AWA Highlights April 2018

THE

I N T E R NAT I O NAL

WO M E N ' S

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O F V I E N NA

2018

SPRING IN VIENNA BY

ROSE

MARIE

G AT S C H A

APRIL / HIGHLIGHTS / 2018

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EDITORIAL SHEILA HARGREAVES

Editorial and President’s Message

TABLE OF CONTENTS March was a very strange month for me as I was suddenly catapulted into the additional role of Highlights’ 3 Editorial / President's Message Editor following Anthea Hankey’s 4 Board Members sudden resignation. Thank goodness, 5 Welcome to AWA's New Members Susan Mikes is eminently capable of, and enjoys, inputting the articles and 6 Social Team: Who's Who? pictures and, between us, we have tried 7 Meet More Board Members our best but the magazine will arrive a little late. The process should be 8 Meet More Board & New Members smoother for May. Cannabis-the Medical Story Susan is a delight to work with and she 9 types so quickly. It occurred to me that, whilst I used pen and paper 10-11 Clubhouse Activities to take down notes at University, she would have used her computer!

What a huge advantage for her and later generations. I have actually 12-13 Calendar enjoyed the gathering of articles and materials for this issue but 14-15 Events: Tours, Trips & Socials having a team for May onwards is a great advantage. Mary Donohue 16 FAWCO / MAWA has agreed to proofread, a very welcome addition to the team.

The Meet the Board members continues this month plus a few short 17 Classifieds biographies of new members, one, of course, being Danaë April, 18-19 Around Town a very recent arrival, who volunteered, even before she paid her membership fee, to lead the Outreach team. She is, therefore, a great 20 Recipe addition to AWA and plans for the Spring Outreach event are in 21 Vegan in Vienna motion.

Meet Urte Paulus & AWA Visitors' Group Helene Gressenbauer-Rösner, AWA Vice President for Programmes, 22 has devised an interesting series of General Meetings, one on April 23 AWA Tours 26 at the MAK, when the General Director, DDr. Christoph ThunHöhenstein will speak about How the MAK can contribute to our HIGHLIGHTS APRIL 2018 future. He is an excellent speaker as I can testify! Later in the year, we will be entertained both at the Academy of Sciences and in Deadline for May Highlights submission: Europahaus.

1 April 2018.

News of the new US Ambassador-Designate Traina is that the Senate PROOFREADERS: Rose Marie Gatscha / has held a meeting with him and he awaits confirmation. He hopes Jane Webster / Mary Donohue to be here in May or June, so we can only wait for a date for the Photos published in Highlights, including Ambassador’s Coffee. His wife will, hopefully, agree to become cover photos, are often images sent to AWA Honorary President. us by members. We are always eager to Urte Paulus, our “Lady in Red”, not only leads AWA Hula and also receive photos from AWA events to add to co-leads Creative Writing but holds World Champion status and her Highlights. Please forward your images to awahighlights@gmail.com. article is fascinating. Samantha Day is also a Champion and will tell us more in May but this month she has written about another interest, Highlights is a publication of the AWA of Vienna.

Highlights is published monthly from September to June and is sent to all vegan food and restaurants. members of the AWA. As part of my preparation for editing this month’s magazine, I looked back in time to the first edition in this A4 format and, surprisingly, the All inquiries should be addressed to: AWA Vienna Attn: Highlights Editor, Singerstrasse 4/11 1010 Vienna calendar in May 2016 covered just one page, not the current double spread. Since that time, there has been an enormous explosion in the All rights to the printed material in Highlights, including advertising and the cover painting/photo, revert to the contributors following publication. number of events, activities, tours, trips and social events offered by Highlights is printed on chlorine-free paper. our team of volunteers pictured on page 6. Not all of them are named!

We are all so lucky to have their expertise and organisational ability! ZVR-Zahl 327744193 Eigentümer, Herausgeber und Verleger: I offer them our collective thanks.

AWA Vienna, Singerstrasse 4/11, 1010 Wien.

I hope that you enjoy this edition and that more of you will share Für den Inhalt verantwortlich: your stories in the future. We will be delighted to accept offers!

Offenlegung/Herausgeber: We are so lucky to have so many amazing women in our Sheila Hargreaves, Krautgartengasse 3A/2/3, Himberg bei Wien organisation!

Diese Zeitschrift dient dem Zweck, Freunde der American Women’s AssociaHappy April, tion über Aktivitäten der Organisation zu informieren.

Sheila Hargreaves

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BOARD MEMBERS PRESIDENT Sheila Hargreaves sheilahargreaves@a1.net 0676 755 9804

VICE PRESIDENT CHARITY FUNDRAISING AWAVPFundraising@gmail.com

VICE PRESIDENT PROGRAMS Helene Gressenbauer-Rรถsner awa@awavienna.com (01) 966 2925

SECRETARY Stephanie Jepsen awa@awavienna.com (01) 966 2925

TREASURER Jillanne Gabler awa@awavienna.com (01) 966 2925

FAWCO REPRESENTATIVE Laurie Richardson lrichardsonvienna@gmail.com 0676 972 4939

MEMBERSHIP CHAIR Sara Sba AWAViennaMembership@gmail.com (01) 966 2925

ADVERTISING MANAGER Nadia Di Paola awahighlightsads@gmail.com (01) 966 2925

PUBLIC RELATIONS & COMMUNITY LIAISON CHAIR Rocelyn Kielnhofer AWAVienna.PublicRelations@gmail.com 0664 4586 685

WEBMASTER

LIVING IN VIENNA EDITOR & BUSINESS MANAGER Teddie Weyr awa@awavienna.com (01) 966 2925

Christine Dierickx awa@awavienna.com (01) 966 2925

WEEKLY COFFEE CO-CHAIRS

Marina Hornasek m.hornasek.adamse@gmail.com 0660 572 1971

HIGHLIGHTS' TEAM EDITOR Sheila Hargreaves awa@awavienna.com 0676 755 9804

GRAPHIC DESIGN EDITOR Susan Mikes awahighlights@gmail.com 0699 1402 5299

Gerda Moes gerdamz@gmail.com 0676 387 2450 OFFICE MANAGERS

Ivy Melchor

Erin Silangil

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WELCOME TO VIENNA

AWA VIENNA OFFICE & CLUBHOUSE: Singerstrasse 4/11, 1010 Wien T: (01) 966 29 25 E-mail: awa@awavienna.com www.awavienna.com

OFFICE HOURS: Monday to Thursday, 10:00-16:00 Friday closed OFFICE MANAGERS: Ivy Melchor & Erin Silangil

decision

NEW MEMBERS

Christa Gumbinger Delta Suandi Barbara Wolff

Bridget Senior Caroline Freddi Cheryl Kish Mary Donohue

Emese Pal

Claudia Alvarez Danaë April Diana Doncheva Gloria Pascher Helena Advini Janet Lacey Jennifer Vishnoi Mila Alexandrov

Christa Houshband

Krairung Michele Pestre Rosanna Romano Sue Meyer Phothiphan

Jocelyn Nitsch Gabriele Ossinger

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AWA S O C I A L T E A M WHO'S WHO?

