Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2020 i Australian Women’s Weekly NZ

My career choice was decided at age 12, on a “go to work with Mum” day during the school holidays. Mum was a librarian at The New Zealand Herald and, luckily for me, the day I visited happened to be one when all hell was breaking loose in Parliament. (I forget why now, but it was a big deal.) Harried journalists streamed in and out of the Herald library in search of old newspaper clippings for background information for their stories – driven by looming deadlines – and my mum was in the hub of it all. While for some kids a day at your parent’s work might be a chore, I sat there mesmerised. On the spot I decided I would one day be one of those journalists; finding…

Natio has harnessed the beauty of the rich, earthy shades of Australia’s heartland in its new Desert Dreaming colour collection. The warm, wearable range consists of eye, lip and cheek colours, complemented by finishing tools to help create your own natural beauty looks. Available from Farmers and selected pharmacies nationwide, RRP from $17.99. This month’s Letter of the Month winner will receive the entire Desert Dreaming colour collection including Desert Sunset Cream Blush and Highlighter Palettes, Bronze Glow Perfecting Primer, Lip Colour Balm, Extreme Volume Mascaras, Desert Riches Mineral Eyeshadow Palette, brushes and more, valued at $260. Writers of other published letters will receive an Australian Women’s Weekly cookbook.…

THE BEGINNING of Kirk Douglas’s life was as dramatic as his Hollywood career that spanned seven decades. Born to penniless immigrants after his father fled conscription into the Russian Tsar’s army in 1916, Issur Danielovitch Demsky grew up selling snacks to mill workers to earn money for food. He put himself through drama college by working as a professional wrestler and adopted the name Kirk Douglas. Legend has it that his classmate, Lauren Bacall, was responsible for his big break, mentioning him to a director while Kirk was appearing in stage productions after an injury cut his WWII naval service short. His on-screen charisma was undeniable and he went on to light up the screen in more than 80 films. Spartacus is certainly his most famous role, but he also…

If you think selfie culture is getting out of hand, try spending a day or two in the shoes of funeral directors Francis and Kaiora Tipene. Since the 2018 launch of their TVNZ show The Casketeers, and its subsequent release on Netflix, they are frequently asked for a photo. On the street, out in public, or while they’re working. Yes, that can often mean in the middle of a funeral. “After the first season, people would come around and be like ‘can we have a selfie?’ and we thought, ‘Really? With a funeral director?’” Kaiora, 36, says. “But even now, at a funeral with Francis, he’ll be placing the casket inside the hearse and we haven’t even closed the car door and the family will want a selfie. It’s happened…

“Those walls there will potentially be turned into security doors,” a man says, gesturing towards the back of the Al Noor Mosque, the holy space where 44 people were killed last March. The Australian Women’s Weekly is inside the mosque just weeks before the one-year anniversary of the tragedy and it feels like both the mosque, and those within it, are existing somewhere in a new reality between the traumatic past and the present. There are pairs of hexagonal windows on many of the wall panels, looking out into a car park, the street and a flourishing little garden. The original windows are lined with an intricate pattern in the holy green that dominates much of the mosque’s interior, but they are at odds with the replacement windows that now…

The last known letter from Brenda Hean was sent to her niece late in the winter of 1972, shortly before her mysterious disappearance. In it, Auntie Bren – as all the nieces called her – thanked Diane Rex for hosting her on a recent trip to Melbourne, delighted in Di’s young son, Philip (“never known a more intelligent or loveable child”), extolled her freshly permed hair (“Great improvement. Helps a lot.”) and wrote excitedly about an upcoming “wonderful adventure”. On September 8, she planned to fly from Hobart to Canberra in a World War II Tiger Moth to lobby federal MPs to save Lake Pedder, a pristine glacial lake in Tasmania’s south-west wilderness. Refined, perfectly coiffed and in her early 60s, Brenda made an unlikely eco-warrior. Yet something about Lake…

Lexie Matheson was born Alexander Matheson in Christchurch at the close of WWII. His mother, though, called him Sally. “She knew,” Lexie tells me, “even then, she knew. Mum had the ‘gift’, she could see things.” Alexander’s mother knew “he” was destined to be a “she”. And so began an early life of secrecy and confusion, of loneliness and hurt – a life now thankfully happy and fulfilled but, in Lexie’s words, “it’s been complicated.” Lexie was born into a blended family, unusual in the 1940s. Her mother, Anne, had been orphaned as an infant and was brought up by nuns in an Anglican orphanage. She was widowed with two children by the time she met Lexie’s father, Jack. Jack had had, as Lexie puts it, a “chequered” youth. He…

