Best of Indy: Personal Bests

Local celebrities weigh in on their favorite places and products.
Tricia Paik personal bests

Tricia Paik

The Indianapolis Museum of Art’s new curator of contemporary art has only been in Indy for about a year, but so far, she likes what she sees.

“I’m still learning about the arts scene here, but Fountain Square is obviously a vibrant arts neighborhood with IMOCA as its hub. And I’m looking forward to attending more ISO concerts at Hilbert Circle Theatre—I think CEO Gary Ginstling is doing great things. Because I live near the Central Canal, I enjoy walking there and taking in the sights. When I moved here last year, I was so impressed with that path and the Cultural Trail. I was very proud to move to a city that has such a successful model of urban planning. I think a lot of cities dream about something like that—a plan that alters the fabric of the entire city for the better. Indy made it happen.”


Jonathan BrooksJonathan Brooks Personal Bests

The Milktooth owner—the first toque not serving dinner ever to be named a Best New Chef by Food & Wine—dishes on his favorite foodie haunts in Indy.

“I grew up eating homemade stuff—fried orange roughy, sausage casserole, chicken and dumplings, and the occasional foray into something totally ’80s, like rumaki. My own family still eats at home most of the time. When my wife and I are shopping, we love  Wildwood Market, Fresh Thyme, and a few secret spots I don’t want to ruin by exposing them. When we get the chance to dine out, Bluebeard and Rook offer insanely delicious food, and are also kid-friendly. I can’t go to Bluebeard without ordering their spaghetti with creme fraiche and at least two uni spoons. At Recess, we just let Greg Hardesty kill us with whatever he’s excited about. The biscuits and gravy at Madison Grill really impress my 3-year-old. And we love to get smoothies at Natural Born Juicers.”


Tom Griswold personal bestsTom Griswold

The Bob & Tom Show cohost was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame this fall. Here, a few local places he thinks are worth broadcasting.

“I have a 2-year-old and an 8-year-old, so we do a lot with the kids. Latitude 360 is a cool place to bowl, and Monkey Joe’s has a lot of bouncy houses that my kids like. They both swim at Goldfish swim school in Carmel, and it’s fun to watch toddlers, especially, in the water. The best place on nice days is Holliday Park, which has two giant play sets and the orthopedic surgeon’s best friend, the Spider. We have a lot of favorite places to eat—Tinker Street, which they converted from a building that’s smaller than a garage into a place with food on par with Bluebeard; Twenty Tap has amazing food; and Locally Grown Gardens has the best pies.”


Nikki BlaineNikki Blaine Personal Bests

The local fashion designer has her finger on the pulse of Indy’s style scene—and where to get it.

“You’ll rarely see me at the malls, but I do enjoy thrifting and finding goodies to repurpose at The Toggery, Butterfly Consignment, In Vogue, Simply Chic, and Thrifty Threads. As an entrepreneur, I’m always looking to support other local boutiques as well. AH Collection carries stylish looks at multiple locations. Profyle boutique is new at the Ironworks. Retro101 has fabulous price points—I find myself buying one of every color when I shop there. And 28 BoutiquE, formerly a great mobile shop, now has its own location. If I want to blend in, I look for black, white, or gray. It’s safe, chic, and you see an abundance of it at every gala in the city. If I want to be noticed, I wear any other color. What’s the point of getting dressed if you’re not going to be glamorous?”


Emma Davies-DixonEmma Davies-Dixon

A former competitive runner, the wife of IndyCar driver Scott Dixon is an athlete in her own right. Here’s how she looks so good, on and off the track.

“I’ve been running since I was 12 years old, but my exercise routine has expanded some since I was a kid. I just joined a cool fitness place called F3 (Fit Flex Fly) on 86th Street. A spunky young guy there named Brayden Dahlstrom works with me on strength training, weights, and core. It’s a little harder to stay motivated since I had kids of my own. You really have to dig deep. For my skin, I go to Phases Skin Care & laser center on Meridian Street, where a lovely lady named Susan looks after me. Every month or so, I do a cleaning facial. And in the off-season, I do some lasering to correct sun damage. When it comes to products, I’m a Sisley-Paris girl. It’s the price of a small car, but I’d rather not eat than go without their anti-age cream. Locally, I love  Skinny & Co. Coconut Oil, which is more reasonably priced. But not everything requires money. I find that if you drink a lot of water, go for a run, and just sweat for 20 minutes, your skin will look amazing.”