EXCLUSIVE

EXCLUSIVE The one that we loved Good therapy BBrrravebeachbabes!s Hearty & f illing one-pot wondersPLUS At home with NicolaRlRoyalWillisstar

Zara

Mike’s no dummy when it comes to keeping son Lucas quiet.

handsomehersteed.

2 New Zealand Woman’s Weekly

Love Who c k

Mia’s just nutty about her baby brother. Left: Anne on parade.

Giddy up! Lena wants a horse like her mum’s one. in ac tion on

grandchildren.rstofficial mum’s delight, he is already showing interest in horses.

he Tindall family was out in full force for the Magic Millions Festival of British Eventing recently. The Queen’s granddaughter Zara, 41, was full of smiles as she shared the fun and games with her rugby star husband Mike, 43, and their three children, Mia, eight, Lena, four, and one-year-old Lucas.

TINDALL!

The spirited royals were naturals on the rides

Mia’s raising the bar a littlehigh!too Dad rests his legs on the Ferris wheel with Lena.

After Luca Mike reveale claimed the her veryLuowcpZyoLuc appearancelbti

T

The keen equestrian, who won silver at the 2012 Olympic Games, also competed at the event, which took place at her mother Princess Anne’s sprawling Gatcombe Park estate. The casually dressed Princess Royal, 71, was spotted out and about, checking up on her beloved

New Zealand Woman’s Weekly 3

August 22, 2022 EditorMcLachlan,Marilynn CONTACT DETAILS NZ Woman’s Weekly, PO Box 52122, Kingsland, Auckland 1352 EMAIL nzww@aremedia.co.nz FIND US ONLINE newzealandwomansweeklyfacebook.com/instagram.com/newzealandwomansweekly SUBSCRIPTIONS EMAIL magshop@magshop.co.nz WEB magshop.co.nz PHONE 0800 624 7467 ADVERTISING Email Chloe Jordan chloe.jordan@aremedia.co.nz WOMAN’S WEEKLY STAFF See page 73 for details 4 New Zealand Woman’s Weekly On the cover 6 Sally Ridge’s joy ‘Love, family and what I know now’ 12 Royal star The secret to Kate’s success 14 The one that we loved Farewell to Olivia 18 Kids and chaos At home with Nicola Willis 30 Brrrave beach babes! ‘ We’ve never felt so good!’ 32 Good therapy ‘My dog is healing teens’ Stories 10 The wrap-up Serena hangs up her racquet, sons reject Britney, and Gillian’s evil plan 22 baLaura’sckon TV The Shorty star works in mysterious ways 24 Meet the bakers! The home cooks looking to impress 26 Diver’s new goal Lizzie makes a splash as a mum 28 Coro dad Sam Juggling babies at home and on TV Food 36 Love me tender 40 Easy pea-sy 44 S’mores the merrier 46 Shop window Style 48 Fashion 50 Beauty Lifestyle 52 Health 56 Craft Timeout 60 Puzzles 68 Kevin Milne 70 Michele A’Court 71 Horoscopes 72 Join the conversation 74 Retro Weekly 76 Colin Hogg 77 Kerre Woodham 78 Entertainment 81 Books with Nicky Pellegrino Celeb watch 2 Star news 82 Star weekly 14 A s I’ve shared previously, this year the Weekly is celebrating its 90th anniversary and we’re connecting with people who have been a part of the magazine through the years. Earlier this year, we caught up with April Ieremia and this week we talk to Sally Ridge. Some readers will remember her as not only a cover star but also a columnist for the Weekly more than a decade ago. While she was somewhat reluctant to be back in the limelight, she was very welcoming when the team arrived for our photoshoot at her home and her cute pup Valli posed for pictures like a professional!

Sally’s had many exciting changes in her life, including becoming a grandmother, which she absolutely loves, as you’ll read on page 6. Meanwhile, our Weekly people section has two very different but equally interesting stories. Firstly we meet a group of Wellington women who call themselves the Better Beach Babes. Twice a week they venture into the ocean in the early hours for a “bob” in the water, even when the air temperature is just three degrees! These brave women, who are following in the footsteps of an older group who did the same for around 25 years until the early 2000s, are reaping the benefits. They have found these chilly dips are good for both their mental and physical health. I admire these women a lot, but I’m not sure I could do the same! And on page 32, we meet counsellor Pip and her greyhound ki, who’s helping her connect with the teens at her lovelyandanxiety.areparticularlyschool,thosewhostrugglingwithEnjoyyourmaghaveaweek, email nzww@aremedia.co.nz

24 32 30 82 The New Zealand Woman’s Weekly is published by Are Media Ltd, Level 1, 317 New North Road, Kingsland, Auckland 1021. Printed by Webstar, 114 Swanson Road, Henderson, Auckland 0610. © 2021. All rights reserved.

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he may have b een the Weekly ’ s craf ts editor a decade ago, but don’t ex p ect Sally Ridge to be bedazzling baby onesies ju st yet for her precious new g randson Porter. Her trust y hot- g lue g un has been sitting idle of late while t he 52-year-old juggles life as a busy rea l estate agent, interior designer and devoted mum. As she sit s dow n to reminisce over her popu lar former colu mn for the magazine’s upcoming 90t h birt hd ay – t he on ly interview and photoshoot she has done in a numb er of years – Sa l ly is clearly smitten wit h t he new l itt le man in her life, who is affectionately known as PortHe’sie-pants.herfi rst grandchi ld af ter eldest d aug hter Jaime and TommyhusbandBateswelcomed From society girl to grand shares her fabulous family

“I’m so close to Jaime, so day via FaceTime. Jaime [who turns 29 this month] is such a great mum… she’s so an amazing dad too. They’re such a cute family.” Sally will be known to “I didn’t want to be called Grandma, so Gigi is what I am now and it works for me.”

“I just couldn’t wait to nally got old and stayed for a month,” smiles the former TV star. “Yeah, he’s pretty cute. I rst Christmas this year.

“My most popular craft was when I did an arty map of New Zealand, again just placing inexpensive stuff on it from a junk drawer like beads and pegs. So many people replicated it.” Sally stumbles upon a column featuring a small egg carton that she turned Weekly’ Zealand duate,presenter Roo ms, ders wit h n a craf t o 2012 . ch i ld ren ap Ad am 19, and of ten when t hey mum when k ids. l f un s. “A ed what tos weetingtorhavingstrugglecraft ts editor p on love

Using fun items lying about her house, Sally’s craft pages appealed to Weekly readers. as she had hoped.

New

Woman’s Weekly 7 eclrvrHhhmrIfit mone Cover stor y

When the Weekly visits at The Ridges –Sally has her phone out, on shows like Home Front and  doing it,” she refl their feedback.” ideas each week. “Half the time I was inspired by using up all the crap that the kids used to leave around the house like dice, marbles, Lego and beads! I could buy a vase from a two-dollar shop, then glue all those little bits and pieces on and make it look cool.

artNetherlands.fromextinguishersrethe“I’msointoandAstin has created a really good website,” she enthuses. “He loves art and respects what artists create, but he’s more intellectual than creative himself, and is enjoying his fi rst year doing a business and law degree at Auckland University.”Beforethey had even launched their business however, the pair unwittingly found themselves in trouble with the police.

“The police then rang us and weren’t happy. We fi nally got the pieces two weeks ago. The artist we are working with never imagined there’d be such a problem!”

For someone who used to regularly fi nd herself in the headlines – more often than not reading inaccuracies about her personal life – she says it’s been a breath of fresh air to have spent the last few years going “under the radar a bit”.So,is she nervous about being on a magazine cover again for the fi rst time in over 10“No,years?other than people are probably going to say, “I’ve really kept out of the . They’ll take something a person.“Ididn’t consider leaving New Zealand, but it does tarnish you as a person. People do believe the rumours that they read. And they say people forget, but they don’t.

8 New Zealand Woman’s Weekly into a pink trinket box and laughs in horror. “Oh, that’s quite out there, isn’t it?! I don’t know what made me think of making these things,” says Taurangaborn Sally, who grew up collecting buttons, stamps and erasers, and loved making handmade cards.

“It’s one of those funnybut-not-funny stories,” admits Sally. “Four months ago, we brought in these ‘designer dynamite’ pieces by a French artist. But they got held up at the airport and the bomb squad got brought in. It was really bad. The police rang Adam, saying, ‘There’s a suspicious package for A. Parore’ and he said, ‘Oh, that’s my son.’

Sally has found love again with Scott (far right, at Kiwi artist Shane Cotton’s exhibition at Gow Gallery).Langsford Our cover girl 20 years ago. “People soootoprobablyaregoingsay,‘She’soldnow!’”

“I don’t think we do enough crafts any more.” However, a passion for art still drives her. Last month, she and son Astin launched a small side business together called Essentials NZ (fi nd it on Instagram @essentialsnz), where the pair import and sell high-end art pieces sourced globally from an array of established international artists. Think glow-in-thedark gnomes and designer decorative fi

“It’s what you get from being in the public eye, I suppose. But the Weekly doesn’t write nasty stuff , so it’s quite andstrong-willed,startedYearatyoungestit’stimeAstinheronmyestatestillestateherselfmediaDuringrefreshing!”herself-imposedbreak,SallypouredintoherworkasarealagentforBayleys–“I’mshybutIthinkdoingrealhasbroughtmeoutofshell”–andfocusedsolelywhatmattersmosttoher...fourbeautifulchildren.Thesedays,withsonsandBostonspendingwiththeirgirlfriends,mostlyjustSallyanddaughterMclanehome.Theteenagerisin11atschoolandhasjustlearningtodrive.“Allthekidsaresoenthusiasticmotivated,”tellsSally.

‘I feel like time themarchedhason,kidshavegrownupbutI’msohappy’ cbasraqlrps‘

“Boston is 25 and has been working with his dad [former league star Matthew Ridge] for several years at his carwash sites, Carfē, and is now the managing director. He’s doing super-well and is the most focused, hardworking kid I’ve ever met. But if you want to have nice things in life, you’ve got to work bloody hard to get them.”

When she’s missing cuddles with grandson Porter, Sally’s got curly mate Valli to hug.

“That’s one thing I have learnt with age – it’s important to be really good mates fi rst and foremost. Scott’s also the opposite of who I am, but maybe that’s what I needed in my life?

“I feel like time has marched on, the kids have grown up but I’m so happy at the moment.”

“I wasn’t interested in him at all initially and I don’t think he was interested in me either!” she tells. “And then whenever Cathy came up to Auckland, she’d say, ‘I’m going to have a drink with Scott, do you want to come?’ So I got to know him for ages, and we built a really nice friendship before things evolved and we got together.

New Zealand Woman’s Weekly 9

Between running her different businesses, putting her house on the market and cooing daily over her grandson on the phone, Sally has enough to keep her busy – but she’s also dipped her toes into the dating pool again. “I do have a partner, Scott, and he’s lovely. He’s very close to all the kids –they adore him and jokingly call him ‘Fitty Cent’.” The couple met a few years ago through Sally’s friend Cathy, but a romance didn’t blossom until a year later.

“They’re such good kids but they’re also so, so different. When Jaime moved away to America, it was actually quite a shock to my system to be apart from her. I didn’t think she’d stay over there at fi rst, but now she’s got a full life there and loves it.

Fleur Guthrie

CONROY.JUSTINEMAKE-UP:&HAIRROOKE.MICHAELPHOTOS:

What’s the last TV series you’ve binge-watched? The e ntire series of The Crown –my partner and I would watch six episodes in a row! It was so good. I became addicted like a royal family drug addict, whereas previously I had zero interest in them. I also love to watch Selling Sunset. The houses on that show are just outrageous and we don’t have anything like them in New Zealand. I love to see what they do interior-wise. My life philosophy is… “ Two wrongs don’t make a right” – I say that to the kids all the time. What was your fi rst gift to your new grandson? Well, I p ractically live at (baby clothing store) Nature Baby now, so I sent him a number of things from there. I’d like to buy him a nice piece of art when he’s older, as that’s what I have given all of my children. Did you grow up with the We e kly in your home? G osh, yes. My mum Sue, who is 74, was a reader as was my nana, who loved the celebrity news as much as the younger generation. She passed away aged 99 and a half.

Quick fire

Serena hasn’t won a Grand Slam since 2017. “I had my chances after coming back from giving birth,” she says. “I went from a C-section to a second pulmonary embolism to a Grand Slam fi nal. I played while breastfeeding. I played through postpartum depression. But I didn’t get there. These days, if I have to choose between building my tennis resumé and building my family, I choose theThelatter.”sports legend, who married billionaire Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian in 2017, has yet to put a fi rm date on her retirement and hopes to compete in the US Open in New York this month.

She doesn’t want to compete pregnant again.

Serena’s thrown a curveball in her quest for another baby

I t was a wistful Serena Williams who announced last week she was stepping away from the career that made her not just a star but an inspiration to women all over the world. The 23-time Grand Slam singles winner revealed she has been trying for another child for the past year – a sibling for her four-year-old daughter Olympia. “I defi nitely don’t want to be pregnant again as an athlete,” the 40-year-old champion wrote last week. “I need to be two feet into tennis or two feet out.” The star, who also won gold at the 2012 Olympics, shared, “Believe me, I never wanted to have to choose between tennis and a family. I don’t think it’s fair. If I were a guy, I wouldn’t be writing this because I’d be out there playing and winning while my wife was doing the physical labour of expanding our family.

daughterSerenawantsOlympiatohaveasibling.

“A lot of people don’t realise that I was two months pregnant when I won the Australian Open in 2017. But I’m turning 41 this month and something’s got to give.”

10 New Zealand Woman’s Weekly

GOODBYE TO A GREAT

It’ll be double the fun having mum at home!

“I don’t think I’ve ever stayed in my lane, figuratively and literally,” she confesses.

Gillian’s evil plan Kevin twomarriedBritneyandwereforyears.

Britney and Sam are trying to pregnant.get

The actress won an Emmy for her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher. Sons reject Britney Sean (left) and Jayden aretimehavingout.

Kevin, 44, recently gave an interview in which he said, “The boys have decided they are not seeing her right now. It’s been a few months since they’ve seen her. They made the decision not to go to her wedding.”

The former back-up dancer, who shares Sean, 16, and Jayden, 15, with Britney, 40, also said he’d had a difficult time explaining why newly married Britney posted nearly nude shots of herself online.

Britney Spears has slammed her ex-husband Kevin Federline for announcing their teenage sons don’t want any contact with her.

“It’s tough. I can’t imagine how it feels to be a teenager having to go to high school,” he said. Sean and Jayden were noticeably absent from Britney’s wedding to personal trainer Sam Asghari, 28, in June, but the Toxic singer has fought back, saying it was “hurtful” that Kevin had decided to publicly discuss private family matters and that everyone knows raising teenage boys “is never easy”. The X-Files star Gillian Anderson has played her fair share of trailblazers. Now, she says, she’d like to try something more chilling.

New Zealand Woman’s Weekly 11

The 53-year-old actress impressed fans with her portrayal of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in The Crown.

“Women interest me. I enjoy playing real-life women,” Gillian confessed recently. “But the pressure and expectation is greater. I might take a break for a while and play some psychopaths.” That chance might come sooner than expected. Gillian’s former Sex Education co-star Ncuti Gatwa, 29, is the new Doctor Who and he stated recently that he’d love to do battle in the beloved sci-fi series with Gillian playing the villain. It would be a risk, but mum-ofthree Gillian says her career has been built on taking chances.

Royal update

magazine, Tatler Judy Kean

Kate a pp eared to b e ch anne lling b oth Ju lia Roberts (in Prett y Woman) and her late mother-in-law Princess Diana (who had a thing about spots) when she wore a jaunt y polka- dot dress for Royal Ascot in June.

The white and brown dress by Alessandra Rich includes quir ky elements like the asymmetrical hem and was teamed with a My Fair Lady-esque boater by Sally-Ann Provan .

It’s official! The crowned a fash at he C a m whoujustnd Britain’s best- d Mum-of-thr a list of most s compiled by Ta who dubb ed he superstar”She’sadept a ever yt h i ng she tai lored , embra catwa lk trends of appropriate classic si lhouet Since b ecom following her m Wi ll iam, Kate British designe McQueen, Jen Cat herine Wa l supporting Lon born couturier Z ea lander Em Kate does ha Natasha Arche as a PA at Ken then moved int after Kate ad m the duchess ha everything she British styl is says , “Because stays wit h in t h rea l ms , she nev too fash ion-for simple and do e t h ings. Plus, sh of elegance.”

H SUPREMEKATE them all!

One minute she’s like a modern fairytale princess in a stunning ice-blue gown, the next she’s rocking corporate chic in a crisp white suit. During the royal tour of the Caribbean earlier this year, Kate shone in a range of outfi ts, including a couture dress by British designer Phillipa Lepley and a white Alexander McQueen suit she’s worn on numerous occasions.

New Zealand Woman’s Weekly 13

Kate can carry off any look, from stylish to sporty. She looked the business wearing a smart Catherine Walker coat to the Commonwealth Day service, but can effortlessly switch things up, wowing guests in a hot-pink gown by The Vampire’s Wife for a reception in Belize. When called to action, the duchess aces her sailing and tennis attire.

HOPETODEVOLOL Courageous tHusband John eased Olivia’s pain in the latter years. ‘You made all of our lives so much better. impactYourwasincredible’

In an interview celebrating the fi lm’s 40th anniversary in 2018, Olivia said, “I could probably write a book

Physical becoming accordingoftop-sellingthesongthe’80s,to Billboard magazine. During her career, Olivia sold over 27 million albums, had five number ones, won four Grammys and was named the 44th most successful artist of all time by Billboard After taking time off in the ’80s to be a full-time mum to her daughter Chloe Lattanzi, 36, and then getting her fi rst diagnosis of breast cancer in 1992, she poured a lot of her time and energy into humanitarian and health causes, including lobbying the Australian government to approve the use of medical cannabis for cancer patients to help with pain. Olivia’s cancer returned in 2013, shortly after her older sister Rona died from brain cancer. She was also in a car accident around the same time and chose to keep the news about her health private. She hoped treatment would keep the disease at bay, but it reappeared four years later. This time the cancer was stage four and had spread to her lower back. After suffering a fracture to her lower spine, she had to learn to walk again. Medical cannabis, grown for her by her husband, was crucial when it came to dealing with the pain. She talked openly about her experience of cancer, refusing to call it a fight “because I don’t like war”. Instead of railing against

It’s a beautiful photo that emanates pure love. The throwback shot, showing a blissful-looking Dame Olivia Newton-John wrapped in the arms of her husband, John Easterling, was posted on her Instagram account on August 5. Sadly the next post, three days later, was from John, 70, announcing that Olivia, 73, had passed away peacefully at their ranch in California, surrounded by family and friends.“Olivia has been a symbol of triumphs and hope for over 30 years, sharing her journey with breast cancer,” he wrote. The latter years of her life were overshadowed by the disease, but Olivia faced up to her health issues with incredible courage and determination. In an interview in 2020, she said in many ways, cancer defi ned her more than her stellar career as a singer and actress. “I see it as my life’s journey,” she said. “It’s given me purpose and intention, and taught me a lot about compassion.”