If you could bottle the laughter of girlfriends, it would be the world’s best tonic. Getting together with the girls for a wine or two is right up there at the top of my “favourite things to do” list. However, a wonderful few summer months of late night barbecues, dancing on the beach and the lawn (and sometimes even the table), hairbrush-microphone singing Dancing Queen and taste-testing every new botanical gin got me thinking. All wonderful evenings for sure, which started with a cutesy text about popping over because it must be wine o’clock. The glass or two perhaps quickly spiralled to a bottle or two and suddenly the recycling bin is getting a tad heavy. When does this stop being funny, and the clinking glass emojis become a bit…

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Weight help for kids A programme proven to help kids with weight issues has earned a Taranaki paediatrician an award. Dr Yvonne Anderson helped set up the Whānau Pakari programme, which focuses on the whole family, promotes long-term healthy lifestyle changes and bans talk of obesity, weight loss or diets. It includes home-based assessments, cooking sessions, virtual supermarket tours and fun weekly activity sessions. Children who attended 70 per cent of the sessions had significant reductions in BMI. Now Dr Anderson has been awarded the L’Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science Fellowship, a $25,000 grant that will help fund further research. Never too late Just five key habits hold the key to a longer, healthier life, according to new Harvard research studying thousands of adults. • Don’t smoke • Exercise 30…

“What about travel, a new car or renovations?” YOU’VE PAID OFF YOUR MORTGAGE. YAY! BUT WHAT NOW? One good thing about having a mortgage is that “investing” is simple. Alongside being in KiwiSaver, the best investment for most mortgage holders is to pay down the home loan as quickly as possible. But once that’s done, what should you do with the money that used to go into your mortgage payments? Some people move to a more expensive home, and set off on the mortgage pay-down path again. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that. But being mortgage-free gives you a great opportunity to get into serious saving for retirement, and perhaps also travel or other goals. A COUPLE WE’LL CALL PAUL AND PAULA HAVE MANAGED TO PAY OFF THEIR MORTGAGE IN…

Easy apple pies MAKES 4 PREP AND COOK TIME 20 MINUTES 385g can apple pie slices 2 tablespoons caster sugar 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 sheet frozen shortcrust pastry, thawed 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed 1 egg, beaten lightly 1 small pink lady apple (100g) (see Tips) 2 teaspoons cinnamon sugar 1 Drain canned apple over a small bowl; reserve 1½ tablespoons of juice; discard remainder. Combine apple, reserved juice, caster sugar, rind and cinnamon in a medium bowl. 2 Lightly grease and preheat a 4-hole (⅓-cup/80ml) pie maker. 3 Using pastry cutter provided, cut four large rounds (11cm) from the shortcrust pastry and four small rounds (9.5cm) from the puff pastry. Line prepared holes with shortcrust pastry rounds, pressing into base and…

Cook-and-freeze pumpkin quiches MAKES 4 PREP AND COOK TIME 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES 4 sheets shortcrust pastry 900g butternut pumpkin, chopped 1.5cm 2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh sage, plus extra to serve 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil ½ cup (125ml) milk 4 eggs, beaten lightly ½ cup (60g) frozen peas 100g feta, coarsely crumbled 1½ tablespoons pine nuts 30g mixed baby salad leaves beetroot relish, for serving 1 Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan-forced). Oil four 9cm x 12cm oval pie tins 1½ cups capacity. 2 Combine the pumpkin, garlic, sage and oil on an oven tray lined with baking paper. Season. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove, cool. 3 Meanwhile, line pie tins with pastry, leaving about 1.5cm overhang; press into side. Freeze for…

The other night I enjoyed a dense, savoury red wine with a beautiful label from a tiny vineyard nestled on the side of an active volcano in Sicily. As I sipped it, I wondered if the winemaker on that small island ever imagined that his wine would find its way to someone far away on another small island on the other side of the world (coincidentally enough, living right by another active volcano). Wine is one of the few products transparently connected to its place of origin, and every wine tells a story of its place in the world, via its region, soil, climate and the people who coax it from vine to bottle. This link from producer to consumer can get overlooked with a bottle plonked in the supermarket…

