Schloss Lichtenstein - Pokémon GO Stuttgart USO´s
Transcription
Schloss Lichtenstein - Pokémon GO Stuttgart USO´s
THE MAGAZINE FOR AMERICANS IN GERMANY www.together-magazine.com Edition August/September 2016 Schloss Lichtenstein - The Swabian Fairytale Castle Pokémon GO Stuttgart USO´s 25th Annual Golf Tournament Traditional clothing week with Almrausch Party: September 8. – 11. Our Oktoberfest! The “Wild Days” at Schwabengarten have already become a tradition, tempting any number of stags and vixens to come and see what it’s all about. Here you can see and be seen, celebrate and enjoy the game dishes our chef will be serving throughout the week. Things get stylish at the famous – or infamous – Almrausch Party on Friday, September 8. For this evening, guests dress in traditional costume, with prizes for the nicest “dirndl” and the cwoolest “lederhosen”. The admission ticket includes a welcome drink, the Almrausch Menu and the music program with DJ Toko. We can’t wait to see you there! Your Schwabengarten family. 70771 Leinfelden-Echterdingen . Stuttgarter Str. 80 . Telefon 0711. 745 7 555 Weitere Informationen finden Sie direkt unter www.schwabengarten.com ch P a r t y Almraus ber 8. m Fr. Septe .00 Uhr : 19 e c n a Entr ADMISSION TICKET Advance sale: 27,50 EUR Evening sale: 29,50 EUR THE MAGAZINE FOR AMERICANS IN GERMANY www.together-magazine.com Once again I‘d like to welcome you to this month‘s edition of Together Magazine. In this issue you‘ll find a lovely mix of, what I hope, are interesting articles written just for you: about a Wellness Hotel in the Black Forest, a castle 40 miles south of Stuttgart, two caves in the area that you can explore, a great recipe, an article over the USO Stuttgart‘s summer Golf Tournament and a pretty hefty article about Pokemon Go, written by Pia Barney. This last article brought our graphics designer Patrick, to the brink of insanity—he, much like myself, has no idea what Pokemon is about, and as he sat in front of his computer, reading what seemed like gibberish to us, trying to find out which photos belonged where, we often wondered: what in the world is she talking about? So Pokemon Go players, hopefully you‘ll have a better idea than us, and we hope you enjoy the article! Lastly, I am proud to announce that the newest restaurant to accept the Together card is...drum roll please... Chillis! Chillis, located inside Stuttgart-Vaihingen‘s Schwabengalerie, will begin accepting the Together Card starting this September. For those of you that don‘t know, the Together Card can help save you money—simply bring your VAT form, fill up this pre-paid meal card (using cash or any major credit card), and enjoy all of your food and drinks at Chilli‘s 19% cheaper. Feel free to check out our magazine online as well, and I hope you‘ll all look forward to our next edition which comes out at the end of September. Stuttgart, August 2016 Uwe Warnack 3 Hello Lovely Readers! First, let me introduce myself, my name is Patrick Chaparro and I am a part of the team here at Together Magazine—I‘m responsible for creating the magazine‘s layout, but I‘m also a student at the University of Heilbronn. My work here at Together Magazine is closely related to my bachelors thesis, and this is the reason I‘m writing to you all today. You see, I need your help. In order for me to finish my bachelors degree, I need people to participate in a survey. I would greatly appreciate your help, and it will only take a few minutes of your time. You can fill out the survey online under http://keyingress.rz.hs-heilbronn.de/goto/togethermagazine or scan the QR-Code with your smart phone; which will take you to a link where you can answer the questions online. If your phone doesn‘t already have a scanner, they are free to download! A link to the survey will also be available at Together-Magazine.com and on our Facebook page. I hope you‘ll find the questions in the survey relevant as our goal is to create a Together Magazine that is satisfactory to you, the reader. All answers will, of course, remain anonymous. I would be extremely grateful to you for your participation! Lastly, I‘d like to make myself available to you for any questions, comments or concerns that you might have. Feel free to email me anytime at patrick.chaparro@together-magazine.com Thank you again! THE MAGAZINE FOR AMERICANS IN GERMANY www.together-magazine.com Table of Contents Page 6 The Westvleteren 12 Trappist beer Page 8 Recipes from STUTTGARTCOOKING Page 12 The United Service Organization - USO Stuttgart USO´s - 25th Annual Golf Tournament Page 13 Page 18 The Swabian Fairytale Castle Page 24 Chilli‘s - Mexican Restaurant y Bar Page 26 Page 31 Pokémon GO - Schloss Lichtenstein The Schwabengarten Together Magazine Inh.: Uwe Warnack Im Asemwald 4 70599 Stuttgart Tel: 0711 / 365 66 66 www.together-magazine.com info@together-magazine.com Pictures/Bilder Johannes Guggenberger Pia Barney Michael Franke Uwe Warnack Pixagentur ©2016 Pokémon/Nintendo Schloss Lichtenstein Touristinformation Sonnenbühl 5 THE BEST RATED BEER IN THE WORLD The Westvleteren 12 Trappist beer The Westvleteren 12 Trappist beer, brewed by the monks at the St. Sixtus Abbey, is one of the most coveted beers in the world by beer connoisseurs. It is also one of the most exclusive beers in the world, as the only place authorized to sell the beer is at the St. Sixtus Abbey in West Flanders, Belgium. There are websites that offer to sell the beer, but this is often at an outrageous cost to the buyer, and against the wishes of the monks that brew the beer. While in Germany, why not make a trip to the Abbey in West Flanders, Belgium, to buy some beer yourself. The beers from Westvleteren are listed as some of the best beers in the world, and twice listed as THE best rated beer in the world. 