Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2020 i Australian Women’s Weekly NZ

Our next-door neighbour is 91 years old. Fit as a fiddle, smart, generous and with a laugh that makes you laugh too, she’s everything you could want in a neighbour. As the years have passed – we’ve been living side by side for almost 14 years now – she’s become part of our extended family. Our boys take out and bring in her rubbish bins each week, for which she’s very grateful and slips them a carton of Favourites chocolates every so often, and my husband acts as her IT guy when her iPad or phone goes on the blink. For her part, she keeps a reassuring eye on our home when we’re not around, alert to anyone new. She was once so sharp, she stopped a couple who were…

IT WAS DUBBED Meghan and Harry’s farewell tour, a clutch of UK engagements that marked the end of their official royal duties. And for the House of Windsor, March 2020 will certainly go down in the history books. Unable to reach a compromise with the monarchy’s brains trust, Prince Harry and Meghan are now heading off to a self-funded life in North America of their own making. The loss to the monarchy was painfully evident as the duo’s swansong dominated global front pages. In his red Royal Marines mess jacket, Harry held Meghan tight and the couple received a standing ovation at the Royal Albert Hall. In his speech Harry said, “A lot of you tonight have told me you have my back.” While on a surprise visit to a…

“Nothing seems to ruffle the tranquil temperament or attachment to duty of the girl from a quiet Berkshire village.” The choirboys sang, the abbey bells bonged, and for a fleeting, final moment everything was just as it used to be. The “Fab Four” – William, Kate, Harry and Meghan – were back together in the presence of Queen Elizabeth for a service of splendour and pageantry that also provided a timely reminder of the monarchy’s enduring power. Commonwealth Day, on March 9, is a precious one to the 93-year-old Queen, and she wasn’t going to have it spoiled by any unpleasantness over the decision by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to give up their official duties. Yet the abrupt departure of Harry and Meghan has forced the royal family…

To be a member of the audience of Liverpool’s Everyman Theatre Company, in the mid-1970s, would be to have had a sneak peek at some of acting’s greats as they cut their dramatic teeth. Bill Nighy, the charming star of films like Love Actually and About Time, starred alongside Pete Postlethwaite, the high-cheekboned star of In The Name of the Father. And then there was Julie Walters, in her early 20s, who had left a career as a nurse to study drama and English at university, after an old boyfriend told her she had some acting potential. She has gone on to become one of England’s most beloved actors, and her career is in its fifth decade, which is impressive when you consider she started it on a whim. In…

Gordon Ramsay wants to make one thing clear: the only reason he didn’t witness the births of his first four children was that his wife banned him from the delivery room. “Tana didn’t f*cking want me there!” says the 53-year-old celebrity chef. “And all of a sudden [I’m] denounced as this oaf.” When the couple’s fifth child arrived last April, however – 17 years after their fourth – Gordon wasn’t taking no for an answer. “I said, ‘F*ck it, I’m going to be there,’” he says, and Tana happily gave in. Now Gordon wishes she hadn’t – because he was out cold within seconds of Oscar’s arrival. Gordon remembers putting on some calming Ed Sheeran in the operating room, but then the bloody reality of a C-section proved too much…

Jason Donovan was looking for a birthday card for a friend near his London home recently when he stumbled across one that made him chuckle. Picking it up, he took it to the counter and placed it face up. “Can I buy this?” he asked the nonplussed clerk. “He sort of looked at me and I looked at the card,” Jason recalls gleefully at the baffled look he received in return. “And I felt like saying, ‘Do you want to give me that one for free? I didn’t get paid. I’m not getting a royalty on this!’” Emblazoned with the title of their hit duet, Especially For You, the card featured the iconic wedding picture of a young Jason Donovan and Kylie Minogue, taken at the 1987 nuptials of their…

Work to wines A free-fitting tunic and satin swing skirt takes you from desk to dinner. Girls day out Elongate your body with a fitted midi and accessorise with a pop of pastel. Date night Team a bat-winged jumper with animal print midi for a playful vibe. *Available in selected stores Discover the new women’s fashion. Shop in-store and online at farmers.co.nz.…

1. Clarins SOS Primer in 06 Bronze, $64. Want your summer glow to last well into the cooler season? Use this all over your face as a primer or to even skin tone, or add a pump onto the back of your hand and mix with your regular foundation to add a touch of summer warmth. 2. Joyce Blok BB Cream Broad Spectrum SPF30, $68. If you don’t like to fuss over careful application, this BB (Beauty Balm) Cream is easy to apply with your fingers, its sheer tint blending out quickly and offering good daily protection from UV rays. 3. Revlon PhotoReady Candid Glow Moisture Glow Anti-Pollution Foundation, $30. We’ve all been fighting shine for years now, but embracing a slightly dewy finish to foundation can actually give skin…

