so move your feet from hot pavement and into the grass

[luciazephyr]

Oh, Florida. My feelings on you have so not changed. See, I love going to the beach because standing out in the ocean feeling pushed and pulled by the waves is my ultimate zen place. But everything else about Florida sucks. I'm sadly stranded most of the time, as I don't have a vehicle and Grandmum is often working during the week. And I can never figure out her moods, so I never know if she's pissed at me or if I've done something. She always just says things "are not a problem," and I can't tell when she's being serious or not. I've been sick probably half the time I've been here, and I think it's just stress because I have no idea what she thinks of me. [/whining]


Anyway. I figured I should link to this dresden_resource post I did: Occult Chicago, including maps and some basic info on how to write the city. I want to do a full primer in the future, but I'll likely need binz's help, as she has actually been there.

So I made a big Google Map of all the important locations in the Dresdenverse, right? And Priscilla, the Official Dresden Files Fan, commented on it. Which was weird and uncomfortable and I've heard enough about her that I really just want her to go away. D8 [/so yeah]


Also, if you have seen Brokeback Mutants The Mutant Kids Are All Right X-Men First Class, you need to be following Limited Release. It's apparently a White Collar/X-Men fusion, but I have never seen White Collar and can tell you it's fucking phenomenal. In turns tense, sweet, and fucking hilarious. I have so many lines I love, but my favorite bit is probably:

"It's my home; I can have a guest."

"Well, Summers isn't a guest, he's a criminal, which means he's mine," Erik retorts. "He goes where I say."

Summers, because apparently he picks up social cues to back the fuck off as well as Hank does, pipes up to say, "I don't care where we stay, but I'm not leaving Hank alone with this guy," and glower at Charles.

Don't worry, Charles interjects here reassuringly. I may have convinced him I'm a sexual predator. Alex appears actually to have some commendable protective instincts.

I don't even want to know, Erik thinks back.

You will love it, I promise you. Go read, guys.


God, I'm hungry. Yet, as mentioned, stranded. Am seriously thinking about walked down five blocks to the grocery sto--- oh, shit, I have no money until I cash my check. Fuck, nevermind. 8\ I'll just sit here and work on MoC.

Comments

[lunaris1013]

Now that is an undertaking!

The one thing that makes me want to throw any Dresden book across the room (especially the early ones) is JB's complete and total lack of research about Chicago geography. I worked there. I lived in the suburbs the vast majority of my life. I know how long it takes to get from point A to point B. I know that until a few years ago, there were no Walmart stores in the city. I know there's no way in hell that you find parking in Lincoln Park and that it is on the other side of town from U of C.

Do not get me, a lifelong Cubs fan, started on Wrigley Field. The parking lot is only the *beginning* of those shenanigans.

Ahem.

If you ever want to run Chicagoisms by me, please feel free.

[luciazephyr]

I hear he only visited Chicago after about the third or fourth books, but I don't really consider that an excuse, TBH. Internet, Butcher, use it.

And what bugs me about the series is how much of it takes place in anonymous warehouses and unnamed hotels and such. Maybe it's just because I try to pour as much detail as I can into MoC, but Chicago is so fucking beautiful to write about. The architecture, the history, there is so much there. Setting the Death Masks art gala in the Gold Coast Room of the Drake was me quietly throwing a snitfit about that. Real locations that was full of personality, you can has them, Butcher.

Also, the fact that pretty much none of the series takes place on the South Side. Someone pointed that out to me in an email about MoC and now I'm reading up on the South Side to try to work it in.

If you ever read my series and find a major mistake, you can totally call me out on it. I'll try to fix if at all possible.

ETA: ACTUALLY, WHAT BUGS ME THE MOST: The climax of Fool Moon taking place on Marcone's giant estate.

In the Gold Coast.

What.

I'm so glad they retconned that to happen up in Winnetka, but I'm still like.... Butcher, you could have looked at a map and known how stupid this was, what the hell. If you want to mention the region by name at least grab a map and take a look at that region. omg.

[lunaris1013]

It is gorgeous. I recently took a friend on a water taxi ride down the river from the Sears Tower to Navy Pier which is a fabulous thing (we missed the last actual architecture cruise that day - but no narration was needed). Though one of my favorite ways to look at the buildings is from the El around the Loop. The train tracks are right next to the buildings. If the windows opened you could reach out and touch that beautiful stone work! I hope you get to see the city sometime.

p.s. Regarding the first comment on your map: It's called the El because the tracks are elevated. Chicago was built on a swamp, so subways were a bit impractical. The two that do exist (red and blue lines) were built by burying huge concrete tubes in the ground and then laying track through them.

p.p.s. If you ever need a plot point, read up on what's embedded in the Tribune Tower. At least one of those things must be magical :-)

[luciazephyr]

aaaaaah I so want to, believe me. Maybe I will save up over the next few years and do so. JFC, all of this because of a fanfic. ♥ ♥

Yeah, I had bad information on the L/El thing. Can you confirm it's El? 'Cause I'm seeing both all over and it's confusing me. D8

THANK YOU, I'm still trying to come up with a plot for Hendricks' interlude between book two and three, so I'll look into that, see if it helps. 8D

:googles Tribune Tower, shrieks: omg it's beautiful :is so shallow:

[lunaris1013]

El or L, tomato/tomahto. Either way, it's for elevated train. They're used interchangeably. You'll often see "el" in writing for clarity's sake while "L" is more colloquial.

Anytime I show someone around Chicago I'll take them to Tribune Tower. They ooh and ahh over the gothic granduer and then we go around the corner and I show them the stones - it's the coolest part!

[luciazephyr]

I'm reading about the stones right now and I just cannot handle the awesome. I want to write so much about this place, it's ridiculous. thank you thank you thank you.

[everbright]

EEEERG, that drives me nuts too! I mean, not like I'm too familair with the city proper, being a child of the suburbs, but the times quoted to get from x to y never sound right. TRAFFIC, it is a thing, and Google lies, lies, lies when it says it only takes a hour and a half to get from the Loop to Michigan, esp. if you take the Dan Ryan at any time between 6 am. and 7 pm.

So thanks for gathering up a little reality regarding that.

I'm reading the rec, and it's so awesome! It's such a good story, I'm glad that it's getting the comments it deserves! Thank you!

Sorry about Florida. And relatives. And stuff. *hugs*

[luciazephyr]

I live in goddamn Missouri and I will be first to admit I make mistakes about Chicago, but I try (and I think I try harder than Butcher did, wtf how could Marcone have a giant estate in the freaking Gold Coast, srsly?). If you ever see me make a major mistake, let me know. But I love doing research on the city and adding little details, like how many bars are actually in Wrigleyville.

[feikoi]

Have never been to Chicago (I envy my parents who have been several times), but I do love the location details you and other authors have included in fics set there. *happy sigh*

I've also been hit by a wee bit of homesickness, hearing you talk about FL. I mean, there's so much I don't like, or just find boring there, but then there are little things like the sunsets and tides (and family) that I just don't have here. I hadn't actually felt homesick in the two years I've lived in Japan until now. :/