Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2023 i The Australian Women's Weekly

Be it wine or what’s in my wardrobe, my general default is quality over quantity. So, the revelation that we’re having less sex, but enjoying it more than previous generations sounds like a win to me. This is just one of the findings from our 2023 Voice of Australian Women Survey. We’ve compared responses from Aussie women, on topics like sex, health and work, to results from a similar survey undertaken by The Weekly over 40 years ago (page 74). While there are some positive changes, others are sobering. We’re still shouldering more of the domestic duties, with 38 per cent of Aussie women today responsible for all ‘life admin’ in their house and 21 per cent doing all the cleaning. Also concerning is the fact 78 per cent of…

Ever since she was a child, Miranda Tapsell has loved to play dressups. So when The Weekly crew arrive at the lavish location we’ve hired for today’s shoot – an incredible heritage home in prime Sydney eastern suburbs real estate – the actor is in her element. Swinging open the door to greet us, she spins to better show off one of the designer outfits she’s donned for the day. Lowering her voice, she puts on an exaggerated drawl. “Welcome to my hooooome,” she says, perfectly in character. “I’m riiiiicchhhhh,” before dissolving into a fit of giggles that feels far more like the Miranda we all know and love. This sense of putting on a costume, of leaning into play, has been with the actor since her earliest years, she…

The sun slants in through arched windows onto wooden floors. With its high ceilings, rugs and paintings, it’s a beautiful room in a grand old house in Brisbane. A house that signals success. Li Cunxin and his wife of 36 years, Mary Li, sit tightly together on a linen sofa, her hand on his shoulder, an undeniable physical closeness. Li doesn’t take any of this for granted. Not the house, the family, or the superstar career as a ballet dancer. For him “everything is a bonus miracle”. The author of Mao’s Last Dancer, a book that sold millions of copies and was made into a famous film, has never forgotten the poverty of his childhood in China, the “total desperation” on his mother’s face as she starved herself so one…

Bleached blond mullet flying, legs pumping, almost soaring with the news helicopters buzzing overhead, Nedd Brockmann was near the finishing line. There were people everywhere, dangling out of cars, pumping their fists, urging him on as police held back the traffic. The crowds were a blur until, suddenly, Nedd caught sight of some familiar dreadlocks near Sydney’s Central Station. It was his homeless mate, Dave, whose plight first inspired the young electrician’s epic charity run from coast to coast across Australia. A “goosebumps” moment. “Dave was just sitting where I’d met him three years before,” smiles Nedd, whose marathon effort raised more than two million dollars to help put a roof over people’s heads. “We locked eyes and kind of saluted each other while I continued down the road that…

Make-up MUST HAVES Keeping it simple Summer calls for minimal make-up – a light skin tint, radiant cheeks and glossy lips. Scents of summer For a spritz of sunshiny joy. 1. Narciso Rodriguez All Of Me EDP 90ml, $215. 2. One Seed Seeker EDP 30ml, $109. 3. Gucci Flora Gorgeous Magnolia EDP 100ml, $265. MUST TRY! Say hello to summer moisturisers with a light-as-air texture. Weleda’s vegan Skin Food Nourishing Day Cream, $32.95; the fragrancefree Charlotte Tilbury Magic Water Cream, $125; and Elizabeth Arden Retinol + HPR Ceramide Rapid Skin-Renewing Water Cream, $155, to boost skin renewal while you sleep. Dyson Airwrap Multi Styler Complete Long creates an almost effortless bouncy blow out or curls. harveynorman. com.au Silver Bullet JetLiner Hair Dryer is super lightweight at just 348g. Settings can…

Ever get a sense that time moves too quickly? All of a sudden, it’s November and you still feel like it should be February. The things you were convinced you’d get around to doing last year are still sitting on a shelf in your mind rather than being present as actions in your life. A common stumbling block can be waiting until your life is perfectly positioned for change. So you wait until you have the time, or the energy, or the money, or until you lose weight, or land your dream job, or until the kids start or finish school, or for a time when life is less jam-packed, rushed or demanding. But when is that time? The bridge between where you currently are and where you want to…

Kirsten’s tips Store bark for up to 4 weeks in an airtight container at room temperature below 25°C. FIX IT If the chocolate doesn’t set, place it in the freezer and serve directly from the freezer. Kirsten’s tips Store up to 6 weeks in an airtight container at room temperature below 25°C. FIX IT If chocolate begins to set while you are coating popcorn, reheat it with a hair dryer while stirring vigorously. Kirsten’s tips To keep the slice crunchy, store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks at room temperature below 25°C. Kirsten’s tips Store snowflakes for up to 3 months in an airtight container at room temperature below 25°C. Don’t make chocolate too thin or they will break as you remove baking paper. Kirsten’s tips Store…

