Wilfair's Real Neighborhood

The setting of "Wilfair" is real.

The first book takes place at the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles -- that's where the book and its hotel get its name -- as well as the art museum and tar pits up the street. There's also a quick visit in the story to Farmers Market, a famous public market.

This older photo shows almost the entire setting of the first book. The intersection of Wilshire and Fairfax is at the very bottom of the photo, slightly to the right (meaning the fictional hotel and motel would be slightly out of frame). Above it? The museum, and above that, the tar pits (the dark lake to the upper right). Wilshire is the long street that runs along the right of the photo.

Farmers Market, where Sutton works, is not pictured. It's a few blocks off to the left.

Oh, and the grocery store that Fair is thinking of when she says people fall in love in Aisle 6, next to the frozen peas? That's real, too. It's at the very upper right.

Have you been to LA? What did you do here?

photo: Remapping LA

Yo What Up

Found in the general Wilshire/Fairfax vicinity.

The Miracle Mile

That's the real nickname for The Wilfair's neighborhood.

It comes from the way-back era when the area near Wilshire and Fairfax served as LA's frou-frou shopping destination. I didn't set the stories on The Miracle Mile because of the nickname -- here's why I chose that corner. But do I love the catchy name and its obvious mystique? I do.

On The Wilfair's Corner

I love love love this building. And it is still on the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue! (Photo posted by the wonderful Vintage Los Angeles.)

What's in a Name: Wilfair

Does your city do this?

Many Los Angeles businesses are "combo named" after their nearest intersection. Probably the most famous is the Wiltern Theater, which is located at Wilshire and Western (hence the "Wil" and "tern").

The intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue, however, doesn't have any such businesses. It's long been a mystery to me.











I knew I wanted to write a story set in this intersection's neighborhood, which I happen to think is one of the most magical places on the planet. (Here's why I think that.)

Then I knew I'd name the main business The Wilfair.

Then I knew The Wilfair would be a hotel. I love hotel stories and I grew up in hotels.

Then I knew it needed an antagonist. So I created Motel Fairwil, also a combo-named business.

Then I needed some people living and working in each building who liked each other but didn't feel entirely comfortable with liking each other, due to their businesses being in competition.

Then I needed something for them to fight over. Enter the motel's swimming pool.

Lastly? The series lead is named Fair Finley. (Fair's name comes from Fairfax Avenue.) So, is the title "Wilfair" also a question?

And does that make the motel's name -- Fairwil -- something of an answer?

Questions.

What's in a Setting: Wilfair's Neighborhood

I flat-out, hands-down, forever-and-ever love The Wilfair's real neighborhood.

It's in the middle of Los Angeles. That adds a lot of excitement, yes, but I chose this setting for the Wilfair series for four reasons.

1. I wanted to set a magical hotel at the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue and I wanted to name it Wilfair. I wanted to set a magical motel on that very same corner and name it Fairwil. (Okay, that's two reasons.)

2. One of the world's most famous and picturesque fossil sites is walking distance. It's the La Brea Tar Pits, or simply the tar pits to the locals.

3. One of the world's most famous and treasure-filled art museums is walking distance. It's the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, or LACMA to the locals.

4. One of the world's most famous and beloved public markets is walking distance. It's called the Original Farmers Market, or FM to the locals. (That's what my friends and I call it, anyway, when we're in a rush to get to all the good food.)

I'm prone to hyperbole, I admit it, but I think calling those three locations world-famous is on the money. So a magical hotel and motel seemed a natural fit for the area.

And when Fair and her friends/enemies want to leave their hotel and motel and go out, they've got three amazing, cinematic places to hang, no car required. (Yep, the hotel heiress has a driver, and the motel guys have a van, but they prefer to go on foot in LA's most walkable area.)

I love you, tar pits, LACMA, and FM.

Movie Museum on The Wilfair's Corner

The Wilfair Hotel is not real. But the Los Angeles intersection it calls home is very real.


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There is a beautiful old department store on one corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue. And, one day, in a few years, that building will be the home to the new Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.

More news came out about the museum today. Excitement! Tar pits and famous art and movie artifacts, side by side by side.

Wilshire Boulevard Tea Towels

The elegant ladies of Los Angeles, commemorated in a handy kitchen accessory.
















Lindysues/Etsy

The Real Places of Wilfair

I like stories flush with magic realism. But I also like them to be set in places I can visit, if possible.

Just my thing.

With that in mind, Wilfair, Redwoodian, and future books will all incorporate at least one or two real California locales.

They are, so far:

Wilfair
La Brea Tar Pits (a tar bubble figures prominently in the story)
Los Angeles County Museum of Art (Fair, Monty, and Gomery pay a quick visit)
Original Farmers Market (Sutton's fruitcher shop)

Oh, and let us not forget Wilshire and Fairfax. It's a real Los Angeles intersection that's within walking distance of the aforementioned places.












Redwoodian
Owens Valley (it's along Highway 395 near the eastern Sierra)
Alabama Hills near Lone Pine (where the gang stops for coffee)
Sierra Nevada (The Redwoodian and the Stay Awhile Cabins would be in the Mammoth Lakes area)