Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2017 i The Australian Women's Weekly

It’s ironic that I sit here at my desk struggling to find the right words for this Editor’s Letter. Ironic because what I want to discuss this month is the power of words, or to be more precise, the power of letters. We were musing in a staff meeting about the lost art of handwriting in this increasingly digital age, so it felt extraordinary when a dear friend, Karla, did the most wonderful thing at her 40th birthday dinner. She presented each guest at the party with a personalised letter, sharing what it was that made them so special to her and why she felt blessed to have them in her life. Each one began with a simple proverb – to have gratitude and not share it is like wrapping…

“I am filled with their courage, their hope and love for their families.” It’s 30°C in the shade and utter chaos in the beautiful, battle-scarred Lebanese capital, Beirut. Australian actress Marta Dusseldorp strides through dusty streets to a cacophony of car horns, jack hammers, stereos and street vendors. The star of A Place To Call Home and Janet King is a woman on a mission and that is to sit with and listen closely to the stories of the Syrian refugees who live here. “Nothing beats looking into the eyes of someone and being able to pass their story on. That is the oral tradition,” says Marta, speaking from Beirut exclusively with The Weekly. “To sit down with these people has been an honour and a privilege. I am filled…

One of the first questions Warren Mundine is usually asked is, “Are you related to Anthony Mundine, [the champion ] . He , course. Warren s cousin is Anthony’s dad, but it’s actually a more pertinent observation than mere celebrity family connections. Boxing has played a key role in Warren’s life. As a child, he and his seven brothers all climbed into the ring, much to his mother’s dismay, but it was watching Aboriginal boxer Lionel Rose win the world championship in 1968 in Tokyo, just a year after the 1967 referendum finally included Indigenous people in the national census, that Warren realised the importance of fighting for his place in the world. “An Aboriginal boy from the shanty town called Jackson’s Track, on the other side of the world…

“A stream had claimed its first scalp – we had a man down and soaking sneakers.” It seemed like a good idea at the time. A rare weekend when our waking hours weren’t dominated by frantic searches for mouthguards and shin pads, as the kids’ sport had been cancelled. The weather was splendid so I thought we should go for a bushwalk. What a wonderful opportunity for family bonding. Husband and I were most enthusiastic, being trampers from way back. In fact, as he pulled the old backpack from the cupboard and blew the dust off, he reminded me that we’d trekked every weekend from our courting days in 1997 right up until 2004, when I was pregnant with number one and a nasty case of haemorrhoids halted my enthusiasm…

“By 3pm, there are mountains of sticky stuff to carry home.” Hovering at the school gate on the last day of term a few years ago (okay, 25 years ago), I saw my five-year-old approaching. She was wearing a paper crown covered in silver stars and carrying a drippy painting. It looked like a house or maybe a turtle. I’d learned to wait for clues before saying, “What a lovely cat.” “Do you know what Miss Fogarty calls painting and craft stuff?” she asked, placing it carefully on the car seat – paint-side down. “No. What does she call it?” I asked. You could count on Miss Fogarty to say something nice. “Pointless busy work.” Miss Fogarty made a good point about pointlessness, but fortunately, I’m a fan of school…

Cream dream Miléa bandeau one-piece, 8-16, $199.95. Funkis dress, XS-XL, $239. Mapoésie scarf, $228.80, (03) 5962 5535. Búl sandals, 36-41, $140. Earthy tones Country Road top, 4-16, $179. Mesop shorts, 8-14, $129. Billabong bikini top, 6-14, $59.99, and high-waisted pants, 6-14, $59.99. Lilya leather tote bag, $349. Trenery sandals, 36-42, $149. Go navy Búl scarf, $140. Elk skirt, 8-18, $165. Amoena one-piece, 10-18 B-D, $169.95. Lilya slides, 36-41, $199. COOP by Trelise Cooper tote bag, $99. Out of Africa Búl shirt dress, 6-14, $260, Amoena one-piece, 8-18, $139.95. Senso slides, 35-42, $229. My Island Home Panama hat, $185. Classic monochrome Fallen Broken Street hat, $139.95. Lonely one-piece, XS-XL, $240. Marle pants, XS-L, $240. Seed tote bag, $79.95, and espadrille slides, 36-41, $59.95. Top pick Elka Collective cover-up, 6-14, $169. Ted…