But while dealing with the illness – and helping others with it through the cancer wellness research centre and the foundation that bear her name – may have been her driving force in recent years, she will be remembered as the sweet-voiced country/pop singer who became a global superstar thanks to her role as Sandy in the classic movie musical Grease Olivia nearly didn’t say yes to the part – she was worried that at 29 she was too old for the character and that if the movie flopped, it would scupper her singing career. But ropedAllanproducerCarrinleading man John Travolta to talk her around and she became much beloved not just by the generation who fi rst saw it back in 1978, but others to come.

14 New Zealand Woman’s Weekly Weekly tribute

Deeditchingto-sexyunderwentAustralian-raisedBritish-born,songstressherownsweet-transformation,herreal-lifeSandraimagetobecomeasultryleather-cladsiren.Hermusicmorphedintochart-toppingsoftrock,withher1980smashhit

Movie fans fell in love with the singer as Sandy in Grease and honestly loved

containing all the stories I hear about when people saw it and what it has meant to them. I never get tired of that. It’s really wonderful and I defi nitely feel very grateful for the Afterexperience.”thehugesuccess of Grease, the

her misfortune, she was accepting of it as part of her journey and vowed to cherish the time she had left.

“Every day is a blessing,” she said. “You never know when your time is over. We all have a fi nite time on this planet and we just need to be grateful for that.”

Donna Fleming

ESSLYTEDIVIA o the end

15

One of the most poignant tributes came from Olivia’s daughter Chloe before she lost her mum. A couple of days before Olivia died, the 36-year-old shared a photo of the two of them together with the heartfelt caption, “I worship this woman. My mother. My best friend.”

New Zealand Woman’s Weekly

Olivia Newton-John 1948-2022

yatswmyw

Olivia with (clockwise from left) daughter Chloe, and friends Elton and Dionne. Heartfelt tributes her ever since

Known in showbusiness circles for her sunny nature, the tributes that flowed in after Olivia’s death painted a picture of a kind, thoughtful and much-loved woman. Her Grease co-star John Travolta was one of the fi rst to pay tribute on social media, writing, “My dearest Olivia, He added, “Yours from rst moment I saw you Singer Dionne Warwick remembered Olivia as “one of the nicest people I had the pleasure of recording and performing with”, while Brooke Shields described her as a “true class act” and “a wonderful mother and wife, who was grace and strength personified”.SirEltonJohn’s words were also touching. “Olivia was a beautiful and courageous woman who I never heard complain about her illness. I will miss her so much.”

Magical milestones

Olivia lost out to ABBA at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974. In London with AussiepartnersingingPat.

Withdiasappeared.mysteriouslyPatrick,boyfriendwhoOliviaandchemistryJohn’swaselectrifyingin Grease.

1965 After singing on variety TV shows, where she was known as “Lovely Livvy”, Olivia won a talent show, where the prize was a trip to the UK. There she recorded a song but it failed to chart.

1984 Olivia married Matt. After a series of miscarriages, their daughter Chloe was born in 1986. Subsequent albums failed to achieve the success of her earlier ones and she began to focus more on humanitarian causes close to her heart, such as animal rights.

1971 Olivia released her fi rst solo album, If Not For You, and had hits with the title track and its follow-up Banks of the Ohio. In 1973, her single Let Me Be There was a hit on the pop and country music charts, and won her a Grammy for Best Country Female.

1974 Representing the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest, Olivia came fourth behind winners ABBA. Later that year, her single I Honestly Love You became a worldwide smash, including going to number one in the US and winning her two more Grammys. After a run of hits, such as Please Mr Please, her career stalled in 1977. 1978 Grease hit the big screen and quickly became one of the most successful movies of all time. 1980 Her next movie, musical fantasy Xanadu, was a boxl dhdl offi ce flop but later became a cult classic. Olivia began a romance with dancer Matt Lattanzi after meeting on set.

John was not only a talented performer but had a gift for reinventing herself. She went from country star to a pop princess and fi lm icon, then a fi erce humanitarian and health campaigner. Here’s a look at her many achievements.

1981 Olivia released her album Physical. The provocative lyrics prompted some radio stations to ban it. Olivia countered this by fi lming a spoof exercisethemed video that turned it into an aerobics anthem and popularised headbands as a fashion accessory.

1966 Olivia travelled around Europe with an Australian friend, Pat Carroll, performing as a duo. Pat’s visa ran out but Olivia stayed on, working on her solo career.

1948 Olivia Newton-John was born in Cambridge, England. Her dad Bryn was a former MI5 offi cer and her mum Irene was the daughter of Nobel Prize-winning German physicist Max Born. The family emigrated to Melbourne in 1954.

1992 Olivia was primed for a comeback with the release of a greatest hits compilation album when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, aged 44. Her dad died the same weekend she got the news. She recovered after treatment, becoming an advocate for breast cancer research.

1995 Olivia’s marriage to Matt ended. A year later, she met cameraman Patrick McDermott, and they dated

16 New Zealand Woman’s Weekly

Incan ceremony in Peru. In the same year, she opened the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Research Centre in Melbourne. As well as providing treatment for cancer patients, it funds research into treatments and cures for the disease.

Dancer Matt and Olivia had baby Chloe in 1986. John and Olivia at the premiere of Xanadu. Chloe and John at the annual WellnessNewton-JohnOliviaWalk.

on and off for nine years. A year after breaking up, Patrick disappeared while on a fishing trip.

2017 Olivia revealed that her cancer had returned. She campaigned for the legalisation of medicinal cannabis to ease pain and set up the Olivia Newton-John Foundation to research holistic therapies for cancer. In 2020, she was made a Dame for her services to the entertainment industry and cancer campaigning.

2022 John announced that his wife, Olivia Newton-John, died peacefully on August 8. She was 73. New Zealand Woman’s

The last deathannouncingphotoOlivia’sonInstagram.

Weekly 17 Weekly tribute

2008 Olivia married American businessman John Easterling, who runs a herb company, in a secret

W hen inParliamentarrivesWillisNicolaatthe

Then, after giving quick goodbye kisses to her brood, Nicola darts out the door and drives 10 minutes from the family’s Wellington home to Parliament, where at times she works until midnight.

“Earlier today, my daughter said, ‘Mum, I think this is the tidiest the house has ever looked,’” says Nicola, 41, whose passion and get-itdone attitude saw her replace Simon Bridges as National’s e National’s deput y ‘chaos’ at home

mornings, she’s usually the politician wearing a dash of bright red lipstick with a messy ponytail pulled back in Ashaste.abusy mum-of-four, the deputy leader of the opposition has little time to spend getting her look just right. Instead, what time she does have in the morning is spent sipping strong black coffee and perhaps snatching a moment to read a book with her youngest daughter as her consultant husband Duncan Small rallies the clan to get ready for school.

National Party’s deputy leader just four years after becoming anSaysMP.the Karori-based mum of James, 12, Harriet, 11, Reuben, nine, and Gloria, six, “I defi nitely have moments where I wonder if I’m doing what’s right for my kids, or if I’m giving too much to politics, and it can be really confronting and difficult. “That’s where it’s important for me to know that what I’m doing is purposeful and making a difference. If I’m sacrifi cing time with my children, it has to be worth it.”

On the morning of our photoshoot, the Wellingtontheir house is spotless. Reuben greets everyone at the front door with a polite handshake and introduction, while a homemade lemon cake sits on the kitchen bench. But Nicola admits the idyllic scene is a far cry from the usual chaos of their busy home.

“Sometimes I think, if only I could clone myself and have the person who does the full-on parliamentary thing and then the person who gets to do the full-on motherhood thing,” laughs Nicola, who stepped into the role of the

18 New Zealand Woman’s Weekly

“It’s quite fash ionable now,” qu ips Duncan, 42, h i l k d just very a head of my time!” A year a f ter meeting, h i b l r leader gives us a peek and why she’d never chata

Two decades ago, Nicola was a successful university debater and debating team captain when she met fellow New Zealand Woman’s Weekly notice the tall, red-headed guy who had confidence and charisma – as well as jeans that sat an inch too short above his ankles. head of government and industry affairs at Air New Zealand, where he and Nicola fi rst met National leader Christopher Luxon. “I’m and when Duncan moved to Canberra, Australia, to complete his master’s degree in strategic studies, Nicola headed to Christchurch to Christopher Luxon. Nicola and Duncan with their brood (from left) Reuben , James, Harriet and Gloria. nherge it

Exclusive fi nance spokesperson in March. “When my mother heard I didn’t have anything to offer people during the photoshoot, she dropped in the cake. The people around me, like my parents who live five minutes away, and Duncan, who’s my rock, have been really important in enabling me to juggle family life and politics.”

Well ingtonian Duncan in t he V ictoria University debating l b Sh ld ’ h l b

19

“During our wedding, Duncan’s speech was incredible and so romantic,” tells Nicola. “He read me a poem and had lots of people in tears because it was so sweet. Then we had our honeymoon in Wa¯naka, which is still a very special place for us to visit.”

Prior to marriage, Duncan thought the couple might go on an OE, until Nicola announced she’d been offered a job working as a researcher for Bill English, who was education spokesperson for National at the “Nicolatime.said she’d do the 2005 elections and see where it goes, and we never quite unstitched ourselves from that,” remembers Duncan, who’s described by his wife as the calming influence in their“I’mrelationship.proudofNicola when I see what she does, how hard she works and how committed she is. It’s part of what makes it all worthwhile. The tactical mistake, though, is I really could’ve married someone who’s a less good arguer!” When Nicola decided to become an MP, she’d been working in senior management roles for Fonterra. Upon hearing the news their daughter wanted to get into politics, her parents Shona and James were a little worried.

20 New Zealand Woman’s Weekly complete a post-graduate diploma in journalism.

Below: Burgers with Bill English, when Nicola got her first taste of politics.Nicolaand Duncan’s 2007 wedding. “He carries my heart with him wherever we go.”

“I’m defi nitely one of those people who’s crying to the extent it embarrasses my son if we’re at the movies and there’s a sad scene,” laughs Nicola, whose mother worked as a journalist in the Press Gallery at Parliament until she was born and her father as a “Mylawyer.dad wondered why there were all these things I could do with my life, yet I chose something so hard! But ultimately, they saw that politics was my dream and so they’ve been incredibly supportive.”Nicolahas questioned whether she should show her sensitive side at work, which is a role she admits can be hard – particularly as a mother – when she’s confronted with child abuse cases and New Zealand’s housing crisis.  “Part of my brain says I should be tough, but then the other part says well, actually, keep your heart open because that’s what we’re here for,” she“Increasingly,says. as I go on in my career, I think it’s important to keep that part of myself open because we’ve got to feel things. There’s no point being a politician if you’re not going to be yourself.”

But being herself hasn’t always landed Nicola the best feedback from haters on social media, who have commented on what she should and

“While I can be confident and tough, I’m also sensitive underneath it all, so Mum in particular worried about how I’d cope with it.

“That was horrible in a way, doing long-distance, but when we fi nished it, my feeling was if we survived that, we’d survive anything and so we moved into our fi rst little apartment together in Thorndon,” recalls Nicola. The pair tied the knot at Old St Paul’s church in Wellington in 2007.

and make you pretty down in theDuncandumps.”has helped his wife “get out of a funk” after she’s read a hateful comment online.

“Kids can be challenging, and Duncan gives them his time and focus in a way that’s very meaningful for them. We’re very lucky to be in a position to do this as I know not everyone is.”

New Zealand Woman’s Weekly 21 “I’ve been told I shouldn’trybnid“ibwltisMIRANDAMAKE-UP:&HAIREDMONDS.NICOLAPHOTOS: MOFFATT.SALLY-ANNSTYLING:MILLEN.

Cloe Willett s

Above: Pyjama party movie night gets the kids’ vote, as does ice-cream cake for dessert (left).

“I occasionally get customer feedback saying they don’t like this or that and so I started off with everyone getting the same thing in their lunchbox, but over time they’ve ended up being a bit different,” he says. “It’s lovely to be able to spend time with them and build those relationships, and they’re slowly learning to appreciate my humour more. They’ve even started parroting back dadWhilejokes.”Nicola enjoys cooking, Duncan has also taken over home chef duties thanks to My Food Bag recipes, but the busy mum looks forward to preparing meals again in the summer holidays – along with family time at the beach, taking walks and going for bike rides.“Ido get tired, but I get a lot of energy from my work and really enjoy talking to people,” she admits. “On the weekends, I try to take a day off to just chill with Duncan and the kids, having family movie nights and playing Scrabble or doing a jigsaw. I fi nd that really restorative.” Since having kids, Nicola has learnt to relax more, which hasn’t always been the case for the high-achiever, who reveals she was a perfectionist pre-parenthood. “Once we had children, that wasn’t really an option any more and it’s been good for me because life’s not actually perfect,” she says. “I’ve become increasingly confident that some of the messiness and chaos from having four kids at home is actually pretty good. It keeps my feet on the ground.”

“The difference for our family has been amazing, enthuses Nicola. “It means Duncan’s able to pick the kids up from school and be there with them in the afternoon, giving that real stability and consistency.”

Duncan admits one of his secrets for maintaining their successful home routine is making school lunches the night before, which he has mastered thanks to his specialty fruit salads and diverse sandwich concoctions for each child.

“The difficulty is keeping perspective because it can feel like it’s everywhere, but it’s usually just a small group of rather nameless people,” he explains. “You’ve got to be able to take a deep breath and not get all caught up in it.”

It’s not only supportive reassurance Duncan helps out with at home. When Nicola took up her fast-paced role in 2018, the couple quickly learnt it was too stressful for both of them to be in demanding full-time jobs, so Duncan switched to working part-time.

‘If mysacrifiI’mcingtimewithchildren,ithastobeworthit’

Laura’s mum Helena Ross is a theatre actress, who has also made a brief appearance on Shorty, and her dad Peter Hill is a police officer-turned-writer who has worked in TV, as well as publishing crime novels.

S

Though their career paths showed Laura she could pursue a creative pathway, she was also fully aware of the harsh realities of not having a traditional nine-to-five job.

Celeb catch-up

The soap star knew she was destined to be more than a ‘Warner wife’

“Good heavens, no!” she exclaims. “I was very aware when I was an actor that another blonde nurse would be very easy to get hold of at any time – there will always be another Warner wife! I certainly didn’t imagine I’d have this longevity or that my role would change in this way.”

“I knew because of their experience how hard it was. So, I kind of felt I should try and have a back-up plan, but I never quite figured out what it was,” she laughs. “I’m lucky that it’s worked out for me – touch wood – and I’ve managed to have jobs where I get to be creative and still have money to pay the Laurabills.”saysher parents are her biggest fans and have always shown her unwavering support, even in her early days as a budding actress, putting on one-woman shows in her living room. One performance in particular stands out. “I was horrendous,” she laughs. “I remember making my parents watch me acting out and singing the entirety of Les Misérables the musical, and they just sat there full-timeactingamonsterI’mbackpolitely.smilingThinkingonitnow,like,‘WhataIwas!’”Aftertakingbreakfromtoworkat

‘I’M ON SHORT & BROKENWOO

Shorty as co-head writer, Laura steps back in front of the camera this week in The Brokenwood Mysteries, reprising her role as “morally ambiguous” lawyer Miranda Temple. “It was really lovely to go be an actor again,” she tells. “Having my mind in one character instead of 20 was amazing, it felt like a holiday.” Though she’s made a handful of appearances on the popular whodunit show before, Laura is looking forward to fans getting to know more about Miranda’s life. “I like Miranda – she’s much stauncher than I am,” Laura admits. “Whenever she appears, she’s always getting a client out of jail time, so she’s clearly very good at her job, but we’ve never found out much about her personal life and what makes her tick. It was fun to explore that side of her. Hopefully, she reappears in that world. I’d love it if she did.” Following closely in her parents’ footsteps, Laura’s other passion is writing. Since her character Toni Warner was killed off Shorty in 2009, she has been working her way up the ranks in the writers’ room and was recently named as the co-head writer of the beloved soap. Did she ever think when she arrived in Ferndale that she’d still be there 20 years later?

Laura’s double delig ‘I monsterThinkinghorrendous...wasbackonitnow,I’mlike,WhataIwas!’

he’s either been on our screens or behind the scenes helping create some of New Zealand’s most beloved shows for the past 20 years. But former Shortland Street star Laura Hill says her flourishing creative career has mostly come down to luck. “I’ve never had a life plan,” she admits. “I would be terrible in one of those interviews where they ask you to share your five-year plan. I’ve always known that acting is what I loved. And because of my parents, I knew that there were jobs where you could do that.”

Given her history on the show with ladies’ man Chris Warner (Michael Galvin) –they got married hoping to give son Harry a stable home but eventually split after Chris’ many infidelities were revealed – it would be understandable for Laura to want to give him a bit of a hard time on screen.

Scriptwriter Laura was inspired by her dad Peter, a crime author.

Y ht

But she says she always stays impartial.“Idon’t like to play favourites or enemies,” Laura reveals. “Although there’s a storyline at the moment of Chris being wary of hiring a nanny. I did put my Toni hat on, and say, ‘That’s because when we hired a nanny, you shagged her!’” After having to postpone a trip to Argentina with a friend when the world locked down due to Covid, avid traveller Laura says she is looking forward to dipping her toe in the world outside of Aotearoa once“I’magain.going to Melbourne for a long weekend of watching theatre. It’s been nice to be able to go back to public places and going to the theatre again has made my heart very happy.”

TVNZ+.on

Rebekah Hebenton Watch The Brokenwood Mysteries Sundays at 8.30pm on TVNZ 1 and Th err Miirarndnaa okkennwowoddMyytsteriiees . Toni and Chris’ nu ptials were billed as Shorty’s’ wedding of the year in 2005.

New Zealand Woman’s Weekly 23

“I don’t know how to bake, but I’m in absolute awe of people who have the skills. Also, I love to eat the baking!”

BROOKE WALKER, 28, AUCKLAND

Batter up! The home cooks are turning up the heat in their quest for sweet and savoury success

It’s all pretty magical really!” Pax Assadi joins Hayley Sproull as presenters, and the comedian says he can’t wait to taste the creations.

VICTORIA HUME, 27, WELLINGTON Though she’s only new to baking, public servant Victoria has tasted success after making it to the final of the Wellington on a Plate burger competition. But that doesn’t mean she’s above the nerves that come in the Bake Off kitchen. “I’m not sure I’ll be able to finish on time! I’m pretty slow and take my sweet time decorating.”

NEW BATCH OF BAKERS Meet the

Rebekah Hebenton

Local talent 24 New Zealand Woman’s Weekly

T

For marketing coordinator Brooke, being judged on her baking skills is something she is familiar with. “My family is known for judging baking out of 10. My nana is brutally honest.” Brooke, who lives with her fiancé Nick and their pup Richie, adds she doesn’t really like cake. “I wasn’t going to have a wedding cake, however, I’ve finally given in.”

Meet the new line-up (from left): Peter, Hayley, Pax and Jordan.

he Great Kiwi Bake Off is back! This season not only are there 10 fresh faces competing for the title, but there is also an all-new judging panel. Kiwi chef and renowned restaurateur Peter Gordon will put the home bakers through their paces alongside international phenomenon Jordan “The Caker” Rondel. “One of the many joys of the show is seeing the emerging talent of the bakers,” tells Peter. While Jordan admits, “I’m beyond excited to be around people baking all day.

KATRINA KEENAN, 51, CHRISTCHURCH She’s a World Cup-winning cricketer, but now Katrina’s ready to show her skills in the kitchen. Though she admits she’s not the most technical baker, the sportswoman, who shares daughters Emily, 18, and Macy, 16, with husband Grant, says she signed up to hone her skills. “There are definitely aspects of baking I lack experience around but I’m up for the challenge!”

