Innholdsfortegnelse for 1842 i New Zealand Woman's Weekly

It was a typical return to the limelight for Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge – with minimal fuss, jeans and boots she’s had for more than 10 years. Kate (36) looked relaxed as she stepped out at her first official engagement since having her third child, Prince Louis, earlier this year. Popping into the Sayers Croft Forest School and Wildlife Garden in London last week, Kate donned a pair of Zara jeans, a khaki jacket and her favourite boots to help students learn about the natural world, and the royal looked positively delighted to be back. Even the duchess’ hair was more casual than usual, with her voluminous curls replaced by a slightly shorter and straighter style. But this doesn’t mean that all pomp and pageantry was abandoned, with the children…

There’s a new man in Elizabeth Hurley’s life, but she’s staying mum about who it is or how serious they are. After telling an interviewer that she hasn’t had a proper boyfriend since she split from fiancé Shane Warne in 2013, the actress and model then went on to say, “I am seeing someone at the moment, but I’m fairly private about that sort of stuff.” She also hinted that her latest love interest is yet to meet her son Damian – an indication that she is treading carefully. “I’m always slow to introduce anyone to Damian – until I know how long they’re going to stick around, there’s no point.” Whoever this mystery man is, he is going to have to accept that not only does Liz (53) have…

It’s only been three months since she gave birth to her first child Santiago Enrique with husband José Bastón (50), but nothing was stopping Eva Longoria (43) from strutting her stuff down the catwalk. The Desperate Housewives actress took part in the L’Oréal show at Paris Fashion Week, walking the runway with other celebrities, including Elle Fanning (20) and Andie McDowell (60), along the River Seine. The actress joked about her lack of experience, saying, “I’m terrified – I have very short legs, so I don’t want the models behind me running me over!” Eva’s foray into motherhood hasn’t seen the star slow down at all. She’s already back producing and promoting TV shows, while jetting all around the world to introduce her son to friends, including Victoria Beckham (44).…

Cher is a passionate advocate for various causes, including LGBTQ, women’s and animal rights. And when Dr Christine Blasey Ford’s testimony against US Supreme Court candidate Brett Kavanaugh sparked an outpouring of stories from women about why they hadn’t reported sexual assault, she revealed a personal story. She tweeted that she’d asked her mother Georgia Holt’s permission to speak out about a horrific attack Georgia (92) kept secret until last year. “A family friend raped her 54 years ago. He dropped her at our house but the house was dark and she was afraid. He said, ‘Georgia, I’ll come in, see that you’re safe’. He threw her on the couch, raped her. After, she cried, but didn’t want us to know. Took 54 years.”…

The are-they or aren’t-they speculation surrounding the marriage of Gwyneth Paltrow and TV producer Brad Falchuk is finally over! After four years of dating, the loved-up couple exchanged their vows in front of friends and family on a balmy Saturday evening, September 29, at their home in the Hamptons. And it comes as no surprise that the wedding of Gwyneth (46) and Brad (47) was the ultimate Hollywood A-list affair, with guests including Iron Man co-star Robert Downey Jr (53), Steven Spielberg (71), who directed the actress in her first film Hook, dear friend Cameron Diaz (46), and neighbour Jerry Seinfeld (64). The much-awaited event was planned down to the very last detail by the pair, who took a leaf out of Cameron and husband Benji Madden’s (39) book to…

What’s your brew of choice? A plain and simple, no frills latte – I don’t like a lot of foam, but I do like a bit of texture. What’s your favourite sweet treat to have with your cuppa? Wild Bean’s custard slice! When you’re not behind the coffee machine, what are you doing? Lyndelle and I enjoy what our great country has to offer, so we purchased a caravan. We’ve been all around the South Island in it, and we’ll get up to the North Island one day. What’s your biggest dream you’d like to accomplish? I don’t think too far ahead, but for now it’s to be comfortable with who I am, to be a good husband and father, and to continue enjoying my work.…

