Local Arrangements
From the days of the MIT Radiation Labs and early microwave pioneering companies such as Raytheon, Microwave Associates, MDL, Sage Laboratories and Alpha Industries, Boston has long been a happening place for us microwave types. So we are very excited to have our fellow engineers converge in 2009 to the place we call home.
As a hot-bed of activity for the microwave industry, Boston has always drawn a big attendance for the IMS. The Boston IMS steering committee expects this upcoming year to be no exception. Therefore the local arrangement sub-committee and event planning consultants have been very busy reserving hotel accommodations, negotiating room rates, securing transportation, sampling food and all the other details that will ensure a fun and safe stay in Boston.
Detailed information on hotels for which the symposium has available rooms as well as online registration will be posted on the new IMS2009 web site in early September. Our goals in choosing lodging was based on proximity to the convention center and/or transportation to the venue, quality of the rooms and facilities, availability (sufficient room blocks) and cost. As many of you know, Boston can be an expensive city to stay in and so we made every effort to secure reasonable hotel rates.
As mentioned in last month’s newsletter, the symposium at the new Boston Convention and Exhibition Center (BCEC), within minutes of Boston's hotels located conveniently to historic locations such as the Seaport District, downtown, the financial district, Back Bay, Cambridge, and the airport. Our symposium will be headquartered in both the Weston Waterfront Hotel, adjacent to the BCEC, and at the Sheraton Boston located in the Back Bay. The hotels for the symposium will span the waterfront and Back Bay. We believe this new venue will be a pleasant experience for conference attendees and exhibitors alike.
Our location down by the waterfront, will allow show attendees to take in wonderful views of the world famous Boston harbor, visit the site of the Boston tea-party, the USS Constitution (old Ironsides) or the new Boston Museum of Contemporary Art. Nearby subway service (known locally as the “T”) can quickly get visitors to landmarks such as the Museum of Science or Fenway Park. Interested in checking out the bookstore at MIT? This is nearby at Kendall Square in Cambridge, where geek meets chic. It’s a wonderful place to spend an afternoon.
After browsing through an incredible array of technical books, there is a plethora of nearby restaurants to address any appetite. Locals love the S&S Deli in Inman Square. The Miracle of Science on Mass. Ave. is also a big fav with MIT students and Cambridge residents alike. Seriously spicy barbeque and ribs can be had at the East Coast Grill or further outbound at Redbones in Davis Square, Somerville.
If you’re heading outbound, make sure to stop in Harvard Square. Good eats here include the Border café, Bartlett’s Burgers and John Harvard’s brew house, just to name a few. A trip to Harvard Square isn’t complete without a walk through Harvard yard (or Hahvahd Yahd) and a rubbing of the left foot of John Harvard’s statue (it’s the shiny one) for good luck.
Closer to the Convention Center is Faneuil Hall (Quincy market) which is another excellent location for dining, shopping or site seeing. We will likely talk more about this spot in further newsletters. On behalf of the local arrangements sub-committee, we wish everyone a wonderful end to summer and an enjoyable labor day. Look for hotel information and registration on the IMS web site, early next month.