Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 13, 2022 i New Zealand Woman's Weekly

After more than a year spent away from her husband and children, Princess Charlene of Monaco has returned home. The Zimbabwe-born, South Africa-raised royal – who married Prince Albert of Monaco in 2011 – reunited with her family earlier this month, and the palace has announced she will continue her “convalescence with her husband and her children by her side”. Former Olympic swimmer Charlene, 44, caused concern when she fell ill during a visit to South Africa in January 2021, and spent 10 months there receiving treatment for what was described as an ear, nose and throat infection. The princess returned to Monaco last November, but almost immediately booked into an exclusive Swiss facility for what her husband described as “emotional and physical exhaustion”. The palace says Charlene –mum to…

‘It aged me quickly. I felt I had to pull my weight so I wasn’t an extra burden’ The past nine months have been a whirlwind for actress Marianne Infante. After struggling for years to make ends meet to pursue a career in the arts, often surviving on two-minute noodles, she is now living her dream as the first Filipino character on Shortland Street. And having a stable job on the TVNZ 2 soap has meant Marianne can take the grown-up step she has always longed for – adopting a dog. “I always told myself when I achieved the level of adulthood where I felt like I could look after another being, I would rescue a dog,” says animal-lover Marianne. Growing up, her family had dogs and before she was…

Alfred Hitchcock is ignored Films like Vertigo and Pyscho are classics, but Hollywood legend Alfred Hitchcock never won a Best Director Oscar. He was nominated five times between 1940 and 1960, but went home empty-handed every time. In 1968, the academy gave him the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award, handed out during the Oscar’s ceremony, which honours producers. His acceptance speech, in its entirely, was, “Thank you… very much indeed.” Saving Private Ryan loses out The hard-hitting Steven Spielberg World War II epic looked like a shoo-in for the top award but lost the Best Picture Oscar to Shakespeare in Love. Steven was named Best Director, but Tom Hanks missed out on Best Actor. Some disgruntled studio executives blamed the loss on an aggressive marketing campaign mounted for Shakespeare in…

Like many children his age, Neil Singh hopes to be a YouTube star when he grows up. Confident and with a big personality packaged in a 110cm frame, the 10-year-old loves nothing more than curating content and gaming videos for his YouTube channel and gaining new subscribers. “Maybe I would like my own talk show one day; it would be about planes,” he enthuses. But behind his on-screen energy, Neil tires easily. For the past seven years, he’s had to swallow a daily dose of steroids at breakfast. They stunt his growth, yet they keep him alive, and help his weak and slowly wasting muscles to function. Born with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) – a progressive and genetic muscle disease that affects approximately one out of every 3600 baby boys…

Sweetcorn, feta & bacon fritters MAKES 12 PREP + COOK TIME 30 MINS 2 corn cobs or 1 ½ cups frozen kernels (or 420g can corn kernels, drained) 150g feta, crumbled 2 spring onions, thinly sliced 2 eggs, whisked 100ml milk 60g plain flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp dried chilli flakes (optional) Sea-salt flakes, freshly ground black pepper, to season Olive oil, for shallow-frying Grilled bacon, maple syrup, honey or chilli sauce, to serve 1 Preheat oven to 150°C fan- 2 forced (130°C conventional). Remove hull and silks from corn cobs. Using a sharp knife, slice off kernels, close to cob. Put in a large bowl. 3 Add the feta, spring onions, eggs, milk, flour, baking powder and chilli flakes (if using). Season, then mix together well. 4…

1 Finding patterns All forms of wild and wonderful prints are on trend this season, with everything from romantic flo orals, abstract prints, geometric shapes and retro-inspired patterns. This paisley number will set you up perfectly for the coming months with its midi-length, shirred waistline and blouson sleeves with ruffl ed ccuffss. It ticks all the right boxes. Dress $199.90 Witchery 2 Blazer trail While other shapes come and go, a sharp, structured blazer will never be out of fashion. We’ve all got the black option covered, so this season opt for something with texture – whether it be corduroy, velvet, leather or a soft bouclé like seen here. This sophisticated double-breasted style will work for day or play with ease. Blazer $159.99 Forever…

