Column:

Columbia's more than a college campus

By John Hendel

Published Jan. 30, 2007

CARDIFF, Wales — Although most moments in Europe tend to be better than those back in the states, I do find myself thinking of Columbia rather often.

I don't know about any of you, but Columbia quickly grew to feel like home for me. Without diminishing any connection to my family's house at all, I find myself valuing the little things about Columbia more than the countless identical suburbs and chains of my home city, St. Louis. I love St. Louis, and if you stuff all its great qualities into one weekend, it's splendid. But college lets you discover a place's identity in new ways.

I figured for this column, I would throw out some of my favorite places in Columbia and suggest if you haven't been there, go now. Explore. I'm writing this hunched over in a bus on the way to Wales, so I've had some time to remember.

Anyway, the places. First, Chipotle. Anyone who knows me, sorry, but this had to be first. I know people in Columbia who never went to Chipotle ever after living there for months. Don't let this be you. Give in to the power of the burrito. God knows I miss it here. I'm an addict, and I cannot express my jubilance over winter break when I discovered Chipotle will be coming to St. Louis with a wave of restaurants.

Second, since I'm hungry on this bus, I'll throw out two restaurants students don't often discover: China Kitchen Chinese and Buckingham Smokehouse BBQ. All I can say is "wow." I have eaten in London's Chinatown and so far, nothing there compares in either quantity or wonder to China Kitchen Chinese. And as far as Buckingham, I'll just say the associate dean of the School of Journalism, Brian Brooks, caters from Buckingham's when he throws his big bashes for students. Enough said — except for this: try the potato salad, it's wonderful.

OK, for more obscurity, I'm going to advise you visit the one-humped camel and the zebra. Yes, you heard that right. It's hidden in some rich person's gigantic lawn on Rock Quarry Road. Columbia locals know of this. Mention the one-humped camel, and they will immediately stroke their beards in understanding. Town folk drive by the camel for fun on weekends. No lie. I have seen the sight, and the two animals are mind-blowing. It's like a zoo quietly concealed in the scariest back road of Columbia.

Most of the other stuff should be pretty obvious. The Cherry Street Artisan is worth hitting up for some good downtime and hummus. The Ragtag Cinemacafé, as I discovered even more this past fall, shows the films you should check out, like "Jesus Camp," "The Science of Sleep" and "Shortbus," instead of wasting your time on movies like "The Last Kiss."

Ninth Street Video beats out the chain competition every time. Rent the movie "Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter" for proof of this.

I also advise you learn to like music and get to The Blue Note and Mojo's on a regular basis. I nearly died when I found out both TV on the Radio and Camera Obscura are coming the semester I'm gone. You all are damn lucky.

Far worse places exist than Columbia, I guarantee you. I know people that bitch about it being a small, pointless town, but they need to get out and see more. I adore big city life and will pursue it later, but I think Columbia's great in its own right.

All right, compadres. Go forth.