Ravishing red Featuring an argan oil-enriched formula, this nail polish is not only a gorgeous shade of red, but it provides intensive nourishment and instant moisture for healthier-looking nails. Detox your hair with clay Give your roots a burst of freshness with these two products, which will cleanse and detoxify your hair. The dry shampoo formula leaves no residue behind, while the mask uses three types of clay to absorb excess oil and impurities. Best anti-ageing buy Many women are often concerned with sagging skin around their neck as they age. This topical product (right) will help firm your jawline area and smooth wrinkles on the face and neck. Staying power This highly pigmented lipstick (left) is waterproof and will last for up to 12 hours, so you can maintain…

Across Australia, around 5 per cent of adults have diabetes and the number being diagnosed is increasing faster than other chronic diseases. Why is this? The simple answer is that we are consuming more kilojoules and doing less exercise. Another theory is that chemicals in our environment may be disrupting our metabolism and hormone balance. The number of people diagnosed with diabetes increases with age, with 15 per cent of people aged 65 to 74 having the disease. Yet the number of younger people being diagnosed with Type 2 is also rising alarmingly because of the increase in childhood obesity and inactivity. Because of the long-term complications, this means a heavy burden for future generations. We know that diabetes creates other health problems such as high blood pressure, heart and…

Black Forest mousse cups SERVES 6 PREP AND COOK TIME 15 MINUTES (+ COOLING AND REFRIGERATION TIME) Using bottled cherries and cherry jam eliminates the need for you to make your own compote, and you can also make this dessert even if it’s not cherry season. If you want this dessert with the traditional Black Forest addition of kirsch, you can use it in place of the orange liqueur. 200g dark chocolate 600ml thickened cream ¼ cup (55g) caster sugar 2 tablespoons orange-flavoured liqueur (see Julie’s tips) 670g jar bottled morello cherries ½ cup (160g) cherry jam 30g Flake chocolate bar 1 Melt the dark chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes. 2 Whip the cream, sugar and…

Scary eyeballs MAKES ABOUT 32 SERVES 4-6 PREP AND COOK TIME 45 MINUTES 500g beef mince ½ cup (35g) panko (Japanese) breadcrumbs 1 small (70g) carrot, grated finely ¼ cup (20g) grated parmesan 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 egg 1 clove garlic, crushed ½ teaspoon dried oregano 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 medium (150g) onion, chopped finely 1 clove garlic, chopped finely, extra 700ml jar tomato passata (tomato cooking sauce or tomato purée) 1 cup (250ml) beef or chicken stock 200g tub cherry bocconcini, drained, sliced ⅓ cup (50g) sliced black olives 1 Combine mince, breadcrumbs, carrot, parmesan, paste, egg, garlic and oregano in a large bowl; season well with salt and pepper. Using damp hands, roll level tablespoons of mince mixture into balls. 2 Heat half the…

1.Charles Dickens, 1812-1870. WHO: Born in Portsmouth, England, near circle-bearded Dickens and his seven siblings tramped to London when his father was sent to debtors’ prison. At just 12, he was sent to work in a “blacking factory”, pasting labels on pots, and he realised that, without education, the family would never escape poverty. WHAT: That feeling of shame is reflected in his books about afflicted yet inspiring characters. A Christmas Carol was his most popular book. 2. Mark Twain, 1835-1910. WHO: Born in small-town Missouri, one of seven children, walrus-moustached Twain is said to have smoked cigars at eight, stowing away on a steamboat at nine. The money he earned from writing, he ploughed into crazy inventions, including board games and a clamp to stop babies throwing off their…

“Inertia is a major reason why many of us don’t switch banks.” Are you happy with your bank? Not surprisingly, customers are happier with the smaller banks than with the Big Four. With a score of 91.5 per cent, Teachers Mutual Bank topped the list in the Roy Morgan Single Source customer satisfaction survey for the six months to June 2017. Heritage Bank (89.1 per cent), Bendigo Bank (88.6 per cent), Beyond Bank Australia (88.6 per cent) and ING Direct (88.1 per cent) rounded out the top five. Ten small banks ranked ahead of the first heavyweight, Commonwealth Bank, with a score of 81 per cent. Yet this survey was conducted before the latest scandal engulfed the bank, when it was accused of more than 53,000 breaches of anti-money laundering…