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.…

Hot cross buns basic recipe MAKES 16 PREP AND COOK TIME 1 HOUR 25 MINUTES (+ STANDING AND COOLING TIME) 1 tablespoon (14g) dried yeast ¼ cup (55g) caster sugar 1½ cups (375ml) warm milk 4 cups (600g) plain flour 2 teaspoons mixed spice 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 60g butter 1 egg 1½ cups (240g) sultanas FLOUR PASTE ½ cup (75g) plain flour 2 teaspoons caster sugar ⅓ cup (80ml) water, approximately GLAZE 1 tablespoon caster sugar ¾ teaspoon gelatine 1 tablespoon water 1 Combine yeast, sugar and milk in a small bowl or jug. Cover; stand in warm place about 10 minutes or until mixture is frothy. 2 Sift flour and spices into large bowl; rub in butter. Stir in yeast mixture, egg and sultanas; mix to a soft…

Vineyards are now in the thick of harvest, bustling with people and machines, with viticulturists keeping a wary eye out for rain, and poor old winemakers propping their eyelids open through the round-the-clock work of getting grapes safely into the winery. Months of hard work culminate in a few weeks’ opportunity to pick what we hope are perfectly healthy and perfectly ripened grapes, assuming weather, birds, pests and diseases have all been successfully kept at bay. The latter few challenges can usually be managed, but inclement weather is out of everyone’s control, as winemakers found in 2017 and 2018 when tropical cyclones came whirling through the harvest months. Luckily, 2020 is shaping up to be an easier year, dry with ample sunshine and warmth, maintaining that all-important balance between sugar,…

AUTUMN ACCENTS Autumn tones are trending in home decor – think baked clays, burnt orange and a sprinkle of mustard. They’re colours that work beautifully when layering texture and print, so don’t be afraid to mix and match, creating that perfect combination. Here is some inspiration to get you in the autumn mood. NATURAL SELECTION Our attraction to ethically chosen, handcrafted homeware shows no sign of waning. The creativity of skilled artisans from around the world and the tactile beauty of their materials deliver lasting pleasure. CHEERS TO THAT A classy way to pop the top at any celebration. This metal, gold-toned Monstera bottle opener is perfect as a gift and ideal for entertaining, $13. ART OF PUZZLING A step up from standard puzzles, these beauties are designed by artists.…

• The easiest way to hollow out hens’ eggs for drying and decorating is to use a micro drill bit (from hardware stores) to carefully drill a small hole in the oval end of the egg, and a slightly larger hole in the round end. Then insert a short piece of wire through the holes and wiggle it around to break up the yolk prior to blowing out the egg’s contents. • To expel the egg white and yolk, use a straw held tightly against the smaller hole. • You can also use a needle or safety pin to pierce the shell. To help prevent the shell from shattering or cracking, apply a sticking plaster or piece of adhesive tape to the end of the egg first. • To wash…

The Personal History of David Copperfield Directed by Armando Iannucci. Starring Dev Patel, Tilda Swinton and Hugh Laurie. It won big at the British Independent Film Awards last year, and now we finally have the distinct pleasure of watching The Personal History of David Copperfield in cinemas here – and what a delightfully anarchic and refreshing Dickensian romp this is. The Thick of It and Veep on the small screen, In the Loop and The Death of Stalin on the big screen… those four reasons alone justify your ticket to Oscar-nominated writer and director Armando Iannucci’s Dickens adaptation. Throw in this cast: Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire/ Lion) as Copperfield, Tilda Swinton (Michael Clayton/Only Lovers Left Alive) as Betsey Trotwood and Hugh Laurie (Mr Pip/House) as Mr Dick, and your mission…

1 Every recipe in The Australian Women’s Weekly is triple-tested by our world-famous Test Kitchen, established in 1950. Each dish is created by our food team, then tested three times to ensure it works as well for you in your kitchen as it does in ours. 2 You can trust The Australian Women’s Weekly’s food team to be first with the new trends – after all, we introduced Chinese cooking into Australasian homes in the 1970s and are now giving mainstream appeal to the new world of superfoods and clean eating. 3 Ingredients we use will be readily available in your local supermarket and if we do suggest an exotic item, we always give an alternative that’s easy to find.…

