Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 11, 2022 i New Zealand Woman's Weekly

‘I love public displays of romance. I’m all about it if you really feel it’ A year after rekindling their relationship, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affl eck are looking for a love nest – in Britain. The Hollywood A-listers, who called off their first engagement in 2004, are believed to be house-hunting for a mansion on the outskirts of London. “There is a very trusted team looking for the perfect home for Ben and J.Lo,” a source close to the couple has revealed, adding that the pair want a bolthole in a leafy area of the city, “close to Heathrow Airport but also near enough to some of the big studios such as Leavesden and Shepperton.” The couple’s move, timed for the Northern Hemisphere summer, is reportedly due to dad-of-three…

Since her first moment on screen, sobbing over a pottery wheel in the new Kiwi series Under the Vines, Carrie Green has been stealing scenes. And as the Weekly chats to Carrie on a balmy Auckland day, she recalls how those tears weren’t difficult to conjure. Only a week before she flew to Queenstown to film the TVNZ 1 show at the beginning of 2021, her father Henare died suddenly. “We found out he was sick with cancer and then he passed away the next day. He was pretty good at hiding how he was feeling,” she shares. Carrie, who got engaged to her longtime partner Matthew, 53, in 2020, says upon hearing Henare’s diagnosis, she sprang into action and tried to quickly plan a wedding in the hopes that…

Whether it’s horse-trekking through remote Otago mountain trails, riding her all-terrain motorbike or preparing to grub thistles in the hay paddocks of her Taieri property, it’s rare to find Alice Sinclair sitting still. The adventure-seeking 86-year-old is well-known around Mosgiel as much for being an Energizer Bunny as a local treasure. But to her five kids, 10 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren, she’s simply “bloody hard to keep up with”! Alice was set to make history last month, trekking with her Standardbred horse Keira on the 30th Otago Goldfields Heritage Trust’s cavalcade, an epic journey following in the footsteps of the region’s gold-mining pioneers. ‘I took a glider flight for my 83rd birthday and went bungyjumping last year’ As the oldest participant, she is one of just four people who have…

Cheesy chorizo quesadillas MAKES 2 PREP + COOK TIME 20 MINS 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1 small red onion, chopped finely 2 cured chorizos, chopped finely 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/3 cup (80g) chopped drained roasted red capsicum 2 wholemeal pita pockets 1 cup (100g) grated cheese 30g baby spinach leaves 1 Heat oil in a medium frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook onion, stirring, for 3 minutes or until softened. Add chorizo, cooking for 2 minutes or until golden. Add paprika and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in capsicum. Season with salt. 2 Warm pita pockets in microwave to refresh. Split pockets open. Fill each with a quarter of the cheese, half the chorizo mixture and half the spinach, then top with the remaining cheese. 3 Preheat…

KNOW YOUR NEUTRALS Whether you suit darker coloured neutrals or paler hues, this palette is a classic option. Adding patterns like animal or paisley with a neutral base will keep your ensemble contemporary. Gold highlights will amplify these colourways perfectly. GO FOR BOLD Bright pink can be an intimidating colour for some of us, which can lead to avoiding it at all costs. However, this hot hue will brighten any outfit. A statement shirt or neon accessory will elevate your ensemble. TUNE INTO TONES Have you ever been told to avoid wearing green? The good news is, there are shades within the spectrum to suit most skin tones. Whether it is a bold or a soft one, has more blue or more yellow in it, there’s a shade for you.…

“It’s weirdly comforting to remind ourselves we’ve been saying dumb stuff to each other forever” We’re all a bit edgy in these pandemic times, so I’ve been asking around for samples of the things we might be saying to each other that tip us over that edge. Turns out, you don’t have to bring up the virus or vaccines to ruin a conversation – pregnancy and parenting can do it too. It’s weirdly comforting to remind ourselves we’ve been saying dumb stuff to each other forever. But since we are living in what is objectively a Very Difficult Time, a chat about what not to ask each other is timely. In terms of frequency, my survey says top of the list of Worst Questions People Ask is, “When is the…

Animal crackers Dog dosing day came and Mum went off with a disgruntled Sandy on the lead. After she had waited impatiently for 20 minutes, the man paused his treatment of other dogs, some of which had arrived a good deal later than Sandy. “Have you a dog, Madam?” he asked Mum politely. “Yes,” said Mum. “I’ve been waiting and waiting…” That was the point where Mum glanced down and saw she was holding a lead, but no dog. Sandy was back in the car by then. Dog Gone School days There must be times in the lives of school teachers when they receive some extraordinary requests from parents. Years ago, our form master used to tell a tale he assured us was true, though I have my doubts. He…

