NW Indiana's image problem (Indianapolis, Michigan City: 2009, city hall, new home)

[Skeletoil]

That's alright but I'll take cornfields and $25 + an hour in the medical field in a small town. My neighbors plow my drive and bring food over to me if they know I'm sick. It's nice to sit around a bonfire, drink some beers and shoot the bull, not somebodys kid. We have problems like dammit I gotta flat tire, not dammit my truck got ripped.

[Nafster]

I like the diversity of scenery in NW Indiana.

I just find The Region to be an extremely fascinating place to be. The mixture of cornfields, beautiful dunes, lakes, rusty old abandoned and gothic buildings, steel mills, and friendly people makes the place an extremely underrated American gem.

I don't think The Region has an image problem and it shouldn't do anything to try and change it. It's a perfect mixture of gritty urbanity and midwest beauty.

[Mamama Mia]

When I think of NWI, I think of Munster Performing Arts Center, the communities of Munster, Highland, St. John, Crown Point and Valparaiso. To me, they are essentially extensions of the Chicago suburban area and more appealing than many Illinois suburbs. The homes are beautiful, the schools are excellent and the commute into the city is shorter than from most western and northern suburbs.
Some friends from Chicago recently moved to Valpo (the area is called Coffee Creek, maybe?) and their neighbors are primarily relocated Chicagoans who appreciate the natural setting and the lower cost of living benefits. They use the South Shore Line for transportation into the city and enjoy the close proximity to southwestern Michigan where they spent their weekends.
Long gone are the images of an economically depressed Gary, they have been replaced by the growth and vitality in the above mentioned communities.

[onecrazykitty]

I have been following this route of conversation and I may be possibly relocated due to my husbands job to the area. My Husband thought the citites you all are praising would be ones I would like. I am a Southern Californian (Born and Raised), Japanese, Married to a Caucasian and no children. I read a comment about "diversification" and how somebody didn't "mind" that. Do you all think I would be able to live happily (besides the weather difference) in these areas or would I have to always wonder if someone is staring because they think I am trash? I appreciate feedback from anyone negative or positive.

[Pandamonium]

Originally Posted by WildWestDude

Be it because of the ghettos, corn fields or heavy industry, NW Indiana has an image problem. People from the rest of the state and from the rest of the Chicago area don't talk favorably about the Region.
Please discuss and comment below and add how this image problem can be changed.....

One of the major problems is that we do not have our own TV news. All of our news comes out of Chicago. The only time that NW Indiana shows up is if there is a murder or some tragic accident that rates high enough to show up on the screen. People have a tendency (Disclaimer: the majority that I have met) do not have one iota of the politics in Indiana. Like it or not this is Indiana. This separation from the rest of the state creates an intense dislike of, specifically Lake County, from those that live in Indiana. Lake County is viewed as this rogue area. By the same token, there is a sense of entitlement from those that live in NW Indiana because there are only two counties that pretty much financial support the rest of the state.

One fact of NW Indiana is that we sell ourselves as being a hop, skip and a jump away from Chicago. Access. What we do not take into account is that we are impacted in negative ways. When the destruction of public housing occurs in Chicago to wipe out crime, where do those people move? They add to the existing problems that are already present. Good drug dealers do not live in crap...........they live in the $250,000 houses.......because they can.

Please note that I have not forgotten the proximity and that there are those that move between areas due to family and circumstance.

Which brings me to the fact that Lake County is the second most segregated county in the US. That is an image problem. Therefore, when I see young white males scream at the top of their lungs, in a town south of 30, racist names to those of color to watch there behinds because they aren't wanted--it sends a message. The same message when an adult couple has a knips*@!% in a local tavern because a person of color has entered. One has to leave and this is why they moved here. Not to mention that a certain train extension will bring "blacks" into the area and people will actually travel by train to rob the white houses.(Edit: As if, someone is going to get off the train go rob and carry it back to the station and stand there for the 4 hour next ride in-get with it) There are even farms where they go to Mexico bring back men to work a farm and put many into a house WITH NO ELECTRICITY and work them 7 days a week. If they can't speak English they are far easier to control. Its a problem. It is even more mind blowing when one takes into account the number of people that come from certain towns (outside of Lake County) that do not encounter people of color until they go college-----should they even go to college.

