Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2018 i Australian Women’s Weekly NZ

With two young boys running around the house, I wonder what life would have been like if we had decided to add to our brood. But the advice of an old colleague always rang in my head: “You have two hands for a reason. One to hold onto each child; have a third and it’ll run wild.” It was sage advice and I’m glad we stuck with two. They are the true delight of our lives. Most of the time, that is. (When the youngest spilled neon orange slime on the carpet recently, then pulled a chair over it to hide it for a couple of days before I finally found it, he was most certainly not a delight!) “In the end, we only regret the chances we didn’t take.”-…

Attention all Disney fans and high-tea lovers! Cordis, Auckland, is celebrating the release of The Nutcracker and the Four Realms with a magical movie-themed high tea event served at The Lobby Lounge between November 16 and December 16, 2018. Our letter of the month writer this month will receive a Nutcracker and the Four Realms high tea for four people at the Cordis hotel, worth $236. Bookings essential. Writers of other published letters will receive an Australian Women’s Weekly cookbook.…

Cats in the Southland village of Omaui might need more than nine lives if a recent council proposal is anything to go by. Environment Southland’s ‘pest plan’ calls for all domestic cats to be desexed, microchipped and registered, in an effort to protect native wildlife in the region. And they’re not pussyfooting around. The plan also proposes that if a family pet dies, residents will not be permitted to get another. The response to the proposition has, as you might imagine, been mixed. Voting closes in October.…

The Duchess of Sussex is feeling the strain as her family crisis continues. And it is her sister-in-law Kate who she is turning to for support as the situation with her father Thomas Markle and sister Samantha deteriorates under the world’s gaze. “Kate has grown very close to Meghan and they speak almost every day on the phone. She will be supporting her 100 per cent and will feel Meghan’s anguish,” says royal expert Phil Dampier. Meghan’s troubles with her father began when he pulled out of her May 19 wedding amid revelations he’d colluded with the paparazzi. Over the past three months the situation has only continued to unravel with Thomas’ latest allegations of a heated phone call he had with Harry just days before the wedding – while…

It takes courage to face demons, dark truths buried so deep you dare not speak their name and let them out into the light for all to see. For Sally Field, one of Hollywood’s most admired and well-known actors, double Oscar and triple Emmy winner, such a venture is frankly Herculean. And yet as I sit in the soothing peace and quiet of her sun-drenched Los Angeles home, high up in the hills and canyons overlooking the impeccably blue Pacific, I sense a weight has been lifted from Sally’s tiny shoulders. At 71, the mother of three and grandmother of five feels an urgent need to pull the multifarious pieces of her life together and it’s a journey which started seven years ago. It was Sally’s 65th birthday when her…

Southern ladies do tend to love their make-up. My mother wasn’t that into it, but my grandmother sure was. She taught me so many make-up rules that I remember to this day. For example, she always said that make-up should look natural. If you have freckles, you should still be able to see your freckles a little bit even after you put on foundation and powder. And like my grandmother before me, I’m obsessed with lipstick. Putting on lipstick makes me feel ready for the day and ready for the world. You’ve got to learn how to apply it properly, though. When I first started doing it, I kind of looked like Ronald McDonald. It takes practice. One historical note that I just love: When the suffragettes were marching, at…

It’s almost midnight and Sir Ian McKellen has just arrived home from his latest triumph. He’s playing King Lear in London’s West End. The play is more than three hours long with six performances a week. Quite a feat for a 79-year-old, but aside from a slight hoarseness in those mellifluous tones, recognisable world-over for wizard Gandalf’s booming declaration “You shall not pass!”, Sir Ian is surprisingly alert. Part of that is down to his secret weapon – Pilates – and part, he says, is thanks to the Bard. “Shakespeare is very kind to King Lear. He gets a nice big break in the middle. So I sometimes manage to catch a nap, have a bit of sleep, and start up again. I don’t feel tired at the end of…

The MOTH (Man of the House) opened the door of our new car and stood back while I climbed in. We inhaled the delicious new-car smell and watched the steering wheel move silently into place and the wing mirrors open out. I thought back to all the cars that went before. There was the HD Holden. It saw service as a tank in World War II. Then a snappy little Fiat that turned on a five-cent piece but the pivot windows fell out on the highway in the heat. Along came a Ford Fairlane and a Holden Monaro. The back seat held 12 people. A full tank cost a week’s wages. There was a brief, glorious affair with an elderly Jaguar. It took three minutes to drift majestically around a…

