Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2021 i Australian Women’s Weekly NZ

Sometimes when you put an issue of a magazine together, you create an extra sprinkling of magic almost by accident – and that’s what’s happened in this edition. A huge amount of time and effort goes into producing each and every one of our features. In the initial stages of editing, you’re looking at each piece on its own merits, as a single piece of content, and it’s not till the last couple of days before deadline that you see the whole book come to life. This time around, when I was reviewing all the insightful stories and intriguing pictures, I was struck with the fact that there is a bit of an underlying (and unplanned) theme running through the pages – the idea of transformation through challenges. From the…

The last time I cried was… Watching the Kiwi film The Justice of Bunny King – a profound and vital story I hope people flock to. The last text message I sent was… Congratulating my friend on giving birth to her new baby boy. The quote that always sticks with me is… What other people think of you is none of your business. People are surprised to learn that acting is… Much harder than it looks! If I wasn’t an actor, I’d be… A writer and have a whole lot of animals. Life is too short for… Alternative facts. My greatest achievement is… Co-founding The Actors’ Program, now a decade deep in generating a community of unique, empathetic and skilled creatives.…

Hayley Sproull and dad Craig “My dad is my great mate. I’ve always said he’s a clown disguised in a suit. He’s a hard-working business owner from nine to five, but otherwise he’s the life of the party, the class clown and the best set of ears. As a kid, he was always trying to make my brother and I laugh with his silly characters and faces, and often you’d find him playing with our toys – even if we weren’t there. As an adult, he’s become a wonderful friend. We’ve spent a lot of time sharing fried rice and a dozen wontons, pondering the bigger questions of the world with a bottle of cheap red nearby. He’s taught me a lot of things, but here’s just 10 of them...…

In 1956, when I was a college photographer, I had seen her angelic face on the cover of Time magazine. It had never even occurred to me that I might get a chance to photograph the star who was every man’s – and woman’s – fantasy. But now, four years later, Look magazine had hired me to do just that. In a few minutes, I’d be meeting the Marilyn Monroe, face-to-face, on the set of Let’s Make Love. Somewhere in the distance I could hear music and the sound of someone singing. Then, suddenly, the music stopped and as if out of nowhere Marilyn appeared. There she was wearing a black leotard and sheer black stockings, her face as soft as a silk bedsheet but her expression saying she’s unapproachable.…

Get BUFFED Body scrubs If you don’t scrub your body once or twice a week, this might be a beauty step worth adding to your weekly routine. Here’s why it’s an essential: First, it feels so good to manually clean yourself with those skin-buffing grains. Next, the scent: Our favourite scrubs smell like spring gardens, cocktails and even treats from the corner store. Finally, while it certainly feels indulgent, there is necessary work being done as those teeny particles slough away dead cells, fade patchy self-tanner, scare away in-growns and brighten your body. Chest wrinkles This clever patch is made from medical-grade silicone, which has been shown to smooth out wrinkles. The adhesive sheet is worn while you sleep and you’ll get up to 30 uses from each one. TRY:…

Sleep tip: Dimming the lights as you wind down for bed will tell your body to start producing melatonin, the sleep hormone. I never should have pitched a story on good sleep hygiene (AKA a person’s sleep environment and the habits that exist around sleep). Mostly because I know just enough about this topic to be sure I have neither. On an average evening: I hop into my bed, which has a “home office” within spitting distance piled high with papers and charging computers (not good). I then snuggle under the covers with my phone (bad) and watch TV shows on it for hours (very bad) and then charge it next to my bed (terrible), but not before I take one last look at the news headlines (not great either).…

Pesto spaghetti with rocket & watercress SERVES 4 PREP & COOK TIME 25 MINUTES From the market 2 medium lemons 1 cup firmly packed fresh basil leaves 50g rocket 1¼ cups (100g) finely grated parmesan 100g rocket, extra ½ cup watercress sprigs From the pantry 500g spaghetti ½ cup (75g) toasted unsalted cashews ⅓ cup (50g) roasted pine nuts 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes 1¼ cups (310ml) extra virgin olive oil 1 Finely grate rind from one lemon. Remove rind from remaining lemon with a zester (or cut rind into thin strips, avoiding the white pith). Squeeze juice from lemons; you will need ¼ cup (60ml). 2 Cook spaghetti in a large saucepan of boiling salted water for 8 minutes or until almost tender; drain. Return spaghetti to pan to…

