With the National Library culling its catalogue, Rosemary wonders what will become of the banished tomes.
Years ago, I bought an old, illustrated book from our General Assembly Library in Melbourne, of all places, puzzled at what a book with such a fancy library stamp was doing there.
That’s what we do with old books our taxes paid for, I realised. We delete them. Quietly.
A book on peasant costumes in France from the 1930s had no world-shattering reason to exist, and I have no special reason to own it, but I enjoy looking at a disappearing tradition in dress captured in colour by a skilful illustrator. Illustrated books can do that. A computer screen doesn’t get near it.
The library at Parliament was once put together by librarians as a way of gently broadening the minds of politicians who had no internet, social media or TV to amuse them, I like to think, and had to resort to books. More stimulating than drinking in Bellamy’s – and a less slurred level of conversation.
Currently they’re in the process of dumping 600,000 books from the National Library because they’re not about New Zealand, or nobody has looked at them for ages. This makes me nervous. How many illustrated images of traditional costume may be involved? Who has the power of life and death over an old book that might become much in demand in the future, when people change their way of looking at things? Why must books die and be replaced by the horrors, and bland ugliness, of reading on a screen?
The trouble began when librarians became “information officers” or “information providers”. Books were reduced at that point to being mere cold information. Accordingly, the library is making a “gift” of 60,000 books from its overseas published collections to Internet Archive for digitisation, available to all New Zealanders (and whoever) at that point. Physical copies – the real books – will be kept somewhere in that company’s storehouse, possibly deep in the earth where armies of orcs guard them from mould. Or maybe let them rot.
Physical copies will be kept somewhere in that company’s storehouse, possibly deep in the earth where armies of orcs guard them from mould. Or maybe let them rot
The books have “served their purpose and are no longer needed”, the library assures us, much as a magnate trading in his old wife prepares to marry a chit of a girl younger than his daughter. Old wives like me wince at the thought.
Internet Archive is based in San Francisco. It’s a non-profit business holding 30 million books. So far.
I worry about the National Library. It has an ugly building, near Parliament, seemingly designed to withstand an assault by a tank battalion in the event of revolution. It holds many artworks, along with books, that as far as I know few ordinary people ever get to see.
I once saw a stunning exhibition there of portraits of Māori women in the 19th century. The original glass plates – early negatives – were of such a high quality that the photographs could be magnified to life size in all their detail, and the women, dressed in clothes and ornaments of both Māori and Pākehā culture, looked stunning. Whenever I mention it, nobody seems to have seen it. I suspect that’s true of more of its exhibitions, which is a shame but understandable – the fortress-like facade of the place is enough to put you off.
I’m sure the library keeps hold of books connected to New Zealand and the Pacific, which is only right, but we’re part of a larger world and influenced
by whatever happens there. People emigrate here, or arrive as refugees, from many different places and cultures. The collection should, and probably does, reflect that too.
Open an old book, however weird or silly its title, however torn its cover may be, and you almost always learn something. If we shouldn’t judge books by their covers, as the old saying says, how much worse could it be to dump them?
Geraldine stars in Ms. Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries, season two now streaming on Acorn TV.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be an archaeologist for the longest time. I loved this book series called Cairo Jim; I wanted to be Cairo Jim and go on digs in Egypt with my camel and talking parrot.
What was the big album of your youth?
Spice Girls were pretty major. That was one of the first CDs I ever bought. But I was also massively into Aqua. I had their tour diary on VHS and watched it over and over. I actually think I was more into the tour diary than their music to be perfectly honest.
What book would you recommend to a friend?
I recommend this to everyone, but Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders. One of my favourite novels of the last 10 years.
What’s the best podcast you’ve listened to?
My go-to that I keep coming back to is a film review podcast called Filmspotting hosted by two film reviewers from Chicago. It’s taught me so much about film and I find their opinions really spot-on. It’s a winner if you’re a film nerd like me!
What’s the most momentous movie of your childhood?
This is a very hard question. Early childhood? Probably Mary Poppins.
What would be a good theme song for your life?
I would like it to be “Something” by The Beatles, but I don’t think I could afford the rights.
Which fictional character would you most like to meet?
Aragorn from Lord of the Rings. Hot.
What song can you listen to on repeat and never get sick of?
“This Must Be the Place” by Talking Heads.
What’s your favourite movie snack?
Choc top ice creams – but I wish there was still an interval so I could buy a second. They always get eaten before the trailers have finished.
What song can you listen to on repeat and never get sick of?
“This Must Be the Place” by Talking Heads.
Who’s your celebrity crush?
Andrew Scott – Hot Priest (Fleabag), Moriarty (Sherlock) – he’s so talented and so beautiful.
If you could have any animal as a pet, which would you choose?
A pig. A big one, none of this teacup business. A full-grown pig. I love them.
What’s the best concert you’ve attended?
I saw John Mayer when I was about 14 or 15 with my best guy friend/crush, who I’d met at music camp and had a pretty serious MSN Messenger relationship with. It was perfect.
Sarah-Kate settles into the friend zone on a gabby girlfriend getaway.
Having recently been to the Cook Islands with my Ginger beloved, I was naturally keen to head off almost immediately for a girls-only weekend getaway.
I mean, it’s all very well holidaying with your other half, but mine isn’t much good when it comes to chit-chat. You can ask him a question and he’ll answer – if he’s awake, which on holiday is only about 20% of the time. But mostly he’s off in his own world, thinking about garage doors, retaining walls and, most likely, beer.
But take four opinionated women – who all worked as radio journalists back in the day – to an idyllic holiday spot, and chit-chat is bouncing off the walls.
Of course, getting four opinionated women to agree on where to go and when generally has a touch of the UN peacekeeping mobilisation forces about it, but I circumvented this by simply booking my favourite house at Coopers Beach in the winterless Far North and alerting the other three to the fact.
I’m far from the bossiest person I know, but I think I have great potential.
We arrived in two lots at about the same time on a cold Friday afternoon, and to atone for my forcefulness on the accommodation front, I cooked dinner. Although when I say “I”, I really mean the Ginger, who had bought the fish, made the stock, crumbed and herbed the sourdough topping, printed out the instructions on how to put it all together and packed it up for me to take away.
Yes, I mock him behind his back, but I would really be quite lost without him. Although he does get sick of me talking all the time, so is quite keen to get rid of me for short stints. Plus, he likes getting the dog to himself.
Anyway, I digress.
Up in the winterless north, the fire was lit, the dinner was had, wine was drunk and we all caught up with recent events in each others’ lives.
Of course, when you’re of a certain vintage, a goodly amount of time has to be spent on talk of blood pressure, hip joints, sleep, knees, skin, hair and back pain. But once that’s done and dusted you can get on to the good stuff, like what’s on Netflix, which is the best podcast, who’s reading what and four ways (cooking) with an eggplant.
The next day there were walks on the beach, fish and chips at the famous Mangōnui fish shop, a trip to New Zealand’s northernmost winery, a roast chicken, wine and four more ways (cooking) with an eggplant.
There may also have been dancing. I think there often probably is?
To be honest, I could live like that forever – although I suppose after a while you’d run out of ideas for the eggplant. But oh, it’s good for the soul to spend quality time with kindred spirits! It was a rarity for me, as I know it was for each of them, which made it all the more precious.
To be honest, I could live like that forever – although I suppose after a while you’d run out of ideas for the eggplant
There’s something about conversations in front of a fire at night (in a house where someone else will be doing the vacuuming) that go deeper than in any other setting. And if there’s one thing I know, it’s that no one ever runs out of anything to say on a girls’ weekend away. Ever.
By the end of the trip, my stomach muscles ached from laughing – it sure as heck wasn’t from doing sit-ups.
Real life beckoned us home all too soon, but what a reminder of the uplifting power of female friendship. And the versatility of certain vegetables.
It’s time to clear away the cobwebs and look to the future with renewed excitement.
With the new season almost upon us, now is the time when many of us pull on the rubber gloves for our annual spring clean. A clear space equals a clear mind, so there’s no doubt that giving our homes a good scrub and declutter can make us feel good about ourselves. But it’s also the perfect time to perform a spring clean of our wellbeing, too.
At this time of year, I like to take a look at my health and wellness habits and check in with where I’m at. What’s working for me and what’s not? How can I change things up to ensure I’m getting the most out of life? Sometimes it’s the smallest changes that can bring about the biggest results.
With the warmer weather and longer days ahead, the transition from winter to spring is perhaps the most joyful season-switch of all, so why not harness these feelings of positivity to work some magic on your wellbeing. Here are some simple ways to spring clean your life.
1 Let the outside in
Make the most of the dry, warmer weather and flood your home with the clean, fresh air of spring. Like the lungs, our homes need to breathe – when fresh air comes in, the dirty air goes out – so throw open the doors and windows and let it circulate.
2 Get out more
Go for a walk in nature. Get amongst the fresh blossoms and buds, listen to the birds, consider a spring dip in the sea. Emerging from the cold and dreary winter months, we often feel more energised and ready for change. This is a great time to get active – and I’ve always found that morning exercise is the best possible way to start the day, especially at this time of the year. Dust off your runners, set your alarm and welcome the day with a brisk walk or jog. Regular exercise encourages circulation, digestion and lymphatic drainage, and has incredible mental health benefits.
3 Set some new intentions
Shake off the dreariness of winter and think ahead. What do you want to achieve? What will it take to get there? It could be something simple, such as improving your fitness, or a longer-term career goal. In either case, write down your aspirations and make a plan to get there. I break my goals into smaller chunks – each stepping stone gets you closer to your ultimate objective.
4 Eat SLOW
Winter is all about keeping warm, and usually that means bigger, heartier meals. But as you adjust to the spring weather, think about how this might affect what you eat. Where possible, try to eat SLOW: seasonal, local, organic, whole foods. Head to your fruit and vege store and see what’s in season.
Opt for fresh, seasonal food such as asparagus, avocado, beans, beetroot, blueberries, broccoli, courgettes, tomatoes, kiwifruit and oranges. Remember – this is the easiest time to aim to “eat a rainbow”. The more colour we have in our diet, the better we’ll function and the healthier we’ll feel.
5 Spring clean your friendships
Do you have people in your life who sap you of energy? Let them go. Instead, spend time with those who encourage, support and celebrate you. We should all surround ourselves with those who make us feel good. Equally, focus your attention on what sort of friend you are to others. Do you lift your loved ones up and help them to be the best they can be?
6 Forgive and forget
Let go of mental baggage, be it regrets, resentments, grudges or disappointments. Holding on to old emotions and judging yourself or others for the past takes up unnecessary emotional and mental space, which can weigh heavily on your life. When we forgive and forget, we create more mental clarity and allow space for more helpful, positive emotions.
7 Get in sync
Now is a good time to think about how much sleep you’re getting. With the mornings becoming lighter, it’s the ideal time to start your days a little earlier. But that will mean earlier bedtimes. We should all be aiming for the magic eight hours of sleep a night for optimum physical and mental health. Remember, scrolling on your phone at night interferes with your natural body clock. So, leave your devices out of the bedroom and wind down with a good book instead.
8 Still the mind
Many studies have shown the benefits of meditation and mindfulness exercises. Both practices (which focus your attention on the present moment and accept it without judgment) have been shown to reduce stress, anxiety, depression and fatigue and boost happiness, concentration and self-awareness. Apps such as Calm and Headspace are low-cost tools that can help you develop a regular practice.
Celebrate the start of spring with beauty products featuring extracts and ingredients derived from nature’s blooms.
1 A’kin Moisture Rich Rose Mist Toner
Rose essence and aloe vera work together to provide skin with the perfect spritz of hydration and an on-the-go boost in cold weather. The best part? You can now pick it up on your next trip to a Countdown supermarket.
Anyone experiencing skin issues will love the way the pink clay in this mask draws out dirt and grime, making way for antioxidant-rich rosehip oil to balance skin and restore radiance.
Therapeutic lavender essential oils fizz into the air when this steamer is placed on the floor during a shower. The scent will leave you feeling calm and relaxed.
6 Linden Leaves Aromatherapy Synergy Absolute Dreams Body Oil
Use this luxurious oil as you would a moisturiser after a shower. It contains organic rosehip oil, as well as avocado oil, to keep skin soft and nourished.
