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Where: Westward Look Resort, 245 E. Ina Road.
What: 2008 review: A nice grouping of mineral exhibitors in their 7th year at Westward Look and offering higher-end mineral specimens. Plan on spending a few hundred dollars at a minimum, and on into the tens of thousands for rarer and more unique specimens. Having said that, one fossil dealer offered interesting insects-in-amber for as little as $90, and the insects were clearly identifiable. A few vendors carried some finished jewelry, and others offered meteorites. Even if you're not a mineral specimen buyer, this is a good show to spend an hour or so at enjoying beautiful mineral specimens in the warm atmosphere of Westward Look, and to learn about some of the minerals that catch your fancy.
Update for 2011 Special events: Collector Day, Saturday, February 5th, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., where the public can view a private collector's collection of minerals, ask questions, and learn more about mineral collecting! Sunday Evening Program, February 6th, [social hour begins 6:30 p.m.] and the program, which will cover the topic "Mineral Adventures from Madagascar," begins at 7:30 p.m., and features Dr. Federico Pezzota, a Curator of Mineralogy at the Museum of Natural History in Milan, Italy.
(Left, amazonite with permission of Mineralien Zentrum; right, rhodochrosite with permssion of Mike Bergmann.)
Inside or Out: Inside hotel rooms, but entrances are from an exterior walkway. There's good signage here that will direct you to the right rooms.
Parking: Paved, fairly ample.
Food: A drink and snack concession, including fresh fruit.
Rest rooms: Inside the main hotel lobby, which is quite a ways away.
2011 show dates: Only open 4 days: Friday, February 4th through Monday, Feburary 7th.
Show hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., except Monday the last day, and the show closes at 5 p.m.
Shuttle routes: To be determined.
For additional information: www.westwardminerals.com.
(Brasilianite, with permission of Nick Stolowitz, Green Mountain MInerals.)
Show dates (2011) at locations elsewhere: The Houston Fine Mineral Show, April 29th to May 1st, and the San Francisco Fine Mineral Show, July 8th through July 10th, The Embassy Suites Hotel, San Rafael, Marin. For further information and show dates: www.finemineralshow.com.
and San Franciso:
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