We’re not saying ditch your sweet nature and become a meanie, but in order to be kinder and more faithful to yourself, work on the following: HONOUR YOUR OWN NEEDS AND WANTS Regular “me time”, where you do whatever you feel like doing, is good for your mind, body and spirit. SAY ‘NO’ MORE OFTEN People appreciate a friendly “I’m sorry, I can’t this time,” or, ‘No thanks, I have other plans” a lot more than learning later you acted out of obligation. BE OPEN IF SOMETHING’S BUGGING YOU People aren’t mind readers. Suppressing your feelings prevents others from getting to know the real you and leaves them little room to offer support. OFFER UP YOUR OPINIONS Especially on issues you feel strongly about. Debate is healthy – don’t be…

Tidy tiers Make the most of a skinny, empty wall by adding a ready-made flat-pack cube shelving unit, then customise it to increase its storage space. All you’ll need is a shelf insert or two, such as these H- and X-shaped shelves (right), plus boxes and baskets, and you’ll soon be sorted. HERE’S HOW For the H-shaped insert, measure cube opening height, then cut 2 pieces of 15mm ply to measure. For the shelf, measure the width and deduct 32mm (the thickness of the sides plus a little wiggle room). Glue and screw the sides to the shelf, then slide it into the cube. For the X-shaped insert, measure the cube’s opening. Cut 15mm plywood to length. Give it a try and cut a bit off until it slots in…

“I thought these authors would be sweet maiden aunts who lived in country cottages with a devoted dog and a cuddly cat” Like you, I enjoy reading a mag. And I read loads of non-fiction books. But I don’t read fiction – haven’t read a novel in 20 years. Not sure why. Possibly my attention span is not up to it. Maybe I can’t get excited reading a story that’s made up. As a child, I loved story books. I read more than most kids. I’ve kept my favourites – the actual books. Three are in front of me now – The Color Kittens, a Little Golden Book by Margaret Wise Brown, The Little Auto by Lois Lenski and Now We Are Six by A.A. Milne. My older sister Ann…

Charity king “Paddy’s Road to Recovery” was a very inspiring read. What a hard time Paddy has had to endure with his major eye surgeries. To bounce back and to be part of a 135km-challenge for charity and to raise $55,000 is amazing. Well done, Paddy, Conrad and the rest of the team. I’m sure “So They Can” charity is very grateful. Covid has made it so hard for charities to raise much-needed funds. Having to cancel Daffodil Day and street appeals has been devastating for charities, plus the cost of living, with such high food and petrol prices, means not many people have much left over to give these days. Sue Carving mystery In a recent issue of the Weekly, Kevin Milne wrote about the carved glory box, which…

Every weekday I walk with my daughter to her new school. She doesn’t want to walk, I don’t want to walk, but both our negative energies are more than compensated for by the ridiculously positive walk energy of our dog Cookie. So we set off, being dragged by our canine, working through the stages of walking grief, until we settle on acceptance and start to talk. As any parent will know, these can be great bonding times. I love 11-year-old’s chat – their random thoughts, stories about friends, unfiltered questions and often incomprehensible explanations about things that happened at school. This morning, she pointed out a car on the side of the road and suggested it was the same as her friend’s. My heart sank. Sure, it was the same…

THE SONG I LISTEN TO WHEN I NEED A PICK-ME-UP IS… Down by Jay Sean. It’s been my go-to since it came out in 2009 and the song still slaps. IF I COULD PASS ANY LAW IT WOULD BE… The one we almost passed in 2020 and 48.4 percent of voters wanted to pass. You know what I’m talking about. Fingers crossed it won’t be long now! MY DREAM SUNDAY IS… Having tacos or burgers and many different beers that come in little glasses on a board at Urbanaut in Kingsland with friends. MY COMFORT FOOD IS… Potatoes in any form – roasted, chipped, mashed – I eat ’em all, as long as there’s salt involved. No nutritional value, really, just pure comfort. MY FAVOURITE BOOK EVER IS… The Hunger…

