Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 12, 2023 i New Zealand Woman's Weekly

In today’s world of social media, where faceless figures behind a computer feel emboldened to share their most vile thoughts, being an outspoken woman online can be a scary thing. But for rugby player and vocal advocate Alice Soper, becoming one of the faces for the fight for women’s rugby has not only helped her find a supportive community but also love with her partner and fellow activist Bailey Te Maipi. “I’ve been outspoken for as long as I’ve been in the sport,” tells Alice, whose father is Newstalk ZB’s senior political correspondent Barry Soper. “It’s harder for me to keep my mouth shut than to say something!” Alice says she’s always loved rugby. As a child, her Wellington primary school didn’t have a grass field, so she’d play with…

Julia Roberts When Pretty Woman actress Julia Roberts met cameraman Danny Moder on the set of The Mexican in 2000, she was in a relationship with actor Benjamin Bratt and he was married to make-up artist Vera Steimberg. The two fell madly in love, but Vera refused to give Danny a divorce and in 2002, Julia caused controversy when she was spotted in a West Hollywood café wearing a handmade t-shirt reading “A Low Vera”. Vera finally signed the divorce papers later that year. Julia, now 55, and Danny, 54, tied the knot less than a month later, and are still married with three children. Britney Spears Baby One More Time songstress Britney Spears’ 2002 break-up with SexyBack hitmaker Justin Timberlake was toxic, with rumours swirling that Britney had cheated…

On the heels of her father’s devastating dementia diagnosis, Leslie Harris, along with her mother Margaret, found themselves often wondering where to unearth the right resources and support during tough times. Information was available – it just took so much time to find and the family found their questions weren’t easily answered. “Almost 70,000 New Zealanders are living with dementia, but when I started talking to other people in the same situation as us, I realised my frustration with searching for information and struggling to find out what help was available was almost universal,” says Leslie, 53. “I remember sitting with Mum and saying, ‘When this journey with Dad is over, I’m going to do something that makes a positive change for people living with dementia and their carers.’” Seven…

Earl Grey & fig layer cake SERVES 12 PREP + COOK TIME 1 HOUR 35 MINS 3 Earl Grey tea bags1 cup (220g) caster sugar2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind250g cold butter, diced3 eggs1 ½ cups (225g) self-raising flour1 teaspoon baking powder¹/³ cup (80ml) milk1 cup (320g) store-bought fig jam, or use recipe page 446 small fresh figs, to serve CARAMEL DRIP ½ cup (110g) caster sugar60g butter¹/³ cup (80ml) thickened cream½ teaspoon sea salt flakes CRÈME FRAÎCHE FROSTING 1 Earl Grey tea bag2 cups (320g) icing sugar150g butter, softened1 teaspoon finely gratedlemon rind2 teaspoons lemon juice¹/³ cup (80g) crème fraîche 1 Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan. Grease two 7cm-deep, 20cm-round cake pans. Line bases and sides with baking paper. 2 Empty tea from bags into a food processor. Add…

Beauty One of the most annoying – and sometimes debilitating – skin conditions that is increasingly prevalent, adult acne is no joke. And especially tough if it’s an issue that you also battled with as a teen. When is it all going to stop? Thankfully, many of the best beauty brands have created lines with exactly that in mind, allowing you to take back control and put your best face forward. WHAT CAUSES ADULT ACNE? Some key factors that can contribute to adult acne are stress, hormones and diet. Stress and lack of sleep induce the overproduction of the hormone androgen, which encourages our sebaceous glands to create more oil, while fluctuations in hormone levels right before and during a period can also stimulate sebaceous glands to do the same…

Travel As the weather made history for all the wrong reasons, I was plotting my escape. A time machine back to 2019, before everything started going downhill, seemed like a logical choice. But a jaunt across the Tasman onboard Princess Cruises’ Majestic Princess, was a slightly more realistic if not infinitely more luxurious way to cure my pandemic hangover. My voyage from Dunedin to Sydney via Hobart began in a minibus. Around the Otago Harbour and over the Peninsula, we passed Papanui Inlet – dotted with black swans, royal spoonbills and pied stilt fossicking through the shallows – traversing the windswept shoreline to Nature’s Wonders at Taiaroa Head for a shore excursion. Here I met salt-of-the-earth owner Perry Reid, who bundled me into an amphibious eight-wheel Argo for a wildlife…