• Drink plenty of water. • Get moving. Even a daily walk around the block may make a difference. • Try to cut down on stress. Relaxation techniques such as meditation can help. • Try to go to the bathroom at the same time each morning. The bowel tends to be active at this time of day. • Don’t ignore the urge to go. • Eat foods that are high in fibre, like vegetables and fruit (with their skins on, if they’re edible) and wholegrains. • Try prunes or liquorice – these may help to move your bowels. • Magnesium can help, as it draws water into the bowel rather than away from it. Good sources are dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds, fish, beans, wholegrains and avocados.…

How do you avoid paying for multiple building inspector and LIM reports on houses you miss out on? And what happens if someone else is running amok making illegal purchases on your eftpos card? Don’t worry! There’s no limit to the number of times your Visa Paywave card can be used. As long as the purchases are under $80, the user won’t be required to enter a PIN. So what if your card is stolen and used by someone else? This has always been a major concern for card-holders since Paywave was introduced – especially for the elderly. But there’s no need to worry. If your Visa Paywave card is stolen and is used even for a large number of transactions where a PIN isn’t required, you are safe. You…

I’ve never been big on obeying rules, which probably explains my lack of success at school. The directive that we keep our fringes above our eyebrows and our skirts below our knees never really worked for me, whereas the landscaping rule of enclosure, for example, makes absolute sense. It’s all about what we think looks good. By the book! It seems like something of a contradiction that gardening, so often the passion of the free-spirited, should have rules, but it does. And while they are able to be stretched, trimmed, pruned, pared or re-shaped, maintaining the essence of a rule often makes a major contribution to the creation of a beautiful garden. ENCLOSURE The root meaning of the word garden is ‘enclosure’. It is from Middle English gardin, from Anglo-French…

LIBRA Sep 24 – Oct 23 Get everything rubber-stamped. Print copies of emails that have terms and conditions on them so you have a record, and keep all your receipts. There’s going to be a glitch where you’ll be asked to prove your point and producing the relevant piece of paper will make the process a lot smoother. You’ll get what is your due and a drawn-out issue will be avoided. SCORPIO Oct 24 – Nov 22 You’re doing very well financially – and you’re about to do even better. You can be conservative around money, but stepping out of your comfort zone will pay off. If you’re in a new relationship, making a commitment could also be rewarding, allowing you to really see if this is something you both…

Honestly, it’s Rod! I really loved your hugely entertaining interview with the inimitable Sir Rod Stewart (24.09.2018). What makes Rod so compelling is his startling honesty about every aspect of his remarkable life. He shares stories that most celebrities wouldn’t dare let slip. Then again, Rod is a unique character. I first saw him in concert at Wellington’s Athletic Park. Forty years later, I can still recall the thrill of the occasion! THIS MAGAZINE IS SUBJECT TO NZ PRESS COUNCIL PROCEDURES. A COMPLAINT MUST FIRST BE DIRECTED IN WRITING TO THE EDITOR’S EMAIL ADDRESS. IF THE COMPLAINANT IS NOT SATISFIED WITH THE RESPONSE, THE COMPLAINT MAY BE REFERRED TO THE PRESS COUNCIL, PO BOX 10-879, THE TERRACE, WELLINGTON 6143. OR USE THE ONLINE COMPLAINT FORM AT PRESSCOUNCIL.ORG.NZ. PLEASE INCLUDE COPIES…

I asked my hairdresser, “Can we please stop talking about the weather?” The state of the weather is almost always the opening topic of any conversation here in Wellington, and all that talking hasn’t made any difference at all. My hairdresser actually said it was a relief not to have to talk about it. “I’ve done the weather five times today already,” she said, and it was still only the morning. So we tried to talk about something else. I told her that my hair seemed to be growing faster than usual and she said several other customers had recently told her the same thing. She reckoned it was because of spring. I told her she was talking about the weather again and things went a bit quiet after that.…

Everyone has a favourite royal. Whether you appreciate the glamour of young duchesses Catherine and Meghan, admire the down-to-earth nature of Zara Tindall and her delightfully rambunctious daughter Mia, or you simply adore the dedication and pragmatism of Her Majesty, there’s a royal for you. But it’s in this instance where I feel a little sorry for Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. They’ve never had the easiest road when it comes to courting the love of the public. Whether it’s been riding out their mother’s many scandals or defending questionable fashion choices, they’ve somehow not managed to endear themselves to their people quite as well as cousins Prince William and Prince Harry . Even Eugenie’s wedding has thrown up PR curveball after PR curveball – the large guest list, a kerfuffle…