LANGUAGES

Nadia Di Paola Italian Conversation Tours & Luncheon

Franรงoise Delannoy

Andrea Melchiorre German Conversation

Antonia Zane

French Conversation

French Conversation

Annick Gauthier

Robert Blaukopf

Ladies' Dining Experience

Ivy Melchor Yoga

Sandy Shaffer Bible Study

MAWA (Men of AWA)

Urte Paulus

Creative Writing & Hula

Mary Wagener

Book Discussion Group

Leslie Hof

Fluent & Beginners Spanish

SOCIAL

Conversation

Kristina Musil

Mona Angel

Teresa Benet

English Conversation

Irene Schlegelmilch

Ladies' Wine Evening

Prosecco and Popcorn Film Night

Ida Vickers

Renee Lichtenstein

Art in the Evening

Let's go to the Movies

Nayiri Asvazadurian Rocelyn Kielnhofer Falun Gong

Tennis/Golf/Canasta Beginners' Mahjong

Sonja Reiterer

Adv. Beginners' German

Adv. Beginners' German

Samantha Day

Sheila Hargreaves

Happy Hour Cocktails

Phyllis Wieser Seniors' Luncheon

Sandra ReindlSchweighofer

Monika Sautner Beginners' German

Vera Saunders

Tours

Seniors' Afternoon Tea Party

Lini Stangl

Heike Little

H E A LT H A N D S P O R T

Brisk Walk

Donna Scharpf AWA Singing Group

Family Hike

Stephanie Barrett Baby & Toddler Group

AWA Singing Group

Lee Goodel Games Galore

HANDYMAN, REMOVALS...

PAUL MOCKO DOES IT ALL! Electrical Work / Telephone & Internet Support / Satellite dishes & SKY TV Installation / Wooden Deck Construction Furniture Assembly & Disassembly Painting / Patching / Hanging Curtains & Pictures / Removals Appliance Installation & Repair Works Days & Evenings / Speaks English, German & Polish I highly recommend Paul. He moved my house contents three times, with all the disassembling and reassembling of furniture plus all the tasks that removals require. He is utterly reliable and trustworthy.

Sheila Hargreaves, AWA President ________________________________________

0676 950 5789 / s.mocko@gmx.at / www.homeservice.prv.pl

- Helping AWA members for over a decade -

Dr. Gabriele Springer

AESTHETIC DENTISTRY | VENEERS TEETH WHITENING | PERIODONTOLOGY In our practice you will find the quality you are used to from the U.S. Our team, including a dental hygienist, is at your service. Special rates apply for AIS and VIS students.

For appointments contact: t: 01 804 33 83 or 0676 453 05 35 e: zahn@springerdent.at | www.springerdent.at Jagdschloร gasse 9/11, A-1130 Vienna

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MEET MORE BOARD MEMBERS

FAWCO REPRESENTATIVE Laurie Richardson came to Vienna in 2006 from Washington, DC with her Austrian husband Friedl, son Lucas, and dog Daisy. Her son will be leaving this summer to study at an American university, but Austria is their home now. She found her way to an AWA meeting in 2007 and became a member of the team that wrote the 2008 Living in Vienna. Laurie was AWA's Vice President for Programs (2008 – 2009), then became President (2010-2012). She appointed Sheila, the current President, as Office Manager in March 2010. Through AWA, she got involved in FAWCO, the network of American and International women's clubs representing 10,000 women in 60 clubs around the world. FAWCO's UN Rep in Vienna since 2012, she has been FAWCO's UN Liaison since 2015, leading a team of 14 UN Representatives who attend UN conferences with a focus on gender equality and women's empowerment.

She is eternally grateful to AWA for leading her to FAWCO, and grateful for so many things in life!

WEEKLY COFFEE CO-CHAIRS Marina Hornasek-Adamse was born in Sweden but moved to the USA as a child.

After studying biology and medical technology at University, she worked in a Children’s Cardiac Clinic. Meeting Viennese penpal, Othmar, in New York, finally led to their wedding in the Hofburg Chapel, with Marina arriving in a white horse and carriage. They recently celebrated 45 years of bliss, in New York, sailing on the Queen Mary 2. Marina has worked for international firms and later established a consulting business with Othmar. Meanwhile, her children have followed suit and all work for multinationals. Five grandchildren fill up her time but co-hosting the Weekly Coffee and AWA have always been a great personal enrichment with different cultures and individuals, and friendships lasting beyond Vienna.

Gerda Moes was born in The Netherlands but after she married Wieber in 1979, her life changed dramatically. As he worked for the World Bank, they travelled extensively to far flung places such as Indonesia, Tunisia, Bangladesh and Washington DC, raising two children on the way, a son and a daughter. They now have a grandchild living in The Netherlands! They are both addicted to traveling and now take long vacations via house swaps. So far they have been to Greece, France, Italy and the UK with one of the loveliest places being on the island of Santorini, where they stayed in a house built into a rock face. Gerda joined AWA in 2008 and since 2009 has shared the hosting of Weekly Coffee with Marina Hornasek.

ADVERTISING MANAGER Nadia Di Paola serves as AWA Advertising Manager, Monthly Luncheon organiser, etc... Born and raised in Montreal, where she studied at McGill University and worked for a major pharmaceutical company. She later moved, on her own to Italy, where she met her husband and has 14 year old boy and girl twins. Before moving to Vienna, they lived in a town just south of Milan, where Nadia worked as an ESL teacher and later as marketing assistant. They moved to Vienna just two years ago and are enjoying it tremendously. They enjoy outdoor activities and sightseeing this part of Europe.

GRAPHIC DESIGN EDITOR Susan Mikes joined the AWA in 2016, after moving from Boston, MA. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from Suffolk University, is a singer and songwriter, writes visual journals, and acts on occasion. She has performed with various Boston based electronic projects since 1996 contributing both front and back up vocals. She pursues a peaceful mind and healthy body through yoga and continued study of philosophy. She is a pharmaceutical sales rep and certified Makeup Artist and is the Graphic Design Editor for the Highlights Magazine. Susan grew up in both Boston and Vienna and looks forward to meeting all members. In her free time she enjoys walking around the city and taking her rescued puppy, Loli, to the dog park.

PUBLIC RELATIONS & COMMUNITY LIAISON CHAIR Rocelyn Kielnhofer is not only a Doctor of Optometry but also qualified in International Business Management. Married to a Hotel Executive, their expatriate life in 10 countries encountered many wonderful and different cultures and traditions. Whilst supporting her family, she volunteered in International Schools and Women's Associations, holding Board positions such as Treasurer. She also coordinated a variety of events and committees from Fundraising to Bazaars and from Account Administrator to Yearbooks. Arriving in Austria in August 2017, she became involved in the PTA Committee at the VIS, shortly afterwards joining AWA and the Outreach Team. From January 2018, she has a new role on the AWA Board as the Public Relations & Liaison Community Chair. In her spare time, she is learning German at the University of Vienna.

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MEET MORE BOARD AND NEW MEMBERS OUTREACH CHAIR & NEW MEMBER Danaë April was born and raised in New England where she graduated, developed an enthusiasm for snowboarding and began her career in marketing. It was on a Vermont mountain top where she met, and later married, her husband, Steve. With a passion for travel and adventure, together they have lived in California, Florida and New Jersey.

When a position was offered to her husband last year, they jumped at the opportunity to come to Vienna with their adorable and energetic German Shorthair Pointer, Tig. She loves meeting new people, hosting friends, reading and learning, cooking, making new memories and staying active; most of which help to minimize her FOMO (fear of missing out). After attending a great wine tasting in February, she joined AWA and will be leading the Outreach Committee.