ALL FLAT-LAY ITEMS WITHOUT WEBSITES ARE ONLY AVAILABLE IN STORE.…

Quick draw You’ll be instantly transported back to the classroom when you encounter Clarins’ playful new retractable eye and lip pen. Incorporating three eye liners and one lip liner, it will also save space in your beauty bag. Birthday bounty Evolu has just celebrated its 21st birthday and the all-natural Kiwi brand is giving us the gift. To mark the milestone, they’ve created a hydrating face and body ‘super’ oil that skin drinks up, leaving no greasy residue. Camelia, kawakawa, argan and chia are just some of the top-quality botanicals in the luxurious blend. SMOOTH MOVES  The technology that goes into ghd’s famous hair stylers is always astounding, but learning the new ‘smart’ version of the ghd Platinum Styler, $380, can sense the thickness of your hair, the…

Chicken with caperberries, raisins, green olives and almonds SERVES 6 PREP AND COOK TIME 50 MINUTES (+ MARINATING & STANDING TIME) 1 lemon 12 (2kg) free-range chicken drumsticks 1 cinnamon stick 5 fresh bay leaves 2 sprigs fresh rosemary ¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil 20g butter ⅓ cup (50g) raisins ⅓ cup (80ml) verjuice ¼ cup (60ml) vino cotto 15 (150g) green olives ¼ cup (40g) caperberries, rinsed, drained 1 Remove lemon rind in strips with a vegetable peeler; reserve lemon for serving. 2 Combine chicken in a large bowl with cinnamon, lemon rind, bay leaves, rosemary and half the olive oil. Cover; refrigerate for at least 1 hour (overnight is better). 3 Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan-forced). Season chicken with salt. Heat butter and remaining oil…

Roast pumpkin with horseradish and mint salsa SERVES 6 PREP AND COOK TIME 1 HOUR 1kg pumpkin 2 tablespoons olive oil HORSERADISH CREAM 30g fresh horseradish, peeled, grated finely 250g crème fraîche 3 teaspoons lemon juice MINT SALSA 5 anchovy fillets 2 tablespoons baby capers 1 clove garlic, chopped 1 cup (50g) firmly packed mint leaves 1 cup firmly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley ½ cup (125ml) extra virgin olive oil 1 Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). Line a large oven tray with baking paper. 2 Wash pumpkin. Cut into 5cm-thick wedges with skin on. 3 Place pumpkin wedges and oil in a large bowl. Season generously. Massage oil and seasoning onto each piece of pumpkin. Transfer to oven tray, standing the wedges upright. Roast pumpkin for 50 minutes or…

FERMENT TO BE Add some great flavours to your next meal with Living Goodness. The New Zealand company specialises in probiotic, raw, fermented foods such as sauerkraut and kimchi. Available from selected New World stores. RRP $13. ON A ROLL Known for its delicious pies and sausage rolls, The I Love Food Co has now launched its frozen pastry as a standalone product. The I Love Baking Sour Cream Pastry is perfect for the home baker. Available from most supermarkets. RRP $4.99 for regular and RRP $6.49 for gluten-free. DID YOU KNOW? Ketchup was once used as medicine. In the 1830s, Dr John Cooke Bennet added tomatoes to the mix as he thought the high levels of vitamins and antioxidants would cure diarrhoea, jaundice and rheumatism.…

1 2016 MICHELE CHIARLO NIVOLE MOSCATO D’ASTI, $17 The sophisticated Asti cousin, just 5% alcohol, lightly sparkling and perfumed with a musky, grapey sweetness; best enjoyed chilled with ripe rockmelon and prosciutto, or as a palate cleanser at the end of an Italian feast. 2 2015 PRUNOTTO BARBERA D’ASTI, $24 Barbera is the third most-planted red grape in Italy, and at its best in the subregions of Asti and Alba. A savoury, brambly red with a backbone of cleansing acidity that matches lamb ragu perfectly. 3 2016 BRUNO GIACOSA ROERO ARNEIS, $35 The region’s most highly regarded white grape, from a top producer, this is delicately scented, displaying almond, peach and pear. It’s crisp and dry, with a textural palate. 4 2015 COOPERS CREEK GISBORNE ARNEIS SV ‘THE LITTLE RASCAL’,…

“On occasion I see him standing on one leg, looking very commanding and obviously showing off.“ It is usually my idea to add pets to our family. It took me two years of constant nagging to get my husband Paul to agree to letting three chickens into our life in the city 10 years ago. And another year to convince him we needed a second dog. He tends to be the sensible one in our relationship as he has a unique ability to think things through, weigh up the consequences and plan ahead. I, on the other hand, operate solely on instant gratification, which is why I am currently taking steps to deal with an online-shopping habit – not addiction; just a habit at this stage. So the arrival of…

Feed. It’s hard to overfeed a tomato. Give them a dose of good organic plant food once a week. Composted hen manure is possibly the best – but as a chook owner I am biased. Spray the bushes with a seaweed-based foliar spray as the weather cools down and they’re not taking up as much tucker from the roots. Sunlight. Tomatoes love as much sun as you can give them. They thrive on hot patios or against concrete walls. Water! Tomatoes will crop in droughts when most other veges die, but water them well at least once a week. Mulch up to the lowest branches. This will not just help keep the soil moist and add nutrients but new roots will form on the stem under the mulch. Tomato stems…

