Trying to make the future.

[hannah]

I didn't go to Vividcon. Not just this year, but in any year - so it's equally correct for me to say I never went to Vividcon. I don't mind. I'm vidding-adjacent at best, vidding-appreciative for the most part. I mind having missed it only in the same way I mind having missed things like Barenaked Ladies concerts before Steven Page left the band. It would have been lovely, and it wouldn't have been something that could've happened, based on so many surrounding circumstances.

Still. It's making me think of the con-going atmosphere I miss. Yes, I was at Con.Txt just a couple of weeks ago. Yes, I started missing that minutes after walking out the hotel doors. Yes, there's nothing quite like a con, and there's some upcoming cons I don't want to miss if I can help it. Big cons. There's something nice about a convivial, close atmosphere where the number of attendees doesn't overwhelm, and there's a different sort of nice where you can't ever hope to talk to everyone.

These upcoming con situations are themselves complicated for being in cities I've never really seen and would like at least a day to explore.

ConFabCon, which I've registered for and done absolutely nothing else to prepare, is in Chicago. I'd love to see the Art Institute, or some of the parks, or absolutely anything that makes the city what it is.

Escapade, which I've never been to and would require a hell of a lot of coordination, is in Los Angeles. I'd love to visit the city itself, and to see the Pacific again.

I guess what I'm saying is, does anyone have any advice or contacts or a willingness to spend an extra day or two in either of those cities?

Comments

[the_rck]

For Chicago, I suggest looking at their transit passes. They sell one day and three day passes (or did three years ago) that are good for both the el and the buses. Parking downtown or anywhere of tourist interest is very expensive and, often, a hike from where one wants to be.

Last time we were in Chicago, we stayed at a hotel near the airport that provided shuttles to and from the nearest el station and that had free parking. Given a con, your hotel selection is already made, but I thought I’d mention it.

Some museums in Chicago do full reciprocity for memberships in affiliated institutions. The aquarium doesn’t, but others do. It might not be worth a special investment for a single person, but if you have a museum membership somewhere already it could save you a lot of money.

[noxelementalist]

In terms of where to go in Chicago, the best guide I've seen is Coppperbadge's, which you can find at https://copperbadge.livejournal.com/3334144.html. I do have some contacts there, but none of them are particularly fannish ones so I don't think they'd be of help.

Not as much help for LA- I don't have much insight or contacts there.

As for willingness, I'd normally be willing for both, but I have a work conflict the date of ConFabCon and (depending on how job-hunting goes) may not be able to afford to get out to Los Angeles for Escapade 2019, so I'm afraid I can't help out much on this end either ><"

[franzeska]

Getting from LAX airport hotels to most things in L.A. is a pain. There aren't good connections to public transportation, and the traffic in that neighborhood is heinous. I would budget for an uber to get at least to the metro.

If you do make it out, what kind of stuff do you want to see in L.A.?

[akamarykate]

I can definitely give you some pointers about what to see in Chicago, depending on your interests (the American Writers Museum is surprisingly cool! And the Newberry Library tends to have really interesting exhibits and a fabulous bookstore/gift shop). I'm not sure if I can make it down that weekend (it's about 3 hours from me, so maybe? But I don't have my planner at hand), but I'm interested in what ConFabCon is--can you tell me more about its focus and vibe? I've only been part of a handful of small, single-fandom-focused cons, and I'm really interested what the more general ones are like. I'm going to check on the dates for sure!