For some people, their first home is their “forever” home, renovated or redecorated only once a decade or so. Other people are free spirits who change their surroundings whenever the mood strikes. Interior designer Bronnie Masefau is in the latter camp. Originally from Brisbane, Bronnie, her husband, AJ, and their children – Isaiah, 21, Nate, 19, and Kayziah, 16 – lived at various addresses in Melbourne over 13 years, ranging from a heritage-listed house to an apartment “a stone’s throw from the National Gallery of Victoria”. Yearning to be closer to family, the Masefaus decided to return to Queensland in 2016. “Prior to moving to Melbourne, my parents lived with us on a property in Samford Valley [about 40 minutes’ drive from Brisbane],” says Bronnie. “We all have wonderful memories…

WHAT YOU NEED You can purchase small pieces of inexpensive scrap leather from craft and some haberdashery stores and use them to make loads of little embellishments. We made the following using less than an A4 size piece of leather. CORD KEEPERS 1 Start by drawing or tracing the bear template on the reverse side of the leather (see page 161 for template), making sure there is enough leather to fold in half for the back of the bear. 2 Fold leather at the base of the bear so the right sides face each other. Cut out evenly through both layers. 3 Open up and lay flat. Mark the holes for the snaps (in the nose position). Make…

The neighbour arrived one evening as it was growing dark, with a black chicken in a box and eight eggs. “I found her in my bushes sitting on these eggs and she won’t last long with my dogs, so I thought you might like to put her in your hen house.” We took her gratefully and popped her in our nursery, which is a fenced-off area in the hen house with a waterproof nesting box made of a plastic bin upturned over an old boogie board. Paul gave her food and water and left her to it. “She was starving,” he said. “But she’s settled back on the eggs.” I was post-knee-replacement operation, so Paul was feeding and watering the hens up the hill, and it wasn’t until a few…

Call of the wild The Kāpiti region is one of the fastest growing tourism spots in New Zealand – and with so much to offer we can see why. One of the biggest attractions is the Paekakariki Escarpment Walkway – a stunning track with swing bridges and steep staircases that ends in a breathtaking lookout with sweeping coastal views. And just 15 minutes from the mainland is Kāpiti Island, a 2000 hectare, predator-free nature reserve where you can spot a huge array of native birds including the kōkako, weka and kākā - or even the little spotted kiwi if you do a night tour. See kapitiisland.com. Riveting rivers It's one of the plum routes of river cruising in Europe – the 1500 kilometres between Amsterdam (pictured) and Budapest along the…

Dark Waters Directed by Todd Haynes. Starring Mark Ruffalo, Anne Hathaway and Tim Robbins. Remember Julia Roberts in the Oscar-winning film Erin Brockovich? It was based on the real story of a woman who took on a massive American power company, which was knowingly poisoning the water in her town. That film was released 20 years ago, at the same time one of the world’s largest chemical conglomerates, DuPont, was involved in something similar. Dark Waters is the story of the lawyer who spent two decades trying to expose DuPont. It is based on articles written about that lawyer, Robert Bilott, including the New York Times piece, “The lawyer who became DuPont’s worst nightmare”. Bilott wrote a bestseller which forms the framework of the film. Cast in the lead role…

Literary fiction Actress by Anne Enright, Jonathan Cape Almost everything about famous Irish actress Katherine O’Dell was fake. She wasn’t Irish, her name wasn’t O’Dell, her titian hair wasn’t red, but she did love her only child, Norah, who in turn adored her mum. That reciprocal love, though, is far from blind and Norah retells her mother’s life, cracks and all. Katherine and Norah’s world unfolds in a whirlpool of stories in this lyrical, bitingly witty, ponderous and engrossing novel from brilliant Irish novelist Anne Enright. It is a place of grease paint and putting on a show, of drunken nights and inappropriate lovers, of violence, loneliness and ultimately an extinguishing of the light. “I have been waiting to do a book set in the theatre for a long time.…