8 Emma Lewisham Skinreset Concentrated Even Skin Tone
Along with a multitude of other powerhouse active botanical ingredients, this super serum contains Edelweiss stem cells to blitz hyperpigmentation, dullness, dark spots, uneven skin tone, age spots and acne scars.
This 100% natural version of the iconic original is powered by a blend of natural vegetable oils, plant extracts and essential oils, including calendula oil. With cell-regeneration effects, it’s suitable for sensitive and damaged skin.
Moringa oil, Tahitian vanilla and blackberry join forces with sunflower seed oil to create the richly pigmented, creamy matte finish of this long-lasting, natural lippie.
Forget fairy tales and myths – the success of our women athletes in the Olympics proves that we’ve entered a new golden, silver and bronze age of owning our destiny.
It takes restraint not to gush over the feats of our women athletes at the Olympics. So many incredible stories of achievement. So many individual examples of winning against the odds, of achieving way beyond personal bests. Women who’ve spent thousands of hours honing their skills. Women who’ve found themselves competing against their heroes and mentors. Women who have no doubt endured intense pain and defeats that would crush the best of us, to make it to an Olympic event.
Our women who have broken records and stood on podiums for medals of every colour metal – and those who haven’t managed to bring home a medal – are the very essence of tangata whenua. They are wāhine toa, made up of all the history and resilience that makes Kiwi women “super women”.
Many of us grew up listening to the children’s stories on the ZB network in the 1960s, 70s and 80s. Along with Sparky and the Talking Train, Flick the Little Fire Engine and Badjellythe Witch was the popular tale of Diana and the Golden Apples. It’s the story of Diana, a little girl who grew up through fate and misfortune to become the fastest runner in Ancient Greece – and promised to marry any man who could beat her in a race. Along came Melanion, a soldier wounded in battle, and the boy she’d loved as an orphaned child in the country. He asked to race against her. Of course she could beat him – she was Diana. Only, a clever plan was hatched where Melanion would drop golden apples as they ran. As she sprinted, she would bend down to pick up the apples, and therefore he would win both the race and her hand in marriage. They would live happily ever after.
The story seemed romantic back in a time when women were meant to sacrifice everything for the love of a man, and it seemed noble and beautiful to lose everything in order to marry a handsome prince, or wounded soldier in this case. But what a strange message we girls were indoctrinated with through these types of children’s stories, not all that long ago.
Fortunately, times have changed, and collecting golden medals does not mean picking them up from men running ahead. Today our sporting heroes are not “Dianas”. They are real New Zealand super stars like Dame Valerie Adams, a mother of two toddlers, who came back to win bronze – her fourth Olympic Games medal – and is the epitome of strength, endurance, humility and grace.
Our Black Ferns – Golden Ferns. No one can argue that the skills our women’s rugby sevens team shows on the field are beyond compare. Coming from a traditional rugby family, I’ve watched hundreds of matches. So many days on the sidelines, in the stands and sitting in front of the TV. Internationally, rugby has always been a “man’s game”. It’s no secret that the concept of women playing rugby was once not only disapproved of, but scoffed at, and at the very least considered amusing – a slight tip of the hat to the crazy idea that “girls can do anything”.
Rugby is a hard game. Standing on the muddy sidelines, the intense physicality of bodies hitting the ground reverberates through the soles of your feet. Spectators wince as the players take the on- field blows. Our Ferns have trained and played and taken all the pain and injury that comes with being the best in the world.
Grace Prendergast and Kerri Gowler, our first gold medallists at this Olympics, not only won but reclaimed their world record. Anyone who has had a child that rows or paddles deserves a medal. Up in the small hours to train and compete. So many long trips with a boat tied to the roof of the car. So congratulations to the parents of our incredible rowing and paddling medallists: Grace, Kerri, their women’s eight teammates, Emma Twigg, Brooke Donoghue, Hannah Osborne, Caitlin Regal and, of course, Lisa Carrington. Parents, you raised and selflessly supported these young women, and because of Covid, had to celebrate from an ocean away.
To be in the presence of the sensational Lisa Carrington is like being in the presence of a small, smiling, strong, glowing, golden goddess. Hugging her is like hugging pure muscle. How many thousands of hours did she spend alone in a kayak? Team sport is one thing, but solo pursuit in any sport has got to be unbelievably lonely at times. How much mettle must anyone have to train and compete for years while life – school, family, friends, relationships – still goes on.
Not to take anything away from the glory that our men have achieved at this Olympic Games at all, but we must acknowledge that our fearless women have dominated the medals haul – let’s not forget cyclist Ellesse Andrews and golfer Lydia Ko – and provided so much joy for us watching from Aotearoa.
Always proud to be a Kiwi woman, I am beyond words to describe how all our Olympic women athletes have lifted the spirits of our nation. In a country where we were raised on Diana and the Golden Apples and similar stories, and were taught that “To win, young lady, you have to be twice as good as a man”, it is profoundly joyful (and just a little satisfying) to see our women achieving so much and leading our army of athletes from the front.
Congratulations to all our women who were so remarkable that they made it to the Olympics. That selection alone is something most of us can barely dream of achieving. Ngā mihi e ngā wāhine toa. And here’s to the parents, caregivers, coaches and supporters of our Kiwi wonder women.
After some initial hesitation, Michelle Robinson gives menstrual cups the thumbs up.
We are a one-car family, we use beeswax instead of cling wraps and compost all food scraps. But the last bastion of eco-friendliness was one I alone could conquer.
The first time I’d heard a Mooncup described, I was 19 years old. I was sunbathing on my cousin’s lawn, listening to her flatmate discuss her upcoming travels.
“How will you manage your period in a place with no supermarkets or sanitary bins?” we wondered. We were intrigued. In the 25 years since that chat, menstrual cups have become increasingly mainstream – used by the intrepid traveller and everyday woman alike.
When we don’t want to be interrupted during a confidential tête-à-tête, us girls like to joke to an intruding male presence that we’re “discussing periods”. But sometimes, that’s true; with hormones, flows and irregularities, there’s a lot to discuss.
But the most pressing is what we are prepared to do about the almost 11,000 disposable products a woman might otherwise use in her lifetime.
Period undies and reusable pads have made the need for disposable pantyliners and plastic-wrapped pads redundant.
The move away from tampons – penguin chokers, as the eco-conscious call them – has been somewhat more challenging.
The move away from tampons – penguin chokers, as the eco-conscious call them – has been somewhat more challenging
The logistics must be the biggest hindrance when trying a menstrual cup. Do you taco-fold or punch-down? Do you empty it after four hours or eight? Do you clean it after each use? Should you be able to feel it? How on earth do you not make a mess when you empty the bloody thing?
The seeming impracticalities may be the biggest hurdles preventing women, myself included, from giving a menstrual cup a go.
I had one sitting in my drawer for months after a supermarket impulse buy. I don’t know what I was waiting for. Curiosity? A burden of environmental responsibility? Encouragement?
The latter went part way to doing the trick.
A humble group message promoting a Hello Cup sale was circulated amongst my friends. Menstrual cups are not the cheapest, so a sale item is more enticing to buy if you’re unsure how keen you are.
“These are bloody comfy!” a friend responded. Endorsement by a real person, tick.
I scroll through the colourful, bouncy, and non-threatening website. New Zealand-made. Designed by nurses. Made from medical grade ingredients. A spell-everything-out questions and answers section. And a handy little quiz to find out what product best suits you. I think we’re on to something.
I end up buying a low cervix cup – don’t ask me how a quiz determined that would suit me, I don’t quite know myself. Merely days later, it arrives, in a cute floral-patterned box, complete with FAQ booklet and a little drawstring bag for storage. The ocean green half-egg-shaped cup is reassuringly small in my hand. So, if I balls-up the squeeze-and-hold insertion method, it won’t be a big deal.
I feel buoyed, excited even. Let’s do this! Encouragement and curiosity. Tick and tick.
Later, I realise, I haven’t thought about how I’ll get it out. Argh! It’s bedtime and I send a quick message via the website’s chatbot, but I won’t need an answer until tomorrow.
The next morning, I have stage fright. I’m reminded of my first attempt to remove a tampon in high school when, quietly freaking out, my pelvic floor muscles would almost clench shut. Three births later and I highly doubt I’ll have that issue. Though I still do the freaking out part.
I think I haven’t used it right, as the contents outside the cup (and everywhere else) are significantly larger than the contents in. Not willing to accept defeat – Mother Earth is counting on me – I try again. The next morning there is less mess, though I think I just need a little more practice.
I’m looking at the other cup I have in my drawer, the supermarket one. It’s a size large. It looks three times that of my Hello Cup. I decide another month with it lining my drawer won’t hurt.
I use the Hello Cup consistently overnight throughout my period, but never during the day. Removal still seems inconvenient for being out and about. If I cut down on half my menstrual waste by using my menstrual cup at night, that’s a step in the right direction and the rest will surely follow.
It took the birth of two sons and a daughter before I made the move to more sustainable periods. The motivation? I would love for my daughter to have sustainable periods from the get-go. The first step to making that happen, is to be sustainable myself.
I did it for her. Who knows, by the time she comes of age, there may be little other option.
We all have limits, says Rosemary, so why are some people judged for walking away from stressful situations?
I’ve cheerfully driven cars worth far less than the Italian handbag I once coveted in the window of an overseas store. I couldn’t afford it, but I’ve never forgotten it.
That beautiful, intricately woven leather couldn’t live down to the cars I drove, the clothes I wore, my decor, or me. It was made for an heiress or trophy wife and knew it. It would have looked down on me, had I splurged, and grown to hate me – and the feeling would have been mutual.
For once, I walked on by. I’d met my limit, in aspiration as well as dollar signs. It’s a shame I didn’t do that more often in my life – one more reason to look on Simone Biles with awe and respect for withdrawing from the Olympic Games after she suffered from the “twisties”. The greatest gymnast ever, we’re told, who vaulted and somersaulted as if there was no such thing as gravity, didn’t need to prove anything to anyone anymore.
Biles was among many female American gymnasts hothoused for stardom while being sexually abused from a young age by USA Gymnastics’ sports doctor, Larry Nassar. What made her great, then, had made her vulnerable. What determination those young gymnasts had to stay with the sport despite how seriously they’d been undermined. Even the FBI seems to have looked the other way when they finally complained. Nassar will likely never get out of jail, but the damage is done.
It takes courage to stop when you’ve proved you’re the best, and great willpower to set your demons aside and achieve despite them. Above all, what maturity it took for Biles to prioritise her mental health. More people should do it.
Broadcaster Piers Morgan slammed her for opting out – as he would, being a bully – and a rash of social media nastiness followed, along with much support. I have no idea why people need social media, which is so often toxic.
The world would be a happier place if more people quit while they were ahead, in smaller settings than the Olympics. I wish I’d walked away more often from stressful jobs and bad relationships.
The drive to be the boss ruins many lives. It’s seen as the ultimate success to some people, but few are suited to it, and too many don’t know their limits. They become micromanagers, lying awake at night fretting over details that don’t matter, nagging people below them in the pecking order, sacrificing marriages for the illusion of power when they were happy with less responsibility.
In many cases they turn to alcohol for the fake confidence it gives them – a great way to ruin your life and the lives of people close to you.
I used to marvel that the cleverest people at work often stayed low in the pecking order, keeping their sanity as I came to realise. They could earn more money, but what would it buy them? A happier marriage? More loveable children? Clothes with status logos? Maybe a handbag in a Paris store window, but then what? Craving things can become a habit that’s hard to break.
Biles may well return to gymnastics when she’s ready. I’m a great admirer, though, of people who suddenly take up a lifestyle or job that has nothing to do with their former career. They can see they’ve had enough and do something about it.
You’ll find them running small wineries, breeding chooks, living off their vegetable gardens, doing voluntary work and shopping in op shops, and the world carries on without its former high rollers.
We are all replaceable, and handbags are only handbags. You shouldn’t have to compete with them.
After being made redundant just before the first lockdown, Brodie Kane knew she had to take her future into her own hands. The journalist speaks to Siena Yates about being her own boss and supporting the sporting sisterhood.
From high-stakes beach rescues and traversing the jungle in Brunei to being thrown in the air by a team of high school cheerleaders, Brodie Kane has always been up for an adventure.
She grew up at Canterbury’s Waikuku Beach in a family full of surf lifesavers, so naturally she became one herself, throwing herself into the waves to help others from her childhood right up until she was about 20.
