YOU Magazine by Ashburton Guardian

you Saturday, April 16, 2022

AND YOUR LIFESTYLE

Jenny

IT’S

FROM THE

gym

YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE | Saturday, April 16, 2022

Gym boss not one to muck around

YOU writer Melissa Shimmin caught up with the busy and energetic Jenny Soal recently, while she was recovering from surgery, to find out what she’s been up to and what 2022 has in store for the super busy mum, wife and gym manager.

racking down Jenny Soal and getting her to sit still long enough for a chat is no easy task. Not at all. Fortunately for us but obviously not for Jenny, our livewire EA Networks’ gym manager is recovering from recent arm surgery, so she had time to share her thoughts on fun, fitness and family. And it quickly emerges that there’s so much more to Jenny than meets the eye. Not only is she a renowned hard workout taskmaster, but she’s also the one busy behind the scenes doing planning, rosters and creating new tough fitness programmes. It’s a way of life that Jenny loves and has done so for some time, having started her fitness journey 10 years ago when she became a member of what was then The Gym Company. Before she knew it, she’d caught the fitness bug big time. She then got her personal trainer qualifications over a

12-month period, while raising a young family. When a position opened up at the EA Networks new facility seven years ago she applied – and hasn’t looked back since. Now Jenny’s an original staff member and has risen through the ranks from a part-time employee to gym manager, which she’s been for two years. Jenny is now also a qualified New Zealand Qualifications Authority personal fitness assessor. She loves seeing her team grow, expand their knowledge and skills. Right now, though, she’s looking forward to getting back into the office after Easter. Frustratingly, she knows it will be a while before she gets to go headto-head with her fitness clients, the effects of two surgeries

Saturday, April 16, 2022 | YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE

Left – Jenny Soal with an EA Networks Gym client. Below – Jenny, Jason, Maddison and Corbin Soal after celebrating Maddison’s 16th birthday. PHOTOS SUPPLIED

and nerve damage on her right arm after a nasty accident slowing her full workout regime return. That in itself has been a challenge, but she’s used to dealing with those. The

past two years have been an ongoing challenge for Jenny, having to manage all the Covid-19 restrictions within the gym. That included regularly using a tape measure to ensure there was enough social distancing between equipment and moving big pieces out into the court area so that all the gym’s clients could safely continue to work out. Her creativity shone in that virus-restricted period in other ways too, holding online workout sessions for clients to do at home. She even got husband Jason involved and their two black labs, Swiper, who is in his

senior years, and the bouncy, sometimes naughty one-year-old Cruz. The pooches are a big part of the family that includes human teenagers, Corbin and Maddison. Corbin works locally as a trainee diesel mechanic and Maddison is in Year 12 at Ashburton College. Maddison is also a junior black belt in karate, so perhaps she’s picked up her mother’s love of all things fitness. That love also includes Jenny running the streets around town as part of her prep for half marathons she likes to do up and down the country. Always on the go, always active, Jenny Soal’s not one to sit still for long. But long enough, as we’ve seen, for an interview.

Jenny’s year ahead

Jenny and husband Jason Soal relaxing at home with their “naughty child” Cruz, a oneyear-old black labrador. PHOTO MELISSA SHIMMIN

EA Network plans: “I have a special passion for special groups, which has resulted in the popular pros fit class for men who have or are recovering from prostate cancer, as well as upcoming classes for women with or recovering from breast cancer. I am also working with a new women’s health staff member so that will be great to get that underway and help the women of Ashburton. Also in the pipeline is an exercise programme for people with Parkinsons. Exercise is so important to retain muscle memory.’’ Personal plans: “I am recovering from reconstructive surgery on my ulna nerve (an arm nerve, which is the largest in the human body unprotected by muscle or bone,) so getting back to full fitness and strength is top of the list. I have the Queenstown half marathon to do this year in November after it has been cancelled for the past three years. That is one marathon I do enjoy doing. We are also renovating parts of our house, which is a great home to raise teenagers in. We can provide them with their own spaces. Spending time with my friends and family is really important to me as well, so there will be lots of social catch-ups.’’

YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE | Saturday, April 16, 2022

Let us create that unique gift for your Mum with your special message.

130 Moore Street, Ashburton Ph: 03 308 7739

Enter your T

mum to win

he past two years have been tough on everyboy, including your mum! Now is a great time to enter our Mother’s Day competition and spoil her with wonderful gifts. Love it or hate it, Mother’s Day is a confirmed must-do on most people’s calendar and it is a great chance to give mum some attention and love. Formally, it is deemed as a day to honour the contribution of mothers, acknowledge the efforts of maternal bonds and the role of mothers in our society. But did you know it’s not even a modern celebration. The official Mother’s Day holiday arose in the 1900s as a result of the efforts of Anna Jarvis, daughter of Ann Reeves Jarvis. Following her mother’s 1905 death, Anna Jarvis conceived of Mother’s Day as a way of honouring the sacrifices mothers made for their children. But it’s also said that the tradition dates back to pagan celebrations in ancient Greece in honour of Rhea, the mother of the gods.

Win your mum a perfect package. Nominate your Mum Tell us why your mum is number one – email us with her photo, name and contact details at goodies@theguardian.co.nz with ‘Mother’s Day Competiton’ in the subject line. Message us through our Facebook page www.facebook.com/ashguardian. Or drop your entry into our office Level 3, Somerset House, Burnett Street, Ashburton. Entries close on Thursday, April 28 and the winner will be notifed on Friday, April 29

What happens on the day The winning mum will be whisked around the town to collect her gifts that have been kindly supplied by the advertisers in this feature. She will have her photo taken at the businesses receiving her gifts. Mum’s fun day out will be on Tuesday, May 3 and the photos and story will be showcased in our YOU magazine publication on Saturday, May 14.

A big thank you to the businesses who have donated wonderful gifts. •

Ashburton Engravers

•

Unique Boutique

•

Stepping Out

•

Noble 600

•

Formosa Restaurant

•

Variety Theatre Ashburton

•

Sims’ Bakery

•

K & K Fashion

•

Health 2000

•

Time for Diamonds

•

Timaru Sewing Centre

•

Body N Beauty Worx

•

The Lake House

•

The Somerset Grocer

•

Hemsworth Estate

•

Gluyas Motors

Saturday, April 16, 2022 | YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE

Great gift ideas • • • • • • • • • • • •

Jewellery Candles Beauty treatments Personalised engraved plaque Natural health products A meal out Her favourite bakery treats Shoes Gift voucher Theatre tickets Coffee date with her best friend Special afternoon tea

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Treat Mum with her favourites from our family bakery.

• • • •

Cupcakes Cronuts Cakes Tea Buns

Give Mum the restful night she deserves Tranquil Sleep Essential Oil Blend by Dolphin Clinic. Aromatherapeutic sleep support.

Custom designs available - order now to avoid disappointment.

Vouchers available instore & online

Phone us on 03 308 5774. Or call into the bakery at 123 Main South Road, Ashburton.

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Use either DMC stranded floss or Anchor tapestry wool to stitch.

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YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE | Saturday, April 16, 2022

Let Mum indulge from our extensive menu & don’t forget she deserves one of our delicious desserts! Book your table now for lunch or dinner. Enjoy our modern surroundings 231 Burnett Street, Ashburton Phone 03 928 8173 E: bookings@noble600.co.nz F: @noble600restaurant

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Here at Unique Boutique we are a collective of local crafts people. A variety of handmade, up-cycled and new giftware is a must view in Ashburton. Call into the Tancred Street end of the Arcade today!

There is no shop like ours!

Saturday, April 16, 2022 | YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE

Advertorial

YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE | Saturday, April 16, 2022

Top – The Born Free cast under direction from Kathi Craig (in yellow), director and musical director. Above – The cast line up for the obligatory team photo.

