HOTEL

For the 16th SNIP Conference, it is back to the beaches – in this case Manhattan Beach, California. The facility housing the meeting is the Manhattan Beach Marriott which is conveniently located 3 miles south of LAX airport and a mile and a half from the village of Manhattan Beach. Manhattan Beach is a funky ocean town with surfing, sunning on the beach, eating in small local restaurants and walking the sand dunes. The taxi ride from LAX to the Marriott is less than $15.00 and cabs to the beach and other local venues are available.

Hotel rates are $159.00 for the conference and government rate rooms are available (rate to be determined January 1, 2010). Reservations can be made online at http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/laxmn-manhattan-beach-marriott/?toDate=4/18/10&groupCode=snisnia&fromDate=4/13/10&app=resvlink wherein the meeting code is already entered in the appropriate field. All you do is enter your arrival and departure dates. You can also register by phone at the Marriott International Reservation number at 1-800-228-9290. If you use the phone option, please tell the operator that you want a reservation in the “SNIP” block. The block size is limited, so please register early.

FOOD

As part of your conference registration fee, SNIP will be providing an opening reception for all participants and in addition a mentors’ dinner for the young investigators, 3 continental breakfasts, morning and afternoon coffee breaks, 2 working luncheons, a Taco and beer dinner and the final banquet. If you have specific food requirements, please contact me, John Madden, when you register for the meeting and we will try to accommodate your needs. This can best be done by sending John an e-mail at jmadden@emory.edu. Even if you have noted these needs at a previous meeting, please repeat your request with an e-mail.

ROAD TRIP

Los Angles boasts an amazing array of things to do – golfing at the hotel on an executive size course (all holes less than 175 yards), touring Hollywood, beaching it, sitting in the audience for the Jay Leno show, munching wood-burned pizza at Spagos. The meeting committee has left the Friday afternoon open to indulge whatever fantasies you may have about the City of the Angels. One possibility would be to join a group of attendees on a trip to the Getty Museum – one of the great new museums in the country. It is possible for us to hire a bus or minibus for about $35.00 each and to spend the afternoon (2:30-6:00) wandering around the spectacular grounds housing the collections. If you are interested in joining us on this road trip, please let me know by January 31, 2010 so that I can make the reservations (jmadden@emory.edu).