OFFICE MANAGER Erin Silangil-Spindler was born and raised in San Francisco, California; she met her husband to be, Tobias, at a Ball in 2010, on a flying visit to Vienna. After a five year long-distance courtship, she married Tobias in September 2015 and moved to Vienna in January 2016. She left her post as a nurse specializing in Obstetrics, and turned her full attention to music. Until February 2018, she was a full time student at Prayner Konservatorium studying Operatic Repertoire and recently, she began singing harp concerts with her partner, Sebastian Peissl. She will begin performing concerts with the Vienna Baroque Orchestra this spring, singing in a production of Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi. She is grateful to be working at the AWA and looks forward to coming in every week - the positive energy and laughter AWA that members provide lifts her spirits!

NEW MEMBER Libuša Mišíková, arrived in Vienna in August 2017 with her husband who assumed his post as Slovak Ambassador to Austria. Born and raised in a small town at the foot of High Tatras, she graduated from the University of Economics in Bratislava, completing her studies with a two-year postgraduate study of International Relations. Currently she is taking a career break to support her husband, walking her dog, Coudy in Schönbrunn Park, discovering Vienna, and looking forward to the many activities organized by AWA. A mother of two sons, one studying in Munich and the younger still enjoying “mama hotel,” she and her husband lived in Germany for eight years and in Brussels, the heart of EU, for four. “Brussels was an especially wonderful experience for my family; we met representatives of almost all European countries”.

NEW MEMBER Mila Alexandrov was born and educated in Bulgaria but became an Austrian citizen in the late 1990’s, almost 20 years ago, together with her family. For many years she worked as a Science and Biology teacher in many International Schools in beautiful places such as Malta, Bahamas, Netherlands and Austria. This gave her wonderful experiences. Here in Austria, she has taught Biology in VIS, DIS and St.Gilgen International School. In 2014, as Director, she opened a new Study Academy Vienna - providing revision programmes and summer schools for IB Students, recruited from all International Schools to help them prepare for their exams. The summer camps, to which students come from all over the world to learn German, Mathematics, Art and English, are equally rewarding. She loves teaching and enjoys working with and supporting her students. She has fun too!!

NEW MEMBER Andrea Schulbach de Schmid was born in Colombia, South America, to German parents who sent her to a British school. She became trilingual as German was spoken at home. After studying Economics in Bogotá, she did a Masters in Business in Venezuela, to where she moved with her new Austrian husband. In 1990, she moved to Brussels and worked as a volunteer mainly doing finances and leading a group of volunteers, a great experience! She became Finance Manager for a monthly magazine on issues around the EU and then with a law firm. 3 years ago, they decided to move to Vienna, with their children living in Germany and London, they are quite international, spending half the time here in Vienna and the other half in Spain. She loves cooking although not on a day to day basis, plays golf and bridge, and loves cycling and walking.

NEW MEMBERS WELCOME EVENT

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CANNABIS – THE MEDICAL STORY CONTRIBUTED BY AGATA WEEKS

Cannabis, marijuana, pot - the stuff that makes you high, right?

A plant with a sleazy reputation dismissed for years as a teenager’s drug. But recently medical research has proved that it has untold health benefits, often successful when traditional medicines fail and without any side effects. Despite a long history of human use - first cultivated in Mesopotamia around 8000 B.C - all hemp production was halted in the US by the mid-1930s when cannabis was regulated as a drug and outlawed for any use in 1970. Now, however, successful medical results have led to it becoming legal in the majority of European countries and many US states, some only for medical use.

My personal journey with this extraordinary plant started 5 years ago. My father was diagnosed with a brain tumor and, in the absence of any remedy, I decided to bring cannabis oil from Switzerland to Poland. It contained THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and cost me a fortune, but I had to try to save my dad. It did indeed help him to get over the radiotherapy without the usual side effects but once he started feeling better, his natural scepticism reasserted itself. As an old-fashioned doctor, he demanded evidence of clinical research, there was none, and opted for traditional treatment.

Sadly, he died soon after. I was left with a substantial amount of cannabis oil, with which I have been experimenting ever since - on myself, my husband, my cats and on anyone open-minded enough to try it.

So how exactly does it work? All vertebrates have a selfhealing mechanism called the endocannabinoid system, ECS, discovered in the 1990’s and which reacts with the cannabinoids present in the hemp plant, through receptors located in the central and peripheral nervous system and other critical areas of our body. Phytocannabinoids bind to these receptors generating a response in the ECS. The body then starts a healing process, just as it does when you break a bone or cut yourself.

Cannabis, with its non psychoactive extracts of different cannabinoids (CBD being the main one), is now commonly used to treat both human and animal ailments from anxiety to cancer. The products on the market are called "CBD oil" and range from 3-30% strength. In the UK, it is in the finalstage trials as a treatment for epilepsy and is also widely used in skin care products.

And so having been denigrated for years, this amazing plant has now become the world’s most talked about and sought-after, natural, medicine.

Competent, friendly staff will welcome you to our office. We strive for excellence in everything we do, and as a patient you should accept nothing less. Our primary goal is to give you both a great smile and a healthy, longlasting bite. We are committed to providing the best possible treatment using state-of-the art orthodontics in a caring, friendly environment.

Billrothstrasse 58 1190 - Vienna +43 1 36 77 222 smile@claudia-aichinger.com www.claudia-aichinger.com

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CLUBHOUSE ACTIVITIES

/ LANGUAGES /

ITALIAN CONVERSATION /Monthly Monday, 9 and 23 April at 13:30 Nadia Di Paola / 0678 1252229 FLUENT SPANISH CONVERSATION /Weekly Mondays at 12:30 Teresa Benet / ftmirella@yahoo.com BEGINNER’S SPANISH CONVERSATION /Weekly Mondays at 13:30 Teresa Benet / ftmirella@yahoo.com BEGINNERS’GERMAN GRAMMAR /Weekly Tuesdays at 10:30 Monika Sautner leads this grammar session.

GERMAN CONVERSATION A1+ /Weekly Tuesdays at 12:00 Andrea Melchiore will lead this conversation. andrea.s.melchiorre@t-online.de / 01 876 2041 ADVANCED BEGINNERS’GERMAN CONVERSATION / Weekly Tuesdays at 10:30 Mona or Sonia lead this German conversation group.

FLUENT GERMAN CONVERSATION /Weekly Wednesdays, assembling after Weekly Coffee, fluent German speakers take lunch in different local restaurants.

FLUENT FRENCH CONVERSATION / Weekly Now every Wednesday at 12:00 with Françoise Delannoy or Antonia Zane.

ENGLISH CONVERSATION FOR LEARNERS/ Weekly Thursdays at 13:00 Leslie Hoff / 0680 307 2911 / leslie.hoff58@gmail.com

/ HOBBIES /

AWA BABYAND TODDLER GROUP/ Weekly Mondays from 15:00 until 16:30. Stephanie Barrett will be playing her guitar for songs such as The Wheels on the Bus, in English. The sessions are great fun, attracting babies and toddlers up to two years old!

AMERICAN MAHJONG /Weekly Tuesdays at 13:00. For experienced players.

AMERICAN MAHJONG FOR BEGINNERS /Weekly Fridays at 13:00 For those interested in learning a really fun game, join this group.

CANASTA /Weekly Wednesdays at 13:00 on 11 and 25 April. This is a card game from the Rummy family and is great fun to play! Join Rocelyn and play!

Rocelyn Kielnhofer/ kielnhoferr@gmail.com / 0664 4586685 GAMES GALORE / Weekly Thursdays at 10:00.

The Scrabble Group has extended its repertoire to include Rummikub, a numbers game, Banana, a fast paced word game and Boggle. Come and try your luck.

