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I landed at JFK airport in New York late at night in the middle of a hot summer. By the time I made it through immigration, it was well after midnight, and in my first taxi ride to the city all I could really see was the outlines of buildings and billboards for cut-rate lawyers and discount dentists. I didn’t get my first glimpse of Manhattan until the next day, when, groggy with jetlag, I wandered downtown with no set destination in mind. It was one of those first-day-in-a-new-place walks, where you’re intensely aware of every sight and sensation that is different from what you’re used to. In this case it was the smell of heat radiating off concrete, sharper accents jangling in my ears; the unaccustomed feeling of weaving…

It was pleasing to see North & South shine a light on what has been an ongoing problem in rural areas (“Down on the Farm” by Paul Gorman, August 2021). Depression and suicide have come to the fore frequently during the last 10 years. Sadly, these conditions have been around for much longer. I believe it is untrue for our prime minister to say that there is no divide between urban and rural communities and to dismiss it as a situation we all have to face. Urban dwellers have become the larger section of New Zealand’s population, with probably the majority now having little or no contact with rural life. Newspaper reports and commentators are based largely in urban areas and so tend to speak from an urban perspective. No longer…

CRAIG Stare's Guest Editorial last month sparked some positive responses. “Craig's guest editorial is on the money, and he's right - we don't need $60 sit-down dinners.” Another quipped, “I enjoyed Craig's editorial. I can't see clubs or NZHRA getting into hosting too much in the future. He's right about costs, and the new incorporated societies’ changes make club executives more personally liable, so why would a bunch of 60+-year-old hot rodders on a club committee take any (club) financial or personal risk by hosting an event?” The point of editorials is to promote discussion. Craig has over 32 years of promoting one of NZ's largest, if not the largest, muscle car, hot rod and street machine events in NZ, so he speaks with clarity and authority. You may not like change,…

With a private estate worth around $925 million when she died, it’s no wonder there’s intense interest in just how the Queen divvied up her enormous wealth when she got her affairs in order. Buckingham Palace recently insisted that the terms of her will wouldn’t be made public, however, details are already leaking from within her court as to which family members gets what. Here, our well-placed royal insiders reveal who’s ending up with what... PRINCESS ANNE As the Queen’s only daughter and with no realistic pathway to the throne, Her Majesty was keen to ensure Princess Anne, 72, was rewarded for her years of loyalty and hard work, both as a royal and as her beloved second-eldest child. Woman’s Day is told the Princess Royal has found herself in possession of some impressive new…

We’re rapidly approaching winter for real now, with the longest day not far away. I would suggest anyone wanting to experience a tahr rut hunt without any helicopter disturbances would do well to get into the Southern Alps this year, as with borders opening up the helicopter operators tell me they have a lot of bookings for trophy bull tahr heli-hunts/AATH next year. With the significant (and much needed in some areas) lowering of tahr numbers, there are going to be a lot less bulls to go round in the future, and the competition for those bulls is definitely going to become more intense. This roar has been a real mix of emotions for us, with some wonderful fine weather allowing hunters to get far and wide and into places they’ve…

These days, Hugh Jackman is one contented man. He has a beloved wife in Deborra-lee Furness and two fantastic children, Oscar and Ava, who’ve grown up being doted on by their grandma, Hugh’s mum Grace McNeil. But it hasn’t always been that way for the Aussie heartthrob, whose fractured family life when he was a child has been well documented as he rose to the top of the A-list. Indeed in a newly unearthed interview with Woman’s Day, the candid star confides that his mum leaving his dad and fleeing back to her native England when Hugh was just a child sent him into a “white rage”. “Even though my mum left me when I was eight, it was when I was 12 or 13 that I was an angry young kid,” he…

Matthew Ridge doesn’t count his wealth in financial terms – he counts his blessings. The former Kiwis, Auckland Warriors and Manly Sea Eagles captain believes he is richer for being a father. Also a one-time All Black and presenter on Game Of Two Halves, his career has seen him excel in rugby and league, as well as succeeding in television and business. But his greatest role of all has been an at-home dad to all his five children. “I’m extremely fortunate,” he tells Woman’s Day in an exclusive interview offering rare insight into his home life. “I’ve worked pretty hard all my life, but I don’t have to work nine to five. I can spend quality time with my children, which is what I really enjoy. “A lot of fathers and mothers these…

