City profile: Phoenix

My first assignment for the AZ Department of Tourism focused on what to do in my longtime hometown.

I moved to Arizona to work at a start-up weekly entertainment magazine that focused on events in the greater Phoenix metro area, and over the next several years I crisscrossed the Valley of the Sun to profile and preview everything from baseball stadiums and dive bars to ballet performances and boutiques. Even after switching careers, I keep checking out new restaurants, shops and experiences — now just for fun, instead of a byline.

So I was delighted to accept the assignment when the Arizona Department of Tourism asked me to recap some of the city’s top destinations.

In fact, out of everything included in the roundup, golfing is the only activity I haven’t recently done myself (although I did go to the WM Phoenix Open once, to experience the madness of the 16th Hole grandstands).

Author: Sam Mittelsteadt

At work: Sam Mittelsteadt oversees the editing and design of a spate of industry-specific magazines for Farran Media. Previously, he was a senior content editor for custom publishing, advising and assisting print and digital clients that include a top broadcast TV network, one of the country's most popular retail stores and several major healthcare systems. And before THAT, he was a writer, editor and designer in the entertainment, lifestyle and features sections of newspapers in Montana, western Colorado and Arizona. Off the clock: He's trying to learn his third language, has a soft spot for pop music and plaid clothing, and is able to concoct a killer cocktail with whatever's handy.