Even now, she lives only a few hundred metres from that very beach and spends as much time there as she can.
Enjoying her beachy childhood with mum Jo and dad Murray (below).
“It’s absolutely my happy place – a spiritual home. Every time I walk over the sand dunes and see the ocean, it’s just like everything’s OK. It’s a magical moment,” she says.
During her time studying journalism at the University of Canterbury, Brodie joined the army’s territorial force after a holiday military camp sparked a passion in her.
“At the time I was like, ‘This is like everything I’ve ever seen in the movies,’” she laughs. She was part of the force for four years and during that time she was deployed to Brunei.
Before her successful media career, adventure-loving Brodie went to Brunei as part of the territorial force.
But she gave it all up to pursue her journalism career, moving to Auckland in 2007 for her first job at Radio Live. Unless you’re a foreign correspondent heading into war zones to report, it’s a pretty far cry going from the territorial force to the newsroom, but Brodie saw it merely as another adventure.
“I felt like I couldn’t really give [the army] the time and commitment it deserved, so I went, ‘Alright, I’ve had a good run, but that’ll be it for now’. I guess it is quite weird, but it just made sense at the time. I learnt some lessons that I’ll carry with me forever and it was a special and unique part of my life, but I always like to challenge myself and push myself,” she reflects.
Of course, the dream – “like many journalists” – was to become a foreign correspondent, but eventually Brodie’s direction evolved. She moved into television journalism, at a time when “it was becoming a bit more of a thing for people to inject their personalities into those kinds of shows”.
It was in that environment where Brodie really hit her stride. She’s since become known for her fun-loving, open and often raw nature both on TV and radio – and especially in her podcasts.
Wth her fellow Breakfast team, Jack Tame, Hilary Barry, Sam Wallace and Daniel Faitaua.
Most Kiwis will know Brodie, 35, from her sports presenting role on TVNZ’s Breakfast or her time on The Hits’ Canterbury breakfast show.
Brodie spent two years on The Hits’ Cantebury morning show.
But she’s also worked on Q&A, Seven Sharp, and Fair Go, as well as spearheading hit podcasts Girls Uninterrupted (formerly Girls on Top), Kiwi Yarns and, most recently, Puma’s The Fearless Podcast.
But what many people may not know is that after all her years of adventure and honouring her curiosity and passions, the much-loved TV and radio personality is on one of her greatest adventures yet: running her own media company.
The change came about – as it did for so many others – courtesy of Covid-19. Brodie was made redundant last February by The Hits’ parent company NZME, and it hit hard.
“When it first happens, you feel like such a loser,” she recalls. “I won’t pretend it wasn’t hard, particularly around the timing, because shortly after it happened we went into lockdown and it was like, ‘Oh my God, what am I going to do?’
“But it was actually really, really common. A lot of people in the media were losing their jobs, so I knew there weren’t going to be many roles floating around. There were some long days during lockdown, but what I’d always wanted to do was start working on my own projects and doing things on my terms. So after many conversations with my mum, friends and mentors, I was like, ‘Well, let’s just give it a crack.’”
She started by relaunching her NZME podcast Girls on Top under its current name Girls Uninterrupted, and followed it up with her road-trip interview podcast series, Kiwi Yarns.
Podcast pals Brodie, Caitlin Marett and Gracie Taylor.
“Then I thought I may as well have a little business, so I set up Brodie Kane Media. I’m the CEO, COO, CFO, HR, the cleaner… I’m a big team of one,” she laughs. “It’s been an amazing year. There are days that I’m terrified, but then there are days where I’m just so happy and feel so grateful. I have no regrets, I wouldn’t change anything. It’s bloody good.”
There are days that I’m terrified, but then there are days where I’m just so happy and feel so grateful
Things are going so well, Brodie is set to leave her Waikuku Beach paradise in the coming weeks to return to the City of Sails.
“Obviously, being at Waikuku Beach with Mum for the past few months has been amazing and I’ll miss her terribly, but it’s only a flight away,” says Brodie. “I want to be in Auckland to grow my business and see what opportunities I can create for myself up there, so I’m really excited and looking forward to it. The time feels right to be back there now.”
Brodie has hit her stride over the past year, hosting successful podcasts and launching her own media company. PHOTO BY KIRSTY MIDDLETON
Like the rest of Brodie’s business journey so far, that will, of course, come with its challenges. She’s already been on one hell of a learning curve, particularly coming out of major media companies, where she had entire departments supporting her projects. This past year, she’s had to learn a lot, but the greatest lesson, she says, has been to ask for help.
“I think sometimes there’s an element of pride and wanting to prove yourself, and you sometimes forget that it’s actually OK to ask other people for help and advice, so that’s something that I’m learning to do more of,” she says.
“You’ve got to remember that it’s not a sign of weakness to admit that you don’t know stuff, and I feel I’m getting a lot better at realising that you don’t just have to go it alone.”
What’s kept Brodie going is the sheer excitement of what her new direction has brought, and what it could bring next.
“There are so many different things that I’m doing, which really keeps me stimulated. I’m never quite sure what might be around the corner, who might pick up the phone or jump in my inbox next week. Then you get to actually choose the things that you want to do.”
One of those things is Puma’s The FearlessPodcast, in which Brodie sits down with some of New Zealand’s most celebrated female athletes, past and present, to discuss all the joys and pitfalls of being a woman in sport.
Puma approached Brodie off the back of her other successful podcasts, and the project ticked many of Brodie’s boxes as a sports enthusiast and former sports reporter, as a feminist and advocate for women’s issues, and as someone who loves a bloody good yarn.
Brodie has long been a sports enthusiast – she’s pictured here participating in a surf lifesaving competitions. PHOTO SUPPLIED
“That’s a classic example of working with someone else, seeing their vision and values aligning with yours, and actually being able to unite and put something together like that,” Brodie says. “I’m really proud and honoured that they would come to me and ask me to do it. What they’re trying to achieve in terms of creating conversations for women was awesome. That’s exactly what we do with Girls Uninterrupted, so it was a natural fit; from the first conversation, I was hooked.”
With a mix of former and current athletes on the podcast, Brodie’s been able to get an idea of how far women have come in an industry she’s so passionate about – but unfortunately, it’s not nearly far enough.
“By and large, we still have a long way to go with women’s sport, coverage, representation and equality. When I came away from the six episodes, the thing I thought most about was the fact that we have actually become conditioned to being surrounded by men who play sport,” she reflects.
“When I was a kid, you went and watched men play rugby and men play cricket, and that was all that was ever on the television. The only time I remember watching women as a kid was tennis or the Olympics. You were conditioned to that; because you weren’t exposed to watching women, you just didn’t. Which is terrible.”
Brodie’s hope is that we’ll reach a point where we can stop comparing women’s sports to men’s (“It’s not women playing men’s rugby, it’s just women playing rugby”), and by the same token, that women in sport will be afforded the same recognition and treatment as men. That is to say, for a women’s sports story leading the news or making front pages to be part of the norm, rather than a groundbreaking moment.
A lot goes into that – mostly money, particularly as the pay gap is more of a chasm in sport.
“At the moment, not all of the sports for women are professional. Some are semi-professional, but some women still have to work full time and juggle that with playing sport and having to raise money to compete in that sport. Sometimes it’s simply just too hard or too expensive. How do you expect women to play at a high level when they’re not getting paid, or not getting paid the same as their male counterparts?”
The other consideration women athletes face is whether or not they want to have children, because, as Brodie points out, “biologically, you’re in your prime for sports when you’re in your prime for having kids”. Add the challenges of raising children – and the physiological changes pregnancy can have on your body – to all the other challenges involved and, “there’s so much that women have to contend with to get all the way to the top”.
For Brodie and the athletes she’s interviewed, there’s a lot of hope. Women’s rugby and sevens, for example, have already experienced a boom in popularity and coverage – and while none of them is under the illusion that we’re there yet, Brodie is excited that we’re finally having these conversations. That’s why she left the surf and the jungle for journalism, and why she started Brodie Kane Media.
Keeping the conversation going is key to fighting inequality, says Brodie, and she’s grateful for the opportunity the Puma podcast has given her to shine a light on the issues facing female athletes. PHOTO BY KIRSTY MIDDLETON
She especially mentions the episode with football stars Katie Bowen and Rosie White, who have had to move to the United States to build their careers because it simply wasn’t a viable pathway here in New Zealand.
“I think it’s really nice that we have female athletes that are not afraid to speak up and go, ‘Look, I love my job and I’m out here doing it and this is what I’ve always wanted to do since I was a kid’, but they can equally change the conversation and say, ‘But it’s not easy and we don’t get paid enough’.
“I think it’s really cool that we’ve got the space for women in New Zealand to discuss that, and that our young people get to see it. So we need to keep these conversations being heard. We need to celebrate our women in sport and continue to inspire younger people as well – not just in sport, but in pushing and changing the narrative around equality.”
It’s an impassioned speech and one which, until I point it out, Brodie hasn’t quite thought to apply to herself as someone who has followed her dreams and been open about the difficult side of that. “Oh yeah,” she says, with a laugh. “Well, if you think about it, we can be pretty hard on ourselves as women, eh? But I think we’re all realising that we’re pretty awesome human beings, and the more we rally around each other and create a bit of a kickass sisterhood, things will move the right way. If we keep going that way, I’m very optimistic. When women are in charge, good things happen.”
The more we rally around each other and create a bit of a kickass sisterhood, things will move the right way
There’s no looking back for the Duchess of Sussex as she forges into her 40th year with candour and courage.
As she enters what many believe will be her defining decade, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, appears to have finally created the royal fairy tale she always wanted.
It’s a reinvention carried out entirely on her own terms – just 16 months after quitting royal life in a blaze of anger and recrimination, Meghan is now happy and fulfilled, determinedly combining motherhood with doing good from the sanctuary of her Los Angeles home.
“Friends of Meghan say she is in a very peaceful place, just enjoying being with her family and focusing on projects that she feels contribute to the greater good,” said author Omid Scobie, a longtime Meghan supporter, on the eve of her August 4 birthday.
She is in a very peaceful place, just enjoying being with her family and focusing on projects that she feels contribute to the greater good
With her trademark dewy skin and that inimitable LA confidence, Meghan marked her milestone with a surprise video posted to her and Prince Harry’s Archewell website. It was the Duchess’ first major public initiative since welcoming her second child, Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, on June 4, and the new mum seemed a picture of happiness as she announced her new venture 40×40, designed to help women back into the workforce.
Launching her new 40×40 initiative, the duchess chats to a dolled up Melissa McCarthy from her Montecito mansion.
Dressed in a chic white ensemble and seated at a white-washed table inside her stunning $22 million Montecito mansion, Meghan smiled down the camera as she explained her vision.
“I believe mentorship is one way to help women regain confidence and rebuild their economic strength, and for my birthday I have asked 40 friends, activists, athletes, artists and world leaders to help kick off a global effort by contributing 40 minutes of mentorship to support women re-entering the workforce.”
Meghan was joined by superstar comedian Melissa McCarthy on the video – as well as Harry, who made a cameo appearance juggling through the window. There’s no doubt this was a carefully planned, slick piece of PR genius, hitting exactly the light-hearted yet do-good tone that she and Harry have been aiming for as they continue their stateside charm offensive.
While A-listers, including Adele, Stella McCartney, Princess Eugenie and Hillary Clinton, have lent their support, others were not so convinced. Writing in the Times newspaper, columnist Camilla Long asked how on earth we’d ended up with a workplace mentor “who famously doesn’t work”. She called Meghan a “pruned, spoilt duchess sitting in a mansion in California, telling us she was a new global icon for women”.
She added, “And the video, well – it didn’t take us back three decades, it took us back five centuries, to a time when aristocratic ladies would shower gifts on peasant women, or in Meghan’s case, 40 minutes with each of her 40 celeb friends, including Adele. Since when is 40 minutes with Adele going to solve anything? Why not 40 hours, or 40 years, which is how long you really need to make what Meghan would call ‘systemic change’? What’s amazing is how many people will still believe what they’re doing is real good, and not just hollow marquee initiatives.”
Meghan fans, however, would point to the work of Archewell, the couple’s charitable venture set up to “unleash the power of compassion to drive systemic cultural change”.
And those who know the couple insist they are genuinely committed to helping change the world. “We can all live a life of service. Service is universal,” they said in a statement last year, in what was seen as a pointed comment towards the palace.