A note from the Editor Thanks to all of you who have written in the first few months since we resumed publishing. We’re working hard to expand the magazine’s audience while still providing plenty to delight and interest longstanding readers. This will involve some experimentation, and your comments (both positive and negative) are incredibly helpful as we figure out how to get the balance right. We also want to hear what you think about individual articles and the issues they raise. Please keep the feedback coming! Dental Care in Decay I read an article on dental care in New Zealand in the magazine (“Utopia Lab” by Ollie Neas, February). As a former school dental nurse, I would like to see how the School Dental Service is tackling the appalling state of children’s teeth…

George Clooney and Julia Roberts are the best of friends, but in recent weeks their relationship has become strained as it becomes increasingly clear that one of them got a much better deal when it came to scoring luxury digs for their stay in Australia to film Ticket To Paradise. “Julia was pretty steamed up about her accommodation,” an on-set source reveals exclusively to Woman’s Day. “Her Gold Coast penthouse was amazing but she’s quite particular and really has her own sense of style, so there was a makeover with the decor, which made her much happier.” Meanwhile, George secured one of the most expensive mansions on the Gold Coast to accommodate himself, wife Amal and their four-year-old twins Ella and Alexander in splendour during the big budget production. “He’s got a great team…

Four Corners roams the motu, from reading the news on Rakiura Stewart Island (page 15) to glow worm spotting here, there and everywhere (page 17). And now we’re going out again, we reintroduce an events calendar: see Save the Date (page 20). When she was a little girl, Nicola Toki caught bullies from the local creek in her lunchbox and kept caterpillars and a praying mantis as pets. She found tadpoles in a drain and brought them home to live in a bowl. Soon after, her horrified mother discovered tiny little frogs hopping all over the place — one had jumped under the couch. Maybe Toki gets her easy chuckle from her mum, who responded by laughing uproariously and then helping her daughter to catch the frogs. Born in Invercargill, Toki camped with…

While there’s sadly still no signs of a genuine truce between the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex, sources say William “tried his best” to make his younger brother feel included at their beloved grandmother’s farewell. “Wills is the first to admit he no longer trusts Harry and won’t be alone with him, but he’s not heartless,” reports a palace insider. “He was willing to put their issues aside in honour of the Queen. They’re both grieving.” William, 40, was the only family member seen engaging with Harry’s wife, the Duchess of Sussex, when he helped Meghan to her seat at St George’s Chapel before the family’s committal service. It’s also said that a last-minute decision to have Her Majesty’s grandchildren stand vigil around her coffin at Westminster Hall was William’s…

The apple certainly doesn’t fall far from the tree in the Phillippe family – ’90s heartthrob Ryan Phillippe has been seen going on a double date with his son Deacon! The father, 47, and his lookalike lad, 18 – who he shares with ex-wife Reese Witherspoon – were seen entering West Hollywood hotspot Catch Steak with two mystery brunette women on their arms. Sources tell Woman’s Day that Ryan and Deacon have always been close, and now Deacon is all grown up, they’re more like best friends than father and son. One pal says, “Deacon is a chip off the old block in looks and personality, and it seems they also have similar taste in women!” While Reese is said to be happy that her son – who is an up-and-coming music producer…

Royal divorcée Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York proved she could still pull a palace-worthy crowd in New York to promote her new book A Most Intriguing Lady. The 63-year-old swept the US publicity circuit last week and going by her headline-grabbing statements from the past seven days, it’s no wonder why... ON MISSING THE QUEEN... Sarah enjoyed a close relationship with her mother-in-law until the monarch’s death in September aged 96. In an interview with People magazine, Sarah described Her Majesty as “my total idol”, explaining, “She just knew what to do. She knew how to make people feel good.” In another interview, Fergie insisted she felt “liberated” by the Queen’s death. “It’s like I’ve taken the mental shackles out of my brain... I don’t know whether it’s the Queen passing on that I now…