JONATHON WILLOWS, 53, AUCKLAND Sales manager Jonathon says it was NZ’s first lockdown in 2020 that reignited his passion for baking. “My daughter and I worked from home, and I started baking so we could have fresh bread and cakes every day,” tells the Brit, who shares daughter Mollie, 16, with wife Michelle. “One day, she said, ‘You should go on Bake Off !’ And the rest is history.”

NIKITA DAY, 27, CHRISTCHURCH Being a lawyer is a highstress job, so for Nikita, the kitchen is the best way to unwind. “It’s relaxing and at the end of it, you have something to share with those you care about.” When she’s not baking, she plays video games and knits.

FRANCESCA BOYLE, 27, WELLINGTON She’s been baking since she was a child, learning all her grandmother’s tips and tricks, but former ballerina Francesca says there is no creation of hers that will top a 21st cake she made for one of her best friends. “In 2005, I was at the peak of my creativity. I was so proud of the pink ombre icing and the chocolate crown.”

HUGO BUSSELL, 28, WELLINGTON Baking has been a lifelong passion for public servant Hugo, who says he learned everything he knows in the kitchen from his mum Susan. “It all started with hanging around the kitchen and taking an interest in my parents’ cooking. I have lots of happy memories baking with my mum. I think the fi rst thing I ever baked was jam tarts.”

The Great Kiwi Bake Off returns Thursday, August 25 at 7.30pm on TVNZ 1. Zealand

New

MONIQUE HARRIS, 35, PAHIATUA Art teacher Monique, who lives on a dairy farm with her husband Jamie, is looking forward to being surrounded by fellow cake creators. “I just wanted to be inspired by other bakers. I can’t wait to be around their creative energy. I’m the only person who really bakes in my friend circle, so there’s nothing to inspire me.”

Woman’s Weekly 25

LUCAS NEAL, 27, WELLINGTON Hailing from a long line of sweet-treat masters, it seems theatre set designer Lucas was destined to become a baker. “My grandmother was a professional cake maker and when I was little, I spent a lot of time watching her make elaborate wedding and anniversary cakes. And my great-grandfather owned a chocolate factory, so sugar is in my veins.”

KEE-HEE LEE, 30, AUCKLAND What started as a new challenge has developed into a passion for piano teacher Kee-Hee. She says the joy of making something unique for a loved one is what inspires her. “I love seeing the happiness I can bring to the table. It’s very rewarding to see my family and friends feel special when I make something meaningful for them.”

LIZZIE’SMOTHERHDIVE Olympian’s bab

‘The Olympics is just one event, but my baby is the mostthingimportanttome’

K iwi Olympic diver Lizzie Cui can’t quite believe that this is her life. This time last year, she was supposed to be packing her bags and heading off to her second Olympic Games in Tokyo. Instead, she was back home in New Zealand getting ready to become a mum for the fi rst time. “I had to completely shift my priorities,” Lizzie, 24, tells the Weekly on Zoom from her home in the US, her baby daughter happily babbling away next to her. “I was focused on the Olympics and then I had to turn my energy to growing a baby. I didn’t know what I was doing.” Lizzie was only 17 when she qualified for her fi rst Olympic Games in 2016 and was the fi rst local diver in 24 years to compete in the prestigious atscholarshiptheFollowingcompetition.herdebutonworldstage,shewonatotrainandstudyLouisianaStateUniversity in America, which she’s called home for the past sixInyears.2020, she was elated when she qualifi ed for her second Olympic Games. But three months before the rescheduled event was due to take place, a visit to the doctor to check on an ovarian cyst changed everything.Lizzie’sdoctor made her take a pregnancy test to check if it was safe for her to go on medication and she was stunned when she got a positive result. A blood test confi rmed the news. “I didn’t know how to process it,” she recalls. “My fi rst thought was, ‘I can’t go to the Olympics.’ I’d been training for so long and it was upsetting.really But at the same time, it was my actions and decisions that got me in sayssurprise,situation.”theDespitetheLizziesheknew straight away that she was going to keep the baby and her decision was reinforced when she told her loved ones the“Inews.toldmy family I was going to keep the baby and they were nervous for me. I was nervous, too, of course, but they said they were going to support me.” She then had to break the news to the baby’s father, Louisiana native Ryan Rousell, 25. At the time, the pair were friends and fl atmates who were in the early stages of figuring out if there was something more to their relationship. Having both recently gone through break-ups, neither was interested in a serious relationship and certainly not a But,baby.shesays, Ryan’s reaction and his willingness to come back to Aotearoa to have the baby with her was the start of building the strong partnership they haveTheytoday.got married in an intimate ceremony in the US with only their family in attendance a few months after they found out they were expecting. But they

Pregnancy may have temporarily derailed her Games glory, but the diver’s making a splash as a mum

Rebekah Hebenton

“Being a mum is hard but it’s so reward ing ,” she says. “W hen she smi les, I can just tell by the way she looks at me t hat she k nows I’m her mum and t hat’s rea lly sp ecia l.” Now sett l ing back into her life i n L ou isiana w it h her new fami ly, Lizzie is look ing forward to getti ng her Oly mpic d reams back on t rack for t he 2024 Ga mes in Paris and she’s a l ready d ipp ed her toes back in t he swimming pool. Thanks to the example set by ot her top at hletes l i ke Dame Va lerie Ad ams , she k nows b eing a mum wi ll on ly make achieving her dreams mean so much more. “I have my sport and career ambitions, but as I navigate motherhood with the support of Ryan and my fami ly, I k now b eing a parent doesn’t stop any t h ing ,” muses Lizzie. “Somet imes it ’s ha rd but I’ll a lways land on my feet. “T hat’s why it was an easy decision to have Athena. T he Oly mpics is ju st one event, but my baby is t he most i mportant t h ing to me and she is de fi nitely wort h it.”

baLizzie’sckin action in the pool , preparingfortheParisGames

New Zealand Woman’s Weekly 27 sport Former flatmates Ryan and Lizzie are loving life with adorable Athena. his year ound t he sented it fami ly u nd ing ” shares d bwsupporthichitselfishitmeantcyplaguedswasultbirth.oursofAthenatheworldsectionhomesaysndingsbetterdreamed.

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RODRIGUES.CLAUDIAMAKE-UP:&HAIRBLIZARD.KELLIEPHOTOS: holiday in Orlando. for my followedlife.”by a diffi

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BABY BO

hen it comes to Chesneydadexhaustedplayingofquads

Brown on Coronation Street, Sam Aston reckons there’s not too much acting involved. As dad to two kids under two, including a newborn, he admits he’s pretty worn out.

Sam and Briony are thankful that Daisy’s arrival in the world was relatively easy, as there was drama when Sonny was born. He arrived six weeks prematurely and spent nine days in hospital due to jaundice and feeding problems. Daisy was born in a birthing pool at home after three hours of labour, during which Briony didn’t need pain relief. “It was just amazing,” recalls Sam. “With Sonny, I was more teary as there was relief that he was okay, whereas this time there was just excitement.”

The actor who plays Chesney sure has his hands full, bo Dad with mini-me Sonny and sweet Daisy. Sam was only nine when he fi rst showed up on the street. Four blimey! Sam with Coro’s Gemma (DollyRose Campbell) and their quads.

“My current life actually goes very well with my storyline and Chesney having quads,” says Sam, 29. “If you see me looking knackered on the screen, it’s because I am!”And it’s not like he gets a break from babies when he gets to work, because some of his scenes involve working with the infant actors who play the “There’squads.triplets and there’s two separate lots of twins [playing his on-screen family], of time playing with Sonny and bonding with him.”

If Sam ever needs parenting tips, he doesn’t have to look far, as many of his workmates on Coro have kids of a similar age or slightly older. He’s particularly close to McAlpine,Jennie38, who plays his older sister Fiz and has two children – Albert, seven, and Hilda, three. And he shares a dressing room with fellow redhead Mikey North (Gary Windass), 35, who’s dad to Archie, five, and Eliza, two. He’s also good mates with Jimmi Harkishin (Dev Alahan), Andy Whyment (Kirk Sutherland) and Alan Halsall (Tyrone Dobbs), who have been a great support over the years. Just nine when he joined the show in 2003, Sam will celebrate his 20th anniversary on the cobbles next year. auditionedHeat age eight, following in the footsteps of his sister Emily, 40, who played Rebecca Palmer (whose mum Claire had a relationship with playboy Des Barnes) from 1996 to 1997, and his brother Joseph, 31, who did a short stint as a young Tommy Duckworth for two months in 2000. so that’s a lot of babies,” he tells. “But we get to hand them back to the parents, so that’s Thingseasy.”area little different at home. Son Sonny, 22 months, was joined by little sister Daisy in May, and Sam says it’s all go for him and wife Briony from very early in the morning, as Sonny wakes up at Yoga5am.teacher Briony, 26, says she’s grateful that Sam is a very hands-on dad, but Sam confesses that he feels a bit like “a spare part” as Briony is breastfeeding and he can’t do much to help. “A lot of the time when I’m holding Daisy, she just wants Briony. She’s defi nitely a mummy’s girl and sometimes I’m a bit like, ‘Oh…’ But when I do get 10 minutes to cuddle her, I really cherish it. And that has meant I have spent a lot

‘If you see me onknackeredlookingthescreen,it’sbecauseIam!’

28 New Zealand Woman’s Weekly Celeb update Life imitatin CORO SA

gyabhAnTaw

And the proud parents are...

Despite the success of his siblings, and some experience doing TV commercials and shows such as The Bill, he never thought he’d end up on the iconic soap opera, and he defi nitely didn’t expect to be there for so long.

The star wed yoga Brionyteacherin2019.

Catherine and husband Tom Pitfield cutiewithIris.

Oh theirWillowSophieShayneboy!andwithandnewborn.

“I was nervous, but you don’t understand the Two of Sam’s former Coro colleagues have recently welcomed new members to their families. Catherine Tyldesley, 38, who played barmaid Eva Price, gave e. And Shayne Ward, 37, who appeared Hollyoaks actress Sophie th on and off screen! magnitude of joining Coro when you’re eight years old. You’re fearless as a kid.” He admits it was tough juggling working in television with doing his schoolwork. “You did fi lming, then a minimum of three hours of tutoring a day,” he tells. “It was quite full-on. When I was 16, I was relieved that I could leave the school stuff fortunateSambehind.”feelsincrediblytobepartof the show and can’t believe he has been there for almost two-thirds of his life. “It’s all I have ever known. I have been through so many stages of my life on the show, from the end of primary school and all through my teenage years, to getting married and having children.” He points out that he’s on a yearly contract for the role and celebrates every time it gets renewed, adding, “I don’t take it for granted.”

New Zealand Woman’s Weekly 29 g art OMM’S

No matter the weather, these ocean bathers will be diving in for health, fun and comaraderie

Every Tuesday and Thursday morning they gather, almost religiously. Even when the air temperature is 3° Celsius and ice has to be scraped off car windscreens to drive there, the only thing that ever stops them getting in for a dip is a drop in sea water quality. Meet the Better Beach Babes. With an average age of 55, the group of like-minded women came together last year after a call was put out over social media for those who wanted the thrill and camaraderie of cold-water bathing.Seatoun local Adrienne Linney says it began after she had repeat conversations with those who live close to the sea but never ventured in. “We talked about how awesome it was to brave the cold water for physical and mental health,” she recalls. “So the idea for our group was hatched and we decided to start once the water temperature got up to 15“Manydegrees.of us remembered a group of older ladies who used to bathe daily at our beach [locally known as Better Beach] for about 25 years during the warmer months, until they died in the early 2000s.

30 New Zealand Woman’s Weekly

Their Thenmorningthroughshriekscollectivepiercetheearlystillness.comesthe laughter as a curious seal comes to check them out. It’s 7.30am when 16 intrepid figures wade into the icy shallows at a small Wellington bay – all in togs, no wetsuits here – ready for their twice-weekly ocean swim. Okay, it’s more of a “bob” they admit.

BEACH DARINGBABES’DIPS

“They had several names, including the OBEs – Over Bloody Eighties – and the Belles of Better Beach. We wanted to follow in

As a longtime open-water swimmer, Adrienne, 56, found it a revelation that she could cope with ditching her thermal wetsuit. It’s now something the jewellery designer has become evangelical about.

“I knew a few people who swam in togs over winter and I’d been in awe, but couldn’t get my head around how they did it. Then last year, a family member wasn’t well and I ‘Maybe if I just try, I can go in just in my togs.’ “So, over winter, I started swimming in 10 degreeswater and I couldn’t believe how alive I felt afterwards. It’s really empowering to overcome something you didn’t think you could do and that most people think is insane,” she smiles.

“There’s something about being in the cold, feeling your body adapting, that leaves no room left in your brain to worry about all the other things going on in life. You’re in the

moment.idIhh

Three of the original OBE group, “bobbing” at Wellington’s Seatoun Beach in 1991.

Hands up if you’re having fu n! The women usually stay submerged for 20 minutes. Left: It all began with ocean swimmer Adrienne.

swimmingthatfiarewhichsomething,wereoldfootsteps.their“Andthosechooksontoscientistsonlynowguringout,cold-waterboosts your immune system and increases the body’s metabolic rate, as it builds internal warmth in response to the cold.”

“Getting out of your warm bed in the dark, putting your togs on and getting out the front door is the biggest mental challenge. Because once you’re there, you just get in with everyone else.” On their very fi rst morning, there were only three women ready to brave the However,water. the group’s numbers have grown over winter to 20. They stay in for around 20 minutes – “chatting in small groups about all sorts of nonsense!” – but are driven by how comfortable people areOnefeeling.woman has become the official temperature-taker, bringing along a thermometer each“Weouting.make sure as soon as we get out of the water, we pull towels over and strip our togs off to put something warm and dry on. I do wonder if anyone driving past at that time sees us and goes, ‘Whoa!’” she laughs. “We also didn’t call ourselves ‘bobbers’ to start with. I’d never heard of the term. But the fi rst week that we were doing it, this woman came charging down the beach, calling out to us, ‘Wow, are you guys bobbers? Do you mind if I join you?’ “And she whipped her clothes off and waded in in her bra and undies. Ever since then, we say we bob. That woman then came back a couple of weeks later in a bikini she had just bought. She said, ‘If I can do it my bra and undies, then I can do it in a bikini!’” For Adrienne, the best part is the feeling of community it gives and witnessing how one small group has touched each woman’s life in a special way. “There’s a few who live alone and get joy from having that shared experience each week,” she says. “I live close to the beach, so as I walk down my driveway, I can hear the group before I see them. It always puts a smile on my face.”

The Better Beach Babes: (Back row, from left)

HOPKINS.HAGENPHOTOS:

Lyndal Linton, Melanie Young, Ali Middleton, Karen Oswald (top), Jenny Sutton and Bette Cosgrove. (Front row): Fifi Colston , Michelle Flood, Jenny Rouse, Adrienne Linney, Shona Riddell and Jo Kearins .

Fleur Guthrie For more info, visit the Better B e ach Babes Facebook page.

New Zealand Woman’s Weekly 31

Weekly people

‘I can hear the group before I see them. It always puts a smile on my face’ “In fact, we have a woman in the group who’s said she’s been able to halve her dosage of antidepressants since she’s been swimming with us.” Adrienne believes the hardest part isn’t actually getting into the cold water, it’s leaving the house.

W hen life,PipĀkigreyhoundrescuedjoinedSpeedy’sthere were many new and overwhelming things to get used to, like his fi rst time inside a house and car, and the fi rst trip to the beach. But very quickly Āki was loving life as a pet and ready to tackle the next big milestone, his fi rst day at work as a therapy dog with high school counsellor Pip. “He’s a great buddy and a great friend, but as a counsellor seeing the impact a dog can have in that environment is the biggest thing for me,” says Pip, who works at Auckland’s Orewa College. “I watch a lot of students come to unsure, but when they interact with Āki or pat him, it’s naturally calming and a great way to settle in.”

The helpful hound has been so effective at supporting students, Pip regularly fi nds herself taking cues from him.

Pip and A ki are a popular sight around school.

“He’s made me a better counsellor and a lot more mindful,” says Pip, who became a high school counsellor after 17 years as a primary teacher. “Just human to human, it can feel awkward for the student to sit there in silence, but with a dog in the room, it’s more comfortable for them to be with their feelings and allow whatever needs to come up.”

“Initially,language.itwas partly selfi sh because I wanted someone to talk to in Māori,” Pip Speedy’s greyhound gets an A-plus for helping schoolkids going through

“He’s very good with tears,” she explains. “Students feel he cares and sometimes it’s easier to feel that from an animal than a human. It’s a vulnerable space and animals can make you feel safer, so I often follow Āki’s lead.”

After adopting Āki, Pip put a comprehensive proposal to her school’s Board of Trustees, explaining the benefits of therapy dogs, and was thrilled when she got the go-ahead.Pipwas prepared for some serious training but found Āki was naturally obedient and intuitive about not approaching students when not welcome. Help from a police dog handler friend confi rmed Āki was ideal for the school environment.

Formerly known by his racing name, All Day Long, Pip, 42, adopted Āki through the organisation Greyhounds As Pets, which is devoted to avoiding unnecessary euthanasia by rehoming ex-racing dogs.

“It’s like a dating service for humans and dogs to get the right fit. They do temperament testing, and check how they are with children and cats etc,” says Pip, who chose the breed following lots of research as they’re famed for their easy-going disposition and have a proven track record as therapy dogs.

Pip adds that Āki’s presence has been particularly helpful for anxious students returning to school after Covid closures.

Weekly people 32 New Zealand Woman’s Weekly

A¯KI’S GOOD THER Canine counsellor!

d ‘Students feel he cares sometimesandit’seasiertofeelthatfromananimal’

“After lockdowns, some students are struggling with anxiety or unsure about class, so I offer that Āki walk them there. If it’s just me, they’re like no, but with Āki, they accept. Before, butofignoredsometimesstudentsmeoutawkwardnessnowthey will approach me around school when I’m with Āki. It can open a conversation about who I am and where to find me.” Therapy isn’t Āki’s only skill; he also understands te reo Māori – a personal passion of Pip’s – and has become an excellent advocate of the

“They can feel like they have to adapt or sometimes hide that part of themselves, especially in a school that is predominantly Pākehā,” says Pip. “It makes a big difference when they feel like their identity and entirety of who they are is welcomed.”  Kasia Jillings Heal, Aki! Counsellor Pip has taught the clever canine to obey commands in te reo Ma¯ori.

tough times

says Pip, who speaks exclusively to Āki in te reo. Her journey with the language began in her own high school days and in more recent years she’s been studying at the local community marae Te Herenga Waka o Ōrewa, which welcomes everyone regardless of iwi affi liations or ethnicity. Pip loves the language and culture so much, she’s on the board of the marae and as a teen desperately hoped she’d fi nd tūpuna Māori (Māori ancestors) in her family tree. “I’ve done a deep search since and I don’t, so I’ve found my identity as a tangata tiriti [person of the treaty] and being a haumi, or an ally, where I do my best to at least promote language andAndequality.”it’sbeen a huge hit with students and colleagues alike, who love seeing Pip and her clever dog’s linguistic talents. “First, I taught Āki his commands in te reo, then when I brought him to school, I realised what a great promoter he is. People now know words like moenga [bed] or harirū [shake], and they want to see it again and again.” It’s been particularly supportive for Māori students, who are often the minority.