Beef & barley soup SERVES 4 PREP + COOK TIME 2 HOURS 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1kg diced beef chuck steak 1 large (200g) brown onion, chopped coarsely 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 stalks celery (300g), trimmed, chopped coarsely 1 large (180g) carrot, sliced ½ cup (100g) pearl barley 1.5 litres (6 cups) water 2 cups (500ml) beef stock 3 cups (250g) coarsely shredded cavolo nero (Tuscan cabbage) 3/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 Heat oil in a large saucepan, cook beef over high heat, until well browned all over. Remove from pan. 2 Reduce heat to medium; add onion, garlic, celery and carrot to same pan, cook, stirring, about 5 minutes or until vegetables begin to soften. Season to taste with sea salt flakes and…

Natasha Lester was born in Perth, where she lives with her husband, three children and two chickens. “My first novel was rejected by agents and publishers. However, they gave me feedback about what I could work on to make it a better book.” After 13 redrafts “my dream of a being a novelist came true,” says Natasha, who won an award for an unpublished manuscript. Today her novels are bestsellers and when she’s not researching and writing, like Remy in The Riviera House, Natasha collects vintage fashion. Her next story is set in Paris at Maison Christian Dior in 1947.…

Expanding...  my collection of ecostore Ultra Sensitive products. My 10-year-old son suffers from allergies, so anything I can do to help stop a flare-up is a good thing. These home and body formulations are fragrance-free and made for people who experience asthma, allergies or sensitive skin. They use plant and mineral-based ingredients to get the job done and can be found in the supermarket or ecostore.com. Prices start at just $2.95. Confessing…  that, surprise, surprise, I’m not a natural blonde. I’ve had a very long-term relationship with hair colour and while I love the results, I don’t always like what the process is doing to my locks, so I’m going to give Revlon’s new Total Colour a go. It’s a clean, vegan formula that is free from ammonia, parabens, sulfates,…

Fifteen years ago, while researching her ancestry, Sarah Ferguson stumbled upon a distant relative she just had to get to know. Her name was Margaret – Sarah’s middle name– she had flaming red hair and a refreshingly feisty disposition. As she delved more into the archives, the Duchess of York felt an uncanny affinity with this woman – actually her great-great aunt, daughter of the very aristocratic Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch who mingled with the court of Queen Victoria, and was evidently quite a live wire. But the records proved scant and could only tell her so much, which is where Sarah’s fertile imagination and passion for storytelling kicked in. Her Heart for a Compass is the result, the Duchess’s first attempt at novel writing which is being published…

At the 1976 Olympic Games, as big-name runners blasted from the blocks and heavyweight boxers battered their way towards glory, a tiny 14-year-old girl in an off-white leotard became the greatest sporting superstar on earth. Nadia Comӑneci, a car-mechanic’s daughter from a down-on-its-luck town in eastern Romania, twisted and whirled her way to the first “Perfect 10” in gymnastics history. The packed Montreal arena went into meltdown for more than one reason. The electronic scoreboards had been programmed on the assumption that such a score was impossible, and were unable to display Nadia’s marks. Several minutes of confusion followed before the dark-eyed schoolgirl’s feat was confirmed. Then she went on to score six more perfect 10s. Mesmerised by her pixie-like presence as much as her skill and poise, the world…

On a cold early spring morning in March 1942, Magda Hellinger’s kindergarten was its usual hive of activity, parents dropping their children, hanging bags and removing thick, snow-dusted coats. However, on this day there was just one topic of conversation. During the night, notices had been plastered up all over their town of Michalovce, in eastern Czechoslovakia. The signs declared that all unmarried Jewish women aged 16 or over were to report to the town hall that evening. Most of the kindergarten’s staff fell into this category, as did 25-year-old Magda. Magda wasn’t too concerned. Her kindergarten was the only one in town, so she should qualify for an exemption. When she got home that night, she tried to mollify her anxious mother. If the worst happened, she would join…

