Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 11, 2025 i New Zealand Woman's Weekly

Lady Gaga has just released her first album in five years – and she celebrated by taking the mickey out of herself on television. The Born This Way singer, 38, appeared as a musical guest on the iconic comedy show Saturday Night Live and had the audience in stitches. She kicked off by recalling the last time she appeared on the show was with disgraced singer R Kelly, 58, who is now serving a 30-year prison sentence for sex trafficking. “I won’t bring it up because that would be bad – anyway, I’m an actor now,” she deadpanned before referencing her appearance in last year’s movie Joker: Folie à Deux, which was panned by critics and flopped at the box office. “I’ve been very diligent about selecting films that would…

Avila Allsop jokes that she’s always been a bit of a late bloomer. Back in the day, when the norm was to get married by 25, she wed in her mid-thirties. Now, at 89 years old, she’s just won gold in powerlifting at the 2025 Downer New Zealand Masters Games. It’s not bad for someone who only took up the sport two years ago. “My mother always said to me, ‘Try everything unless it’s illegal or immoral!’” grins Avila, who’s out to prove there’s no pressure to succeed on a certain timeline. “So I do!” As she welcomes the Weekly into her apartment at the Country Club in Huapai, north of Auckland – she’s skipped indoor bowls for our photoshoot – there’s a collection of medals hanging over the sides…

Malted milk cupcakes with buttercream MAKES 12 PREP +COOK TIME 40 MINUTES (+ COOLING & STANDING) 125g butter, softened 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ⅔ cup (150g) caster sugar 3 eggs 1 ¼ cups (185g) self-raising flour, sifted ⅓ cup (40g) malt powder, plus extra to dust ¼ cup (60ml) milk BASIC BUTTERCREAM 250g butter, softened 3 cups (480g) icing sugar ⅓ cup (80ml) milk 2 teaspoons vanilla bean extract 1 Preheat oven to 180°C/ 160°C fan. Line a 12-hole (¹⁄³-cup/80ml) muffin pan with paper cases. 2 Beat butter, vanilla, sugar, eggs, flour, malt powder and milk with an electric mixer on low speed until ingredients are just combined. Increase speed to medium and beat for 3 minutes or until mixture is smooth and pale in colour. Spoon level ¼-cups of…

Who would you say was the funniest person of our times? Robin Williams, Lucille Ball, Billy Connelly? My pick would be Irishman Spike Milligan, who I once had the pleasure of spending an hour with. I’m writing this on the anniversary of his death in 2002. Though he was Irish, Spike spent his latter years in England in Rye, East Sussex. What I didn’t know was the name of the street he lived in. I kid you not, it was and still is Dumb Woman’s Lane. You wouldn’t have a street named that in New Zealand, would you? It’s offensive. Apparently, the Dumb Woman’s Lane street sign is frequently souvenired by tourists who flock to visit Spike’s old address and Sir Paul McCartney’s digs are not far away. “Tourists flock…

Cher has been pop royalty for decades, so she effortlessly morphed into the King of Rock ’n’ Roll for the Love Rocks benefit concert in New York City recently. The Believe singer, 78, delivered the spectacle of the night when she walked on stage dressed as Elvis Presley, complete with a pompadour hairdo and belted out her 1995 hit Walking in Memphis. The concert raised funds for a charity that delivers medically tailored meals for people too sick to shop or cook for themselves. Cher was joined by a host of other performers, including comedian Amy Schumer, 43, and hitmaker Alicia Keys, 44, who sang Killing Me Softly in honour of the late Roberta Flack, who died in February.…

March 24, 2024 Welcome to this week’s issue, packed with stories about local celebrities, including some you may not have heard from in a while! But first, the annual Commonwealth Service took place last week, and what a delight it was to see the King, Queen and the Prince and Princess of Wales attend after such a tumultuous 2024. Amidst all the turmoil in the world, the King delivered a poignant message: “It’s all too easy to believe our differences are problems instead of a source of strength and an opportunity for learning.” Elsewhere, we see the enduring power of women to rise above adversity. Stacey Morrison’s contract at Flava recently ended, but she’s looking ahead with positivity. As someone who has twice experienced redundancy, I found her words resonated.…

