Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 52, 2021 i New Zealand Woman's Weekly

It’s meant to be the season to be merry, so Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, has been doing her bit to spread festive cheer in the UK, which has recently been hard hit by another wave of the coronavirus. The thoughtful royal organised and hosted the Together at Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey to pay tribute to 1200 unsung heroes who have supported communities throughout the pandemic, including healthcare workers, emergency staff and charity volunteers. In a moving message, the mum-of-three talked about the “heart-wrenching isolation from those we hold most dear” and said Covid showed the importance of “simply being together”. Kate, 39, was supported by her family, including her parents Michael and Carole Middleton, sister Pippa Matthews, brother James Middleton and sister-in-law Alizee Thevenet. Relatives of her husband…

There may be 89 years and three generations separating them, but there’s no denying that William and Kate’s daughter Charlotte is the spitting image of her great-grandmother, the Queen, 95. In the Christmas photo released by the Cambridges, Charlotte, six, bears an uncanny resemblance to the monarch when she was a child. Social media users noticed straight away, with one posting, “Charlotte is the double of the Queen. So pretty and poised.” The stunning family portrait was taken when the family took a secret holiday to Jordan, in the Middle East, earlier this year. Kate lived in Jordan for two years from age two, when her flight dispatcher dad Michael worked there. The holiday was the chance to show her children where she had spent part of her childhood.…

DOCO BOMBSHELL Harry made a documentary called The Me You Can’t See, in which he accused his family of neglecting his mental health. NETFLIX CONTRACT The couple are believed to be making as much as $150m in a deal that will see them producing shows for Netflix, but critics argue they should have nothing to do with the streaming service after it screened a bad-taste musical about Harry’s mother Diana. BIG APPLE CRUNCH Harry and Meghan travelled to New York to call for vaccine equality at the Global Citizen Live concert, but were accused of treating the visit like an offi cial royal tour and “milking” their titles. MAGAZINE MAYHEM The pair appeared on the cover of Time after being named one of the world’s most influential couples for their…

At least there was some good news for the York family in 2021. Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie both became mothers this year, making their dad Prince Andrew and mother Sarah, Duchess of York, proud grandparents. Eugenie, 31, gave birth to her son with husband Jack Brooksbank, August Philip Hawke Brooksbank, in February, then three months later Beatrice, 33, who married Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi last year, announced that she was pregnant. Daughter Sienna Elizabeth Mapelli Mozzi arrived in September. Granny Sarah, 62, reveals that her girls have adapted well to motherhood. “They were great children and now they’re phenomenal mothers,” she says.…

It has been almost 10 years since More FM host Paul “Flynny” Flynn received the news that no one wants to hear – his father Rick had had a massive heart attack and was undergoing bypass surgery to save his life. “I was terrified, to be honest. I was terrified of losing my dad so young and so suddenly,” admits Flynny, who was 31 at the time. “He’s a full-of-life character and he’s one of my best mates. He’s awesome.” Thankfully, Rick, now 62, made it through and Flynny shares he is now doing better than ever. But the thought of losing his dad so young was a sobering wakeup call for the father-of-four and Flynny decided it was time to take a good look at his own health. ‘I…

Spanish gin & tonic PREPARATION TIME 5 MINS SERVES 4 1 cup dry gin 2 cups chilled tonic water Ice cubes Lemon, lime, orange and/or grapefruit slices, wedges or twists Fresh herbs such as mint, basil, sage, thyme, lemon thyme, fennel, tarragon, lemon verbena, dill and/or lavender or edible flowers Spices such as peppercorns, juniper berries, star anise or fennel seeds Lebanese cucumber, sliced 1 For each cocktail, combine ¼ cup gin and ½ cup tonic in a glass of ice. Garnish with citrus, herbs, spices and cucumber. Stir gently. Serve. Strawberry-mint lemonade PREPARATION TIME 15 MINS (PLUS 4 HOURS CHILLING & 30 MINS STEEPING) COOKING TIME 20 MINS SERVES 8 3 cups cold water 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest 1 ½ cups fresh lemon juice Lemon slices, to…

Polenta & almond cake with roasted peaches SERVES 8-10 300g unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing Plain flour, for dusting 200g almonds, skins on 100g ground almonds 150g polenta 1 teaspoon baking powder Pinch of sea salt 300g vanilla sugar or caster sugar and ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 eggs Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon 4 lemon verbena leaves (available from specialty stores) Thick cream, to serve ROASTED PEACHES 4-5 yellow peaches or nectarines 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar or caster sugar 2 tablespoons sweet white wine, amaretto liqueur or peach schnapps 1 Preheat oven to 180°C. Butter a 22cm springform tin. Line the base with baking paper. Dust with flour and tip out any excess. 2 Process almonds in a food processor to…