6 Before packing up the car and heading to West Flanders, you need to make an appointment for the beer. Along with only being able to buy the beer at the Abbey, it also requires some very specific planning and preparation. Each person is only allowed to purchase beer once every 60 days. Purchases are limited by first recording the automobile tag number and then by blocking the customer’s phone number for 60 days. This sounds extreme, but it gets worse. In order to make the appointment, you have to call the Abbey and request one. The beer phone is not frequently answered, so you must call during the hours when they accept calls, which is listed on their website calendar. Unsuccessful calls simply get a pre-recorded message in Dutch, followed by another message first in German, then in English advising to get more information from their website sintsixtus.be. My initial attempts to call resulted in busy signals, redialing for about 45 minutes using the redial button on my phone until I finally got an answer. The gentleman on the phone simply asked if I could be there that following Tuesday. I asked if I could come on Wednesday, and he agreed to 1500. He then took my tag number and that was it, no name, no more information, it was simple and concise. Now it is important to realize, once you have your appointment, it may be impossible to change. Also, know that the scheduled appointment will get you up to two cases of beer, 48 bottles. You could also end up with either the Westvleteren 12, 8 or their Blond beer (The 12 & 8 are listed very high on the best beers in the world). Their website has an appointment schedule that shows the beer they plan on distributing that day, or half day, but that is a guideline, not a guarantee. There is a café across the street from the Abbey where you can get something to eat, as well as taste all of the Westvleteren beers. The cafe is the only other place authorized to sell the beer. The cafe also has a shop where you can buy souvenirs, as well as up to two sixpacks of beer per person, when available. Check their calendar to confirm that they are open during your visit. www.indevrede.be. During my recent visit, they had a sign posted that there was no beer available for sale. After picking up my 2 cases from the Abbey, I stopped by again to pick up a souvenir. As I picked out my souvenir, they rolled out two pallets of the beer for sale. Immediately a 15 minute long line formed behind me. The Abbey is about a six hour drive from Stuttgart without traffic. You can opt to spend the night in Bruges, also about a 6 hour drive, and about an hour drive from the Abbey. On the drive to the Abbey for our scheduled appointment, we stopped on the way and dipped our toes into the North Sea, making sure we had plenty of time to arrive for our appointment. The man distributing the beer advised that coming a little late is not a problem, but often times people come too early, causing more traffic than necessary. He advised that they set out enough beer for all the appointments, so there is no worry of them running out. Once you have your prize beer, be advised that it is recommended to store the beer vertically in a dark place between 12 & 16 degrees Celsius and serve at a temperature of 10 to 12 degrees Celsius. The beer can keep for years and will continute to ripen. It is also advised that the beers take a year to start gaining flavor and 18 months to two years before the beers reach their full flavor. Trappist beer is not something you drink, it is something you taste. Bruges is about an hour drive to the monastery and is a quaint, but beautiful, canal-lined city that is very walkable. It is also very beer centric. You can try many different Belgium beers there, as well as delicious chocolate shops on almost every street. You can also get fresh seafood, and enjoy a Belgium favorite of Mussels with French Fries, Moules Frites. It is also the home of the Crescent Brewery www.Halvemaan.be and De Struise Brewery. Ghent is also about an hour drive from the Abbey and is a beautiful, very walkable city. Link to the Abbey beer calendar: http://docs.sintsixtus.be/bierverkoopactueel.htm The left column is the times when they will answer the phone; the right column lists the beer distribution dates. The Cafe across from the Abbey calendar: http://www.indevrede.be/kalender.php?lang=en text and pictures by JA 7 Recipes from STUTTGARTCOOKING Johannes Guggenberger is a trained chef born in Styria, Austria, who moved to Stuttgart, Germany, more than 30 years ago. His parents had a restaurant in Austria, so he was raised on the Austrian cuisine. When he came to Stuttgart, he did not know much about the regional Swabian cuisine. The more he learned about it, the more he valued it and fell in love with it. Johannes Guggenberger is the chef at the canteen in the Stuttgart-Stammheim prison. In order to express his passion for the classics of the Swabian cuisine, he established the blog “Stuttgartcooking” to share his collection of recipes. On top of that, he recently released his cookbook “Stuttgartcooking Leckeres aus dem Ländle”. For more information visit http://www.stuttgartcooking.de Baby Back Ribs with a Mediterranean potato salad The ribs were an experiment for the oven. But they also can be made on a BBQ grill. The marinade only has a few ingredients; this is what I like best. I made a potato salad to go with the ribs. I gave it a Mediterranean twist with olive oil, basil and other ingredients. When preparing the potato salad, I recommend to use plenty of olive oil. 8 Ingredients: Preparation: • • • • • • • • 1 kg of Baby Back Ribs For the marinade: 30 ml of rapeseed oil (canola) 1-2 tablespoons of mustard 1-2 tablespoons of tomato paste 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 3 tablespoons of soy sauce 1 1/2 tablespoons of honey Mix the mustard with the tomato paste and then slowly add rapeseed oil with a whisk. Then add the garlic, honey and pepper. • Ground black pepper to taste For the potato salad: Spread the mix evenly on the ribs, this works best with a brush, season with salt and allow it to marinate for a couple of hours. Then put the ribs in the oven at 200°C / 390°F for 30 - 45 minutes (depends on the size of the ribs) from both sides. You can also cook them on the charcoal or gas grill. • • • • • • • • • • 500 grams of potatoes 2 boiled eggs, roughly chopped 1 apple, cored, cut into pieces and marinated in lemon juice Fresh basil to taste, roughly chopped Olive oil 200 grams of feta cheese, diced 1 large red chili pepper, diced Some vinegar or lemon juice Honey Salt • Pepper Preparation: Boil the potatoes as usual, and let them evaporate. Roughly cut them into slices or dice them. Add the chopped eggs, feta cheese, chili pepper, basil, olive oil and plenty of apple cubes and season with a splash of vinegar, salt, honey and pepper. 