Food investigation THE FATE OF FOOD by Amanda Little, Bloomsbury This book is subtitled: “What We’ll Eat in a Bigger, Hotter, Smarter World” and Little spent three years investigating how we will feed the world in the future. She visits everything from a remote control organic farm to famine-stricken Ethiopia, and finds out how food giants are producing specially sealed products for families in case of disaster. In Utah’s “pot pie room”, she sees huge machines pump out “a grayish blend of freeze-dried potato chunks, carrot, celery, onion, peas and whey protein” and imagines her children, grown-up, surviving underground on pouch meals. Family memoir HER KIND OF LUCK by Michelle Balogh, Brio Books Balogh traces the life of her step-great-grandmother Shan-Yi, who died in 2012. After her death,…

ALOHA! IGNITE YOUR SENSES WITH THE NEW HAWAIIAN TROPIC SUN CARE AND SELF-TAN RANGES Make the most of the rest of summer with the new Hawaiian Tropic Duo Defence SPF50+ range for face and body, and Hawaiian Tropic Self-Tan range, both infused with Hawaiian Tropic’s iconic scent. Duo Defence SPF50+ prevents premature ageing from the sun and pollution, while new One Hour Express Self Tan and Everyday Gradual Tanning Milk leaves you with a flawless and streak-free glow. We have three prize packs to give away, each containing Hawaiian Tropic products, a beach tote and a Turkish towel valued at $120. To enter, email your name and address to awweditor@bauermedia.co.nz, subject line “Hawaiian” or enter online at nowtolove/win/Hawaiian and use the code AWWHT3 by March 23, 2020. T&Cs apply. FOLLOW…

Royal splits Peter & Autumn Phillips The Queen’s grandson, Peter Phillips, and his wife Autumn have announced their 12-year marriage is over, but they are committed to co-parenting their two daughters and maintaining an “ongoing friendship”. Autumn met the young royal at the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal in 2003 and reportedly dated him for six weeks before learning he was the son of Princess Anne. In a statement, the couple said their first priority was the upbringing of their “wonderful daughters”, Savannah, nine, and Isla, seven. The Earl & Countess of Snowdon Less than a week after Peter and Autumn Phillips’ announcement, the Queen’s nephew and his wife revealed they are also parting ways. The Earl of Snowdon, David Armstrong-Jones (son of the late Princess Margaret), and his Countess…

“For the first time in 10 years, I didn’t look at emails for four days in a row.” It may be still six months until the September election, but Paula Bennett estimates she is already pulling 90 to 100 hour weeks. On the day of her Australian Women’s Weekly cover shoot, we are appointment three in a schedule that starts in the early hours of the morning and finishes late at night, before she’s up at 4.45am the next day to do it all again. In a tightly packed life like this, all you need is one domino to fall over and everything gets out of whack. So it’s Murphy’s Law in action when, on the way to our cover shoot, Paula stopped to get petrol and, along with a…

When Greta Thunberg, the teenage Swedish climate activist, sailed into New York harbour on August 28 last year, foghorns hooted and flags flew, but few in the cheering crowd on the quayside noticed the slender young man with the cool blue eyes and blonde stubble at the boat’s helm. Pierre Casiraghi, the 32-year-old son of Princess Caroline of Monaco, prefers to keep a low profile, even on public occasions. Having safely delivered Greta aboard his $8 million zero-carbon racing yacht, Malizia II, after a 14-day transatlantic crossing from England, Pierre stowed his oilskins and slipped quietly away. The clubs and salons of Manhattan held little appeal for him, and he was soon headed back to the tiny, super-rich principality, snuggled into a stretch of Mediterranean coastline, that his family has…

Studying handwriting was long thought of as a way to delve into the psyche. In fact in 1991, 91 per cent of French companies still used graphologists to screen job applicants. They scrutinised the size, shape, spacing, angles, slopes, links, pen pressure and deviation from the norm to assess personality traits. While the science on this is sketchy, we do know that messy writing may be a sign of ADD and increasingly illegible scrawl could signal cognitive decline. More than the science though, it’s the romance of handwriting that we often yearn for. “I’m an actress, a writer… a pretty good cook, and a firm believer in handwritten notes,” said Meghan Markle before marrying Prince Harry. Handwriting is more than well-mannered, though. Research shows us that it has a positive…