Oscar-winning songs W

in the spotlight

hat does Somewhere Over The Rainbow, My Heart Will Go On, Born Free and the theme from Skyfall have in common? You’d never find them on the same programme, so what’s the connection? They all won the Oscar for best movie song. While movies take pride of place at the glitzy Academy Awards, they’re overlooked after a few years as new titles take over, but not the songs. They go from hits to album favourites to evergreens that are never forgotten. While MGM or Paramount or Warner Brothers stroll through some of their classics over the decades, no-one does it with the songs, until now. Two Mid Cantabrians decided it was time to feature the songs in a razzmatazz

evening that recreates the Academy Awards, not in Los Angeles, but in Ashburton’s Braided Rivers Community Trust Event Centre. Kathi Craig and Malcolm Hopwood researched the history of the Oscars and discovered song titles that are as stellar today as when they were first sung by Judy Garland, Celine Dion, Adele, the Righteous Brothers, or Frank Sinatra. When you consider the winners and runners-up of songs and soundtracks, there were hundreds to consider so they chose a selection of the very best in a show entitled Born Free – The Oscar Winners that Variety Theatre Ashburton will present from May 26-29. Suddenly Moon River, This Is Me, Up Where We Belong, Can You Feel the Love

Tonight and Unchained Melody have a voice again. But to showcase their sound, Craig, Hopwood and Variety Theatre Ashburton had to find the vocalists. Covid had denied Superstar from being staged, did the singers want to try again? Whatever disappointment they felt, they turned up to audition. An outstanding company of 30 singers and dancers were chosen and rehearsals began this month. This time the show will go on. Variety Theatre Ashburton is determined the audience, the event centre and the performers need a show and 90 years of Oscar winners is just the vehicle for the occasion. The title Born Free, from the 1966 movie of the same name, was chosen because it’s sung on TV just about every night and hasn’t lost any of its magic. Add more than

BORN FREE – THE OSCAR WINNERS

20 other great numbers, enhance it with sound and lighting, throw the year and titles on to the big screen, turn the event centre into a glamorous Hollywood venue, add creative direction and choreography and you have an unforgettable evening. And there’s one extra element that makes this show uniquely Ashburton. The production hasn’t relied on piano scores and dated soundtracks to accompany the solos, duos, trios and ensembles. It commissioned one of New Zealand’s top arrangers, former Ashburton composer and musician, Roger Buchanan, to provide 2022 orchestral scores for many of the numbers. His tribute to West Side Story will be one of the many highlights of a night to remember.

Director Kathi Craig | Choreographer Jessie Thomson Presented in the Braided Rivers Community Trust Event Centre by Variety Theatre Ashburton from May 26-29

Saturday, April 16, 2022 | YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE

presents

BORN FREE THE OSCAR WINNERS

Celebrating 90 years of the Academy Awards

Director & Musical Director - Kathi Craig MNZM Assistant Musical Director - Malcolm Hopwood Choreographer - Jessie Thomson

ON STAGE 26TH-29TH MAY 2022 Tickets available at Ashburton Event Centre

YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE | Saturday, April 16, 2022

Use your noodle

ummer has gone and the cold weather is here, so it’s nice to have some warm dishFROM JAPAN es. Noodles are family friendly and also easy Miya Komatsu on the budget, so why not try these yummy recipes. Enjoy! Miya Komatsu is a Japanese-trained chef and nutritionist who has made Ashburton her home.

Chicken teriyaki spaghetti

2T sake (cooking wine), or white wine

2 servings

– Put a frypan on medium heat with oil. – Add the chicken and cook until nicely browned on both sides. – Add the teriyaki sauce and set aside. – Cook the spaghetti using packet directions. Drain the spaghetti and mix with the soy sauce. – Put a big frypan on medium heat with oil. – Add the onion and saute for about 3 min then add the cabbage and capsicum to cook for another 3 min. Turn heat off then add the spaghetti to combine together. Salt and pepper to taste. – Top with the chicken and sauce.