RALLYING CALL Women in Chile, Brazil and Mexico come out in a show of strength on International Women’s Day, calling for their governments to step up. BRIGHT SPIRITS Glowing in fluoro yellow, Katy Perry treated Bright, in Victoria, Australia, to a concert with a message of “gratitude and unity” for the bushfire-affected region. SISTER ACT Nicole Kidman posted this snap of her sister Antonia and mum Janelle on International Women’s Day to “celebrate the deeply special women in our lives”.…

Earlier this year I found myself sitting at a table in a Melbourne café, feeling uncomfortable and self-conscious as I tried to summon the courage to talk to one of the other customers. I had started 2020, as many of us do, by downloading an app with the expectation it would transform me into an all-round better person. My first task was to find someone drinking a coffee and engage them in conversation. The researcher who developed the app says small talk is a powerful tool to combat loneliness and cultivate a sense of community. Her studies have shown measurable improvements in people’s moods and mental health if they take the time to talk to strangers. But interrupting the solitude of the people reading their newspapers seemed like a big…

On the morning of March 27, 1995, Maurizio Gucci, heir to the celebrated Italian fashion house, left his apartment on Milan’s elegant Corso Venezia and walked briskly, in a dark suit and tasselled loafers, to his nearby office. A doorman, Giuseppe Onorato, was sweeping leaves off the marble steps, and the two men exchanged familiar “buongiornos” as Maurizio, 46, arrived at the building. Earlier, Giuseppe, a 52-year-old ex-soldier, had noticed a green Renault car, parked directly across the street, and idly wondered who it might belong to. As Maurizio entered the doorway, another figure emerged. Striding calmly in the fashion boss’s footsteps, the man, well-dressed in a wide-brimmed Borsalino-style hat and gabardine raincoat, pulled out a handgun. The first bullet hit Maurizio in the left shoulder, the second in the…

It’s that change of season time, so I’m having a wardrobe sort-out. It’s known as a “do-thru” in our family and this one’s proving to be quite the major production. We all have too much stuff, and decluttering and downsizing are buzzwords. I’m just jumping on the bandwagon and doing my little bit for the planet – and, to be honest, I can’t fit anything else in the wardrobe, so it has to be done. My big clear-out is not just for environmental and ethical reasons either. Call me old-school, but it seems common sense to own a few pieces of fabulous clothing that you really love, rather than have a wardrobe crammed full of mass-produced clothes that you took only a passing fancy to. I’ve ended up with piles…

ON TREND denim From high rise to wide leg and in a whole variety of washes, this season’s denim has a 90s feel and makes a perfect trans-seasonal wardrobe staple. ON TREND botanics If you’re a country girl at heart, you’ll be drawn to feminine, whimsical prints inspired by the natural world.…

Texture twist Whether you favour the chic, polished perfection of matte or the youthful shine of gloss, Shiseido’s new lip colours are well worth a swipe. SPICE IT UP A change is as good as a holiday, so switch your normal neutral nail polish for one of the vibrant, Mexico-themed hues in OPI’s new limited edition collection. OPI Nail Lacquers, $20 each.  Desert dreaming The rich tones seen in Australia’s natural landscape offered the inspiration for Natio’s latest seasonal make-up collection, with a number of new products in earthy shades, ideal for updating your look for autumn.  The monochromatic approach – matching eyes, cheeks and lips – was once considered naff, but is now back in a big way, as long as your application approach is light-handed. Apply a single…

No, you’re not imagining it. Global data shows allergies from food to hay fever are on the rise – and not just due to higher awareness resulting in extra diagnoses. We now know that a total of 141 genes are responsible for our risk of developing asthma, eczema and hay fever. Yet it’s women who suffer most. A 2017 study at the Medical University of Vienna found women are affected by pollen allergies, food allergies and asthma more frequently and severely than men. It’s all down to our hormones. Until age 10, boys are more allergy-prone. Once oestrogen production ramps up around age 10, girls become more vulnerable. Hormonal treatments such as the contraceptive pill and menopausal hormone therapy also contribute. Plus, women become more sensitive to environmental pollutants with…

Q My naturopath suggested I try Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) for pain relief for two bulging discs in my back, arthritis and a pinched nerve. I’ve been taking 600mg daily for three months and had great results. Do you know if there are long-term effects? F.E. There is evidence that PEA is a very promising treatment for a range of chronic pain conditions. It appears to be safe with no reported adverse effects and is not addictive. It is important to keep up your activity levels; possibly ask for advice from an exercise physiologist or physiotherapist. Q When I lie down, the skin on my toes feels weird. I’m not diabetic; my thyroid is fine. My doctor says it’s my age (75). I walk 6km five days a week, take aspirin and…