We have a friend who doesn’t like Christmas. Not because he belongs to one of the religions that doesn’t celebrate it, and not just in the way none of us likes Christmas in patches, like when we’re trying to find a car park at the mall, or the piped carols they’ve being playing in stores since November sound like fingernails down a blackboard, or at around 4pm on the actual day when you’d quite like a nap but the guests show no sign of leaving. We can all be a bit anti-Christmas at times. But our friend doesn’t like Christmas at all – or at least, he doesn’t engage with it in any way, preferring to spend the day entirely alone. In earlier years, we liked to gather up waifs…

CHRISTMAS CHEER • Winning letter Well done Weekly team for putting out a great magazine every week in trying times. I loved “Celebrate the Good Times”. It was lovely to read how some of our celebrities are going to spend their Christmas. All of the magazine makes for great reading. It is packed with recipes, crafts and thought-provoking columns by some wonderful New Zealanders, and so many great reads in the Weekly People. They are truly inspiring individuals. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all and thanks for being a rock in these uncertain days. In this crazy world where we just want to go back to and enjoy the things we always took for granted. Sue…

Wow, what a year. I am not sorry to see this one out and yet I have so very much to be grateful for. I haven’t used my alarm clock once since the family moved here in November. Being woken by two little people crawling into my bed is the best way to start the day. Although, it must be said, we start it with a hiss and a roar. There is no gentle stretching and easing into the day. It’s “Kui, can we ask Dr Mr Google how the Big Bang happened, because I’ve forgotten…”? “Right, Bart, of course we can – yes, I’ve forgotten too. Easy thing to slip your mind…” Which is an utter lie because I’ve never known. (If you have a yearning desire to know,…

Welcome to our last issue of the year – and what a year it has been! It has been wonderful to share with you the stories of our favourite Kiwis and to introduce you to some very inspiring New Zealanders in our Weekly People section. We kicked the year off with Jenny-May Clarkson and her gorgeous family as our cover stars and since then we’ve introduced Sam Wallace’s adorable twins, chatted to Hilary Barry about the changes in her life and shared Dame Kiri Te Kanawa’s New Zealand homecoming, to name just a few. The royal family has also had a big year, and in this issue we reflect on the highs and lows. William, Duke of Cambridge and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary, and have…

When December 31, 2020 ticked over into January 1, 2021, the Queen would have been among the millions of people around the world toasting the arrival of a new year and hoping it was much better than the last one. For the royals, like many other families, 2020 was a testing time. They did not escape the reaches of the Covid pandemic, with several members – including the Queen’s son Prince Charles, 73, and grandson Prince William, 39, – contracting the virus. She and her husband Prince Philip had to isolate at Windsor Castle for months on end and were unable to see family. That made it harder to try to fix the issues that arose with Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex when they stepped away…

Princess Charlene’s family has broken its silence over the Monaco royal’s mystery illness. “My daughter used to swim 20km a day,” Charlene’s father Mike Wittstock said from his home in South Africa recently. “Based on the way she used to train, I know she’s tough and will get through this and come out much stronger.” After spending most of this year hunkered down in her homeland, former Olympian Charlene returned to her husband Prince Albert, 63, and young twins Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques in Monaco in November, but almost immediately disappeared once again – this time to seek treatment for her physical and psychological conditions at a facility believed to be in Switzerland. Mike, 75, added that he and his wife Lynette, 74, had been very concerned about their…

After ’70s super-group ABBA released their first album in 40 years in November, it seemed the impossible had finally happened. The last time the four members of the Swedish pop band – Agnetha Fältskog, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson – had tried to record music together, in 1982, they walked away from the studio with an album half-finished and never returned. The decades rolled by and, with Agnetha reportedly a recluse who could not be lured from the island where she’d retreated to escape the pressures of fame, the hopes of the fab four ever making a comeback became diminishingly small. But nothing is necessarily forever, including Agnetha’s so-called hermit lifestyle. “Much has been written that I am a recluse and a mysterious woman,” says the now 71-year-old…

Minute steak sandwich MAKES 4 PREP + COOK TIME 10 MINS 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 medium onion, sliced thinly 4 beef minute steaks 25g rocket leaves 8 slices sourdough bread, toasted 4 dill pickles, sliced lengthways 1 Heat oil on a barbecue flat plate or large frying pan over medium heat. Cook onion, stirring, for 10 minutes or until softened and golden. Transfer to a bowl and cover to keep warm. 2 Increase heat to high. Add steaks. Season. Cook steaks for 1 minute on each side or until browned and cooked to your liking. 3 Place rocket on four slices of toasted bread. Top with steak, onion and pickles. Top with remaining piece of toast. Serve with tomato sauce or relish if you like. S’MORES MAKES…