Farewell to fame Sandra Bullock looked ravishing in red at the premiere of her new film The Lost City in Austin. Just hours earlier, the 57-year-old said this would be her last movie for a while as she focuses on raising Louis and Laila. “I just want to be 24/7 with my babies and my family. That’s where I’m gonna be for a while.” Viva spots! She’s busy performing at her Las Vegas residency and being mum to Daisy, but Katy Perry, 37, was in fur-tastic form for the return of American Idol. YOU GO, GIRL! It’s not enough that Alicia Keys, 41, has conquered the music charts, now she is setting her sights on the literary world. The Grammy winner has released her first graphic novel inspired by her…

Back in 2002, Jamie Lee Curtis posed in her bra and undies with no make-up and no airbrushing to show the world what a real 43-year-old woman looked like. Now, the Halloween actress has gone a step further, starring in her latest movie au naturel. In Everything Everywhere All At Once, Jamie says she let it all hang out in an effort to assure women across the globe that they are normal. “In the world, there is an industry – a billion-dollar, trillion-dollar industry –about hiding things,” the mum-of-two wrote on social media. “Concealers. Body-shapers. Fillers. Procedures. Clothing. Hair accessories. Hair products. Everything to conceal the reality of who we are.” The Freaky Friday star, 63, who plays a tax inspector in the science-fiction comedy, did not use a prosthetic…

There are many people who I have spoken to recently who have had a change of heart over their direction in life due to the pandemic. But for Simon Bridges, who stepped down from politics last week, and his wife Natalie, their about-turn came after a summer reflecting on the fragility of life. Their son Harry had a major injury from a playground incident in December and from there, they began to re-evaluate what was most important to them – and, as many will be able to relate to, family came up trumps. They were able to spend some time chatting with me about their terrifying ordeal and also about how optimistic they are for the future. The full story is on page 6, and I wish them all the…

‘It’s all about me, me, me, rather than going out of his way for his grandmother’ Any shred of goodwill senior members of the royal family still have towards Prince Harry are fast disappearing following the news he won’t be attending his grandfather’s memorial service in the UK, but will travel to the Netherlands for the Invictus Games a couple of weeks later. Harry’s decision not to attend the service in memory of Prince Philip on March 29 is seen as a serious snub to the royal family, with one palace courtier saying, “The Queen will be devastated and other members of the family are bound to be furious. If the duke was ever hoping to patch things with his family, this will definitely set things back.” Attending the Invictus…

‘He said he didn’t love me any more. I was absolutely devastated’ Married Coronation Street characters Sarah Platt and Jason Grimshaw had their fair share of drama on the long-running show. Now the actors who play the pair – and who were once a couple in real life – have made headlines, thanks to their difficult relationship. Ryan Thomas, who played builder Jason in the show until 2016, has accused his ex Tina O’Brien (Sarah) – with whom he has a daughter, Scarlett – of smashing up his expensive Range Rover with a baseball bat. The wing mirror was allegedly knocked off and the paintwork scratched during an incident in the early hours of a Sunday morning. An insider says, “Ryan and Tina have a fractious relationship. They are not…

She studied her reflection in the driving mirror. She looked immaculate but she rearranged the set of her fringe anyway. All the Botox was fiendishly expensive but it was worth it. No-one would ever take her for the 40-year-old mother-of-three that she was. She smiled to herself – not even the man to whom she had once been married would recognise her now. Grimly she remembered how Simon would berate her for letting herself go. He never realised just how demanding small children could be. She simply didn’t have the time to take pride in her appearance after running around after his kids all day. She had found it impossible to keep the weight off, another failing on her part. How well she remembered the snide comments and most hurtful…

