Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 18, 2022 i New Zealand Woman's Weekly

Young & the RESTLESS A decades-long problem has Jen losing sleep Jennifer Aniston fans don’t often see her with bags under her eyes, but the Friends star has confessed she’s suffered from insomnia, and even sleepwalking, for decades. Jen, 53, says her sleep problems began “in my thirties or even younger” and as the years rolled by, the effects on her health snowballed. “It became something I really was struggling with,” she shares. “You can’t really abide by the three pillars of health – which are diet, exercise and sleep – if you can’t really exercise and you can’t really eat right because you haven’t slept.” Not sleeping properly, she says, led to sleep anxiety and “the more I worry about it, the harder it is to fall asleep”.…

‘They truly like each other, as well as their romantic attraction’ Just like her alter ego Bridget Jones, Renée Zellweger has endured a rocky road in the romance department, but she has fin nally met her perfect match! Insiders say the two-time Oscar winner is falling deeper in love with her TV star boyfriend Ant Anstead by the day and the feeling is mutual. Just last month dad-of-three Ant, 43, posted a video of the loved-up pair kissing, with the caption, “This lady [red heart emoji] x Ren.” “There is so much respect between them,” shares an insider close to the couple. “They spend as much time as possible together. They truly like each other, as well as their romantic attraction. The relationship is serious.” Romance was the last thing…

‘I had a habit when I’d had a few drinks of dropping my trousers to shock people’ From the outrageous cheek of Dame Edna Everage to the perpetually drunk Sir Les Patterson, Barry Humphries knows how to get a laugh. Now, at the ripe age of 88, the comedian is trying something new – going on stage as himself! This month the Aussie icon has hit the road with a one-man tour of the UK, called Barry Humphries: The Man Behind the Mask, in which he shares anecdotes and observations from his deliciously colourful life. “I call the tour my ‘tourette’,” he grins, “because that’s what I’ll be doing on stage – saying whatever comes into my head. And there’s no need to dress up!” Some fans might have to…

She sings, she acts – and she doesn’t suffer fools! Barbra Streisand turns 80 on April 24 and the legendary diva still has the world at her feet. To celebrate her milestone, we uncover seven facts you might not know about the sensational and soon-to-be-minted octogenarian. A STAR WAS BORN ‘I didn’t sing and charge people for 27 years because of that night’ Barbra was born in Brooklyn in 1942 and her English teacher dad died when she was just 15 months old. The family then moved in with her grandparents and by the age of five, she says, she was known in her neighbourhood as “the girl with no father and a good voice”. She always dreamed of a career in showbiz and still thinks of herself as an…

Eggs benedict SERVES 4 COOK & PREP TIME 40 MINS 2 teaspoons white vinegar ½ teaspoon salt 8 eggs 8 slices ciabatta bread 160g shaved leg ham 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives MICROWAVE HOLLANDAISE 150g butter, chopped 2 egg yolks 1 ½ tablespoons water 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 To make the microwave hollandaise, melt butter in a microwave-safe jug on high (100%) for 1 minute. Whisk the egg yolks, water and lemon juice in a small microwave-safe bowl. Cook, uncovered, on medium (50%), whisking every 15 seconds, for 1 minute or until thickened slightly. Don’t allow the egg yolk mixture to boil. Add the hot melted butter, a few drops at a time, to the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly, until the mixture starts to thicken. Continue to…

You will need • Medium-sized circular cardboard gift box • Paintbrush and paint in two colours of your choice (we used Resene testpots in Romantic and Clover) • 2-3 sheets of patterned paper (A4 size or larger) • Pencil • Ruler • Scissors • Quick-dry adhesive • Clear finish or glaze • Paper flowers and stick-on letters, for decoration • 50cm square 100 percent organic cotton muslin or similar fine-weave fabric • Loose-leaf tea • Thin, natural, unbleached string • 2-3 sheets of coloured card TEA BOXES 1 Paint the outside of the box base with your chosen paint. Set aside to dry, then apply a second coat. 2 Place the lid of the box, top-side down, on a piece of patterned paper. Trace around the outside of the lid…