9 The Schwabengalerie in Stuttgart is the perfect shopping destination for you, your family and your friends. Just one mile east of Stuttgart‘s Patch Barracks, the Schwabengalerie is centrally located, easy to find, and has everything you could possibly need for a fun day of shopping. With over fifty shops and businesses, there‘s plenty to do and see! From a delicious ice cream bar and cafe, to the original and delicious Tex-Mex restaurant, Chilli‘s—Enjoy your coffee, ice cream, drink, or meal out in the sun at the Schwabengalerie‘s second floor roof top patio. On these last few warm summer days, you can bring your little ones to play in the rooftop‘s floor water fountain (or simply sit and enjoy the sun with the relaxing sound of flowing water in the background). There‘s also a fresh supply of delicious fruit at the downstairs market, a DM, Bijou Brigitte, a flower shop, Ernstings family (the perfect place to get your family’s back-toschool attire), a Kaufland and an Aldi (for your grocery shopping needs), a fitness studio and much more. You can either park directly in the Schwabengalerie‘s park house (and walk straight inside), or you can take the bus. Great deals, amazing products, the brands you love, all conveniently located—and with excellent customer service, what more could you ask for? Ebene Hauptstraße 3 1 Media Markt 1.OG 5 Schw aben platz 24 Cente rman agem ent 3. OG 6 23 7 21 arcona 17 10 Entrance Hauptstraße 13 15 16 20 11 55 14 12 AFG / LVG 25 physics 2. OG Entrance Rathausplatz Entran ce Rathau splatz 32 33 31 28 50 49 52 34 35 36 37 38 53 54 26 41 40 42 48 47 46 45 44 43 Kaufland Haup tstraß e 39 dm Vaihi nger Mark t Seero senst raße 30 Aldi Süd Media Markt Restaurants 02 Chilli’s Mexican Restaurant y Bar 24 Eiscafe Canaletto 20 King’s Palace China-Restaurant 3. OG Bach straß e 27 Public Services 21 arcona MO.HOTEL, Stuttgart 03 Civic Forum 11 BW-Bank (ATM) 07 L.A. Nails 23 SuperCut (Salon) Perfumery 06 Mußler Parfümerien Health & Fitness 17 Binder Optik (Glasses) Serviceleistungen der SchwabenGalerie Haup tstraß e Ebene Rathaus 21 Restaurant im arcona MO.HOTEL 12 talltree Coffee Shoes 04 Deichmann 16 Shoe Town Werdich 9 Modepark Röther 8 19 18 22 Fashion 14 Belucci 08 Bonita 22 Ernsting’s family 19 M’fashion 15 mister*lady 09 Modepark Röther 4 Deichmann Vaihi nger Mark t 2 Seero senst raße All of your favorite shops in one place straß e Ratha uspla tz / Bach 2. UG Stamps at McPaper Groceries 28 Aldi 53 Bäckerei Keim (Bakery) 54 Feinkost Kanbur (Deli) 43 Kaufland 52 Metzgerei Schneider (Butcher) 40 Tchibo 34 Vaihinger Teeladen (Tea Store) Restaurants 46 Asia Hung 45 Peperoncino Pizza + Pasta 47 Timi’s Grill Public Services 49 Tailor and Dry Cleaning Vaihingen Vaihinger Markt 48 33 35 44 50 42 25 Physics – Fitness- and Health Center Jewelry & Gifts 18 Bijou Brigitte Bookstore 13 Weltbild plus Electronics 01 Media Markt 10 Vodafone Service 55 Culture room www.schwabengalerie.com WC 2. UG Entrance Rathausplatz Wilde Rose (Flower Shop) Foto Vario (Passport Photos) Friseur Klier (Salon) Friseur Top Hair (Salon) Kral Shoe- and Key Repair TUI Travel Agency Health & Beauty Market 39 dm-Drogeriemarkt Health & Fitness 31 Apollo Optik 32 Pharmacy inside the SchwabenGalerie 30 Vitalia Reformhaus (Health Food Store) 50 Shops · Mo. – Sa. from 10:00 – 20:00 · 1000 Parking spots · Schwabenplatz 7 · Stuttgart-Vaihingen Photobooth Ebene Rathaus BW-Bank Entrance Hauptstraße Entrance Rathausplatz u. Hauptstraße Jewelry & Gifts 38 Nanu Nana 41 Time & Gold Bookstore 37 McPaper Electronics 36 GameStop 26 Media Markt - Car Radio Services 27 Media Markt - Pick Up Station schwabengalerie.com Calling all Shopaholics Mark your calendars for Sunday Shopping Sunday, h, r 18t e b m e t Sep s all Store m open fro 0 8:0 1 – 0 0 : 13 free * Parking *Free parking on Sunday (9/18/2016) from 10:00 to 21:00 at the SchwabenGalerie 50 Shops · Mo. – Sa. from 10:00 – 20:00 · 1000 Parking spots The United Service Organization written by Pia Barney picture by Pixagentur Or simply put, the USO, is a non-profit organization that provides services, programs, and events for the United States military‘s service members and their families. Established by President Roosevelt in 1941 in preparation for the Second World War, the USO celebrated its 75th anniversary this year! The USO‘s main mission is to help strengthen America‘s military service members by “keeping them connected to their families, home and country throughout their service to the nation.” Based out of Arlington, Virginia, the USO has offices and holds events all over the world. On various military bases, in airports, and even at overseas duty stations, they go where we go. Providing service members and their families with whatever it is they might need. They offer a little taste of home even when you´re hundreds of miles away. Did you know? The USO is not a part of the federal government. It is run by dedicated staff and a powerful family of volunteers relying on the support of their local communities, organizations and corporations in order to complete their goals. Last July, I had the pleasure of speaking with two of the members who work at the USO in Stuttgart while attending one of their (fantastically) organized events. Tiffany answered: “I think that the people who give so much of their time to an organization of 75 years just know that it‘s a worthwhile cause, in all aspects...” Nora pointed out that one of the great things about the USO is that “the events change based upon the needs of the community.” I then asked about some of the events that were specifically being held in Stuttgart this year. I learned about organized family brunches, care package preparations for our active duty soldiers, “Ice Cream Socials” (because who doesn‘t love ice cream?) and Stuttgart‘s third annual “Sun and Fun Day.” This last event, will be held on Stuttgart‘s Patch Barracks on August 27th and it is going to be one of the biggest of the summer. There will be good food, games, water festivities and more! The best part about it? Like all USO sponsored events— it’s free! So if you live in the area, be sure to check it out! “It‘s (a) great (event) because we can get the whole community to come together.” Last, but certainly not least, the USO Stuttgart can offer you German language classes as well as various trips around Europe. To find out more about the classes, events and trips that your Stuttgart USO will be having this year, check out their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/usostuttgart/?fref=nf To find out more about the organization in general or to donate, please visit https://www.uso.org/ Do you have a story about your local USO that you‘d like to share with us? Feel free to email us at: pia.barney@together-magazine.com