Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 31, 2022 i New Zealand Woman's Weekly

Star news Who caught our eye this week While the UK has been melting during a scorching heatwave, Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, 75, have managed to Keep Cool and Carry On! The royal couple hasn’t let the heat beat them and have turned up to a number of scheduled engagements, including meeting performers who will be taking part in next month’s Notting Hill Carnival. The famous London event, which celebrates Caribbean and Black culture, and is the second largest carnival behind Brazil’s Mardi Gras, is making a return after being cancelled in the two previous years because of Covid. A brave Charles, 73, tried his hand at playing the steel drums, but declared that he was “not much cop at this”. The pair have also visited their…

Prince Harry’s pals thought he was “nuts” for dating US actress Meghan Markle because she disapproved of their jokes. Meanwhile, Meghan became hysterical when Buckingham Palace reacted with fury to her talking about her relationship with Harry in Vanity Fair. And the Queen was relieved when the duchess did not attend the funeral of her husband Prince Philip. These are just some of the bombshell claims made in an explosive new book about Harry and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, by author Tom Bowers. Former investigative journalist Tom, who has previously delved into the lives of Richard Branson, Boris Johnson, Tony Blair and Prince Charles for unauthorised biographies, spent a year talking to both friends and enemies of Harry and Meghan for the book Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the…

When it comes to cafés, broadcaster Mel Homer is a big fan – and is quite at home in them when she has to work. But her obsession with cosy places where you can enjoy a coffee is more about the fact that her name has been associated with shows called The Café for many years. She hosted Three’s lifestyle TV show The Café for four years until it sadly ended during the pandemic lockdowns and now she hosts another show called Sunday Cafe for Today FM. “To be honest, when we started talking about the new show, it wasn’t my idea to do it in a café,” laughs Mel. “I couldn’t see how it would work doing long-form interviews with four people and the noise of the café going…

Cuban beef empanadas with cinnamon roast pumpkin SERVES 4-6 PREP + COOK TIME 1 HOUR 20 MINS ⅓ cup (80ml) olive oil1 medium red onion, choppedfinely3 cloves garlic, chopped finely1 cured chorizo sausage (170g),diced finely1 large red capsicum, choppedfinely500g minced beef2 teaspoons ground cumin2 teaspoons smoked paprika¼ cup (40g) currants400g canned diced tomatoes1 tablespoon tomato paste½ cup (125ml) water8 sheets frozen shortcrustpastry1 egg, beaten lightly 2 tablespoons polenta1kg butternut pumpkin,peeled, cut into 2cm pieces½ teaspoon ground cinnamonLime wedges, to serve 1 Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan. Line 3 large oven trays with baking paper. 2 Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large heavy-based frying pan over high heat. Add onion; cook for 3 minutes or until softened. Add garlic, chorizo and capsicum; cook, stirring, for 4 minutes or…

‘Recalling our dreams as soon as we wake is vital for learning how to lucid dream’ Lucid dreaming can improve our mental health, help us overcome personal challenges and make us more creative. But what exactly is it and how can we make it happen? “Lucid dreaming is the art of knowing that you’re dreaming while the dream is still happening,” explains Dr Denholm Aspy, a lucid dreaming researcher. “In regular dreams, we don’t actually realise it and just go with what’s happening. In a lucid dream, you become aware while you’re still asleep.” What goes on in the mind during lucid dreaming occurs between rapid eye movement (REM) – the stage of sleep where we have the most vivid dreams – and being awake. The validity of this was…

The beloved broadcaster’s reflections on life My oldest son Alex flies into Wellington from London tomorrow. So exciting! Apart from being quite a character, he’s terrific in the kitchen. That’ll be a treat. We hoped he might be returning for good, but he’s just got a job at American Claire Ptak’s London bakery-café Violet Cakes. Claire Ptak’s even more terrific in the kitchen. She made the wedding cake for Prince Harry and Meghan. Here’s a story I love telling about Alex. It’s about karma, really. When he was in his early 20s, he decided he’d donate a kidney to a sick friend. The poor fella was already on dialysis three times a week and Alex has a big heart. But donating a kidney turned out to be a longer than…