Sometimes I have an overwhelming urge to invite my mother to dinner. It’s a thought that arrives and quite gets away on me – I am planning the menu and making lists of stories I want to tell and questions I want to ask before I remember she’s not with us any more and hasn’t been for three years. I say this not to be maudlin, or for sympathy or any of that nonsense. As we reach a certain age, not having your mother still alive is, as my mother often said, the natural way of things. Grieving your mother is part of our own ageing process. Certainly, no one wants it to be round the other way, to outlive your children – my mother was very firm about that…

DANCING QUEEN • Winning letter I’m so glad that Kerre Woodham has taken up the challenge of competing in this year’s Dancing with the Stars show on TV3. Kerre has always been one of my favourite media personalities. Her down-to-earth, humorous and honest approach to life’s issues have always struck a chord with me. I wish Kerre and her dance partner Jared much success in the DWTS competition. Judging by the photos in your feature article, Jared is going to enjoy the experience as much as I hope Kerre will. Kerre’s charity, Starship Children’s Hospital, is a very worthy cause, and I hope Kerre and Jared will go all the way to the final to raise much-needed funds for them. On behalf of dumpy “pit ponies” everywhere, “GO, KERRE”! Allison…

To our ongoing surprise, we now live in an older, rather well-off part of town and, naturally enough, it’s full of posh shops. One of them is a food place, a small supermarket really, filled with all sorts of expensive temptations. I don’t go there often, but when I do, I’ve been known to lose all control of my usually sensible self. Well, not that sensible. Just sensible enough to handle our regular food shopping without collapsing the bank. But I am weak in the presence of tempting retail options, so I generally try to stay away from those sorts of shops. But, just the other day, in search of a can of anchovies for a meal I was making, I ventured into that posh food place just over the…

Food Simple Wholefoods by Sophie Steevens (Allen & Unwin, $49.99) Eating a healthier, more plant-filled diet is the goal for many of us, but making the switch from our traditional meaty way of eating can be challenging. Sophie Steevens is a New Zealander who lives in Brisbane and she has a huge following on Instagram (@rawandfree). Sophie believes a clean, wholesome diet has healed her own health and she is passionate about helping others make better food choices. As well as delicious, easy, family-friendly recipes, her book includes useful tips for simple and nourishing ways to eat and live. Whether the aim is to go completely plant-based or incorporate more veges into your diet, Simple Wholefoods is packed with ideas. Historical fiction The Leonard Girls by…

I’m so excited to share this special Mother’s Day issue with you as broadcaster Heather du Plessis-Allan introduces us to her adorable son Iggy. I hope the pure joy she shares of welcoming him to the world and the early weeks of motherhood will warm your heart as much as it did mine. It’s always very exciting when baby pictures land in the offi ce and we were all besotted with wee Iggy – he is just so cute! Heather shares how even though billions of women have done it, giving birth made her feel like a champion, which many of us mums will relate to because it is certainly a life-changing experience! Speaking of champions, don’t miss our story with grandmother Sharon Rose, who recently celebrated her 50th birthday…

She’s in incredible shape for someone who has been on this planet for nearly 100 years. But with the Queen turning 96 last week, palace insiders are warning that the public needs to start accepting that Her Majesty won’t be seen out and about very much any more. Mobility issues have been affecting her ability to attend events that are annual fixtures on her calendar – like the Easter Sunday service at Windsor – and we’ll just have to get used to seeing an empty space where the monarch would normally be, say aides who plan her diary. In recent months, the Queen’s appearances at several engagements have been cancelled at the last minute and in a new strategy adopted by the palace, her attendance will only be confirmed on…

