Cartoon by Gabbie Evans
KATHLEEN BERRY | OPINION COLUMNIST | keberry@butler.edu
It is that time of year that finals are on their way, lurking just around the corner. However, between the stress of reading and rereading review sheets, what better excuse is there for a study break than ice cream?
As a human who consumes probably more ice cream than she should, I have stood at the Atherton soft serve machine many a time during my first year here at Butler. That said, sometimes the simple vanilla, chocolate or swirl options are not enough.
Luckily, Butler is a conveniently short drive from Broad Ripple, a location which is not lacking in the department of delicious and unique ice cream flavors.
Arguably the most popular ice cream joint in the area is none other than Broad Ripple Ice Cream Shop, BRICS. I have been to BRICS a few times since my move to Indianapolis, and I can assure you that if they are nothing else, they are consistent. Friendly service paired with a trendy atmosphere give BRICS a vibe which fits well with the energetic lifestyle Broad Ripple caters to.
The ice cream itself is, of course, nothing less than delicious. Just ordering one scoop will get you a healthy — or not so healthy — amount of ice cream. In my experience, the ice cream is thick and rich, and melts slowly enough that you have plenty of time to eat every last bite.
My personal go-to flavor at BRICS is the yellow cake batter. As far as cake-flavored ice creams go, it tastes pretty close to the real thing. The chocolate chips are a nice touch.
Another Broad Ripple ice cream hot spot — cool spot? — is the fabulous Nicey Treat. Nicey offers an array of frozen popsicle-like desserts. The majority of times I have experienced Nicey have been on campus. Events such as Spring Sports have handed out the treats during their festivities.
Due to their portability, Nicey’s popsicles are a great way to cool down while taking a stroll in Broad Ripple. Unlike typical popsicles, there is no need to rush through eating your treat for fear that it will drip all over your hand. Nicey has a fabulous consistency, much more like compacted ice cream than your usual ice-heavy popsicle.
As for my personal favorite Nicey flavor, I am partial to the frozen hot chocolate. Originally, I assumed that it was just a clever name for their version of chocolate. I could not have been more wrong. I do not know how they do it, but the frozen hot chocolate really does taste like a cup of hot cocoa. It is nothing less than ice cream magic.
There are a number of other places you could go to get your ice cream fix around campus, but these two should definitely make it onto your Butler bucket list, if you have not checked them off already.
For those of you who prefer the more familiar, the Broad Ripple area is also home to chain ice cream shops, including: Cold Stone Creamery, Graeter’s Ice Cream, and Baskin-Robbins.
Stay cool, my friends.