As far as royal weddings go, the lead-up to this one has been far from smooth sailing, so you can’t blame Princess Eugenie if she’s suffering from some last-minute meltdowns. It hasn’t helped that a petition has been circulating demanding that taxpayers shouldn’t have to fork out millions of dollars to pay for security for the event, and that the BBC didn’t want to televise the wedding because it thought very few would watch. But with her nuptials just days away, the bride at least has the consolation of knowing that one issue which could have cast a shadow over her big day has been resolved. Her grandfather, Prince Philip, will be attending the ceremony and pose for family photos, despite earlier reports that he would stay away because he…

Here’s a fairly typical slice of Amal Clooney’s life – on the Thursday, she was celebrating her fourth wedding anniversary with husband George (57) and their one-year-old twins Alexander and Ella, then on Friday, Amal (40) was straight back at work, commanding an impressive audience as she spoke passionately at the United Nations. The human rights lawyer wore a striking Oscar de la Renta red dress as she attended the United Nations Committee to Protect Journalists in New York. Amal was one of the panellists, and also addressed the assembly about the freedom of the press and the imprisonment of journalists around the world – something she is currently working first-hand on, representing two Reuters journalists jailed in Myanmar. All in a day’s work!…

Paul Henry knows he’s a lucky man. There was the great TV career, a close family – and of course, his current life on the high seas on his own yacht, Olive, named after his beloved late mum. But almost all of it paled in comparison to a moment on the bow of his boat, with Venice’s St Mark’s square dazzling in the background, as he watched his youngest daughter Bella (26) get engaged to the man of her dreams, Julyan Collett (29). “What a privilege,” the proud dad says down the phone to the Weekly from Olive, which is currently anchored in Athens. “How many parents get to see their daughter’s proposal? It was very special.” Of course for Bella, Paul’s mini-me and youngest daughter, it was simply a…

Looking at Tania Lelisi, it’s hard to imagine that the outgoing West Aucklander is living with a death sentence hanging over her. Yet the mum-of-two is a ticking time bomb after being diagnosed with terminal metastatic breast cancer in early 2016. Facing every day with a “terrifying fear of the cancer spreading” is tough, but thanks to Tania’s positive attitude and fantastic support network, the 53-year-old is not only surviving but thriving. Each new day is a blessing to be cherished. It was three years ago when the human resources manager first noticed a prominent lump on her breast, but she put it out of her mind. “Life was busy,” Tania explains of why she initially chose to ignore the lump despite her mother also developing breast cancer more than…

With a long weekend coming up this month, it’s time to fill the tins. These tried and true slices, with a twist or two, will satisfy the whole family all weekend long. Favourites made new! Send your foodie thoughts and questions to Nici: nwickes@bauermedia.co.nz Fruit slice MAKES 12-15 PIECES Dare I call this slice by its original name, fly cemetery? Gruesome by name but wonderful to eat, it’s always been a favourite with my dad and now that I’m all grown up, I love it too. 400g puff pastry, chilled 2½ cups currants 1½ cup raisins or sultanas 1/4 cup sugar + 2 tbsp extra 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tbsp lemon zest 2 cups + 2 tbsp water 2 tbsp cornflour 2 apples, grated 1 egg yolk and dash milk…

Friday October 12 is National Egg Day and what better way to celebrate than whipping up this scrumptious frittata with in-season asparagus? ASPARAGUS FRITTATA SERVES 4 4 bacon rashers, chopped 1/2 tbsp olive oil 1 bunch fresh asparagus 6 large eggs 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated 1 cup freshly chopped mixed herbs (eg, parsley, basil) Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 Fry the chopped-up rashers of bacon in olive oil in an ovenproof fry-pan. 2 Meanwhile, boil asparagus in water for 3 minutes, then cool in cold running water. (We peeled the asparagus, which leaves the spears a much brighter green.) 3 Beat the eggs in a bowl and add half of the cheese and herbs. Season with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper, then add the…