The center director, Tiffany (right), and the programs coordinator, Nora (middle), were kind enough take the time out of their busy day to talk to me. These two lovely ladies have worked at the USO for quite some time now, and they both had nothing but praise for the organization. When asked, “If there was one thing you wanted people to know about the USO, what would it be?” 12 Stuttgart USO´s 25th Annual Golf Tournament This past July the USO Stuttgart held its 25th annual Golf Tournament at Golf Club Hammetweil (4 Stars) in Neckartenzlingen. This tournament is not only meant to provide a little bit of recreation and entertainment for service members and their families—it helps to strengthen the bond between the German and American communities. Germans are encouraged to come out and play alongside their American friends. A lot of people came together to make the tournament work; American and German Volunteers, the USO, German companies, and even United Airlines. An amazing lunch was served by Golf Club Hammetweil, and live entertainment was provided by TOGETHER Magazine. We brought in U.S. musician Mark Ritter to play some fancy tunes with his guitar, and everyone seemed to have a great time. Even the lovely ladies of the USO stepped “on stage” a few times to play the maracas or the tambourine. 13 I had the chance to speak to a couple of the guys at the tournament who were playing as a team, Stacey, Jaimie, Dean and Adam (who then happened to go on to win 2nd place). Stacey is stationed in Stuttgart, and he says you can almost see his house from the Golf course; it‘s just a few villages over. This is his fourth year participating—“I like it, I like that it‘s outside of your typical golf course like on base. Part of what makes it so great is its out on the economy. It‘s a part of the German community.” Jamie, who is also stationed in Stuttgart, has taken part in the tournament every year since 2010. “I love it.” He‘s been playing golf off and on for the last 15 years, though he says “I wouldn‘t call it playing—I participate.” Jamie won the “Longest Drive” award at the tournament. Dean works on Stuttgart‘s Airfield. He‘s been at the golf tournament for a total of three years. “I enjoy it every time, it‘s nice to get out of the city.” They all seemed to be in agreement that it was one of the best golf tournaments around—“Being in the military for over 20 years, it‘s one of the best in regards to the course, the people, and the food. It‘s different, not just a typical on base MWR tournament. The staff (at Golf Club Hammetweil) is amazing.” I didn‘t get a chance to talk to Adam one-on-one, but he seemed to be in agreement with the rest of the guys. One tip I picked up through conversation: don‘t forget your sunscreen! Golf Club Hammetweil is also pet friendly! Water was provided for the pups, and the restaurant offers lovely views of the countryside. The USO (and all of the fantastic volunteers) did a great job putting this event together. I‘d like to especially thank Nora and Tiffany (The USO Stuttgart‘s Center Director and Program Coordinator), and, of course, thanks to Stacey, Jaimie, Dean and Adam for allowing me to “bug” them for information. written by Pia Barney and pictures by Pixagentur THE MAGAZINE FOR AMERICANS IN GERMANY www.together-magazine.com 14 The perfect place for your party or event From 30 to 60 persons – we take the VAT Form Besenkeller Röck Jelinstrasse 10 – Entrance Hechinger Strasse 70567 Stuttgart – Möhringen 0152 - 08 58 13 80 Mail: info@besenkeller-roeck.de Do you miss shopping at the mall? Well, with over 70 stores, businesses and boutiques, spread out among three stories, the Sterncenter in Sindelfingen is the premier shopping location for you. Located directly at the main bus station, and just a short walk away from the cities main train station, the Sterncenter isn‘t hard to find. Parking is also available inside the mall‘s parking house. Here, you‘ll find a variety of shops that will satisfy your fashion, clothing or home-decore needs (H&M, KIK, New Yorker, DM, Deichman, C&A, Bijou Brigitte, Blumen Center, California Nails, Hunkemöller, and much, much more), as well as a food court (where you can find Asian, Italian, German food and more), a baker, butcher, and a candlestick maker—okay, no candlestick maker, but if you needed a candle, you could find one here. There‘s an Apotheke, a Fielman, a Bookstore, a Grocery Store (REWE) and so much more. Lastly, there‘s a theater on the top floor, and a children‘s play area on the bottom floor—Whatever it is you need, the Sterncenter in Sindelfingen is sure to have it. Open Monday to Saturday from 8:00 to 20:00 ”At dark, I go fashion hunting.“ Shop and enjoy at the Stern Center – with the best of fashion, lifestyle and gastronomy. Late-Night Shopping until 11 pm and fireworks at the bus station Sindelfingen from 10.50 pm on September 9th Stern Center: Mercedesstraße 12, Sindelfingen, over 70 stores, 1,000 parking spaces – one hour of free parking. www.sterncentersindelfingen.de The Swabian Fairytale Castle - Schloss Lichtenstein If you take the B27 south of Stuttgart, driving through Reutlingen and Pfullingen, you‘ll eventually reach Lichtenstein. It‘s a rather short drive, 45 minutes to an hour, depending on traffic, and after Pfullingen you‘ll be cruising through small villages and a few winding, mountain roads. The Swabian Albs are an absolutely breath-taking site, so take your time—and don‘t speed, there are quite a few speed traps and cameras in this area (for your safety)! You‘ll soon be able to see the castle from below; Schloss Lichtenstein lies directly on a cliff located near Honau on the Swabian Albs in Baden-Württemberg—above the source of the river Echaz and it has been around since approximately 1200 A.D. castle served as the Duke‘s seat from 1390 to 1567, and was then later used as a forester‘s lodge. After the Thirty Years‘ War (1618-1648) this castle slowly fell into disrepair and in 1802 part of the ruins were demolished (later to be used by Duke Frederick II, later known as King Frederick I of Württemberg, to build a princely forest and hunting lodge). In 1826 the German author, Wilhelm Hauf, published a novel entitled „Lichtenstein“ – it was the romantic era. During the romantic era, the Middle Ages, castles and knights were glorified and this novel takes place in 1526. The main character, Duke Ulrich, was driven from Württemberg and hid in the castle Lichtenstein and its neighboring