Letter of the month I couldn’t help but notice how different Princess Charlotte looked to her parents and her brother, Prince George (Cambridge four – charm offensive, AWW, September). On taking a second look, I realised Princess Charlotte (far right) has the same eyes as her great-grandmother, the Queen (right). L. Dixon, via email. Sensational Shirley I have wonderful memories of seeing Shirley MacLaine dance and perform live. I left flowers at the theatre and received autographed photos as a thank you. Loved your article on this 83 years young legend (No fear, no regrets, AWW, October). As a 70-year-old man, many of us welcome stories of “senior trailblazers” that we can identify with. P. R. Webb, Bell Park, Vic. Edith Eger’s strength It was truly inspiring to read about…

“George’s stint at prep school will be the first real test.” Behind the ornate, Victorian porticos of London’s most fashionable prep school, four-year-old Prince George of Cambridge is learning what matters. Here, in classrooms once reserved for the poor of the parish, Britain’s future King will be expected to show “kindness, courtesy, confidence and humility”. George’s arrival at Thomas’s Battersea says much about his parents’ priorities. William and Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, closely studied their options before choosing the $30,000-a-year school, known for its focus on producing what its prospectus calls “conscientious and caring citizens of the world”. For all its exclusivity, Thomas’s – sited in a fast-gentrifying borough sometimes known as South Chelsea – would once have been unthinkable as a school fit for an…

“ The worst part is definitely the massage following the removal of the applicators ... the numbness can make it quite painful. ” Removing stubborn pockets of fat can require countless hours at the gym and a healthy eating plan that’s both boring and hard to stick to. And the truth is, no matter how hard we try, the fat still might not budge from our stomach, thighs, arms and bottom. If we rewind a decade, liposuction, which dates back to the 1920s, was the go-to treatment for fat removal. Despite it being highly effective, it is associated with a risk of mortality due to bleeding, blood clots and infection. Today, there are many non-invasive body-contouring treatments that claim to remove unwanted fat and give you a desired shape without…

There is no magic bullet when it comes to maintaining weight loss over the long term. Sure, we can all lose weight by tidying up our diets and ramping up our exercise, but the uncomfortable truth is that, for most of us, the weight eventually creeps back on. For most people, keeping the weight off is really hard, some say even harder than losing the weight in the first place. Indeed, long-term studies are showing that within two years, more than 80 per cent of people who lose weight will have regained some, if not all, of it. The first thing to understand is that you and I can eat exactly the same meals, but our bodies metabolise the energy and nutrients very differently, depending on our age, genetic makeup,…

“There’s something very satisfying about the warm crunchiness of fish cakes.” Spring onion, sweet potato and caper fish cakes with tomato and avocado salsa SERVES 3-4 PREP AND COOK TIME 40 MINUTES Fish cakes are quick and simple, and while you might think the fish flavour is drowned out by sweet potato and onions, there’s method to my madness if someone doesn’t like fish. You can leave out the anchovies if you must. Given this recipe only calls for half of a 45g can, drain remaining anchovies, mash into butter, wrap carefully in plastic film and put in the freezer. 150g piece unpeeled and scrubbed orange sweet potato 40g unsalted butter ⅓ cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil ½ large brown onion, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, finely chopped…

Calamari is Italian for squid and also used for the squid species whose side fins run the length of their bodies. Calamari is often smaller and more tender than squid and it’s worth the effort to clean it yourself. To prepare squid or calamari, follow these steps. STEP 1 Remove the tentacles from the body by pulling gently. Remove the clear plastic-like quill in the body (hood) and any entrails inside. STEP 2 Pull the two fins from both sides of the hood. Carefully pull away the dark skin on the outside of hood and fins. STEP 3 Hoods can be used whole or cut crossways into rings. To cut into pieces, use a sharp knife to cut down one side of the hood, then open out. Scrape the inside…

If a collection of ravens is a conspiracy and a group of magpies is a parliament, then it should be a gladness of gladioli. “Gladdies” have had a bad rap over the past few decades, put in the same class as Dame Edna’s rhinestone tiaras and purple perm. Yet gladdies are also one of the most gorgeous, hardy and reliable summer flowers, and there is a variety for every taste – from gaudy pink or mauve ruffles to “perfectly plain”, the small, wild gladioli that I love. Galdioli can be planted in a spectacular hedge, scattered among other plants in a cottage garden, or even grown on a grassy bank, as ours are, and picked at Christmas time. That is the magic of gladdies: you can tell them when to…

