Bordered to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean and to the north by the San Gabriel Mountains, Los Angeles is the place to be if you want to enjoy ski slopes and sandy beaches on the same day! A wealth of diversity can be found in every aspect of the city, especially when it comes to ethnicity and culture. But it can be hard to find your bearings in this vast urban jungle covering more than 500 square miles – so go ahead and discover our selection of apps designed to help you blend into the local environment!
5 Every Day: Top tips from a musician
Created by Yacht, an LA-based alternative electronic band, the 5 Every Day app offers – as its name suggests – five new daily spots or events to help you discover the city from the eyes of a local. The app is divided into five categories: Art, City, Food, Music, and Wildcard (which features the locations and events that do not fall into any of the other categories). The wildcards are an ode to the diversity inherent to Los Angeles’ cultural scene, featuring stand-up comedy, such as Power Violence – a three-man comedy collective that performs in Silver Lake – and unusual events such as “Doug Benson Watches the Oscars + Pot Luck!”, a radio show where the broadcasters taste and rate dishes brought along by members of the public. Yacht makes a point of featuring five new unusual addresses every day, with a description of the events and the locations marked on a map of the city. The band’s determination to focus on LA’s current events is reflected by the fact that the app doesn’t feature any archives – five tips a day, no more and no less, to help you discover the many hidden wonders Los Angeles has to offer.
More information: http://5everyday.com/
KCRW + KCRW VR: Non-stop music and 360° gigs
KCRW, whose motto is simply “For the Curious”, is one of the most influential alternative music radio stations in the world, much like WFMU in New York or 3RRR in Melbourne. The KCRW app features many podcasts of shows and live performances: the Eclectic 24 all-music channel; the local and international news channel that covers a vast array of subjects linked to political, artistic, culinary and economic current events; and the Events section, which features information on a selection of concerts held in Los Angeles.
Another app developed by KCRW is the KCRW VR, which invites you to take your place in the radio station. The app’s menu features intimate gigs to watch in 360° virtual reality via your mobile phone. Live performances already available on the app include Hot Chip, Penguin Prison, Death Cab for Cutie, Purity Ring, Thundercat and Brandi Carlile. Those who don’t have a compatible device can also find the videos on KCRW’s YouTube channel.
More information: http://www.kcrw.com/about/kcrw-mobile-applications
Roaming Hunger: The app for foodies
Los Angeles is a food truck paradise – every week a new food truck! However, it can be quite hard to find them. Based in Los Angeles, the Roaming Hunger team offers an up-to-date map displaying the many food trucks to be found in the city (as well as in the rest of the United States). From ice creams to XXL burgers, whether Indian, Acadian, Brazilian or Mexican food, there is something to suit every taste! Our top recommendation? Head to Coolhaus, run by Natasha and Freya, the inventors of “Farchitecture”, and try one of their desserts that feature sweets arranged to look like buildings – just like in Hansel and Gretel.
More information: http://roaminghunger.com/
Our Malibu Beaches: The best of beaches in Malibu
In Malibu, many of the beaches are deserted… even in the middle of summer! So how can you spot the “No parking” or “Private property” signs and find the best hidden paths? Written by Jenny Price, a writer, artist and environmental historian, the Our Malibu Beaches app tells you all you need to know about how to make the most of the kilometers of fine sand, and helps you distinguish between private and public beaches. If you’d rather bask in the sun away from the hustle and bustle of Santa Monica, Our Malibu Beaches will guide you to the small sandbanks you never even knew existed and to places you probably wouldn’t have dared to explore. Every beach is marked on a map and comes with a description and information about parking and access conditions.
Download on iPhone
Download on Android phone
Indie Guides Los Angeles: A curious and alternative city guide
A bit of self-promotion never hurts! Indie Guides Los Angeles, the latest addition to the Indie Guides series, features 50 cultural and alternative spots to experience Los Angeles like a local. In it, Andrea Perdue from LA-based dream-pop band Cerf Volant shares her favorite locations, from the Korean “hole in the wall” restaurants of Koreatown to the warehouses occupied by artist collectives. Just like our other guides, the LA app features an offline map to help you get familiar with the city and an option to find out what’s open day or night. A list of local culture websites and blogs and upcoming festivals completes the guide, giving you a real taste of the city’s arts news and highlights. Plus, until you get to visit the City of Angels, you can familiarize yourself with the local alternative scene by listening to the playlist curated by Ham & Eggs Tavern, one of the places featured in the guide!
Discover the guide
Photo : KCRW VR