The Lo-Cal Chapter is hosting the 2010 Western Region Reunion at the DoubleTree Hotel located on the border between Arcadia and Monrovia CA. Where is that? It is about ten miles east of Pasadena and is conveniently close to the 210 Freeway. The hotel is located at 924 West Huntington Drive (Historic Route 66), Monrovia, CA 91016. Phone: 626-357-1900. The NARPI room rate is $109.00 per night plus tax and includes daily breakfasts. Self parking is free to attendees.
Monday. The registration table and the Hospitality Room will open about 3PM on Monday, April 12, 2010. It will be located on the first floor adjacent to the pool area.
Tuesday. Today you will have a choice of a City Tour or Golf. Those choosing the City Tour will board our bus at 9AM for a seven-hour Los Angeles City Tour. We will pick up our tour guide when we reach the Los Angeles downtown area. He will point out the areas of interest while we move toward our first stop, the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame.
We will leave the bus for 90 minutes near Grauman’s Chinese Theater. Grauman’s Chinese opened in 1927 at 6925 Hollywood Blvd and has been the scene of many premier opening nights. The forecourt has hundreds of footprints, handprints and autographs of the stars. Can you find your favorites? An optional half-hour guided tour of Grauman’s is available for $8.50.
 The famous Hollywood Walk of Fame is located on Hollywood Blvd and on Vine Street. It stretches about 1.25 miles along Hollywood Blvd from La Brea Avenue on the west to Gower Street on the east. It also has a small offshoot of about one block on Vine Street. Grauman’s Chinese is about ¼ mile east of the west end of the Walk of Fame. We will provide you with a listing of the names and the location of their stars. Click here for a list of stars and their locations.
We will board the bus about 11:30AM for the Los Angeles Farmer’s Market where you will have lunch on your own. The guide will continue to show us the points of interest along the three-mile drive to the Farmers Market. The Farmers Market has over 30 restaurants serving food from around the world. About 1:30PM we will board our bus for more local points of interest while we move to the historic Olvera Street.
Olvera Street is a tourist area at the heart of the Mexican village of El Pueblo de Los Angeles. There are numerous booths selling Mexican hand-made items, restaurants, etc. located on Olvera Street. There is also a public plaza where entertainment can often be found. Several historic buildings are located on the south side of the plaza.
 
Across the street from Olvera Street is the Los Angeles
Union Station. This rail station opened in 1939 and
was used by the three railroads serving Los Angeles. It
continues to be used today by AMTRAK and commuter rail lines. Many
of our members probably traveled through our Union Station early
in their careers. A short block north of Union Station is
the Postal Service’s Los Angeles Terminal Annex (now closed),
another place our members may recall.
At 3PM we will return to the bus. Our step-on guide will leave
us when we depart from Olvera Street. We will travel north to
South Pasadena and Pasadena. Our route will include a portion
of the route followed by the Pasadena Rose Parade.
We will arrive back at the hotel about 4PM. Our hospitality room will reopen upon our return.
Free transportation will be available to the nearby California Wine and Cheese owned
and operated by NARPI members Tom and Janet Dugan.
Wine and cheese tasting will be available (separate charge/fee).
OR
Golf.
Our golf outing will take place at the Santa Anita Golf
Course located approximately 10 minutes from the
hotel. The cost for 18 holes is $37.00 including
the cart. Transportation will be provided at no
charge. We leave the hotel at approximately
9:30AM. The exact Tee Times will be announced at
the Hospitality Room on Monday evening. There are
four (4) sets of right handed clubs and two (2)
sets of left handed clubs available for rental at the
price of $10.00. Please indicate your desire to
play by placing the number of players on the Registration
Form. Pay at the course. See you on the First
Tee. "FORE".
 Wednesday.
A day at Santa Anita Race Track or the nearby Los Angeles
Arboretum. Our bus will take us from the hotel to both
locations starting at 11AM. For those prefering a shorter day, our bus will provide hourly shuttle service (starting at noon) back to the hotel and will leave Santa Anita every hour on the
hour and the Arboretum about ten minutes later. The last bus
returns to the hotel at 5PM.
Those choosing this event will have a buffet
lunch (included) in the Sierra Vista Terrace and indoor seating
to view the races. You will also receive a FREE program and FREE parking (if your prefer to drive). The Santa Anita Race Track has just celebrated its 75th
Anniversary. The view will be spectacular with the San
Gabriel Mountains providing the backdrop.
OR
Those preferring the Los Angeles Arboretum will be dropped
off at the entrance to the park. A tram tour of the Arboretum
is included and will help orient you to the 127 acre
Arboretum. The Arboretum is located on the historic Rancho
Santa Anita and includes the 1885 Queen Anne Cottage. The
“cottage” is an ornate example of Victorian extravagance. The
Peacock Café is available for lunch (on you own).
Again, the hospitality room will open upon our return to the hotel.
Thursday. Today you will visit either the NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) or the nearby Descanso Gardens. We will board the bus at 9AM for the 30 minute trip to the northwestern edge of Pasadena where JPL is located.
Our JPL tour will be 2-2.5 hours in duration and commonly includes a
multi-media presentation on JPL entitled "Spirit of
Exploration.“ which provides an overview of the Laboratory's
activities and accomplishments. You may also visit the von
Karman Visitor Center, the Space Flight Operations Facility, and
the Spacecraft Assembly Facility.
Please be advised that tours involve a considerable amount of walking
and stair climbing. Wheelchair access can be accommodated
with advance notice, however wheelchairs cannot be provided. Don't
forget to dress for the weather as the tour will proceed rain or shine!
JPL requires that all U.S. citizens, 18 years of age or older, present
official, government issued photo identification (driver's license or passport)
before being allowed entry. You will also need to provide
your identification information to us at least 33 days prior to
April 15th. JPL needs time to do a minimal background check for
security purposes.
Descanso Gardens. After dropping off those going on the JPL
tour, the bus will continue on to Descanso Gardens. You will
have a tram tour of the 160 acres of gardens. This being
spring, most plants should be in full bloom. Their website indicates
that Azaleas, camellias, irises, lilacs, native plants and wildflowers,
tulips, clivia and wisteria bloom in April.
We will leave JPL at about 2PM and then pick up those at Decanso
Gardens.
Upon our return to the hotel, the hospitality room will reopen. The
NARPI Executive Committee will meet at 3PM. This will be followed at
4PM by the Western Region Annual Meeting.
Our closing event will be our banquet. A no-host cash bar will open
at 6PM. The meal will be served at 7PM. The speaker will be
announced at a later date.
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