caves. Wilhelm Graf von Württemberg loved the novel so much that he bought the surrounding land and forester‘s home in 1837. This was where he wanted to build his summer residence. After the demolition of the original forestry and hunting lodge, Schloss Lichtenstein was built (1840-1842). The Count added on an outer ward and a trench to protect the castle and its hidden treasures from thieves and burglars. Between 1898 and 1901 the outer buildings of the castle were built, and finally, Burg Lichtenstein was complete. Nowadays you can visit the courtyard and outer buildings, as well as the beautiful interior of the castle (two stories are available for viewing). A short history lesson... About 500 meters away from the castle, you can see the ruins of the „Burg Alt Lichtenstein“ which was built sometime between 1150 and 1200 A.D. This smaller castle was originally destroyed in 1311, and after being rebuilt it was once again damaged between 1377 and 1381 during the Swabian Civil War. It was never rebuilt; instead, another, new castle was erected in 1390. This 18 19 Whether you are in the great hall, the armory or the ball room—each room is full of beautiful antiques, preserved paintings, decorations and furniture. Outside, you can see an interesting collection of older weaponry, such as the cannons that once provided the castle with additional protection. The entrance fees for the castle and the castle grounds are €3.50 for children, 7€ for adults, or with a Military Discount: €6. The Nebelhöhle or “The Fog-Cave” Only a few meters from the castle is the visitors’ parking lot. There is a small beer garden with a children‘s playground. Next to the beer garden you can find a Waldklettergarten or forest, climbing park: Adventure Park Lichtenstein. Children (over 8) and adults can show off their climbing skills and bravery. This climbing park is open until the beginning of November. The park closes if there are any extreme weather conditions (rainstorms or heavy winds); when in doubt simply call in advance (07129-69 43 95). If you have all day to explore, a trip to the nearby caves is noteworthy, as both caves are less than 10 minutes away by car (6 miles). 20 The first cave is the “Fog-Cave” or Nebelhöhle, and it has been around for quite some time. It was first mentioned in text in 1486, but it was surely used as shelter, or as a safe haven, long before then. The Nebelhöhle was first called a “fog hole” until it was given a larger, and more comfortable entrance in 1803. It is important to note that the temperature in the caves is a constant 48°F and 50°F throughout the year. The cave also retains 100% humidity, so bring a warm, water resistant jacket. The formation of the cave took place over millions of years; 150 million years ago this area was covered in water. The shifting plates of the earth took what is today‘s Southern Germany and lifted it above the sea. The drying of the former seabed, along with the naturally formed cracks and crevices, are what formed the cave you see today. Stalactites began to grow—it is estimated that the stalactites grow at a painstakingly slow rate—1 cm every 60 to 80 years. So you can see just how long this cave has been in the making. The Nebelhöhle is one of the biggest and nicest caves that you can visit in Southern Germany. The cave is 830 meters long, 480 of which you can walk through. Unfortunately, the cave is not wheelchair friendly, seeing as there are over 141 steps and no elevator is available. The Bärenhöhle or “The Bear‘s Cave” 21 day, he decided to go digging with his group of friends and found a small cave. Inside they found rings made of bronze and gold along with various pieces of bone including over 50 human remains, most likely from the Plague during the Thirty Years War. The cave is split into two parts: the originally discovered Karlshöhle and the 1949 discovered Bärenhöhle, 271 meters of which are accessible. The Bärenhöhle, much like the Karlshöhle, was filled with various bone fragments—due to the numerous bone fragments and skulls of cave bears, this new section was soon called Bärenhöhle, or Bear‘s Cave. Nowadays, both caves are referred to as the Bärenhöhle. The temperatures in these caves are also 48°-50°F year round (so remember your warm clothing), but unlike the Nebelhöhle a large portion of the Bärenhöhle is wheelchair accessible. Only a few kilometers away from the Nebelhöhle, you will find the Bärenhöhle. On the 30th of May in 1834, the local school teacher Fauth lost his tobacco pouch as he was gathering herbs out in the forest; it fell down a crevice in the ground and into the darkness. The following 22 written and pictures by Uwe Warnack pictures p.19 by Schloss Lichtenstein pictures Nebel- and Bärenhöhle by Touristinformation, 72820 Sonnenbühl ORIGINAL AMERICAN BBQ The perfect location for your „Family-Event“ or Promotional/Department Party with Event Room Capacies up to 150 people. Parking available Original BBQ from Smokers Live Grilling Events Burgers Large Beer Garden BBQ Live Music Events Steaks Want to be informed? Sign up for our Newsletter over the Internet Page Emil-Kiemlen-Weg 51 - 70376 Stuttgart 0711-93582394 info@tims-barbecue.de www.tims-barbecue.de We‘d like to introduce you to our new Together Card! We‘ve created this card in hopes of saving you money, so please read below to find out how it works. The Together Card is a prepaid dining card that is given out by restaurants that work together with our magazine. This card is only given out to Americans living in Germany on official military or government orders and their affiliates—as it can only be filled up in conjunction with a VAT form! The Together Card has our logo on one side and the restaurant’s logo on the other. For example, here you can see the Schwabengarten‘s Together Card: The Schwabengarten, located in 70771 Leinfelden-Echterdingen, is one of the first, of hopefully many, restaurants to join us! The new “Chilli´s“ Restaurant will start with the Together Card in September. This card offers you the possibility of eating your meals at the Schwabengarten tax free. Just bring your VAT form with you and ask for the Together Card at the register. Here you can fill up your card with varying amounts (100 € / 150 € / 200 € / 250 € / 300 € / etc.). What this means is that all future snacks, meals and drinks at the Schwabengarten will be tax free when purchased with your Together Card. Even if you‘re just buying your kids an ice cream, or you are stopping in for the occasional weekend beer; why not get everything 19% off! R Die SchwabenCard ist Eigentum der Schwabengarten OHG Schwabengarten OHG . Stuttgarter Straße 80 70771 Leinfelden-Echterdingen . www.schwabengarten.com The Schwabengarten has been using the Together Card since the middle of May and more restaurants are sure to follow. If you‘d like your favorite restaurant or cafe to take the Together Card then please send us an email (contact@ together-magazine.com) with the restaurant’s name, address and contact information, so we can get in touch with the owners. 