And as she enters her forties, there is no doubt that Meghan is a woman who has achieved an extraordinary amount in her four decades. From a middle-class childhood in LA, Meghan showed an early determination, working on commercials and low-budget productions before a stint on game show Deal or No Deal.
Meghan has come a long way since gracing TV screens on Deal or No Deal.
But it wasn’t until 2011, the year she turned 30, that she got her big break playing lawyer Rachel Zane on hit drama series Suits.
Meghan in her breakthrough role on Suits.
She also launched herself as a lifestyle blogger, with the hugely popular blog The Tig (which abruptly shut down when her romance with Harry went public in 2016).
After a short-lived marriage to first husband Trevor Engelson, Meghan fell in love with Harry after being set up on a blind date at Soho House by mutual friends. The romance made global headlines – a Hollywood actress falling for a British prince was the sort of fodder celebrity watchers can usually only dream of. The news was swiftly followed by a statement issued by the prince’s communications secretary, confirming that Meghan was Harry’s girlfriend and condemning the “wave of abuse and harassment” and “outright sexism and racism of social media trolls”.
Despite the intense interest, their romance prospered. In May 2017, Meghan was Harry’s date at Pippa Middleton’s wedding reception. By October, she was on the cover of Vanity Fair. “We’re a couple,” she told the magazine. “We’re in love. I’m sure there will be a time when we have to come forward and present ourselves and have stories to tell.”
A month later, they were engaged, with Meghan telling the BBC that Harry went down on one knee at home in Kensington Palace while they were cooking together. He presented her with a ring containing a diamond from Botswana, flanked by two diamonds from his mother Princess Diana’s collection. “It was just an amazing surprise,” Meghan said. “Just so sweet and natural and very romantic.”
The news was met with glee by royal fans and Hollywood stargazers alike; her addition to the institution was seen as a much-needed modern touch. “You don’t have to be a blue blood to make a good princess,” wrote royal biographer Christopher Wilson, while another journalist wrote that Meghan was a “refreshing departure from the mould of staid tradition”.
But it was around the time of their nuptials when trouble started brewing – first it was claimed Meghan had made the Duchess of Cambridge cry over an argument about bridesmaids’ dresses (a claim Meghan later rejected, retorting “the reverse” had occurred), before a full-blown scandal erupted when it emerged her father, Thomas Markle, had colluded with paparazzi photographers over staged photos. By the time of their Windsor Castle wedding, Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland was the sole member of Meghan’s family to make an appearance, and the bride was walked down the aisle by Harry’s father, Prince Charles.
Meghan’s mum Doria was the only member of her family to attend her wedding.
The celebrity headcount was high, though, with stars including Oprah Winfrey and George Clooney adding an element of Hollywood glamour not usually seen at royal events.
The beaming bride leaves St George’s Chapel with her new husband.
As the couple said their I do’s before a global TV audience of 1.9 billion on May 19, 2018, no one could have predicted what was to come. Back then, an optimistic Meghan had seemingly-happily given up her acting career with the promise of dedicating herself to serving the causes that were close to her heart: championing girls and women, and standing up to racism. And at first glance, it seemed the British public had welcomed this newcomer with open arms.
The former “Fab Four” – Meghan, Harry, Prince William and Kate – with the Queen in 2018.
But behind the scenes, Meghan was struggling with what she saw as an antiquated and oppressive institution. Still, she continued on – including what was deemed a hugely successful tour of New Zealand and Australia while in the early stages of her pregnancy with their first-born, Archie.
His birth, however, was shrouded in secrecy, with the couple irritating the British press in their refusal to share details around his arrival and godparents. It wasn’t long after, during a tour of Africa, that the couple revealed their struggles. Meghan claimed no one had asked if she was OK, and Harry admitted he was taken back to his mother’s death every time he heard the shutter of a photographer’s lens.
“I think [of] being part of this family, in this role, in this job every single time I see a camera, every single time I hear a click, every single time I see a flash,” he said. “It takes me straight back, so in that respect it’s the worst reminder of her life as opposed to the best.”
By the end of 2019, the couple had taken legal action against several publications and any good will between them and the press had all but gone.
In January 2020, they blindsided not only the public with their decision to walk away from the royal family, but also the Queen, who was said to be completely in the dark about the couple’s plans to start a new life in the United States.
The monarch had no idea Meghan and Harry were planning to break away from the family.
While shockwaves reverberated, Meghan took charge, setting about recreating a new life for her, Harry and Archie (and now baby Lili) in Los Angeles. She hired a crack team of PR and digital specialists for the launch of Archewell, and over the past year she and Harry have signed several lucrative deals, including a multi-million dollar Netflix venture.
There was the jaw-dropping Oprah interview, of course, in which Meghan revealed she’d been suicidal after joining the royal family.
Podcasts have been recorded, and recently, it’s emerged that Meghan – alongside Elton John’s husband David Furnish – is executive producing an animated TV show called Pearl, about a 12-year-old girl who is inspired by women from history.
Harry, meanwhile, has announced he’s working on a “wholly truthful” memoir, set to release late next year. In a statement, Harry explained, “I’m writing this not as the prince I was born, but as the man I have become. I’ve worn many hats over the years, both literally and figuratively, and my hope is that in telling my story – the highs and lows, the mistakes, the lessons learned – I can help show that no matter where we come from, we have more in common than we think.”
The revelation has reportedly sent shockwaves through the royal family, with reports that certain members have blasted Harry’s decision to pen a tell-all as “yet another mark of disrespect”.
Since stepping away from royal life, Meghan and Harry have weathered a lot of criticism.
One thing is clear: this is a couple intent on doing things their own way. And while they are officially on parental leave for another few months after the birth of Lili, speculation is now growing that Meghan is eyeing up a move into politics.
One of Meghan’s biggest frustrations when she married into the royal family, claims a source, was the expectation that she tone down her political activism. In an interview with Marie Claire, the duchess said it was vital that everyone was free to voice their beliefs and opinions.
“I know what it’s like to have a voice, and also what it’s like to feel voiceless,” she said. “I also know that so many men and women have put their lives on the line for us to be heard. And that opportunity, that fundamental right, is in our ability to exercise our right to vote and to make all of our voices heard.”
While the Sussex PR team are often quick to point out inconsistencies in press coverage, it’s been noted that there has been little push back against claims that the former actress has her eye on the US presidency. Meghan reportedly held an hour-long meeting last October with California’s Governor Gavin Newsom, and royal biographer Tom Bower believes she’ll make a bid for the US presidency within the decade. Her friendship with both the Obamas and the Clintons would be of enormous help, he notes.
“Meghan certainly has the guts and self-belief to fight to the top of the greasy pole,” Tom said. “The question is whether she has the stamina.”
While her long-term focus might be on her bid for the White House, for now, Meghan is happy doing what she’s doing – spending time at home with Harry, Archie and Lili.
From their interview with Oprah to their candid backyard pregnancy announcement, the Sussexes have been doing things their own way since settling in to their sprawling LA mansion.
With her mum Doria just a few minutes drive away, and celebrity friends all in close proximity, it seems Meghan really has found her peace. “She’s happy and fulfilled,” said a source last week. “And she feels good about her forties. She’s positive about the future.”
She’s happy and fulfilled. And she feels good about her forties. She’s positive about the future
As she enters her forties, Meghan is looking forward with purpose, focusing on the future she and Harry are creating for Archie and Lilibet.
While her birthday plans were kept firmly under wraps, there’s no doubt Meghan will view her 40th milestone as a momentous turning point. In 2016, she wrote, “My mom has always said that birthdays are your own personal New Year – your own chance to make resolutions just for yourself and what you prognosticate for your year ahead.”
My mom has always said that birthdays are your own personal New Year – your own chance to make resolutions just for yourself and what you prognosticate for your year ahead
Pregnant with her second child, Antonia Prebble’s priorities in life have reached a turning point. The Westside star talks to Sophie Neville about slowing down and embracing the unknown.
A couple of months ago, Kiwi actor Antonia Prebble received the job offer of a lifetime. It was an exciting role in an international film, working alongside high-profile British actors who she hugely admires. At any other point in her life, she would’ve grabbed the opportunity with both hands. This time though, heavily pregnant and with a toddler at home, the timing couldn’t have been worse.
“It would’ve meant flying to Croatia with a six week-old baby and a two-year-old,” tells the former Westside star, sitting down to chat over a cup of English Breakfast at a café near her Auckland home. “I ran the idea past my mum and she was like, ‘That sounds like a complete nightmare!’ Throw into that the fact we’re in the midst of a pandemic – it really was just impossible timing.”
That’s not to say the 37-year-old and her fiancé Dan Musgrove didn’t briefly consider it. They did. But in the end, motherhood won out. “If you’d told me a few years ago that I’d turn down a role like that, I wouldn’t have believed you, because it really was a dream job and would have been such a fantastic next step in my career,” she says.
“But that’s the interesting thing about motherhood, isn’t it? It changes you so much in ways you can’t anticipate beforehand. For me, one of the biggest things is that now my priorities in life are totally clear. They’re simple, and in the right order, and everything is focused around my family. Decision-making is far more straightforward now I’m a mum.”
On the morning we meet, she and Dan, 38, have been up in the attic, dragging down Freddie’s old baby gear. Due to give birth any day now, the clock is ticking and Antonia admits that the imminent arrival of baby number two has snuck up on them a bit. At this stage in her first pregnancy, she and Dan had already set up a nursery, packed a bag for the hospital and were totally ready to meet their baby boy.
Proud parents Antonia and Dan are sure Freddie will be a doting big brother to their newest family member. PHOTO SUPPLIED
“This time is so different,” she laughs, pointing out that getting anything done around the house is a lot harder now they have little Freddie, who turned two in July. “Funnily enough, he’s not that helpful when it comes to building cots and washing baby clothes.”
Antonia isn’t in the least bit stressed though. In fact, she’s welcoming this more relaxed approach, which extends to the baby’s birth as well. After an emergency caesarean with Freddie in 2019, she is hoping for a natural delivery – but she knows from experience there are some things in life you simply can’t control.
“I’ve always been someone who wants to have all the experiences available in life and a natural birth is one of them, if possible. But I’m only holding on to that idea very loosely, because we all know that won’t be something I can control on the day. I really feel for women who are disappointed about how their births go, because it’s an absolute fallacy that a caesarean is any less of a birth than a natural one.”
She’s also doing her best to channel a stress-free approach when it comes to managing a newborn. “With Freddie, I was hung up on the idea of doing everything ‘right’,” she explains, “which was definitely unhelpful, because it just added stress. I was obsessed with what the right way to get Freddie to sleep was, and then how long he should be asleep for, and I really bought into that ‘establishing bad habits’ rhetoric.
“I now know none of that really matters and that every baby and every mum has different ways of doing things. I feel far more relaxed now about it all. Sometimes I do wonder how on earth you manage the logistics with two children, but we’re not the first people to do it, so I’m sure we’ll work it out.”
With the pandemic disrupting her career plans and a baby on the way, Antonia is learning to expect the unexpected. PHOTO BY MIKE ROOKE
After 15 years starring in iconic Kiwi series Outrageous Fortune and its prequel Westside, filming wrapped last year, bringing to an end a momentous part of the Wellington raised actor’s life. Antonia admits the following months were something of a rocky ride.
“Initially, I felt good about Westside finishing up, because we were going out on a high, and I was also really close to being cast in three other fantastic projects, which would have meant steady work for the next year. But over the course of a few weeks, they all toppled over one after the other, and I was left with nothing on the horizon. I experienced a bit of a malaise after that.
“After so long with such stable work, I felt a bit rudderless. When your identity is so much part of what you do, and all of a sudden that becomes uncertain, it was tough. There were a few months when I didn’t feel great in myself.”
When your identity is so much part of what you do, and all of a sudden that becomes uncertain, it was tough
PHOTO BY MIKE ROOKE
The best antidote, however, was her happy home life – not to mention the wonderful news that she and Dan were expecting a second baby. It helped keep her mind from wandering into unhelpful territory, she says, admitting that she’s been known to have “an anxious mind” at times.
“I have always had a tendency to overthink or ruminate about the future, but the reality is there just isn’t the time for that anymore. When you have a little person to take care of, or a baby to look forward to, you just have so much less time to be neurotic, which is a great thing!”