Bold & bright If you like your fashion with a side of fun, a print with a punch or a rich block colour in this season’s flowing look is your wardrobe go-to. An easy-to-wear feminine style that will take you from work to a night out. Light and lovely Whites and neutrals are trans-seasonal heroes that lend themselves to unexpected pairings. Keep it clean and minimal or mix with upbeat dashes of colour, pattern or texture.…

Shape shifters Two new scents play with the form of a traditional bottle in surprising and delightful ways. 1. Carolina Herrera Good Girl 50ml EDP, $168. Not an everyday wear, as you might guess from the stiletto-shaped bottle (you pump from the heel), but ideal for a night out, with an intoxicating mix of white florals and warm tonka bean. 2. Lancôme Idôle 50ml EDP, $139. Sparkling and light, with rose, jasmine and a touch of lingering depth. Idôle’s slim-line packaging has been called the “world’s thinnest perfume bottle”. Intended to mimic the feel of a smartphone in your hand, this novel bottle can’t stand upright, so it will need to lie flat on your vanity. EYEBROW RAISING Put down the tweezers! Severely styled and sharply arched brows were once…

Q My 15-year-old daughter has PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) and was put on the pill to regulate her periods. Is PCOS serious and can it be cured? Anon PCOS is a hormonal condition associated with irregular periods, excess facial and body hair, acne, being overweight, reduced fertility and an increased risk of diabetes. It requires long-term lifestyle management with strict attention to diet, weight control and exercise. The contraceptive pill may be prescribed to regulate periods, but does not solve all of the problems. Medication to help with insulin resistance and assist with weight loss may be prescribed, such as metformin. There are long-term health implications if it is not carefully managed. Q My father has trouble walking, but he refuses to get a walker or cane. How can I…

Have a question or concern about saving or investing for Mary? Email awweditor@ bauermedia.co.nz, subject Money. Letters cannot be answered personally. If your topic is chosen you will receive a copy of Mary’s book, Rich Enough? A Laid-Back Guide for Every Kiwi. Mary Holm is a journalist, presenter, and best-selling author on personal finance. She writes a column in the Weekend Herald and presents a fortnightly money segment on RNZ. Mary’s advice is of a general nature, and she is not responsible for any loss that any reader may suffer from following it.…

Size matters Most pie makers are designed to make four individual pies and are similar to operate. The main difference lies in the size of the pies they make. One of the most popular-sized machines makes ⅓-cup (80ml) pies; however, there are also machines for larger ¾-cup (180ml) pies, and even those that produce a single 2½-cup (625ml) family-sized pie. Here’s our guide to fillings: Four-hole (⅓-cup/80ml): each hole will hold approximately ¼ cup filling. Four-hole (¾-cup/180ml): each hole will hold approximately ⅔ cup filling. A family-sized single pie holds approximately 2⅓ cups filling. Take care not to overfill pies or they will make a mess. You can always check one pie before filling them all. Read pie maker’s instruction manual for specific guidance around use. Utensils Your pie maker…

Peach Melba cheesecake 250g golden crunch biscuits 75g butter, melted 2 teaspoons powdered gelatine 2 tablespoons water 500g cream cheese, at room temperature ⅔ cup (160ml) lemon juice ⅓ cup (75g) caster sugar 2 x 395g cans sweetened condensed milk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 600ml cream 2 tablespoons flaked almonds, toasted POACHED PEACHES 4 (800g) large peaches 2 cups (440g) caster sugar 1 litre (4 cups) water RASPBERRY SAUCE 300g frozen raspberries ⅓ cup (75g) caster sugar 2 tablespoon water 1 Invert the base of a 24cm springform cake pan to allow for easy removal of the cheesecake; grease base and side of the pan. 2 Process biscuits until fine. Add butter; process until just combined. Press biscuit mixture firmly over base of the pan using the bottom of a…

Wine is one of a handful of products whose connection to the land is safeguarded by law, via appellation or geographical indication legislation. As you might expect, the practice originated in France, with Roquefort cheese protected by parliamentary decree in 1411, and there is now a sophisticated web of regulations safeguarding the origins and production of wine, cheese, pasta, cider, charcuterie, lentils and more. France still leads the way, closely followed by Spain and Italy, but the New World is following suit (New Zealand’s Geographical Indications Act was passed in November 2016) to enshrine the concept of wine (and food) being uniquely connected to its place of production and the communities who make it. In wine, this is known as “terroir”, and quality wines show characteristics typical of the place…