The premature birth of her second child has inspired Princess Beatrice to support an organisation investigating why some babies are born early. Beatrice gave birth to Athena Elizabeth Rose on January 22, several weeks before her due date, which was believed to be in March. Announcing the baby’s arrival, Beatrice’s husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi described Athena as “tiny and absolutely perfect” and thanked staff at the Westminster and Chelsea Hospital “for their exceptional care and support during this incredibly special time”. Beatrice, who’s also mum to Sienna, three, and stepmother to Wolfi e, eight, made her fi rst public appearance since Athena arrived at a gala in aid of Borne, a medical research charity that aims to prevent premature births. She was announced as the charity’s patron and, in a…

Stacey Morrison is on a natural high when she catches up with the Weekly. As one of five onthe-ground presenters at Te Matatini for TVNZ 2, she’s just spent five days amongst all the action in Taranaki. “Everyone was joyous and what I’m happy about is that it seems like it transmitted through the broadcast, which was a proper tribute to the teams and also to the way that they performed,” enthuses Stacey. Three months after her contract as Flava’s Breakfast radio show co-host publicly ended, she’s in a good place and honest about the fact that she is unsure what she will do next. In the current economic climate with so many changes in the job market – especially in the media – the last thing she wanted to…

She’s internationally renowned for her work as an art conservator, but since retiring from the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki last August, Sarah Hillary has found a new way of utilising her skills – working with extended family on her famous father Sir Edmund Hillary’s legacy. This month, Sarah, 68, is walking and running the height of Everest, fundraising for the Summit Challenge. It’s a programme run by The Himalayan Trust, the charity set up by her father and managed by her nephew, Alexander Hillary, which raises money for healthcare and education for Nepalese mountain communities. “Obviously the area is very important to our family and I’ve been to Nepal many times – although when I was younger, I wasn’t interested in Everest at all,” she tells. “I always…

1 How do you start your morning? ❍ A. With a perfectly curated outfit and latte in hand ❍ B. Hitting the snooze button… at least twice ❍ C. By reciting affirmations and sipping something organic ❍ D. Searching for my phone, my glasses and my sense of purpose 2 What’s your go-to fashion statement? ❍ A. Designer shoes, obviously ❍ B. A classic trench coat and comfy boots ❍ C. Something dramatic with feathers or sequins ❍ D. Whatever is clean and somewhat presentable 3 How do you handle a crisis? ❍ A. Call your besties for an emergency debrief over cocktails ❍ B. Write about it in a hilariously self-deprecating way ❍ C. Dramatically sigh and declare, “I simply cannot!” ❍ D. Trip over yourself while trying to…

One-pan Greek-style lasagne PREP +COOK TIME 45 MINS SERVES 4-6 500g lean lamb mince 1 large onion, chopped finely 2 garlic cloves, crushed ¼ cup tomato paste 2 x 400g cans crushed tomatoes 1 beef stock cube, crumbled 2 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp ground cinnamon Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season 150g instant lasagne sheets, broken into large pieces 125g feta, crumbled  TOPPING  1 small green capsicum, cut into thin strips 125g cherry tomatoes, quartered ¼ cup drained, sliced Kalamata olives ½ cup fresh parsley leaves 1 Heat a large, deep, ovenproof frying pan 1 over medium to high heat. Add lamb, onion and garlic. Cook, stirring to break up mince, for 6 to 8 minutes or until browned all over. 2 Add tomato paste topan and cook,…

Rustic beauty Cooler months call for timeless charm – earthy terracotta and a splash of pink make the perfect pair. Using the camera on your phone, scan the QR code to learn more about what to plant, harvest and sow this month. MARCH SOWING MACHINE Lettuce, peas, spinach, spring onions and peas can be sown directly, as can root crops such as carrots, beetroot, parsnips, swedes and turnips. These do best in soil that’s not too fertile or have fresh manure or compost added or else they tend to fork. In warmer areas, there should be time to sow and harvest a crop of basil before the real cold sets in. Alyssum, calendula, Californian poppy, cornflower, stock and sweet peas can go directly into garden beds, while lobelia and snapdragons…