I was inspired to use this recipe after the head chef of the Christchurch restaurant I was working at in 1999 made it for a staff meal. All I did was change it to suit my taste. 200g spaghetti 300g chicken thigh, sliced into bitesized pieces 1 onion, thinly sliced 2 leaves cabbage, cut into 4-5cm chunks 1/2 capsicum, sliced 1t soy sauce Salt and pepper, to taste Teriyaki sauce 2T soy sauce 2T sugar, I use brown sugar for colour

Miya’s hint – You can make it gluten-free with gluten-free pasta and tamari soy sauce.

PHOTOS MIYA KOMATSU

An kake soba (Crispy noodles with thick sauce) 2 servings This is one of my father’s favourites. 2C crispy noodles 200g prawns, thaw if frozen 1 pak choy, cut into 4-5cm pieces 1/4 carrot, sliced 1.5cm wide 1/2 onion, sliced Sauce 1.5C water 1t chicken stock powder 1t soy sauce 1T cornflour

Hot and sour soup 4 servings Twenty-plus years ago I worked for a cafeteria in a Japanese newspaper. This soup was one of the most popular dishes amongst employees. 150g tofu, cut into small cubes 100g pork schnitzel (not crumbed), thinly sliced and mixed with a pinch of salt 4 button mushrooms, thinly sliced 50g bamboo shoots (tinned), rinsed with cold water and drained well 50g vermicelli noodles, soaked in cold water for 20 min and drained 1 egg, beaten well in a small bowl Soup 2 1/2 C boiling water 2t chicken stock powder 1t salt 1 1/2 T soy sauce (or tamari for gluten free) 2t cornflour, mixed with 2t water in a small bowl 2t cracked black pepper

2T vinegar Coriander, to garnish Chilli oil or chilli flakes, to taste – Pour the boiling water into a soup pot on high heat, add the chicken stock, salt and soy sauce. Add the pork, mushrooms and bamboo shoots. – Cut the vermicelli noodles with scissors for easy eating and add to the pot. – Once boiling again, add the tofu and black pepper. – Mix the cornflour and water well again and add to the pot. Immediately stir well and heat until the soup has thickened. – Drizzle the egg over the soup and cook until it hits boiling point. Add the vinegar and turn the heat off. – Serve in soup bowls and top with coriander and chilli (optional) Miya’s hint If you are serving children, don’t add black pepper to the pot.

– In a small bowl, mix all the sauce ingredients together. Set aside. – Place the crispy noodles on each dish. – Put a large frypan on medium heat with oil. – Add the prawns and cook until

they change colour to red. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside. – Add more oil to the frypan and saute the onion and carrot. Once the carrots are cooked, add the pak choy and the sauce. Make sure the sauce is well mixed before adding to the frypan. – Stir well and cook until the sauce has thickened. Put the prawns back in the frypan and combine. Turn the heat off and pour over the noodles into each dish. Miya’s hint I used prawns, but you can change to any meat, seafood, tofu or more vegetables. This sauce is very versatile, you can pour over other types of noodles, plain rice or even fried rice.

Saturday, April 16, 2022 | YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE

April in

the garden

eaves on deciduous trees are beginning to colour and towards the end of the month there is always the possibility of an early frost. A busy month in the garden with many tasks to be completed before the onset of winter. Vegetable garden Harvest the last of the summer vegetables. Prepare and plant the winter vegetable garden with the following: broad beans, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbages, cauliflower, onions, silverbeet and spinach. To ensure healthy, vigorous growth of your winter vegetables, prepare the soil thoroughly by adding fresh compost.

soil and plant strawberry plants spaced 120-150mm apart. Mounding the soil improves drainage, and the soil warms up quicker in spring. Fruit trees The last of the apples eg, granny smith, can now be harvested. All pip and stone fruit trees will benefit from a late autumn clean-up fungicide spray of a copper compound, this is especially important for peach and nectarine trees. Delay pruning until all the leaves have fallen. Both feijoas and kiwifruit can be harvested in April. Rose care Late blooming roses will still be flowering freely, while most bush and climbing

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Lawns are often the first thing we notice when stepping on to a property. The secret to lush green lawns is fertilising regularly and adequately. Fertiliser lowers the PH of the soil which means the grass will grow better than the weeds! Our Daltons Lawn Care Pack, valued at over $75 has everything you need to grow a lush, healthy lawn, and includes a pair Red Back gardening gloves from Omni Products.