HELP IS HERE Need to talk? 1737 – free call or text 24/7 to talk to a trained counsellor Lifeline – 0800 543 354 Depression Helpline – 0800 111 757 Suicide Crisis Helpline – 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) Healthline – 0800 611 116 Samaritans – 0800 726 666 Information about suicide prevention can be found at mentalhealth.org.nz/ suicideprevention Throughout high school, Alex Medland had always been a high-achieving, self-motivated student, putting the pursuit of A-grades ahead of her mental wellbeing. And mum Melanie reckons when you’re a bit of a perfectionist, like her eldest daughter, you follow through with 100 percent commitment to everything – including anxiety and depression. Although the pair can share a wry smile about it now, they don’t downplay the family’s suffering after journeying alongside…

Apple & blackberry crumble pie SERVES 10 PREP + COOK TIME 1 HOUR 45 MINS ¾ cup (110g) plain flour ¾ cup (110g) self-raising flour 1 tablespoon caster sugar 100g chilled butter, chopped 1 egg yolk 1 ½ tablespoons chilled water, approximately 1 ½ cups (200g) frozen blackberries FILLING 1.5kg Braeburn apples, peeled, cored, thickly sliced (see tip) 50g butter, chopped ½ cup (110g) caster sugar CRUMBLE TOPPING 1/3 cup (50g) plain flour 1/3 cup (50g) self-raising flour 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon ¾ cup (165g) brown sugar 150g butter, chopped, softened 1/3 cup (35g) rolled oats ¾ cup (60g) natural flaked almonds (with skin on) VANILLA BEAN CUSTARD 1 vanilla bean 2 cups (500ml) milk 300ml cream 6 egg yolks ½ cup (110g) caster sugar 1 tablespoon cornflour 1…

Don’t forget your mask We’re not talking about the one you wear when you leave the house, but a once- or twice-a-week boost to keep skin healthy and happy. L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Filler Replumping Mask, $8, is a Japanese cotton fabric sheet mask that comes enriched with a high dose of hyaluronic acid serum to hydrate, plump and smooth the skin. Get into the habit of popping one on as you relax on a Sunday afternoon and you’ll be well set up for the week ahead. Use a nourishing cleanser During the cooler months, you don’t want to get rid of all of your skin’s natural oils that help keep it moisturised. If your cleanser leaves your skin feeling tight, dry and itchy, it’s time to find a formula that’s…

WHAT IS ENDOMETRIOSIS? Many women experience painful periods and just put it down to being part of a woman’s lot. But there’s a chance their period pain could be endometriosis, a chronic inflammatory disease where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus (endometrium) is found in places outside the uterus. Endometriosis is commonly found in the pelvis – including on the bowel or ovaries. Occasionally, it’s even outside the pelvis, such as in scar tissue, in the belly button or even the lungs. Any female from the time of their first period can suffer with endometriosis and it has varying levels of severity. The disease affects an estimated one in 10 women and girls and those assigned female at birth. There are more than 120,000 people living with endometriosis…

In none of my research did I meet a couple whose passion was ignited by ‘phwoar, nice boobs’ While I very much believe in science, I still have questions about the speed of human evolution. Maybe I’m impatient (I am impatient), but there are behaviours we persist with even though they are relentlessly unsuccessful. Take the wolf whistle specifically, or the more general “shouting at women from a distance”. I once wrote a whole book about how people meet and fall in love, and in none of my research did I meet a couple whose passion was ignited by “phwoar, nice boobs”. You’d think at some point there’d be a conversation along the lines of, “Trust me, son, we tried it in the ’70s – no dice. You and your…

FAMILY MATTERS • Winning letter In reply to Kevin Milne’s column regarding grandchildren, I am 83 years old and have no grandchildren at all – but you never miss what you never had! I have people tell me all the time that my boys are mean not having children for me, but I always answer, “Having children for your parents is no way to raise a family.” One has to make their own decisions on becoming parents. After all, you did, Kevin. And, like you, I am a great-great-aunt and love it. All the best – and I love your articles. Margaret…