Biographical historical novels take the life story of someone real and fill in the gaps in our knowledge with fiction. Often, these people are well-known, but the subject of this novel seems to have been largely forgotten. Eliza Acton was an English food writer and poet in the 1800s. She conceived the style of the modern recipe and wrote a best-selling cookery book, but her personal life is full of mystery. The ficctional version of Eliza Acton we meet in this story is a sensitive and kindly woman, who is harbouring a secret sadness. When her father goes bankrupt and flees to France, she and her mother are forced to open a boarding house, where Eliza takes care of the cooking with the help of a young kitchen maid, Ann.…

The couple who dresses together stays together! Rita Ora, 31, and Taika Waititi, 46, made their bid for cutest couple at fashion week when they arrived at the Fendi runway show in Milan wearing matching power suits. After celebrating their first anniversary earlier this year, the pop star and her Kiwi beau have not been shy about publicly showing their affection as they cosied up while watching the fashion event from the front row. Of course, an appearance at Milan Fashion Week requires an assortment of glamorous outfits, including this traffi c-stopping lime-green number Rita wore while in the beautiful Italian city.…

Grab a cuppa and sit down for some “me time” – we have lots of stories this week that are sure to inspire you. With so much turmoil in the royal family right now, the wise Windsor women, including Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, are really stepping up. From page 6, we look at all the work they are doing that’s making a difference to so many. Elsewhere, Paddy Gower opens up about the health issues that left him feeling very low last year. He shares that he’s feeling much better thanks to donning Lycra and taking up a challenge with his pal Conrad Smith. If you’re a regular reader of the Weekly, you may remember our story with Conrad, who was raising money for the charity So They Can. Due…

There’s one thing you can be sure of when you have a conversation with Petra Bagust – and that is humour. You will always end up laughing out loud, no matter what the conversation topic. Which is why she was such a big hit on Ice TV in the ’90s and why she is the perfect person to host a new podcast about things we don’t talk about called Grey Areas. “It’s definitely a passion project for me,” she says over Zoom as we indulge in Friday night drinks – vodka and soda for her, Prosecco for me. “I talk to well-known people about things like having sex with the same person for years and years and years,” she laughs. “Or what happens on the other side of menopause. And…

The showbiz world has a brand-new prince! The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reboot – simply titled Bel-Air and streaming now on TVNZ OnDemand – was recently released and got us wondering… what became of the original cast of the ’90s comedy? JAMES AVERY James was popular as Will’s Uncle Phil – a stern but loving patriarch who supported his wayward nephew through thick and thin. After the show ended, James went on to act in other shows, including The Closer and That ’70s Show but in 2013, aged 68, he sadly passed away due to complications during open-heart surgery. “Some of my greatest lessons in acting, living and being a respectable human being came through James Avery,” Will said after his beloved co-star’s death. “Every young man needs an Uncle…

Do you have any time for hobbies? Yes, I paint and have sold some of my work. I go to an art group every Friday morning, but I call it my farm break! Have you ever had any horse trouble on the Otago Cavalcade? I had a horse called Lady Godiver in 2008 on the Cavalcade, and while out grazing we think she tried to jump a ditch and fell and broke her leg. Sadly, she had to be put down. I then went out and bought Missy. But three years ago, I had problems with her. I couldn’t get her to walk, she just jig-jogged the whole seven days. She was getting sick of the cavalcades, and she bucked, reared and went backwards. Of course, the men were yelling…

Seeded cheddar soda bread with chilli butter SERVES 6 PREP + COOK TIME 1 HOUR 10 MINUTES 2 cups (300g) white spelt flour 1 ½ cups (240g) wholemeal self-raising flour (see notes) 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon salt flakes 80g butter, chopped 2 cups (240g) coarsely grated vintage cheddar 1 ½ cups (375ml) buttermilk, approximately, plus extra for brushing ½ cup (75g) mixed seeds (see notes) CHILLI BUTTER 250g butter, at room temperature 1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes 2 garlic cloves, crushed 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 Preheat oven to 200°C. To make the chilli butter, combine ingredients in a medium bowl. Season. Cover and set aside. 2 Sift flours and baking soda into a large bowl. Return husks to bowl with salt. Rub in butter with…