Letters to the Editor ROYALLY SHOCKED ● Winning letter “Treachery & betrayal”, indeed! Your royal special “The Windsors’ top-secret life exposed” (NZWW, July 25) was a riveting read! At first, I wondered whether this was something of a scurrilous attack on two people who are no longer alive to defend themselves. However, the writer appears to have made a thorough investigation of the facts. He depicts the downward trajectory of a couple who led very sad and degenerative lives. It does make me wonder whether there are limits as to what we, the public, have a right to know. It seems, though, we have an endless fascination for the goings-on of royalty and other A-listers. If true, the story of Wallis and Edward, once again, demonstrates that money, power, fame…

She lives in Ballarat, Australia and trained as an artist, but started writing when she was diagnosed with cancer. A mother of five, she has written three novels. This novel was inspired by… I liked the idea of writing about a girl who doesn’t understand where she fits in the world and so creates her own. As Connie grew, she became inspired by my mother, who had mental health issues and never found her place in the world. We so often feel in our souls that we don’t quite fit in. I have always felt that. But difference, in the end, is something that is sacred. The most challenging thing about writing it was… I hate doing research. I am totally focused on storytelling and only research when I have…

If you’re anything like me, you love stories about people who have overcome adversity and go on to become successful on their own terms. Our cover star Joanna Lumley has done just that. At 76, she has recently become a Dame but despite her huge successes both on and off screen, in her early twenties she was struggling financially and says she had a breakdown. When she was able, Joanna returned to acting work and the rest, as they say, is history, shooting to fame for her role as Patsy on Absolutely Fabulous. Elsewhere, we chat with Shorty star Kura Forrester, who shares an important life lesson she’s learned, and Mel Homer, who also has overcome a difficult time. And don’t miss our real-life reads, including Brittany Kremers on page…

The wrap up... Britney Spears is one step closer to bringing her father Jamie Spears to justice after 13 years of living under his control. The 40-year-old, who recently married her longtime partner Sam Asghari, 28, has alleged that her father bugged her bedroom, monitored her phone to record private conversations, and maintain control over her life during her conservatorship from 2008 to 2021. After continually dodging depositions to investigate his alleged misconduct, Jamie, 70, has now been ordered by a judge to front up to Britney’s legal team and hand over all documentation related to his alleged electronic surveillance scheme. Since the conservatorship was terminated in November last year, Jamie has been petitioning the courts to have Britney pay for all of his legal fees related to the battle…

Celeb catch-up Taskmaster NZ is known for its silly challenges and outlandish antics – but it’s not all fun and games, says comedian Kura Forrester. The actress, who’s competing in the new season of the TVNZ series, says among the laughs, she has learnt something important about herself. “I realised that I am enough,” confides Kura. “As a comedian, you worry because you want to be funny. But just me being myself is good entertainment. I understood the best thing for me to do is trust my gut.” It’s been a busy time for Kura, who has had to balance the filming of the show’s third season with her hectic Shortland Street schedule. It often means pulling six-day work weeks, but she’s not complaining even a little bit. As a…

She started out her career as a Bond girl, but most of us will always associate Jane Seymour with her five-year role in Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman. The show was a standout hit in the ’90s and won Jane many fans who are still loyal to her today. Talking to the 71-year-old actress, there doesn’t seem to have been much change between the Jane we saw 30 years ago and the one sitting in front of her laptop camera today. ‘I never had a penny growing up. I sewed all my clothes on an old Singer’ Shortly before she talks to the Weekly, Jane was photographed in a one-piece blue swimsuit, bathing elephants in Thailand, and the pictures went viral underneath headings such as “ageless beauty” and “shows off her…

