IWCS Blog

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MOVING AWAY IN 2023? HAVE A NEW ADDRESS?

Katja will be sending out renewal invoices for 2023 membership fees at the beginning of November and we need your help to make this a smooth process!

ONE – Have you moved in the past year and have a new mailing address? We need it to get the invoice to your mail box! Please let us know.

TWO – Are you moving away or otherwise not planning to renew your membership for 2023? Please send an email to cancel your membership for next year ASAP! We will then make sure you aren’t sent a renewal invoice in November and annoying reminders in early 2023. Your 2022 membership will still be active until the end of the year.

Who to contact?
Please email your address change or cancellation to Membership Coordinator Mariana Schwarz at membership @ iwcstuttgart (dot) org.

Why do we need to have you cancel your membership in writing?
Because we are a registered organization here in Germany, we are required to follow the rules specified in our by laws when members leave the area or otherwise wish to withdraw their membership in our club.

Those rules are:

➡️Members must notify us in writing if they wish to cancel their membership in the club (emails are fine).

➡️Members must notify us before the end of 2022 if they wish to cancel their membership for 2023.

➡️Members who do not cancel their membership before the end of 2022 and then fail to pay their renewal dues before the end of the first quarter in 2023 will be mailed one reminder invoice and then an letter notifying them that they are being removed from the membership list.

If you know you will be leaving, tell us now! It will save lots of headaches for everyone.

THANKS!!!

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SPECIAL EVENT: ENGLISH-LANGUAGE TOUR BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE STUTTGART OPERA & SCHAUSPIELHAUS

This event is for members +1 guest
Saturday, November 19th at 13:45
Location: Staatstheater Stuttgart, Oberer Schloßgarten 6,
70173 Stuttgart-Mitte
Nearest stations: Hauptbahnhof, Schlossplatz
Your host: Heather T.
Prepayment deadline: Thursday, November 10th

The curtains of the Stuttgart Staatstheater rise on more than 300 performances of opera, theater, and ballet each year.

But what happens during the day and what does it take to get each production stage ready? We will find out in November at our behind-the-scenes tour at the Staatstheater Stuttgart!

The Staatstheater refers to both the grand old Opera House (opera and ballet) and its modern neighbor, the Schauspielhaus (theater and ballet). These two houses are joined in the middle by an administration building.

We will meet at 13:45 on the front steps of the Opera House and our 90-minute tour will start at 14:00. We are scheduled to visit both auditoriums, the foyers, and the backstage areas.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE LOCATION

Unfortunately the buildings are not wheelchair- or stroller-friendly and there will be stairs.

Photography and filming during the tour are not allowed.

CORONAVIRUS SAFETY REQUIREMENTS

According to the confirmation letter we received, they do not currently enforce any pandemic regulations. However, their website does say that masks are still required for guided tours – bring one along in case it’s needed.

THIS IS A +1 EVENT, WHICH MEANS:

  • Any IWCS member plus one guest are welcome to attend.
  • Your +1 can be a partner, spouse, adult/teen child, or friend
  • You and your guest each pay the member cost listed below.

The cost of this event is €5 per person, paid in advance. The remainder of the tour costs will be sponsored by the IWCS and this is a Round Up For Charity event. All proceeds will benefit Frauen helfen Frauen. Twenty (20) spaces are available for this tour.

To reserve your spot, please RSVP in the private Facebook event. If you are not on Facebook, please contact Heather via the activities email address found in the newsletter.

To confirm your reservation, please transfer the  €5 per person to the IWCS bank account no later than Thursday, November 10th. If you have any extenuating circumstances that keep you from getting the funds to us by that date, please speak directly with the host so we don’t assume you are no longer interested.

Prepayments are non-refundable after the payment deadline. Members who have to cancel at the last minute are welcome to find another member or guest to send in their place.

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MEMBERS ONLY: ENGLISH-LANGUAGE TOUR BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE STUTTGART AIRPORT

This event is for members and their families
Saturday, October 8th at 13:45
Location: Visitor Center SKYLAND, Terminal 3, Flughafen Stuttgart, Flughafenstraße 32, 70629 Stuttgart
Nearest Station: Flughafen (S)
Prepayment deadline: Thursday, September 29th

ABOUT THIS EVENT

This fun and family-friendly tour puts a spotlight on passengers and airport traffic. If you have always wanted to sneak a peek behind the scenes at Stuttgart Airport and find out how it operates, this tour is for you!

Our tour will include the following highlights:

  • A short informational film about the airport
  • A tour around the apron (pre-runway) and airplane ground handling areas
  • Information about take-offs and landings
  • A visit to the airport fire brigade
  • A tour of the baggage handling area

The tour lasts about two hours, including security check. It begins and ends in the visitor centre “SkyLand“ in Terminal 3.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE LOCATION

During the tour, we will be in the security area of the airport. No weapons or sharp objects, such as pocket knives or scissors, may be taken along. Due to the statutory restrictions on liquids (beverages, cosmetics, perfumes, and so on), these items will also not be allowed once we pass the security check. These items will be stored for us and given back at the end of the tour.