From the kitchen to the garden and right back inside again. You can reuse that old colander – with its chips and dents the evidence of too much cookery love – by taking it outside and planting it up with herbs, salad greens or strawberries. Yum! You could even go ornamental with spring-flowering bulbs or colourful polyanthus. Whatever you grow in a pot will also grow in a colander – the one kitchen utensil with ready-made drainage holes. So give it a new lease on life with living things! 1 A colander with an old-fashioned design is perfect for forever-favourites African violets. 2 Plant pretty primulas with daisies such as Bellis perennis, then add flat-leaf parsley for more kitchen love. 3 Hellebores and blue scillas will cast a warm glow…

PISCES Feb 20 – Mar 20 You are someone who likes to work in the background. You have amazing ideas and you have the skills to put them into practice; you are also able to make other people’s ideas happen. But you need to be prepared because you are going to be hauled into the forefront. People want to see and meet who makes it all happen. There will be compliments, accolades and conversations. It might be uncomfortable, but it is important to be seen and heard, especially when it comes to payment for your work. ARIES Mar 21 – Apr 20 Now is the time to tackle something major. Giving up a habit; starting a new regime; deciding to get married or divorced. It could also be about doing…

“I could’ve sworn I’ve only spent two days on video games since I last mowed it. Now it’s back to full mullet” They say rust never sleeps, but I suspect grass has a similar insomnia problem. Grass, or whatever constitutes our lawn, it seems to be mainly weeds posing as grass. Regardless, it never relents. I could’ve sworn I’ve only spent two days on video games since I last mowed it. Now it’s back to full mullet. Overflowing into areas it’s not invited, sprawling all over the place like a giant green sloth. I made the mistake of deciding to tackle it last weekend. I thought I’d do the edges first. That’s a smaller, easier, fun job, so I strode out, fully gumbooted, to get the weed whacker thing from…

She is the daughter of an academic and poet. She lives between London and Sussex. As well as writing novels, she is involved in a blog, The Age-Well Project, and writes non-fiction books. This novel was inspired by…. Discovering the real-life story of Eliza Acton and learning of the influence she’d had on cooks as well-known as Delia Smith. I realised she had been completely forgotten, thanks in part to the infamous Mrs Beeton who pilfered a third of her recipes. I found Eliza Acton’s cookery books in a collection of antiquarian recipe books that I inherited from my mother-in-law, a cookery teacher in the 1950s and a keen chef. The most challenging/fun thing about writing it was…. Cooking all her recipes. I knew they were a way into her…

‘It’s quite mad that capable women should be regarded just as pretty faces’ The British royal family is known as The Firm for a very good reason. They’re essentially a business with a CEO – the Queen – who carries most of the responsibility but needs the backing of an efficient and dedicated team for the whole operation to run smoothly. Now, at a critical time when the boss is starting to feel the effects of her advancing years – and has been under the weather thanks to being struck by Covid – the MVPs among her “senior executives” are proving to be women who weren’t born royal but have stepped up to shoulder the load. Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Sophie, Countess of Wessex and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge have…

‘I have to admit, I used to look at people in Lycra and think they were weird!’ When beloved broadcast journalist Patrick Gower recently cycled into Taranaki’s Whangamo¯mona township alongside his good friend and former All Black Conrad Smith, onlookers cheered. The pair, along with 13 other men, had just spent five gruelling hours completing a 135km challenge to raise money for the charity So They Can, but it meant more to Paddy than their supporters realised. After a traumatic experience with two major surgeries on his left eye last year, including a failed operation, cycling was the saviour that pulled the TV star from a deep depression. “I was really down in the ditch and kind of lost all my spark. I had a first operation in February last…

When Shaneel Lal heard the news Parliament had passed a bill to end controversial conversion therapy in Aotearoa last month, not even a callous death threat could dampen the mood of the Auckland LGBT rights activist. While Shaneel and thousands of others were celebrating the milestone, someone wrote a note telling Shaneel to end their life, before leaving it on the political commentator’s doorstep. Although Shaneel, who uses the pronoun they, bravely burnt the note and returned to celebrating, it wasn’t the first time the law and psychology student has battled adversity for being born queer and transgender. As a child growing up in Fiji, the 22-year-old was separated from other boys at school because elders believed the youngster’s queerness could spread like a virus. The girls were also kept…