Weekly people Brittany Kremers often wishes she could’ve picked which cancer she got. While the young Christchurch woman saw others battling “hidden” illnesses, she hasn’t been able to conceal hers, and has spent most of her life dealing with stares and rude comments from strangers. Diagnosed with a devastating facial tumour – stage four alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma – aged eight, Brittany had her jaw and skull base removed, along with the tumour, in a 13-hour operation that left her disfigured and unable to see or hear on her right side. It began a tortuous process of restorative surgeries that lasted years and involved hundreds of hospital admissions. She would tell her parents, Dawn, 57, and Marcel, 55, “I wish I had got leukemia instead, so I wouldn’t have a constant external…

Asparagus & fennel salad PREP + COOK TIME 1 HOUR SERVES 2 Bring ½ cup (100g) dried brown lentils to the boil. Simmer, covered, for 45 minutes or until tender. Drain. Spray 6 asparagus spears and half a finely sliced fennel bulb with oil. Cook on a heated grill plate for 3 minutes or until brown and tender. Combine vegetables in a large bowl with lentils, ½ cup cooked brown rice, ½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, ¼ cup toasted pepitas (sunflower seeds), 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives and ¼ cup sliced green olives. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 2 teaspoons rice bran oil. Season with pepper. Beetroot & hazelnut salad PREP + COOK TIME 1 ½ HOURS SERVES 2 Bring ⅔ cup (130g) dried brown lentils…

GREEN LIGHT A bold green is a favourite on the red carpets and catwalks right now. This shade will brighten any complexion. NICE IN NEUTRALS ROSY GLOW From pretty pastels to dusty rose and hot pink, try mixing and matching this palette for combinations that are forever chic. FOR STOCKISTS, TURN TO PAGE 74 Fashion stockists Boohoo nz.booho.com Decjuba decjuba.co.nz EziBuy ezibuy.com Forever New forevernew.co.nz H&M hm.com/nz Karen Millen karenmillen.com/au Ketz-ke ketz-ke.com Kmart kmart.co.nz Leo + Be ketz-ke.com Loobie’s Story loobiesstory.co.nz Novo novoshoes.co.nz Postie postie.co.nz Quay quayaustralia.com.au Review review-australia.com Rubi cottonon.com/nz The Iconic theiconic.co.nz Witchery witchery.co.nz Zara zara.com/nz…

Not long ago, Julie Cordon was so exhausted during the day, she felt like a “walking zombie”. She began to suffer insomnia in her fifties. “I’d wake up shattered and have to drag myself out of bed,” recalls Julie. “I tried the usual remedies but I’d still wake up during the night.” Seven long and sleep-deprived years of restless slumber passed, until Julie finally begged her GP for help. Rather than hand over sleeping tablets, the doctor referred her to a sleep expert for tests. Data showed Julie was getting eight hours of sleep, but it was broken up by long periods of wakefulness. She was told that at her age, she only needed six hours of good-quality sleep, so going to bed so early wasn’t doing her any good.…

Craft BRANCH WALL HANGING Branch out! If you don’t want to use an old branch, you can switch it out for a timber dowel. Paint or stain it to make it look a little more stylish. YOU’LL NEED • Yarn in different colours • Branch • Ruler • Scissors STEP 1 Cut yarn into 1.2-metre lengths. We used 57 lengths – one of them to hang the finished product. STEP 2 Fold a yarn strand in half, place the loop under the branch and pull the yarn through the loop, as shown. Continue this process, changing yarn colours to make a symmetrical pattern. STEP 3 When you’ve finished the design, take the last remaining yarn strand, fold it in half and tie the ends to either side of the branch…