23 This Mexican-American restaurant is located on the second floor of the Schwabengalerie—offering you delicious food, fine quality beverages, a variety of desserts, and a relaxing atmosphere, both inside and out. To top it off, it comes with professional, fast, and friendly service. Aside from their signature Mexican-American cuisine (that comes with a refreshing and delightful European twist) the restaurant also offers a wide variety of other international and regional menu options. Lets not forget the dessert and and beverage menu, as they are sure to impress: to drink you‘ll find carefully selected wines and spirits, tasty cocktails, international, national and regional beer selections, a variety of soft drinks, juices, and even delicious strawberry, vanilla or chocolate milk shakes. For dessert there‘s an interesting mix of ice cream creations and ice cream floats, molten chocolate cakes and more. This Chilli‘s is not to be confused with the American Chili‘s franchise that can sometimes be found on American military facilities overseas. Although their names are similar, you‘ll see that there is a quite a difference in quality—with Chilli‘s (the one with two L‘s) coming out on top. During my last visit I had a fantastic chocolate milk shake, some cherry-banana juice, and the beef fajitas. My associate had the “country burger” and although I didn‘t have a chance to taste his meal he assured me it was quite tasty (and it looked pretty good too). The food was quickly and professionally prepared and presented. You could tell that everyone who worked at the restaurant really took pride in the food—from the chef, to the business manager, to the wait staff. Chilli‘s is the perfect place to go and relax after a hard days work, to kick back on the weekends, or to host your next business or birthday lunch or dinner. The outdoor patio is located next to a wonderful, and soothing ground water fountain—a great place for the kids to play on these last warm summer days. Chilli‘s is open from Sun-Thu from 11: 00-24: 00 and on Fri / Sat from 11: 00-01: 00. With the kitchen closing at 23: 00 and 24: 00 respectively. Exciting News: Starting in mid September Chilli‘s will be accepting the Together Card! The pre-paid meal card that will save you 19% of any of your food or beverage purchases at Chilli‘s! Simply bring your VAT form, fill up the card with your desired amount, and enjoy your meal written by Pia Barney 19% off. 24 0 .00 - 24.0 SO - DO 11 1.00 0 .0 11 FR / SA 0 FROM 11.0 HOT MEALS .00 23 TO SO - DO 24.00 FR / SA TO RS E F F O H C N LU - 14.30 0 MO-FR 11.3 AY TAKE AKW TAILS FOOD, COC R C U O H Y P P A H OCKTAIL Schwabenplatz 3 70563 Stuttgart-Vaihingen 0711/99 7777 50 www.chillis-stuttgart-vaihingen.de Alright people, the time has come... ...to talk about Pokémon! That‘s right, Pokémon GO In case you‘ve been living under a rock for the last couple of months, or you somehow managed to skip the 90‘s and early 2000‘s, Pokémon Go is a new, popular mobile application (or, as Google puts it, a free-to-play location-based, augmented reality game developed by Niantic for iOS and Android devices) that allows you to wander through nature capturing Pokémon and hatching Poké eggs. No idea what a Pokémon is? Well, allow me (a child of the 90‘s) to explain. (No seriously, where have you been this entire time? Saturn? The Moon? No worries, we‘ll get you caught up). theme song to the show was sure to be heard in living rooms across the nation by the early 2000‘s. The show thrived, and it continues to do so; there have been numerous seasons, movies, and spin-offs, each with their own unique touch, but with Ash and Pikachu (Ash‘s first Pokémon and by far one of the most popular Pokémon in existence) at their center. “Pokémon was launched in Japan in 1996 and today is one of the most popular children‘s (pff, children‘s) entertainment properties in the world.” Its creator Satoshi Tajiri (an extremely talented man who also happens to be autistic) was inspired by his childhood love of catching insects and tadpoles around his suburban home in Tokyo. He decided to create a game where others could also have fun “catching” various creatures out in the wild, and so Pokémon Red and Green* were born. These games were created for the Nintendo Game Boy system in Japan and released on February 27, 1996, making Tajiri‘s dream come true. These games allowed people of all ages (see: all ages, not just for kids) to catch, train and trade the 151 creatures that he and his amazing team of nerds had created! More games were released, each with their own unique generation of Pokémon. Soon people everywhere dreamed about the day that they, too, could become Pokémon Masters…. and low and behold, that day is here. Pokémon were born. Later that year, a Pokémon trading card game became available, and soon to follow were mangas, comics, and an anime series. The show was named after the adorable creatures themselves. The games and the show were so popular in Japan that they were soon released in Europe and North America (1998). The show’s main character was named after Satoshi himself, which was later changed to “Ash Ketchum” for the English versions. Ash and his band of friends (both human and Pokémon alike) travel their way through the lands looking for gym leaders to battle and Pokémon to capture and train. Ash‘s dream is to become “the very best, like no one ever was” and the catchy 26 Pokémon Go is the application allowing us all to fulfill our childhood dream of becoming a Pokémon master. Here‘s how it works: After downloading the application onto your phone, you can create your avatar; the options for avatars are currently limited, but you can slightly customize your outfit, hair and eye color. Then, you choose your first Pokémon! The choices in the game are much the same as they were for Ash in the first episode of the show: Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, and