This seems to be a state of limbo. A sense of falsitude. A sense of entitlement to the same recognition and there is nothing here that is that good. Restaurants open and expect money first.........they will work out the menu later and they will get back to you on the opening and closing hours. This banking off Chicago mean that we have a number of Greek restaurants that do not even come close to Greek food. All of the glory and none of the work. Go to Greek town and eat here. In fact, go to any number of Greek owned restaurants in any freaking state and then eat here. The Paragon blows, the one on 41 that keeps shutting down its hours that used to be 24/7 in St. John--Aspen Cafe, Any of the 12 Island restaurants, and the one in Cedar Lake......they all blow chow. (Or any food-lets not even get into Pizza or Mechanics or Hair dressers or carpenters or carpet cleaners or what serves as "land scapers") REALLY when Restaurantica first opened the review area and there were actually reviews of fast food establishments--it should have been a clue.You can't sell yourself as Chicago and not be able to keep up.

Lastly, the state of Indiana will not let you sue your employer. When you lose a portion of your finger you might see about $1500. There is virtually no real protection for those that work for an employer. All of this to attract and its failing. This also goes for those establishments that screw people over for tax purposes and jack with those that do not have the knowledge or money to fight back----because there isn't anything there to protect them.

P.S. Lastly, education. Indiana ranks 47th in the nation. Further, they are one of 3 states that make you pay for textbooks. One of the few states that doesn't find kindergarten worthy of mandatory material. It costs $700 per child to enter. People don't bat an eye because they do not know anything different. Too, there are counselors in this region that will tell a 15 year old to drop out because "they don't like their kind."

OK, think I'm done.

[cheeseman]

Originally Posted by RegionAire

Finally, culture. One thing that sets the Region apart from the rest of bland, corporate-loving Indiana is the diversity of LOCALLY owned restaurants and bars. It stupefies me to consider why someone would choose to spend twice as much as they should for an inferior product. Name a food category and I'll bet there is a better Region-based option than the chain joints that the rest of Indiana loves. We have a really rich mine of good food here (and one of the best micro-breweries in the country).

Can you tell me where to find all this culture and good dinning? I moved to the Region (Merrillvlle) about a year and a half ago. I've not found any place that had the feel of having culture. The square in Valpo is nice, and it has a few good bars and restaurants. I'm in love with the Three Floyd's Brewpub. But other than that I haven't found much that stands out. I am also frequently disappointed with service and product quality up here in the Region.

[domergurl]

Originally Posted by cheeseman

Can you tell me where to find all this culture and good dinning? I moved to the Region (Merrillvlle) about a year and a half ago. I've not found any place that had the feel of having culture. The square in Valpo is nice, and it has a few good bars and restaurants. I'm in love with the Three Floyd's Brewpub. But other than that I haven't found much that stands out. I am also frequently disappointed with service and product quality up here in the Region.

Not sure where you moved from, but the region has great food compared to the rest of the state!

[LIS123]

Originally Posted by cheeseman

Can you tell me where to find all this culture and good dinning?

The Region is OK, but it's not going to be any better for culture and dining than most other areas (that are at least somewhat near a large city). You have your standard fare and some ethnic dining, but nothing to write home about. Dyer seems to have opened up a lot of new restaurants in the somewhat recent past (with Texas Roadhouse on the way), but none are that great.

[Pandamonium]

Trying to find good food or service is a treasure hunt. If and when you find it you want to scream on the top of a mountain and faith in humanity is restored once again.

There is a place that is a drive. Its next to a river. The woman that owns it plants the most beautiful flowers. Marti's. It's in Hebron. If you go like in the spring or summer time, it is worth it just to see how much care is put into the gardening. It is cool. I like effort.

Los Alteno's (I think), on Kennedy in Hammond is a cheap, not great to look at, little place that I have been to for chilaquiles and Mexican coffee. I went there because it was close to Purdue and I have only been there for breakfast.

There is a bakery in Crown Point on 55/Taft/Main street (in the little strip mall behind Aurelio's) called Becks and if you walk in and look to the left there is freezer. Inside that freezer are cakes that are really good. If I need to pick up one for a birthday or I am cooking some major deal and need a dessert, it is the best. I don't get any of the other things that they have because I don't need them. They beat any bakery that I have found. I don't care for the one in St. John. I do not know of any others. Doesn't mean they don't exist just means that I haven't found them.

There is supposed to be a rib place and they may have opened a second location that is over 21 to enter. I want to say I read about it being next to the lake. It is supposed to be the bomb, but I have never had anything from there. The place in Dyer called Hog Haven was a recent addition. It is a dive, but the ribs are really good and the people are friendly. I don't care for the sides.

[rynwms]

The food in NW Indiana is bland and dry. Good luck finding something decent.