Queen of musical theatre Elaine Paige is touring the country this October. The original Evita actress will perform songs from her illustrious career during three shows in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. For more details, go to eventfinda.co.nz. See the best netballers from New Zealand and Australia face off for the final two games of the Constellation Cup. The Silver Ferns will play the Australian Diamonds for two dates in Hamilton and Wellington. For information and tickets, head to silverferns.co.nz.…

The Ones You Trust by Caroline Overington, HarperCollins Review by Juliet Rieden In Caroline Overington’s brilliantly pacey new thriller we are knee-deep in the demi-monde of breakfast TV and the tabloid hysteria that surrounds its overpaid stars. And while her characters are not exactly the real-life personalities that grace TV screens around the globe, there’s an element of all of them in there. This is a media bubble the author clearly knows intimately and the details of life behind the cameras – the sniping, the stalkers, the paparazzi, the punishing early mornings, the fictitious tabloid tales, the callous sociopaths who run the networks and their ruthless pursuit of ratings – are what make this novel sing. Emma Cardwell is a harassed mum of three and the…

WILD FIRE by Ann Cleeves, Pan Macmillan The eighth and final instalment of Ann Cleeves’ popular Shetland Island series pits outsiders against islanders in the remote and wild islands of Scotland. Shortly after an English family moves to the village of Deltaness, eager to give their autistic son a better life away from the fast-paced city of London, a young nanny’s body is found hanging in their barn, and suspicion falls on the newcomers. With Inspector Jimmy Perez called in to investigate – and a reunion with his on-off lover and boss Willow Reeves on the cards – secrets come to light in the small town, where resentment and gossip are rife, and Jimmy faces what could be the most harrowing job of his career. Slow burning and suspenseful, it’s…

by Sofka Zinovieff , Bloomsbury Circus This staggeringly shocking story is of composer Ralph Boyd, 25, who falls in love with Daphne, the nine-year-old daughter of music collaborator Edmund Greenslay. It is the ’70s in Putney, London, where the Greenslay family lead a bohemian existence. Ralph is transfixed by the sprite-like child and slips her a necklace – their first collusion. He writes her poems and takes her sticky cakes. Two years later he marries and Daphne is envious. She feels awkward as to how to “move from the ordinary world to one of sex”, but they do when she is 13. Now adult, a voice of reason in Daphne’s best friend Jane urges her to report Ralph. “What if it was your daughter?” Jane asks Daphne.…

GIVEAWAY Get your summer style sorted now with a new wardrobe from EziBuy! With their core labels Capture, Emerge and Grace Hill, plus the UK fashion label NEXT and exclusive European Collections, there is plenty to choose from, including homeware. We have four EziBuy Gift Cards, valued at $100 each, to give away. To enter, email awweditor@bauermedia.co.nz , subject line “EZIBUY”, or enter online at nowtolove.co.nz/EZIBUY  and enter the code AWWMG010 by October 7, 2018. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/awwmagazine FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM @awwmagazine…

Royal family tours isles THE DANISH ROYAL FAMILY wisely wrapped themselves in the traditional wool costumes of the Faroe Islands for a visit to the rugged, volcanic archipelago that lies between Iceland and Norway. Crown Princess Mary’s costume featured silver details that had been designed just for her, bestowed upon her during her first visit to the islands in 2005. The women’s national uniform features an apron and scarf of dark green wool embellished with a marguerite pattern, while the men’s costume features a red vest embroidered with leaves in different shades of green. Princesses Josephine and Isabella kept their heads warm with blue wool ‘kyses’. New Zealand has already made headlines for having a pregnant prime minister but we’re not done yet. Green MP Julie Anne Genter made worldwide…

Kiwi comedian Rose Matafeo has picked up the coveted best comedy show award at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Rose, 26, took her hugely popular show Horndog to the renowned arts festival where it became a fast favourite with fans and critics alike. The Guardian described her as “a blissfully funny and charismatic performer”, and she won just under $20,000 in prize money as part of the award. Last year’s top honour was shared between English comedian John Robins and Australia’s Hannah Gadsby, whose routine Nanette was turned into the acclaimed Netflix special of the same name. Rose is only the fifth women in the festival’s history to take the top prize. Congratulations, Rose!…

For a woman who prefers the simple life, the Duchess of Cambridge is having a tumultuous year. “Phew,” Kate no doubt thought as she slipped away with her husband William and their three children for a discreet mid-year holiday on a private Caribbean island – but a much-changed royal scene was awaiting on their return. In the past year, Kate has established a new home in London, had a third child, acquired a high-profile sister-in-law and seen a profound shift in the royal-duty roster. Prised away from the rustic retreat where her first two children, Prince George, five, and Princess Charlotte, three, had their start in life, the 36-year-old duchess now faces some uncomfortable options. Making room for Meghan Markle, the glamorous American TV star, who married William’s younger brother…