Colour corrector Tired eyes and under-eye darkness are no match for Revlon’s lightweight, high-pigment formula, which provides natural-looking coverage while brightening skin with caffeine and vitamin C. We also love that it feels comfortable and doesn’t settle into lines. Revlon ColorStay 24Hrs Skin Awaken Concealer, $28 PEARLY WHITES If you’re due for a toothpaste top-up, why not try a natural alternative instead? With magnolia bark extract, New Zealand kanuka oil and natural essential oils to gently clean and freshen, Ecostore Toothpaste Whitening Care, $5.20, also contains baking soda (rather than harsher bleaching chemicals) to help in whitening stained teeth, reduce plaque, prevent tartar build-up and fight cavities. The feel-good formula is also free from triclosans and parabens. Add this ... Hair masque Our strands are easy to damage (colour, straighteners,…

Once again, all roads in wellbeing seem to lead us to the gut. There is clear evidence that people with diverse microbiomes have the best-quality sleep, as detailed by Dr Michael Mosley in his excellent book, Fast Asleep. “What all the research suggests is that boosting the good bugs in your microbiome is beneficial for your body and brain, and also has significant impact on the quality of your sleep,” he writes. That means eating as many different types of plants as possible, wholegrain and fermented foods too.…

Lentil & pickled fennel goat’s cheese salad SERVES 4 PREP + COOK TIME 30 MINUTES 1 cup (200g) dried French-style green lentils ⅓ cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil ¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 2 medium beurre bosc pears (480g), sliced thinly lengthways 1 cup (100g) walnuts, roasted 150g soft goat’s cheese, crumbled ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, chopped coarsely ½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes PICKLED FENNEL 1 large fennel bulb (550g) 1 tablespoon sea salt flakes ⅓ cup (80ml) white wine vinegar 2 teaspoons caster sugar 1 Place lentils and 3 cups (750 ml) cold water in a medium saucepan; bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low; cook, partially covered by a lid, for 12 minutes or until lentils are tender and water is absorbed. Remove…

Obela hommus is about people sharing and having fun! This Father’s Day, treat that special person in your life with a Mediterranean-inspired grazing platter using our wide range of dips. This stunning platter will invigorate taste buds and form the centrepiece to an epic day spent with the people you love. Basil Pesto, Pecorino & Cashews 150g Bursting with fresh basil flavour and a hint of pecorino cheese. This is a premium chunky dip like no other and is gluten free. Rrp $3.89 Tzatziki 220g Fresh, vibrant and creamy. Our Classic Tzatziki dip is made with Greek-style yoghurt and real vegetable pieces of cucumber and dill. Rrp $4.79 Pine Nut Hommus 220g Savoury and aromatic. Perfectly roasted pine nuts add a fragrant crunch to our authentic smooth and creamy hommus.…

It can be overwhelming trying to arrange your belongings in a space – until you realise that certain patterns can help you tie it all together. The triangle, in particular, is what I’m talking about here. When you’ve collected everything in one spot, have a go at assembling it into triangles of various shapes and sizes. There’s no need to be too literal about it – these aren’t necessarily all simple, basic, straight triangles; they can be a lot looser than that. What you should be aiming for are high points and low points, and making everything feel beautiful, relaxed and not overly thought-out. At the back, you’ll have large triangles, with smaller triangles closer to the front. On shelves and flat surfaces, think about the triangle as you make…

1 Choose your white Grey (cool) whites. Pale grey can seem a little cold for interiors, but with the right warm or bright accessories, it looks sensational. Use it in a bedroom or living space with accessories in terracotta or sand, or swampy and khaki greens. Try Resene Alabaster. Yellow (warm) whites can range from rich, buttery creams to subtle, fleecy whites. These are particularly good for south-facing rooms or those with lots of reflected green from trees or plants. Warm and aged whites are often best for older homes with character details and trims. Try Resene Bianca. Green (in-between) whites tend to change with the light, appearing warm one minute and cool the next. Because green is made up of blue (traditionally a cool colour) and yellow (a warm…