Lee Goodell / 0650 548 9596 / leegoodellusa@yahoo.com CRAFTING / KNITTING GROUP / Weekly Tuesday afternoons from 13:30

Join us for a weekly gathering at the clubhouse.

Bring your current projects and we’ll work on our pieces, getting help when we’re stuck, and accolades when we complete beautiful projects!

/ CULTURE /

COFFEE AND CRIME /Monthly Monday, 16 April from 10:30 - 12:00 Join the lovers of crime novels in the Clubhouse to discuss the book, A Game of Ghosts by John Connolly. It is deep winter. The darkness is unending.The private detective named Jaycob Eklund has vanished, and Charlie Parker is dispatched to track him down. Parker's employer, Edgar Ross, an agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, has his own reasons for wanting Eklund found.

BIBLE STUDY /Weekly Thursdays from 10:00-12:00, with Sandy Shaffer who is an expert leader of women’s Bible Study Groups. From April to early June, the group will be looking at the letters of the Apostle John. The title of the study is Putting Love in Action. Newcomers are welcome any time.

Sandy Shaffer / 02243 287 01 / sshaffer@entrust4. org CREATIVE WRITING (BI-LINGUAL) / Monthly Wednesday, 11 April at 13:00 Urte would love to have either expert, not quite there yet, or novice writers of all genres to join a support group with members sharing their expertise, offering advice or feedback and learning writing techniques! Join her to support each other in a relaxed atmosphere. Mary Donohue will join her as fellow writer.

Sign up by Monday, 19 April. Urte Paulus /0676 676 5829/ urte.paulus@gmx.at Mary Donohue / 0676 627 6254/ Mary.philomena.donohue@gmail.com PROSECCO AND POPCORN FILM NIGHT IN THE CLUBHOUSE /Monthly Monday, 30 April at 18:00. Join Irene for Prosecco, popcorn and the comfy sofas at the Clubhouse. The film this month is Dunkirk, starring Tom Hardy, Harry styles, Mark Rylance and Kenneth Branagh.

In May 1940, Germany advanced into France, trapping Allied troops on the beaches of Dunkirk.

Under air and ground cover from British and French forces, troops were slowly and methodically evacuated from the beach using every serviceable naval and civilian vessel that could be found. At the end of this heroic mission, 330,000 French, British, Belgian and Dutch soldiers were safely evacuated.

Irene Schlegelmilch/ 0660 6404410/ ireneschlegelmilch@gmx.net

/ OFFSITE CLUBHOUSE ACTIVITIES /

BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP /Monthly Tuesday, 17 April at 13:00 We will be discussing Something Will Happen, You'll See by the Greek writer Christos Ikonomou, translated by Karen Emmerich. The collection of short stories focuses on the challenges in the lives of working people in Piraeus, the seaport city

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CLUBHOUSE ACTIVITIES & OFFSITE

southwest of Athens after the turn of the millennium.

The financial crisis to come will make life even more difficult, but the stories show individual coping mechanisms that succeed and fail. In May, date TBA, we will read the 2017 Man Booker Prize-winning book, Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders.

For June, we will read the droll Old Filth by the British writer Jane Gardam. Our summer read for discussion in September is A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles.

Mary Wagener / 01 489 86 87/ 0676 7443470/ mary.l.wagener@gmail.com SINGING GROUP /Weekly Fridays, 11:30-13:00 Come out of the winter doldrums with a song: sing with the AWA choir.

Friendly singers (and non-singers) meet once a week, coached by kind and patient Sandra Schweighofer, and through laughter and a few squawks here and there, we sing our way to something beautiful. Lovely songs (folk, seasonal, and songs from musicals) and the joy of having done it together create quite an experience!

Please join us! So, the more the merrier!

For further information please contact Donna or Sandra at /donnascharpf@yahoo.com or legoblet. wine@gmail.com LET’S GO TO THE MOVIES / Please see the Weekly News and Facebook for details of the film.

Renee Lichtenstein /0664 868 6186/ reneelichtenstein@hotmail.com

/ HEALTH & SPORT /

FAMILY HIKE/ The next Hike will be in the spring!

AWA contact is Heike Little /heikesav@aol.com BRISK WALK / Please read Weekly News for the next Brisk Walk!

AWA contact is Lini Stangl /0664 179 7031 / linilondon@yahoo.com YOGA /Weekly Wednesdays from 09:30 to 10:30 Ivy continues her Yoga for a maximum of four members to improve flexibility and posture. Yoga is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India.

Maximum of four places. Yoga mats are needed.

FALUN GONG/ Weekly Wednesdays from 15:00 to 16:00 or 17:00 to 18:00in the Clubhouse. Learn the four Falun Gong gentle exercises and sitting meditation that helps you to improve both physical and mental health, to reduce and relieve stress and to feel more energetic.

AWA contact is Nayiri Asvazadurian/ 0650 610 4545 / n.asvazadurian@gmail.com

HULA /Monthly

Monday 9 April from 10:00 to 12:00 This new activity, a Hawaiian native dance, tells a story in pantomime with easy step combinations and arm movements. Each session will add new choreography. Please bring a longish skirt, dress or a scarf for your hips, and a lei (Hawaiian flower wreath) or flowers in your hair.

AWA Contact is Urte Paulus /0676 6765829/ urte. paulus@gmx.at SOCIALTENNIS /Weekly Thursday mornings, time by arrangement.

Dress in your sports kit, tie your shoes, grab your racket and head towards the indoor court. Laugh, move, run, jump! Good friends and great moves will warm up your mood. Enjoy a chat, cup of tea/ coffee after the game. Reservation required to guarantee the time and court.

AWA contact is Rocelyn Kielnhofer /kielnhoferr@gmail.com /0664 458 6685.

SOCIAL GOLF /times to be arranged Who says you cannot hit the ball in winter? Golf is an all year round sport whether you are at the driving range, practicing your putting or chipping into a bunker to improve your golf shots. As the Spring is coming along soon and finally the summer sunshine, let’s start rolling the ball and plan when the next tee off is. Handicap is not a hindrance it’s just part of the game.

AWA contact is Rocelyn Kielnhofer /kielnhoferr@gmail.com /0664 458 6685.

/ LIFESTYLE /

AWAWEEKLY COFFEE / Wednesdays from 10:00 until 12:00 at Café Sluka, (Weihburggasse entrance, just past the new Apple Store,) in the first room on the right. NOT the Rathaus one.

Hosts are: Gerda, 0676 387 2450, Marina, 0660 572 1971, Lini, 0664 179 7031, and Helena, 0676 331 8626.

MAWAWEEKLY COFFEE / in Kaffee Alt Wien, Bäckerstrasse 9, 1010 Wednesdays from 10:30 Hosted by Robert Blaukopf, robert.blaukopf@gmail.com

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APRIL CALENDAR MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY Advanced Beginners German

APRIL GENERAL MEETING at the MAK

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Thursday 26 April at 17:00 Monthly Luncheon

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"What can the MAK contribute to shape our future lives?"

A talk by General Director of the MAK, DDr. Christoph Thun-Hohenstein Found in 1868 as the "Imperial Royal Museum of Art and Industry, following the idea of London's new Victoria and Albert Museum. In 1871, the MAK finally opened its own doors, one of the many buildings along the recently created "Ring". Designed in a Renaissance style by the well-known architect Heinrich von Ferstel, the MAK is today a museum and space of experimentation for applied arts at the interface of design, architecture, and contemporary art.