The Paris Cooking School by Sophie Beaumont, Ultimo Learning to live and love again in the streets of Paris, city of romance, is not a new idea, but there is a freshness and vivacity to this cooking school novel that is utterly beguiling. Maybe it’s the mouth-watering and intricate food descriptions that send readers into a reverie, because be warned: You will be reaching for the frying pan, cracking eggs and slicing in decadent shards of butter and handfuls of fresh green herbs in no time. Or maybe it is just the possibility of abandoned amour that follows our characters along every street. The Paris Cooking School of the title is not a cordon bleu establishment seeking to create Michelin-starred chefs, but a unique haven where food lovers can unlock…

“Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice.” A mother’s strength My heart goes out to Lindy Chamberlain-Creighton (“You never forget …”, AWW, November). You would think nothing could be worse than losing your precious little baby. That is, until you get charged with her murder. I’m sure Lindy believed justice would prevail and her innocence would be proclaimed. Instead she was found guilty – condemned by rumour and public opinion. I’ve read Lindy’s book and am so sorry about what she’s had to endure. She’s a very strong lady, and I’m so glad she was finally vindicated. K. Simpson, Woodvale, WA. Good Aussie bloke My husband and I met Bryan Brown in a coastal town. He was welcoming and friendly, and came across as…

Accusations and allegations. Lies and betrayals. Fear and loathing. Fraud, theft, power and corruption. Friends turning on friends, children and parents turning on each other, heirs and heiresses at war. Legacies in dispute. Family empires feuding. Not even the scriptwriters of drama-charged Succession or Game of Thrones could dream up the war of words and wits playing out in the Western Australian Supreme Court right now, as two of Australia’s richest women fight out a clash-of-titans legal battle. In one corner of this billionaire boxing ring is Hancock Prospecting executive chair, Gina Rinehart, 69, Australia’s richest citizen with an estimated worth of $38 billion. In the opposite corner is Angela Bennett, 78, Australia’s fourth-richest citizen with a $4.6 billion fortune, the daughter of Peter Wright, Gina’s father Lang Hancock’s one-time…

Clothes are like songs. Hearing certain music brings back particular memories, so it is with certain outfits ... I first developed my own personal style growing up in the backwoods of East Tennessee. I always loved make-up. I wanted to be pretty. Back then, any woman who wore make-up in the mountains was considered trashy. But I didn’t care. When I started buying my own make-up, I also started dressing according to how I felt, which meant wearing tight, low-cut outfits that my mama made. I remember feeling powerful enough to go up against Daddy or Grandpa to say, “Now, that’s not that tight. It ain’t cut that low. It ain’t that much.” And they’d say, “Yes, it is!” But I’d be willing to get my ass whupped for it.…

Gail O’Brien’s eyes glimmer with tears as she recalls the recent death of a dear friend’s husband. “It’s funny, you know,” she says softly, “I found his loss such an emotional thing. Then I thought, ‘Pull yourself together, Gail. You’ve done all this so many times before’.” Sadly, this serene mother-of-three has indeed weathered more than anyone’s fair share of grief. First came the horribly premature death, from a malignant brain tumour, of her charismatic husband, worldrenowned cancer surgeon Professor Chris O’Brien. It was a public mourning, as fans of the reality TV series in which he appeared, RPA, and former patients all poured out their grief. Less than two years later, the family’s elder son, Adam, passed away at home, of a suspected epileptic seizure, aged just 29. “He…

It was the Spring Racing Carnival in Melbourne. My friends and I had a ritual – each year we dressed up and spent a day at the racetrack. Saturday September 6, 2003, had been a great day as always, and once we said our goodbyes that evening, I caught a train home. But as I got off at my station, a friend I’d spent the day with sent a text message. Some of the girls were going for dinner and asked if I’d meet them at the restaurant. It was a beautiful evening and I thought, why not? The restaurant was a 10-minute drive away and I was walking towards the taxi rank when I heard a train whistle a couple of stations down the line. I thought I might…

1. Do not smoke Do not vape. Do not stand too close to campfires. Damage done by smoking cannot be reversed. 2. Wash your face None of this splashing a bit of water from the tap and hoping it hits your skin. Thorough and considered cleansing will change your skin and how it behaves. 3. Learn how to sleep I’ve battled with insomnia for most of my life. How well and how long you sleep shows on your face. Brutally. Rest is the elixir of youth. 4. Your face finishes at your boobs You must not finish the skincare party at your chin or you will be wearing roll-neck sweaters for the rest of your life. 5. Drink water But you knew that, right? My mother taught me that the…