MISSY’S MOMENT Catch songstress Missy Higgins (right) in her musical theatre debut with the celebrated Aussie musical Miracle City, at the Sydney Opera House Studio, October 12-29. Set in the early 1990s, the show tells the story of the Truswells from Tennessee, a family with a dream to build a religious theme park and the extreme lengths the family’s patriarch will go to make it a reality. Visit sydneyopera house.com. Flight of fancy Inspired by the film, Avatar, Cirque du Soleil returns with Toruk – The First Flight. Expect daring acrobatics, cutting-edge multimedia and amazing puppetry, as we join two boys who take matters into their own hands when a catastrophe threatens the sacred Tree of Souls. The show opens at Brisbane’s Entertainment Centre on October 5, before moving to…

1 HAPPY TOGETHER: Amal Clooney confided “what a great father” her husband, George, is to their three-month-old twins, Ella and Alexander. Doting George says of tiny twin Ella, “She’s very elegant, all eyes. She looks like Amal.” The couple wed in Venice in 2014 and returned in September this year for the Venice Film Festival (right). 2 BABY LOVE: Congratulations to Western Lowland gorilla mum Mbeli and her newborn. “Mother and baby are doing well,” Sydney’s Taronga Zoo reported. 3 A FRIEND INDEED: When Sydney Swans fan Mark Smith, 13, lost his sight to cancer, he would attend matches and listen to the radio for the action. After his radio failed during a recent match, his friend, Jarryd Haines, 12, talked Mark through each kick. The Swans heard about them,…

There were no free tickets, no backstage passes. Tina Hutchence had to queue with the rest of the crowd, but she didn’t mind – she was getting to see her brother’s band again. INXS. It was Los Angeles, 2005, at some “obscure venue”, as Tina puts it, and it was to be the first time that she’d seen the boys – brothers Andrew, Jon and Tim Farriss, Kirk Pengilly and Garry Beers – since Michael’s sad and lonely death seven years previously. She’d tried to get in contact, but no one picked up the phone. In the end, Tina stopped calling. Now she was virtually the last person left at the gig. “I tried to call someone to get tickets, couldn’t [get them], so thought forget it, I’ll go with…

1973 FRANKENSTEIN As Agatha, Jane co-starred with Michael Sarrazin (right) as the monster in a psychological telling of the Mary Shelley classic. 1977 SINBAD AND THE EYE OF THE TIGER Jane played Farah in this swashbuckling adventure film, which also featured Patrick Wayne and Taryn Power. 1980 SOMEWHERE IN TIME In this Oscar-nominated drama, Jane starred as actress Elise McKenna. She and co-star Christopher Reeve became close friends and she named one her twin sons, Kris, after him. 1988 WAR AND REMEMBRANCE In the epic Word War II TV mini-series, Jane played Natalie Henry and co-starred with Sir John Gielgud (right). 1993 DR QUINN, MEDICINE WOMAN In the hugely popular TV series Jane starred with Joe Lando (left), who is now her closest friend. 2005 WEDDING CRASHERS In the smash…

Need to know: Broad appeal with a focus on commissioning original dramas. Basic package is $9.99 per month. Recommended: The Crown (left), House of Cards, Ozark. Need to know: Broad appeal with a focus on curating the best content from TV providers worldwide. Basic package is $10 per month. Recommended: Twin Peaks, Seinfeld, Wolf Creek TV show, Will & Grace (left). Need to know: Aimed at women, offering non-stop reality shows. $5.99 per month. Recommended: Keeping up with the Kardashians (left), Real Housewives, Bad Girls Club. Need to know: Foxtel rebranded with no lock-in contracts and live streaming. Choice of $10 or $15 per month starter packs; plus add-ons. Recommended: Game of Thrones (left), Lifestyle Channel, Big Little Lies.…

We all know that our skin is exposed to the elements during the day. Environmental factors, such as the sun, pollution and wind can all wreak havoc on your skin. Fortunately, there are plenty of day creams that can help protect your skin and keep it hydrated. Opt for a moisturising day cream that contains SPF and antioxidant ingredients to fight the signs of ageing. For your night-time skincare routine, choose a product that will nourish your skin, repair damage and lock in moisture as you sleep. Skin regenerates better at night while the body is in a relatively controlled state, so a richer night cream will target the signs of ageing, such as fine lines and wrinkles. A good bedtime skincare ritual will leave you with a refreshed and…