Taking a day off? Here are four words to embrace – put the phone down. Almost half of us check our phones at least 25 times a day, and that’s no way to unwind. It may feel impossible, so that’s why baby steps are the way to go. Here’s how to wean yourself... • THE BEGINNER Check once every hour with a firm limit of 10 minutes per check. If the pings distract you, silence the alerts. • INTERMEDIATE UNPLUGGING Double the amount of time you’re off the grid and check every two hours. Need more help breaking the chains at this stage? Put on your gardening gloves and dig in the dirt for a few hours. You can’t scroll through a feed when you’re wearing gloves. • ADVANCED DETACHMENT…

0-9 We are not amused! That was a right royal disaster. You’re very much a commoner when it comes to affairs of the crown and your knowledge of them over the past 12 months. 10-19 A noble score! We’re not ready to roll out the red carpet for you just yet, but you certainly have the makings of a quiz count or countess. 20-29 A princely effort! You clearly kept up with the royals in 2021, but perhaps you were a little distracted with life outside of the palace to recall a few of the finer details. 30-36 Your majesty! A bow, a curtsy or both for our quiz king/queen. Take your place on the throne because you must need a rest after 12 months of such avid royal watching.…

CAPRICORN Dec 23 – Jan 20 You know how you feel after a big meal? This is how the beginning of the week will seem – like you could not do another thing. Come Wednesday, you will feel much lighter of mind, body and spirit, and ready to take on the world. Anything to do with art, performance, creativity is going to take off. It’s your time to shine. AQUARIUS Jan 21 – Feb 19 You want to fight for something that means a great deal to you – and you will win because everyone else will be losing their head, while you will be cool and calm. It is a week where you appreciate beauty in everything, a smile, a painting, a piece of music. Treasure those moments. PISCES…

Snow fright I saw this happen some years ago, when we had a fall of snow. It was in a small town on a rather steep hill. An old man was coming down the hill on his bicycle and was looking at the snow on the hilltops. Before he realised where he was, he had crashed into a stationary car and was astride the engine, peering through the windscreen. Except for the bicycle having a buckled front wheel, the old man seemed very little the worse for his mishap. Dorett Wartime words In the stress of emotional excitement, what queer thoughts fly to our brain and to our tongue! This extract from a letter: “When the first raid on Darwin began, I rushed in from the garden and called excitedly…

Local hero THE PANTHERS TVNZ ONDEMAND This local drama delves into a dark period of New Zealand’s history and the young activists who stood up against persecution. Set in Auckland in 1974, an outspoken group of young activists, known as the Polynesian Panthers, bands together to stand up to the constant targeting of Pacific Island immigrants by the police. High drama THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT NEON After her 12-year run on The Big Bang Theory ended in 2019, fans were eager to see what Kaley Cuoco would do next. This murder mystery, full of shocking twists and turns, shows a darker side to Kaley while harnessing her comedic talents. Cassie (Kaley) wakes up from a one-night stand to discover the man she barely knows dead in the bed beside her. After…

Success can create problems for a novelist as Paula Hawkins found when she released the follow-up to her mega bestseller The Girl on the Train. It wasn’t that her second novel flopped exactly, but Into the Water was a trickier book and far less grabby, so readers didn’t love it. Several years later, her third novel manages to be both tricky and grabby. A Slow Fire Burning is a layered psychological thriller, told from multiple perspectives, and is about the events of the past creating havoc in the present. All the action is set along the Regent’s Canal in north London and involves a group of people whose lives become tangled. Miriam lives in a narrowboat on the canal and it is her that finds the body of a young…

True grit Country superstar Faith Hill, 54, looks cool in coral as she makes her debut as an actress at the premiere of new TV series 1883, a prequel to the hit show Yellowstone. The singer stars alongside her real-life husband Tim McGraw. Rarin’ to go Start your engines! Eva Longoria, 46, is all smiles as she gets taken on the ride of her life around the Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Grand Prix track. Clubbing clansmen It’s boys’ night as Sir Rod Stewart, 76, hits the town with two of his eight kids, Liam (left), 27, whom he shares with Rachel Hunter, and Alistair, 16, his oldest son with Penny Lancaster. Check mates Megastar Beyoncé, 40, gives fans a rare glimpse of her children as she poses with her mini-me…

They escaped the shackles of royal life. They settled in a stunning new home in California and signed lucrative deals with Netflix and Spotify that would help to secure their future. Their son Archie, two, was thriving and they were expecting baby number two, a wee girl. Their charitable foundation Archewell was up and running, and they had lots of exciting projects planned. After several traumatic years, 2021 would have held so much promise for Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and they must have been looking forward to what the year would bring. Unfortunately, in many respects it has turned out to be disastrous for the couple. From their controversial interview with Oprah Winfrey through to Meghan apologising for “forgetting” she sent briefing notes to the authors of…

