Gibsons

What you do for a living: I’m a realtor with @properties out of the Park Ridge office on Touhy.

How long you’ve lived here: 39 years. I grew up in Park Ridge, went away to college (NIU), then moved back to Park Ridge with my wife Megan after living in Wrigleyville.

What you like best about Park Ridge: It is such a great community with great organizations, excellent schools, tons of great parks and an amazing location.

Best meal you’ve had recently: W.R.’s Chicago Cut steak at Gibsons in Rosemont. Gibsons always does it right, and has a great atmosphere when we go there with friends.

Favorite restaurant in the area: There are too many good ones now to pick just one. When we go out or order carryout, our go-to restaurants are typically Harp & Fiddle, Pennyville Station, Holt’s, Nonna Silvia’s, Sonny’s and Café Touché.

Favorite “hidden gem” restaurant: Shwarma Inn on Devon has great food. I am also a big fan of Canton Tea Garden when we order Chinese.

Best bar to grab a drink or to catch the game: Harp & Fiddle or Holt’s. Both have a great atmosphere, and you always run into people you know.

A great night out with friends usually includes… dinner either in Uptown Park Ridge or Edison Park followed up by a few drinks at one of the local bars/restaurants. It is great that we have so many good options in the area now.

The best way to spend a Saturday in the fall: Coaching flag football games at Southwest Park for my two boys and their friends in the morning. Then it is usually real estate showings for the rest of the afternoon.

Wilderness Scouts

What’s something you look forward every fall?
High school football games (Maine South & Notre Dame for us), Park Ridge flag football and Wilderness Scouts and Princess campouts. The fall campouts are a great way to get the Wilderness Scouts/Princess season going. The kids and dads always have a great time.

Favorite local store or best shopping area: I like finding Park Ridge-related house closing gifts for clients at Hill’s Hallmark and Marigold in Uptown.

We are really looking forward to Easy Street Pizza opening up on Devon in South Park. We have heard great things about their locations in the city from many of our friends.

Secret Park Ridge spot: The only secret spot I can think of would be Rotary Park. We called it “Hidden Park” when we were growing up because not many people knew where it was, tucked behind the houses at Washington and Lake.

Underrated activity in the area: Playing pickup hockey in the winter at the South Park outdoor ice rink. I try to get my kids out there as much as possible once they freeze the ice for the rink.

Weekend getaway spot: We head to Lake Geneva as often as we can. The fall is always great there with pumpkin farms and activities for the kids.

What have you heard great things about but have yet to try?
We are really looking forward to Easy Street Pizza opening up on Devon in South Park. We have heard great things about their locations in the city from many of our friends.

Easy Street Pizza