Gaylene Preston has a theory: New Zealand would have a lot less domestic violence if we had a values system that encouraged men to take an equal part in housework and child-rearing. “The amount of toxic masculinity is on the rise… We have to look at it,” she insists. One of our most celebrated filmmakers, Gaylene is an avowed feminist, not a radical, but thoughtful, feisty and politically savvy. “Liberation starts at home. It’s about sharing the thankless things… like cleaning. I come from a long line of women worn down by cleaning.” Gaylene’s mother told her, as she lay dying, “I have one big regret. I really regret spending my life doing all that housework.” Gaylene has been bringing her own unique view of the world to audiences for…

8 black teabags, such as orange pekoe 3.75L water SIMPLE SYRUP: 1 cup sugar 1 cup water 1. Place the teabags in a 4L Mason jar and fill with water, letting the tags hang over the lip of the jar. Top with the lid and screw on the ring. Set the jar in a sunny spot outdoors. Let brew for 4 hours. 2. While the tea brews, prepare the simple syrup. Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool. The syrup may be stored in the refrigerator, tightly sealed, for up to 1 month. Serve syrup on the side so guests can sweeten their tea to taste.…

“Everyone has something they’re afraid of; everyone has an Achilles heel or a weakness.” Noni Hazlehurst stands amid racks of exquisite 1950s cocktail dresses and lets her character’s stern façade crumble, distilling a lifetime of unrealised longing into a look and a few heartfelt words. Finding the heart in any character, no matter how prickly, is what Noni does best. This time, it is in Bruce Beresford’s new film, Ladies in Black, which is set in the summer of 1959-60, when post-war migrants were belittled as “reffos” and women hung on the approval of thoughtless husbands. For Noni, who has spent the last six years immersed in the same era as formidable matriarch Elizabeth Bligh/ Goddard, in A Place to Call Home, it was the still-relevant themes of bigotry and…

Eudaimonia is the very happy state we experience when we travellers have been away on a journey. I think I’m suffering from it big time. I love taking my foodie tours to Italy and France, and Morocco and the beautiful Croatia, where I’m just home from. Next year we’re going to Scandinavia and the Baltic countries, California and exploring rural Japan, so I sure get around the globe, and by the way your room is ready if you want to come along too! I saw a T-shirt in a market in Dubrovnik that boldly stated on the front, “Latitude sure improves my attitude,” and I totally identified with it. Lots of people tell me I’m brave because the world has become desperately politically volatile and they’re afraid to leave their…

Linen love Coming into the warmer months, there is no better fabric than linen. Light and easy, it is the perfect addition to a spring wardrobe. Try the Max Rachel Flared Sleeve Dress in Grey Crosshatch Spot, $149.99.See maxshop.com . Style and affordability meet at Postie with a drop of beautiful boho blouses. Lightweight and relaxed, the Printed Boho Top, $25, is perfect for laidback spring dressing. See postie.co.nz. Good for the sole Allbirds has branched out from its much-loved wool sneakers and created its own version of the gold ol’ Kiwi jandal. Sugar Zeffers are made from sustainable SweetFoam, set to revolutionise the shoe market. Even Leonardo DiCaprio is a fan, signing on as an investor in the sustainable-fashion company. Prices start at $60…

EXERCISE The delivery of nutrients and oxygen to the surface of the skin boosts hydration and promotes a glowing complexion. WATER As logical as it sounds, drinking more water during winter is crucial to hydrate your skin. FRUIT & VEG Beta-carotene, the antioxidant found in red, orange and yellow produce, is essential for skin health. Similarly, anthocyanidins, found in berries, plums and red onions, support blood-vessel health and delivery of nutrients and oxygen to the skin. FERMENTED FOODS Research reveals a strong link between the quality of our skin and the health of our gut. Fermented foods, including sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha and kefir, can promote beneficial gut flora.…

A make-up brand launching a number of products in a season isn’t unheard of, but the 130 new items in Shiseido’s vibrant new cosmetics collection is especially impressive. Notable are the new- 2 generation textures that make application effortless. Our picks? The smooth gel lipsticks with big colour payoff, the unusual whipped powder blush, plus kajal liners that glide on like melting butter.…

DOCTOR GOOGLE Although it’s often frowned upon to consult Google for medical queries, an Australian study has found it improves doctor-patient interactions. Those who looked up their symptoms were generally able to better communicate with their physician by asking more informed questions and having a better understanding of medical jargon. You should still always seek medical attention for your concerns. HIT SCHMOOZE Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have found that not getting enough sleep can affect your social life. Those who had not got enough sleep appeared less ‘socially attractive’ to others, meaning they were less desirable to socialise with. Also, in the brain of those who were overtired, the social interaction function was stunted.…