Warm squid, leek and caper salad SERVES 8 PREP AND COOK TIME 40 MINUTES 1kg whole small fresh squid 2 bunches (24) pencil leeks, trimmed, or use spring onions (Note: these will have a more intense flavour) 250ml extra virgin olive oil 1 lemon ¼ cup (60ml) verjuice 2 fresh bay leaves 2 tablespoons marjoram leaves 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed 1 cup (150g) plain flour, for dusting ½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves 1 To clean the squid, pull the head and tentacles from the body, being careful not to break the ink sac. Cut just below the eyes and then discard the eyes and intestines. Cut the tentacles into 3 even pieces and set aside. Lightly rinse and pat dry. Keep the skin and wings on and cut into 5mm…

Hot cross custard pudding SERVES 6 Preheat oven to 160°C (140°C fan-forced). In a large mixing bowl, whisk 300ml cream, 125ml milk, 4 eggs, ½ cup (110g) caster sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until combined. Cut 6 hot cross buns each into 3 slices horizontally, making a bottom, middle and top. Spread the slices with 50g softened butter and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar (see below right). Arrange bun bases into a greased oval 2L capacity ovenproof dish. Pour a third of the egg mixture over buttered bun bases. Stand for 5 minutes. Repeat the process, standing between layers, finishing with the tops of the hot cross buns and remaining egg mixture. Sprinkle over 100g chopped white chocolate. Bake pudding for about 1 hour or until just set…

Easter smash cake PREP TIME 30 MINUTES (+ FREEZING TIME) ¼ teaspoon vegetable oil 300g dark or milk chocolate melts small Easter eggs Chocolate Whizz (or other hard-setting topping) Sprinkles 1 Brush the inside of a 22cm diameter (12-cup capacity) dome-shaped stainless steel bowl or pudding basin with the oil; place in the freezer for 10 minutes. 2 Place chocolate melts in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH (100%) for 1½ minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, or until melted. 3 Pour the chocolate into the bowl and turn to coat the bowl evenly. Spread the chocolate to the top edge of the bowl with the back of a spoon to create an even, thick layer. Place bowl in the freezer for 30 minutes. 4 Gently slide the chocolate shell out…

Grapevines can produce a wide range of products, as well as wine. • RAISINS Dried grapes are made from table grapes, which differ markedly from wine grapes in being much larger, juicier and thinner-skinned. They’re also about half as sweet (wine grapes need more sugar for the alcoholic fermentation). • VINEGAR Leave a bottle of red or white wine open long enough and you’ll get vinegar. It’s very easy to make at home and can be surprisingly good. Balsamic vinegar is made from particular Italian grapes whose juice, called “must”, is boiled down and aged. • VERJUICE This is essentially unripe grape juice. The French “vert jus” means green juice. It’s milder than vinegar. • VINCOTTO A unique sweet-sour product made by “cooking” and ageing sweet grape must. Perfect for…

Roosters divide people. Most people dislike their loud crowing, sometimes as early as 3am. And others say they are vicious, nasty things who will attack their owners and bite the hand that feeds. But some people, like me, cannot get enough of them. My two roosters, Rusty and Beau, are not only beautiful specimens, covered in glossy black, orange and white feathers and standing tall and proud, but they are also essential for breeding. They spend much of their day jumping on my hens and therefore fertilising their eggs. I know they are doing a good job because in six months we have increased our flock from 10 to 28 chickens and when you crack open an egg a small dot in the yolk indicates that Rusty or Beau has…

Literary reads Agatha by Anne Cathrine Bomann, Hachette A charming novel about a ready-to-retire Paris psychiatrist, who is counting the hours until his final session. Our protagonist has never spoken to his next-door neighbour, although he hears the old gent rattling around at night. He has never enquired about the welfare of his secretary of 30 years, Madame Surrugue. He shovels down creamed potatoes and ham at the same café, and has never been in love. Then one day Agatha walks into his office, demanding to become a new client. He protests, dreading another gloomy story looming ahead of him. But the girl, whose hair smells of apples and cinnamon, turns his world upside down. As their sessions progress, our doc bakes a cake for his neighbour, takes flowers to…