We are welcome to take pictures and videos during the tour for private use, with the exception of the security check and the baggage handling system. Manually operated wheelchairs can be taken along. Electric wheelchairs unfortunately cannot be used on this tour.

Parents with children: There are no age restrictions for children accompanied by their parents. If babies or children are present, the accompanying adults are responsible for their supervision and for ensuring that the children follow the guide’s instructions for safety reasons.

CORONAVIRUS SAFETY REQUIREMENTS

We will update participants regarding masking or any other health requirements as we get closer to the date of this tour.

THIS IS A FAMILY EVENT, WHICH MEANS:

  • Any IWCS member and their family members are welcome to attend
  • Your family members can be of any age
  • You and your guests pay the costs listed below

STEP 1: Please RSVP in the private Facebook event and let Alison know how many adults and kids will be attending. If you are not on Facebook, please contact her via the email address found in the newsletter.

The cost of this event is €10 per adult, paid in advance. Children ages 6-17 are €5 each and little ones under 6 are free.

Tour costs will be sponsored by the IWCS and this is a Round Up For Charity event. All proceeds will benefit Frauen helfen Frauen.

STEP 2: Please transfer the  amount shown above for each person to the IWCS bank account to arrive no later than Thursday, September 29th. If you have any extenuating circumstances that keep you from getting the funds to us by that date, please speak directly with the host so we don’t assume you are no longer interested.

Prepayments are non-refundable after the payment deadline. Members who have to cancel at the last minute are welcome to find another member or guest to send in their place.

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MEMBERS ONLY: IWCS GOES TO THE WASEN!

For members only – 10 spaces available
Thursday, October 6th from 17:00
Location: Sonja Merz Zelt, Cannstatter Wasen, Mercedesstrasse 50, 70372 Stuttgart
Nearest station: Wasen (U) or Bad Cannstatt (S)
Cost per member €30 paid in advance no later than Friday, September 30th

Are you ready for an introduction to one of the most well-known cultural events in Stuttgart? Join fellow members of the IWCS at the Cannstatter Volksfest this fall for one of our much-anticipated evenings out!

The Cannstatter Volksfest, aka “the Wasen,” is the second-largest beer festival in the world after Munich’s Oktoberfest and will be taking place for the 175th time this year. Together we will enjoy traditional fest food, drinks, dancing, singing, and general madness in the Sonja Merz Wasenzelt (beer tent).

We have a table reserved for 10 and your reservation includes:

  • Four(4) vouchers worth 10 euros apiece to be used for any food or drink
  • Your entry bracelet to the tent
  • A reservation at a prime table in front of the band

The IWC Stuttgart will be subsidizing our table so members pay only €30 each. This includes a portion going to Frauen helfen Frauen, as this is a Round Up for Charity event. Participants are responsible for mandatory tips, so please bring some euro coins along. Trachtenmode (dirndls and lederhosen) is optional but encouraged 😊

To start the reservation process, please RSVP in the private Facebook event. If space is available, you will be asked to transfer your prepayment of €30 per member to the IWCS bank account no later than September 30th.

If you are not on Facebook, please message Sandra directly using the email address in the newsletter to RSVP.

If you have any extenuating circumstances that keep you from getting the funds to us by that date, please speak directly with the host so we don’t assume you are no longer interested. Prepayments are non-refundable after the payment deadline. Members who have to cancel at the last minute are welcome to find another member or guest to send in their place.

Ein Prosit!!

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MEMBERS ONLY SPA WEEKEND 2022

This event is for members only
Saturday, September 24th and Sunday, September 25th
Location: Baden Baden
RSVP/Prepayment in full required no later than September 10th
Space limited to 15 members!

Join us for a ladies’ weekend away in beautiful Baden Baden! We will leave Saturday morning via train, have a relaxing day at the baths (or spa – your choice!), and return on Sunday afternoon. Spaces are limited, so reserve your place now!!

OUR SCHEDULE

The agenda for the weekend is as follows:

  • Leaving from the Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof Saturday morning
  • Lunch at Rivazza Italian Restaurant, including a glass of bubbly on the club
  • Checking in to our hotel rooms
  • In the afternoon we will spend time at one of the nearby baths/spa described below
  • Dinner at Leo’s Restaurant (slightly fancy and delicious!)
  • An optional visit to the historic Baden Baden casino (bring your passport, ID is required – smart casual clothes required for women, no jeans)
  • We will discuss ideas for Sunday as a group, including breakfast (which is not in the hotel room price)
  • Returning to Stuttgart on a Sunday afternoon train

ACCOMMODATIONS

Our hotel will be the Hotel Quellenhof Sophia  where we have reserved beds for 15 people – 5 double rooms (€49,50+ 3,80 city tax per person) and 5 singles (€89 +3,80 city tax per person).