Corn and capsicum fritters SERVES 4-6 PREP AND COOK TIME 25 MINUTES (+ STANDING TIME) 3 cobs fresh corn (see Julie’s Tips) 3 spring onions, sliced thinly 1 medium (200g) red capsicum, chopped finely ¾ cup (110g) self-raising flour 2 eggs, beaten lightly ⅓ cup (80ml) milk extra virgin olive oil, for frying 250g haloumi, sliced basil pesto, rocket and lemon wedges, to serve 1 Preheat a flat barbecue hotplate over medium-high heat. 2 Remove husk and silk from corn. Cut kernels from cobs. Combine corn, spring onion and capsicum in a large bowl. Sprinkle flour over the vegetable mixture; season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine. 3 Mix the eggs and milk together in a jug, then pour into the vegetable mixture and stir until combined. Set aside…

Tom Parker Bowles says his love of food stems “entirely from greed. I just love eating!” And though he’s laughing, Tom’s really not joking. In Britain the 43-year-old son of Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, is a celebrated food critic and writer, and a judge on the Australian home-cooking TV reality show Family Food Fight. Food is Tom’s day job but there’s no question it’s also his passion, filling every waking hour. “There’s nothing I’d rather do for five hours with a glass of wine on a Saturday than make curry paste – I love chillis – and just start cooking, cooking, cooking,” he beams. “My children [Lola, 10, and Freddy, eight] get furious with me because the moment I get up in the morning I say, ‘When shall we…

Most of my friends refuse to believe my occupation is actually work. On a recent trip to Piedmont in Italy, as I sat under a tree in the garden of a 17th-century palazzo, eating a slice of perfectly ripe melon, making notes on a delicate local red wine, I could see why they’d formed that opinion! Italy has to be one of the more idyllic countries to visit if you’re interested in wine. Its rich history of cultivating vines for three millennia means it is home to 2000-odd grape varieties, around 400 of which make commercial volumes of wine in every style you can imagine. Italian food and wine culture is woven into the fabric of the country and the wine regions are breathtakingly beautiful – rolling hills of vineyards…

POTTED FOAM CACTUS 1 Draw a range of ovals and circles (3 large, 3 medium and 3 small, relative to your pot size) onto your foam board. Keep your shapes organic. They don’t need to be perfect. 2 Use a sharp craft knife to cut out your cactus pieces. Cut a slice out of each interconnecting piece, about 1-2cm long and as wide as your foam board is thick (pic A). Don’t make them too wide or they won’t hold their position. (You can use a little glue, if needed, but don’t connect them just yet!) 3 Paint all your cactus pieces in Resene Caper. While they’re still wet, use a smaller brush to create some streaks in Resene Clover…

Seven years is a very long time in interior design. In seven years, fashionable sofas can swell and shrink from plump and plush to plain and pared-back, while posh paint colours come and go. Seven years ago, grey was the new beige but there were ‘pops of colour’ aplenty, not to mention chevron patterned cushions, throws and rugs. Pendant lights began to dangle from the same holes in our ceilings where downlights were once hidden out of sight, vintage bus blinds sparked fierce bidding wars on Trade Me, and Agee jars were popular for everything bar preserving. Seven years ago, no glamorous kitchen went without a grocery list artfully chalked up on a blackboard splashback, while the bulky media cabinets that once housed our big-screen TVs, DVD players and CD…

BLUE LAGOON Throw away your shoes and enter the ultimate barefoot paradise on Benguerra Island! Set on a deep lagoon off the coast of Mozambique, this luxury getaway will see you riding horses across the beach, snorkelling, diving, fly fishing, and cruising the pristine waters in traditional dhows. Stay in the heart of the Ecuadorian Amazon...  and experience the tranquility of nature at the famous Sacha Lodge. Days can be spent swimming in the black-water lake, taking canopy walks in the rainforest and paddling through the waters in search of giant river otters, monkeys, toucans, reptiles and electric blue butterflies. PLANET OF THE APES Deep in the thick of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park lies the Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp, dominated by secluded mountains and home to Uganda’s endangered mountain gorillas.…

Christopher Robin Directed by Marc Forster. Starring Ewan McGregor and Hayley Atwell. A director at home in the far more adult worlds of Bond (Quantum of Solace) and the zombie apocalypse (World War Z), Marc Forster and Winnie-the-Pooh feels like a rather unlikely pairing. But Forster harks back to his Finding Neverland sensibilities to reach his intended audience, bringing Pooh and friends to life for a new generation. We had the film Goodbye Christopher Robin last year, which might be seen, albeit vaguely, as a prequel of sorts. Where that was about Christopher Robin’s father and author AA Milne, and a darker tale of PTSD, this film moves into far more family-friendly territory and the story of Christopher (Ewan McGregor) as a grown man. And what a busy grown man…