Musings from our favourite Kiwi funnywoman Bad manners and a bit lazy. Not you, obviously! I’m talking about the others. These are the two human behaviours at the root of our most annoying technological advances. Exhibit A: The toilet that flushes automatically. At some point, so many people failed to flush the toilet in public restrooms that someone was driven to think, “Okay, sigh, we’ll do it for them.” The unintended consequence being the toilet can think you are done while you’re still sitting there (possibly contemplating a modern lack of manners), interrupting your reverie with a splash of cold toilet water up your back. Thanks everyone who couldn’t be bothered pressing the flush button themselves, I’m having a great day. Outside the cubicle, because some monster (many monsters) left…

Reflections from a stand-up guy Given the number of jobs I need to complete around the house, I’m surprised it’s still standing: there’s the broken garage door, the mould, the electricity, the front door jamming, the iPad, the light fitting, the wall repair and the blocked drain. Not to mention the jobs I am currently unaware of. Every time I look, they’ve multiplied somehow – they’re breeding. Or maybe because a critical number of jobs have gathered in one place, it’s become like a party, and other jobs have heard about it on Facebook and just start turning up to join the throng. I haven’t even considered starting and I’m exhausted. The mountain is too high! I’m aware of the idea that a journey of a thousand miles begins with…

THE FOLDING LADY by Sophie Liard (Hachette, $39.99) Thanks to Marie Kondo, we have decluttered our homes by now if we wanted. So now it’s time to maximise storage space by learning to fold everything properly. UK TikTok sensation Sophie Liard became a folding guru during the pandemic lockdowns and her philosophy is that bringing order to chaos helps us mentally, whether that means learning to fold bed linen and T-shirts or finally sorting those drawers stuffed with random things. Some of us are happily messy, but for those who crave more order, this book is full of handy home hacks. THE SHARESIES GUIDE TO INVESTING by Brooke and Leighton Roberts and Sonya Williams (Allen & Unwin, $36.99) The founders of online investing platform Sharesies have produced a book to…

Wearing a hot-pink ensemble that her alter ego Patsy Stone would have been proud of, Joanna Lumley arrived at Buckingham Palace earlier this month as a beloved actress – and left a Dame! For the star, who has entertained audiences for decades in everything from The New Avengers to Absolutely Fabulous, the moment was delicious. “These are things that, as a child being ticked off and having my prefect badge taken away for smoking, something you would never dream of,” she enthuses with good humour. Dame Joanna, 76, was given the honour to recognise her services to drama, entertainment and charitable causes – and perhaps no cause is as close to her heart as her work for the British mental health charity Mind. Because while her rebellious streak as a…

Almost 20 years after they were supposed to say “I do”, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez have finally tied the knot. Jennifer announced the exciting news in her personal newsletter, describing “the best night of our lives” at The Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas. While many had been expecting a lavish affair for two of Hollywood’s biggest names, they instead celebrated their love with an intimate ceremony, with Ben’s children Violet, 16, Seraphina, 13, and Samuel, 10, and J.Lo’s twins Emme and Max, 14, the only guests in attendance. “Last night, we flew to Vegas, stood in line for a licence with four other couples, all making the same journey to the wedding capital of the world,” the 53-year-old pop star tells of their midnight nuptials at a…

Two years ago, Canterbury teenager Olivia Chinnery sat in the back of a moving fire truck, sirens roaring as crew in uniform pulled on their helmets beside her. It was her first bushfire callout as a freshly recruited volunteer for the Woodend Fire Brigade and as smoke emerged ahead of them, the driver instructed, “It’s going to be a big one!” “There was a huge scrubby at Pines Beach, and as we were driving towards the smoke, everyone was being issued instructions for our arrival and I was sitting there freaking out a bit!” recalls the 18-year-old, whose father Paul, also a firefighter for the past 20 years, was in the front. “But I’d waited most of my life to be there doing it.” ‘We’ve had teens who’d been drinking…