The hotel is located right in the heart of the spa town of Baden-Baden, between the romantic old town and the cozy Baths District, in the shopping district of Sophienstrasse.

SPA & BATHS VISITS

What makes Baden Baden so special are the Roman-Irish baths at the Friedrichsbad  (no swimsuits allowed). From their website:

“Roman bathing culture displays its full splendor in combination with Irish hot-air baths. This exclusive bathing treat can be experienced and enjoyed by completing a special circuit of 17 different stations. The changing temperatures and the precious thermal water in the various baths have a regenerative effect on body and soul.“

You can also choose a traditional spa with treatments such as the Caracalla Spa (no swimsuits allowed in the sauna area). Our hotel is within 50 meters of both places, so we won’t have to go far.

TRANSPORTATION & RESERVATIONS

Part of the fun is traveling together on a group train ticket, so you do not need to arrange your own transportation. Once everyone has RSVPed and paid, we will choose our connections.

To start the reservation process, please RSVP in the private Facebook event. If you are not on Facebook and would like to attend, please message Sandra directly using the email address provided in the newsletter.

After RSVPing and confirming with Sandra that there is space available, you will be asked to prepay your hotel room + €15 towards the train ticket (total is €68.30 for a double room and €107.80 for a single). Your prepayment should be in our account no later than Monday, September 10th.

PAYMENTS & CANCELLATIONS

Each guest will be asked to pay for their own food, drinks and spa treatments. The IWCS will be sponsoring the table water at our evening dinner together and a glass of Sekt for each member at lunch on Saturday.

We are unable to cancel the hotel rooms after September 14th. If you need to cancel after that date, you will need to find another member to take your place.

Our train tickets will cost approximately €25 per person, with each member paying €15 and the club subsidizing the rest. However there has been some talk recently about a possible extension to the 9 euro train ticket into September and October. Although that seems unlikely to be approved and financed so quickly, if that does happen we will keep your €15 prepayment as a charity donation and each person will be responsible for buying (or already having) a 9 euro ticket for September.

Looking forward to a wonderful weekend together! Hope to see you there!!

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MEMBERS ONLY: KESSLER SEKT TOUR & TASTING (+1 EVENT)

This event is for members +1 guest
Location: Kessler Sekt Kellerei, Georg-Christian-von-Kessler-Platz 12-16,  73728 Esslingen am Neckar
Saturday, September 17th at 10:15
Nearest station: Esslingen (S)
Prepayment deadline: August 31st

Do you have questions about how sparkling wine is made? A tour at Germany’s oldest sparkling wine producer will give you all the answers!

The House of Kessler is one of the few sparkling wine producers in Germany that has its roots in the Champagne region. Join us for a tour of Kessler Sekt‘s more than 800 year old cellar in Esslingen and a tasting of three types Kessler Sekt.

We will meet at 10:15 and the ninety-minute tour will start promptly at 10:30, to be followed by a tasting of three of Kessler’s delicious sparkling wines. You’ll want to eat a decent breakfast beforehand, because the portions are generous!

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE LOCATION

Unfortunately the wine cellars are not wheelchair-friendly and the tour is only suitable for people who are able to cope with walking over uneven ground and for those who have no problem with stairs (enclosed comfortable walking shoes recommended). It’s also chilly down there (around 13 degrees Celsius) so dress appropriately! Please note that there are no toilets available at the beginning of the tour, only at the end.

Because we are visiting a commercial food production facility, there are extra rules that we will have to follow including:

  • Wear clean clothes and shoes
  • No pets allowed
  • No smoking
  • No eating or drinking, including chewing gum
  • No touching any of the machinery or equipment
  • Do not attend if you are sick or have been in contact with someone who is

CORONAVIRUS SAFETY REQUIREMENTS

We will update participants regarding mask or any other health requirements as we get closer to the date of this tour.

THIS IS A +1 EVENT, WHICH MEANS:

  • Any IWCS member plus one guest are welcome to attend.
  • Your +1 can be a partner, spouse, adult child, or friend (18+)
  • You and your guest each pay the member cost listed below.

The cost of this event is €15 per person, paid in advance. The remainder of the tour costs will be sponsored by the IWCS and this is a Round Up For Charity event. All proceeds will benefit Frauen helfen Frauen. Twenty (20) spaces are available for this tour.

To reserve your spot, please RSVP in the private Facebook event. If you are not on Facebook, please contact Heather via the email address found in the newsletter.

To confirm your reservation, please transfer the  €15 per person to the IWCS bank account no later than August 31st. If you have any extenuating circumstances that keep you from getting the funds to us by that date, please speak directly with the host so we don’t assume you are no longer interested.

