Workshop 4200

“This historic building used to be the Hammond Organ factory; now it’s a great artist space with galleries and a recording studio. I get a cappuccino there at Factotum Coffee, hang out, and write.” 4200 W. Diversey Ave.

Beyond Grandma’s House

“I’m divulging my secret place. This massive antique shop has an old gothic vibe. They’ve got everything: old typewriters, old quilts, old movie equipment that I think is from Chicago’s silent film era.” 2321 N. Keystone Ave.

Tacotlán

“Their taco birria is a hearty meal. Birria is a type of stew, and you dip your taco into it. So comforting!” 4312 W. Fullerton Ave.

Walt Disney’s Birthplace

“Such a pretty building, very distinctive, on the corner of the block. I write fairy-tale adaptations, and if I’m struggling with a scene, I drive over there and look at the house, because magic was born there, in Hermosa.” 2156 N. Tripp Ave.