Nonna Silvia’s salmon

What you do for a living: I am a physician and the owner of the new Uptown Med Spa right here at 36 Main Street in Park Ridge.

How long you’ve lived here: My family and I moved here from the city in 2010, and we literally live in the best one-block radius in Park Ridge with amazing neighbors and tons of kids and activity.

What you like best about Park Ridge: I’m from a small town in North Carolina, and Park Ridge still has that small-town feel in an expansive, urban environment. I’m amazed at the number of people who grew up here and move back to raise their own families.

Best meal you’ve had recently: I have the chopped salad from Sonny’s Express three times a week for lunch. It’s walking distance from my office and never disappoints.

There are so many great restaurants in Park Ridge, but I have to say Nonna Silvia’s is our favorite. We have been going there for 10 years and attending their wine dinners. The maître d’ knows us by name.

Favorite restaurant in the area: There are so many great restaurants in Park Ridge that it is difficult to choose, but I have to say Nonna Silvia’s is our favorite. We have been going there for 10 years and attending their wine dinners. The maître d’ knows us by name.

Holt’s margarita

Favorite “hidden gem” restaurant: Thalaiva’s Indian Kitchen is downright amazing Indian cuisine. They have this lunch special with so many different dishes and tastes, and I can’t get enough of their samosas.

Best bar to grab a drink or to catch the game: My husband and his buddies always hit up Holt’s. Their drink menu is unique and ever-changing — and they’re pretty hilarious with themes.

A great night out with friends usually includes… walking to Uptown and having dinner, then hanging in the backyard of one of our neighbors’ houses.

The best way to spend a Saturday in the spring: Biking to Uptown and browsing the Park Ridge Farmers Market, then doing our own gardening in our backyard. We are avid gardeners (well, my husband is), so we do spend most Saturdays doing yard work, gardening and at baseball games. My husband uses the fruits of his summer gardening labor to make homemade vegetable lasagna in the early fall that is the best I have ever tasted. Nothing in the world like homegrown tomatoes!

Most weekends in the summer you can find us at one of the many baseball diamonds in Park Ridge eating burgers, hot dogs and fries that we picked up from The Sandlot between games

What’s something you look forward to every spring?
The key event that tells my family that spring is here is the reopening of Dairy Queen at the corner of Devon and Canfield. No matter what the weather is that day, we make the four-block trek for that first DQ blizzard that symbolizes warmer days to come.

I have fallen in love with the treasures at Sooo Cute Boutique next to the Pickwick. It’s filled to the brim with lovely, unique accessories and clothing items.

Favorite local store or best shopping area: I personally have fallen in love with the treasures at Sooo Cute Boutique next to the Pickwick Theatre. It’s filled to the brim with lovely, unique accessories and clothing items.

Secret Park Ridge spot: Uptown Med Spa! Great individual treatment plans using quality products for an overall natural and more youthful look.

Underrated activity in the area: The new outdoor sand volleyball courts in Hinkley Park are fantastic! I never knew they were there until this past fall when I was walking around the tennis courts with my boys looking for tennis balls.

Weekend getaway spot: Both of my boys play baseball for the Park Ridge Warriors, so most weekends in the summer you can find us at one of the many baseball diamonds in Park Ridge sitting on camping chairs and eating burgers, hot dogs and fries that we picked up from The Sandlot between games. We try to “get away” once a summer and go camping up at Devil’s Lake State Park.

What have you heard great things about but have yet to try?
I have heard wonderful things about Triple Scoop’d, the new ice cream shop on Devon. Going to try it this summer!