoothies!), as is Soupmasters, which serves steaming hot soups in chubby little bread bowls. Other food court offerings include Nick's Gyros and Yogurt, Cajun N'Grill, Steak Escape, plus the requisite Chinese and pizza places. \nIf you do have the money and the time to kill, try one of the many restaurants situated in and around the mall. Johnny Rockets is in the food court and has good burgers, fries and thick, coat-your-throat milk shakes. Alcatraz Brewing Co. offers upscale bar food and a variety of brews to wash it down. Pricier mall restaurants include Bertolini's Authentic Trattoria, California Cafe and Ruth Chris's Steak House. (These are a good bet when someone else is buying.)\nFor those who want to make a night of Circle Centre, there's plenty to do on the top level once the stores close. The World Mardi Gras Entertainment Complex, is really four bars -- Gators, Brewski's, World Mardi Gras and Flashbaxx -- for the price of one, and gets packed Friday and Saturday nights. If you're not into the bar scene, or not old enough, GameWorks Studio features virtual reality-type games, and the United Artists Theatres shows movies on nine screens.\n \nThe Fashion Mall\nIndy's true fashionistas head to The Fashion Mall on the city's north side when they need a new pair of Calvin's. This upscale suburban shopping mall offers hip boutiques you won't find elsewhere in Indy, along with a couple of really nice department stores.\nThe shops\nBegin your Fashion Mall odyssey at ritzy Jacobson's. The Michigan-based department store has the best shoe department in the city according to Indianapolis Monthly, which awarded it the title in its annual "Best of Indy" issue, and the clothing and accessories departments are deserving of similar pronouncements. Of course, we're talking college budget here, which is definitely more along the lines of Payless than Chanel, so you'll probably just be ogling. No matter. You can drool over the things you hope to own someday. After exiting Jacobson's and feeling like a relative pauper, check out some of the hipper and more affordable options The Fashion Mall has to offer.\nMAC Cosmetics has a fun and funky collection of lipsticks and eye shadows as well as other cosmetics that aren't cheap, but they won't break your budget either. (Besides, after that tough chem exam, don't you deserve a new lip gloss?) Next door to MAC you'll find Arden B, which has a hip array of super-short skirts, leather pants and halter tops perfect for party-going and bar-hopping. Unisex offerings in The Fashion Mall include Banana Republic, Abercrombie & Fitch and J.Crew. The Body Shop is a nice place to stock up on assorted lotions and oils (fun for both sexes), and The Sharper Image has cool electronic gadgetry. Be sure to check out Parisian, the mall's other department store, which is less glamorous than Jacobson's but more affordable. \nThe eats \nThe Fashion Mall food court offers only mediocre food options, so if you don't mind waiting in line and spending a little extra dough, you might want to check out The Cheesecake Factory. This new-to-Indy restaurant offers everything from avocado egg rolls to shepherd's pie and meatloaf, and of course, cheesecake. (Try the vanilla bean or fresh banana cream variety.) If you only have time for is a quick bite, Charlie's Steakery in the food court has yummy cheese fries, and the old mall standby, Luca Pizza, can usually be counted on to serve a decent slice of pepperoni.\n \nCastleton Square\nCastleton Square, just a few miles east of The Fashion Mall, is Indiana's largest mall and one of the most diverse; you can buy anything from a lawnmower at Sears to sexy lingerie at Frederick's of Hollywood.\nThe shops\nCastleton is anchored by L.S. Ayres, Lazarus, J.C. Penney, Sears, Von Maur and a new, two-story, 80,000 square-foot Galyan's Trading Co., which has a simulated rock climbing wall on the upper level. Other stores here are Contempo Casuals, The Finish Line, Gap, Bath and Body Works, The Limited and Yankee Candle.\nThe eats\nBetween Lazarus and Galyan\'s is a food court that seems to have a franchise of every fast food joint imaginable: McDonald's, Dairy Queen, Chick-fil-A, Luca Pizza and Charlie's Steakery are all here, and there's also a Burger King near L.S. Ayres. In addition, the ever-popular T.G.I. Friday's is just a few steps from the food court, and Bucca di Beppo, a boisterous Italian place, is just outside of the mall near Galyan's. \nThere's still no Neiman Marcus. (And probably never will be.) No Lord and Taylor, either. Heck, there's not even a Macy's. But shopping in Indy can be a unique and interesting experience, and hey, it beats Bloomington. \nStill not convinced?\nWell, there's always the J.Crew catalog.