The beloved broadcaster’s reflections on life Sometimes awful things bring heart-warming responses. We’ve seen that since the appalling Cyclone Gabrielle devastation – so many stories of individual heroism, fearlessness, generosity and kindness. I’m hoping those remarkable stories will inspire the country’s response overall. We were spared the cyclone’s horrors here in Ka¯piti. But as if Mother Nature were issuing a “Don’t Be Complacent” warning, she handed us down a hell of a shake the day after the storm went through. At 7.38pm, a 6.2 earthquake struck, centred right under us. It was the sharpest jolt I can ever remember. I shouted out some words I probably shouldn’t and dived under the dining table. We live on a sandhill, so we rocked for half a minute or so as if in…

Letters to the Editor HOME TO ROOST ● Winning letter I loved the excerpt from “What Your Chickens Want You to Know” (NZWW, Feb 27). It brought back so many memories. My hens were the most coddled, best looked-after hens in the world. Our hen house was called Buck Palace after a neighbour said, “What are you building? Buckingham Palace?” Their house was weather-proof, rodent-proof with a concrete floor and base concrete walls. Plenty of fresh air and an exit/entrance to an outside enclosure under two feijoa trees for shade. The six of them as pullets provided one egg each per day (42 per week) and shared with neighbours. When the pullets became adult hens, each laid one egg every other day, but big eggs. William This week’s winning letter…

He’s well-known for his hard-hitting questions as a journalist, but Jack Tame reveals his adventurous side in this week’s issue. Knowing it’s a big year ahead with the election in October, he and a mate headed overseas, where he scaled mountains, scuba-dived with sharks and visited a reserve where an elephant wandered past just metres from their car. As someone who is not a fan of heights (to put it mildly), the photos of him standing on the edge of a mountain make me feel dizzy just looking at them and I had to laugh when he told our writer Fleur that it’s a good thing his mum isn’t on Instagram, where he posts his adventures. I can definitely relate – if that were one of my children, I’d be…

The wrap up... It’s been a year since Will Smith caused outrage around the world for assaulting Chris Rock on stage at the Academy Awards. Now, Chris has delivered some blows of his own. The comedian, 58, has taken aim at Will, 54, Will’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith, 51, and also Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, 41, in his Netflix comedy show Chris Rock: Selective Outrage. “Will Smith practises selective outrage,” Chris says in his stand-up routine. “Everybody that really knows, knows I had nothing to do with that s**t. I didn’t have any ‘entanglements’.” The star is referring to Jada’s confession that she had an ‘entanglement’ with singer August Alsina when she and Will had temporarily broken up. In 2020, the actress had Will on her Red Table Talk chat…

Local talent Becoming a parent is one of life’s biggest challenges – with sleepless nights and constant worry, it can be exhausting. And while NewsTalk ZB host Francesca Rudkin certainly hasn’t escaped any of those pitfalls, creating her village with her best friend Louise Ayrey has made the joy of parenting much easier to find. “As soon as anything new pops up, I immediately call Lou and ask, ‘Is this normal?’ You always need someone whose kids are a couple of years older than yours to reassure you,” Francesca laughs. “Our friendship is one of those relationships that comes along and you’ve got to treasure and look after, and never take for granted.” Francesca, 50, and Louise, 51, met 13 years ago when their kids became fast friends at kindergarten.…

There’s no doubt about it – Ellie Goulding is having what most of her fans would consider a dream life. After 13 years at the top of the music charts, she’s worth almost $50 million. She counts her song streams, meanwhile, in the billions and just shy of two years ago, she and husband Caspar joyfully welcomed their first child, Arthur, into the world. The British songstress, however, makes no secret of the fact her fame has brought as much sorrow as it has joy. “I get such chronic anxiety that in the rare moments I don’t have anxiety, I feel so happy and full of joy that I’m not having it,” the 36-year-old shared recently. “I’ve struggled daily, nightly, hourly with a kind of panic I didn’t even know…