SIGN UP BY >>Tuesday 24

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AWA Contact is helena@gressenbauer.org / 0664 920 9807 AWA Clubhouse re-opens 10:00-11:30 Clubhouse Hula 12:30 Clubhouse Fluent Spanish 13:30 Clubhouse Italian Conversation 13:30 Clubhouse Beginners’ Spanish Conversation 15:00-16:30 Clubhouse AWA Baby & Toddler Group 17:00 Happy Hour Cocktails at the Marriot

9 11:00 Clubhouse Coffee and Crime A Game of Ghosts by John Connolly 12:30 Clubhouse Fluent Spanish 13:30 Clubhouse Beginners’ SpanishConversation 15:00-16:30 Clubhouse AWA Baby & Toddler Group

16 12:30 Clubhouse Fluent Spanish 13:30 Clubhouse Italian Conversation 13:30 Clubhouse Beginners’ Spanish Conversation 15:00-16:30 Clubhouse AWA Baby & Toddler Group

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10:30 Tour of Römermuseum 10:30 Clubhouse Beginners’ German Grammar 10:30 Clubhouse Advanced Beginners’ German 12:00 Clubhouse German A1+ Conversation 13:00 Clubhouse Mahjong 13:30 Clubhouse Crafting

10 10:30 Clubhouse Beginners’ German Grammar 10:30 Clubhouse Advanced Beginners’ German 12:00 Clubhouse German A1/A2 Conversation 13:00 Clubhouse Mahjong 13:30 Clubhouse Crafting

17 10:30 Clubhouse Beginners’ German Grammar 10:30 Clubhouse Advanced Beginners’ German 12:00 Clubhouse German A1/A2 Conversation 13:00 Clubhouse Mahjong 13:30 Clubhouse Crafting

24 27

09:30 Clubhouse Yoga with Ivy 10:00-12:00 Weekly Coffee Café Sluka 10:30 MAWA Kaffee Alt Wien 12:00 Fluent German Conversation 12:00 Clubhouse Fluent French Conversation 13:00 Clubhouse Canasta 13:00 Clubhouse Bilingual Creative Writing 15:00 Clubhouse Falun Gong 17:00 Clubhouse Falun Gong 19:00 Ladies Dining Experience Elissar

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09:30 Clubhouse Yoga with Ivy 10:00-12:00 Weekly Coffee Café Sluka 10:30 MAWA Kaffee Alt Wien 12:00 Fluent German Conversation 12:00 Clubhouse Fluent French Conversation 12:30 AWA Board Meeting 15:00 Clubhouse Falun Gong 17:00 Clubhouse Falun Gong

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09:30 Clubhouse Yoga with Ivy 10:00-12:00 Weekly Coffee Café Sluka 10:30 MAWA Kaffee Alt Wien 12:00 Fluent German Conversation 12:00 Clubhouse Fluent French Conversation 13:00 Clubhouse Canasta 15:00 Swarovski tour and Postcards 15:00 Clubhouse Falun Gong 17:00 Clubhouse Falun Gong 18:00 MAWA Dinner Night

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APRIL CALENDAR

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

Beginners' Mahjong

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Fashion Show Evening of Indian Saris

Canasta Weekly Coffee

Demel Tour ORF Tour

Demel Tour

10:00 Clubhouse Games Galore 10:00 Clubhouse Bible Study 13:00 Clubhouse English Conversation for Learners

11:30 Singing Group 13:00 Clubhouse Mahjong for beginners 18:00 Art in the evening Hundertwasserhaus

Erin Silangil as ORF Weather Reporter

12 10:00 Clubhouse Games Galore 10:00 Clubhouse Bible Study 13:00 Seniors’ Luncheon Rebhuhn 13:00 Clubhouse English Conversation for Learners 15:00 Tour of Haydnhaus

19 10:00 Clubhouse Games Galore 10:00 Clubhouse Bible Study 13:00 Clubhouse English Conversation for Learners 17:00 GM at the MAK

26 29

13 11:30 Singing Group 12:30 Monthly Luncheon at Junn 13:00 Clubhouse Mahjong for Beginners

20 11:30 Singing Group 13:00 Clubhouse Mahjong for Beginners 18:00 Clubhouse Spring Bring And Bite-New

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AWA Witches at ORF

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EVENTS TOURS / TRIPS / SOCIALS

PRESIDENT’S COFFEE Will return in September.

MAWA (MEN OFAWA) GATHERING Wednesday, 28 MARCH at 18:00 MAWA (Men of AWA) is the group for spouses of AWA members. We meet monthly at varying locations for food and conversation. Join us for a congenial evening! New members are especially encouraged! Contact Robert Blaukopf at robert. blaukopf@gmail.com for details of this MAWA event or to be added to the mailing list.

LADIES’WINE EVENING Thursday, 5 April at 19:00 WALLETSCHEK-CAFÉ BAR Sobieskigasse 4A, 1090 Back to the Walletschek, for a change of venue, to enjoy another evening with friends for a wine or two and conversation. Friends welcome. Save the date for the next evening on 3 May with the venue TBC. SIGN UP BY Tuesday, 3 April HAPPY HOUR COCKTAILS AT THE MARRIOTT Monday, 9 April from 17:00 to 19:00 CASCADE BAR, Parkring 12a, 1010 Come and sample cocktails at ‘two for the price of one’ with the buffet costing only €5 for as much as you can eat! All members and friends welcome.

SIGN UP BY Noon on Monday, 9 April awa@awavienna.com AWA contact is Samantha Day / 0676 3344837

SIGN UP BY Monday, 9 April awa@awavienna.com AWA contact is Sheila Hargreaves / 0676 755 9804 MAWA (MEN OFAWA) GATHERING –COFFEE NOW WEEKLY Wednesday, 11, 18 and 25 April at 10:30 CAFÉ ALT WIEN, Bäckerstrasse 9, 1010 Join the MAWA group for a Weekly Coffee, Conversation and Newspapers!

AWA contact is robert.blaukopf@gmail.com LADIES’DINING EXPERIENCE Wednesday, 11 April at 19:00 ELLISAR, Johannesgasse, 27, 1010 Join Annick at this wonderful restaurant with mouthwatering menus of vegetarian and meat dishes in a Lebanese style. The menu looks wonderful!

Please contact Annick directly by Friday, 6 April.

Friends welcome.

AWA contact is Annick Gauthier/ europolitan@ chello.at / 0699 1968 8173 ART IN THE EVENING Friday, 13 April at 18:00 HUNDERTWASSERHAUS/KUNSTHAUS, Kegelgasse 36-38, 1030

BEHIND THE SCENES Tuesday, 10 April at 10:30 TOUR OF THE RÖMERUSEUM, Hohermarkt 3, 1010

Friedrich Hundertwasser, architect of the Fernwärme which AWA visited last Autumn, also designed this apartment house which has no straight lines! The museum is equally uneven!!!

Ida will act as guide! Tickets cost €11. Spouses and friends welcome.

SIGN UP BY Tuesday, 10 April awa@awavienna.com AWA contact is Ida Vickers / 0699 1700 5573 AWA member, Diana Doncheva, an expert Archeologist, will be guiding us through this exhibition. Vindobona was the name of a Roman army camp that existed nearly 2000 years ago in what is now the historic city centre of Vienna. The underground area of the Roman Museum contains the remnants of two tribunes’ houses, the buildings are one focus of the exhibition, the everyday lives of the soldiers and the civilian population are another. Entry Fee is €7 or €5 for seniors. Spouses and friends welcome.

SENIORS’LUNCHEON Thursday, 19 April 13:00 GASTHAUS REBHUHN, Berggasse 24, 1090.