‘It’s a beautiful thing to encourage somebody when you see talent’ When Auckland actress Cassandra Woodhouse decided to dive headfirst into the world of theatre production without much experience – and to do it while also starring in a one-woman play – she went straight to the top for help. “I knew I needed an experienced director who could be an acting mentor,” Cassandra laughs as she recalls the day she picked up the phone and cold-called New Zealand acting legend Jennifer Ward-Lealand. “She was the only person I felt could do the job. I had never met her, but she was so gracious. She gave me an hour of her time on the phone to give me advice.” Cassandra had to pinch herself when Jennifer – president of actor’s…

Dylan Penn (Sean Penn and Robin Wright) “I told my parents I wanted to direct eventually,” says Dylan Penn, 30. “Both of them told me that I should know what it’s like to be an actor before I direct.” Dylan’s first movie was the horror film Condemned and last year she co-starred with her dad in the movie Flag Day, which he also directed. Sosie Bacon (Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick) Sosie Bacon – daughter of Kevin Bacon, 63, and Kyra Sedgwick, 56 – made her acting debut at the age of 11 in a movie directed by her dad. “I was sort of a little bit resistant to it,” the 30-year-old Mare of Easttown star says of acting. But “I realised that it’s just what I love.” Kyra, meanwhile,…

Fennel, leek & chicken pies PREP + COOK TIME 40 MINS SERVES 4 2 medium fennel bulbs 1 tablespoon olive oil 800g chicken breast fillets, chopped coarsely 20g butter 2 rindless bacon rashers, sliced thinly 1 small leek, trimmed, sliced thinly 1 tablespoon plain flour ½ cup (125ml) dry white wine 300ml pouring cream ½ cup (125ml) milk ½ cup (60g) frozen peas 1 sheet puff pastry 1 egg, beaten lightly 60g baby rocket leaves ½ small red cabbage, leaves separated 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease base and sides of four 1 ¼-cup (310ml) ovenproof dishes. 2 Using a mandoline or V-slicer, thinly slice fennel bulb, reserving fronds. 3 Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Cook chicken, stirring, for 8…

Heavenly scent Who doesn’t love a hand cream, especially when we’re all washing our hands so much! Natio I Love Flowers Hand Cream, $13.99, comes in Jasmine, Magnolia and Lavender, and is formulated with green tea and vitamin E to protect, plus apricot kernel, jojoba and rosehip oils to deeply moisturise. Thrice as nice Trilogy’s limited-edition All About You gift pack, $49.99, is made up of three beautiful and easy skincare steps from the clean-beauty experts. Fuss-free and easy to use, this trio is safe for delicate skin, while delivering real results. Rest and reset We could all do with more sleep in our lives, especially mums! This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray + Eye Mask, $72, is a gorgeous duo made up of a super-sized version of the aromatherapy-based…

As fragrance wafts from their frilly flowers, spring bulbs are just what you need to turn the winter chills into the thrill of spring. And now – in autumn – is the time to plant your bulbs, while the earth is still warm and soft. Then, when the late winter sun starts to arch higher in the sky, they’ll jump up from their slumber, bringing your garden back to life with vibrant colour, vigour and passion. All it takes is a gentle nudge from that still wimpy sun! MAKE YOUR GARDEN BED Soil Bulbs need well-drained soil because they will rot if they are sitting in constantly moist earth. It should be slightly acidic, so dig in organic fertiliser before planting. Aspect Most bulbs prefer lots of gentle sun, so…

TAURUS Apr 21 – May 21 You want things to happen right now and that is simply impossible. It is not practical and the time is not right. You already know that, but it does not stop you from wishing that things could get moving. There is a little more planning to be done, and it might be worthwhile taking some time out from work, family and relationships to concentrate on your plans and see if things can be sped up. You need more resources and more finances, so work on those two elements and things will happen a lot faster. GEMINI May 22 – Jun 21 Time for some nostalgia and to take time to acknowledge the people who got you where you are today. Think of what they…