Being present in her children’s lives is hugely important to Antonia, who credits her mum Nicky for being the best role model. The university teacher structured her work to be able to be there for her kids, and while Antonia hopes to do the same thing as her own children grow, ambition isn’t something you can just switch off, she’s found. So, after taking time with the new baby, she’ll be looking for projects that she can juggle alongside her children.
“It’s a dilemma that pretty much every parent faces. I want to be there for them, but I also want to retain that element of my life that makes me feel like I’m moving forward in my career. I love the creative process, it’s stimulating and energising, and I can’t imagine a life without it, actually.”
She says one of the best things about her craft is that it’s something you can continue to get better at. “There’s always more to learn, and the more life experience you have, the more you can bring to the work. I find that really motivating.”
There’s always more to learn, and the more life experience you have, the more you can bring to the work. I find that really motivating
Antonia fell in love with performing at a young age, auditioning for local productions at every opportunity as she grew up. No one else in her family had acting experience, but she knew deep down that this was going to be her path in life.
The talented performer (left) discovered her passion at a young age. PHOTO SUPPLIED
“I felt this spark inside me every time I was on stage,” she says. “As a child, I would look in the newspaper for any local audition announcements, and was very disappointed that my primary school only put on one production while I was there. It was pretty much the highlight of my school life!”
After secondary school, Antonia hosted kids’ TV show WNTV while studying law part-time at Victoria University. She then filmed the final season of The Tribe, which she had been acting in throughout her high school years, before a year-long lull in acting work, in which she focused on her studies. In 2005, her big break came with the role of Loretta West in Outrageous Fortune.
Antonia, in costume as Rita West, outside the Auckland house used in both Outrageous Fortune and Westside.
“I was over the moon and quickly packed up my life, bought my parents’ Volvo off them and drove a carload of stuff to Auckland to start a new chapter there,” she recalls. “It was totally life-changing.”
Recently, Antonia has enjoyed taking on guest roles – the first, on Lucy Lawless’ show My Life is Murder, followed by a part in an American TV show called One of Us is Lying. While she’s become used to hiding her pregnancies for her work, this time the US producers decided to embrace her bump.
PHOTO BY MIKE ROOKE
“They pretty much looked at me and said, ‘It ain’t no thing,’” tells Antonia. “They decided my character, a lawyer, could also be pregnant. It didn’t change my storyline and the pregnancy wasn’t part of any dialogue or focus, which to me felt very progressive and cool – it was almost an acknowledgement that yes, female actors get pregnant and have babies, but it doesn’t mean being ruled out of roles. Why can’t an actor be pregnant and still work? It felt like a modern approach and I hope we see more of that.”
But as it did for many of us, the Covid-19 pandemic forced a rethink for Antonia, who’d planned to spend four months in America last year for the all-important pilot season. Pilot season, for the uninitiated, is when actors from all over the world converge in Los Angeles to audition for film and television roles. Antonia has done it several times before and was looking forward to lapping up the experience again – this time with Dan and Freddie along for the ride. But then Covid happened, borders closed and Antonia’s plans were turned on their head. It led to her and Dan – who played career criminal Lefty Munroe on Westside – teaming up to create their own TV shows.
Working with your partner isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but Antonia is loving learning from seasoned scriptwriter Dan.
Antonia is loving learning from seasoned scriptwriter Dan. PHOTO SUPPLIED
“I feels like the right time to have a more creative role in the formation of the projects I’m part of, rather than just coming in at the end as an actor. I love learning new things and having more strings to my bow. It makes me feel good about myself.
“And learning from Dan is such a nice way to start out – it’s a safe place to learn the ropes.” She knows that the arrival of a sibling will be a huge adjustment for her “chilled out, happy little boy” Freddie, but she hopes he’ll relish being a big brother. For Antonia, the expansion of their family is just another step on her and Dan’s journey together. While she’s always been someone who lives life in the fast lane, Antonia has learned to embrace the slower pace of domesticity.
PHOTO BY MIKE ROOKE
“Ever since I was young – like really young – I had this sense and a drive towards living a really big life,” she says. “I didn’t necessarily know what that would look like or what it would involve, but I’ve always wanted to experience all the things, and embrace every possible opportunity that comes along. I really did think that pottering at home not doing much was a waste. If there was something on, or something to catch up with, I just had to do it. I had to go to every play, every concert, see friends… just be out in the world all the time.
“But that probably wasn’t the best way to live – filling my cup to overflowing – and I’m the absolute opposite now. I look at my empty calendar and it’s like a big, deep breath. It’s incredibly calming. I guess you could say my definition of a ‘big life’ has changed. Without wanting to sound trite, it’s about big love, and I feel so lucky to have that.”
Birth is birth, no matter which way you do it. In her own words, mum-of-two Gemma McCaw shares her very different experiences and hopes society will stop with the delivery drama.
I honestly felt like I had failed. Like my body had somehow let me down, unable to do what I felt like it was supposed to when it came to delivering my firstborn baby. And up until now, I didn’t really want to talk about it. My birth story that is.
“So, did you have a natural birth or C-section?”
Often well-meaning, this is one of the first questions people ask when you’ve had a baby. And I totally get it – we’re all curious to know details about one of the biggest physical feats we can experience. But I think, as a society, we’ve got it wrong in the way we frame birth.
It doesn’t matter how you “have” your baby, the only thing that really matters is that mum and baby are safe and healthy. To me, birth is a natural process whichever way you look at it, as there is nothing more precious than bringing new life into the world.
In New Zealand, we tend to walk around wearing our pride like a shiny new bag, but I believe it’s time to start sharing how we feel and allowing ourselves to be vulnerable. As mothers, we should feel supported, nurtured and cared for, whichever “way” we choose – or sometimes don’t choose – to give birth. I wouldn’t normally talk so openly about something so personal, but I feel compelled to as I have now experienced birthing both ways.
I didn’t really want people to know I had an emergency caesarean with my first daughter, Charlotte. I was so fortunate to have an amazing midwife and obstetrician who ensured the safety of me and my baby. No “birth plan” could have been followed, because when your baby is in distress, you do what you have to do ensure a safe delivery – and for that I will always be grateful.
But the recovery from a C-section was difficult for me – not being able to pick my baby up, drive myself anywhere, walk far or do daily chores was really tough. The emotional toll was even tougher. Each time I was asked about my birth, that familiar sense of failure crept in.
Instead of celebrating the arrival of a healthy baby, I was reluctant to tell people I had a C-section. Comments like “too posh to push” and “that’s the easy way out” were ringing in my mind; I truly felt that because I hadn’t experienced the “natural” birth I was hoping for, I was less of a mother. I felt like I had to explain myself, like perhaps I didn’t try hard enough or maybe there was more I could’ve done.
I truly felt that because I hadn’t experienced the ‘natural’ birth I was hoping for, I was less of a mother
PHOTO BY EMILY CHALK
But when I look back now, I realise how silly this sounds. My baby was in distress and she needed to come out. The reality is, I delivered a healthy baby, and that’s amazing.
I do think we underestimate how important it is for mothers to feel understood and connected to those around them, encouraging you through one of the toughest (and greatest) journeys you can ever embark on.
With my second baby, I wanted to have a vaginal birth, but always maintained that I would do whatever was right for me and my baby on the day. Again, guided by my amazing midwife and obstetric team, I was able to deliver my baby this way… with a little help, of course (cue forceps, ventouse and an episiotomy). The recovery was different in many ways, but I did find it easier than a C-section. But hey, everyone is different – and that’s OK.
Societal views around birth were reaffirmed by the current care model, too. I was effectively “rewarded” for having a vaginal birth, which meant three free nights at St George’s birthing unit, where I received incredible support from the midwives and nurses, all on hand to help new mums learn to breastfeed and care for their babies – not to mention amazing food (if you’ve had their Milo milkshakes before, you’ll know what I mean) and a private room.
When I had a caesarean, I had one night in the hospital and when I went to move to St George’s, the cost for two nights was at my own expense. Go figure.
As for my dear midwife, she also received more remuneration for my vaginal delivery than she did when I had a c-section. How backwards is that? Both require the same amount of care leading up to the delivery, and afterwards, too.
These attitudes need to change, from pregnancy right through to birth and the weeks after. We need better support and less stigma around birth. Women should have the choice to deliver their babies how they wish (based on medical recommendations) and there needs to be equity of care once in the hospital or birthing unit.
No two births are the same and we must honour each and every mother and their choice. We need our mothers to feel seen, heard and safe. If women feel connected and supported, we will have better outcomes for mums and their beautiful babies.
So, if you are sitting there thinking about your birthing story, be proud of yourself no matter how it ended up happening for you. You are strong. I now know that motherhood has a way of evoking strength and resilience you never knew you had.
We are hard enough on ourselves as it is. But growing, delivering and nurturing the most precious thing on the planet is worth celebrating. Birth is birth, after all.
Her Royal Highness marches on with majesty, grace and optimism, but what does the future hold for the firm? William Langley investigates.
As the Duke of Edinburgh’s long and remarkable life came to an end in April, the question that had hung over the British monarchy for many years suddenly became real and pressing: how would the Queen cope without the man she had depended on for more than 70 years?
Far more than a love story, Elizabeth and Philip were an extraordinary partnership, steering the royal family through a rapidly changing world, reshaping its operations and earning themselves near-universal respect and affection.
Would the Queen, at 95 – and after a record-breaking 69 years on the throne – really have the appetite for more?
After farewelling her lifelong love Philip, the Queen is staying positive and focusing on the future of their family.
The unequivocal answer has come with a dazzling re-emergence into public life, a whirl of activity, a blaze of smiles, and a firm directive to her staff that it’s business as usual. More than that, the Queen seems to be thoroughly enjoying herself.
A tiny, black-swaddled figure at the Duke’s April 17 funeral, she’s now back to her familiar, brightly coloured outfits and eye-catching hats, beaming, laughing and chatting with the crowds.
Her delight at attending the Royal Windsor Horse Show in July – one of her favourite events of the year – was unmistakable. The show has been running since 1943, and the Queen hadn’t missed one of them until last year’s was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Back, too, is her keenness for duty. There were early doubts about the Queen’s readiness to attend June’s G7 summit held in the Cornish beauty spot of Carbis Bay, but she helicoptered in to give a star performance, hosting a lavish reception, and at one point telling the assembled stern-faced world leaders, “Aren’t you supposed to be enjoying yourselves?”
Palace sources say there was never any doubt that the Queen would carry on, but even courtiers who have worked with her for years are impressed by the verve and energy with which she has bounced back.
Back in bloom: The monarch’s recent appearances suggest she’s got no intention of slowing down.
“This wasn’t going to be Queen Victoria all over again,” says a former aide. “She has always worked hard, but it is as though she has a new lease of life.”
None of this is to suggest that the Queen has not been profoundly affected by the loss of a man she fell in love with at the age of 13, married at 21, and adored until his death at 99. Everyone deals with bereavement differently; Victoria retreated into decades of seclusion after the death of her husband Prince Albert, while George III’s madness was partly triggered by the death of his favourite daughter, Princess Amelia.
The current queen is fortified by vast reserves of resilience, a deep personal faith, and a firm belief “that duty comes above everything, even personal difficulties,” as former Archbishop of Canterbury Robert Runcie once said.
Her Majesty mingled with world leaders at the G7 summit in June.
Elizabeth has also had a long time to prepare for life without Philip, and – as small mercies go – the pandemic allowed the royal couple a chance to spend almost the whole of their final year together. This precious time was shared between their private apartment in Windsor Castle, and Wood Farm, the house on the Queen’s Sandringham estate where Philip moved after his retirement from public duties in 2017.
According to royal author Richard Kay, the couple had a long-standing pact not to “overdo” the mourning.
“They had often discussed how each would cope without the other at their side,” Richard says. “It boiled down to this: whoever was left should mourn, but not for too long, and then enjoy what remained of their life.”
Whoever was left should mourn, but not for too long, and then enjoy what remained of their life
A meeting with Cornish locals at a community event followed the G7 summit.
The signs of this agreement were clear. A relatively brief, two-week period of official mourning, a decision to dispense with the traditional black-bordered writing paper, and a swift return to work. There was a further factor: at the height of a national ordeal – with more than 120,000 Covid deaths in the UK – the Queen rightly sensed that a single death, even that of such a towering figure as Philip, should not receive excessive attention.