Weekly people Whenever Barbara Marks’ daughter Helen takes her to a medical appointment, there’s an inevitable line of questioning the pair have become familiar with. Staff will always remark that there must be a mistake with Barbara’s year of birth, as it states 1923. “I say, ‘That’s correct,’” tells Helen. “Then they immediately ask Mum, ‘What’s your secret?’ She always tells them, ‘Everything in moderation. If I feel like a piece of chocolate, I have one!’” As the Weekly chats to her ahead of her 100th birthday, it’s clear Barbara’s long life has been underpinned by three things: family, faith and a love of sports. Born on March 16, 1923, she’s this country’s oldest-surviving shot-put champion, who first broke the New Zealand shot-put record in 1940 (and held the record…

Mixed mezze SERVES 4-6PREP + COOK TIME 35 MINS 1 ½ tablespoons cumin seeds¹/³ cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve4 cloves garlic, crushed2 medium carrots, grated coarsely1 medium beetroot, grated coarsely1 ¼ cups (350g) Greek yoghurt2 teaspoons lemon juice¼ cup mint leaves, chopped finely, plus extra to serve¹/³ cup dill, chopped finely, plus extra to serve Chargrilled pita bread, to serve WARM MARINATED OLIVES 2 cups (160g) drained Kalamata olives1 cup (120g) drained Spanish green olives1 clove garlic, crushed6 wide strips lemon rind2 teaspoons fennel seeds½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes2 tablespoons chopped rosemary leaves2 fresh bay leaves¹/³ cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil 1 Stir 3 teaspoons of the cumin seeds in a dry frying pan over medium-low heat for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add…

Cocktail hour If you’re up for some alcohol-free fun, you’ll love the offering from Melbourne-based Naked Life Non-Alcoholic Sprits, which has just launched in New Zealand. The ready-to-drink range of canned cocktails includes the Classic G&T, Italian Spritz, Margarita and Mojito. These zero-guilt beauties are crisp, refreshing, sugar-free and contain no alcohol. Simply serve in a glass filled with ice, top with a garnish and enjoy! Available from Countdown, rrp $17.99 (four-pack). Keto cool Wa¯Hiki has released three exciting new flavours to its line-up of keto-friendly sweet treats! Hokey Pokey, Coffee Chocolate Crunch and Strawberry Chocolate Crunch are all vegan, coeliac-approved and, according to the brand, the lowest calorie ice cream/frozen dessert on the market. Try Hokey Pokey – the first of its kind in New Zealand – dotted with…

Musings from our favourite Kiwi funnywoman On a windowsill at my place there is a solar-powered radio which also doubles as a torch. I bought it in 2010 from one of those mail-order catalogues that features couch covers with handy pockets and anti-slip shower mats that promise to massage your feet. Not everything in the brochure has a dual function, but you have to turn quite a few pages to find something that doesn’t. I have my eye on a vintage wall clock that doubles as a secret storage space. Except now I’ve told you. No need to hunt out the receipt to be sure of my torch radio’s date of purchase – I know I placed the order immediately after that first devastating Christchurch earthquake in September 2010, the…

Mayhem and mirth with the man about the house I’ve just come back from one of those holidays I know I won’t quickly forget. It was just three days away, but it was three days in another world. And, really, not very far from home. There are extraordinary places right under our noses all over Aotearoa. Sometimes, you just have to get lucky to find them. We got lucky when a cancellation meant we were offered some very rare holiday accommodation – a 93-year-old bach perched out on the rocky edge of Rangitoto, the volcanic island that sits like a perfect pinup, centre stage in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf. Someone else couldn’t take up their booking, so we got to instead. Our bach was one of just four on the island…