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My grandmother Patricia never had a bad word to say about anyone. “You catch more flies with honey than vinegar,” she’d declare, though anyone who has ever found a rotten banana at the bottom of a fruit bowl knows this to be blatantly untrue, for acetic acid is to blowflies what nectar is to honey bees. To be fair, Grandma Pat’s kindness didn’t extend to the actual flies in her often-quoted proverb. A farmer’s wife, she was as handy as anyone with an aerosol can, because blowflies and country life are incompatible in late summer. Not only are flies the bane of sheep’s backsides, they make a beeline for the preserving pot when I’m churning out litres of plum chutney. It doesn’t help that my tiny kitchen, situated on the…

There’s a startling traffic jam on the ancient Roman road from Bracara Augusta to Asturica Augusta: a big, beautiful Barrosã cow is squatting on the path. We (two teenage nephews and I) are on the last stretch of a leisurely week-long hike through the mountains of north-west Portugal, and we’ve become so used to having the route to ourselves that the sight of another creature – particularly one with enormous lyre-shaped horns – stops us in our tracks. “How now brown cow grazing on the green, green grass,” I say amiably, as a way of indicating we are friends, not foe. Bessie, as the boys nickname her (“because cows are often called Bessie”), gives me a disdainful look and carries on munching. Satisfied she’s cool with our company, we sit…

The harbour water is rippling rather charmingly, which is fitting given this is Aotearoa’s “windy city”. Tourists are seated along the waterfront boardwalk, stretching out their legs to the blue sky, while bohemian uni students pass by in earnest conversation. Wellington crams a lot of character and creativity into its compact frame. The mélange of cultural riches and surprising sights means there’s something for everyone looking for a short break. And with plenty of flights from main centres, getting there is convenient and quick. Saturday: on the waterfront The waterfront is clearly the jewel in Wellington’s crown. It’s been boardwalked, signposted and decorated with artworks and plaques to within an inch of perfection. Start with a dip at the beach in Oriental Bay – a pleasant walk from the CBD…

STREAMING ON NETFLIX Starring Kaitlyn Dever, Toni Collette and Merritt Wever A deep breath and a little fortitude are required before you jump into Netflix show Unbelievable, but there is far too much perspective to be gained to ignore the opportunity it presents. This eight-episode mini-series is based on the true story of a serial rapist in the US. It’s about the women he violated and the women determined to stop him. It plays out like a thriller whodunit, but the power lies in the personal stories of the victims. A compelling script and universally excellent cast elevate this to must-watch status.…

Dubliner Anne Enright, 57, grew up on her mother’s tales of the glamour of the city of her youth, and says her latest novel, Actress, “is a bit of a love letter to that old Dublin when the theatre was one of the more exciting places to go.” Anne was always a writer, but as “an interruption” became a TV producer and director before returning to her main passion 30 years ago. She won the 2007 Man Booker for The Gathering. The prize secured her writing life and, she notes, “gave me a huge increase in readership”. She lives in Dublin with her husband, two children and a dog.…

Thriller The Man She Married by Alison James, Bookouture Alice couldn’t be happier. Her catering business is thriving, she has been happily married for three years, and she’s just discovered she’s pregnant. But her blissful state comes to an end with a knock at the door. It’s the police; her husband Dominic is dead. As she goes to identify his body, another shock awaits her. She meets his estranged brother, who insists the man lying in the coffin isn’t Dominic Gill at all. Refusing to believe him at first, she begins to look back over her three-year marriage – Dominic’s rushed proposal, the lack of his friends and family at their wedding, and his behaviour – and begins to realise she never really knew her husband at all. As Dominic’s…

THE FILM OR BOOK THAT CHANGED MY LIFE IS… Pulp Fiction. Those characters, the soundtrack, Uma Thurman’s haircut! I was 14 when it came out and it began a lifelong obsession with film. My favourite meal to cook is… Spaghetti amatriciana. I learnt to make it from scratch while on holiday on the French-Italian border. I was 18 and it’s served me well ever since. I make a mountain of it and eat it for days afterwards, including for breakfast. A great book I recently read is… The Power of Showing Up – a parenting book about how children’s brains become wired. It’s simple, honest, empathetic, research-based advice. The holy grail for me amid a sea of competing theories about parenting. My fondest childhood memory is… Afternoons riding a very…