It’s two years since Prince Andrew was forced to step back from royal duties and lay low after giving a disastrous interview with the BBC over his friendship with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. But despite staying out of the spotlight, things have continued to go from bad to worse for the Queen’s second son. He’s being sued by one of Epstein’s accusers, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who alleges that he had sex with her on three occasions, knowing she was underage at the time. Andrew, 61, was slammed for fleeing to Balmoral in Scotland, apparently to avoid being served with court papers, and for causing his mother stress at a time when she really doesn’t need it. “Andrew is a coward,” says writer Daniel Bird. “He is hiding behind a…

Drew Barrymore has revealed she’s been secretly sober for years. Opening up on a US morning news show recently, the Charlie’s Angels star confessed, “I’m gonna say something for the first time in a long time: I have not had a drink of alcohol in two-and-a-half years. It was something I realised just did not serve me and my life.” She said people who were “stuck in a pattern” can feel weak but, “when you break that cycle, the empowerment that comes out of it that says, ‘I’m not weak, I’m actually strong’, I think people are capable of big changes.” Drew explained she had found inspiration in the quote “Insecurity is loud – confidence is quiet.” “This was something I didn’t talk about for years because it was this…

It has been 10 years since Sara Wiseman ended her run as Dr Jennifer Mason on Shortland Street. So, when she made her grand return to our longest-running soap, she was expecting a warm welcome from her old friends. But coming back to Ferndale, this time as head of surgery Francesca Telford, during Auckland’s level 3 lockdown, Sara was greeted by a very different reality. “When I first arrived, we all had to be socially distanced both on screen and off. I had to sit in my own individual dressing room and wait to be called to set. It was very isolating,” Sara recalls. “But as strange as it was, it felt safe, which is the best possible outcome.” So, like all Aucklanders, the 49-year-old is very happy with the…

Finally, we’re seeing a lot of sun and for many of us, that includes spending quality family time at the beach. And while hitting the sand and surf feels especially blissful this year, it doesn’t make the realities of braving the elements – heat, humidity and exposure to UV rays – any less easy to contend with, especially when it comes to negotiating make-up and ample sun protection. So with that in mind, read on for the essentials to keep on hand before, during and after a day in the sun. Cover up Dr Sarah Buckley, L’Oréal NZ ACD Medical Representative, says, “With the highest rates of melanoma and skin cancer in the world, sun protection is very important. Sunscreen is just one factor alongside hats, clothing, sunglasses and strategic…

Another new year and for many, a new job – maybe a first job. Applying for jobs seems so complex now. When I got the greatest job of my life, as a journalist on Fair Go, it was simple. I was in the TV One Club bar at Avalon and a producer tapped me on the shoulder. “How’d you like to work on Fair Go next year?” And that was it. I said I’d love to. She said, “It ’s a deal, then”. “I regaled them with my TV experiences back in New Zealand and how I was now unblocking toilets in council flats” But the most extraordinary job interview I had was in London with BBC Television in the ’70s. I’d applied for a news journalist job I’d seen…

I’d like to conduct a little test: Gardening. If you’re still with me, you’ve passed! Congratulations. In my experience, that word is a strong sleep-inducer in most people under a certain age. Usually because, as a child, they were forced by heartless parents to do some “gardening” in return for pathetic favours like food and shelter. In addition, parents tend to get excited by dirt, water and growing, which just makes the offspring more unexcited. I know there will be some who challenge this theory – people who have been fascinated by chlorophyll their whole lives. I thank you, we need you. Without you, we wouldn’t have garden centres, and without garden centres, we would be short on cafés. For the rest of us floraphobes, it takes time. But eventually…

She worked as a freelance journalist before turning her hand to fiction. She wrote several romantic fiction novels under a pseudonym before penning the huge global bestseller The Girl on the Train. She lives between London and Edinburgh. This novel was inspired by…. A person and a place. The person – someone I have never met, but whose story I heard – was transformed into Laura, the central character of the book. The place was Regent’s Canal, where I was doing a lot of walking and thinking while I was considering how best to write about Laura. What I tend to find when I’m starting a book is that I know who I want to write about, but it takes me a while to figure out what story I want…

The people have spoken! The stars gathered in Los Angeles last week to celebrate the best and brightest of entertainment for the year at the 2021 People’s Choice Awards. It’s been a stellar year for Halle Berry, 55, who celebrated the release of her directorial debut earlier this month and was voted as this year’s People’s Icon. Often described as the Voice of a Generation, Christina Aguilera, 41, added another accolade to the title after being honoured with the Music Icon Award. The Stronger singer wowed the crowd with a performance of her biggest hits and even recreated her famous Dirrty outfit. She said of her win, “I have always strived for my music to communicate messages of empowerment, whether it’s speaking my own truths or giving voice to those…