New Zealand Woman’s Weekly 33

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ER

2Reduce heat to medium. Add onion and carrots to pot. Cook 4 to 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in garlic, cooking for 1 minute. Stir in stock, lentils and tomato paste. Return chicken and juices to pot. Bring to a simmer. Cover and bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

3 Tbsp chopped almonds

¹⁄³ cup panko breadcrumbs

2 Tbsp tomato paste

6 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs, excess fat trimmed

2 ½ cups vegetable or chicken stock

3 Tbsp za’atar seasoning

3

4Transfer veges to a platter. Discard thyme and bay leaf. Pour braising liquid over vegetables. Top with the breadcrumb mixture and ½ tsp salt.

3 sprigs fresh thyme 1 bay leaf

2 Tbsp olive oil

¼ cup chopped parsley

3 cups thinly sliced leeks

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1 cup coarsely chopped onion 1 cup bite-sized pieces carrots 2 cloves garlic, minced 3 ½ cups chicken stock

6

New Zealand Woman’s Weekly 37 Slow & low

1 cup pitted green olives, whole or halved, lemon zest, fresh thyme sprigs, to serve 1Preheat oven to 160°C. Sprinkle chicken with za’atar. In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high. Add chicken and cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until browned, turning once. Transfer to a plate with juices.

Foodprep

Remove strings from celery by peeling off ridges of the outer layer using a vegetable peeler.

PREP & COOK

6 stalks celery, trimmed to fit pan, strings removed (see tip) 500g each carrots and parsnips, peeled or scrubbed, cut in half lengthwise if thick 100g butter 3 Tbsp lemon juice

2Stir in the remaining stock. Add celery, carrots, parsnips, butter, lemon juice, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for 45 to 55 minutes in the oven or until vegetables are fork-tender.

1 cup puy lentils

20 MINS SERVES

3Heat a small pan over medium. Add breadcrumbs, almonds, garlic and 1 tbsp oil. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until toasted. Remove from heat. Stir in parsley and lemon zest.

1 HOUR

2 tsp lemon zest

PREP & COOK

4

Za’atar chicken & lentils

1 HOUR SERVES

Tbsp olive oil

1Preheat oven to 160°C. In a Dutch oven, heat 2 tbsp of the oil over mediumlow. Stir in leeks and ½ tsp salt. Cover and cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until leeks are tender but not browned. Uncover. Stir in 1 tbsp of the stock. Cook until caramelised and slices are starting to break apart, 20 to 25 minutes, stirring in 1 tbsp stock every 6 to 8 minutes (¼ cup total).

Braising is the answer to these one-pot dinners

Braised vegetables & caramelised leeks

3Transfer chicken to a platter, keeping warm. Strain remaining mixture, reserving liquid. Add lentils and vegetables to chicken on platter; cover. Return liquid to pot. Boil over medium-high for 10 to 15 minutes or until reduced by half. Pour liquid over chicken, vegetables and lentils. Top with olives, lemon zest and thyme.

1 Tbsp coconut oil or vegetable oil

38 New Zealand Woman’s Weekly

1 Tbsp fish sauce 4 heads baby bok choy, halved Mintlengthwiseleaves,lime wedges, to serve 1 Sprinkle ½ tsp salt over the ribs. Preheat oven to 160°C.

In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high. Cook ribs in batches for 6 to 10 minutes or until deep brown on all sides. Transfer to a plate with juices.

1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced 3 Tbsp Thai red curry paste

2 Reduce heat to medium. Add the shallot, ginger, lemongrass and garlic, cooking for 1 minute. Stir in curry paste and brown sugar, cooking for 1 minute. Stir in coconut milk and fish sauce, bringing to a simmer. Return ribs and juices to pot, meaty sides down. Cover and cook for 2 to 2 ½ hours or until the meat is fork-tender.

PREP & COOK 2 HOURS

1.5kg bone-in beef short ribs, cut into 2- to 3-rib portions (see tip)

1 Tbsp packed brown sugar 400ml can coconut milk

1 shallot, finely chopped

30 SERVESMINUTES4

Servingtip Single-rib portions will work fine, but we like the two to threerib portions for their good looks.

Coconut curry short ribs

2 tsp minced fresh lemongrass

3 Transfer meat to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Skim fat from liquid. Bring to a simmer over medium-high. Add bok choy, simmering for 2 to 3 minutes or until just tender, turning once. Transfer bok choy to the platter with meat. Pour cooking liquid over meat. Serve with mint and lime wedges.

New Zealand Woman’s Weekly 39 Slow & low

Chipotle pork tacos & COOK HOURS MINS SERVES 6

35

1 kg-1 ½kg boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 5cm pieces 2 Tbsp vegetable oil 1 orange, cut into 6 wedges 1 cup sliced onion 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp dried oregano 350ml dark lager or 1 ½ cups beef stock ¾ cup orange juice 2-3 canned chipotle chillies in adobo sauce, finely chopped, plus 1 Tbsp adobo sauce

24 mini corn tortillas, warmed 2 cups finely shredded red cabbage ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese

PREP

2

1Preheat oven to 160°C. Sprinkle salt evenly over pork. In a Dutch oven, heat 1 tbsp of the oil over medium-high. Cook meat in batches 6 to 10 minutes or until deep brown on all sides. Transfer to a plate with juices. 2Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining oil. Place orange wedges cutsides down in pot. Cook 4 minutes or until deep brown, turning once. Remove from pot and set aside. Add onion to pot. Cook 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in garlic, cumin and oregano, cooking 1 minute. Add beer, orange juice, chipotle chillies and adobo sauce. Bring to a simmer, scraping the bottom of pot to loosen browned bits. Return meat and juices to pot. Return to a simmer. Cover and cook 2 to 2 ½ hours or until the meat is fork-tender. 3Shred meat in the pot. If there’s too much liquid, simmer over medium to reduce and thicken slightly. Serve in doubled tortillas with cabbage and cheese. Serve with the seared orange wedges. Note Searing the orange wedges for squeezing over the tacos deepens the flavour and makes them extra juicy.

1 tsp salt

Whether you love crunchy fresh sugar snap peas or use them straight from the freezer, these tiny pops of green make a meal! Easy 40 New Zealand Woman’s Weekly Family meals

1/3 cup blanched almonds, roasted, chopped coarsely 1 lime, cut into wedges

200g boneless salmon fillet

SERVES

2Combine sauce, sugar, ginger, oil and half the vinegar in a small saucepan. Cook marinade over high heat for 4 mins or until thickened.

4Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add choy sum, cooking for 1 minute. Add sugar snap peas and peas. Cook for a further 1 minute or until vegetables are tender crisp. Drain well, then transfer to a serving bowl with coriander leaves and spring onion.

1 tsp sesame oil

4 baby bok choy, halved lengthways

2 tbsp caster sugar

Soy-glazed salmon with greens

3Place fish on a small bakingpaper-lined oven tray. Brush with half the marinade. Cook in oven for 8 minutes or until almost cooked through.

2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder

New Zealand Woman’s Weekly 41

2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger

¼ cup fresh or frozen peas

1Preheat oven to 220°C.

1 tbsp peanut oil 1 carrot, cut into long thin strips

2Heat half the oil in a wok over high heat. Stir-fry pork mixture, in batches, until pork is browned and tender. Remove from wok.

100g snow peas, trimmed 1 cup bean sprouts

SERVES 4 PREP + COOK TIME

Toasted sesame seeds, extra coriander and steamed brown rice, to serve (optional)

Tips To do it nutfree, use vegetable not peanut oil and replace almonds with fried shallots.Asian

Five-spice pork with almonds

Note For a fast option, serve microwave-heatedwithbrownrice.

1Combine pork and spices in a large bowl, mixing well.

3Heat the remaining oil in wok. Add carrot, garlic and ginger. Stir-fry for 2 minutes, then add bok choy, sauces, lime juice and hot water. Stir-fry for 4 minutes or until bok choy is tender.

6Serve topped with sesame seeds, the extra coriander and rice, if you like.

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

2 stems choy sum (Chinese cabbage), chopped ½ cup sugar snap peas

2 tbsp hot water

4Return pork to wok with snow peas. Stir-fry until heated through. Top with sprouts and nuts. Serve with lime wedges.

2 tbsp lime juice

2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger

1 PREP + COOK TIME 25 MINS

5Discard skin from fish. Flake fish and add to serving bowl with remaining marinade and vinegar.

1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce

¼ cup oyster sauce

2 tbsp coriander, chopped coarsely 2 spring onions, sliced thinly diagonally

¼ cup soy sauce

35 MINS 750g pork fillets, sliced thinly 1 tsp garam masala

4Heat the remaining oil, 2 tbsp of the sauce and remaining chilli in wok over medium heat. Fry eggs for 3 minutes or until whites firm, edges crisp and yolks are cooked to your liking.

Pea & barley risotto with garlic prawns

1 carrot, sliced thinly 300g snow peas, trimmed 3 spring onions, sliced thinly 4 eggs

1 clove garlic, crushed

5

2Heat the extra oil in a medium frying pan over high heat. Cook prawns and extra garlic, stirring, for 5 minutes or until prawns are just cooked. Season. 3Serve risotto topped with prawns, snow pea tendrils and lemon rind strips, if using.

1 fresh long red chilli, seeded, chopped finely ½ cup vegetable oil

½ cup fresh or frozen peas

42 New Zealand Woman’s Weekly

SERVES

250g tempeh (see tip), 300gdicedbroccoli, stalks chopped finely, cut into small florets

¼ cup water

SERVES 4 PREP + COOK TIME 30 MINS

8 lettuce leaves Lemon wedges, to serve

2Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large wok over high heat. Stir-fry tempeh for 5 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a large bowl. Keep warm.

3Heat another 2 tbsp of oil in wok. Stir-fry broccoli, carrot, snow peas and spring onion for 4 mins or until tender. Add ¼ cup sauce, tossing to coat vegetables. Transfer vege mixture to bowl of tempeh, stirring gently to mix.

Gado-gado tempeh stir-fry lettuce cups

Divide lettuce cups, tempeh mixture and eggs among plates. Drizzle with remaining sauce. Serve with lemon wedges.

½ cup smooth peanut butter ½ cup coconut milk

Note Tempeh is a traditional Indonesian food made from fermented soybeans. A fantastic source of protein, it has a firm texture and nutty flavour.

1Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add chilli, garlic and shallots. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until tender. Add barley. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until lightly toasted. Add half the stock. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 18 mins or until liquid has been absorbed. Add remaining stock and water. Cook, stirring occasionally, for another 18 mins or until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Add lemon rind, peas and sugar snap peas. Cook for 3 minutes or until veges are tender. Season.

150g sugar snap peas, trimmed, halved lengthways 400g peeled uncooked prawns, tails intact, butterflied Snow pea tendrils, thin strips lemon rind, to serve (optional)

1Whisk peanut butter, coconut milk, water, soy sauce, garlic and half the chilli to make sauce.

4 PREP + COOK TIME 1 HOUR

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp olive oil, plus 2 tbsp extra 1 long red chilli, chopped finely 2 cloves garlic, chopped, plus 2 cloves extra, crushed 2 shallots, chopped finely 1 cup pearl barley 1 litre chicken stock 1 cup water 1 tbsp finely grated lemon rind

100gjuliennedginger,frozenshellededamame(soybeans)

4 spring onions, chopped finely 2 tbsp kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)

2 tsp sesame oil

2 tsp finely chopped palm sugar

QUINOA ‘FRIED RICE’

1Remove and discard tips from chicken wings. Cut wings in half at the joint. (See tip.)

Family

SERVES 4 PREP + COOK TIME

1 tsp fish sauce

2 tsp vegetable oil

2Combine sauces, honey, half the seeds and chicken in a medium bowl. Cover. Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

meals

2To make lime dressing, place ingredients in a screw-top jar. Shake to combine.

80g udon noodles

LIME DRESSING

1 ½ tbsp soy sauce

1Place noodles in a medium heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water. Stand for 5 minutes or until just tender. Drain. Refresh under cold water. Drain.

Lime & coriander beef salad

¼ cup coriander leaves

1 cup quinoa, rinsed 100g sugar snap peas

Sticky chicken wings with quinoa ‘fried rice’

3Preheat oven to 200°C. Place chicken on an oiled wire rack over a large roasting pan. Roast for 30 mins or until chicken is cooked through.

2 tsp honey

4To make quinoa fried rice, cook quinoa in a large saucepan of boiling water for 12 mins or until tender. Drain. Spread on an oven tray and refrigerate uncovered. Boil, steam or microwave sugar snap peas until just tender. Heat combined oils in a wok over high heat. Stirfry mushrooms for 1 min or until almost cooked through. Add garlic and ginger. Stir-fry for 1 min or until fragrant. Add edamame and snap peas. Stir-fry for 2 mins or until heated through. Add spring onions. Stir-fry for 1 min. Add quinoa and kecap manis. Stir-fry for 1 min.

¼ cup coarsely chopped unsalted roasted cashews

1/3 cup mint leaves

4Finely chop half the coriander. Combine chopped coriander and lime rind on a plate. Coat beef in coriander mixture. Slice beef thinly.

2 tbsp lime juice

1 tbsp finely grated lime rind

1 tbsp sesame seeds

1 Lebanese cucumber, cut into ribbons

3Cook beef on a heated oiled grill plate (or grill or barbecue) 1 minute each side or until cooked as desired. Cover. Rest for 5 minutes.

12 small chicken wings

4cmthinlypiece

200g beef rump steak, trimmed 1 cup coriander leaves

3 spring onions, sliced thinly 100g snow peas, sliced thinly 50g snow pea sprouts

150g oyster mushrooms, torn 2 cloves garlic, sliced

1 long red chilli, sliced thinly

5Sprinkle chicken with remaining sesame seeds. Serve with quinoa, sprinkled with coriander. Tip To omit Step 1, buy trimmed chicken wings sold as chicken nibbles supermarkets.in

SERVES 2 PREP + COOK TIME 35 MINS

2 medium tomatoes, chopped coarsely

50 MINS

5Add remaining coriander, cucumber, tomato, mint, spring onions, snow peas, sprouts, dressing and beef to noodles. Toss gently. Sprinkle with nuts to serve.

1/3 cup tomato sauce

2Beat butter, vanilla and sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Sift flour, baking powder and soda onto a sheet of baking paper.

6Trim top of cakes to level, if needed. Place cakes, top-side down, into lined pans. Press down on cakes to ensure they completely cover base of pan.

44 New Zealand Woman’s Weekly

2 ¼ cups caster sugar

1 cup liquid glucose ¾ cup water, plus ¾ cup extra ¼ cup powdered gelatine

MERRIER! S’mores the quickly before it sets, dollop the remaining marshmallow onto cornfloured tray. 9To make ganache, heat cream in a small saucepan until almost boiling. Add chocolate. Remove from heat and stand for 2 minutes. Stir until melted and smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl. Cool for 20 minutes. Divide ganache between cake pans, smoothing the surface. Refrigerate for 45 minutes or until firm. 10Remove cakes from pans. Place one cake on plate or stand. Top with the second cake. Using a kitchen blowtorch, lightly toast marshmallows on tray. Decorate top of cake with the reserved biscuits and toasted marshmallows.

½ tsp baking soda 200g malt biscuits ¾ cup buttermilk 1 tbsp cornflour

Pour one-third of the marshmallow evenly on top of each cake in pans. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until set. Using two spoons, working

PREP + COOK TIME 2 HOURS

MARSHMALLOW

1 tbsp vanilla extract

To make marshmallow, stir sugar, glucose and water in a small saucepan over medium heat, without boiling, until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Boil, without stirring, for 5 minutes or until syrup reaches 115°C on sugar thermometer (or when tsp of syrup is dropped into cup of cold water, syrup can be gathered up and rolled into soft sticky ball).

4Bake cakes for 25 minutes or until skewer inserted into centre comes out clean. Leave cakes in pans for 10 minutes before turning, top-side up, onto wire racks covered with baking paper. Cool. 5Wash and dry cake pans. Grease pans, line bases and sides with baking paper. Dust a large oven tray with cornflour.

SERVES

Sprinkle gelatine over the extra water in a medium heatproof bowl. Stand bowl in a large saucepan of simmering water, stirring until gelatine dissolves. Transfer gelatine mixture to a medium bowl of electric mixer. With electric mixer operating on high speed, gradually pour hot syrup into gelatine mixture in a thin steady stream, beating constantly for 5 minutes or until thick and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Use immediately.

Campers’ favourite fireside treat turns into a multi-layered masterpiece!

12

Origins An American campfire treat made by toasting marshmallows on the fire, then sandwiching them with a piece of chocolate in between two wheat-basedbiscuits.

GANACHE 300ml cream 500g dark chocolate, chopped coarsely 1Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease two 20cm springform pans. Line bases and sides with baking paper.

8

185g but ter, softened 1 tsp vanilla extract

3Reserve 6 biscuits for decorating. Process remaining biscuits to fine crumbs. Stir crumbs into flour mixture. Stir dry ingredients into egg mixture alternately with buttermilk, in two batches. Divide mixture evenly between pans. Smooth the surface.

¾ cup brown sugar, firmly packed ½ cup caster sugar 3 eggs 1 cup plain flour ¾ tsp baking powder

New Zealand Woman’s Weekly 45 Baking

Tip Dust knife with cornflour before cutting marshmallow to stop it sticking. Cake is best made on the day of serving. Mallow maker Dissolve sugar, glucose and water. Bring to the boil without stirring until it reaches 115°C on sugar thermometer. Gradually pour hot syrup into gelatine mixture. Beat until thick and fluff y.

Shop window 46 New Zealand Woman’s Weekly

Product launches that caught our eye

Colds comfort

Lewis Road Creamery will have fans scrambling to the supermarket with its a-peeling new Fresh Banana Smoothie Flavoured Milk, which tastes just like a homemade banana smoothie. Drink straight from the bottle or create the ultimate milkshake by adding 300ml Lewis Road Creamery Banana Smoothie Flavoured Milk, 4 scoops vanilla ice cream, 1 frozen banana, 1 /3 cup of roasted walnuts, 1 Tbsp peanut butter, 2 Tbsp caramel sauce and ¼ tsp cinnamon into a blender and blitzing until smooth. Pour into a glass, top with whipped cream and a generous drizzle of sauce, then enjoy! Available from supermarkets nationwide, rrp $4.50. Arm yourself with these locally made lozenges by Frond, jam-packed with a combination of natural ingredients designed to sooth sore throats and irritating coughs. These clever little lozenges, available in Lemon or Ginger flavours, use ma¯nuka honey and curcumin (a derivative of turmeric), and deliver a dose of immunityboosting vitamin C to pack a punch in all the right places. Available in small, rrp $3.95, and large, rrp $9.95, from Farmers or livehealthynz.com Raise a glass to a top tipple

Smooth moo-ves!

South Australia’s Taylors Wines has unveiled its Family Flagship Release – an impressive collection of its top tipples from the Clare Valley wine region. Rich and complex with layers of black cherry, plum and ripe berries, the fruit in our favourite from the release, St Andrews Shiraz 2018, rrp $79.99, is fermented in American oak barrels, which adds hints of mocha and vanilla spice. While it can be enjoyed now, it’s equally worthy of long-term cellaring, making it the perfect extra-special gift for the wine connoisseur in your life, or yourself. Available from select fine wine retailers.

