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 | American Association of Law Libraries 2003 Annual Meeting - July 12-16, Seattle, Washington AALL LAC 2003 Home > Local Advisory > LAC Co-Chair Message |
Welcome to Seattle 2003
The 2003 Annual Meeting Local Advisory Committee looks forward to seeing you to Seattle. As in 1994, the conference will be held at the Washington State Convention & Trade Center with the recently renovated Sheraton being the conference hotel. If you were here in 1994 we would like to welcome you back and hope we will enjoy the same great weather. The city has changed quite a bit since 1994, but we are sure you will find it even more fun filled and entertaining with the new retail shops, restaurants and entertainment options.
For those of you that have never been to the Pacific Northwest, you'll find a variety of activities for every taste. In the summer months the sun usually rises around 6:00 a.m. and doesn't set until almost 10:00 pm. This will give you plenty of daylight hours to enjoy a hike up one of our local mountains, a bike ride around the city or spend a lazy afternoon in one of our inviting parks. Seattle is surrounded by water so take some time to go kayaking or canoeing on Lake Union or Lake Washington. If the salt water is more your thing take a short walk from the convention center down to the waterfront or explore one of our local beaches.
If you love to shop you won't be disappointed. The new Pacific Place mall is located in the heart of downtown and has several good restaurants, movie theaters and a variety of specialty and upscale shops for your browsing pleasure. Of course Nordstrom is still here and in a brand new space fitting for its flagship store. And we can't leave out the Bon Marche (a local favorite), just down Pine Street. Our suggestion for the best place to shop during the summer is of course the Pike Place Market (located at 1st and Pike). The fish market is a tourist favorite along with all the unique craft booths displaying the talents of local craftspeople. A variety of fruits, vegetables and flowers galore also await you at the market. You could spend all day here so be careful and plan accordingly.
Seattle is also home to numerous pubs featuring local microbrews. If you find yourself in need of a cold one after a long day, you are in the right place. Pyramid brewery has a brew pub next to Safeco field and after your sampling, you can stop by Safeco or the Seattle Seahawks stadium for a tour. Unfortunately, it looks the Mariner's will be on the allstar break so you won't be able to catch a game in our fabulous new stadium. If you would like to practice your golf swing Seattle has several courses around the downtown area, some with incredible views of the city.
A recent additional to our museums is the Experience Music Project (the EMP), a museum dedicated to the history of music with a focus on Rock -n- Roll. The museum has a restaurant and lounge and often features local bands in the evenings. Great for adults and teenagers, but the real young ones might be bored. There are several live theaters such as the Fifth Avenue, Paramount and the Moore that host live performances of national artists. There are also several playhouses in area. We would be remiss not mention the live music scene in Seattle, home of Pearl Jam and Nirvana. There is always a live band playing in one of the numerous pubs, taverns and bars located through the downtown area. We recommend Pioneer Square or Belltown for starters. In the mood for a little piano music, try The Cloud Room on top of the Camlin Hotel.
If you bring the family along, no worries, the kids won't get bored. There is a Game Works right across the street from the convention center and several movie theaters within blocks of all the convention hotels. The waterfront is a great place for the family with seafood restaurants, the local aquarium, Ye Old Curiosity Shoppe and lots of site seeing. A short monorail ride from downtown is the Seattle Center, another great place to take the kids. Located at the center are the IMAX theaters, the Pacific Science Center, an amusement park and of course the EMP. Be sure to attend the family social hour on Saturday to find out more about the fun things to do in Seattle.
At the end of the conference, you might think you have "done" Seattle. There is much more to see outside our great city. Check out Snoqualmie Falls and Roslyn (where they filmed Northern Exposure) or take a trip to one of many local wineries for a tour and some tasting. If you really want to get next to nature you can take a hike up Mt. Rainer. Or if you just need to get out of the country for awhile, Canada is a three hour drive north and Victoria is ferry trip away.
To learn more about our city and to help you plan your time while you're here, look for upcoming articles in the Spectrum, watch our web page for more details, pick up a copy of the conference newspaper "Coffee talk" or stop by the hospitality desk and say hi and let one of our fabulous local volunteers help you out. We look forward to welcoming you to our wonderful city and want all of you to have a great conference!
Katherine Foster, Microsoft Corporation, Law and Corporate Affairs
Amy Eaton, Law Library Services
2003 Annual Meeting Local Advisory Committee Co-Chairs
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