As the weather warms, it’s the right time to add some linen to your wardrobe. This fabric is not only a timeless option, but it’s also guaranteed to keep you cool and stylish. Here are some of my favourites. Beat the heat! Nautical striped goodness • This chic, striped dress from Postie’s latest collection is super cute with an amazing price too. Natural, woven and metallic accessories work perfectly with this nautically inspired ensemble. • Wearing linen is always a cool option when the weather warms as natural fibres won’t make you sweat. DRESS $39 from POSTIE. AMBER ROSE BANGLES $19.99 for set from EZIBUY. BAG $149.90 AND SHOES $169.90 both from WITCHERY. SUNGLASSES $24.99 from GLASSONS. Tip... Vertical stripes will elongate your figure. Spotted co-ordinated chic • Who wouldn’t…

Do blondes really have more fun? Whether your hair is naturally getting lighter as the grey takes over, or you just feel like a change of hue, these leading ladies show how to wear it well. Find out what shade is right for you. Fair play! COOL BLONDE JANE FONDA (80) Cooler blonde shades such as ‘ash’ and ‘Champagne’ are flattering on a fair, translucent skin tone and help make lighter eyes colours pop. If your hair tends to throw a natural brassy hue, this is the perfect shade to counteract it. Look at keeping the roots a little darker like Jane’s for a more natural look. CARING FOR IT: Cool blondes benefit from a conditioning treatment like (1) Kevin Murphy Cool Angel, $49, to magnify ash tones as well…

Who doesn’t love the buttery, nurturing texture of a balm? Here are some of the latest… NOURISHING: (1) L’Occitane Almond Delightful Body Balm, $52, uses almond butter and almond oil from Provence to envelop post-winter limbs in a deliciously hydrating veil. Scoop it out and slather it on. SOOTHING: (2) Vaseline Lip Therapy, $4.99, come in the cutest little tins in original, aloe, cocoa butter and rosy lips formulas. The latter is our favourite for the way it gives lips a subtle pink, rouged look. FOR HEALING: (3) Thursday Plantation Wound Balm, $17.99, acts like a natural band aid by creating a protective barrier over any sore bit, and treating it with the antiseptic and healing powers of tea tree oil and Manuka honey.…

It’s one of those issues we tend to joke about, but chronic constipation is no laughing matter. Here’s what you need to know about being “bunged up”. The truth about constipation! Everyone knows that constipation can be linked to a lack of fibre in the diet. And yes, fibre is very important because it adds bulk to your stools, increasing their size, and because it absorbs water, makes them softer. Larger and softer stools move more quickly through your bowels and are easier to pass. But a shortage of fibre is not the only reason you may struggle to go. There can be numerous factors contributing to constipation, including: DEHYDRATION Faeces are around 75% water and 25% solid material. If you’re not drinking enough and you become dehydrated, your body…

The ambience is industrial and the smell is of burning. The roaring furnaces are full of molten glass. Mario, the master, dips his blowpipe into 1100 degrees of white heat, turns it like a teaspoon in golden syrup and extracts it with a blob of glass on the end. The blob is rolled on a slab of steel and then he does a big blow, and the blob turns into a glass bubble. Mario and his assistant work together wordlessly, as if dancing, knowing exactly what each will do next as they co-ordinate the furnace, the long blowpipes and other tools required to create glass jugs. The process continues with more blowing, more glass and a bigger bubble. A jug is shaped with a sizzle on wet cloths, then tweaked…

I thought every week was National Gardening Week, but yes, there is an official one. It’s October 15 to 22 and is focused on supporting butterflies. There’ll be a national planting day on October 20, when we’ll all be encouraged to plant a swan plant or some other butterfly-friendly food source. Last year saw a national shortage of swan plants, the main diet of Monarch caterpillars, causing a large number of the population to be wiped out. There are heaps of suitable plants (download the poster at monarch.org.nz ) so even if you don’t love swan plants (I don’t), there are plenty of others.…