IN STORE

What’s new

More than 20,000 recipes online now nzwomansweeklyfood.co.nz FOOD FRIENDLYFAMILYMEALS FREEOPTIONSFROM NEW OCCASIONSFORIDEAS ANDBAKINGSWEETTREATS

$99.99TopEziBuy Dress $199.90 Witchery Blouse $145 Ketz-ke Jeans $75.90 Zara Boot $69.99 Rubi Colour-poppin’ CAP Step away from the neutrals and patterns for a strikingly bold and unexpected palette made up of colourful brights. Mix and match some winning ensembles with unconventional colour combinations. Compile yourself a capsule collection that can be combined and swapped to suit where you’re heading. Have fun playing with this surprising range of hues for an on-trend wardrobe full of opportunities! Dress $149.99 Forev Both of these dresses will work with either the blazer or coat. Alternatively, style the knit column dress (right) with the two-tone shirt over the top for a more casual look. trystatementwithyourElevateensemblecontemporaryaccessoriesandfootwear,andanunexpectedearringorsunglassframethatwon’tbreakthebudget. Sl $85Q Bag $28 Colette by Colette Hayman irt $39.99 Glassonser New Sh 48 New Zealand Woman’s Weekly

BoohooBlazer$108 Power up your winter wardrobe Trousers $159 Leo + Be SULE on with ack a bold style $15EarringsLovisa Trousers$78Boohoo nch $ t $25 Postie Mi PiaciHeel $260 Pair the purple suit with this lilac knit and matching patent heel for a combination,monochromaticorswitchouttheknitforthetangerinecamisoleandaddthebold Skirt $119 orange coat for when you rea lly mean b usiness . StormCami$189 FOR TURNSTOCKISTS,TOPAGE73 New Zealand Woman’s Weekly 49 Fashion

Planet-friendly One of New Zealand’s oldest natural brands, Earthwise has unveiled a f resh new look for its Nourish personal care range. Crafted with botanicals, essential oils and naturally derived ingredients, we love its budget-friendly, skin-loving marvels!

THIForwardBeauty editorHÉLÈNE RAVLICH

H Me Sc r pa m

$28 . With a p recision p encil tip th at glid es on easily to create b u dge, it’s ava ila ble i n four fa b u lous sh ad es .

BestinP Trhcreatiotchelaxahep

50 New Zealand Woman’s Weekly

Our picks: Revitalise Shampoo, $12 , which helps to restore dry a n d damaged hair with the superhydrating benefi ts of argan oil, paired with Revitalise Conditioner, $12 , for a deeply conditioning, p e rfect match. While Coconut, S h ea Butter & Ma¯nuka Body Wash, $11, is a truly delicious fo rmula to gently cleanse and Mani ready Spending too much time at the nail bar? Why not try a DIY gel manicure with the new Depend Gel I Q Start Kit, $99.99. With UV/LED technology, it gives you perfect glossy nails in fi ve easy steps. The starter kit contains everything you need for an at-home mani and pedi, so start planning your perfect set now.

ftrthaadiheort

Soap & Glory Perfect Zen Heated Body ub, $20, the new favourite in your night-time

Sleep easy New Zealand beauty brand Jeuneora’s latest Beauty Sleep, $77, an adaptogenic Looking to pump up your pout? Too Faced Lip Injection Maximum Plump, $54, is an advanced formula that wo rks to dramatically plump, hydrate and add volume to lips. Use this before your favourite lipstick and see results almost instantly. Revlon has created yet another instant must-have – the Colorstay Micro Brow Pencil, ultra-precise, natural-looking hairlike strokes for lasting defi nition and brows that won’t With winter on its last legs, we’re excitedly anticipating new releases from a few of our fave brands – some are available now and others not too far away n .

glowWake Skin winterfromsufferingend-of-blues? Def lets you revive it’swo powered by kombucha to combat irritation and redness, while skin-softening niacinamide hydrates and balances the skin. Super Lipstick, $27, icfan, and stars in a new campaign for the bestselling lip formula that is all about fi nding moments that matter and bringing joy through colour. D lt l es! rous uetor y w!o r a huge d 9ep9, mdullAaskleyousleep, New Zealand Woman’s Weekly 51 Beauty

52 New Zealand Woman’s Weekly Health & wellbeing

Apple computer founder Steve Jobs lef t us with many inspirational quotes and this is particularly poignant: “ Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice.”

doing new or difficult things. If 4000 words per minute can be paralysing, it can also be self-sabotaging. What you

Louise Hay, author of You Can Heal Your Life, has a great saying that puts this into perspective: “You have been criticising yourself for years and it hasn’t worked. Tr y approving of yourself and see what happens.”

While this quote is about the opinions of theothers,reality is that some of the harshest feedback and fyoyocommentsugetabouturselfcomeromyourself. It’s hard to be self-assured, influential and resourceful when there is a voice in your head constantly criticising your every move. That voice that tells you you’re not doing it right or you should be further along by now.

T the inner voice. each of us, this fi willfi win?”

G reat advice! critic and this will create the space you need to hear your intuitive voice. The good news is, you can get more skilled at noticing where your mind has gone and consciously choose more empowering thoughts. The more we practise, the less power our internal critic has n criticising yourself for years and it hasn’t approving of yourself and see what happens ‘Quiet down your inner critic and create space to hear your intuitive voice’

SHUSH

It’s not enough to simply starve one wolf and hope the other one will win. As with the wolves, you have multiple parts that live inside your mind. Some of those parts are loving and kind, some are mean and critical. Your subconscious can run up to 95 percent of the decisions you make, which is kind of scary. Your inner voice is powered by your anexperimentaEtonemoreminsubconsciousd–evenscary!AccordingtostudybyhanKross,anlpsychologistdneuroscientist,wetalk to ourselves at a rate equivalent to speaking 4000 words per minute. How many of those 4000 words do you think areThisnegative?negative voice is what we are referring to here as your inner critic. Take the notion of impostor syndrome, where your inner critic tells you that you’re simply not good enough and that, despite your achievements, you’re going to be found out as a fraud. Many of us feel like we are winging it, especially if we’re experience on the inside can blot out almost ever ything else if you let it.

THE BAD When you become more aware of your inner voice, you can quieten down your inner over us. It can take time to form new pathways… your inner critic will not magically disappear. But when it turns egend of wopnendfatherytohisalightonachofbetweenewolfisenness,presentsAllthesewithinbetweeneatbattle,andweroughourwillwin.”ilence,Well,olffeed,”“Thewolfn.”

LET REFLECT’S!

HIT PAUSE BUTTON

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Ever y person has inner guidance available to th em an d a ch oice to listen an d live with its s up po rt, b ut wh en you are bu sy listeni ng to yo ur inner critic, yo u miss th at guidance.

How New Leaders Step Up and Into Their Full Potential, by Brenda James (Grammar Factory, rrp $24.95) up the volume, you can practise turning it down again. Remember, what you focus on is what you will see. It’s your job now to realise, “Oh, it’s just thoughts – it’s not realit y.” You will find this a very freeing move

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inneYourrcritic Chances are, you have often heard your intuitive voice, b ut th en minimised it, ignored th e gu t fee ling or talked yo urself out of whatever it told you. Have you ever foun d yourse lf excl aiming, “I k new I s h ou ld h ave d one th at; I h ad a fee ling ”?

Schedu le h alf an h ou r in your calendar to fi nd a q uiet s pace and think : H ow am I fee li ng? Am I being kind to myself? W hat am I grateful for? Wh at’s my inner voice up to? Am I aware of my thoughts? A m I letting go of wh at I can’t contro l? H ave I been livi ng true to my values?

Weekly 53

Editedextractfromm

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One highly effective technique is to use the power of the pause. Pausing to notice, then her wall saying one word –Pause. “Whenever that sign caught my eye, I was reminded to do just that,” she says.

Ed ited ext ract f ro Believe: New Zealand Woman’s

●

● Have I I’mquestioningstoppedwhethergoodenough?

letting your critic’s voice decrease in volume can be particularly useful af ter you experience situations that trigger negative evidence or emotions, such as conflict or feeling rejected, excluded, not heard or not valued Brenda James, author of Believe, once had a sign on

Thin k back for a m in ute over your life an d your frie nd s You ’llhave som e you’ve k nown forever, wit h wh om you’ve sh ared life’s highlights, tria l s an d trib u lations. Ot h ers you’ll have met at a pa rticular ti me – say, starti ng uni , i n the work p lace or after h aving ba bies – an d sh ared poignant moments . Frien d s offer you practica l h e lp, a sh ou ld er to cry on, an o bjective viewp oint, an d someone to go out with a n d h ave f u n We ofte n fo rget t h ese p ositives wh en we feel they aren’t playing t h eir part. Bear t his is min d b e fore saying somet hing yo u may regret

Ever t h ought, “I d on’t k now why I see my f rien d s –th ey’re more trou ble t h an th ey ’re wort h”? We’ve a ll bee n kn own to m u tte r th ose wo rd s wh en we do n’ t feel we’re being su pp orted or f rien d s are ma k ing unreasona ble d eman d s. But imagine h ow lone ly you’d fee l if you d id n’t h ave any. Frien d s add b read t h to our lives , as well as an op po rtunit y to be intimate an d h onest a b out ourse lves away from our families.

Overr t hee yea rs , yo u’ll h avee had lots of frie nd s. S om e will still be verr yy im po rtanntt peop lee in you rr life a nd oth ers, wit h wh om you t ho ught you ’d neve r lose tou ch , are no longe r arou nd b eecau se you’ve take n di fferent path s.. T h e road to great f rien dshi p may nott always b e sm ooth , bu t th eree aree ways to ma ke you r life jo ur ney toge th er a conti nu ing soo urce of co mfor t an d fu n.

Marion has had a small, close-knit group of friends she’s known for more than 35 years. She says, “They’ve been really important and have supported me through thick and thin. We met when our children were small and we shared everything. But things aren’t as easy now. We’ve taken different paths since the children grew up and developed diverse views of the world. Sometimes, I’m quite shocked by their opinions and wonder if we’ve outgrown the friendship. A bit of me would miss them, though.” We connect with people who share experiences or activities. When connections are strong, aspects like personality seem less important. With age and new experiences, links can become less robust and we notice other traits, such as values and attitudes. If the things that grate are all that’s left, friendship will be hard to maintain. But shared history is worth its weight in gold, so focus on the bits that work.

True Friends Cox.Courteney(left)AnistonJenniferand Feel closer than ever by making these small but effective changes ve n if you love th em so me ti mmes bu tt have a fa lllinng ou t at oth er mo me nts, cha nces a re you ’d neve r wa nt to be wit ho ut t h emm Wh oo are th ey? Yes, t h ey ’ree yo ur f rien ds!

Know their true value

Think about their role in your life

54 New Zealand Woman’s Weekly

IF YOU SCORE MORE THAN 4, you could be thinking about friendships in terms of what you can get out of them, rather than how they can benefit both of you Try these tips to make your friendships sing! What’s your score? How do you rate as a mate? New Zealand Woman’s Weekly

be genuinely interested in that person. Listen to their stories, problems and thoughts. Don’t just talk about yourself! WHAT YOU GIVE IS WHAT YOU GET BACK

Friendship isn’t always easy. Being close with others has its ups and downs, and there are times our friends do something we don’t feel we can tolerate. It’s tempting to complain to others without ever telling your friend what has upset you. This is a recipe for disaster because we go on simmering and then at some – often inopportune – moment, the resentment risks boiling over. Successful relationships are based on honesty. Diffi cult conversations need to be thought through. Find a time when you can both focus on the conversation with no distractions. Explain your desire for everything to be good between you. Always listen attentively to your friend’s viewpoint and come up with a strategy to ensure those troubles don’t arise again. If necessary, agree to disagree, knowing that you’ll both be respectful of the other’s views. And always end with a hug! Are you lonely andYesbored?(1) No (0) Do you find yourself wondering how old friends are doing? Yes (0) No (1) Do you have an ideal activity you would like to do with a friend? Yes (0) No (1) Do you sometimes feel isolated and scared when there’s no one elseYesaround?(1) No (0) Do you want to share life experiences with someone?Yes(0) No (1) Are you ready to help and be involved in others’ lives when they’re feeling down? Yes (0) No (1) Do you find that you’re feeling sorry forYesyourself?(1) No (0) Do you feel stuck in a rut and think others can help? Yes ( 1) No (0) Do you think your phone is too silent? Yes (1) No (0) Are you ready to make space for others? Yes (0) No (1) ASK ABOUT THEM MORE THA N YOU TA LK ABOUT YOURSELF Most of us are more interested in ourselves and our families than in other people. But if you want someone to like you then you need to BE OPEN TO MEETING NEW PEOPLE Many of us have really close friends who we didn’t connect with on the first meeting.

ACT WITH INTEGRITY Keep their confidences secret however tempting Tick your answers and add up the corresponding points.

55 Health & wellbeing

A good friend is someone who shares what’s going on in their life – good and bad. You’ll be genuinely interested and pleased for each other when you succeed, and sorry if things go wrong. Be there in a crisis to hold their hand. it might be to gossip to others. Be open and honest if there’s some difficulty in your relationship, then tackle the issue gently and with integrity. MAKE THEM FEEL SPECIAL

Take time in your busy life to text, phone or see friends so they know they’re important to you. Remember their birthdays and big events, and send a card or drop them an occasional note or text out of the blue. Do fun things and laugh together. Be brave but gentle

1 Make a crocheted base by fo llowing the instructions for the baskets (see page 58) to the end of Round 5 (48 stitches). End with a slip stitch into the next stitch.

4 Pass the hook of a wire coat h a nger through the hole in the centre of the crocheted base. Bend the ends of the coat hanger around so that they support the crocheted circle, making a temporary frame to hold the bag open as you

creationmeditative,withsomethingMakingyourownhandscanbeandthegivesyouasenseofprideandsatisfaction.

2 Round 6: 2ch (counts as 1 t reble), *1ch, 1tr* in every stitch. When you have completed the round, slip stitch into top of 2nd chain and weave in ends.

56 New Zealand Woman’s Weekly Craft Fashion somethin rope and string Knotty an stringMacramébag MATERIALS ● 120m fine (1mm) jute twine ● Two 6cm squares of leather or similar for handles EQUIPMENT ● 4.5mm crochet hook ● Scissors ● Wire coat hanger ● 8 clothes pegs or bulldog clips ● Sewing machine or heavy-duty needle and thread ● Liquid adhesive (suitable for leather) DIFFICULT A good understanding of a variety of craft skills required.

3 Cut 48 two-metre lengths of t wine. Fold each length in half and feed the folded end through one of the gaps in the outer row of the crocheted base. Pass the two cut ends through the folded loop and pull tightly to secure. Repeat with a new length of twine in the next gap until you have completed the circle. There will be 96 strands of twine hanging from the crocheted edge.

13 Join a pair of the large b raids by crossing the ends over each other at the stitching line, then stitch several times back and forth across the overlap to secure. Make sure the braids are not twisted when you join them. Repeat with the remaining braids for the other handle.

1 Make a loop in the end of t he cord by folding over about 7cm of cord and crossing the cord. Fold the cord about 3cm along from the cross to make another loop and push the fold through the fi rst loop. Pull the end of the cord to secure the knot around the second loop.

10 On the fi nal round of k nots, work an extra granny knot to make it a little more secure. Remove the coathanger frame and discard it.

1 packet 6mm window sash cord (available from hardware stores in various thicknesses and lengths. You need about 5m)

work the knots. Use the coat hanger hook to hang the work from a doorknob.

MATERIALS ●

3 Repeat Step 2 to make a ch ain about 120cm long for a 17cm diameter trivet.

● Heavy-duty sewing needle and thread ● Scissors EASY No special craft skills required.

5 Lay the chain fl at, with the loops fl at-side down, and start to curl the chain around itself in a spiral. Stitch through the side of each loop and then back through the side of the loop in the previous round to hold together.

11 To make the braided h a ndles, gather three groups of four strands and plait them about eight times. Use a clothes peg or bulldog clip to hold each braid while you plait the remaining strands. You should have eight braids.

6 Continue stitching a round the spiral, turning it over occasionally to check that the loops are sitting fl at on the top of the trivet. When you get to the end, work a couple of back stitches to fasten off the sewing thread and sew the tail inside the cord to hide it.

d NICE

Rope trivet

8 For the next row of knots, yo u need to take the righthand strand from the fi rst knot and the left-hand strand from the second knot. These will be the hanging middle strands of the new knot. Using the next strand to the left, make a loop on the left as before and tie it with the next strand to the right. This will place the second round of knots offset between the fi rst round. Pull the knots until they catch, but don’t make them too tight or you will lose the open mesh appearance.

14 Wrap a piece of leather a round each join, applying glue to both the stitched part of the handles and the leather. Press fl at under a heavy object while the glue dries overnight.

6 Take the right-hand strand (which was formerly the left-hand strand) and pass it across the front of the middle strands, forming a loop on the right side. Make another granny knot as before, capturing the middle strands. Pull the knot gently until it catches fi rmly, but don’t pull it too tight.

EQUIPMENT

9 Repeat around the bag, t h en move to next round of knots, offsetting each round from the previous one as before. Work about 16 rounds of knots until the bag is the desired size.

12 Take two adjacent braids a nd combine them together into one larger braid. Braid for about 40cm from the join, then use a sewing machine to stitch across the braid to secure it. (You could use sewing thread to tie them off by hand if you don’t have a machine.) Trim the ends of the string about 1.5cm from the stitching. Repeat with the remaining pairs of braids until you have eight large braids.

7 Repeat this with the next t wo pairs of twine strands, until you have made knots all around the bag and are back at the starting point.

7 Use your fi nge rs to weave the tail ends of the rope into the underside of the trivet and trim the ends neatly. Turn the trivet over so the fl at side of the loops are uppermost. g beautiful for your home using – it’s worth giving it a tie!

New Zealand Woman’s Weekly 57

Finish by cutting the cord about 7cm from the fi nal loop and pulling the end fi rmly through the loop to knot. 4 Thread the sewing needle with strong thread and double it for extra strength. Knot the end of the thread and anchor it through the knot at the beginning of the chain.

2 Fold the cord about 3cm a lo ng from the second loop to make anotherloop. Push this fold through the second loop. Keep the loops reasonably loose so they sit fl at when laid on the table.

5 Take two pairs of twine s trands next to each other. Let the middle two strands (one from each pair) hang together. Pass the left-hand strand across the front of the middle strands, forming a loop on the left side. Pass the right-hand strand over the left-hand strand, behind the middle strands and bring it forward through the loop, making a granny knot across the hanging middle strands, about 2cm from the top.

Round 1: 2dc in each stitch (16 sts). Round 2: *1dc in next stitch, 2dc in fo llowing stitch*, repeat from * to * to end of round (24 sts). Round 3: *1dc in next 2 stitches, 2d c in following stitch*, repeat from to * to end of round (32 sts). Round 4: *1dc in next 3 stitches, 2d c in following stitch*, repeat from * to * to end of round (40 sts). Round 5: *1dc in next 4 stitches, 2d c in following stitch*, repeat from to * to end of round (48 sts). Round 6: 1dc in every stitch. 8 Round 7: *1dc in next 5 stitches, 2d c in following stitch*, repeat from * to * to end of round (56 sts). Round 8: *1dc in next 6 stitches, 2d c in following stitch*, repeat from * to * to end of round (64 sts). The base will measure about 14cm diameter at this point.

