Emilien Crespo captures "The Soul of Los Angeles" through 30 experiences

"When people criticize Los Angeles, it is usually that they are afraid to explore and are probably too used to cities where they do not have to dig to find beautiful things" : Frenchman Emilien Crespo takes this quote from singer Moby as a mantra, and the incipit of his guide Soul of Los Angeles: guide to the 30 best experiences, published by Jonglez editions. Available in English in the United States since mid-December and from February 7 in its French version, this book “Far from the clichés” offers a condensed version of what to experience in the city of angels. The Frenchman goes so far as to speak of"A love letter to the city".

"THE. is an extraordinary playground, it must be taken as a treasure hunt, where you should not be afraid to go the extra mile ”, pleads the dandy-like entrepreneur, who has been exploring Los Angeles since his expatriation in 2009. To do so, he was notably inspired by his idol, the late Jonathan Gold, restaurant critic for the Los Angeles Times and famous for its list of the 101 best restaurants in town. A list he compares to "a compass". "I approached L.A. in the same way for retail, stand-up, beaches, hiking …", describes the man who admits having tested 1,700 places in a decade.

On 123 pages, he delivers a selective digest of his incessant explorations, "What makes L.A's soul", including a painting at Quentin Tarantino's cinema,avocado toast so special of Squirl, a secret beach in Malibu, the secret menu of the Californian fast-food In-N-Out, as well as exclusive places – and never mentioned. "The guide is aimed at locals, as well as tourists for whom L.A. is a city difficult to access", assures the entrepreneur who delivers his perfect half-day in Los Angeles, consisting of a visit to the Stahl House, a meal at Night + Market, followed by a drink in Jumbo’s Clown room.

Experiences, sometimes accompanied by interviews (including one by Jonathan Gold), and illustrated by the colorful drawings and photographs of expatriates like him, the Spanish photographer Pia Riverola and the Breton illustrator Clara Mari.

A hectic professional life

The realization of this project is due to the reputation – and charisma – of Emilien Crespo. But also to meet Fanny Pechiodat, the co-founder of My Little Paris who created this collection of guides. Captivated by personality “Crazy, vibrant and excessive” of this expatriate, as she writes in the preface, she asked him to take part in the adventure, a year and a half ago.

A new challenge which packs this entrepreneur directly, landed ten years ago on the west coast. At the time, he was responsible for cultural strategy for the Apple group. A mission that suits him and that he will carry out until 2017, when Emilien Crespo decides to let his entrepreneurial spirit express itself. He notably created the company Ordinary Flame, which aims to sell limited editions of contemporary artists for the benefit of charities. He also offers his consulting services with Sublime Project.

In parallel with his professional activities and his experiences – suddenly one restaurant a day -, he collaborates with several magazines like Purple, News in Italy or Other. “In journalism, like with this guide, I like to share”, admits the one who started out on student radios when he was studying at Sciences Po Paris.

Now he's the voice of Los Angeles, a city that "Never ceases to amaze (him) with his permanent reinvention", and which he willingly calls "home".