Kerre’s wild travels I’m just writing to say how much I enjoyed reading Kerre McIvor’s travel article about Ireland (24.09.2018). I am originally from Ireland and have been living here in New Zealand for 13 years. My home town is on the Wild Atlantic Way and reading about Strandhill has brought back many happy memories of my own visits there. It’s great that Kerre got off the beaten track a little and saw more than just Dublin. I wonder how she got on pronouncing some of the town names there though! Keep up the good work - love your magazine! The writer of the winning letter receives $100. The other letter wins a copy of Hippie (Penguin Random House, RRP $37). Drawing on the rich experience of his own life,…

Behind every great man there is a great woman, and there was no exception for the first man to walk on the moon. The Crown’s Claire Foy is a long way from home in her new drama First Man, directed by Damien Chazelle (La La Land). With her days of playing Queen Elizabeth II at an end, Claire now stars in the newly released space biopic as Janet, the wife of famed astronaut Neil Armstrong (Ryan Gosling). As the space race takes off and Neil is pulled away, viewers are given a glimpse into the lives of the women left behind. Unlike other films about the moon landing, First Man touches on the effects the iconic event had on families of the astronauts, especially the wives who stoically stood by…

Given the quick-fire humour of his TV chat show, you might assume the sort of fiction Graham Norton writes would be zippy and fun. But actually there isn’t a witty quip to be found in his second novel, A Keeper. This story of family secrets and twisted love is dark and reflective. Elizabeth Keane has returned to her small Irish hometown Buncarragh following her mother’s death. The plan is to clear out her house, but instead Elizabeth uncovers a decades-old mystery. She comes across a stash of letters that seem to shed light on who her father might have been and so sets out to try and find him – getting rather more than she had bargained for. Elizabeth’s story is interspersed with chapters that reveal what happened to her…

The Irish TV presenter is best known for his top-rating chat show but he is also a writer with two memoirs and a previous novel, Holding, to his credit. This novel was inspired by… “A story my mother told me. I thought it would be a great twist, so I built the book around this one real-life experience my mother shared.” The most challenging thing about writing it was… “Finding the time. I’m not rushed off my feet, but busy enough so that when I get time off I enjoy doing nothing. Last year that wasn’t an option. When I had downtime, I had to work on the book. The upside is that writer’s block was never an issue.” I manage to fit writing in with my TV career by……

Sharon Stone has never been one to let age stand in the way of anything – including love! The Basic Instinct star (60) and her much-younger rumoured boyfriend, real estate mogul Angelo Boffa (41), looked very loved-up indeed while on holiday in Spain’s Balearic Islands. Rumours of a romance were sparked early this year despite Sharon previously saying she doesn’t date just anyone - so this must be serious! “I was just not that girl who was told that a man would define me,” she said. “I was told that if I wanted to have a man in my life... it would be an actual partnership. And those are hard to find.”…

Last year saw a shortage of swan plants, the monarch butterfly’s main source of food. To kick-start National Gardening Week, Yates is giving away free butterfly-friendly seeds at yates.co.nz  from October 1-14. Along with this, we have 12 packs of seeds to give away, containing three Butterfly Field Seed packs and three Bee Pasture Seed packs worth $47, to plant in your own garden, share with friends and your community. To enter, go to womansweekly.co.nz and click on the “Win” tab with the code YS42, or send your name, address and phone number to: New Zealand Woman’s Weekly/Yates Seeds Response Bag 500269, Victoria Street West, Auckland 1142 by October 19.…

In the latest instalment of the “Markle Debacle”, Samantha Markle has flown to the UK, in a bid to reconcile with her estranged sister Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. Samantha (53) fell out with Meghan (37) over her wedding, and comments she has made about the royal family and the way their father Thomas has been ignored. She says she hopes to get a message to her half-sister but isn’t sure if she would get the chance to reconnect. “I was hoping maybe we would have the chance to speak,” she says. “But I don’t think that’s going to happen. Things aren’t really what they seem. Hopefully we could clear up the record and move forward with peaceful resolve.” Samantha told a TV interviewer that her biggest grievance against the former…