Pregnancy and life with a newborn feels like a foggy blur for most new mums. It’s hard to get comfortable in the former and you’re knee deep in the messy act of parenting for the latter. No surprise that many women, particularly those without a ‘village’ to help reduce the impact of sleepless nights, feel like their minds are turning to mush and judge themselves as suffering from ‘baby brain’. “Bring these women into the lab and the objective cognitive testing doesn’t find any decline. In fact, it may find cognitive enhancement,” says Dr Sarah McKay, author of Baby Brain (Hachette). “Baby brain isn’t a neurological problem but a social one. It’s a negative stereotypical message women have absorbed for a long time. You can’t remember everything because you are…

from the Test Kitchen Natural flaked almonds are flaked almonds with the skin on. This recipe can be made a week ahead or frozen for up to 3 months. Refresh tarts by heating in a 160°C oven for 5 minutes or until warm, then allow to cool before serving. Dust with icing sugar, if desired. from the Test Kitchen To maximise volume, ensure egg whites are at room temperature before you start. Place cold eggs in a bowl of hot tap water for 5 minutes to achieve this. Store meringues in an airtight container interleaved with baking paper in a cool spot for up to 2 weeks. from the Test Kitchen The pudding can be made up to one week ahead; store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Toffee…

Recognised as a pioneer in the field of wellness and healthy cooking, Teresa combines her experience as a classically trained chef, nutritionist and fitness trainer. Her approach to food is inspired by her Polish heritage and love of Mediterranean cuisine and based around simple wholefoods, with minimal fuss and using what’s in season. “This salad is a winner,” Teresa says, “a favourite in The Healthy Chef kitchen when mangoes are bursting with antioxidants and summer goodness. The lime juice rounds out the sweetness of the mango and the richness of the avocado marries the flavours perfectly. Enjoy.” "Add a splash of green Tabasco or jalapeno sauce. You can use. coriander in place of parsley For a protein boost add a tin of cooked black beans." For MORE Simple Healthy Recipes…

You were born in 1937 and had a glorious childhood in the Yorkshire countryside, later moving to England’s south. How did it shape you as a writer? Jilly: There were always writers in the family. My grandmother was a vicar’s wife, but she used to read novels the whole time: Jane Austen and the like. As soon as anybody came into the room she would pretend to be mending and sewing, and then go back to her book when they left. I also had a relation who edited a newspaper and my aunt Gwen used to write poems. She wrote one called I Have Raped the Chambers of Knowledge, and I remember her sending it to me. My mother was horrified; she rang Gwen and said, “You’re not to send…

Wrapped up If Santa still visits your house, remember to buy two different types of wrapping paper to distinguish ‘his’ gifts. Fishy business When barbecueing seafood, line hotplate with baking paper – food will brown but won’t stick, so clean up is a breeze. Sweet treat If you’ve run out of baking time, jazz up something store-bought. Buy some shortbread or ginger biscuits, dip half of each biscuit in melted chocolate, arrange on baking paper and decorate with nuts, coconut or 100s and 1000s before the chocolate sets. The big freeze Freeze sweet and savoury biscuits (cooked and uncooked), cupcakes, prepared garlic bread, brandy butter, egg whites and whole passionfruit. Kids’ craft If you have a large yarn stash or leftover ends, get the kids to make lots of different-sized…

Everything in Japan feels unfamiliar: The enigmatic typeset dancing across signposts, billboards and menus; the lyrical dialect swirling about your ears; the bullet trains speeding towards their final destination and arriving unscathed and on time. Despite its otherworldliness, this is a safe and easily navigable destination. There is an abiding culture of efficiency, deference and omotenashi (hospitality) – even when you’re communicating in gestures rather than a common tongue. So tuck a cherry blossom behind your ear and lose yourself – afresh or new – to the charms of this beguiling country. Seeing with new eyes • The Shiki-Shima train cruises like a space-age beluga across Tohoku, a mountainous region peppered with temples, castles and historic villages. Furnished with traditional Tohoku crafts, this sleeper train stops along its route for…

Sagittarius Nov 23 - Dec 21 This month’s combustible combination of Sun and Mars in your vibrant sign fires up tremendous birthday momentum and a dynamic energy boost for organising festive game plans. An enthusiastic new moon in Sagittarius on December 13 opens a gift box of multicultural mingling and promising possibilities. Only red light? Mercury backsliding into your sign for the last week of 2023 issues a strong signal to stay calm and avoid drama so you can enjoy Jupiter, your leading planet, heading out of retrograde and Venus leaping boldly into Sagittarius for a glorious end of year finale. Capricorn Dec 22 - Jan 20 Savvy Capricorns will take full advantage of Mercury’s excellent executive assist in the first fortnight of December. Lock in holiday plans and activities…