Around the Queen now revolves a tight circle of trusted advisors and confidantes. Many of her more onerous duties have been taken over by Prince Charles, her 72-year-old heir, who she sees or speaks to almost every day. Other key figures include three of the women closest to her: Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, and the sovereign’s redoubtable daughter Princess Anne.
The Queen with some of her strongest supporters, Charles, Camilla, William and Kate.
She also has the devoted help of several long-standing aides, notably Lady Pamela Hicks, a cousin of Prince Philip, Lady Susan Hussey, 81, the Queen’s long-serving lady-in- waiting (known in palace circles as the “Head Girl”), and personal dresser Angela Kelly.
As ever, the Queen remains furiously busy. Whether at Windsor or Buckingham Palace, she is woken at 7.30am every day with a pot of Twining’s English Breakfast tea, scans the day’s newspapers and a selection of the 300 or so letters she receives daily, and is usually in a meeting with her private secretary by 9.30am.
Following that, the morning is usually filled with audiences, investitures and receptions. After lunch – sometimes private, sometimes with guests – Her Majesty will head to her afternoon engagements. Work often continues into the evening, with official documents to read, functions to attend, and, of course, more people to meet.
In the last few months, she has held face-to-face meetings with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, restarted the traditional weekly audiences with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, spent five days touring Scotland, and enthusiastically attended the annual Royal Ascot horse racing week.
Everyone who follows the Queen’s life is amazed that, at 95, she continues to work at this pace, and that she does so without error or any sign of boredom.
She rarely gives interviews and takes her responsibility not to express her personal opinions seriously.
Few outsiders meet her off-duty, and those who do are often so overwhelmed that they don’t remember much about it. Journalist Dominic Lawson – brother of celebrity chef Nigella – was “seized by a kind of gibbering terror, almost unable to speak” when invited to attend one of the Queen’s lunches.
She hosts such events – always off the record – to get the important points of her thinking across. One is that she has no intention of abdicating. Not now. Not ever. Carrying on to the end was a core part of the famous pledge she made on her 21st birthday, six years before taking the throne: “I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family, to which we all belong.” The language may be dated, but the intent hasn’t changed at all.
“Anyway,” says Dominic, “I think she genuinely enjoys being Queen.”
And there remains much work to be done. Just as she prepared for Philip’s death, the Queen is carefully laying the groundwork for the eventual succession, with more involvement not only for Charles, but also the Cambridges, William and Kate. Yet for a monarchy always looking to move with the times, the Queen’s apparent indestructibility is a concern in itself. If she lives to the same age as her mother – 101 – Charles, will be almost 80 when he succeeds to the throne.
The Queen enjoyed her annual Holyrood Week visit to Scotland in June, where she was joined by William and Anne (below).
“The reality,” says Bob Morris, a professor of constitutional law at London’s University College, “is that we are likely to have elderly monarchs for quite a long time to come. If Charles lives a long life, as his mother and father have, William, too, could be in his sixties by the time he takes over.”
Forward-looking courtiers fret that for all the valuable experience older royals bring to the role, they lack the glamour and excitement of youth. Charles has been the heir for longer than most of his mother’s subjects have been alive, and unkind as it may seem, many of them regard him as a familiar piece of royal furniture.
Queen Elizabeth and Princess Anne at Holyrood Week.
And lurking in the future is what some call the “unexploded bomb” – the question of whether Charles’ wife, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, should be named queen when her husband takes the throne. Fearful of a public backlash against the woman many still blame for the unhappiness of Diana, Princess of Wales, Buckingham Palace came up with the idea of offering her the title “Princess Consort” when Charles succeeds his mother. The prince, however, feels a lesser honour would be a slight on his wife, and appears determined to give Camilla the full title.
“He feels if he has waited this long to be king, he’s at least entitled to have a proper queen at his side,” says one royal observer. “No one’s really sure how this will be resolved. Camilla, of course, would absolutely love to be queen.”
She would certainly be different. The duchess, 74, likes a stiff drink, a cigarette and a dirty joke. With limited tolerance for her husband’s fussy ways, Camilla keeps a chaotic country bolthole of her own near Charles’ Gloucestershire mansion, where, according to her son Tom Parker-Bowles, “She can smoke at the table and trample manure into the rugs without being shouted at.”
Harry recently returned to the UK for his grandfather’s funeral, and while the Queen puts on a brave face, she’s hurt that the prince has waved goodbye to his royal duties.
Camilla’s best chance of becoming queen is if the royal family can build on its current popularity, moving with the times and constantly proving its worth as an institution. Polls show that almost 70% of Britons currently support the monarchy, with the Queen’s personal ratings off the charts. Since Diana’s death 24 years ago, “The Firm” has hauled itself into the modern world, making itself more accessible and accountable while maintaining the essential mystique.
“You still hear that the monarchy’s had its day,” says royal historian Alison Weir. “But there were more people wanting to abolish it in Victoria’s time than there are now. As long as the royal family can keep people’s interest and seem relevant, they will be secure. Give them credit. They have responded to criticism, brought themselves up to date, and most of us think they do a pretty good job.”
As long as the royal family can keep people’s interest and seem relevant, they will be secure
This solid base and renewed sense of purpose will be the Queen and Philip’s real legacy. Charles appears to have plans for a “slimmed down” monarchy – perhaps more slimmed down than he intended since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex left the fold – but the standing of the institution matters as much as its size, and the Queen is determined to leave it fighting fit.
There is no doubt that the departure of Harry and Meghan – and the subsequent media onslaught – has hurt the Queen, even if the couple’s outbursts have brought the royal family more sympathy than criticism. Skilled in diplomacy, the monarch’s preference is for reconciliation rather than retaliation, and she has so far resisted pressure from courtiers and members of her own family to strip the Sussexes of their titles.
This resolve is likely to be tested when Harry’s recently announced “intimate and heartfelt” memoir is published next year. No one at Buckingham Palace was told in advance about the project, and many fear another torrent of dubious allegations heading their way.
Leading figures in the royal establishment, media and political circles are now calling for tougher action, with controversial TV host Piers Morgan declaring, “It is sad, pathetic and totally unnecessary, and it will obviously cause yet more pain to Harry’s grandmother, who is still mourning the loss of her husband Philip. Prince Poison has gone toxically rogue, and the royals should have nothing more to do with him or his wife Princess Pinocchio until, or if, they stop this destructive vituperative rampage against them all.”
A notable casualty of the Sussex drama has been the venerable “Never Complain, Never Explain” maxim, which the royal family has abided by for generations. In the light of the couple’s March interview with Oprah Winfrey, Buckingham Palace has made it clear that – with the Queen’s agreement – it will refute accusations it believes to be untrue or misleading.
“There’s still a still a hope that one day Harry and Meghan will come back into the fold,” says royal writer Robert Jobson. “But the royals can’t just sit back and let this stuff be chucked at them. There’s a feeling it’s got to be sorted.”
For now, though, the Queen has bigger things on her mind. Next year will be her Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years on the throne. From June, a series of spectacular celebrations will beheld, beginning with Trooping the Colour and the traditional balcony wave, followed by the lighting of Jubilee Beacons throughout Britain and the Commonwealth, plenty of pageants and street parties, and finishing with a giant Platinum Party in the grounds of Buckingham Palace, featuring “the world’s biggest entertainment stars”.
In July, the Queen brightened the Coronation Street cobbles when she visited the set of the long-running soap.
Unfortunately, the palace won’t be looking its best. A massive renovation programme is currently underway, with the entire building being redecorated, replumbed, rewired, and, in some parts, rebuilt. The public galleries, state rooms, staircases and private apartments are being restored to their early 19th century splendour, and a host of high-tech “green” features introduced, including biomass boilers and solar panels.
The eye-watering cost of this multi-year project – around $750 million – has unhappily coincided with the royal finances taking a hammering from the pandemic. Hundreds of staff have been laid off, and a new efficiency drive launched by Sir Michael Stevens, the Keeper of the Privy Purse. Ever conscious of suggestions that the monarchy costs too much, the Queen has made it clear that she will seek no extra public money.
For now, and despite the disruption, the old pile is as busy as ever, with the Queen leading the way back to “head office” after her long stay at Windsor. She is taking her traditional summer break at Balmoral, her cherished estate in Scotland, followed by a visit to Sandringham, then back to London with a full agenda.
Of all the Queen’s grand residences, Buckingham Palace is said to be the one she is least sentimentally attached to. Yet she understands its symbolism and importance to the nation, and even if it means putting up with drills, diggers and dust sheets, she fully intends to see the job through.
Mamma mia! Swedish pop superstars Abba have reunited after 40 years for ‘Voyage’, a brand new album set for release on November 5.
Two of the tracks from the album, ‘I Still Have Faith in You’ an affectionate ballad about the bond the band members still have, and the supremely catchy ‘Don’t Shut Me Down’, are out now.
Abba have also announced a new concert experience in London in 2022 where digital versions of themselves (in their white jumpsuit prime of 1979) will appear alongside a 10-piece live band performing at a new venue in Olympic Park, called the Abba Arena.
The group – Benny Andersson, Agnetha Fältskog, Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Björn Ulvaeus – who racked up a grand total of 19 UK Top 10 hits, but split up after in the wake of two bitter band divorces in 1982, always seemed very unlikely to reunite, reportedly turning down a billion dollar package to tour in 2000.
However, they said they ended up back in the recording studio while working on the digital stage show.
“At first it was just two songs, and then we said, ‘Well, maybe we should do a few others,'” says Benny. In the end, the group recorded 10 tracks, including a Christmas song.
“I think hearing Frida and Agnetha singing again is hard to beat,” Benny continues.
The digital versions of the stars or ‘Abbatars’ as Bjorn calls them, which were created using motion capture technology similar to what was used to create Gollum in The Lord of the Rings, will perform the two new songs in the upcoming concerts, along with a selection of their greatest hits.
And what a dream list of hits they have to choose from! ‘Dancing Queen’, ‘Fernando’, ‘Knowing Me Knowing You’, ‘Name of the Game’, ‘Mamma Mia’ and ‘Take a Chance on Me’ all made it to No 1 in the UK charts.
Their 1992 greatest hits collection, ‘Abba Gold’, is the longest-running album in the UK album chart. In July, it became the first to surpass 1,000 weeks there, and is still sitting at No 14 at the moment. Plus, the band have stayed in the cultural spotlight for new generations with the staggeringly successful stage show and movie, Mamma Mia.
Speaking at a launch event for ‘Voyage’ in London, Bjorn said the four of them were all still extremely close.
“It is incredible to be where we are, no imagination could dream up that. To release a new album after 40 years and to still be the best of friends…to still have a total loyalty. Who has experienced that? Nobody … It is such fun and we have been longing for this for such a long time.”
When questioned about why now was the right time for comeback, Bjorn simply said, “We wanted to do it before we were dead.”
Embrace the rise of cosy couture with these cool and comfy pant picks.
Comfort should always be a priority when it comes to couture thus the boom in activewear trends over the last decade. But right now when we work, play, eat, spread (I mean stretch) our legs, eat again and sleep in our bubbles, cosy couture is more important than ever, especially in the pants department – hello ample seat and forgiving elasticated waistband!
So sit down and check out our picks of the best cool and comfy pants to take you from sitting room to supermarket queue. Whatever your lockdown look, we all have all the feels, from classic trackies to make it look like you actually might have been for that run to luxe velvet and silk styles for luxe lounging in your glamour bubble.
Despite lockdown challenges, new mum-of-two Gemma is enjoying quality family time.
Lover of the great outdoors, Gemma McCaw, is living life in lockdown with her family in Christchurch. Our Woman wellbeing columnist reveals how she’s making the most of quality time with husband Richie and their tots, Charlotte (2), and three-month-old baby Grace.
What do you love about lockdown?
Having a young family, I love being able to slow down and enjoy this time with them. With no places to be or go, it’s nice not feeling rushed and on a busy schedule.
What do you loathe about lockdown?
Not having the choice to do things you would usually do!
Favourite lockdown food or drink?
Definitely my morning Nespresso coffee!
Best lockdown exercise?
Walking / biking with the kids for family exercise and getting on the bike (in the garage) or a home workout (online) for me!
What podcasts would you recommend?
Oprah‘s Super Soul Sunday.
What are you reading?
The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré.
What are you binge-watching?