If you feel your life is a little mundane or secure, read this book and be thankful it is! Lisa Brennan-Jobs, daughter of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, has written a moving account of her early life. The story is told with astonishing clarity and recall. One wonders if, because so much has already been written about him, Lisa has sometimes unconsciously taken other’s memories as her own, especially for her earliest years. Nevertheless, this is a fascinating insight into an unfathomable man, whose genius has had such a profound effect on all our lives. By the end we are no closer to understanding Jobs, nor is his daughter. Was he at times a cruel, self-centred monster, insecure and incapable of empathy? Certainly, but there is more to it than that.…

by Kate Morton , Allen & Unwin When you fancy getting lost in a good fat read, Kate Morton is a great go-to author. Her evocative books (The Forgotten Garden, The Lake House) are set around stately homes in Britain, homes that shelter mysteries and secrets, waiting for protagonists to unlock them. The Clockmaker’s Daughter falls nicely into this category but the title character has a distinct point of difference from most (and it would be a spoiler to say what that is). It’s her story that binds everything together, as the saga travels back and forth through time from 1862 to 2017. Birchwood Manor is the country residence that provides the main location – a place we first visit in 1862 when a group of up-and-coming…

Every now and again, you come across a book that is so simply and elegantly written that you become emotionally invested in what happens to a character. Before you know it, you’ve made it halfway through the novel, even though the subject matter isn’t something you’d usually choose to read about. That’s the seductive allure of Patrick Gale – one of Britain’s best-loved novelists; a master wordsmith. This book follows Eustace, a man in his 50s, who has recently fallen in love with a man over the internet and is about to undergo RAI therapy for thyroid cancer. Put into isolation for treatment, he is given an MP3 player filled with cello music from his best friend Naomi, and we are taken back to his youth in the ’70s –…

Simply divine Fluffy Divine Blends Lotus Flower & Sea Minerals 900ml. Experience the smooth scent of fresh lotus layered with earthy sea minerals. With Touch Release Technology you’ll enjoy up to 10 weeks of tantalising fragrance. Every touch releases fresh scent so your laundry stays delicately fragrant for longer. Divine Blends… experience the divine difference! RRP $7.99. Don’t protect pets halfway! With nearly 60% of all dogs in New Zealand harbouring at least one pest, be it fleas, ticks or even nasty worms, it is so important to keep your furry friend happy, healthy and protected inside and out. With NexGard Spectra, you address all these issues in one easy and delicious monthly chew. Protection inside and out with NexGard Spectra. Proudly available from your local vet. Scents of nature…

Libra SEP 24-OCT 23 Plenty of festive merriment this month, with the October 9 sun and new moon in Libra celebrating the start of your astrological birthday year. Dual zodiac signs like your twin scales want to reconcile opposing ideas and bring things together: arguing family, mind and heart; outer and inner selves. As the sign of balance, knowing when to take action and when to let action take you is key to living in rhythm, this month and always. The great Sufi poet Rumi, reputedly a Libran, wrote: “Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray.” SCORPIO OCT 24-NOV 22 Jupiter in Scorpio’s corner has brought a wealth of opportunities over the past year, which continue during…

TRAVEL DIARY I just about laughed till I cried when I read Jo Seagar’s account of her Trips to remember. I love travelling but doubt I have experienced the number of funny incidents that appear to have befallen the redoubtable Mrs Seagar. Jo, you are a real tonic and your friends must really treasure you. I always look forward to your articles, as your warmth and good humour shine through every one. Pat Burden  WHAT’S COOKING? Just a quick thank you for all the delicious recipes you provide each month. I often make at least one of the dishes but this month have tried my hand at both Jamie Oliver’s baked risotto pie and Julie Goodwin’s deep-dish cheese and mushroom tart – which I took to my book club and was a…

ARETHA FRANKLIN “The greatest voice in American popular music has been stilled,” wrote Bette Midler on the death of soul queen Aretha Franklin, aged 76, from pancreatic cancer. But it was Sir Elton John who perhaps best summed up the magnitude of the loss: “The Queen is dead. Long live the Queen.” KOFI ANNAN Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has been remembered as a visionary and a “guiding force for good”. The Nobel Peace Laureate passed away in Switzerland, aged 80, surrounded by his family.…

If you think regular tennis is complex, spare a thought for the NASA astronauts that just played the first ever match in space. Due to tight quarters and the absence of gravity, the feat had never before been attempted, but US astronaut Andrew Feustel was determined to make it happen. With some modification to the rules – allowing the ball to be hit against the roof and walls – and a floating net, a history-making tennis match was played. It’s one small serve for man……