Cacao & date caramel slice PREP TIME 25 MINUTES (+ REFRIGERATION & FREEZING) MAKES 16 PIECES ½ cup (115g) fresh dates,pitted1 cup (130g) roasted almonds1 ½ tablespoons coconut oil,melted¼ teaspoon fine sea saltflakes DATE CARAMEL 1 cup (230g) fresh dates,pitted½ cup (125ml) pure maplesyrup¹⁄³ cup (95g) natural crunchypeanut butter¼ cup (60ml) melted coconutoil CACAO TOPPING ¼ cup (20g) raw cacao powder¼ cup (60ml) melted coconutoil2 teaspoons pure maple syrup 1 Line a 19cm square pan with baking paper. 2 Process the dates, almonds and coconut oil until smooth. Press mixture evenly onto the base of pan. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until set. 3 To make the date caramel, process all the ingredients for 2 minutes or until very smooth. Spread the mixture evenly over base mixture in pan. Freeze…

Winter is when your hands really take a battering – add constant washing to avoid bugs and flu into the mix and your poor paws will be needing some extra TLC! Here’s some of the best formulas on counters now. Two of the best Fans of Weleda love the brand’s Citrus Hand and Nail Cream, $19.90, for its luxurious, nail fortifying properties and uplifting scent, while the Pomegranate Regenerating Hand Cream, $19.90, is a great choice for more mature skin types. Natural beauty Rich and nourishing, Natio Spirit Hemp + Muntrie Hardworking Hand Cream, $11.99, is formulated with ultra-nourishing hemp seed oil, native Australian muntrie berry and lilly pilly, renowned for their protective waxes. Or for something a little lighter, the natural beauty brand’s Rosewater Hydration Moisture Rich Hand &…

VIRGO Aug 24 – Sep 23 Visiting a colleague or friend in their home gives you a greater understanding of who they are. This is especially enlightening if they are from another culture. You will enjoy the food, discussion and dynamics, and will be intrigued and want to know more. They will enjoy you returning the invitation. LIBRA Sep 24 – Oct 23 There is a great deal of affection shown to you by someone who is usually quite distant – and this will be surprising. It seems they have stronger feelings for you than you realised. This might be a good thing, but don’t rush things or jump to conclusions. SCORPIO Oct 24 – Nov 22 Whatever you are doing at the moment, people want to be part of…

A great chat with the queen of talk back I never imagined in a million years that I’d be ringing retirement villages and making appointments with lovely, accommodating women to show my mum around their finest one-bedroom apartments. On Auckland’s North Shore. Ever since Dad died, nigh on 25 years ago, Mum has been adamant she’d stay in her own home. She loves her wee place, on the corner of the street leading down to the Hamilton Golf Club. It’s a short walk to the club, which has been an amazing community for her. The house is one level, with a bit of lawn and a nice garden, and easy to look after. Why on earth would she leave a city she loves, a strong community and great mates? From…

This wonderful novel totally swept me away. Often while I was reading, it felt like I was right there, in the Australian town of Ballarat, a part of a small community as everyone’s lives are being reshaped by a war raging across the world. Young Connie Starr is a watchful misfit of a child who lives in a dream world. But this is as much a story about the people who surround Connie – parents and siblings, neighbours and friends – and the way their lives intertwine. The novel begins in 1934 with Connie’s difficult birth and her mother Flora’s sense that she will never be the mother this child needs. Then we fast-forward five years, to an Australia that is on the brink of war. Connie’s father Joseph is…

Star WEEKLYThe hottest celebrity scoop Demi Moore’s recent trip to the Louvre has raised a few eyebrows. The 59-year-old has been in Paris for the past month playing tourist, visiting all the popular sights the French capital has to offer with her new boyfriend, chef Daniel Humm, 46. But the snaps of her trip to the museum with her new constant companion, tiny Chihuahua Pilaf, tucked into her blouse, have angered some fans, who say she has flouted the historic museum’s rules. According to the Louvre website, all animals except guide dogs or assistance dogs are prohibited from entering the world’s most-visited museum. But Demi and Pilaf seem to have been given the VIP experience, including a private viewing of Leonardo da Vinci’s famous Mona Lisa painting, which is usually…