STREAMING ON NETFLIX Directed by Daniel O’Hara and Hannah Quinn. Starring Richard Armitage, Siobhan Finneran, Stephen Rea, Jennifer Saunders and Hannah John-Kamen. Lots of secrets and lots of lies lead to lots of intrigue, courtesy of a mysterious woman… The Stranger wasn’t quite a full sum of all its parts but is still well worth a watch if you’re a fan of quality British drama. Happily married lawyer and father of two Adam Price (Richard Armitage) seems to have it all: loving wife, great kids, good job. But when the “Stranger” turns up, she tells him a secret which will unravel his perfect life. As they say, information is power, and in the wrong hands it can lead to heartbreak – in this case, possibly murder. Excellent performances from Armitage and…

Skinfood, New Zealand’s long-established natural skincare company, is launching its new skincare range AGELESS, and is giving this month’s letter of the month winner two AGELESS pamper packs – one to keep, and, with Mother’s Day just around the corner, one to give! Worth $150 each, the packs contain five super-powered products: Green Tea Power Hydrogel Mask, Bakuchiol Booster Serum, Ceramide Cleansing Cream, Hyaluronic Moisturising Cream and Vitamin C Brightening Day Cream. Enriched with quality natural alternatives, this vegan-certified range is made in New Zealand. Available at skinfood.co.nz and Countdown supermarkets, priced from $8.99. Writers of other published letters will receive an Australian Women’s Weekly cookbook.…

Depression is such a strange thing to happen to you. People refer to it as a black dog sitting on your shoulder waiting to pounce, and that is a good description because once you’ve had depression there is always the fear it will leap on you and completely smother you in darkness. My first depressive episode happened when I was 19, working at The Auckland Star as a cadet reporter and living in a flat in Mt Eden. My boyfriend of two years and I had just broken up, he had moved out, I was living on my own and I wasn’t dealing with it very well. I stopped eating, I got sick and my parents eventually picked me up and brought me home, where I would eat only yoghurt…

Don’t fear awkwardness It can be hard to break the ice with strangers, but they’re likely to be far more receptive than you think. Being vulnerable can have big rewards. Remember we all want to be loved One of the biggest mental hurdles is the belief that people won’t like us. It’s simply not true, Dr Sandstrom says. Ask questions that are open, but specific Instead of saying, “How are you?” which is likely to get a one-word response, home in on something unique about the person and invite them to tell you about it. “Great shoes, where did you get them?” is more likely to prompt a lively response than a generic query. Seek advice Shared interests are one of the fastest ways to build a rapport. If you…

She’s widely known as Labour’s Ms Fixit. A safe pair of hands. One to manage political hot potatoes with dexterity and aplomb. She’s also the woman running Labour’s re-election campaign. I meet Megan Woods in her elegant Beehive office. It’s 6.30 in the evening. She’s been here since eight this morning and won’t leave the building until after 10pm. “A lot of people don’t know that when the house is sitting we have to stay in the precinct till 10.” The house generally sits three days a week. The rest of the time you’ll find Megan in meetings in the Beehive or back home in Christchurch doing what she does best and enjoys the most – connecting with people. She is a warm, genial woman with a razor-sharp intellect. She’s…

A short cut can slash your styling time, but only when it’s ideal for your hair type and face shape. Hair stylist John Pulitano says we should trim every four to six weeks. Here he breaks down the pick of the crops: Getting ahead A new ’do can shine a light on scalp health. There’s a laundry list of issues yours could be facing, from everyday dandruff to inflamed hair follicles or neurodermatitis, a patchy scale sometimes seen on the back of the neck in women over 40. If you’re suffering, it’s important to get a solid diagnosis from your health professional. But for those with mostly healthy scalps, are all the tonics on the market now simply adding one more step (and expense) to our haircare routines? “If your…

When I was a child I heard stories of a family member who had been sent away from family and school to a sanatorium, where he was confined until he recovered from tuberculosis (TB). These were the days before effective antibiotics, and TB was greatly feared. Like coronavirus, you either survived it or you didn’t, but you had to be isolated until you were no longer contagious. And in the 1940s there was a public anti-spitting campaign in New Zealand in an attempt to reduce transmission of tuberculosis in urban centres. The world should have been better prepared for an epidemic like this. After all, there is an epidemic of influenza every year. And every year people die from the flu. It’s estimated that between 10 and 20 per cent…