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If it’s Monday and you’re reading this magazine, I will find out tonight whether I’ll be packing up my dancing shoes and tulle petticoats and leaving the dance floor, or whether I’ll be girding my loins for another week’s training. I really, really hope I’m not the first off Dancing with the Stars. None of us wants to be the first and yet one of us has to be. We’ve all – contestants and professional dancers – put in so many hours of practice, desperately trying to learn in four weeks how to master an art that takes many people a lifetime, and now it’s a bit like how I used to feel before I ran my marathons. You’ve invested so much time, sweat, pain and mental exhaustion that the…

Domestic bliss She’s a successful actress, a daytime talk-show queen and a beauty guru, but now Drew Barrymore, 47, is helping make our kitchens beautiful with her range of sleek and stylish homeware appliances. Daddy’s girl He may be one of the biggest movie stars in the world, but doting dad Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is never too busy to feed his daughter Tia cake. As they celebrated her fourth birthday, the 49-year-old shared, “My greatest joy is being your daddy.” LOVELY LADIES Stars of The First Lady, Viola Davis, 56, Gillian Anderson, 53, and Michelle Pfeiffer, 63, looked glamorous as they attended the premiere of their hit new series. The trio play former first ladies Michelle Obama, Eleanor Roosevelt and Betty Ford, and while Viola says she loves the…

It’s been six weeks since wee baby Iggy was born and he’s just done his first interview with his mother, broadcaster Heather du Plessis-Allan. As she talks on the phone, Iggy can be heard gurgling and fussing, as six-week-old babies do, and occasionally Heather, 37, will talk to him and settle him expertly. “He’s been a really good baby,” she says in the voice she uses to talk to him – soft, gentle and smooth. She is obviously very in love. “When I looked at him after he was born, I thought, ‘Of course you look like that because that is what you are supposed to look like! You’re just beautiful,’” she recalls. “When you look at your baby and he looks like you and the person you love the…

Actress Alexandra Mardell has always been quick to point out that she’s nothing like her Coronation Street character, ditzy Emma Brooker. She’s not unlucky in love – unlike Emma, who’s lurched from one disastrous relationship to another, she’s happily engaged to actor Joe Parker – and she’s not as gullible as her character, who is often not the sharpest knife in the drawer. But there have been a couple of parallels between her life and Emma’s that proved useful when it came to playing the bubbly hairdresser-turned-barmaid. Alexandra, 28, who has just left the show after four years, says tragedies she has experienced helped when it came to what Emma was going through on screen. In one storyline, the man Emma thought was her dad, John Brooker, became seriously ill…

When the Weekly talks to Kiwi chef Jamie Hogg-Wharekawa, he is in the middle of a busy day prepping food for the upcoming holiday rush. While working as head chef at the iconic Oyster Inn on Waiheke Island under Michelin-starred Josh Emett is a dream job, Jamie admits there is still a part of him that wishes he was back in New York, in the little Italian bistro he sadly had to abandon when Covid hit. “The thing I miss the most is that New York never sleeps, it never stops. There’s always something to do and there are always people everywhere. If it wasn’t for the pandemic, I would still be there now.” At the beginning of 2020, Jamie was living the life he had always dreamed of in…

When Porirua grandma Sharon Rose thought about the best way to celebrate her 50th birthday, she knew a simple cake and candles wouldn’t cut it. Instead, she marked the milestone by standing in a carpark surrounded by 100 cheering onlookers, using the body weight of her 1.5m (4’11”) frame to a pull a 10-tonne truck. “I never believed I’d make it to 50 and I promised myself if I did, I’d do something big,” explains Sharon, who struggles with anxiety, depression and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from childhood trauma. “I’ve survived five suicide attempts and once I got to 45, I realised I was probably going to make it to 50. I wanted to do something strong for it.” Known to family and friends as “Shazza”, the grandmother-of-seven decided…