There is, we agree amongst us before Saturday night’s show time, a particular smell to a theatre. Not just this one – the Levin Little Theatre – but possibly to each of them dotted around our country. It’s probably costumes and heavy curtains, old wood, dust, pots of paint and metal fittings. A cocktail of scents baked into seating and carpets over long days when sun streams through backstage windows which remain, most often, closed. I’m instantly transported to my childhood – I was the kid of the woman performing here – or sometimes performing myself. But I’m making new memories today to perform a comedy show with my husband Jeremy Elwood and friend Sera Devcich. They’re total pros, holding the audience in the palm of their metaphorical hands. I’m…

Letters to the Editor ON THE RADAR ● Winning letter Te Radar’s upcoming live show Cookbookery promises to be a gastronomic treat for we foodies who are interested in New Zealand food literature (NZWW, March 17). I have a large cookbook collection, some dating back several decades. My mother had only two – a treasured American Cookbook and a copy of Edmonds Cookery Book: Containing a Collection of Approximately 500 Everyday Recipes and Cooking Hints. In time, Edmonds shortened the title and regularly updated the recipes, outselling every other recipe book in New Zealand. The recipes in the US book – which my mother never attempted to make – fascinated me. In the 1950s, it seemed that American housewives jellied almost every ingredient! They also had an early love of…

I had a big date the other morning. Granddaughter Olive was graduating from her preschool because she was about to turn five and I was invited. The ceremony was at 9.15, which is an early call when you have to get across the car-crazed city and I arrived a little late, running in babbling about gridlock on the motorway, but no one cared. Olive looms large in our lives. She lived with us during the Covid lockdown after her mum and dad, Nadine and my son Jamie, came home from New York where they’d been living and restarted life back here. Olive still regards the bedroom she used to sleep in as hers and inspects it whenever she visits. But she’s a big girl now, of course. At her preschool…

It’s always one of the big days in the royal family’s calendar – when they all join forces annually at Westminster Abbey in London to celebrate Commonwealth Day. This year, they were able to put on a united front and show how they’re back to full strength for the first time in two years after the King and the Princess of Wales missed the service last year due to both having cancer. The return of the Monarch and the future queen, alongside Queen Camilla, 77, Prince William, 42, Princess Anne, 74, and other senior royals is an encouraging sign that things are back to normal after such turbulence in the family. This time last year, Kate had yet to drop the bombshell that she had been diagnosed with an undisclosed…

Lady Louise Windsor’s parents have left it up to her to pursue whatever career takes her fancy, rather than having to follow in their footsteps and be a working royal. But how would Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh feel if their daughter followed her passion and became an actor? Louise has discovered a love of drama at St Andrews University in Scotland, where she studies English and has appeared in several plays, including the comedy School for Scandal. Along with her boyfriend Felix da Silva-Clamp, she’s a member of the university’s performing arts group Mermaids, and a source says Louise, 21, “adores” acting. She’s also rather good at it, according to the insider. A review of a performance where she was the narrator described her as treating the…

True blue fans are sighing with relief after it’s been suggested that James Bond will remain a man and still be British – or at least from the Commonwealth. The rights to the Bond franchise were recently sold to Amazon Studios and now the search is heating up for exactly who will step into the beloved spy’s wellpolished shoes following the departure of Daniel Craig, 57. Several names have been shaken and stirred into the mix, including Bridgerton’s Regé-Jean Page, 37, The Brutalist’s Joe Alwyn, 34, Gladiator II star Paul Mescal, 29, and Luther actor Idris Elba, 52. Aussie hunk Chris Hemsworth, 41, is also tipped as a contender. Six years ago, the Thor star confessed, “I don’t think you’ll ever meet anyone who doesn’t want to have a crack…