You look lovely,” said a complete stranger as I fossicked for my car keys in my handbag. “Thank you very much,” I replied, surprised and delighted. But to be fair, I had just left the hairdresser’s, where my frizzy mop of hair had been tamed and styled for the first time in what felt like years, and where my make-up had been expertly applied. I was on my way to MC my first awards evening in 18 months and I’d forgotten how good it felt to be transformed from ordinary Kerre to glam Kerre. I was dressed to the nines in a glittery, sequinned dress, I had squeezed my tootsies into high heels – I even had a bra on. It was a red-letter day. Pre-pandemic, I used to host…

A cosy read about England in wartime seems a contradictory idea and yet somehow Jennifer Ryan keeps managing to write exactly that. She focuses not on men in battle, but on the women left at home, pluckily carrying on as their worlds change in ways they can’t hope to control. At times her stories are a bit too cutesy for my personal taste, but still they are engaging reads about the social impacts of war and the strength of women when they band together. This latest novel is all about the challenges of food rationing. It is two years into the Second World War and German U-boats are disrupting the food supply, so British housewives are having to get creative with ingredients like potato peelings, whale meat and sheeps’ heads.…

As the BAFTAs wrapped up last week, many of the show’s winners and nominees wandered across town to beam into the Critics’ Choice Awards ceremony, taking place that same evening in Los Angeles. Will Smith, 53, added to his fast-growing collection of trophies, picking up Best Actor at both ceremonies. Tennis stars Serena, 40, and Venus Williams, 41, whose father Will portrayed in the biopic King Richard, have been by his side throughout the awards’ season and the actor once again took the opportunity to thank the tennis icons for their inspiration. “You all define the American dream. You represent the best of what we all hope this world and this country can be.”…

‘He had the second-to-highest grade liver injury. It was almost destroyed’ When Simon Bridges announced his retirement from politics last week, there was one thing he didn’t share with the nation – the heart-stopping drama involving his eight-year-old son Harry that changed the course of his life forever. The former Leader of the Opposition looked decidedly relaxed as he told reporters he was leaving politics to spend more time with his family, saying he’d spent many hours discussing the decision with his wife Natalie. But behind his self-assured demeanour, the recent trauma of almost losing his precious son was almost too difficult to bear. It was on December 2 last year that Simon, 45, and Natalie, 39, were told their then seven-year-old son Harry had been hit by a swing…

‘When people try to tell you to stay in your lane, don’t listen’ When Reese Witherspoon sold a majority share of her multimillion-dollar production company Hello Sunshine last year, it hardly registered among movie buffs around the world. Behind the scenes she might be one of the most interesting powerbrokers Hollywood has ever seen, but to her fans Reese will always be the toy-dog-toting, high-heeled, pink-lipsticked heroine Elle Woods, who runs circles around her law-school colleagues in Legally Blonde. It might be 21 years since the comedy was released, but stereotype-defying Elle continues to be one of the most powerful characters Reese has played for one good reason. “Like her, I don’t like to be underestimated,” says the actress, 45. Once, like Elle, Reese was written off as just another…

‘It was an interesting experience being wheeled through the airport’ To be the best of the best in any sport requires mammoth amounts of grit and determination – but for Kiwi sailor Erica Dawson, it has meant overcoming a serious injury to chase her dreams. She has been going head to head against world-class sailors in the SailGP Championship, but just a year ago, a shock accident almost crushed her chances of success. “We were at a training camp in Australia, and I fell off the boat and hit the rudder and broke my fibula,” says Erica, explaining how the trapeze wire she was hooked into snapped as they travelled close to 20 knots. “It was a scary time because it was uncertain whether or not I’d be able to…

Christine, 62, is a librarian at the Dunedin Athenaeum Library and writes movie reviews for The Otago Daily Times. The story started as... An image of a woman sitting in a car, studying herself in the rear-view mirror. I had to write it to work out what she was up to. The most challenging thing was... Making it taut but understandable. The 16-year-old me... Probably wouldn’t be interested in anything I had to say to her, but I guess I don’t worry so much. Things have a funny way of working out in the end. At the moment, I am really enjoying reading... Again, Rachel, the latest Marian Keyes novel. It is another in the Walsh sister novels and as good as Keyes’ other books are. These have a little…