the unexpected Pikachu (though there‘s a trick to getting the last one: don‘t choose any of the first three repeatedly). Then, you‘re off! Out into the world you must wander (yes, literally) in order to find rare and exciting Pokémon for your collection (or, you know, five thousand common Pokémon, that works too). The game is currently limited to the original 151 Pokémon, but there has been some talk of expanding it to include later generations. Pokéstops are placed at various monuments and historical landmarks around the world, so you‘re bound to find at least a few in your local area. All you have to do is walk up to the Pokéstop and spin the Pokésign. Who knows, you might actually learn something about the real world while you‘re at it. Pokéstops don‘t only give you more Pokéballs though, they‘re also the only place where you can get revives and healing sprays (to heal up your Pokémon after battle) and Poké eggs. That‘s right, you can‘t just catch Pokémon, you can hatch them too! I know, I know, now you‘re asking me: but how do we catch Pokémon? With Pokéballs of course! Pokémon eggs will hatch once you‘ve walked a certain distance, in real life, while playing the game. There are 2 KM, 5 KM and 10 KM eggs and the further you walk, the rarer the Pokémon you‘ll hatch. What are Pokéballs? Well...this is a Pokéball: It‘s where your Pokémon lives when it‘s not out wandering around with you or battling other Pokémon. (Pokémon battle to gain experience and level up!) What happens if you run out of Pokéballs? No problem, you can get more at Pokéstops. DENTIST With modern treatment methods and the latest dental technologies, as well as the ongoing training of our entire team, we can offer you a wide range of dental expertise. Rüderner Str. 2 70329 Stuttgart 0711-32 10 10 Once you reach level five in the game, you‘ll be asked to choose a team. The options are: Team Mystic, Team Valor or Team Instinct. Who doesn’t love a little bit of friendly competition? Don‘t know which team to pick? Let me introduce you to some of the players: Team Mystic (Blue) Team Valor (Red) Team Instinct (Yellow) Team Leader: Blanche Team Leader: Candela Team Leader: Spark Motto: „The wisdom of Pokémon is immeasurably deep. I am researching why it is that they evolve. With our calm analysis of every situation we can‘t lose!“ Motto: „Pokémon are stronger than humans, and they‘re warmhearted too! I‘m researching ways to enhance Pokémon‘s natural power in the pursuit of true strength. There‘s no doubt that the Pokémon our team have trained are the strongest in battle!“ Motto: “Pokémon are creatures with excellent intuition. I bet the secret to their intuition is related to how they‘re hatched. You never lose when you trust your instincts!“ Player: Melissa Player: Becka Player: Lystian “I‘m team Mystic, and I chose it because when I hit level 5 all the gyms around me were blue, so I decided that they were tough kids and that I‘d roll with them--plus, leader Blanche is pretty cool.” “My earliest Pokémon memory is actually not the game or the show-though I was obsessed with both-but begging my dad to buy me packs of the ‚Team Rocket‘ card packs because the Pokémon art was so gorgeous. I had a red binder with Pikachu on the cover where I kept all the cards and used to drag it out to play with my friends at recess. I was also super into the Pokémon Snap game for the N64, which Pokémon Go really takes me back to with the app‘s ability to snap Pokémon photos. The first Pokémon game I played was Pokémon Yellow, because I was so excited that Pikachu followed you around and you could talk to him. But my best Pokémon in the 28 “I chose Team Valor to play with my friends and the team lines up more with my thoughts on Pokémon.” “First memory: reading the comic in a Nintendo power on a school field trip before Red and Blue were released in the states. I have played since the very first day. (In regards to Pokémon GO, the) App: I love it in general and being able to catch almost any Pokémon is awesome. My favorite Pokémon of the first 151 is Pidgey and all of its evolutions. I‘ve definitely caught it! My highest Pokémon is an 1800ish Lapras I hatched from an egg.” “I chose Team Instinct initially because I just liked Yellow the most, now I‘m kind of digging the childish stereotype that has gone with because I feel like I am still a child inside so most of it is really entertaining for me.” “My earliest Pokémon memory is watching the show whenever it came on. I also remember my gamer cousin playing it on his game boy color. I was an aspiring vet at that age so seeing a twist on animals was amazing to me. My favorite part about the app are the pokestops. I love seeing what they are and finding quirky parts of a village or city that may have been missed before.” game was a level 93 Pidgiot named Gust. I loved him like a son. When I restarted my game I traded him to a friend for safe keeping, and she restarted her game and deleted him. I lost a child that day. My favourite thing about Pokémon Go is the level of challenge it provides. It‘s not easy to catch them all, and I love that. I‘ve spent whole days adventuring and I‘ve still only caught a measly 62. I would only consider myself an intermediate player, but after so many weeks I‘m still motivated to drain my battery getting out there and trying to catch or evolve something new. My favourite experience would probably be the first time I held a gym. I took it and managed to hold it for 9 days. I was so very proud of myself, my Hypno, and my 90 defender bonus coins.” Lielsl “Hello everyone, I thought I‘d introduce myself too, I‘m Team Valor. I chose team Valor because I think Pokémon are strong, and kind hearted too, just like Candela.” “My earliest memory is of me watching Pokémon, the show, at my friend’s house when I was in elementary school, possibly even Kindergarten. I had no idea what Pokémon was and my friend, who had a Gameboy, told me all about it. I‘d play on her Gameboy whenever I could and we‘d watch Pokémon together in her living room. She‘s always been an amazing artist and she taught me how to draw anime characters and Pikachu!” “My favourite Pokémon is Growlithe, and I still haven‘t caught him. I saw his shadow once, but I couldn‘t track him down. When I do there will definitely be a happy dance, onlookers or no! My favourite and highest CP Pokémon is my Flareon. Her name is Lady, and she‘s sitting at 1021CP.” “My favorite experience is going