‘I would feel nauseous and get the shakes, but I was such a theatre bunny’ In the past five years, Lizzie Marvelly has cancelled a wedding, got married, become a mother, recovered from a traumatic birth, postpartum anxiety and a brain injury, moved towns, and started a new career. In her own words, life is “organised chaos”, but she wouldn’t have it any other way. “I didn’t really know the meaning of ‘busy’ until I became a mum, but I really wouldn’t change it,” she smiles, talking about Ellis, her threeyear-old daughter with wife Lisa Gerrard. “My days are jam-packed at mahi [work], so that really sacred time in the afternoon and early evening spent with our little girl is so special, and makes me want to make every minute…

When her name was called as Best Actress winner at the Oscars earlier this month, Mikey Madison was suddenly very grateful for the rumpled piece of paper her twin brother Miles dug out of his shirt pocket and handed to her. The Anora star was so sure she wouldn’t snag the trophy that she didn’t think of preparing an acceptance speech until the 11th hour. Then, “At the last minute, I was like, ‘I should just write down a bunch of names just in case,’” she says with a smile. “And I’m glad I did!” To most of the world, Mikey, 25, seems to have swooped into Hollywood like – to steal the name of another Oscar-contending movie – a complete unknown. And they wouldn’t be entirely wrong. Before her…

‘I knew I had to do it – it felt bigger than me’ For most actors, performing a new show in front of an audience for the first time is a nerve-wracking experience. But when Cassandra Woodhouse brought her latest one-woman show to the stage, she had no fear because she’d already faced the toughest crowd imaginable – Kiwi acting royalty Jennifer Ward-Lealand and Michael Hurst. “Performing in front of them solo is harder than doing it in front of thousands of people,” laughs the 42-year-old. “I feel so incredibly lucky that I’ve had the chance to work with them, but also that they’re now my friends.” When Cassandra founded the NZ Theatre Company in 2020, she knew she wanted advice from the best. She called Jennifer, hoping to have…

Smoke & lime feijoa chutney PREP & COOK TIME 2 HOURS (APPROX) MAKES 9-10 X 400G JARS 700g onions, preferably a mix of red and white, peeled 8 red chillies, seeded, chopped 2 limes, unpeeled, diced 1 large red capsicum, seeded, diced 200ml red wine vinegar 300ml orange juice (no preservatives or sugar) 3kg feijoas 20 fresh makrut (kaffir) lime leaves 1kg white sugar 500g brown sugar 1 cinnamon stick 1 tbsp whole coriander seeds 1 ¼ tsp chilli powder or to taste 2 tsp sweet smoked paprika 1 tbsp salt 1 Chop peeled onions roughly, then place in a food processor with chillies and limes. Pulse until chopped small but not puréed. 2 Place onion mixture and capsicum into a large, heavy-based saucepan with red wine vinegar and orange…

Trends come and go, but healthy, radiant hair is always in style. Enter hair gloss – the beauty industry’s best-kept secret for instantly shinier, silkier and more vibrant locks. But what exactly is hair gloss, how does it work and why is it the ultimate game-changer for your mane? Let’s break it down. What is it? Hair gloss is a temporary treatment designed to enhance shine, smooth texture and refine hair colour. Gloss treatments work by lightly coating the hair cuticle, creating a reflective surface that boosts lustre while helping to condition and protect strands. There are two main types of glosses – clear and tinted. Clear glosses focus purely on shine and hydration, while tinted versions subtly enhance or neutralise tones in colour-treated or natural hair. The best part?…

ARIES Mar 21 – Apr 20 Be optimistic but exercise some healthy caution as well. It’s not about being sceptical or negative, but about making sure people deliver on their promises because some are just saying what they think you want to hear. A family member has a secret and will only tell you. TAURUS Apr 21 – May 21 A new job or contract looks very promising, but you’ll need to check the fine print and that the company checks out. This could also be to do with someone you may be hiring to do a job. When it comes to love, you have no worries – you’re adored and there’s an important question on the table. GEMINI May 22 – Jun 21 A financial situation is settled to…