Letter of the month I enjoyed your story about Kimberley Crossman. It is so nice to see a young Kiwi woman making it on the global stage. My teenage daughter has always looked up to Kim and has followed her online and on social media. She also battles anxiety and depression and to read about one of her heroes being in the same situation was incredibly powerful for her. She realised that people from all walks of life face the same struggles and that she can find ways to help manage her depression. We are both looking forward to following Kim’s podcast, Pretty Depressed, which I am sure is going to provide hope for my daughter and others. Reading this story together allowed my daughter to open up to me…

BABY JOY Burns survivor Turia Pitt and partner Michael Hoskin have welcomed a second son, Rahiti. “I’m overjoyed, delirious, sleep deprived and extremely emotional,” Turia says. SHE’S A STAR NASA astronaut Christina Koch has secured her place in history books, after spending 328 days orbiting Earth in the space station, the longest mission for a female. DELHI LIE IN Across Delhi, women are taking group naps in public parks to reclaim their ownership of the Indian city where rapes have skyrocketed in recent years.…

Mother of the bride-to-be, Sarah, Duchess of York, said she had “tears of joy” when her eldest daughter, Princess Beatrice, became engaged to Italian property developer Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. Sarah had known Edo since he was four – “his brother is my godson” she said – and was thrilled he would now be her son-in-law. There’s no doubt the proud mum will be shedding more tears when the couple ties the knot in what will be a private and intimate wedding for close family and friends on Friday, May 29. It’s going to be a beautiful ceremony for Princess Beatrice, 31, and the exceedingly dashing Edo, 37, who will be saying “I do” in the Chapel Royal in St James’s Palace. Many royals have married in this very special chapel…

There’s a fantastic opening two lines to 9 to 5, the theme tune Dolly Parton wrote for the groundbreaking 1980 comic movie which Dolly later transformed into a stage musical, that always stop me in my tracks. “Tumble outta bed and I stumble to the kitchen/ Pour myself a cup of ambition.” It’s genius! Somehow Dolly manages to bring a gritty positivity to the battle of the sexes while also being ironic, all to a thigh-slapping beat. And as I talk to the global sensation that is Dolly Parton, I constantly catch sight of the razor-sharp mind and wry sense of humour, cloaked in those famous perky Southern vowels and big hair, that power this country music icon. “That’s one of those lines as a songwriter when you just think,…

Another city, another sold-out show, another salute to the imperishable power of Oprah. The world changes, but its queen of the airwaves only makes adjustments, and after a lifetime on the road, Oprah Winfrey, at 66, believes she can finally see a destination. “I’ve reached the point where I’m okay with where I am,” Oprah said at the start of her epic new 18,000km Vision 2020 tour of America’s biggest cities. “It’s taken a long time and it’s been really hard… but I think I’m there.” The talk show days are done, and having followed up with success as an actress, entrepreneur, philanthropist, political power-broker, and de facto global godmother, Oprah now intends to take herself directly to the masses. For all her fame, amassed during one of the most…

Taking cover Meet the new “protective make-up”. Just like your best sunscreen, it’s broad spectrum and high protection. Apply it liberally and evenly – but remember, you still need water-resistant sunscreen if swimming or sweating (and it’s a good idea to layer the two for long days in the sun). Don’t forget to touch up frequently! HIGH COVERAGE Maybelline Dream Urban Cover SPF50, $28, is broad spectrum with clarifying niacinamide and nourishing vitamin E. BUILDABLE COVERAGE MAC Studio Perfect SPF50 Hydrating Cushion Compact, $78. LIGHT COVERAGE Revision Intellishade TruPhysical SPF45, $118, is a lovely, broad spectrum moisturising mineral tint with a host of antioxidants. Sunscreen speak Let’s decipher some new phrases you might encounter while sunscreen shopping. REEF SAFE Free of chemical filters linked to coral bleaching. Hawaii has banned…