to my friends village one night and literally spending the whole night walking around his village. My other favorite is going to the park in that same village. There is a gorgeous duck pond with pokestops on each end so we can just make laps, watch the fish and ducks, while hatching eggs and catching Pokémon.” “I haven‘t had a lot of time to play the game yet but I think it‘s pretty amazing! I also started re-watching the original show, which is available on Netflix. My favorite catch so far is my Seel. He‘s not very strong, but he sure is “My favorites are oddish and rapidash. I have caught an oddish; cute.” they‘re so cute! However a ponyta or rapidash have eluded me. My highest powered Pokémon is a Lapras I hatched from a 10km egg.” 29 Well, that about sums it up. Believe it or not, there are quite a few things I didn‘t explain about the game (like what a lucky egg is (helps you gain XP) or what incense or lures are (they bring Pokémon to your location or to Pokéstops) what holding a gym means (having strong Pokémon and getting coins), how coins work, how to fight gym battles, or that Pokémon need candy to level up and evolve—yes, Pokémon evolve) but you‘ll just have to find out the rest for yourself! This is an amazing game, giving people a wonderful excuse to get outside and get some fresh air. It can allow us to gap generational bridges (go have fun, play with your kids or your grandkids), build stronger communities and make new friends. Lastly, as the game states in its opening screen, be careful of your surroundings when playing, don‘t trespass, don‘t walk out into oncoming traffic, and don‘t disrespect people. I don‘t care how high of a CP that Pikachu has, look both ways when crossing the street, don‘t play and drive(!), or walk into glass doors—you catch my drift. Be safe, and don‘t ruin the game for others just because you forgot to use your common sense. If we work together, we can all be the very best, like no one ever was... To find out more about Pokémon in general, visit the following websites: http://www.Pokémon.com/us/about-Pokémon/ http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Main_Page To learn about, or download the app, head to: http://www.pokemongo.com/ Do you play Pokémon GO? What is your favorite Pokémon? Send us screen shots at: pia.barney@together-magazine.com to be featured online or in our next article! I wish you all happy hunting! Lielsl out! #Team Valor #Team Lugia Alliance *When the games were released in the U.S. Pokemon Green was changed to Pokemon Blue pictures©2016 Pokémon/Nintendo About the Author: Pia Barney is a duel citizen (German and American) who lives in Kaiserlautern, Germany with her husband, a cat, and two dogs. She‘s in her final year as a student of Anthropology at Oregon State University and enjoys studying, traveling, reading, writing, hiking, swimming, dyeing her hair, tattoos, painting, movies, video games and coloring. The Schwabengarten in Leinfelden-Echterdingen The Schwabengarten in Leinfelden-Echterdingen is the biggest beer garden in the Stuttgart area. With its open-air atmosphere, fast and friendly service, food that is made-to-order, always fresh, fast and friendly— and with plenty of drinks, deserts and German goodies made available to you…what more could you want? Maybe, a dog friendly beer garden? That has various doggy water stations throughout the beer garden? Check. Lots of secure space to park your car or your bike? Check. Maybe an indoor seating area as well if the weather isn‘t as nice? Check: The “Alm” has over 200 indoor seating spaces and an adorably eclectic Bavarian charm. Maybe, you‘d like to save 19% off your next meal? Check. The Schwabengarten was one of the first locations to accept the Together card, a pre-paid meal card that works with the VAT form saving you 19 percent off of every snack, drink, or meal that you have at the Schwabengarten. Also, no need to clear the table after you‘re done— they‘ll gladly do that for you. Okay, I get what you’re saying, maybe you don‘t feel like sitting down and having a meal, maybe you‘re really just in the mood for some great take-out? No problem, the Schwabengarten now offers you food to go in eco-friendly, take-away boxes so you can enjoy your meal at home. Throughout the year the Schwabengarten will also host various live bands and public events—their number one goal: to make sure that you have a great time, and a great meal, no matter the day or occasion. So go and enjoy a delicious beer, have some schnitzel or a “Ries‘n Hax‘n”, a pretzel, some ice cream, French fries, cake— whatever you want, there is no shortage of goodies for you to choose from. To top things off: everything is freshly prepared with produce received from regional farmers and factories that you can trust. Schwabengarten is the family and pet friendly beer garden in the Stuttgart region, and it‘s definitely worth the short drive. We stopped by last summer, gave the pups some fresh water (and a little, tiny bit of my orange popsicle), and had a lovely meal in the sun before heading back home. It was such a fun, relaxing atmosphere; if we‘d had the time, we would have stayed longer—and I‘m already looking forward to our next trip. You can also host your event at the Schwabengarten! There‘s plenty of space to have a great party. written by Pia Barney 31 Enjoy a home-brewed Calwer-Eck-Bräu and delicious Swabian specialties in Stuttgart‘s first and smallest local brewery! Stuttgart‘s first local brewery Brauhaus Calwer-eCk THIS IS WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT: SINCE 1987 • home-brewed, naturally cloudy beer delicacies • delicious swabian food ACCEPTED • VAT FORM DS ACCEPTED • CREDIT CAR OKEN • ENGLISH SP • „All-you-can-eat“-Brunch every Sunday • Rostbratenday every Monday from 18:00 pm • Weekend party events • weekly new Lunch Specials • Space for private parties, celebrations or business events • Live Sports in HD Stuttgart‘s first local brewery SINCE 1987 Brauhaus Calwer-eCk So kann Bier! CONTACT & & RESERVATIONS Brauhaus Calwer-Eck Calwer Straße 31 ∙ 70173 Stuttgart Tel. +49 (0)711 22249440 Fax +49 (0)711 50484422 info@calwereck.de www.calwereck.de OPENING TIMES Mo. – Thu. 11:00 am – 24:00 am Fr. + Sa. 11:00 am – 01:00 am Sun. 10:00 am – 23:00 pm Holidays 17:00 pm – 24:00 am On the evening before holidays open until 01:00 am. Scan QR Code to go directly to our homepage! f NEWS round about the Calwer-Eck also on www.facebook.com/ calwer.eck.stuttgart