Just weeks after images appeared of a tearful Ben Affleck in the back of ex-wife’s Jennifer Garner’s car while she drove him to rehab, the amicable exes look to be getting their family back on track with a trip to church. Ben (46) looked much more content as he joined Jen (46) and their three children, Violet (12), Seraphina (nine) and Samuel (six), in their LA neighbourhood. Friends say the Argo star is doing a lot better after finishing 30 days at The Canyons rehab facility in Malibu, where he’s been addressing his alcohol issues – and he plans to keep working on himself at the facility for a few more weeks. “He’ll be continuing treatment for the foreseeable future,” a pal tells. “It’s taking many forms – inpatient, outpatient,…

It would be an epic showdown – Cher vs Donald Trump. The legendary performer can’t stand the US president and isn’t shy about letting everyone know via her no-holds-barred Twitter account. So the news that she is to receive an honour usually presented by the president had everyone anticipating an encounter that could be, at the very least, extremely awkward. However, Cher says that Donald won’t be presenting her with the Kennedy Centre Honours – awarded to those in the performing arts for lifetime contributions to American culture – at the ceremony in December, to her relief. “When I was told about it I thought, ‘Oh my God, I wonder if the president is going to be there’,” says the Grammy, Emmy and Oscar winner. “But he isn’t, so I’m…

Ask 84-year-old actress Sylvia Syms what she does when she’s not acting and you’ll get a very direct answer. “I sit on my a*** a lot of the time, darling!” she says. “I look at the garden, I watch the telly, I talk to the dogs and, oh, my children are wonderful to me.” On the phone from her home in Chiswick, London, Sylvia is full of energy and has the most delicious throaty laugh, which she lets loose often during our interview. We’re talking about her strong performance in the movie Together, alongside actor Peter Bowles (To the Manor Born), which has just opened in New Zealand cinemas. The film is about an elderly couple who, after 60 years of marriage, get separated into different care homes against their…

Beef & eggplant casserole AUTHOR: INTLAK ALSAIEGH SERVES 4-6 350g minced beef 4 large garlic cloves, crushed ¾ tsp curry powder 2 eggplant, about 700g, cut into 1.5cm slices 120ml olive oil 2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1.5cm slices 1 large onion, cut into 1cm slices 1 large green pepper, cored, de-seeded and sliced 350ml water 4 tbsp tomato purée 1 tbsp tamarind paste 1 tbsp sugar 3 tomatoes, cut into 1cm slices Salt and white pepper Basmati rice or bread to serve 1 Preheat oven to 180°C. Place the beef and two crushed garlic cloves in a bowl. Add the curry powder and some salt and pepper, then mix by hand until well combined. Divide the mixture into 12 equal pieces and roll into balls. Set aside.…

1 SHORT O’CLOCK The beginning of October brings about shorts season. Long, short, cuffed or belted – there’s a style to suit you and your legs. EziBuy’s linen shorts have an elasticated back waistband with a drawstring tie and some pintuck detail down the front for a nice point of difference. And from Max, there are these super-cute yet functional tie-waist shorts made from dark indigo denim that would work for day or night with a change of accessories. Ketz-ke’s checked shorts will have you ready for summer, but in the meantime, pair them with a crisp white shirt and espadrille wedges to get you through spring. 2 SASSY SABEN Saben has launched a new-season collection and it’s simply gorgeous. Indie is a clip-on pouch to tidy up all those…

This week’s model Gloria shares her beauty secrets with us… What’s your biggest beauty sin? Peeling gel lacquer off my nails instead of getting it properly removed – but I do add nourishing oil afterwards to mitigate my behaviour! What beauty product do you most often replace? My favourite hydrating serum, which is the IS Clinical Hydra Serum. Do you take any beauty supplements? Yes, the marine-based skincare supplement Imedeen Time Perfection. What beauty treatment would you most like to try? I’ve tried everything that I’d like to… for now at least! When it comes to putting on your make-up, are you a brush or fingers girl? Fingers. I find it more convenient and I get better coverage and more control.…

