Laurie Perez likes random conversations. Apparently downtown Phoenix is great for them.

Perez, who fancies Bar Smith on Saturdays because of the diversity, the ambiance and the upbeat mood, also lists the Firefly Room in the Phoenix Art Museum as one of her favorite downtown spots. Her advice is pretty solid, she's been here since Durant's and the PAM were the only reasons to be come down.

Once a year, Perez attends the tasty West of Western festival, an event that has grown dramatically over the years. 

While she may not live downtown, she makes plenty of time for the neighborhood. She recommends heading to First Fridays in groups and urges those new to the area to not "expect it to be Manhattan, the Gaslamp or the Haight", rather somewhere between. 

"It's [an] urban/get-down-to-business pulse meets trendy restaurants & sports, meets open-minded fringe culture and a young, diverse market," Perez said. "It's still a bit tattered 'round the edges yet it's future oriented.  It's definitely the coolest place to invest right now in the greater Phoenix region.

If you see her around, be sure to point her to the Roosevelt. She hasn't made it there quite yet.