WEEKLY STAFF EDITOR Marilynn McLachlan LIFESTYLE & BEAUTY EDITOR Anna Lee SENIOR WRITER Catherine Milford CHIEF SUB-EDITOR Denise Bowden SUB-EDITOR Darren Bevan ART DIRECTOR Mirella Monteiro DESIGNERS Anna Pétursdóttir, Béla Trussell-Cullen, Debby Wei, Hayley Pearce PHOTO & EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Kellie Blizard CONTRIBUTORS Carolyn Enting, Donna Fleming, Elisabeth Easther, Fleur Guthrie, Kasia De Vydt-Jillings, Leigh Matheson, Megan McChesney, Nicky Pellegrino, Rebekah Hebenton ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR Claire Chisholm claire.chisholm@aremedia.co.nzSENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER Chloe Jordan, Amy Madden ACCOUNT MANAGER Sara Grace Aldis SENIOR COMMERCIAL BRAND MANAGER Angela Wei angela.wei@aremedia.co.nz COMMERCIAL BRAND MANAGER Georgia van Koningsveld DIRECTORY SALES MANAGER Kim Chapman 021 673133 classifieds@xtra.co.nz ARE MEDIA GROUP MANAGEMENT CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Jane Huxley GENERAL MANAGER Stuart Dick EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Sarah Henry PRIVACY NOTICE New Zealand Woman’s Weekly is publishedby Are Media Limited (Are Media). Are…

Normally I pop in and see Mum at the retirement village three or four times a week. If the kids and I aren’t coming for a swim, and it’s only Mum and me, we’ll head out for a change of scenery. If the weather’s nice, we usually go for a walk on the beach or a stroll around one of the local parks. But the weather wasn’t that flash on the one afternoon I had free this particular week and Mum had a cough, so we were at a bit of a loss. Mum isn’t one for strolling around malls and shopping has only ever been a duty borne of necessity, not a hobby for her. What to do? “I know,” said Mum. “Let’s go to a car wash and…

Sweet revenge! Three victims turn the tables on a con man With lashings of girl power, dark humour and crime, this is a whip-smart and highly addictive thriller. Eat, Slay, Love is about three very different women who are brought together inadvertently by one man. Sweet, book-loving Lilah knows him as Zachary, the caring boyfriend who is helping her cope with the sudden death of her beloved father along with a life-changing lottery win. Divorcée and devoted mum Marina knows him as Xavier, the hot guy who is helping her get her groove back. Meanwhile, wellness influencer Opal knows who he really is because she used to be married to him back when he was Zander. Suffice to say that Zachary/Xavier/Zander is a lethally manipulative con man. He’s already got…

VIOLET AND THE VELVETS: THE CASE OF THE MISSING STUFF by Rachael King (Allen & Unwin, $18.99) An upbeat read about a music-loving girl called Violet Grumble whose dream is to compete at BandChamps. None of her friends can play an instrument, but Violet won’t let that hold them back. There are more challenges ahead, however. The band’s gear starts going missing and the other members of the Velvets have stage fright, so how are they ever going to beat their rival band The Alphas? Harnessing her ADHD powers, Violet has to try and sort it all. Great fun for readers aged eight to 12. NORMAL WOMEN by Philippa Gregory (HarperCollins, $24.99) In the past, history books were written by men and tended to overlook women. Best-selling adult author Philippa…

Quirky tribute Paris Jackson, 26, channelled late fashion designer Vivenne Westwood’s iconic punk aesthetic at the Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood show at Paris Fashion Week. Back to work Cameron Diaz (right), 52, made her first front-row fashion show appearance in 13 years alongside Kate Moss, 51, at Stella McCartney’s office-themed show at Paris Fashion Week. MAGIC MINDYA ctor Mindy Kaling was all smiles as she leftThe Viewstudio. The mum of three, 45, is promoting her new Netflix sports comedyRunning Point, which stars Kate Hudson. Street appeal Christina Ricci, 45, celebrated getting her Hollywood Walk of Fame star with her hairstylist husband Mark Hampton, 41, and kids Freddie, 10, and Cleopatra, three, before posing with her beloved Yellowjackets family (below). Pouting pals Paul Rudd is a huge fan of his…