Pros: Beautiful pictures. Articles appeal to a wide audience, even beyond Phoenix.
Cons: Magazine appears to be aimed at wealthy people. A little pretentious.
The Bottom Line: Thanks to Phoenix magazine, by the time I get to Phoenix, I'll know who's who in the city and I'll be prepared to wine and dine in style.
I've never been to Phoenix, Arizona before. I suspect that there will come a day when I will go, mainly because my husband's kids live near there with their mother and she doesn't want to let them visit us in Virginia. Although as a child my husband used to live in Arizona and he has visited his kids at their home in that state, I can count myself among the uninitiated when it comes to beholding the American southwest's charms. Luckily for me, I am a member of StartSampling.com, a website that offers free samples of a variety of products to folks who join and provide feedback. Not too long ago, StartSampling.com was offering a free sample of Phoenix magazine. I ordered it, thinking that I'd just get a single complimentary issue. Instead, it appears that I've been awarded a subscription to Phoenix. I'm pleased to report that Phoenix is a regional magazine that is well worth reading.
So far, I've read a few issues of Phoenix. The latest one, which arrived in my mailbox just a couple of days ago, is the May 2005 issue. The cover is attractive, picturing a home with a distinctive southwestern flair. The articles featured in the May issue seem to be focused on the home. The front cover list the following articles: "Which Cities Have the Best... Home Prices, Property Taxes, Crime Rates, Schools, Etc.", "Vertical Living: High-Rises & Lofts Around the Valley", and "Where Do the Valley's Realtors Want to Live". However, it appears that not every issue is devoted only to articles about where to live in the Phoenix region. Although Phoenix is definitely about living in or around the city of Phoenix, it's not just a magazine about real estate. The March 2005 issue centered around an article called "Who Earns What!". It included an interesting article about the salaries of people who live in and around Phoenix.
This may be a surprise, but the most interesting article I've run across in the May 2005 issue of Phoenix is one that was listed in small print on the front cover, "The Valley's Most Depressing Cemetery" by Melissa Morrison. This article was about female inmates from the Maricopa County jail whose job it was to help bury people at the county's "potter's field", that is, the cemetery where anonymous and indigent people are buried. While the article's title may not seem inviting, the photographs, which are provided by John Beckett, are. After I looked at the pictures, I started to read the article and was very impressed. In intelligent and descriptive prose, Morrison describes the dusty tract of land where the area's poorest people are laid to rest for eternity. Beckett's photos show shackled women in their striped prison garb, their arms around each other as they dig the graves for the eight burials that were scheduled for the Thursday morning on which Morrison and Beckett were visiting.
I also enjoyed reading "Jana's View", by Jana Bommersbach. In the May 2005 issue, Bommersbach, who writes editorials every month for Phoenix, offers a fun piece about her knee replacement surgery. While on the surface, the article seems only to be about Bommersbach's experience, I found that it also offered some insight into the high quality of medical care offered in the Phoenix area. Bommersbach's style is engaging and I found her article very entertaining.
Another major article in the May 2005 issue of Phoenix was about Larry Debus, a local attorney. Written by Jana Bommersbach, the article is titled "Mr. Big Shot Attorney". Apparently, Larry Debus is the lawyer in Phoenix to consult whenever there's trouble. According to Bommersbach's article, Debus defended country singer Glen Campbell when Campbell was arrested for drunk driving, as well as "trunk murderess" Winnie Ruth Judd. Bommersbach's article is lengthy, well-written, and interesting as she details how Debus got to the top of his profession in the Phoenix area. I particularly enjoyed reading about Debus's run-ins with the infamous Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, whom he has sued four times!
Besides interesting feature articles, engaging editorials, and stunning photographs of the Phoenix area, Phoenix also offers articles about travel, both in Arizona and beyond, as well as a calendar of local events which chronicle notable music, theater, and sports events. Those who like to read about food and wine won't be left wanting for reading material. Phoenix includes "Eat Beat", which is a food critic's column, "The Grapevine", a monthly article that focuses on wine, "Tidbits" which offers the latest scoop on local restaurants in the Phoenix area, and "Dining Guide", which is a guide to the area's most notable restaurants.
I like Phoenix magazine and not just because I got it for free. It really is a quality publication. I will warn, however, that it seems to be geared for upper middle class readers and at times, comes off as a little pretentious. Most of the ads that appear in Phoenix practically scream out that only rich people need reply. There are ads for cosmetic dentists, plastic surgeons, upscale furniture stores and homebuilders, and even dating services. One ad in particular, for Model Quality Introductions, Inc., promises to introduce interested men to the "most beautiful single women in Phoenix". I was intrigued enough by this ad to check out the website (www.modelqualityintroductions.com). The service promises to hook up paying customers (male or female) with "beautiful, fit, intelligent, and financially responsible" mates. The ad is aimed at wealthy men, but after looking at the website, I found that interested, well-off women could also search for desirable men... although the database of available men was much smaller. After checking out that ad, I was glad I met my husband the old-fashioned way... online!
Speaking of ads, I will mention that Phoenix magazine isn't exactly light on them. Nevertheless, there's plenty to read in each issue and the ads, while plentiful, are fairly well-done and are for the most part, in good taste. A 12 month subscription to Phoenix is priced at $14.97, which is supposedly 75% off the newsstand cover price. Would-be subscribers can either use the handy postcard(s) that fall out of each issue or subscribe online at http://www.phoenixmag.com. There's a special issue in January, although I can't comment on it because I didn't see it.
I definitely recommend Phoenix magazine for men or women who live in or frequently visit the Phoenix area. I will also go so far as to recommend it for those who merely have an interest in the area, even if it's casual. I may never get to Phoenix, but chances are good that I will. I feel confident in stating that after reading Phoenix magazine, I'm better prepared to visit and enjoy the city. But besides knowing a little more about the local color, I've also been entertained by articles that have a broad appeal and would speak to anyone. I think that's pretty impressive for a "regional" magazine.
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