I don’t usually watch TV series so I don’t have much of a clue what’s a good or not, but a friend in my book club recommended I watch 9 Perfect Strangers, and Firefly Lane as they’re books I’ve read and enjoyed!
What have you knocked off your lockdown to do list?
Not as much as we’d like to. We had a big list planned but realised quickly with two young kids, it’s a good time to enjoy them and lower our expectations!
What item of lockdown clothing could you not live without?
Running shoes!
First thing you’ll do in Level 2?
Walk in the hills with Grace in the front pack! And go to our fave cafe for lunch.
Gemma also talks to Woman magazine about her birth story and why new mothers deserve better in the latest issue on-sale now. Find it in supermarkets and dairies today.
Sharyn Casey is known for getting traffic-weary Kiwis home from work with a smile thanks to her role as co-host on The Edge afternoons. Here she gives us the lowdown on her lockdown.
What do you love about lockdown?
Wiping everything from my calendar and pottering around at home because I have no choice.
What do you loathe about lockdown?
No takeaways or childcare in Level 4 – STRESSSFULLLLLL
Favourite lockdown food or drink?
My husband Bryce makes McChicken replicas and they’re out the gate. Drink-wise when I wasn’t pregnant I was all about red wine… which I normally hate outside of lockdown.
This time, being pregnant, it’s matcha lattes with coconut milk.
Best lockdown exercise?
I love doing Pilates online. I usually do reformer Pilates on the machines, so it’s a nice switch up to do it on the mat but still with the same teachers.
What are you binge-watching?
Why Women Kill on TVNZ on Demand and Ted Lasso on Apple TV.
What are you reading?
I’m a huge reader, so far I’ve read Miss Benson’s Beetle by Rachel Joyce, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid and Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal.
What podcasts would you recommend?
The Trainee Sexologist with my friend Morgan Penn and me! Season 1 covers Morgan’s journey to become a Sexologist and in season 2 we cover everything from orgasms to painful sex to anal.
What have you knocked off your lockdown to do list?
Organising cupboards – like most of New Zealand!
What item of lockdown clothing could you not live without?
Broadcaster Leah Panapa, who co-hosts Magic Talk afternoons with Danny Watson, talks lockdown traffic, tipples and Game of Thrones.
What do you love about lockdown?
The roads are quiet when I drive into work.. what usually would take me 30 minutes is taking just over five!!! Crazy! Our offices are quiet as well. I must say I also LOVE having my hubby at home. He made me bacon and eggs this morning! Ha! Normally he is out the door by 8am, so it is lovely to see him in the morning and when I get home after my show.
What do you loathe about lockdown?
Like everyone else, the uncertainty and restrictions. I feel for businesses being shut, our local restaurants and bars we would visit. Shopping at the supermarket is not a pleasant experience (again what everyone is experiencing). Lockdown can be for many, a very isolating, scary place.
Favourite lockdown food or drink?
Hubby and I do like wine. Chardonnay is our tipple, and sometimes a martini. Food wise, the freezer is stocked so either steak, chicken, pork or lamb… I love slow cooked meals. Beef cheeks in the slow cooker…with pappardelle pasta! Wonderful!
Best lockdown exercise?
Don’t bother! Kidding… We have two big dogs that need their walks so we are getting out with them. Last lockdown we set up a gym in the backyard. Probably should do that again? But I think just getting out for a walk/run/bike around your neighbourhood, take in some fresh air.. that is important.
What are you binge-watching?
I can’t believe I am admitting to this… we binge watched Game of Thrones! We didn’t watch it when the rest of the world was, so we finally got around to it. Loved it! Also A.P Bio, The Defeated and Nine Perfect Strangers.
What podcasts would you recommend?
Magic Afternoons with Leah Panapa and Danny Watson on magic.co.nz
What have you knocked off your lockdown to do list?
As I am still working from our studios, I haven’t had time to do anything else. But the weekends are free for us to catch up on home chores (since we can’t go anywhere).
What item of lockdown clothing could you not live without?
My Uggs.
First thing you’ll do in Level 2?
Go out for dinner!! Hubby and I would head to our fav local restaurant and bar. And take myself off to my hairdresser!
JJ talks all things getting her through lockdown and the first thing she’ll do after.
Gorgeous actress JJ Fong has brightened up our screens on Shortland Street, Step Dave, Go Girls and Flat3, and soon we’ll be able to see her battle it out against Art Green, Kimberley Crossman, Buck Shelford and many other famous faces on Celebrity Treasure Island. Here, she gives us the lowdown on our latest lockdown.
What do you love about lockdown?
That there are no cars on the road! Running and walking have been quite a treat without navigating traffic.
What do you loathe about lockdown?
Thinking about families in lower socio-economic communities that can’t cope. It’s bad enough for my friends who have resources, it gets me down when I read about them in the news.
Favourite lockdown food or drink?
Currently making these 2-ingredient flatbreads! All you need is yoghurt and self-raising flour!
Best lockdown exercise?
Back into my running…lord knows I need it with all the eating going on.
What are you binge-watching?
Ted Lasso! Also Sophie: A Murder in West Cork on Netflix is an intriguing doco!
What are you reading?
My fellow acting friend Michelle Langstone’s book called “Times Like These”. I have wept!
What podcasts would you recommend?
I really love Mary Holm and Jesse Mulligan on RNZ. Mary has great financial advice.
What have you knocked off your lockdown to-do list?
Probably reading Michelle’s book. Ha! Reading ANY books has been a real treat this lockdown.
What item of lockdown clothing could you not live without?
My “Creamerie” cast and crew hoodie. I basically live in the thing.
We’ve all been there – you’re trying to come up with a snappy slogan, or an engaging pitch and… nothing. Sometimes, the ideas just aren’t flowing.
This seems to be especially prevalent when you’re stuck inside your house at level four lockdown, unable to bounce thoughts off your colleagues while you grab a flat white together (sometimes Zoom meetings leave a lot to be desired). But there are a few ways you can boost your creativity during this period.
1. Take a walk in the park
A 2014 study showed that exercise helps people be more creative and so does being in nature, so leaving your desk to get outside is doubly inspiring. If there’s one nearby, head to your local park and take the time to observe the nature around you as you walk.
2. Enjoy an art break
Close your computer, grab some paper and draw or doodle for five minutes. You will engage the right side of your brain and doodling has been found to help you stay present and engaged.
3. Make time to play
Many good ideas are sparked by having fun. Do your kids have a trampoline? Give it a go. Play with your pets if they’re in lockdown with you. Round up the family for a game of Twister. The release will help shake loose some creative thoughts.
4. Listen to happy music
Studies have shown music not only enhances learning and memory, it also has an impact on creative thinking. So, put on your favourite song and let it work its magic! Spotify has fab playlists such as ‘Happy Pop’ and ‘Dopamine’ if your usual jams are a bit more melancholy.
5. Brainstorm new ideas
You’ve probably encountered brain-storming at various meetings or lectures, but it can also be very useful for developing your creativity. Set aside any skepticism or self-judgement and write down as many related ideas as possible in a short period of time. Take a step back, evaluate what you’ve come up with and you might be surprised at just how good some of your quick-fire thoughts actually are.
Sick of walking around the same streets in your neighbourhood to get your exercise in?
Why not try a pilates workout at home? Or even cultivate a morning yoga routine? Here are our picks of some of the best ways to get a fantastic workout without leaving the house.
1. Sala
Sala studio in Ponsonby has one of the best online offerings around. Depending on how you’re feeling, you can pick from super sweaty HIIT and equipment-free strength classes to soothing yin yoga and meditation sessions. It’s also very affordable at $25 per month. Plus, Sala also has a range of free workout videos on YouTube you can check out.
2. She Moves
Effervescent personal trainers Ren and Jen, along with their team of experts offer 11 live workouts every week on their website She Moves. The classes include everything from barre style, power yoga, low impact, weighted workouts and mobility.
Both mums of young children themselves, (Jen actually has a three-week old baby at the moment!) the pair have a special focus on pre- and postnatal mums and their classes include pregnancy-safe options, and a safe way to return to exercise with pelvic floor and core restore. You can become a She Moves member for just $10 per month.
OnForm is a great option if you’ve never set foot in a pilates studio before. They’re currently offering live foundation classes, which founder Rebecca Noton says are suitable for absolute beginners. OnForm offers three live classes a day, which you can book through the MindBody app, or there is an ondemand pilates video library on their website. You can access this for $34.44 per month with a free trial for seven days.
Yes, you can still do your favourite Les Mills classes – all from the comfort of your lounge. The choice is mindboggling – there’s more than 1000 different workouts, and 13 different Les Mills programs such as strength, core, HIIT, cardio, dance and yoga. A subscription also includes 12-week workout plans to help your achieve your fitness dream.
If you’re not a member, you can get in on the action for $29.99 per month after a 14-day free trial. You can also try some of the classes online at TVNZ OnDemand.
Laura Mohi’s online pilates studio has over 200 living-room friendly, equipment-free workouts classes on offer, with a new session added every week. There’s something for every level so why not give it a whirl? You can try mat, HIIT, targeted and beginner Pilates workouts. It’s a bargain at $19.99 per month after a free 7-day trial.
Move It Mama is a 5,000 member strong online fitness community connected through exercise. For just $10 per month, you can enjoy your daily dose of exercise anytime, anywhere – no equipment needed! The workouts are delivered through a private Facebook group called #spreadthesparkle, with ten live workouts per week via Facebook Live – and best of all, there are now over a thousand previously recorded workouts available in the group, so you to do a class you want to do at whatever time suits you.
Looking for more ways to relax and stay fit this lockdown? Check out our articles on the benefits of running and how deep breathing can benefit your mental health. For more wellbeing advice, delicious recipes, and entertainment news, subscribe to Woman magazine today!
The Twilight actress looks unrecognisable as she transforms to play the people’s princess.
The trailer for the highly-anticipated film, Spencer, has just dropped, giving fans their first glimpse of Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana.
And it looks like all those early critics, who were furious that the American was cast in the royal role may need to eat their words.
The Twilight actress looks unrecognisable as she transforms to play the people’s princess and it’s also clear her dialect coach has earned every cent, as Kristen pulls off a near-perfect royal accent.
The actress had previously talked to InStyle magazine about how nervous she was about tackling that famous voice. “The accent is intimidating as all hell because people know that voice, and it’s so, so distinct and particular,” Kristen said. “I’m working on it now and already have my dialect coach.”
Insiders are now predicting Stewart’s performance is an early contender for awards gongs, alongside other bets including Aussie star Nicole Kidman in Being the Ricardos, and Lady Gaga for her role as Patrizia Reggian in House of Gucci.
Spencer, which premieres at Venice Film Festival next month ahead of its November release, spans three days in Diana’s life in 1992 when her marriage to Charles has completely disintegrated amid rumours of affairs and a divorce.
In an interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live! In 2020, when the furore about her casting was still raging, Kristen discussed the challenges that came with portraying such an iconic figure.
She said: “It’s hard not to feel protective over her. She was so young. Everyone’s perspective is different, and there’s no way to get everything right; what is fact in relation to personal experience.”
The film’s director, Pablo Larrain who directed Natalie Portman in Jackie, previously talked to Deadline about what to expect from the film, saying: “[It will] examine the fraying of the relationship with her husband, and her ferocious love for her sons Prince William and Prince Harry.”
Poldark villain Jack Farthing plays Prince Charles opposite Kristen. Other stars include Sean Harris, Oscar nominee Sally Hawkins and Timothy Spall.
Alcohol sales skyrocket during lockdown – so how much is too much?
Another level four lockdown means another rush on toilet paper… and booze. It’s no secret that alcohol sales skyrocketed during the first level four lockdown in New Zealand. Nielsen figures showed a whopping 36 per cent spike in sales in the four weeks to April 2020. This time around, booze sales nationwide went up nearly 500 per cent on the eve of lockdown alone.
The recommended alcohol intake
So how much alcohol is too much? The Ministry of Health recommends that men drink no more than three standard drinks a day and no more than 15 standard drinks a week. For women, it’s two standard drinks per day and no more than 10 standard drinks a week. Everyone needs at least two alcohol-free days every week.
It’s also worth noting that a standard drink is a lot smaller than you think: there are 7.7 standard drinks in a bottle of wine – so if you only get four glasses out of a bottle, you’re having your two standard drinks in one glass.