Southern buffalo-style chicken nibbles SERVES 4 PREP + COOK TIME 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES 2kg chicken nibbles 1 cup (180g) rice flour 1/3 cup (95g) tomato sauce ¼ cup (70g) barbecue sauce 1 ½ tablespoons white vinegar 1 teaspoon chilli flakes (optional) TOMATO & AVOCADO SALSA 2 large tomatoes, chopped coarsely 1 large avocado, chopped coarsely 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh coriander 1 Preheat oven to 220°C. Oil two wire racks and place over two large baking trays. 2 Toss chicken nibbles in rice flour and place on wire racks. Roast, uncovered, for 40 minutes, turning once during cooking, or until golden brown and cooked through. 3 To make the tomato and avocado salsa, gently combine all the ingredients together in a bowl. 4 Place…

I was waiting for my turn at the hairdresser’s. I like this particular hairdresser because you don’t just sit there reading a magazine till your turn comes up. Conversation is encouraged. Anyway, a bloke getting his hair cut was telling his hairdresser he was a greatgrandad. I couldn’t believe it. He looked so young. Well, a lot younger than me anyway and I’m not yet even a grandfather. I couldn’t help but pop the question: “If you don’t mind me asking, how old are you?” He replied, “Fifty-seven.” “That’s very young to become a great-grandad,” I suggested. “Well, actually, I became a great-grandad five years ago, when I was 52.” This seemed to me extraordinary. At 72, I’m still just a dad. “How did you become a great-grandad at 52?”…

Letters to the Editor TECH TRAP • Winning letter Oh, Kerre, how I sympathise with you and your technology woes. For someone like me, whose first introduction to a phone was putting 6pd in the phone box slot and pushing “Button A” (I was only a wee tot then) to now having this whole new world where without your phone it’s like losing an arm, it just astounds and confounds me. On one occasion, when I had to digitally sign some legal documents, I had such a hassle that I printed off the document, signed it, scanned it and thought, “Ooh, clever me.” But this wasn’t accepted as being an original document. Aaagh! Finally, I went into an actual law firm and said, “Please witness this and help me.” The…

Oh, am I glad I have this column to write tonight! It means I don’t have to think about going into my wardrobe for at least another couple of hours. It will probably be midnight by the time I summon up the courage to open the door to my room full of clothes. The only good thing that can be said about the wardrobe in my spare room – well, my wardrobe is actually the whole spare room – is that everything is clean and everything is hung up on hangers. But apart from that, it’s chaos. It would not spark joy in Marie Kondo’s heart. The queen of minimalism and decluttering, Marie advises you to commit yourself to tidying up as you go – fold your clothes, don’t hang…

NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THIS ABOUT ME, BUT I’M VERY GOOD AT… Quacking. I honed my Donald Duck voice as a young child and I find it comes in handy on many occasions. Children tend to laugh hysterically at it, either that or they burst into tears. THE SONG I LISTEN TO WHEN I NEED A PICK-ME-UP IS… My all-time favourite song is Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler. Better still is the literal video version which really unpacks the song. MY COMFORT FOOD IS… I do find it very hard to go past an asparagus roll. My dad used to make them for my football team, Brooklyn Northern United, every Sunday and they beat half-time oranges hands down. THE REALITY TV SERIES I LOVE IS……

The country’s premier racing carnival, Auckland Cup Week® , kicked off at Auckland’s Ellerslie Racecourse on Saturday. While Covid-19 restrictions may mean significantly fewer people have been able to attend, the big titles – including the $1million Vodafone New Zealand Derby, $500,000 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup® and the national racewear final The Ned Prix de Fashion, with its $20,000-plus prize package – have been able to go ahead. The good news is, the restrictions have meant more women can enter the fashion competitions, which have now been moved online. Entries into the first of the digital fashion and style competitions – the Adashiko Fashion Qualifiers – are now open to all women* in New Zealand, and are set to bring the glamorous spirit of Auckland Cup Week® to homes…

Vintage vixen Sandra Bullock has kicked off her latest press tour in style! The 57-year-old stars alongside Channing Tatum and Daniel Radcliffe in her new film The Lost City, about a reclusive author who is kidnapped by a billionaire who is on a treasure hunt inspired by her latest novel. Arnie cute?! Meet the newest member of the Schwarzenegger menagerie! Arnold, 74, already shares his home with Lulu the donkey, Whiskey the miniature horse, and dogs Dutch, Noodle and Cheery, and has now added the adorable Schnitzel to the gang. Making a scene It was an emotional moment for Sarah Jessica Parker, 56, and husband Matthew Broderick, 59, as they took their bows at the opening night of their play Plaza Suite. The pair’s Broadway return was delayed for two…