An Austrian menu on offer, for a change, with traditional dishes such as Backhendl. Please contact Phyllis directly by Wednesday, 18 April.

AWA Contact is Phyllis Wieser / 01 3208418 / phyllis.wieser@aon.a

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EVENTS TOURS / TRIPS / SOCIALS

BEHIND THE SCENES TOUR Thursday, 19 April at 15:00 TOUR OF HAYDNHAUS, Haydngasse 19, 1060 Following the interesting tour of Schuberthaus, another musical foray with the same great guide, Bernd Völker, to view the house that Haydn spent the last twelve years of his life, from 1797, in what was an outlying village of Vienna. Here he died on May 31, 1809. To mark the 200th anniversary of his death, the permanent exhibition has been completely redesigned and the garden has been reconstructed -a green oasis in the built-up area of Mariahilferstrasse.

SIGN UP BY Monday, 16 April awa@awavienna.com AWA contact is Sheila Hargreaves / 0676 755 9804 MONTHLY LUNCHEON

www.studyacademyvienna.com

Friday, 20 April at 12:30 JUNN - Bar & Kitchen, Seilerstätte 14, 1010 Wien This restaurant offers delicious treats from various corners of Asia (China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, India, etc.). The atmospheric ambience lets you experience sophisticated Asian-style cocktails or Japanese beers while savoring a variety of Asian street foods. Try their great lunch menu.

SIGN UP BY Wednesday, 18 April. awa@awavienna.com AWA contact is Nadia Di Paola / 0678 1252229

FINAL IB SPRING REVISION COURSE IB MUSIC SUMMER COURSE MID IB SUMMER REVISION COURSE SUMMER SCHOOL PRE IB SUMMER REVISION COURSE PRIVATE AND ONLINE TUTORING IB VISUAL ART SUMMER COURSE

BEHIND THE SCENES Wednesday, 25 April at 15:00 TOUR OF SWAROVSKI, Karntnerstrasse 24 Following a tour of the Swarovski store, we will have the opportunity to make sparkly postcards to take home as souvenirs! The cost will be €10 for tour, workshop and soft drinks.

SIGN UP BY Monday, 23 April awa@awavienna.com AWA contact is Sheila Hargreaves / 0676 755 9804 SPRING BRING AND BITE - NEW Friday, 27 April at 18:00 AWA Clubhouse, Singerstrasse 4/11 A new event to celebrate our international background; even if you don’t cook, you can still tickle taste buds. Bring your favourite dish from your culture to share and let’s celebrate spring by wearing spring colours, blue, green, purple or pink.

You could even wear flowers in your hair if you wish! Come and share your talents with all!!

Bottled water, wine and Prosecco will be available for €2 a glass. Donations of drinks are also welcome.

SENIORS´ AFTERNOON TEA PARTY Monday, 30 April at 15:30 GRAND HOTEL Kärntner Ring 9, 1010 (1st floor) It`s our 2 year anniversary and we`re having a raffle! Come win a luxury-brand hand cream and scrub set. Ticket €2. Proceeds to AWA. Let`s celebrate together.

SIGN UP BY: Friday, 27 April.

AWA contact: Vera Saunders verasaunders@gmx.net (01) 990 6492 evenings.

RENOVATED ROWHOUSE for RENT

as of February 1, 2018.

In Vienna’s 19th District Sieveringer Straße 180 m² plus garage and basement playroom: Includes 4-5 bedrooms, 3 full bathrooms, fireplace, small southern garden and excellent public transportation connections in front of the house!

39A bus >39 tram, U4, U6 and S45.

American International School nearby.

Email: carolyn_pachinger@yahoo.com Call iPhone: 0043 (0)699 11166886

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FA W C O CONTRIBUTED BY LAURIE RICHARDSON

lrichardsonvienna@gmail.com

You are invited!

Hope Beyond Displacement: FAWCO's Target Project Tuesday April 10 at 5:00 PM in the AWA Office Therese Hartwell, Chair of FAWCO's Human Rights Global Issues Team, is on the Board of the Target Project, currently focusing on refugees in Jordan. AWA Vienna members voted for this project in 2017.

Therese will introduce you to Hope Beyond Displacement which raises funds to provide education, vocational and leadership training for refugee women, girls and their families through comprehensive community programs in Amman, Jordan. FAWCO clubs like AWA Vienna join together in support of our shared goals.

Join us for light refreshments and inspiring conversation hosted by FAWCO Rep Laurie Richardson. Find out about FAWCO's Target Project and what CRP does, and how you can get involved in improving the lives of refugee women and girls. Space is limited, so please RSVP to awa@awavienna.com by Monday, April 9

M AWA CONTRIBUTED BY ROBERT BLAUKOPF

In 2015, Paul Tolchinsky, husband of the then AWA President, created a new group of AWA spouses. MAWA (Men of AWA) was founded and got off to a great start with monthly gatherings for dinners, wine tastings and even sporting events. When Paul left Vienna, Robert Blaukopf volunteered to take over.

This group, interesting men with careers (active and retired) in business and governmental agencies, has experiences, friends and family in many parts of the world.

Of the 40+ MAWA members, many no longer living in Vienna, about 10 to 12 members meet for the monthly evening gatherings at convenient restaurants. There is also now a ‘coffee break’ as a weekly late-morning gathering at Kaffee Alt Wien.

Contact at robert.blaukopf@gmail.com to be added to the mailing list. New spouses most welcome!

APRIL / HIGHLIGHTS / 2018

CLASSIFIEDS

Sunday Service: 11:15 Rev. Matthew A. Laferty Sechshauser StraĂ&#x;e 56, 1150 Vienna tel: +43 1 895 8175 office@esumc.at I www.esumc.at U4/U6 Längenfeldgasse or 57A Grimmgasse A friendly, caring community with many different nations, cultures, and traditions.

Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors We offer: - a place for worship, study, growth - an opportunity to find your own ministry - a chance to feel at home - toddler care - a wonderful and fun Sunday School - five choirs and special music - active groups for families, men, women, young adults, prayer and others.

The English-Speaking United Methodist Church of Vienna

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AROUND TOWN

C O N T R I B U T E D B Y B E V E R LY B A C H M E Y E R

Finally, Spring! Before the Wiener Festwochen begins on May 11th, we can enjoy many other activities on the warming days of April. Enjoy the culinary delights of the Steirmark early in April on the Rathausplatz, then head to the Wachau Gourmet Festival. Be sure to take in all the delights of Vienna as the sun comes out and the days grow longer.

A complete list of events can be found here: https://www.wien.info/media/files/programmvorschau-april-2018.pdf VIENNABLUESSPRING from 20 March to 30 EXHIBITIONS AND FESTIVALS April. The world’s longest running blues festival with hundreds of musicians taking part in various STEIERMARK FRÜHLING FESTIVAL venues. /www.viennabluesspring.org

ART EXHIBITIONS AND MUSEUMS ELINA BROTHERUS from 13 March. /www.kunsthauswien.com STAIRWAY to KLIMT Until 2 September Kunsthistorishes Museum /www.khm.at MARTHA JUNGWIRTH from 2 March. at the Vienna Rathausplatz is from 5 to 8 April.