QI am 63 years old, semi-retired and having trouble with snoring. It wakes me up and I’m unable to go back to sleep. I get so tired that I need to have a power nap after lunch. How can I stop snoring? N.D., NSW. You need to ask your GP to refer you for sleep apnoea assessment. The cause may be in your upper airway, or could be a result of being overweight, smoking or drinking excess alcohol. The assessment will guide your treatment: lifestyle measures first, with surgery sometimes necessary if there is an obstruction in your nasal passages, for example. A machine called CPAP (Continuous Positive Airways Pressure) worn all night can help you sleep more soundly and stop the snoring. QI have recently turned 40 and am…

SEASONAL SENSATIONS Plums mean summer is here and two varieties that have caught our eye are the Croc Egg and Montague Tree (left). The plums are juicy, sweet and packed with vitamins A and C. You’ll find the Montague Tree at supermarkets and greengrocers, while the Croc Egg is at Woolworths exclusively from November. FEAST FOR THE SENSES The Taste of Melbourne extravaganza will be held from November 30 to December 3 this year. On the menu are a Family Fun Day, an After Dark Party with local bands and DJs, and a VIP experience in a private garden bar bungalow. For details, visit tasteofmelbourne.com.au. Retro reheat CorningWare has used its iconic 1970s Blue Cornflower pattern for its new range of dishes and casseroles. They can be used on the…

Minette Walters For most, the Black Death is the end, but for a brave few, it heralds a new beginning. The Last Hours by international best-selling author Minette Walters is a sweeping historical saga, rich in intrigue, detail and drama. Published by Allen & Unwin. RRP $32.99. Yarra Trail The spring collection from Yarra Trail combines effortless style and comfort in equal measure. A standout look is this dress (above) in our soft spot print – it’s all you need for the social whirl this spring. RRP $159. Visit yarratrail.com.au. Freeze Frame INSTANT V-LIFT is clinically proven to firm and lift the jawline in 30 minutes or less. Use it daily to tighten the jawline, and lift sagging skin on your neck and face, as the active ingredients work to…

First Person by Richard Flanagan, Knopf. When, as a young man and yet to become an award-winning novelist, Richard Flanagan was offered a gig to ghost-write Aussie fraudster John Friedrich’s memoir for a princely $10,000, he saw it as a lucky break. Here was a chance to ditch his labouring job and earn much-needed cash – his wife was six months pregnant with twins – and fund his own writing. Friedrich was about to stand trial and certain to be convicted, and Flanagan had six weeks to complete the biography. Then, just days before the court case, the con man was found with a bullet in his head, a supposed suicide. The subsequent opus, Codename Iago, wasn’t Flanagan’s finest hour, but working with Friedrich was a uniquely unsettling experience that…

Close encounters A giraffe drops in on Naomi Watts at Giraffe Manor in Nairobi, Kenya, in this charming Instagram image. The 85-year-old English country house – which has had endangered Rothschild giraffes on its lawns since the 1970s – is set in a forest. Prices start at $690 per person twin share. Visit giraffemanor.com for details. APP OF THE MONTH Time Out – what’s on at city destinations, including restaurants, art galleries, events and nightlife. Don’t miss SEE VICTORIA ON TWO WHEELS Hundreds of cyclists will take part in the 34th RACV Great Victorian Bike Ride from November 25 to December 3. The 539km ride will take riders from Wilson’s Promontory through the spectacular scenery of Gippsland’s countryside and coast to the foothills of the Great Dividing Range. Nine-, five-…

Natio Mother Nature’s multi-tasking skin elixir, rosewater, has been used for centuries. Natio’s new Rosewater Hydration collection features six products to smooth, nourish and rejuvenate. Available from Myer, David Jones and pharmacies. RRP $14.95-$22.95. Visit natio.com.au. Mr Showbiz In the 1970s, Robert Stigwood was entertainment’s most powerful tycoon. He managed the Bee Gees, produced Saturday Night Fever, Gallipoli and Grease. Mr Showbiz by Stephen Dando-Collins is his story – warts and all. RRP $34.99. Visit penguin.com.au. Sheridan Crafted using the finest cotton, the Nashe Collection has been intensively stonewashed to create a slightly rumpled texture for that perfect lived-in, relaxed feel. With pared back border detailing, Nashe is the epitome of modern luxury. RRP from $249.95. Visit sheridan.com.au. Nivea Cellular Anti-Age Volume Filling Pearls provide your skin with renewed volume,…