Be in to win Email goodies@theguardian.co.nz with Daltons Lawn Care prize pack in the subject heading, or write to Lawn Care pack giveaway, Box 77, Ashburton. CONDITIONS OF ENTRY: • You must provide a gardening question for the Daltons experts to answer. • Please include your address and phone number in email and letter options! • Giveaway entries must be received by May 2, 2022. For more information on Daltons products visit www.daltons.co.nz

Leaves on deciduous trees are beginning to colour

Stagger plantings to guarantee continuous harvesting, rather than having crops all maturing at once. Where there are empty beds, sow a green manure crop, eg, mustard, lupins, that can be dug into the soil in late winter/early spring. This protects the soil over winter and adds organic matter and nutrients back into the soil. Flowering annuals Late autumn flowering annuals are now finishing flowering and can be removed. Add fresh compost to the existing soil and plant winter flowering annuals including aquilegia, alyssum,

All questions supplied are entered into the draw to win a Daltons prize pack, but the Guardian reserves the right to choose which questions and answers will be published. Daltons post the prize to our lucky winner.

roses are in their last month of flowering. Collect all fallen leaves to reduce next season’s infection of rust and black spot. Mulch with fresh compost. In the herb garden The last month to collect fresh herb leaves to dry and store for use in winter. Over winter it may be more convenient to grow herbs in containers in a sunny spot near the kitchen. Lawns Time to renovate existing lawns or sow new ones (early April). As with many aspects of horticulture, preparation is critical for success in developing a new

Snip off strawberry runners and pop into pots until ready to plant in the garden in May.

calendulas, cinerarias, cornflowers, lobelias, nemesia, pansies, stock, sweet william, and violas. Strawberries April and May are the main months for planting new strawberry plants. Prepare new strawberry beds by adding compost and Daltons Garden Time Strawberry Mix to the existing soil, as strawberries grow best in a rich soil. Create mounds 200mm above the existing

lawn. When importing new soil, where possible, ensure it is weed free. Sow generous amounts of grass seed and maintain moisture levels on the germinating seed. With existing lawns, apply lawn fertiliser to promote strong, healthy growth. For more gardening advice or information on the wide range of Daltons products visit www.daltons.co.nz.

Bulb business

Bronie McMurtrie won this month’s prize with the following question: Should I divide my bulbs each year? Should bulbs be taken out of the ground after flowering? Daltons responds: In general bulbs can be left in the ground for a number of years before it impacts on their flowering. You can take bulbs out and dry them over the season although there is no real advantage in doing this unless you want to move their position. If you would like your bulbs to naturalise (spread naturally on their own) just leave them in the ground and do not disturb them. However, with some varieties, particularly irises and lachenalias, it is imperative to lift them every two to three years otherwise their flowering will reduce. If your bulbs are growing in containers or smaller areas, it is best to lift, check and replant them every three to four years. Simply dig up the bulbs, check their condition and remove any that are diseased. Divide them if need be (some may have multiplied)

and plant them out again in the ground or back into containers with fresh bulb mix. When green foliage starts to appear through the soil, feed bulbs by applying a side dressing of bulb fertiliser to promote healthy, vigorous blooms. Once they have finished flowering, feed bulbs again to support them in bulking up their stores for next season. At the end of the season (once the flowers have finished), the foliage begins to brown and die down. Some people cut this foliage off too early, and it is a major reason for reduced flower numbers next season. Be sure to let the leaves brown and die down naturally to protect the plant and ensure maximum nutrients have been stored for the next season’s flowering. While the brown foliage can be unsightly towards the end of summer, they can be tied together allowing room for planting some late flowering annuals to provide colour in this part of the garden. You may find it helpful to read our free How to Grow Guides at www.daltons. co.nz/how-toguides

YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE | Saturday, April 16, 2022

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