Celebrate this region’s culinary, wine, and music culture at this very popular event which is, therefore, very crowded at times! /www.steiermark.com/ 11th WACHAU GOURMET FESTIVAL takes place from 5 to 19 April. The emphasis of this fair is on the region’s culinary milestones and historical legends. For the full program, go to /www.wachau-gourmet-festival.at/ 20th ARGUS BIKE FESTIVAL Takes place on 14 and 15 April at the Rathausplatz. You will find the latest bicycle trends, a child bike track, used-bike flea market, food stands and highly entertaining street performers. /www.bikefestival.at

KEITH HARING The Alphabet from 16 March.

DAS WIENER AQUARELL until 15 May /www.albertina.at ART INTO LIFE Avantgarde works to 24 June 2018 /www.mumok.at A NEW LOOK The permanent collection redisplayed from 1 March in the Upper Belvedere.

BEYOND KLIMT: New Horizons in Central Europe. From 22 March to 28 July in the Lower Belvedere /www.belvedere.at YDESSA HENDELES. DEATH TO PIGS 28 February to 27 May /www.kunsthallewien.at WIEN UM 1900! Klimt, Moser, Gerstl, Kokoschka to 10 June

VIENNA CITY MARATHON 21 and 22 APRIL

The Vienna City Marathon leads 42,000 runners from 125 nations past Vienna's most beautiful sights on 21 and 22 April 2018. Motivation will be provided by the one million spectators along the route. The race starts near the UN and finishes at the Heldenplatz. Don’t forget roads, trams and bus lines on the route will be stopped during the duration of the race so plan on traveling by foot or UBahn. /www.vienna-marathon.com/ WEAN HEAN SONG FESTIVAL 21 April – 21 May. This annual festival highlights the Viennese music scene from jazz and soul to pop and classic. /www.weanhean.at

ANTON ROMAKO Begin der Moderne from 6th April to 18 June. /www.leopoldmuseum.org

VIENNA BALL SEASON- THE HIGHLIGHTS 14 Polnischer Frühlingsball 14 Dance against Cancer Frühlingsball 21 Ball der Wiener Sängerknaben

APRIL / HIGHLIGHTS / 2018

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AROUND TOWN

C O N T R I B U T E D B Y B E V E R LY B A C H M E Y E R

THEATRES, MUSICALS AND CONCERTS THE ENGLISH THEATRE CLOSER by Patrick Marber from 9 April till 12 May 2018 /www.englishtheatre.at RAIMOND THEATRE until June 2018, I am from Austria- Musical with hits from Rainhard Fendrich /www.musicalvienna.at

STADTHALLE WIEN /www.stadthalle.com Hair 8 April Afrika! Afrika! Extravaganza 12 April to 01 May

RONACHER THEATRE Tanz der Vampire starting 4 April /www.musicalvienna.at OPENHOUSE THEATRE starting April 15, White Rabbit Red Rabbit by Nassim Solimar at Spektakel, Hamburgerstraße 14, 1050 Wien /www.openhousetheatre.at RABENHOF THEATRE A varied program of all genres. /www.rabenhoftheater.com MUSEUMSQUARTIER /www.mqw.at/en Ballet Revolucion will be performed at Halle E+G from 20 April to 25 April VIENNA BOYS' CHOIR Holy Mass in the Hofmusikkapelle on Sundays 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29 April in the Hofburg. /www.wienersaengerknaben.at HAYDNKINO FILMS /www.haydnkino.at Satellite live screening Macbeth, 4 April and 10 May

Swan Lake, 12 June

Star Wars in Concert 14 April Imagine Dragons Evolve Tour 15 April Bob Dylan 16 April Ehrlich Brothers Faszination 23 April Anastacia - The Evolution Tour 2018 03 May Sam Smith 8 May Game of Thrones 19 May Apassionata-Gefährten des Lichts 26 and 27 May/ /www.mqw.at/en

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R E D L E N T I L PA S TA S A U C E CONTRIBUTED BY SAMANTHA DAY

The following recipe contains no meat, dairy or eggs, and can be made gluten free simply by using gluten free pasta. It is also soy-free and nut free, so it’s a very useful recipe for people with food intolerances or allergies.

Additionally, it can be a suitable dish for people with hyperglycemia, as the lentils will help regulate the change in blood-sugar levels that may occur when eating pasta.

Ingredients: PASTA SAUCE 1 Tbsp oil

1 Tsp sugar

3 cloves garlic, minced

optional: 1/2 tsp red chili flakes

1/4 cup diced carrots

optional: 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast (Hefeflocken)

1/4 cup diced tomatoes

LENTILS

1/4 cup diced zucchini

1/2 cup dry red lentils, thoroughly rinsed

425 g can diced tomatoes

2 cups water

2 Tbsp tomato paste

Pinch salt

Pinch salt, plus more to taste

FOR SERVING

1 Tbsp dried or fresh oregano

250g pasta of choice

1 Tbsp dried or fresh basil

Method: Cooking the lentils Place rinsed lentils and water in a small saucepan and bring to a low boil over medium heat, then reduce heat slightly to achieve a mild simmer (not boil).

Cook lentils to preferred texture - 15 minutes for a slight bite, 20 minutes for more tender lentils. For this dish, 'al dente' is better so they don't become mushy in the sauce. When lentils are finished cooking, drain off any excess cooking liquid and set aside.

Preparing the Sauce While lentils are cooking, heat a large frying-pan over medium heat. Once hot, add oil, garlic, carrots, tomato and zucchini. SautĂŠ for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. To prevent splattering, remove the pan from heat before adding diced tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, oregano, basil, sugar, chili flakes and nutritional yeast, and stir to combine. Place pan back over heat and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce heat to low and continue cooking for 10-15 minutes until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.

Cook pasta according to package instructions whilst sauce is simmering. Then drain and set aside.

Adjusting the seasoning Sample sauce and adjust seasonings as desired. Add more sugar to balance and enhance the flavors; chili flakes or tabasco for heat; salt for saltiness; or more herbs for depth of flavor. If too thick, thin with a little water. Finally, add the cooked, drained lentils to the sauce and stir to combine. To serve, either spoon sauce over cooked pasta, or add pasta to the sauce and toss to coat.

Great extras For an extra vitamin boost, I like to add a handful of fresh spinach to the bottom of the serving bowls before spooning in the pasta and sauce. The heat from the pasta and sauce is enough to cook the spinach a little.

Serve topped with any additional toppings, such as hummus, red pepper flakes, extra nutritional yeast and fresh basil.

APRIL / HIGHLIGHTS / 2018

21

VEGAN IN VIENNA, A SHORT INTRODUCTION CONTRIBUTED BY SAMANTHA DAY

THE LITTLE GREEN “V”.

You may have noticed this popping up on menus all over Vienna. It is the widely used symbol to identify a dish containing 100% plant-based ingredients, or vegan.

Vegan eating is starting to boom with many restaurants adding vegan-friendly dishes to their existing menus, and supermarkets devoting more shelf space to vegan foods.

German-speaking countries are leading the way, but veganism is a worldwide trend.

The UK's biggest supermarkets, including Tesco’s, have taken proactive steps to increase their vegan and veggie offerings to cater to rising consumer demand. The same is happening in the US and in Australia.

But here in Vienna some cafes are going further than that.

For example, in January 2018, the bakery chain Anker opened up an exclusively vegan bakery-cafe in Stephansplatz U-Bahn station. I have not seen any official reports on how successful it is so far, but it is always very busy whenever I walk past! There are also vegan cafe chains such as Vegiezz , currently with five cafes in Austria with plans to open more in 2018, and Swing Kitchen which is growing and has just opened up its sixth cafe. There are also higher-end vegan dining options with restaurants such as Lebenbauer offering an extensive vegetarian and vegan menu.