THE PRIVATE SECRETARY Catherine Quinn moved into the role of Kate’s private secretary in late 2017 after her previous private secretary Rebecca Priestley stepped down. Catherine – who was a top administrator of Oxford University’s business school – is effectively Kate’s right-hand woman, running the duchess’ official programme and co-ordinating her charitable interests. With her heavyweight track record, the appointment of Catherine suggests Kate plans to carve out a more serious role for herself as a patron and charity campaigner – something the Queen will no doubt be happy about as she continues to relinquish more patron roles herself. Before her pregnancy with Prince Louis, Kate had begun stepping into the spotlight more with punchy speeches about motherhood, confidence and mental health, and carried out her first solo overseas trip…

In my late 20s, I found myself facing some hard choices. I’d enjoyed a great deal of success in movies, but personally, I was at a crossroads. I didn’t know where I was going to find the strength to pick a path. One particularly rough day, I found myself looking out at a room full of men who were asking me about a decision that needed to be made. One of them said: “How do you want to handle this?” I paused to think. Then suddenly a light went on. I sat up straight, lifted my chin, and said, “Well, I’m a lady, and I’m going to handle it like a lady.” Where did that voice come from? I wondered. I’d never said those words out loud before. (Men in…

“It’s my creativity and passion, and keeping this book alive that was the light at the end of my tunnel.” On our day trip to visit Kiwi chef-to-the-stars Amber Rose, we’re warned that the road down to the cottage she’s living in is very steep. And it’s no exaggeration. Our Auckland-only off-road vehicle groans as it nervously heads down, and at one stage starts beeping frantically for no reason. But we make it, and the pay-off is immense. Close to the Leigh wharf, there’s a little inlet with a small white cottage, where Amber lives. To add to this of-the-past feeling, four days before our photo shoot, a tree fell onto the lines that service the cottage and the power is still out. Oh and there’s a hulking storm hanging…

A lovely old family friend gave me this recipe when I was 10 years old, about the time I started collecting recipes in a notebook. MAKES 15 250g butter, softened to room temperature ¾ cup icing sugar ½ cup cornflour 1½ cups flour 1 Preheat oven to 150°C. Line an oven tray with baking paper. 2 Beat the butter and sugar together until creamy. Mix in the cornflour and flour until well combined. 3 On a flour-dusted surface, roll out the dough to 1cm thick and cut into fingers about 3cm x 8cm. Place these carefully on the prepared tray and prick each three times with a fork. Re-roll the scraps and repeat until you have used all the dough.  4 Chill the tray in the fridge for 15 minutes or…

Q Hi Ljubenka, I am a pale brunette and I have always been told pastels don’t suit my complexion. I am drawn to the light blues and lilacs in the stores but I naturally am put off wearing them because of what I have been told. Is there any way for paler complexions to wear pastels? A Yes, there is. Firstly, you should always own whatever look, colour or style you feel great or confident in. I don’t believe in strict style or colour rules when it comes to fashion. There are always ‘shades of grey’ as long as you own and conquer the differences. So going forward, wear what you love and what makes you feel your best. When you are a pale brunette, you certainly have options and choices…

1. Goldfaden MD Doctor’s Scrub, $119, is a gentle daily-use facial scrub that uses tiny ruby crystals to remove dead skin and reveal a bright, even-toned complexion. 2. Katherine Daniels Gentle Oil and Salt Exfoliator, $65. It’s useful to have an oil-based body scrub in a tube, rather than a tub. This allows you to dole out small amounts to tackle dry knees, elbows and ankles easily. 3. Neutrogena Deep Clean Purifying Cooling Gel Scrub, $13. If you wear a lot of make-up or still fight the occasional break-out, this one gives a deep clean with a gentle dose of oil-controling salicylic acid. The modern mix won’t strip moisture from your skin. 4. Ethique Lime & Ginger Body Polish, $20. With biodegradable ingredients and compostable packaging, Ethique is well worth…

Nerve pain is difficult to deal with at the best of times, but for sufferers of pudendal neuralgia, the pain is only exacerbated by the frustrating and lengthy process of being correctly diagnosed. However, once a diagnosis has been made, sufferers can experience incredible relief at discovering the cause, particularly when they learn that the majority of cases can be successfully treated with a simple course of physiotherapy. “Pudendal neuralgia is a condition that is desperate for public and professional awareness,” physiotherapist Angela James of Sydney Pelvic Clinic, who specialises in the treatment of pelvic pain, explained to me. “When I first started treating PN over 10 years ago, I found many of my patients had their pain for many years and had been misdiagnosed and poorly managed, and often…

Q I have a bulging disc in my back and am on several types of painkillers and seeing a chiro. How long does this usually take to heal? K.H. Risk factors for disc problems include obesity, advancing age, lack of exercise and incorrect lifting techniques. In most cases, the prolapsed disc, which has slipped out of its usual place, will shrink back over several weeks. We usually give it about 12 weeks to see if it can recover spontaneously before referral to a neurosurgeon to consider surgery. Urgent referral is needed if there are signs of nerve-root compression (numbness or weakness of the legs, or impairment of bladder or bowel function). Q The skin on my face is becoming increasingly red – I think it might be rosacea. Are there…