Epic tale China by Edward Rutherfurd, Hachette By the author of the sweeping Paris, New York and London sagas, this novel is set around real events in 19th-century China. The Opium Wars broke out when the West lacked silver to buy tea; adventurers resorting to smuggling opium. Rutherfurd’s cast of characters includes concubines and eunuchs and a favourite – ‘Lacquer Nail’. At seven he is walked to meet Grandfather in Beijing by his carpenter father who hopes he’ll give money, taking cakes from Mother. The gentle boy delights the old man, though Father is disappointed with just a copper coin for his lad. But the boy treasures it, as the old man treasured the beautiful paper around the cakes. When ‘Nail’ hears a merchant tell his son writing is the…

Virgo Aug 24-Sep 23 Happy birthday Virgos, the zodiac’s elegant precision instruments! When sun and new moon on September 7 open this year’s portal for your personal wish list, consider how best can you be of service to yourself and others. Perhaps start by asking for more support, or viewing difficult situations as opportunities. With Mars in your sign until mid-month, September’s burning question is: can you perfectionists love others as they are, flaws and all? The answer comes via Virgo writer Leo Tolstoy: “If you love someone, love the person as they are, and not as you’d like them to be.” Which, of course, includes you. Libra Sep 24 - Oct 23 This admittedly picky month wants to get things right – as you do. Especially when Mars marches…

Inside 10 Downing Street, the elegant Westminster townhouse that serves as the heart of Britain’s government, staffers were crisis-fighting on all fronts. COVID was raging, a painstakingly negotiated Brexit deal was unravelling, the Chancellor of the Exchequer had just quit over a personality clash, and from down the corridor came a cry of despair: “She’s completely out of control. It’s costing me tens of thousands. I can’t afford it”. The voice – unmistakable in its tenor and plumminess – belonged to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, whose trademark ebullience seemed to have suddenly deserted him. Less than a year earlier, Boris, 57, had stormed to a landslide election victory and moved into the spacious prime-ministerial apartment with his glamorous fiancée, 33-year-old Carrie Symonds, the daughter of a well-connected PR executive. According…

“Everything I do has an air of chaos about it – that’s my ADD superpower,” Sophie Gray tells me frankly. She’s not joking. She does have ADD, but she says, “It’s not a disadvantage outside the education system. If it involves something I’m interested in, it 100% holds my attention.” Sophie is probably best known to New Zealanders for her Destitute Gourmet cookbooks, which are full of delicious things you can cook on a budget and came out of a particularly lean period in her own life. When we meet at her home on Auckland’s North Shore, the former Food magazine editor is calmly organising a stack of donated goods to feed the area’s hungry. The leafy suburbs of the City of Sails’ northern beaches might seem an unlikely place…

One of the first things I noticed after the death of Isaac was the silence. The past two years had been filled with laughter, music and the occasional tantrum. Then all of a sudden, it was just so quiet ... Isaac was the youngest victim of the Beirut blast. He was an outgoing, confident, brave, incredibly intelligent and affectionate little boy. He was thriving in Beirut. He loved to talk to people and as we walked around the city he would wave at the locals, many of whom would stop and have a chat with him. He constantly astounded my husband and I with his fierce intelligence. He was a master at puzzles and was quickly picking up Arabic and French, despite the fact that my husband and I are…

Beauty note The perfect pink lipstick should complement your moods. So opt for one that can be worn as a stain, or layered for a bolder statement. Try Revlon Ultra HD Matte Lipcolor in Bare Down, $27. Beauty note A rosy blush flatters nearly all complexions, building from a delicate sheer wash on paler complexions to a deeper shade on darker tones. Try Revlon Powder Blush in Tickled Pink, $30.…

FIRST CHOICE Bio-Oil Skincare Oil is the number-one product recommended by New Zealand doctors for scars and stretch marks * . With over 400 skincare awards to its name, Bio-Oil Skincare Oil is the number one-selling scar and stretch mark product in 11 countries. ADDED BENEFITS The recently released Bio-Oil Skincare Oil Natural is a certified 100% natural formulation that has all the benefits and efficacy of the original world-leading Bio-Oil Skincare Oil. Like the original, Bio-Oil Skincare Oil Natural is vegan, not tested on animals and the packaging is recyclable. For more than 30 years, Bio-Oil has been working its magic, improving the appearance of scars, both new and old, as well as helping to prevent and fade stretch marks. In fact, Bio-Oil Skincare Oil has become so respected…