6

1 Work the fi rst 6 rounds a s for the basket, then slip stitch into the next stitch.

10

Note: If you want a larger basket, continue increasing in alternate rounds until you have a fl at disc of the desired diameter. Round 9 and following rounds: 1 d c in every stitch, continuing for about 15 rounds until the basket is the desired height. Slip stitch into next stitch to fi nish the round. Cuff : Turn the work (so you are working back across the stitches you have just made). Make 1ch to start, then 1dc in every stitch as before, for 4 or 5 rounds.

Variation 1: Small basket or bottle holder

12 Finish off with a slip stitch, p ull the yarn through the last loop, then weave the tail of the rope into the previous row. Weave in the tail at the beginning. Fold over the cuff.

3

3 When you reach the d esired height (ours is 6 rounds high), work one round of 1dc in every stitch and fi nish with a slip stitch, pulling the rope through the last loop, then weaving the tails in.

Variation 2: Rustic loopy basket

TIP Use a short length of coloured yarn to mark the beginning of the round and weave it through at the beginning of each new round. You can simply pull it out and discard it when you’ve finished.

58 New Zealand Woman’s Weekly stringCrochetedbaskets MATERIALS ● 100m hemp rope, about the thickness of 8ply wool (makes one basket 16cm diameter x 8cm high + 3cm cuff) EQUIPMENT ● 5mm crochet hook ● Scrap yarn (optional) ● Scissors MEDIUM Some craft skills required (crochet). 1 Make 4 chain (ch) and slip stitch (sl st) into fi rst chain to form a circle. Work 8 double crochet (dc) into the centre. Work in a spiral without fi nishing each round. 2

*

*

1 Using medium (2mm) ju te twine and a 12mm crochet hook, start with the fi rst three rounds as for the basket base. Work into the back of each stitch and keep the tension loose. 2 You may fi nd you need to work a round of 1dc in every stitch after round 3 a n d again after round 4 to keep the base fl at. 3 After round 5, work 1dc i n every stitch to make the sides until you reach the desired height, then fi nish off by pulling the rope through the last loop and weaving in the tails.

7

5

4

11

2 Every round: 3 chain (counts as 1 treble), 1 treble in every stitch to end, slip stitch in top chain.

9

7 To fi nish the top edge of the basket, take the end of a spoke and lay it along the top edge of the basket. Wrap the next spoke over it and allow the tails to fall inside the basket. Repeat around the top edge. Now go around and pass the tails of each cord around the next spoke along, between the top two rows of weaving, and tug lightly to secure. Trim off the cord ends close to the weaving inside the basket.

8 To secure the ends of t h e cord, you can use a blob of clear-drying liquid adhesive or stitch with a needle and thread, if you prefer.

New Zealand Woman’s Weekly 59 Craft Cord basket MATERIALS ● 45m x 8mm cotton window sash cord EQUIPMENT ● Scissors ● Bucket ● Heavy-duty clear-drying liquid adhesive (optional) ● Heavy-duty sewing needle and thread (optional) EASY No special craft skills required.

3 Turn the bucket upside d own and place the woven disc on top, with the spokes of cord hanging down over the side of the bucket at regular intervals. Take one of the remaining 5 lengths of cut cord and thread it through the last round of weaving between two of the spokes, pulling it through so the ends are even and it is folded in half over the last round of weaving. Allow the ends to hang over the side of the bucket. Repeat with each of the gaps between the original spokes so you now have 15 spokes hanging over the side of the bucket.

6 Lightly tug on the ends of t h e spokes to ensure they are evenly spaced and the weaving is fi rm, then remove the basket from the bucket, turning it up the right way. There will be tails of cord from the spokes sticking out of the top of the basket.

4 Using the remaining u n cut cord, anchor one end into the woven disc and continue weaving as before, incorporating the new spokes into the pattern. When you reach the edge of the bucket base, stop and tug lightly on the spokes to ensure they are evenly spaced around the base, and that the weaving is fi rm and secure.

1 Cut eight 1m lengths of cord.

2 Take 3 of the lengths of cord a n d cross them over each other in the centres to form a star shape. Holding them together in the centre with one hand, take one of the cords and weave it around the other 5 spokes, going under one, over the next, under the next, and so on until you have used the whole length of that piece of cord. Tuck the end back into the weaving to secure it.

5 Continue weaving around t h e spokes and working down the side of the bucket, until you reach the height you want the basket to be. If you need to start a new packet of cord, tuck the ends into the previous round of weaving as you did before. Finish weaving by cutting the cord and tucking the end back into the weaving.

MYSTERY CLUE 11ac & 32 ac Famous NZ chef (5,6) ACROSS 1 Wo rd puzzle (7) 5 N eat, orderly (4) 7 Harpsichord-likeinstrument(6) 11 See Mystery Clue 15 Slumber (5) 16 Sprint (3) 17 Baggy (5) 18 Big whirlpool (9) 19 Shellfi sh (7) 20 Male lover (5) 21 Cipher (4) 22 Shrivel (6) 24 Fancy food shop (abbrev) (4) 26 Four-sided shape (9) 28 Car (7) 31 Celestial body (6) 32 See Mystery Clue 34 Small stone (6) 36 Potage (4) 40 Huge, big (7) 42 Sturgeon’s roe (6) 44 Lupine animal (4) 46 Door-hanging joint (5) 48 Force out (5) 50 Honey-based drink (4) 51 LP or single (6) 52 Moana ___, late lawyer (7) 55 Drop (4) 56 Capricious, irresolute (6) 58 Extended family (6) 60 Roman god of agriculture (6) 64 Circus swing (7) 65 Panoramic painting (9) 67 Oceanic movement (4) 69 Breathingcomplaint (6) 71 Highest point (4) 73 Cooked in oil (5) 75 Unappreciativeperson(7) 78 Of little importance (9) 79 & 42dn 37th Prime Minister (5,5) 80 Face (3) 81 Evidence of being elsewhere (5) 82 Small watercourse (5) When completed, the shaded letters will reveal a well-known personality (see mystery clue below). Puzzles MEGA CROSSWORD 4 9 1 6 59 3 4 9 2 8 8 2 5 7 4 2 6 5 19 SOLUTION NEXT WEEK LEVELSKILL Easyextra Fill in the blank squares with the numbers 1 to 9 so that each row, each column and each 3 x 3 block contains all the numbers from 1 to 9. 60 New Zealand Woman’s Weekly

1 15 19 31 47 48 55 64 69 78 77 82 40 2 32 3 70 33 4 16 24 4950 56 83 5 30 41 57 71 2627 38 39 6 20 25 42 43 65 79 14 36 51 66 72 78 21 59 6061 73 84 9 1718 37 68 74 67 10 28 29 23 3435 4445 52 53 75 85 11 22 46 62 63 8081 58 12 76 13 54 83 Band of performers (6) 84 Nil (4) 85 Improve, make better (7) DOWN 1 He lp (6) 2 St adium (5) 3 Abhorrent (9) 4 Small owl (8) 5 Male singing voice (5) 6 Tricky choice (7) 8 Pastry dish (3) 9 Wandering tribesperson (5) 10 Layer, level (4) 11 Artwork comprising mixed styles (8) 12 Portable light (5) 13 Regret (7) 14 See photoupper-right(8) 21 Spooky, eerie (6) 23 Cricket pitch (4) 25 Precise (5) 27 33 Down’s call (3) 29 Diadem (5) 30 Perfectly clean (8) 33 Pigeon-like bird (4) 35 Vital fl uid (5) 37 Gravid (8) 38 Trick, ruse (4) 39 Very stylish (4) 41 African river (4) 42 See 79 Across 43 Beer (3) 45 Pacifi c republic (4) 47 Fizzy water (4) 49 Chinese bear (5) 53 Calamari (5) 54 Involuntaryresponse(6) 57 Chilled (4) 58 Unexpected piece of fi nancial good fortune (8) 59 Turkish title of honour (3) 61 Person’s signature (9) 62 Group collaboration (8) 63 See photolower-left(8) 64 Road congestion (7) 66 Physics or biology (7) 68 Lust (6) 70 Group of people (5) 72 Basil sauce (5) 74 Disney elephant (5) 76 Relating to birds (5) 77 Fortifi ed wine (4) 79 Jump on one leg (3) SOLUTION NEXT WEEK New Zealand Woman’s Weekly 61

Puzzles Write the answers to the clues in the direction shown by the arrows. Then, reading in order from left to right and top to bottom, the letters in the shaded squares will spell out a mystery word. BabyGallivantbear soundingTinnyArid Object adorationof creatureMythicalmarkerStone TearaBirdsapartingaggle Unattrac-tive Five-sidedshape one-linerJoke,Humanbeing SeeingorganAgree-ment Anchoraboat GatheredunwellFeels CropclothesPressup Parts of a dollar FromEastthe SecondrangeVoicetonone ScottishberetsBriny whoppingHuge,Restrict,confine sourcesMineralAidacriminal betweenMediateLinencolour JapaneseportcityWordofassent WiseArtist'sstandmen SolemnvowMuslimreligion Top worldSphericalphotomap Earl Darjeeling,Grey,etcPestplant SagittariusSprintedalongsymbol Sensual Chaos,havoc LetterBirdalphaafterofprey swellingsFeaturesEyelid UnfastenlustfullyStare HoweverHinduspringfestival Clog or mule, eg AntiqueKebabstick BelongingtothatwomanBehaves Settee,lounge Lowerphoto Estimatedtimeofarrival Onion-likevegie footwearHeavyworkToss Powerfulclique withImbuescon-fidence TelepathicpowerNon-ordained BRAIN STRETCHERS SOLUTION NEXT WEEK 62 New Zealand Woman’s Weekly

HOLLYWOOD David Hartnell’s TRIVIAQUIZ BREAK CODE Each number in the grid represents a letter of the alphabet. Three letters have already been given. Start by fi lling in these ones and build the words in the grid from there. When you have completed the grid, you will be able to solve the secret code word. 1Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band was a chart-topping album for which band? 2Which actress starred in Seinfeld and Veep? 3In 1982, Lou Gossett Jr. won an Oscar for playing a tough-as-nails sergeant in which movie? 4Hellboy star Ron Perlman starred in a TV series about a motorcyle gang. What was the name of the show? 5Who wrote and performed the theme song for the 1984 film Ghostbusters? 6Marion Cotillard played which singer in the movie La Vie en Rose? 7What was the name of Mark Wahlberg’s ’90s hip-hop group? 8Which Sex and the City star plays Brenda Beaumont in the reboot of Queer as Folk? 9Who plays June in dystopian TV series The Handmaid’s Tale? 10What birthday did Dame Joan Collins celebrate on May 23, 2022? 23 18 20 1 14 10 16 5226781816 23161898 17 26 18 18 5 3 3 8132187 61826191818 4 10 11 22 16 16 218125 18172423268 6 10 11 8 8520111210 2672333 21 2 18 6 11 15 2122562351 22112108 7 6 5 18 23 1 8 824859 6252622817 10 17 11 8 10 9 10 1 14 2 15 3 16 4 17 22 5 18 18 6 19 25 7 20 6 8 21 8 9 22 16 10 23 11 24 12 13 25 26 N DI D N I 6 SOLUTION NEXT WEEKSOLUTION NEXT WEEK Put toknowledgecelebrityyourthetest! New Zealand Woman’s Weekly 63

Puzzles ANTARCTIC BEECH HICKORYHAWTHORNHAKEAEUCALYPTCYPRESSCREPECHESTNUTCEDARCAMPHORBUNYA-BUNYABOTTLEBRUSHBOABBLACKBUTTBALSALAURELMYRTLE NORFOLKMULBERRYMORETONMONKEYMIMOSAMAPLEMANGROVEMAHOGANYMAGNOLIAMACADAMIALILLYKAURIJUNIPERJACARANDAPILLYPUZZLEBAYFIGISLANDPINE The words listed are all related to trees. All except one of them can be found in the grid to the right. They can appear horizontally, vertically, diagonally, backwards or forwards, but are always in a straight line. The leftover word is the mystery answer. THEME: Trees There are six differences in these two images from the movie Bullet Train, starring Brad Pitt. Can you fi nd them all?BULLET TRAIN SPOT THE DIFFERENCESOLUTIONNEXTWEEK WORDThe decagon contains 10 nine-letter words reading from the outer segment to the centre. For each word, the outer segment contains the fi rst four letters, the middle segment contains the next three letters and the inner segment contains the last two letters. All the letters are in the right order, but the correct three segments must be matched together to fi nd all 10 words. 10987654321 MAKER SOLUTION NEXT WEEK Match 1 INTU HBO SH 2 FAVO AIN ER 3LEENDMYTH 10 ER9 CLAS URI UR CONT ITI GY 5SURR RAB CE 6 SHEL OLO AL 7 FRAG SIC ON 8 TELFINEIG 4 ADMI RAN 64 New Zealand Woman’s Weekly

BELTRYMEPERCYPRESSPS UBLACKBUTTUNTSEHCREI NKAIMADACAMQUANDONGL YHAOMMSYRINGAVSTISSK AINBUWOILRSRXAEPHSAY BCAORAIRJLEETADOAYNO UKITOTLWEPIIQNRSKPTA NOCTPTEVITNPAUSNEAAK YRNLSLRNIAOLYAONALRE AYIEOEUASBSNFLIIJMCL BAOBTJAHSIURBTLAAATZ YTPRTMLSKOARNACIKIIZ NUCUIORLPSMENAYALLCU ANESPKORSRPIRUOFGOBP GLDHAFHXERUAMEMHINEY OAAURIPAUDNCHDDFDGEE HWROSLMTMDWSELPAMACK AINASLABANROHTWAHMHN MTPYLACUEIEVORGNAMQO WOLLEMIPINEREDNAELOM WOLLEMIWATTLEWALNUTVIBURNUMTURPENTINESYRINGASPRUCESILKYSHE-OAKSEQUOIASATINSASSAFRASREDWOODQUANDONGPROTEAPOINCIANAPITTOSPORUMPALMOLEANDERASHOAKPINERearrangethe six groups of scrambled letters to form words, then decide where each word fi ts in the white squares of the grid. One letter has been given to help get you started. H SCAOSRBYSWAURSAEHCEHESCEKNBEORDAOARB Fill in the missing letters in the shaded squares to make six words reading across the grid. Then, reading from top to bottom, the letters in the shaded columns will form two words that belong together. GANFULYAVLANHECETIFEDBAKFIEDSAIRIALSUCULNT FINDER SOLUTION NEXT WEEK SOLUTION NEXT WEEKSOLUTION NEXT WEEK ITTWOTAKESSCRAMBLESQUARE New Zealand Woman’s Weekly 65

54 7 9 8 8 3 6 2 5 8 6 4 8 6 3 7 6 1 9 2 38 7 SUDOKU Fill in the blank squares with the numbers 1 to 9 so that each row, each column and each 3 x 3 block contains all the numbers from 1 to 9. Complete the puzzle to reveal two solutions in the shaded squares, relating to the picture clues. 1 234567 89 10 11 12 13 14 1516 1718 19 2021 22 23 2425 26 27 PICTURE CLUES 8ac, 10ac & 24ac, 20ac 8ACROSS&10ac T h’ anger Amy dealt with in this movie (3,4,3) 9 Alec and Pat make peace (7) 10 See 8 Across 11 A no-go situation (7) 12 Not much capital cover (4,2,3) 14 Voodooing no go for egg shape (5) 15 A leap of physics (7) 18 In the band anteroom went slow and even (7) 19 Make amends at 1300 hours (5) 20 See 24 Across 23 Lawless confusion when you draw a straight line crooked? (7) 24 & 20ac This TV series has its ups and downs (3,9) 26 No blame for serial number, just spoilers (7) 27 For ANZAC, Ed had a solo performance in the piece (7) DOWN1 M o re than one of this channel could be dire (6) 2 Bad start when space station returned on edge (4) 3 No raid in garden city for the young bird (6) 4 Legume to sip with plate, perhaps (5,3) 5 Confront dust and use as make-up (4,6) 6 Thrown. Ah! Into a bush (8) 7 About the holder, let’s touch that soccer ball again (8) 13 To hit Queen, perhaps, you have to do it sneakily (2,3,5) 15 Masquerading without sand as a bog (8) 16 What’s a cous ticked off got to do with sound (8) 17 A big amount of energy use by her (8) 21 Fasten canine tooth cat (tabby) came back with (6) 22 Make us fond of last listening device in the row (6) 25 A whirlwind from exploded dynamite (4) By Jim Greenfield CRYPTIC CROSSWORD Puzzles SOLUTION NEXT WEEK LEVELSKILL Hard SOLUTION NEXT WEEK 66 New Zealand Woman’s Weekly

GOT A PUZZLING QUESTION? EMAIL NZWW@AREMEDIA.CO.NZ SUBJECT LINE: PUZZLES PUZZLE SOLUTIONS August 15 SPOT THE DIFFERENCE EXPECTS GIVES X L H Y R I T IMAGE SLENDER S C W T E E I THEN TEXTBOOK S B S M I E COACH ENJOY S O F G R C QUARTERS FISH U G L E J G A AVERAGE UNITS S N N Z M N E HATED EXPOSED MEGA ACROSSCROSSWORD 1 Distant 5 Bach 7 Warmth 11 Peach 15 Tease 16 Bric-a-brac 17 Spearmint 18 Red 19 Suede 20 Hui 21 Kanoa 23 Lloyd 25 Halloumi 27 Dagger 29 Genuine 33 Koro 35 Ashram 36 Mount 38 Ruapehu 40 Utopia 41 Amass 43 Faith 45 Might 48 Froze 49 Doubt 50 Enemy 51 Casual 53 Pranced 56 Yummy 57 Polish 58 Gnaw 60 Smitten 61 Tartan 63 Swan song 66 Lunch 68 Mimic 70 Cap 72 McCaw 74 Art 76 Coriander 79 Hoi polloi 80 Alive 81 Yield 82 Polite 83 Levy 84 Ballast DOWN 1 Deter 2 Scandal 3 Aversion 4 Table 5 Boiler 6 Crash 8 Arc 9 Mason 10 Hue 11 Peril 12 Ali 13 Hated 14 Trying 21 Kerfuffle 22 Auger 24 Olive 25 Hike 26 Mustard 28 Aim 30 Near miss 31 Equity 32 Treasury 34 Retro 36 Mystery 37 Tricycle 39 Uppercut 42 Automatic 44 Hacksaw 46 Grain 47 EFTPOS 52 Swig 54 Alien 55 Denim 57 Pea 59 Snowball 62 Richie 64 Ocarina 65 Smelly 66 Lucky 67 Hoard 69 Mural 71 Probe 73 Climb 75 Treat 77 Rye 78 Dip 79 Hut SOLUTION: Kanoa Lloyd CODE SOLUTION:BREAKHasten ACROSS 8 Orderly 9 Oceania 10 Nag 11 Deceive 12 Blowtorch 14 Plumb 15 Results 18 Whipsaw 19 Drops 20 Monarch 24 Rapport 25 Gnu 26 Surgeon 27 Of the Glen DOWN 1 Hobnob 2 Adagio 3 Oyster 4 Roadshow 5 Perceptive 6 Antiques 7 Take a bow 13 Telescopes 15 Red Cross 16 Snoopers 17 Shooting 21 Trauma 22 Lagers 23 Nought SOLUTION: Antiques Roadshow, Monarch of the Glen SUDOKUSERIOUS 3816 794 25 6951 248 73 7248 359 61 1 6 2 5 9 8 3 4 7 9374 625 18 5483 172 96 8 5 6 9 4 1 7 3 2 2197 536 84 4732 861 59 SOLUTION: Rational ATMNA RAGRSLEDDAIREDTEESPINGRRATORAFLOWLENGTHENETTARRANGEDMPLEATSINNSTINSSERUMSTALKSOILNODEELTONJOHNOTTEREGOONGARPGATESSLYEARNYAPSAAGOOPUTTVANSKATYPERRYDEUCESITTONLYTREENONSENSEBOAS BRAIN STRETCHERS CRYPTIC CROSSWORD 6581 239 47 9317 462 85 4275 893 16 2 7 6 8 5 1 4 3 9 5896 347 21 3142 976 58 7 6 2 3 1 8 5 9 4 1459 728 63 8934 651 72 SUDOKU Z IW PCNV BU GO Q D Y M KX JT RH L S FE A EXTRASUDOKU 7315 264 89 2948 735 16 5681 947 23 3 5 2 4 8 9 1 6 7 9873 612 45 4167 529 38 6 7 3 2 4 5 8 9 1 8496 173 52 1259 386 74 DAVID HOLLYWOODHARTNELL’STRIVIA 1 Margaret, Duchess of Argyll 2 Marvel 3 La La Land 4 King’s Cross station in London 5 Daniel Craig 6 Charlize Theron 7 Tony award 8 Renée Taylor 9 Julia Roberts 10 Sarah Lancashire WORD CHAIN Love -> Nest -> Egg -> Cup -> Cake -> Shop -> Window -> Dressing -> Up -> Stage -> Struck -> Off -> Side -> Kick SOLUTION: Coin FAB FOUR 1 Escapees 2 Grooming 3 Morosely 4 Payslips 5 Profiler 6 Airborne 7 Spooling 8 Forearms SOLUTION: Possible SHUFFLE WORD 1 Doorpost 2 Portable 3 Kingdoms 4 Turncoat 5 Takeover 6 Hardship 7 Telltale 8 Withdraw TRICKY TILES 1 Tantamount 2 Mistakenly 3 Decorative 4 Barramundi 5 Journalism 6 Foreshadow 7 Remittance 8 Kookaburra 9 Glittering 10 Outsourced New Zealand Woman’s Weekly 67