Sticky toffee pudding The ethos of Flour and Stone is “baked for love, life and happiness” and this recipe certainly brings joy in spades. Made from such humble pantry staples, the sticky toffee pudding is a triumph for the home baker. SERVES 8 DATE MIXTURE 250g fresh dates, pitted 250ml water 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 1 teaspoon instant espresso granules PUDDING MIXTURE 150g unsalted butter, softened 250g dark brown sugar 3 eggs 180g self-raising flour, sifted CARAMEL SAUCE 250g caster sugar 100ml water 250ml pure cream 1 DATE MIXTURE Place the dates and water into a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until the dates are soft. Remove the pan from the heat and add the…

No one really needs an excuse to travel to Italy, but if you do need one, look no further than the Collisioni Il Festival AgriRock, held annually in the small hilltop wine town of Barolo, Piedmont. Festival-goers attend lectures and readings from international authors, journalists and actors, including Nobel Prize winners; attend concerts (Sting, Sir Elton John, Robbie Williams, Depeche Mode and Lenny Kravitz have been recent drawcards) and immerse themselves in the world-class vinous and gastronomic delights. Tutored seminars covering 16 different Italian regions are on offer at the open-air festival, where the ancient town square is surrounded by the glorious vineyards of one of Italy’s most famous wines – the perfumed, commanding barolo red.…

• Splashing out on fancy wallpaper for a feature wall? Save the scraps and offcuts for craft projects. I cut around the ornate frames of some of the spare costumed animals from Charlotte Cory’s Portrait Gallery wallpaper to vamp up an old floor lamp. Attach the pieces of wallpaper with a generous coat of wallpaper paste; it’ll stick to fabric light shades as well as vinyl ones. • Use pretty floral wallpapers to line the insides of kitchen cupboards, bedroom drawers and breakfast trays.  • Washable wallpapers are ideal for folding into dust jackets for treasured old family books and photo albums, or for covering children’s school exercise books (plus recycled wallpaper is far better for the environment than rolls of adhesive plastic seal).  • Seek out spare rolls of…

The easiest tomatoes of all Buy a ready-grown, good-sized bush that has fruit on it, and keep in a self-watering pot that just needs topping up now and then. Feed with slow-release fertiliser, pick and eat. • The best roof tomato If you have a rooftop or patio garden, you’ll need big pots of cherry tomatoes, ones that can be plucked like fruit and eaten on the spot. Try Cherry Cocktail with its massive trusses of bright red fruit all through the hot months, or Tommy Toe, which often wins tomato taste tests. • The best kids’ tomato Buy a mix of cherry tomatoes such as Cherry Rainbow (Big Rainbow), which will give you bite-sized red, pink, purple and yellow tomatoes, in round, oval or pear shapes. Irresistible. Kids have…

Starring Riz Ahmed and John Turturro. I confess I am a latecomer to this 2016 Emmy Award-winning HBO show, and I feel entirely ashamed I didn’t get to it sooner. At the centre of the “did he or didn’t he do it?” murder/court/prison drama is British actor Riz Ahmed, who plays Naz, a New York student accused of the brutal, fatal stabbing of a young woman he went home with on a night out. As prison hardens him up and into a manhood he could never have imagined, his ambulance-chasing lawyer Jack Stone (John Turturro) is doing all he can to rustle up a defense for what looks to be an open-and-shut case. There are many other threads and themes to this eight-episode show, which give it heft and depth. I…

Award-winning journalist and The Australian Women’s Weekly’s former associate editor Caroline Overington, 48, has written nine page-turning crime thrillers. Caroline grew up in Melton, Victoria, “one of three kids in a weatherboard house on the railway track. It was hot, flat, dry, and in many ways perfect: we scrambled over creek beds and shot rabbits.” At 13, she went for work experience at the Melton Mail Express and found her passion “being a busybody, asking questions”. She says that the reason psychological thrillers are so popular is “Escape. It’s like getting on a super-fast train… whoosh, you’re away!”…

In 2014, when UK author Kate Atkinson was in the middle of researching her last book, the critically acclaimed God in Ruins, she came across a fact she filed away for later. “I’m always talking about books I mean to write,” she says on the phone from London. “And then people will occasionally ask, ‘What happened to that book about Jane Austen? Or the Antarctic?’” In fact, she can’t help but start discussing another book she’s working on, even though her publicist – “currently lurking in the background” – is advising her not to. But we’re here to talk about Transcription, a novel about a young woman who starts working for MI5 during WWII. The idea came when, back in 2014, the MI5 did one of its information dumps, releasing…