We all know that person: the one who happily skips through life with amazing opportunities constantly falling into their lap. Perfect husband? Tick. Great job? Tick. Fabulous friendship circle? Tick, tick, tick. And there’s another person we all know. The one who can’t catch a break. Whose tales of woe come one after the other, leaving behind a trail of tears. But what if you could choose which one of those people YOU are? “People are not born lucky,” says Professor Richard Wiseman in his bestselling book, The Luck Factor. “Instead, without realising it, lucky people are using four basic principles to create good fortune in their lives.” The British experimental psychologist became engrossed in the mechanics of luck, and spent many years trying to understand why fortune smiles on…

Street corn & rocket salad SERVES 4-6 PREP & COOK TIME 30 MINUTES 1 tablespoon Tabasco chipotle sauce 3 teaspoons lime juice ½ clove garlic, crushed 300g sour cream 2 tablespoons pepitas (pumpkin seed kernels) ½ teaspoon smoked paprika ½ teaspoon ground cumin 6 corn cobs (1.5kg), husk and silk removed 2 bunches (250g) rocket, trimmed, chopped coarsely ½ cup (40g) finely grated parmesan 125g fetta, crumbled 1 long green chilli, sliced very thinly 1 Stir the chipotle sauce, lime juice, garlic and sour cream in a small bowl until a smooth drizzling consistency. Season with salt flakes. 2 Heat a small frying pan over medium heat; add pepitas and stir for 30 seconds or until they start to pop. Add paprika and cumin; stir for a further 15 seconds…

Q I know there are some traditional paint colour combos that will always work well together, like black and white, but what are some unexpected colour combinations I could look at to make a style statement? For a subtle yet sophisticated design idea, pair a beautiful blush beige, such as Resene Wafer, with the classic Resene Duck Egg Blue. Add in a richer tone like Resene Kalgoorie Sands, and the end result will be effortless style that blends both warm and cool hues. If you’re after a more dramatic look, team Resene Espresso, a dreamy chocolate shade, with the brooding grey of Resene Rolling Stone, then add in the fresh tone of Resene Alabaster. This combination will create a modern version of a vintage palette.…

The Riviera House by Natasha Lester, Hachette There’s an aching inevitability to author Natasha Lester’s densely plotted new novel that leaves you almost as breathless as its colourful tapestry of lead characters. Early on we suspect that our heroine, Éliane Dufort, is not going to make it, but we so want her to and hang on every twist hoping she can come through – life, love, family intact. It’s 1939 and as the Nazis cut a swathe through Europe, France battles on, praying Hitler won’t invade. In Paris Éliane works at the Louvre, where she also attends art classes. She is the eldest sister in a large family in which she also fulfils a matriarchal role for her worn-out mother but dearly longs to be an artist like her brother,…

She could not believe what she was hearing. She stared at her gloved hands, on the knee still covered with her outside coat. “It’s all arranged,” Ernest told her. “Mary is coming over.” “You’ve arranged it?” she gasped. “Without even talking to me?” “The king has arranged it.” Her thoughts jumped about her brain. “What has he done?” “He’s attended to everything. Mary and I are to go to the Hotel de Paris in Bray and have a maid bring us breakfast in bed.” Her panic was rising. Perhaps, she thought wildly, this was just a nightmare. David would never be so devious in real life. He would never encourage her to go away just so he could work on Ernest. And even had this happened, Ernest would never have…

My favourite part of New Zealand is… Home, where my family is. Life is too short for… Dwelling on things that have happened in the past – move on and live in the moment. My favourite meal to cook is… Basic – any sort of meat and three veg variation because it’s easy. When I need to get some spark back into my soul, I… Write down some focuses for the next little while, reflect on what I’m grateful for and get some fresh air. A great show I recently watched was… I’m loving Love Island UK at the moment. If I had to choose another career… I’d maybe be a doctor. When I’m not working, I can be found… Either outside being adventurous or being really lazy at home,…