How to use up stale bread the old-fashioned way, keeping cats off your garden, and making your own mint and vanilla extracts. Bee busy! DID YOU KNOW? Honey has been used for thousands of years as a natural health and beauty aid, though scientists have only recently started examining its properties in a systematic way. Studies show that honey has antibacterial properties that can inhibit the growth of 60 strains of bacteria. It’s also a great antioxidant and gentle moisturiser. To use as a cheap and natural face cleanser, simply wet your face, squeeze ½ tsp of honey on to your hand and gently rub it into your face. This is a great cleanser for sensitive skin. You can also make a more liquid cleanser by mixing 3 tsp of…

If you don’t have a bowel movement every day, don’t panic – it doesn’t necessarily mean you have a problem. Some people simply go less than others. But there is likely an issue if you: • Have to strain to pass a motion. • Have hard and pellet-like stools. • Never feel as if you have fully emptied your bowel. • Feel like you need to go, but can’t pass anything. • Suddenly start having a lot fewer bowel motions than you normally do. If you do become irregular, see your doctor. You may have an issue with your digestive system that should be checked. Occasionally, constipation can be a symptom of cancer, if a tumour is causing a blockage. It always pays to get it looked at.…

HOW TO GET THERE: Cathay Pacific flies from Auckland to Milan via Hong Kong every day.Visit cathaypacific.co.nz . Take the train to Venice from Milan Central. Vaporetto (water bus) leaves Venice for Murano every 30 minutes. BEST BEVERAGE: Prosecco. Any time is good for Italian bubbles. BEST FOR DINNER: Osteria al Duomo. Good food and service, and a nice garden out the back. BEST TIP: Stay the night so you can enjoy Murano after the tourists disappear. There are two hotels and B&Bs in Murano.…

WHAT A QUACK-UP! I have two white ducks as garden ornaments. One day, I looked out my window and saw a lot more white than normal. There were five white ducks in my garden! And one was talking and squawking furiously to my ornament. As they were my neighbour’s, I simply chased them home and then blocked my gate. But how funny! Ducking Around, Gisborne CAST-IRON I had always wondered where Dad got his iron constitution from! I was rummaging through his toolkit one day, looking for a part for my roller skates, when I came across a jar labelled “Indigestion Remedy.” It was filled with nuts, bolts and screws! KMW, Lower Hutt, July 3, 1972 I STAND CORRECTED I was trying to determine the sex of our new baby…

I was torn. Our little group in Buenos Aires had decided to take a half-day tour of the city. There would, of course, be merriment and fun, and I didn’t want to miss out on that. On the other hand, it was a beautiful day and I didn’t want to spend it sitting in a bus for hours. We’d already enjoyed a half-day tour of Buenos Aires, and I didn’t really think I would learn much more from another sightseeing trip. I wanted to get my hair blow-waved before we went out for dinner and a tango demonstration too. I’m also very wary about these sorts of trips. I’ve definitely been on some terrible tours before. In San Francisco, the guide refused to let anyone talk or use their mobile…

WESTWOOD RATING: M Never before have I watched a character quite as colourful Dame Vivienne Westwood in a documentary. The famed British fashion designer has spent years carving out a name for herself in the industry with her signature punk style. Even at the age of 77, her collections continue to be bought up by the legions of her loyal fans. This incredibly fascinating documentary takes a look inside her life and her impressive career, which has spanned more than 40 years. The film will leave you laughing at Vivienne’s hilarious one-liners, but you will also gain a new appreciation for what she has battled throughout her life.…

Sally-Ann Mullin is the editor of Fashion Quarterly magazine and a judge on TVNZ 2’s Project Runway. My favourite book ever is… It’s hard to choose just one, but Hideous Kinky by Esther Freud is in my top five. It’s set in Marrakesh in the 1960s, narrated by a girl on a crazy adventure with her hippy mother. I love how she describes the smells, scenes and people of Morocco. My book of the moment is… Cat Marnell’s How to Murder Your Life. I’ve just finished this whirlwind of a memoir, where the former beauty editor talks about how she maintained a career in fashion magazines as a high-functioning drug addict. She later became less high-functioning and sadly lost everything. It’s an intense read, but also really good.…