We live in a remarkable country. I’m just back from a blow-yoursocks-off road trip down south. We fl ew into Blenheim, hired a car, drove down the West Coast, crossed the Haast Pass, stayed in Mt Cook, on to Queenstown, then travelled across glorious Central Otago, ending our trip in Dunedin. Sorry about the long sentence, but that’s the route to take. And the key to extracting the South Island’s astonishing beauty – travelling in the middle of winter. Yes, there’s a price to be paid. Storms, floods, roads closed and it’s cold. But you’ll be rugged up. All around will be staggering mountain ranges loaded with pinot anyway?noir.On our trip, the “Don’t let that stop you. There’s a diversion over some shingle farm roads, up some hills, through some bush, ford some streams and you’ll be through.”

We were. A one-hour diversion to avoid 200 metres of closed highway. Yes, challenging, but it stirred a sense of adventure. It reminded me of my fi rst-ever trip to the Coast as a toddler. Back then, the main highway was shingle with streams to ford. And my dad had to do it in our old 1930s Willys-Knight. What’s more, we were stuck behind a travelling circus. I never forgot the Pancake Rocks from that fi rst trip. Yet, I promise you, they seem even more otherworldly now. Catch the Franz Josef and Fox glaciers before they disappear. And here’s a tip. Seek out the café at Lake Matheson for a perfect coffee and venison roll beneath the majestic mountains Cook and Tasman. The Haast Pass is the most stunning stretch of road in New Zealand. And it leads you to the restored masterpiece, the Otago town of Clyde. Clyde’s the home of Oliver’s Restaurant, established by pioneering restaurateur Fleur Sullivan. Try the pa¯ua ravioli. I’ve run out of column before even starting my raves about Mt Cook, inyou’reBathansMoonlight.You’llArrowtownQueenstown,andGlenorchy.evenfindParadiseandThenthere’sStandMiddlemarch.Look,justgo,especiallyiffromthenorth.Andgowinter.

Winter

After a magical trip, Kevin’s celebrating our stunning south. Go now, he says... there’s snow place like it! ngs fi re olaasssuree s t ed,obheyada

KEVIN MILNE

pinotworld-classproduceTheyroaringtoknowSouthernershowlightafire.alsonoir

majestic Crown Range between Queenstown and Wa¯naka. 68 New Zealand Woman’s Weekly What’s your favourite New Zealand winter spot? Share it with us! Email us at aremedia.co.nznzww@ Join conversationthe

The

The beloved broadcaster’s reflections on life

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“What would you tell your teenage self?” is a great question. It’s an invitation to pass wisdom forward so you’re not the only person who learns from your mistakes or benefits from your victories. Plus it’s a delight to hold the memory of your 16-year-old self for a moment, and be grateful life now involves fewer pimples and less angst. Such a noble question deserves an honest answer, but lately I fi nd the thing I am passionate to share with people – the thing I wish I had known about much sooner – is dry shampoo. Full disclosure – I do not own shares in dry shampoo. Though I wish I did. I’d be as proud as if I’d invested in some other life-changing invention like the washing machine or the bicycle, which both contributed greatly to the liberation of women. I ponder the inventions that changed our lives forever – from tampons and contraception in my lifetime right back to the public toilet, which meant

Victorian women could venture even further from home than their bladders would allow. Somewhere on that list, I’d put in small letters, “dry shampoo”. I cannot overstate the freedom it has brought me because –further disclosure – I have fi ne hair, which is neither curly nor straight, and a scalp that tends to be oily. Friends, what a combo. It means I have, for my whole life until this point, felt the need to wash my hair every second day and then, with varying degrees of commitment, encouraged it into something that is not Cumulatively,frizz. that’s a lot of time that could have been spent on other things. I might have written another book! Had more children! Studied art history! But no, there I was, shampooing, conditioning, detangling and blow-drying because my head felt grubby and my hair had about as much shape as a dropped cake. I tried a dry shampoo once before – something on special at the supermarket because you don’t want to spend a lot of money on something that might not work. And it didn’t – it came out of the can as a white spray and stayed that way on my black hair. Aesthetically, it was similar to that canned fake snow people sprayed on our summer windows to indicate Christmas. This was in the years before someone suggested we give up that northern hemisphere nonsense and embrace the p¯ohutukawa. If you’d put a red-breasted robin on my head, people would have said, “I see what you’re going for there, but it’s not working.”

Michèle shares a secret about her locks and the f fresh hair!

When you are no longer young, you fi nd you are regularly asked what you had wished you had known back when you were.

I invested in a fancy dry shampoo, which came with assurances that made it sound similar to dry-cleaning clothes – all the benefits without the wet. Outlandish promises are often made in the world of cosmetics, but this one was actually kept. Now, even when I could go back to alternate-day washing, I don’t. I discover, left to its own devices, my hair might even curl in a fairly pleasant way. Also, I keep hats handy.

frizzthatsomethingitencouragedandsecondeverydaythenintoisnot

Then last September, I had ear surgery involving incisions and stitches. I was instructed not to wash my hair for two weeks and that dry shampoo would be my friend. Two weeks? That’s seven washes missed! It was hard to imagine how lank and out-of-sorts my hair and I would be.

Wash not, Musings from our favourite Kiwi funnywoman WANT NOT

I have, for my whole life until this point, felt the need to wash my hair

MICHÈLE A’COURT

What would you tell your teenage self? Share it with us! nzww@aremedia.co.nzEmail Have your say

70 New Zealand Woman’s Weekly

Your horoscopes for the week August 15-21

LEO Jul 24 – Aug 23

SAGITTARIUS Nov 23 – Dec 22

SCORPIO Oct 24 – Nov 22

Check your diary and make sure you don’t forget an important anniversary – it would be more trouble than it is worth. Get out in the fresh air for a few minutes each day or add a few extra minutes to your workout to get rid of the tension. There is a new friendship that starts off in an unusual situation.

There is a lot of organising to do and texting/messaging will be the best way to keep track of who you talked to and when. This might be a very important record when someone complains that you did not message them. Make sure you take some time out to relax, eat the food you love and hydrate.

When a friend tries to convince you their way of living is better than yours, you’ll tend to be annoyed. It’s important they understand your friendship is in jeopardy if this crusade continues. Romance and love is hot and heavy – it doesn’t get much better than this and will last for a good few weeks.

There’ll be a mental overload if you’re not careful. Only think about what is right in front of you. If you lose concentration, you will make a mistake and that will take up precious personal time to put right. There is an invitation for the weekend, accept – it will be fun.

VIRGO Aug 24 – Sep 23

When an argument comes, retreat. Do not even engage in a conversation. It is not worth your while as the other person will not listen to reason. And you are the voice of reason; someone who can see both sides of the scenario. In this case, it doesn’t matter, your colleague, friend or family member doesn’t want to see anything else but their point of view. On the lighter side, there is a chance to relax on the weekend and perhaps get out of town.

BIRTHDAY!HAPPY

PISCES Feb 20 – Mar 20

LIBRA Sep 24 – Oct 23

CAPRICORN Dec 23 – Jan 20 Being out of your depth is something you need right now. It’s time to be pushed to the limit and challenged beyond the boundaries you’ve set for yourself. There’ll be an amazing sense of achievement when you find you’ve exceeded everyone else’s expectations.

New Zealand Woman’s Weekly 71

AQUARIUS Jan 21 – Feb 19

It’s in the STARS

CANCER Jun 22 – Jul 23 Give it up! Whatever the habit is you want to get rid of, do it now. This is a brilliant week to lose the baggage – emotional, material, physical and intellectual. Be ready for a surprise on Saturday from someone you least expect; it will be quite spontaneous. It’ll be a memorable occasion for these Hollywood A-listers. Jennifer Lawrence will be celebrating her birthday for the first time as a mother and Ben Affleck as a new husband! Both will be marking their big days on August 15, with The Hunger Games star turning 32 and Daredevil Ben the big half century. What Joy!

You have a lot of things going on in your home and life, and it’s all very positive! Some good news has come your way i.e. a loan for a new house or car; an engagement or perhaps even your own wedding. Whatever it is, it’s far more important to you than the doom and gloom of world news.

TAURUS Apr 21 – May 21 Are you ready for the next stage in your development?relationship/career/spiritualChallengeyourself this week because you can achieve it by opening and stretching your mind, body and soul. Don’t be surprised if you’re accepting a promotion or making a romantic commitment. It’s all possible.

Things are not quite in place yet for whatever it is you are planning. If this is travel, you need to check one or two things regarding visas and travel documents. On the work front, someone notices your commitment and makes a comment that is heard by some very important people.

GEMINI May 22 – Jun 21 Something exciting is happening. You will feel the start of it on Monday and Tuesday, but are unsure what the energy is all about. By Friday, you are over the moon and will have all the details in front of you to get moving. The weekend sees you spreading good cheer along with your exciting news.

ARIES Mar 21 – Apr 20 There are new possibilities coming your way later in the week to do with a hobby, interest or sport you participate in. The possibility is to progress further, to have a new position or win a challenge. You feel almost driven to win. Push yourself more than usual.

Betty Your prize !

Linda

DANCING QUEEN I’ve just been reading the article in this week’s magazine about the benefits of dancing and I would like to add another form of dance to the to-do list. I have been doing Scottish country dancing for the last 48 years, and I’m now 85 years old and still dancing twice a week. It keeps the mind and body active, and I love it.

PS: My mum worked at Carmen’s Bookshop in Wellington from the age of 15, where she started reading the Weekly and has continued to read it every week since. She was most upset when it was discontinued but delighted when it returned.

A couple of years after my husband suddenly died on January 1, 2016, I decided to undertake some online dating. I had a policy not to date anyone who lived outside of Auckland, where I was living at the time, as I have an elderly mother. As luck would have it, I met a lovely man who lived in Hawke’s Bay but travelled to Auckland quite often. We started dating and developed a good relationship. We both had jobs, homes and families in our respective cities, but as I was in a more flexible position, and despite my elderly mother, I made the decision to move to Hawke’s Bay. My mother, who was 96, still living independently and adamant she was only moving out of her home feet first, suddenly made the decision to make the move with me. This meant selling her home of 35 years and getting rid of a lot of her possessions. She is a bit of a hoarder, so this was quite a big ask. A lovely unit was found for her in a retirement village in Havelock North and her home went on the market. It sold quickly and she was to vacate the property on the Friday in the very week New Zealand went into level 4 lockdown. With the warning that lockdown was happening on the Wednesday, we made the quick decision to put all her furniture in storage and the three of us left Auckland on the Tuesday, just in time to settle into a seven-week lockdown at my now home in Hastings. It was the best thing that could have happened as if the lockdown had happened just a week later and she had moved into her new unit, she would have been very much alone as I would not have been able to visit her. After the seven weeks, she moved into her new home. Now aged 98, she is very happily settled with new activities and friends. I take her shopping, to have her nails done and to the movies, just as Kerre now hopes to do with her mum. If her mother made the decision and has a positive attitude, they both have a lot to look forward to.

This week’s winning letter writer receives an Emma – The Sleep Company mattress topper, worth up to $449. Backed by sleep scientists, this comfy cloud-like topper is designed to offer your body premium support and is perfect for people with allergies, with both soft and fi rm sides, moisture wicking fi bres and a removable cover which can be popped in the wash.

Letters to the Editor

72 New Zealand Woman’s Weekly

SWEET MOTHER/DAUGHTER BOND ● Winning letter Kerre’s column (NZWW, August 8) reminded me so much of my own experience and the last paragraph in particular made me smile.

LUCKY KID We had the tiniest feral kid goat dropped into our wildlife park recently. His mum had been shot and he was left to die. It took three days on antibiotics and a week of dribbling milk into his mouth before he fi nally learned how to suck his bottle. It was touch and go as to whether he would make it, but as you can see, Andy Kid, as we named him, is now doing well and has befriended Martini the Flemish giant rabbit. He is a bundle of joy and they are so funny together. Enjoy the photo. Gail from Stoney Oaks Wildlife Park, Inglewood, Taranaki

Fashion stockists Boohoo nz.boohoo.com Colette by Colette Hayman colettehayman.com.au Decjuba decjuba.co.nz EziBuy ezibuy.com Forever New forevernew.co.nz Glassons glassons.com/nz H&M hm.com/nz Ketz-ke ketz-ke.com Leo + Be ketz-ke.com Lovisa lovisa.com.au Mi Piaci mipiaci.co.nz Postie postie.co.nz Quay quayaustralia.com.au Rubi cottonon.com/nz Witchery witchery.co.nz Zara zara.com/nzfacebook.com/newzealandwomansweeklyinstagram.com/newzealandwomansweekly EMAIL nzww@aremedia.co.nz POST NZ Woman’s Weekly, PO Box 52122, Kingsland, Auckland 1352 Have your say WEEKLY STAFF EDITOR Marilynn McLachlan STAFF WRITER Rebekah Hebenton LIFESTYLE EDITOR Anna Lee CHIEF SUB-EDITOR Denise Bowden ART DIRECTOR Mirella Monteiro DESIGNERS Alice Bush, Anna Petursdottir, Béla Trussell-Cullen PHOTO & EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Chad McCartney CONTRIBUTORS Cloe Willetts, Donna Fleming, Fleur Guthrie, Hélène Ravlich , Kasia Jillings, Leigh Matheson, Megan McChesney, Nicky Pellegrino SALESADVERTISINGDIRECTOR Claire claire.chisholm@aremedia.co.nzChisholm SALES MANAGER Chloe chloe.jordan@aremedia.co.nzJordan COMMERCIAL SALES MANAGER Mae Kelly 021 mae.kelly@aremedia.co.nz2460276 DIRECTORY SALES MANAGER Kim Chapman 021 classifieds@xtra.co.nz673133 ARE MEDIA GROUP MANAGEMENT CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Jane Huxle y GENERAL MANAGER Stuart Dick EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Sarah Henry PRIVACY NOTICE This issue of New Zealand Woman’s Weekly is published by Are Media Limited (Are Media). Are Media may use and disclose your information in accordance with our Privacy Policy, including to provide you with your requested products or services and to keep you informed of other Are Media publications, products, services and events. Our Privacy Policy is located at www.aremedia.co.nz/ privacy/. It also sets out on how you can access or correct your personal information and lodge a complaint. Are Media may disclose your personal information offshore to its service providers and agents located throughout the world, including in Australia, USA, the Philippines and the European Union. In addition, this issue may contain Reader Offers, being offers, competitions or surveys. Reader Offers may require you to provide personal information to enter or to take part. Personal information collected for Reader Offers may be disclosed by us to service providers assisting Are Media in the conduct of the Reader Offer and to other organisations providing special prizes or offers that are part of the Reader Offer. An opt-out choice is provided with a Reader Offer. Unless you exercise that opt-out choice, personal information collected for Reader Offers may also be disclosed by us to other organisations for use by them to inform you about other products, services or events or to give to other organisations that may use this information for this purpose. If you require further information, please contact Are Media’s Privacy Offi cer either by email privacyoffi cer@ aremedia.com.au or mail Privacy Offi cer, Are Media, 54 Park Street, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia.

Zealand Woman’s Weekly

My mother got the Weekly for as long back as I can remember and I am 83 years old! I loved the Pen Pals and wrote to two people from the page when I was about 12. One was called Doreen Pollock from England and the other was Joyce Jones from Trinidad! I can remember their names clearly but like lots of things, we lost touch over the years. I still have the letters I received from Joyce, though. I have got the Weekly all my married life, which was 64 years on August 2. My husband likes to read it first now. Congratulations on your milestone. Colleen

New is a milestone this year and we want you to be part of the We would love you to share your memories of the Weekly with us – so if you have an old issue of the magazine, a favourite article or memento from it, or a treasured moment involving it, let us know. We’ll print the best recollections in the magazine. PO Box 52122, Kingsland, Auckland 1352. o:

H “lI

birthday

Birthday90tʰ New Zealand Woman’s Weekly 73

“your youngest did a page of very untidy work. I looked at it in disgust and said, ‘And just WHAT am I going to write on THAT?’ He was silent for a moment and then said, ‘Try repulsive!’” T.A.M.

Eleventh commandment

WEEKLY MEMORIES

We’re turning 90!

fun!

Over the room.