Over-the-counter nasal decongestants should only be used for a short time, as they can cause rebound swelling in the nose. You might also like to try: Probiotics A 2017 study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found a combination of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria reduced hay fever symptoms. Saltwater wash A 2012 review found saline nasal irrigation was beneficial for allergic rhinitis (hay fever), though perhaps easier done with a store-bought spray. Spirulina 2000mg/day of this algae supplement has been shown to protect against hay fever. Don’t overdo the apple cider vinegar or lemon juice in water. There are no studies to prove it can loosen congestion and too much can soften tooth enamel.…

“Only a fool thinks they can gain by predicting market movements.” If you’re investing in shares, always assume a downturn might be just around the corner – as recent volatility shows. The same applies to saving in higher-risk KiwiSaver and non-KiwiSaver funds – usually called growth funds or aggressive funds – which largely invest in shares. This does NOT mean it’s best to avoid shares. They bring higher average returns over the long term. But it’s foolhardy to put money you expect to spend within 10 years in shares or a higher-risk fund. Your balance will fall quite often, and occasionally it could halve or worse. It will recover – it always does. But sometimes that takes several years, and you don’t want to be withdrawing the money in the…

Cauliflower butter “chicken” SERVES 4 PREP AND COOK TIME 40 MINUTES 1 medium (1.5kg) cauliflower ¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil 1 medium (150g) onion, chopped finely 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger ¼ cup finely chopped coriander leaves and stems, plus extra leaves to serve 1 teaspoon garam masala 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 1 stick cinnamon 400g tomato purée 1 cup (250ml) vegetable stock ½ cup (140g) Greek yoghurt ½ cup (75g) roasted cashews steamed rice, to serve 1 Cut the cauliflower into medium-sized florets. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large, deep frying pan over medium heat; cook cauliflower, in two batches, turning occasionally, for 10 minutes or until dark golden and cooked through. Remove from the pan;…

2017 ASTROLABE FARM MARLBOROUGH RIESLING, $25 2017 was tricky in Marlborough but smart producers cope well. Fragrant and elegant, a lower-alcohol, juicy-fruited, medium-dry style with lots of citrus, lemon curd, ripe apple and beeswax notes. THE VINECO VERJUICE, $20 Verjuice is a wonderful kitchen staple. Milder and fruitier than vinegar or lemon juice, it’s superb in dressings and sauces, for deglazing pans, poaching fruit and much more. Verjuice spritzers are surprisingly delicious too. 2019 CRAGGY RANGE TE MUNA MARTINBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC, $27 Martinborough is not far from Marlborough as the crow flies, but is a very different place to grow grapes. This fruit-focused sauvignon reflects the intensity and fresh minerality of the region. 2019 AKITU CENTRAL OTAGO PINOT NOIR BLANC, $45 Akitu make just three wines, all pinot noir. This…

Easter is confusing for country kids down under. In the northern hemisphere, Easter celebrations coincide with the spring equinox (or at least the first Sunday after the first full moon following the equinox) so traditional symbols of rebirth – from fluffy baby chickens to bouncy bunnies – make seasonal sense. But it’s upside down and back-to-front on our farm in autumn, because most of our chooks have gone off the lay and the Easter bunny is staring down the barrel of a gun for getting into my garden… Easter is even more baffling for my two boys because when I ask if they want to go on an Easter egg hunt, we’re more likely to go foraging for chocolate-brown cayuga duck eggs than Cadbury’s marshmallow equivalents. Last spring, we raised…

Angelina Jolie has a lot to answer for. As the unofficial patron saint of Cambodia, she is entirely responsible for the crush of sightseers queuing in front of me to have their photos taken with the Tomb Raider tree at Ta Prohm temple. A combination of competing selfie sticks and the crowd’s palpable enthusiasm for both the Hollywood movie star and the vine-covered ruins she made famous, sees me lodged (literally) between a rock and a hard place on my first day visiting Angkor, the Khmer empire’s ancient capital – and its walled city, Angkor Thom. I’ve only just disembarked from an Avalon Waterways river cruise along the backwaters of the Mekong, plus it’s been over a week since I’ve spent much time on land, so it takes me all…

Leah Swann, 49, was born in Melbourne where she remembers a childhood “full of daydreaming, playing outside, storytelling, drawing and reading”. She was always filling notebooks with stories and says over time “it dawned on me I was a writer”. A volume of short stories, Bearings, was published in 2011 to critical acclaim and Sheerwater is her debut novel. Swann still lives in Melbourne with her husband and two children and says her protagonist, Ava, “is a much more physical and fearless character than I am, but I do share the deep love she feels for her children.”…