Roasted Thai chilli jam chicken drumsticks SERVES 4 PREP + COOK TIME 30 MINS 8 small chicken drumsticks 1/3 cup Thai chilli jam (available from Asian specialty stores) 300g bag mixed fine slaw 1 cup bean sprouts 2 spring onions, thinly sliced, plus extra, to garnish ¼ cup Thai-style salad dressing (from the dressing aisle at the supermarket) ¼ cup roasted ssalted peanuts Coriander, to garnish Brown microwave rice, lime wedges, to serve 1 Preheat oven to 210°C. Line a large roasting pan with baking paper. 2 Cut 3 slits in each drumstick at thick end. Put in a large zip-lock bag and add chilli jam, massaging to coat. Arrange in prepared pan. Roast for 25 minutes or until cooked through. 3 Combine the slaw, sprouts, spring onions and dressing.…

With the strike of a match, you’ll be amazed how a scented candle can elevate your experience of being at home. A magnificent aroma can transport you to faraway places and has great relaxation benefits too. Here’s an overview of the candle-making process, plus a few ready-to-burn favourites. HOW TO MAKE A SOY WAX CANDLE You will need 1 Using hot glue, attach tab of wick to inside base of vessel. For wide-mouth vessels, you can attach 2 wicks, evenly spaced apart. Let dry. 2 Thread top of wick through hole in wick bar holder. Rest ends of wick bar holder on edge of vessel. This holds wick upright when pouring wax. Repeat for all wicks used,…

• I am an Oscar winner. I have also been a winner at the BAFTAs, Golden Globes, Emmys and SAG awards. • I have also been nominated for a Tony and several Grammys, but I haven’t won any. • In the 1980s, I was nominated for Oscars seven times. • My first nomination was for my first major movie role. I didn’t win that time, but did collect an Oscar when I was nominated again the following year. • My co-star also won an acting Oscar for that film. He has since admitted that he initially “hated my guts”. • After winning my first Oscar, I accidentally left it in the public toilets at the venue. • I received my latest nomination in 2018, for playing a newspaper publisher. •…

ARIES Mar 21 – Apr 20 Have you been looking after yourself properly? It is one of those times when seasons and the weather is changing, and you can feel a little lacklustre. You are probably feeling disenchanted with yourself and with the world around you. But don’t worry, this will soon lift. A good way to help things along is to treat yourself to something you have wanted, or something you enjoy, and of course a walk on a beach or in the forest always makes you feel better. It goes without saying to eat properly, sleep and hydrate. TAURUS Apr 21 – May 21 The week has all the makings of a marathon that never seems to end. Just as you finish one thing, something else starts and…

Initially his Nurse Maude had a very elderly patient who was allergic to bathing. No matter how hard she tried, he always had an excuse, so one morning she thought she’d try a new approach by suggesting that she wash the undies he had on while he was in the bath. She took fresh undies from the drawer to him, but he immediately said, “Don’t touch those – they’re the only marked ones I have in case I go to hospital.” Nurse Maude looked for markings, she but found none. “You must be mistaken, Mr O’Shea,” she said, but triumphantly he turned the garments back to the labels. They were marked O.S. Joan You mean…? We had recently moved into a new house. The guest room was furnished with two…

She used to be a book editor and moved from London to Washington DC after getting married. She lives in northern Virginia with her husband and two children, and writes fiction inspired by her grandmother’s wartime memories. This is her third novel. This novel was inspired by... My grandmother’s old recipe book. It is one of those handwritten notebooks, battered and worn from decades of kitchen splatters, used, shared and loved. Witty and warm, my grandmother came of age just before the war, and the book has plenty of war-time recipes, many scrawled in her haphazard handwriting, showing how each recipe evolved over time as she added and subtracted ingredients. Her sense of family, friendship and love was conveyed through her cooking. The most fun/challenging thing about writing it was...…