Posted on April 9, 2004
LA.com is a new insider's guide to Los Angeles. LA.com was founded by a
team of Angelenos with show business, journalism and dot.com backgrounds.
The service was developed by MediaNews Group's California Newspapers Partnership
which includes MediaNews Group, Gannett and Stephens Media Group.
LA.com combines editorial features and search functions to help people do everything
from purchasing a plane ticket and booking a hotel, to planning an itinerary
for the day or week.
"LA.com is more than just a city guide, it's a cultural and leisure lifestyle
destination," said Lynda Keeler, LA.com President. "In addition to opinionated
and witty guides, people can trust LA.com to give them all the 'inside' news about
what's going on in this city, such as event ticket giveaways, exclusive sales,
parking secrets, and even the latest gossip.
People can not only find a local
restaurant or boutique shop, but also build a complete itinerary around a day, a
weekend, an evening or a vacation. For instance, if you want to visit Grauman's
Chinese Theater, a Hollywood classic, we tell you how to get there, where to park,
what restaurants are within walking and driving distance from the theater, what to
do nearby before and after visiting Grauman's, as well as how to obtain free tickets
for TV show tapings."
Some of the features on LA.com include:
Nightlife. Bars, pubs and lounges, comedy clubs, dance clubs -- LA.com
provides the skinny on them all, including atmosphere and parking. And
the irreverent nightlife guides are tailored to what people want to
do -- check out "Martinis & More" and "Pub Crawl."
Attractions. As well as providing fun and informative reviews on arts
and performance venues, sightseeing, sports, beaches and recreation,
LA.com offers fun and friendly guides for those wanting to do something
a little different. The Phat Fitness guide, for instance, lists yoga,
the great outdoors, and sexy and aggressive activities.
Events. Art, comedy, dance, music, sports, theater, special events,
they're all listed at LA.com. And for those overwhelmed or indecisive
souls, LA.com even offers "Event Picks For The Week."
Dining: When it comes to finding the right restaurant, LA.com has its
own menu of choices. Visitors can search for popular restaurants that
serve Italian food ... or find the perfect place to go for a business
lunch. They can find a healthy and vegetarian restaurant in their
neighborhood ... or one that's celebrity owned. LA.com's opinionated
restaurant reviews cover food recommendations, decor, odd
tidbits -- and insider tips, such as which celebrities have recently
eaten there.
Shopping. LA.com is a shopper's paradise, listing hundreds of food,
home, men's fashions, women's fashions, and specialty stores, and
offering guides for such shopping meccas as Abbot Kinney and Vermont
Avenue. Additionally, shoppers can check out the Discount Guide to
receive discounts, samples and special offers by simply mentioning
LA.com.
Hotels and travel. LA.com not only helps people figure out where they
want to go in the city, the site also helps them get to Los Angeles in
the first place, letting them book flights, hotels, cars and packages
at the site through its partnership with Expedia.
Showbiz. Where do people go to get tickets for TV tapings? Where do
celebrities shop? When's the next entertainment awards show? What are
Hollywood's "Golden Age" landmarks? The star-struck need look no
further than LA.com and its showbiz pages.
The gossipy LA.COMfidential blog; a Discount Guide for LA.com members
to save money at boutiques, restaurants, and more; and a Small Plates
Dining Guide for people intrigued by this new dining trend.
30+ themed Neighborhood Guides, which include information on shopping,
dining and nightlife in such neighborhoods as Santa Monica, Downtown
and West Hollywood (and LA.com also has an Eye Candy section that lets
people view multimedia slide shows of different neighborhoods).
No-Brainer Itineraries for popular places that include the Getty
Center, Grauman's, the Music Center, and Staples Center.
Featured guides for everything from hot sample sales to restaurants
that serve what they purport to be aphrodisiacs.
The Scoop newsletter, which offers a weekly dose of LA.com's hottest
new stories.
Insider tips on, for instance, what to order, how to get into
an industry-only sample sale, and where to find secret parking spots.
"Los Angeles is such a trend-setting city in everything from clothes to food to
lifestyle, and for many people, that's the part of Los Angeles they want to experience,"
said LA.com's Editor-in-Chief Laurie Pike, a journalist who has reported on LA's
latest trends for magazines and television. "That's why our site includes insider
tips on the latest trends: What they are, where they're at, and what the latest clothes
and accessories are associated with that scene."