Best vanilla cake SERVES 8 125g unsalted butter, melted, cooled 1 ½ cups (225g) self-raising flour, sifted 1 cup (220g) caster sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract ½ teaspoon baking powder 3 eggs ½ cup (125ml) milk VANILLA ICING 2 cups (500g) fresh ricotta 80g cream cheese, softened ¼ cup (60ml) light agave syrup 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 Preheat oven to 160°C. Lightly grease a 20cm round cake tin. Line with non-stick baking paper. 2 Place the butter, flour, sugar, vanilla, baking powder, eggs and milk in a large bowl. Using a whisk, mix together until well combined. 3 Pour the cake mixture into the tin, smoothing the top. Bake for 45 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Wearing oven gloves, remove cake from the oven and…

Your mum deserves to be celebrated. After all, you wouldn’t be here without her. She’s the one you go to for reassurance, cosy hugs and a wise ear. Mothers are the world’s best multitaskers, work 24/7 and their love and loyalty never falter. They’re awesome but, when life gets busy, it’s all too easy to take them for granted. Then along comes Mother’s Day. It’s a chance to celebrate your mum – or hint to your kids on how to spoil you! You could even make it a multi-gen affair and include aunties too. Heartfelt gifts (some are free!) 1 Write a poem. You don’t need to be a poet – just think of your mum and have fun. If you need help, go online and have it written for…

We have quite a clever double oven. It’s a Neff, founded in Germany in 1877 by Mr Neff. But while it’s “quite clever”, it’s not a genius. Why? There are three independent glass panels in each of the oven doors. But oil, juices or hot fat can spill down openings at the top of the door and leave ugly stains on the inside of the glass. To clean these, you have to take off the oven door, take apart the door itself, remove the glass, clean, then put it all back together again. A damned nuisance, but there are online videos and clear instructions on how to do this. We had stains inside both doors of our double oven. So it’s a challenging job, but I thought I’d give it…

Good luck, Kerre. I hope you enjoy the DWTS experience and have a lot of fun being involved in the show. Keli Go, Kerre. You’ve never been someone who shies away from a challenge! Good luck. Katerina Enjoy every minute and good luck, Kerre. Good on you! Margaret Best of luck, Kerre. You will be fabulous. Susan You are just lovely, kind and beautiful. I know kindness will win. Lorraine What a joy and a delight to be engrossed every issue of this super-duper magazine. It sure is a natural pick-me-up tonic. “Real cool” as today’s younger generation would say. This old lady is up with the world’s jargon! With regards to the Weekly People story about Dixie Cook-Tamati, my heart goes out to this upstanding and outstanding lady, living…

Walk of shame A friend of ours loves her parties, perhaps not wisely but rather too well, so she always goes to considerable trouble to arrange a lift home afterwards. Recently she attended a wedding reception, held in a marquee on the lawn of her next-door neighbour’s. Someone was unkind enough to remark to her, “You’ve never had it so good, Joan! You’ve only to crawl through the hedge to get home!” P.A. Warm weather wear In the middle of the extremely hot summer we have just had, my brother brought his young son to stay with us, while his wife was in the maternity home with a baby daughter. Believe it or not, this is a list of what he packed for him: 12 shirts, 6 pairs of pyjamas,…

Let’s go, girls! Decked out in sequins, Harry Styles and Shania Twain were the perfect pair to celebrate the return of the famous Coachella music festival last week after being cancelled the past two years due to Covid. The former One Direction member delighted the crowds on the opening night of the festival in Los Angeles when he welcomed the 56-year-old country icon on stage. “This lady taught me to sing. She also taught me that men are trash,” Harry, 28, said before they wowed with Shania’s anthem Man! I Feel Like a Woman. Shania, who released the track when Harry was a baby, admitted, “I’m a bit starstruck. When I was writing this song, you were just a kid, so it’s kind of a dream and very surreal to…