The challenge posed by pelvic floor health problems has come into sharp focus in recent years, as women experienced life-changing side effects from pelvic mesh implants. The mesh implants were used in surgical procedures to treat women with prolapse and urinary incontinence, but left many women with chronic debilitating pain or suffering from recurring infections. They are no longer used in New Zealand and, since the mesh debacle, women are searching for more conservative and non-surgical but low risk, effective options for the treatment of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and urinary incontinence. So, what is POP? One in two women have a degree of POP, where the “sling” of muscles and ligaments supporting the pelvic organs (bladder, bowel, uterus and cervix) drop down with age or vaginal childbirth. It can…

The effectiveness of devices for snoring control, such as nasal strips and special pillows, depends on the cause of snoring. In some cases, sleeping position (side or back) or the angle of the neck makes a difference. Your GP can refer you to a specialist (sleep physician and/or ear nose and throat specialist) for assessment and advice. HAVE A QUESTION? If you have a question for Professor Kerryn Phelps, write to: Ask The Doctor, PO Box 92512, Wellesley Street, Auckland 1141 or email awweditor@ bauermedia.co.nz; subject Q&A. Letters cannot be answered personally.…

Zesty yoghurt potato salad with salmon SERVES 4 PREP AND COOK TIME 35 MINUTES 1kg waxy baby potatoes, scrubbed, halved lengthways 100g pancetta 1 tablespoon olive oil 4 x 150g skinless salmon fillets, pin-boned 2 stalks (300g) celery, trimmed, sliced on the diagonal ZESTY YOGHURT DRESSING ½ cup (140g) Greek yoghurt ½ bunch chives, chopped finely, plus extra to serve 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind, plus extra to serve 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 Cook potatoes in a large saucepan of salted boiling water for 10 minutes or until tender; drain. Cover to keep warm. 2 Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook pancetta for 3 minutes each side or until crispy; drain on paper towel. 3 Wipe frying pan clean. Heat oil…

Orange kūmara with chickpea tabbouleh SERVES 4 PREP AND COOK TIME 20 MINUTES 4 small orange kumara (1kg) (see Tips) 400g can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, chopped coarsely 2 small tomatoes (180g), chopped finely 1 Lebanese cucumber (130g), chopped finely 2 spring onions, chopped finely ½ cup small mint leaves (see Tips) ½ cup (130g) hummus 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil ¼ teaspoon sumac 1 Pierce the kūmara a few times with a sharp knife. Microwave on HIGH (100%) for 8 minutes or until soft. 2 Meanwhile, combine chickpeas, tomato, cucumber, spring onion and mint in a medium bowl; season. 3 Whisk hummus, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl until smooth; season to taste. 4 Cut kūmara lengthways along the top, being…

2016 3SIXTY2 MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC, $25 An impressive debut from young winemaker Alice Rule. Sophisticated and lively, with bright tropical and crunchy citrus fruit, dry, textural palate and a pithy, nettles-and-grapefruit finish. 2018 IMMIGRANT’S VINEYARD RURU CENTRAL OTAGO PINOT NOIR, $25 The Central Otago sub-region of “Alex” can fly under the radar, with mostly tiny, family-owned vineyards, but its wines are worth seeking out. This is a mouth-filling, fruit-rich, supple pinot with a great story behind it. 2019 BLACKENBROOK NELSON PINOT BLANC, $26 You’ve heard of pinots noir and gris but have you tried their cousin, pinot blanc? This gold medal winner displays Nelson’s hallmark sunshine-in-a-bottle, and it’s aromatic with ripe stonefruit, pears and spice, a fleshy, rounded, off-dry palate, and pleasingly savoury finish. 2018 BOSTOCK WINES VICKI’S VINEYARD HAWKE’S…

• Like all plants, carnivorous plants need water and sunlight to survive. While they get their energy through photosynthesis, these fascinating species have evolved to eat insects to supplement their diets with nitrogen. While most plants are able to extract this essential mineral element (and others, such as phosphorus) from the soil, many carnivorous species grow naturally in habitats that are wet, acidic or lacking in these nutrients.  • Carnivorous plants do best outdoors (more bugs) but during summer it’s easier to keep them alive indoors, as they prefer a moist environment and will die if it’s too hot and dry. Pitcher plants can be partially submerged; sit their pots in an inch or so of water. • Pot up in a 50:50 mix of sphagnum moss and coarse sand.…