Bigger brother kindly helping younger sister with the Ten Commandments, was heard to say: “Thou shalt not commit upholstery.”

celebrating

PalmerstonWondering,North Rust never sleeps On a fi rst trip to the West Coast recently, my husband and I were amazed to see the vast quantities of rusty corrugated iron adorning buildings over there. The fi rst service station we pulled in at displayed a notice urgently advising: Rustproof Now! It was just about 100 years too late! ChristchurchJoan,

ADS THAT PROMISED... Things were getting creative in the ’70s, with a wig that could be worn nine ways! playhouse Birthday90tʰ 74 New Zealand Woman’s Weekly Retro WEEKLY As the Weekly prepares to celebrate a milestone, we delve into the archives for what was making news in July 5, 1971 Weekly readers were shown how to make a cute playhouse that could be used indoors or outside, depending on weather. YOU WILL NEED ● A large cardboard carton –refrigerators, filing cabinets and mattresses are packed in these ● ½-inch wooden beading ● Lid off an aerosol can ● Plastic paint ● Masking tape or transparent adhesive tape ● Craft knife with sharp blade ● 1-inch paint brush ● Strong adhesive To form the roof, cut two small fl aps to a pointed triangle. These make the gableFoldends.side fl aps against these and tape into position from k

New Zealand Woman’s Weekly 75 Nostalgia the inside. This leaves about a six-inch gap in the roof along the top – it’s an advantage with small children not to have it completely closed in. Now cut an inverted L shape for the door on the front of the box and a small square alongside for the window. Cut two window shapes in the side of the box. Paint gable ends and door in a bright colour –we used casino pink. Glue the aerosol lid on to door for handle. (We glued beading around top and side of door frame to make a neat finish). If you like, you can paint some flowers on the side, like our pretty hollyhocks. Give the children scraps of material so they can add their own refinements, such as curtains at theWewindows.usedup scraps of paint on the playhouse, which virtually cost nothing to make and was assembled in under an hour.Children will have hours of fun playing in their house. If the tape is removed, it can be folded fl at for easy storage.

Is there a battle of chills in your house? Share it with us! Email us at aremedia.co.nznzww@ Join conversationthe 76 ldkl Brrr... winter has out-stayed its welcome.

THE ICE

Things

khehnevveersside.sreiseachhbutitthhighland’ss

Those rumours about women being colder creatures than men have turned out to be true. Which is to say that women being colder is now a scientific fact, though I’m not sure why it has taken so long to establish this. In the case of women and men, it turns out there are three degrees (celsius) of separation.

Also, women tend to carry more fat between skin and muscle, which keeps them colder on the outside. Quite a poor above our chilly heads. hot summers, but no comfort at all on a shuddery winter night in these same parts. Our antique house came with antique gas heaters and a big hungry open fi replace that eats so much wood, we indulge in a good blaze only now and then. But generally, it’s never hot enough at our place to separate husband and wife, and our individual heat needs. It’s always too cold. Another thing that separates women from men is the issue of friendship. There’s been a survey done which found a third of men questioned had no close friends at all, unlike women, who luxuriate in multiple friendships. Men, the survey said, tend to outsource their friendships to the social circles of their wives or partners. Things have become Colin grapples with the fact that females find it hard to warm up... unless they’re chatting with their friends Breaking Mayhem and mirth with the man about the house so bad that an online rent-a-friend service for lonely chaps has sprung up. Most of the men I know have close friends. I have several myself, though sometimes I wonder if we don’t want to ditch each other, for want of some new conversation. Though you have to be careful what you wish for. Just the other night, I got into a slightly shouty situation with someone at a dinner party after the topic of Covid came up. It’s one of those subjects we should leave at the door, along with the politics. My few close friends and I tend not to shout at each other, given that we agree on most things, which is where it can get a bit boring. But that’s okay. There’s a comfort in being slightly bored with each other. At least, I hope there is.

I’ve been visiting a sick friend in hospital lately and I’m a very boring hospital visitor, though I do my best. It’s the small talk that’s the problem, especially if it’s me trying to do it all. My friend is temporarily without much in the way of a voice, so I sit there and babble about the weather and who’s likely to be the next mayor. Except the other day, when I shut up and we sat in silence. It felt comfortable, which is, I guess, the test of friendship. cia llyy

sprungchapsforservicerent-a-friendanbadbecomehavesothatonlinelonelyhasup

The coldest parts of a woman, according to the article I read, are her hands, feet and ears, though this might extend to other body parts, depending on the individual woman. The reason for the average woman’s icy edges is that muscle produces heat and women carry less muscle than men generally.

COLIN HOGG

Mum fell head over heels in love with

WOODHAM

KERRE es for deelyl,tosaww,les

Right, then, my lovely Weekly readers! I need you all to put the white light around Mum’s home in Hamilton, which went on the market a week ago. She’s found a beautiful apartment in a perfect retirement community literally five minutes from where we live and in what must be some sort of record, she did so in the space of two and a halfI’dhours!gonedown to the Waikato a couple of Sundays ago to bring her up to Auckland to visit five retirement villages she liked the look of. I had to work on the radio in the mornings, but from midday Monday, we had appointments lined up with the lovely sales consultants from each village she’d tagged as possibles. She had a check list she wanted to adhere to – a small to mediumsized village, with a north-facing apartment on the ground floor. It would preferably be on the North Shore, but we could be flexible on that if none of the places we looked at suited. She wanted to live independently but have the option of extra care should the need arise; thus there needed to be a hospital as part of the village. A place to A great chat with the queen of talk back CALL HOME And so, armed with her list, we set off for our first appointment. I suppose it been more helpful. The place was lovely and the people we met who lived there were very friendly, but we agreed that the right thing to do was to check out all the options, make a list of the pros and cons of each place, then make a clearheaded, rational decision. And that resolve lasted as long as it took to step inside the second village. Funnily enough, this one hadn’t even been on the original list. I drive past the apartment complex most days and it doesn’t look like a retirement village – it just looks like a flash apartment building. But I noticed the sign the day before I drove down to collect Mum and given how close it was to our place, I made a call and Susee was able to squeeze us in. From the time we walked in, Mum felt at home. Susee was another graduate from the school

immediatelymovewantedsoplacetheanddidI.Shetoin

Have you downsized and was it a good move? Share with us! Email us at aremedia.co.nznzww@

Kerre’s mum has found the perfect pad, but there’s just one hitch before she gets the keys to the door

New Zealand Woman’s Weekly 77 Have your say

of Lovely, Friendly, Well-groomed Saleswomen and again, she couldn’t have been more helpful, caring and considerate. The complex was gorgeous and the people there seemed right at home. A group of men were having a game of pool. One lady was reading the newspaper in a sunny spot in the library. Another group of women were having a coffee and a laugh in the café. And by the heated pool, a nana was watching her grandsons enjoy the luxury of a swim in winter. It felt like home. The apartment available is lovely – it’s not on the ground floor and it’s west-facing not north, but all of a sudden that didn’t seem to matter. Mum fell head over heels in love with the place and so did I. She wanted to move in immediately but she needs to sell her house in Hamilton and, of course, it’s the worst time in years to have a property on the Everymarket.timeI drive past her place, as we’ve taken to calling it, I think how wonderful it will be to just be able to pop in and I wish she was here right now this minute. But we’re staying positive.Herhouse WILL sell and soon Mum will be just down the road. I cannot wait for this new phase in our lives.

What’s on this week

78 THE DOG HOUSE FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 8.30PM, TVNZ 1

The sweetest show on TV is back for another season! The team at Woodgreen Pets Charity in the UK use their expertise to pair up prospective pet owners with the perfect pooch for their lifestyles. If you’re anything like us, there are sure to be some happy tears, so make sure you have your tissues nearby.

Caninecapers timetool

FIXER TO FABULOUS: WELCOME INN MONDAY, AUGUST 22, 9.30PM, HGTV

For experienced home renovators Dave and Jenny Mars, transforming an old property into a cosy bed and breakfast should be a walk in the park. But when that house is built in the 1880s, challenges the couple could never have imagined arise. With big money on the line, the DIY darlings will have to work miracles to make their B&B dreams come true.

It’s

PARTNER TRACK FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, NETFLIX Since landing a job at one of New York’s top law fi rms, Ingrid Yun has sacrifi ced her personal life to prove she has what it takes to make partner. But the higher she climbs the corporate ladder, the more she has to leave her morals at the door. When an old fl ame returns to her life, she is served a stark reminder of the caring person she used to be.

royaleBattle

Must-seemovieTopline-up seriesNew Hands buzzers!on THHO MO N O N T h e Th ro Set 3 fo bdasinnekViseheillogringdrVisaughuthiswomaisrigh

BEAT THE CHASERS WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 7.30PM, TVNZ 1 Think you could beat the greatest quiz team ever assembled? In this fast-paced spin-off of the beloved game show, contestants take on The Chase greats solo in the hopes of taking home big money. The more Chasers they take on, the more money they can win, but outsmarting fi ve of the quintessential quizzers in Britain is no easy feat.

New Zealand Woman’s Weekly 79 Game of prequel is fi nally here! rst-ever queen, THE MADNESS OF KING GEORGE SATURDAY, AUGUST 27, 8.40PM, WHAKAATA MAORI A royal historical drama starring Dame Helen Mirren sounds like the perfect Saturday night at home to us! The late great Sir Nigel Hawthorne plays King George III as his mind starts to deteriorate. The king’s descent into madness triggers a power struggle between his heir and other government ministers, and Queen Charlotte (Helen) must fight to keep his enemies from taking over.

BELFAST AUGUSTSATURDAY,20, NEON If you missed Kenneth Branagh’s moving semiautobiographical flick in cinemas, you fi nally have your chance to watch it. Set during The Troubles of the late ’60s in Northern Ireland, Kenneth shares the story of how his family stood up to the violent antiCatholic stance of their neighbours.

eginning – I’m seven seasons in , t h ree to go! MY PER FE CT E VE NI N G I S. .. Playing Fridi ay nigght footbalal , t h e n comi ng ho me to aa ssm all grou p of mates wit h aa fefw drin ks i n th e spa, laughter and tu nes – until I’m re mi n d ed t h e k id s will b e awa ke in four to fi ve h ours an d it ’s tim e to ca ll it. THE BE S Outsid e an d t h e an d wereTysh o an d on o sitting o in t he m in Fiji, pa music b h ow I go MY BI G papSwiJaimecontemwfe”.Anhe’samassionalwayslerovidin WHEN I TO G RO T h e clos to com p only to d ays b e f d id stra p ttoalthoughahouhegym YO U S H SI N G ER e l se like are morereveasomlstSp Watch C Sun d ays new d at T h ursda 80 New Zealand Woman’s Weekly

THE of Masked Singer last year after at WEAKNESS URITE PLACE IN NEW ZEALAND IS ... L a ke Ka iiwi . You’ll catch me t h ere at least sometime d uring t h e summer holidays. We’ll be the ones camping wit h t h e f ridge f reezer, coffee machine, mini air h ockey ta ble and the small infl atable p oo l!

season! MY G REATEST

r losing a b et d uring t h e sh ow. Not surprisingly, it en d ed up b eing t h e lowest-rating e piso d e of t h

THE SH OW I AM BIN G EIN G RI G HT N OW IS .. . Since mourning t h e en d of Yellowstone, I’ve started watching Frie n d s again f rom t h e b

host unmasks Heartbreak Island c WhileOceanAfireman. TH E MASKED BECAUSE... There’s nothing Th e Masked Singer, Heartbreak Island, Five minut with. The Heartbreak Island his likes and dislikes, a he’s got the best job MY FAVO URITE M OVIE IS.. . It ’s a n eck-an d neck race be twee n Coo l Runni ngs a n d Du mb a nd D um be r – the fi rst one, not the second one they did 20 years later, t h at no one asked for!

IS.. . Not b eing a ble to say no to t hings. S ometimes t h at lan d s me in some great unexp ected places an d ot h er times it lan d s me in more unexp ected places! MY FAVO

BRAVEST THIN G I ’ VE EVER DO NE I S. .. I wore S p eedos in t h e q uarter-fi na l e piso d e

TO H O LIDAY

The

Want to make Friends Like These your next book club read? Here are some talking points to start the discussion:

About the author… Meg Rosoff She grew up in Boston and now lives in the UK. She spent years working in advertising before writing her first fiction. This is her 10th novel. This novel was inspired by… I told my editor I’d write three summer books and while considering the second, I kept coming back to the terrible sweltering summers in New York City back in the early 1980s. My friends and I all lived in depressing slums, earned hardly any money, drank way too much and thought we were living the dream. I played bass guitar in a mediocre New Wave band. Everyone got mugged. The most challenging thing about writing it was… It was pretty strange going back to that time in my life. As I wrote, the sounds, smell and taste of New York came back vividly in all its mixedup, crazy chaos. I was nuts then, desperately looking for love, working hard, playing hard, bouncing off the walls – the whole sex and drugs and rock ’n’ roll thing. I’m glad I don’t have to live that time again for real, though. Once was plenty. My writing habits are… Erratic at best. I’m a fast writer but a slow thinker. Once I have an idea for a book, I can write for about 22 hours a day, but it sometimes takes me a couple of years to figure out what

● Why do you think Beth n ever tells Edie about her family’s tragic history?

Beth is intoxicated with freedom and a new friend young and hold memories of those first steps we took towards independence, so there is plenty to relate to, whatever your age. A quietly mesmerising read about rites of passage, toxic friendship and opening your eyes to the realities of life. Lovely, thoughtful and transporting. Book Club We’d love to hear your thoughts and opinions on Friends Like These. Let us know what you think by emailing aremedia.co.nznzww@

Dreamingly slow-paced and gorgeously written, this slender novel is a coming-of-age story set over the course of one swelteringly hot New York summer in theWe1980s.spend the entire novel inside the head of Beth, an 18-year-old girl from the suburbs who has come to the city for an internship on a newspaper. Living in a cockroach-infested slum apartment with a couple that mostly ignore her, getting to grips with her first job, Beth feels out of place. Suddenly everything about her seems wrong and she is overwhelmed andAlllonely.thatstarts to change when she meets fellow intern Edie. Fun and complex, difficult and damaged, Edie is a native New Yorker and seems to know how everything works. Soon Beth is drawn into an intense friendship and the pair are drinking frozen margaritas together and making the city their own. Beth starts to gather experiences, first times that are good and bad. She is mugged at gunpoint, she has sex, she takes drugs. To her, everything about this summer feels bold and momentous, but to the people around her, it is simply ordinary. As Beth is drawn into Edie’s family life, she is unknowingly manipulated by her charismatic and beautiful friend, and gradually her naivety is rubbed away. Friends Like These captures the uncertainty and selfabsorption of youth, as well as the glamour, thrill and seediness of New York, a city in the grip of the AIDs crisis. The writing is descriptive but not wordy, the tone is wry but not cynical and the story is simple but not shallow.

New York state of mind

Author Meg Rosoff is considered a young adult writer, but we’ve all been

● How is Beth t ransformed by her New York summer and what does it teach her?

Book Club

With best-selling author Nicky Pellegrino

● Is Tom using Beth o r i s she using him?

Friends Like These by Meg $18.99)(Bloomsbury,Rosoff

I want to write about. I wish I were better at plot, but really, it’s relationships that interest me most.

Bookoftheweek

CORNER Reading

New Zealand Woman’s Weekly 81

After announcing her new project for AppleTV+ based on the novel La nd of Women by Sandra Barneda , Eva Longoria, 47, joined some friends for dinner at Los Angeles hot spot Catch Steak. Evacute!socute!

Three generations of Spanish royals made a stylish outing during their annual holiday in Palma de Mallorca. Queen Letizia, 49, was joined by her mother-in-law Queen Sofia, 83, and daughters Princess Leonor, 16 (left), and Infanta Sofia, 15, for dinner at local hot-spot Beatnik before browsing the night markets.

Runway-ready royals

She’s back in the habit! After being delayed twice due to Covid, Jennifer Saunders, 64, finally made her sparkling return to the West End stage as Mother Superior in Sister Act the Musical. Her co-star Beverley Knight, 49, had big shoes to fill as Whoopi Goldberg was originally going to reprise her role as cabaret singer Deloris Van Cartier but sadly had to drop out.

Princess Diana’s twin nieces Lady Eliza (left) and Lady manufacturerteamedSpencer,Ameliaboth30,uptohelpBritishsportscarTVRlaunchitsnewrangeofelectricvehicles. driversLady AB

New Zealand Woman’s Weekly 83

NUNFAB

Kate Hudson, 43, spent N ational Relaxation Day the right way with a dip in the pool and a cock tail made with her own King St Vodka in hand. C’est la vie! Sip & dip!

While some Brits have been trying to escape the heatwave, Elizabeth Hurley, 57, has been making the most of the warm weather by showing off her swimwear line. Busy Lizzie!

Richard Gere, 72, and his wife Alejandra Silva, 39, put on an affectionate display at the Magna Graecia Film Festival in Italy, where he was honoured with a lifetime achievement award to mark his incredible 50-year career. Top Gere

When she’s not following in her father’s musical footsteps, Paris Jackson, 24, also works as a model. The 24-year-old revealed her latest campaign as one of the new faces of Kim Kardashian’s SKIMS brand. White on!

After relaunching her wellness brand, Rumer Willis, 33, stopped by her local farmers’ market in Los Angeles to stock up on fresh produce. Vegeing out

For the past six weeks, WorldinspendingBrosnan,Pierce69,hasstartedhisdaytwohoursthemake-upchairtotransformintoWarIIveteranArtieCrawford,whois20yearshissenior. Futureshock

Spice Girl Geri Hor birthday celebratio spent the day at t with her kids and s with her husband,Christian Book Performing for her hometown in Ontario, Shania Twain put an extra-special show for her Canadian fans. Wearing a bedazzled bra, the 56-year-old didn’t let the threat of rain ruin her fun as she headlined the Boots & Hearts Music Festival. Still the one we want h h

DRESSEDBEST New Zealand Woman’s Weekly 85

tars were out for the black t premiere of The Sa nd man ndon. Sienna Miller, 40, was ming as she supported her artner and baby daddy Tom ge, who is the star of the new x series, alongside Ni p/ Tuck s Joely Richardson (inset), 57.

The songbird’s on a high with interest in her brand soaring t’s enough to have a girl spinning around! Kylie Minogue fashioned herself into a per fect pop princess for the relaunch of her Darling perfume.

86 New Zealand Woman’s Weekly

Kylie’s good

The hottest celebrit y scoop

A girl can never have tootulle!much

The relaunch of the vegan-friendly floral fragrance comes hot on the heels of Kylie’s range of sparkling Prosecco rosé wine making almost $15 million in a year. No doubt the Can’t Get You Out of My Head hitmaker is hoping her per fume sales will strike a similarly high note!

The age-defying Loco-Motion singer, 54, posed in a dusty pink tulle gown for the occasion, playing on the colour of one of the scent’s top notes, lychee

Veteran Neighbours star Kylie reunited with her former co-star and boyfriend Jason Donovan, 54, recently for the final episode of the long-running soap Fans were disappointed the duo didn’t get more screen time, but insiders say it was because of their busy schedules.

Subscribe to your favourite magazine • 12 issues (3 months) of New Zealand Woman’s Weekly plus a bonus 4 issues of Woman’s Day for $57.74 • Save 37% off the RRP • Royal news, celebrity features and stories from everyday Kiwis • Aspirational content covering all things food, style, home and entertaining • Free home delivery This offer is valid for all New Zealand deliveries quoting M228NZW1 by phone or online at magshop.co.nz before midnight on 21 August, 2022. Savings are based on retail cover price. Rates include GST and postage. Offer is available to existing subscribers, who must opt in at the advertised rate. Subscriptions for existing subscribers will commence at the end of the current term. For full terms and conditions, visit magshop.co.nz/p/magshop.co.nz/NZWBUNDLE. Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery of your first issue. This subscription offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. For Are Media’s privacy policy, please visit www.aremedia.com.au/privacy. Each subscription will receive twelve issues of New Zealand Woman’s Weekly and four issues of Woman’s Day NZ, sent at respective on-sale dates. Subscription cannot be split or sent to different recipients. + receive 4 bonus issues of 37%SAVE UP TO Subscribe at magshop.co.nz/NZWBUNDLE Call 0800 MAGSHOP (624 7467) & quote M228NZW1HURRY!Offerends21stAugust,2022

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