Additionally, places like Buxbaum and Motto am Fluss have good vegan menus and will cook something special with advance notice.

But what does it mean to be vegan and why go vegan?

It is believed that the term “vegan” was first used in the 1940’s by a group of vegetarians who chose not to eat any form of animal products in addition to not eating meat. Veganism is vegetarian but with the exclusion of meat, eggs and dairy and all other animal-derived products including honey. Many also do not eat foods processed by using animal products, such as white sugar and some wines.

People choose to follow a vegan diet for a number of reasons: ethical, environmental or health but also to improve sporting-performance (especially in endurance sports). Once associated almost exclusively with hippies, a vegan diet isn't nearly as fringe as it once was. Thirty years ago the main reason people turned vegan was ethical (i.e. animal welfare concerns); more recently however, health is one of the main motivations. The 2015 World Health Organisation’s report denouncing bacon, hot dogs, sausages, ham, and other processed meats as Group 1 carcinogens was a turning point for many people to consider a vegan diet. This report and others like it are alerting people to their food options.

OK, but what do vegans eat?

This is perhaps the most common question about veganism. The answer is all grains, nuts, beans, legumes, vegetables and fruits, and the huge number of combinations of these. Vegans do eat salads, pasta, peanut butter sandwiches, chips and salsa, curries, fries and wraps. For example, vegetarian burritos without cheese or sour cream or a vegetable Thai curry made with coconut milk are vegan as is pasta with tomato sauce. Most types of bread and all fruits and vegetables are vegan. Avocado on toast is vegan… you get the idea! A balanced vegan diet (yes, vegans can pig-out on junk food too!) provides all the required macro- and micronutrients for the body except for Vitamin B12, but even some meat eaters have issues with not getting enough of this essential vitamin.

This is easily fixed by taking a good B12 supplement.

Where to go for more info?

If you are interested in reducing the amount of animal-derived foods in your diet and replacing them with plantderived foods, there is a plethora of information about how to start on the Internet. Even if you are not planning on switching to a vegan diet anytime soon, next time you see the little green “v” next to a dish why not give it a try?

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MEET U R T E PA U L U S

Archery is my great passion. This ancient activity used 60,000 years ago when men were already hunting with bow and arrows was less dangerous for the hunters, but certainly more efficient. Over the years the bow developed into a weapon, and simultaneously, archery became a competitive sport. This remains the case as archery is one of the 25 main sport divisions at the Olympic Games.

The best thing about archery is that one can take part regardless of gender, age or ability. Even visually impaired people are able to shoot the arrows into the centre of a target. One can shoot indoors in a hall up to 18 metres long or outdoors on a sports field up to 70 or 90 metres long, as well as in forests on special archery courses. 3D archery, shooting animal dummies made of a special plastic, is the most popular division of archery in Austria. The advantage is that archers with different skills, ages and bow types, can spend hours together amidst the beauty of nature and can shoot from different distances. There are so many different kinds of bows, that everyone can find the right one. Archery is recreational and relaxing, but it empowers strength, body posture, body awareness and endurance. Mental skills such as concentration, self-confidence, and self-esteem are positively affected.

Since I was a little girl back in Freiburg in Germany where I grew up, I always wanted to shoot like Robin Hood. I watched a movie with Errol Flynn, and carved myself a bow out of hazel, but unfortunately there was never an opportunity to shoot. So I used my time in High School to participate in other sports like soccer, dancing, tennis, athletics, volleyball, swimming and more.

Stowing away for love. I came to Vienna 1991 by hiding in my future husband’s moving van. He was a professor at the University in Freiburg, and had been offered a full professorship in Vienna. I then finished my masters in Biology and had my first contact with archery at the Viennese Prater funfair.

Still, nothing came of it. Busy with a lot of sports activity and other hobbies like writing and crafting, I became a full time mother in 1993 and 1995. I loved this period of my life and wouldn't have missed it for the world.

I finally found archery, in 2000, purely by chance, and now I cannot imagine a life without it. At first it was nothing more than a hobby but, after a few months, I realised that there were open competitions in Austria, and I really loved meeting new archery colleagues to exchange invaluable knowledge and experiences. I improved my skills and became better and better.

I was rewarded with my first world champion title in 2007. In 2006, I qualified as an archery trainer and started to coach others, improving my skills even more by coaching myself.

I also became a member of the Austrian Squad, and because I wanted to compete for my new home country, I changed my nationality from German to Austrian. I was appointed Head Coach of the Austrian team in 2009 and also started to train coaches for the Austrian Association and, since 2011, for the World Archery Federation. Many other international medals were awarded from 2007 until 2013, when I ended my career.

Even now, I try as often as possible to take my bow and, together with my family and friends, let some arrows fly. A most relaxing activity and it is so much fun, no matter what the weather. I can highly recommend this sport. It is never too late to start.

VISITORS' GROUP C O N T R I B U T E D B Y E L I Z A B E T H K O YA M A

Founder of the AWA visitors’ group, Elizabeth Koyama, reports: In March 2018, I made my first excursion as head of the new AWA visiting group. It took me to the quiet town of St. Andrä Wördern to visit Nancy Christian, a member of the AWA since 1973. She is, unfortunately, no longer able to make the trip into Vienna to take part in our activities. Nancy was very pleased to meet me and to have the opportunity to speak English with someone!

We chatted for about two hours. It was a pleasure to listen to her and to get to know her. She also had a lot of questions for me. I think it was good for her to feel that she is in contact with our group again. She would like to write a short biography, which I hope we can share in the Highlights, so I will let her introduce herself. Sadly, when Stephanie Barrett, another member of the group, made the trip out to Nancy later she was unwell but we hope to keep in touch with her. The Visitors’ Group also includes Laura Berardi and Lizzie Haszczyn.

APRIL / HIGHLIGHTS / 2018

23

AWA TO U R S AWA TOURS MARCH 2018 TOUR OF THE FORMER WINE CELLARS OF THE HOFBURG

Christian Gepp, our guide for this venue, which is not open to the public, explained the interesting history as we walked through the warm dry cellars, at the Heldenplatz side of the Hofburg, on one of the coldest days this winter. Now empty of wine, the cellars became air raid shelters in WW2 and now house the collection of plaster casts. There are hundreds!!

The thousands of bottles of wine, belonging to the Emperor, were sold after WW1to pay for the treatment of wounded soldiers at an estimated sum, at today’s prices, of €1,000,000. There are now just a few empty bottles of Tokay wine on display!

The huge barrel behind the picture was filled with wine for the servants but was never drained, just topped up to create a real mixture of tastes.

The plaster statue of Empress Sisi, seen here with a fan on her lap, is not the final version as the Emperor forbad the inclusion of the fan with which Sisi used to hide her black teeth and bad breath. The washerwoman from the Alserbach, the former laundry area of Vienna, and Mozart are two of the most photographed statues.

One of the relatives of AWA’s LIV Editor, Teddie Weyr, was one of the original sculptors of the plaster casts. Amazing coincidence!

As we crossed under the courtyard of the Hofburg we passed a relic of the city wall dating from medieval times. Until recently, two huge lorries of coal arrived each day in the cellars under the Hofburg to heat the palace buildings.

We finally popped up like Moley in Wind in The Willows under the arcade near Michaelerplatz.

A truly memorable tour for AWA members.

Next AWA tour coming up in the Hofburg is the Tour of the Attics!

ÖSTERREICHISCHE POST AG INFO. MAIL ENTGELT BEZAHLT

Singerstrasse 4/11 1010, Wien