Prepayments are non-refundable after the payment deadline. Members who have to cancel at the last minute are welcome to find another member or guest to send in their place.

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MEMBERS ONLY: OUTING TO THE STUTTGART TV TOWER (+1 EVENT)

For members +1 guest
Thursday, July 20th at 10:00
Location: Fernsehturm Stuttgart, Jahnstraße 120, 70597 Stuttgart
Nearest station: Ruhbank (Fernsehturm) or Waldau
Your host: Heather

Join us on July 20th as we enjoy the view from one of Stuttgart’s highest and best known landmarks, the TV Tower aka the Fernsehturm! From a height of 389 meters above Schlossplatz, we will and enjoy impressive, panoramic views over the city, the vineyards of the Neckar Valley, and the Swabian countryside as far as the Alb, the Black Forest, and the Odenwald.

We will ride to the top and take in the view and afterwards enjoy some Kaffee and Kuchen at the restaurant.

How to get there: You can take the subway lines U7, U8 and U15 or a No. 70 bus directly to the stops “Ruhbank (Fernsehturm)” or “Waldau.” The Stuttgart TV Tower is only a few minutes’ walk away from either stop. There is also free parking at the tower, if you prefer to drive.

THIS IS A +1 EVENT, WHICH MEANS:

  • Any IWCS member is welcome to attend and bring along one guest
  • Your +1 can be a spouse, partner, friend or child
  • You and your guest each pay the member cost listed below

This event is FREE! The IWC Stuttgart will be covering all of the entrance costs for you and your guest.

To reserve your spot, please RSVP in the pending Facebook event in the private members’ group. If you don’t have Facebook, you can email Heather at activities (at) iwcstuttgart (dot) org.

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MEMBERS ONLY YULE IN JULY DINNER & GIFT EXCHANGE

YULE IN JULY “Holiday” Dinner & Gift Exchange
For members only
Friday, July 15th starting at 19:00
Location: The Ratskeller Restaurant, Marktpl. 1, 70173 Stuttgart (cellar of Rathaus)
Prepayment & menu information to follow

The IWC Stuttgart Steering Committee cordially invites all members to a very special evening on Friday, July 15th!

We have sorely missed our annual holiday dinner the last two years and since we can’t be 100% sure it won’t be cancelled again this year, we have planned a mid-year version of this much-loved event.

This year’s dinner is being planned at the brand-new Ratskeller Restaurant in the basement of the Stuttgart Rathaus. We have a private room reserved just for us and and are working on a dinner menu with them now.

We will start our evening with a complimentary glass of Sekt at 18:30 and move on to dinner at 19:00. After dinner, all members are invited to take part in our optional gift exchange, which is loads of fun every year. More details to follow!

As soon as we have settled on the menus for the evening, we will ask you to choose and prepay for your food. We have requested a price of around €30 per person, with a meat and a veggie option, plus appetizer and dessert.

In the meantime, please RSVP in the private Facebook event to get your name on the guest list. If you don’t have Facebook, please let Emily know you are interested by sending an email to info (at) iwcstuttgart.org 💌

Looking forward to celebrating together! 

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MEMBERS ONLY: SPARKLING WINE TASTING (CHARITY FUNDRAISER)

Sunday, June 26th at 15:00
Location: Heather’s home in Stuttgart-Heslach
Nearest station: Bilhlplatz (U)
Maximum 8 participants
Prepayment deadline: Thursday, June 23rd

If there is one thing our members love, it’s wine! So how about a sparkling wine tasting?

ABOUT THIS EVENT

Do you know what makes Prosecco different from Champagne or Sekt from Cava? Join member Heather Tfor a tasting of four different types of sparkling wine. She holds the WSET® Level Three Award in Wines, and has been studying wine for five years (and enjoying it for a lot longer!).

Heather will explain how they are made, what makes each one unique, and offer food pairing tips. Both the wine and some small bites to complement them will be provided.

This event is a charity fundraiser and 100% of your prepayment of  €20 will be added to our Frauenhaus collection for 2022. Please write “Spende Wine Tasting” in the notes section of your bank transfer if you plan to deduct the donation on your German taxes. 

ONLY 8 SPOTS AVAILABLE – RSVP NOW!

To reserve your spot, please respond in the private Facebook event (or use the form below if you aren’t on Facebook). To confirm your reservation, please transfer the €20 per person to the IWCS bank account no later than Thursday, June 23rd (see the comment above about what to write in the notes section). If you have any extenuating circumstances that keep you from getting the funds to us by that date, please speak directly with the host so we don’t assume you are no longer interested.

Prepayments are non-refundable after the payment deadline. Members who have to cancel at the last minute are welcome to find another member or guest to send in their place.