For years, he wasn’t able to tell his story in his own words. But now that Prince Harry has started talking – in both his memoir Spare and the docuseries he made with wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex – it seems he can’t stop. And after Harry stirred up more controversy in a live-streamed therapy session with a trauma specialist, royal experts say the time has come for the prince to stop playing the blame game and moaning about his family. Comments Harry made in the online interview to further promote Spare, which was released two months ago, have led to more backlash against him, with many commentators pointing out that the King’s second son is digging a deeper hole for himself by continuing to talk about his problems with…

Three years after American basketball hero Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna were killed in a California helicopter accident, Kobe’s wife Vanessa has won a lawsuit over photographs taken at the crash site. Twenty months after the tragedy, in which nine people were killed, Vanessa, 40, learned that first responders had taken photos with their cell phones of her dead husband and daughter, then shared them with colleagues. One responder also showed the photos to a stranger in a bar. Vanessa sued the LA County, the LA County Sheriff’s Department and also the Fire Department for pain, suffering and emotional distress and this month she agreed to a $46 million settlement. Philanthropist and model Vanessa was pregnant with the couple’s fourth child, daughter Capri, now aged three, when Kobe, 41,…

Whether she was sitting side by side with her friend Princess Diana or on the arm of her famous cricketer-turned-politician husband Imran Khan, Jemima Khan was in every newspaper and magazine gossip column throughout the late ’90s and early noughties. Back then, she was seen as a beautiful, wealthy and fabulously well-connected socialite who’d managed to snag herself one of the world’s most eligible bachelors. But Jemima, now 49, has proven she’s much more than a pretty face with a famous husband. Recently, the mother-of-two revealed her hidden talents with the release of her first movie, a romcom calledWhat’s Love Got to Do With It?, starring Lily James. She exited her high-profile marriage in 2004 and few have been aware that Jemima has spent the past 20 years building a…

NAVY COOL Whether you’re attending an on-board lecture or doing a wine tasting, a military-style blazer will always be a good idea. Look for a structured style with statement gold buttons and pair with wide-legged jeans for a sophisticated yet classic combo. CAPTAIN’S TABLE When you’re invited to join the captain for dinner, it’s time to step up the fashion stakes. This beautifully draped halter gown in dark navy is a worthy investment event piece and being viscose, is ideal for travelling too. Style with touches of metallic gold. HIGH-SEA TEA Heading to the top deck for lunch or afternoon cocktails with new friends? This contemporary twist on a shirt dress ticks a lot of boxes. Add a striped scarf tied at the neck and some bright white accessories to…

ARIES Mar 21 – Apr 20 You may not have had the opportunity to do everything you wanted to do over the holidays, but now you can! Friends are going to want to join in the fun and there is nothing like good company when you are on adventures. Someone you have been interested in finally smiles back. TAURUS Apr 21 – May 21 You have a couple of days where you find yourself being able to do precisely what you want, when you want. If it means fish and chips in paper on the coffee table, then do it; and don’t be afraid to go to your favourite restaurant or a weekend at a resort by yourself – you will have an amazing time. GEMINI May 22 – Jun…

A great chat with the queen of talk back It was a gorgeous Friday afternoon – a perfect time to go for a walk. I’m trying to get back into healthy habits after a long summer of indulgence and walking is a gentle way to ease back into things. I laced up my sneakers and headed out. There’s a 40-minute loop from our place that takes me through our local shopping village, down to the beach and the ferry wharf, then back home again. It was lovely and on the way, I ran into two neighbours who’d obviously done the same loop and were on their way back. I knew them to nod and smile to, but we hadn’t really met properly. When I moved in, it was under lockdown…

Wish you were here! Belle follows her heart to an unknown land and man It seems incredible that my 14th novel is being released this week. That must make me either very old or very productive – possibly both. People often ask where I get my ideas from, but the truth is ideas are everywhere. I come across amazing stories wherever I go in the world. New places and people are endlessly inspiring. To begin with, during the lockdowns, I was afraid that being stuck at home and leading a very quiet, repetitive life would mean the flow of ideas would dry up. What was I going to write about? My only meaningful connections with other living beings (aside from my husband and dog) were happening on Zoom and FaceTime.…