Staff photographer John Jones took his own dog along to capture local model Robin Farquharson in Sydney’s Centennial Park for a quintessential summer cover. The cheer of Christmas was in the air, and also reflected within the issue. Ads for potential gifts – from nylons to golf balls, slippers to at-home perm kits – were studded throughout and informal party ideas for big American-style sandwiches promised to spice up holiday picnics. With Australia gearing up for the first full-length colour film made wholly in the country, readers were treated to beautiful behind-the-scenes images from filmmaker Charles Chauvel’s Jedda. Enthusiastic amateur gardener Mrs Morley McIntosh invited The Weekly into her home to share her bounty of freshly cut hydrangeas as well as top growing tips. “It was my love of hydrangea…

Royal MILESTONE Christian comes of age Crown Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik’s firstborn, Prince Christian, has turned 18, amid lavish palace celebrations attended by royals from across Europe. The second-in-line to the Danish throne gave a speech at his party, thanking his parents for their warmth and support. “Everyone in our family knows we can turn to each other and find strength right there,” Prince Christian said. “We count on each other because we’ve always been able to count on you.” Women we love Kylie tops the charts Kylie Minogue has celebrated her ninth UK number-one album, Tension. It puts her on the list of artists with the most number-one albums along with Bob Dylan and Coldplay. Cheng Lei freed Hot chocolate, oysters and blood oranges were some of…

When you ask Australian women what they want, the message that comes through loud and clear is that we’re clamouring for equality. From Tasmania to Townsville, we want equal opportunities, a chance to pursue careers without being penalised for having children and, most crucially, equal pay. As one woman said, “We’ve been fighting for centuries; the women of the future shouldn’t have to fight still.” This was one of the findings of our 2023 Voice of Australian Women Survey, which canvassed the thoughts and experiences of more than 5000 women aged 18 years and up from all walks of life. It followed on from landmark surveys by The Weekly in 1980 and later in 2007. We also heard that women want an end to violence. The survey laid bare an…

Long before it got fast, fashion was slow. For colonial women, who waited months for letters, parcels, journals and newspapers, it moved at a glacial speed. By the time the latest Paris and London trends had landed, they were already out of date. Fashion, for the average woman with a family to clothe, was the least of her concerns. Right up to the 1940s, women made all the clothing for their family, along with soft furnishings – rugs, cushions, napery and tea cosies. No fabric was wasted. Garments were handed down, unstitched, turned, patched, repaired and altered, particularly during wartime and the Great Depression. Old curtains became dresses and coats, sheets were restitched, and wedding dresses remade into underwear, sleepwear and babies’ clothes. “It wasn’t high fashion,” says Iris Skinner,…

Kylie’s simple yet intensely flavoured sauce adds a salty/ sweet flavour punch to any meat, fish, egg or tofu dishes. You won’t regret keeping a jar in the fridge at all times. Kylie’s tip Organic eggs taste amazing in this dish and have the best texture, but free-range will work fine, too. Or you could even try using duck eggs. Jacqui’s tips For a main meal, serve with rice and green salad. Uncooked marinated chicken and sauce will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. For a vego option, try substituting chicken with firm tofu. For MORE Recipes from Change the Course cookbook by Two Good Co. Available from twogood.com.au or all good booksellers. RRP $45. Belinda’s tips Store leftover marinade in the fridge to use as a…

1. Lighting Updating lights is probably my favourite way to accessorise as space and make it feel instantly elevated. And it can be easy. Most people think you need an electrician because it looks intimidating to change out a light, but I’ve taught people how to do it. Here are some easy options. Plug-in sconces: Typically, sconces require in-wall electrical wiring. They make the space feel custom, but if you’re renting, you’re probably not going to be allowed to open up walls to put one in. It can be costly, too. That’s where plug-in sconces do the trick. Swag lights: If you don’t have any ceiling light or simply want to add one to a room without using an electrician, a swag light is a great option. You can pair…

WIN A PROPERTY Australia’s biggest ever prize home lottery is here. Draw 411 is also the biggest prize in RSL Art Union history! You could win an entire $12.6 million beachfront apartment complex on the Gold Coast. Four luxury apartments – including a double-storey penthouse – with uninterrupted views to the Pacific Ocean. Draw is open now. Visit rslartunion.com.au A FRESH DROP The latest vintage of the famed New Zealand Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is bursting with vibrance. Experience the delights of ripe passionfruit, gooseberry and guava on the nose, combined with citrus notes. Widely available in liquor stores or visit kimcrawfordwines.au HANDY APPLIANCES Westinghouse’s kitchen and laundry appliances – including ovens, cooktops, rangehoods, cooking accessories, washing machines and dryers – are there to help you out, so you can get…