If you’re drinking a lot more than those guidelines, you’re definitely not alone. A 2017 survey showed that 25 percent of Kiwis who consume alcohol are classed as “hazardous drinkers”. And it’s not just young people drinking to dangerous levels, with one in four 45 to 54 year olds who drink also seen as hazardous drinkers.
Taking a break from alcohol
Lotta Dann, who runs Living Sober, an online recovery community funded by the NZ Drug Foundation and Health Promotion Agency, saw a huge uptick in members during last lockdown and she encourages anyone who is concerned about their drinking to try a break from the booze.
“If there’s a little worried voice inside your head telling you your drinking is a problem – listen to it! It’s probably speaking the truth, and knows something needs to change. I always say to people the first step in making a change to your drinking habits is believing that change is possible. I know it feels terrifying, impossible almost, to live with little or no alcohol, but believe me – it is totally doable!
“Next – be very aware that although we live in a world that glorifies and normalises alcohol and treats it like it’s a harmless substance, it’s just not. It’s an addictive and toxic drug – sorry for the brutal words but it’s true. Know that you’ll get to a place where you don’t miss that stuff at all. And most importantly – reach out and connect with others who know exactly what you’re going through – because they have the same worried internal dialogue.”
Living Sober allows people to talk honestly and openly with one another online. It’s free and you can be anonymous if you choose. Lotta is enormously proud that the members are, “kind and supportive and non-judgemental. The internet can be a brutal place at times, but not us – we’re a gorgeous little site of goodness.”
Resources to help you take a break from drinking
There are a number of books and podcasts that can be helpful if you would like some extra encouragement to stop drinking for a while. Your liver will thank you for it – plus, you’ll get the benefit of saving some cash, better sleep, less anxiety (which is hugely helpful during lockdown), clearer skin and you’ll be able to eat those calories rather than drinking them!
The television presenter shares all things getting her through lockdown.
What do you love about lockdown?
Getting to slow down, and spending more time with the family.
What do you loathe about lockdown?
That groundhog day feeling and the lack of social contact, I miss my mates!!
Favourite lockdown food or drink?
Fave food would be the chicken and bacon meatballs I made for a cooking challenge with Coast Breakfast radio or my homemade caramel slice (extremely dangerous. Fave drink would be the daily gin and tonics!
Best lockdown exercise?
F45 online and backyard cricket with the kids.
What are you binge-watching?
Little Fires Everywhere on Amazon Prime and Dr Death on TVNZ Ondemand.
What are you reading?
The Perfect Lie by Jo Spain.
What podcasts would you recommend?
The Coast Breakfast one of course!
What have you knocked off your lockdown to do list?
We moved house literally one week before lockdown so we’ve had lots of jobs around the house. The most satisfying would be hanging the mirrors and pictures on the wall, and unboxing my clothes.
What item of lockdown clothing could you not live without?
My oversized sweatshirts.
First thing you’ll do in Level 2?
Catch up with family friends for drinks and dinner, out. Definitely out.
The popular Woman magazine columnist, broadcasting legend and self-confessed shopaholic may be lock downed at home in the capital, but she hasn’t lost her sense of humour or hope.
Best lockdown exercise?
Getting out of bed.
What do you love about lockdown?
The street I live on is a busy traffic route. It’s quiet now, and I can hear the tūī in my big pōhutukawa trees.
What do you loathe about lockdown?
People posting ridiculous misinformation about vaccines. For example, that they contain microchips.
Favourite lockdown food or drink?
Home-made cookies and Earl Grey tea.
What are you binge-watching?
Downton Abbey. I’m starting to be able to smell the tweed and leather.
What are you reading?
Conscious Capitalism.
What podcasts would you recommend?
The Infinite Monkey Cage.
What have you knocked off your lockdown to do list?
Organised pantry, washed mould off bathroom ceiling, beaten world record for chocolate chip cookie baking.
What item of lockdown clothing could you not live without?
My scuffs. Oh so appropriate for every ‘non-occasion’.
First thing you’ll do in Level 2?
Drive somewhere I have no need to go. Like I might drive to Bunnings or KFC or maybe the Baby Factory… just because it’s completely non-essential.
We round up four luxury hand sanitisers that will become your new must-haves.
In case you thought hand sanitiser wasn’t the chicest handbag addition in a post-Covid world, think again. Forget overpowering astringent smelling formulations, we’ve rounded up five luxe hand sanitisers that won’t only have you safe and cleansed, they’ll have you smelling gorgeous, soothed and protected naturally.
The right fragrance can be equally uplifting and soothing, plus create an inviting, relaxing ambiance.
Scenting our space has become a ritual for many of us – especially having spent so much time at home over the past year and as we find ourselves in lockdown once again.
While there is a huge amount of olfactory variations available, the below are gourmand ones that literally smell good enough to eat. Crafted with sweet, often edible notes, they are intoxicating and nostalgic in the very best way!
1 Glasshouse Limited Edition Trick or Treat Pumpkin Pie Candle
This delightful Glasshouse scent is all things Halloween rolled into one! With notes of coconut and orange mixing with spiced pumpkin, cinnamon, maple, clove and vanilla, this is a heavenly candle not to miss.
The essence of ripe, fresh pears is blended with creamy, indulgent vanilla to create a sophisticated and delicately balanced fragrance in this gorgeous candle.
Tropical layers of ripe guava nectar mix with a lively, lychee-inspired scent and a cocktail of berries to creating a warm, voluptuous and oh-so-sweet fragrance. Scent rating? Absolutely delicious.
Laura Duggan works as an Advanced Skin Specialist and Trainer at Skintopia in Commercial Bay. Here she shares her absolute wealth of knowledge on how to get your best skin ever.
What are your three top skincare tips for NZ women?
USE SPF
I like to refer to it as daylight cream, needed every time there is daylight! Coming to terms with that, even when you spend most of your time indoors it is still super important. Also it is very important to reapply when spending more than 2- 3 hours outside. I often recommend Dermalogica’s Invisible Physical Defense SPF 30 because it is a physical SPF formula that provides added blue light protection and helps soothe away the effects of environmental aggressors.
YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT
I always recommend eating fresh plant-based products and try to eat the rainbow every day. It’s good to educate yourself about your country’s soil and the deficiencies it may have. In New Zealand there is little zinc or selenium in our soil, so it is something we do need to supplement. A Zinc deficiency may manifest as acne, eczema, xerosis (dry, scaling skin), seborrheic dermatitis, or alopecia (thin and sparse hair). It may also impair or possibly prevent wound healing, which plays a vital role in skin health.
CLEAN YOUR SKIN THOROUGHLY
How well are you cleaning your skin? Like really? In today’s busy world we tend to rush. I love telling clients that your skincare routine is YOUR time, not your kids, not your partners, not the dogs, YOU! So enjoy it. I will always recommend starting your evening routine with Dermalogica Precleanse. Spend 1 minute massaging your face, eyes area, cheeks, lips, ears, neck and décolletage, use small circular motions uplifting strokes to take off the day, physically and mentally! Once you feel like you’ve spent the minute, add some lukewarm water and repeat, lifting all the dirt and oil under the water. Remove and repeat this massaging technique with your skin treatment cleanser.
Skin barrier health is one of my main passions. Anyone who has experienced an impaired or damaged skin barrier will attest to the adverse effects, which include redness, dryness/flaking skin, dull, tight feeling, dehydrated, inflamed and sore to touch. It can make skin reactive to ingredients and heat and experience acne, eczema, dermatitis flare ups as a result.
The best thing to do for this is to really simplify everything. Simplify your routine to just your cleanser, toner, treatment serum, moisturiser and SPF. Less touching of the face, which is easier said than done! Rinse with cold water rather than warm and I do find avoiding excess cardio, saunas, spas, and heavily chlorinated swimming pools also works well.
Ingredients to look at are ones that will repair heal and calm the skin.
Hyaluronic acid: It’s an essential humectant, which means it holds x1000 its weight of water in the skin. This will help with trans epidermal loss which makes us dehydrated and gives us that tight feeling, generally felt on the cheeks.
Ceramides: A.k.a. good fats. They make up our natural skin barrier. They lock in moisture and give a layer of protection to the outside world and triggers.
Fatty acids: Especially omega 3 oils which keep your cell membranes flexible and allow good nutrients into the cell, while allowing unwanted toxins to be expelled from your cells. Unfortunately, our body can’t make omega 3 so it needs to come from food or supplementation.
Squalene: A natural lipid found in our barrier.
Probiotics: Balanced microbiome is the skins best defence, as it functions something like an immune system for your skin. Maintaining a healthy gut flora with probiotics is crucial as studies have shown a direct link between your gut and skin flora. Today’s modern population doesn’t eat 1-2 serves of fermented foods per day and we also see antibiotic use is more prevalent than previous generations. Unfortunately, they wipe out all bacteria: good and bad. Also, our lifestyles are more sanitary than those of our ancestors. We are exposed to fewer strains of helpful bacteria due to household cleaners and sanitisers.
Colloidal oatmeal: Creates a protective seal on the skin, calms inflammation and start to treat and heal the barrier.
Antioxidants and SPF: Protect the skin especially when it’s under a state of inflammation.
Once we have a nice balance of these ingredients in our skin care, diet and lifestyle we see a barrier return to health within 4-8 weeks. Then we need to make sure we keep supporting our skin with these ingredients and slowly begin to add back in gentle exfoliation and active serums under the guidance of a skin therapist. It is a journey and can happen at multiple stages in our lives, especially as women with hormonal changes and antibiotic use throughout lifetime.
What is the most common mistake women make with their skincare regimes?
I think at the moment it’s over doing it. There is so much on offer – new ingredients and formulations are frequently being developed so it’s very easy to get carried away. The best advice is chat to a skin therapist about what your concerns and goals are. Get the recommended ingredients right for you.
What is one skincare myth you’d like to debunk?
You only need sunscreen while outdoors = MYTH! Wearing SPF30 or higher should be a daily habit. Not only are we exposed to sunlight even when we spend most of our days indoors, but research shows that artificial blue light from computers and phones can also age our skin. Find a moisturiser/ SPF/ antioxidant combo that feels good on the skin.
What are your best tips and treatments for get skin looking its best for a big event?
A clean healthy diet in the lead up. Avoid processed sugars and greasy food as this can show on the skin. Have your skin at optimum hydration by incorporating Hyaluronic Acid, Niacinamide, Lactic Acid, Algae Extracts and Peptides daily in your routine.
Treatment wise I love Skintopia’ s OxyGlow. It’s perfect for achieving event ready skin with optimum hydration. If you can schedule a few treatments two weeks apart you will get that long lasting hydration resulting in exceptionally glowing skin.
Skintopia OxyGlow treatment
Do you recommend any internal supplements for great skin?
YES YES YES! As I’ve spoken about for barrier repair, the gut and skin flora are connected. Having the right balance of probiotics, omegas, antioxidants and zinc will support your gut and in turn your skin. It’s not something that happens overnight so be patient. Trust the process.
BEPURE offer so many incredible ingredients including some natural hormonal support herbs which my clients have seen incredible changes in their acneic conditions.
BePure Two Probiotic 60-Day, $89
What’s the best plan of attack for a breakout?
DO NOT PICK. Please if I could be the angel on your shoulder and remind you a spot will heal in a few days while a ruptured oil follicle, full of bacteria and now an open wound will take a lot longer! With potential to scar and cause more breakouts.
The best plan of attack is to prepare, stay strict with your double cleansing and exfoliation routine. Make sure you have enough hydration in the skin. Then once it rears its head start with a spot treatment. Ingredients like, Salicylic acid, Niacinamide and green tea will help kill any bacteria, clean out the follicle and also calm inflammation and start the healing process.
Also it is a great time to have a skin treatment. Blue and Red LEDs will be great to support cleaning and clearing the bacteria in the follicles, detoxify and start the healing process. Breakouts are normal, everyone gets them. Especially related to our monthly cycle but keep on top of the above and they should remain small and heal within a few days.
What skincare items should we splurge on and what should we save on?
Splurge on serums and SPF. Serums will treat your main concerns and create changes in the skin. A good SPF will make sure you wear it, have full protection against accelerated ageing, free radical damage, inflammation and most importantly won’t congest the skin and turn you off SPF forever.
Save, cleanser. Still make sure it’s the right texture for your skin type and double cleanse at night but please no wipes or harsh apricot scrubs!
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