➤ Missing Kiwi Custom HARRY Orpwood found this pic from, we think, the late fifties. It is a custom under construction in Hornby, Christchurch, by a very early Rodbenders member Merv Monk. Does anyone have any info on this car, even what it was built from or more pictures? Probably long gone, but who knows? From Craig Stare. “Reminder: when you die, someone will waste all your hard-earned money. You work long hours to earn it, so spend it on yourself. Buy Hot Rod parts and enjoy life!” ➤ Early Days A PHOTO of Meremere Dragway’s first drag strip committee surfaced recently from John Willis. Right to left are Allan Porter, Ed Jensen, Garth Hogan, Dave Lowe, Ken Vincent, Kevin Cairns and John Willis. Allan was responsible for Public Relations; Ed was NZHRA Liaison; Garth…

Two-time Olympic gold medallist Eric Murray may have retired from rowing, but the former athlete says he still has his greatest challenge ahead of him – creating a thriving future for his 10-year-old son Zac, who has autism. Revealing that the active youngster was the real reason he gave up the sport in 2017, Eric tells Woman’s Day, “Zac was then five, about to go to school. His needs were growing. I needed to be alongside him in these important years. He’s more important than any race, win or medal.” While the Cambridge-based star, 39, could have powered on to this year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo, where his former rowing partner Hamish Bond won a gold medal in the men’s eights, Eric has no regrets about his decision to retire. “I love being…

When Sandra and Wade McMillan moved from Auckland to Methven for a mountain lifestyle, they began searching for a new home that was smarter for the environment, high-quality and affordable – and discovered this wasn’t the most realistic combination in New Zealand. Because Wade is a design engineer and pretty handy, they decided that he would build the family a home, as his father had done years before. The couple moved into a rental in the township, which lies near Mt Hutt, to give them time to do some research and hunt down the perfect spot to build. It appeared in the form of an unusually large 4000sqm section a stone’s throw from the local pub, and next to a reserve, with beautiful mature trees. “It’s hard to find land this size in…

MELANIE STEALS THE SHOW! On Taranaki Anniversary Day, New Plymouth-born star Melanie Lynskey stole the spotlight at the Critics Choice Awards in LA with her hilarious and emotional acceptance speech for Best Actress in a Drama Series. “I really wasn’t expecting this – I’m gonna be really bad at this speech,” joked the modest Kiwi, 44, before acknowledging the “amazing women” she was nominated against, including Christine Baranski and Uzo Aduba, as well as her Yellowjackets co-stars Christina Ricci and Juliette Lewis. Confessing she felt “like I’m gonna faint”, Melanie then thanked the show’s producers for “letting me be exactly as I am, not asking me to change anything” after another crew member suggested she might want to lose weight for the role. “It means a lot.” The Don’t Look Up actress also thanked…

SURI & TOM REUNION ON HOLD! Suri Cruise, who turned sweet 16 last month, never gave up hope that she would one day be reunited with her estranged dad Tom Cruise. Sadly, sources now tell Woman’s Day that the teen’s once-unshakeable plan to publicly reunite may have fallen by the wayside. “Suri makes out like being without her father is no big deal, but it is,” reveals a family pal of the high school student, who hasn’t been snapped with her famous dad, 59, since 2013. “She’s always been curious about him,” the insider adds, revealing she watches all of his films. Unfortunately, over the years, Tom’s public image has taken a beating – from quirky Scientology tales forever making headlines in the US to the more recently leaked audio of him screaming…

Under the Mistletoe PHEW! What a year. As I write this final editorial for the year, the sand has almost completely drained out of the 2021 hourglass, and thankfully Christmas is just around the corner. I say thankfully because it’s been a year of challenges as our production has been free and unfettered some months, then in a pandemic straitjacket in others, or hobbled in chains at times like this month as well. I’m incredibly proud of our dedicated team of freelance correspondents who have stepped up to the plate, and according to you, we hit a few home runs when things were looking decidedly uncertain around us. Special thanks to Lloyd Wilson at Magoo’s Street Rods for conceptualising and arranging this month’s Christmas cover with photographer Steven Virtue. In my…

“The thing about going through the hard stuff is that it makes you stop and take stock of your life – it gives you greater clarity to see what’s really important,” says Hayley Holt as she joins Woman’s Day for a celebratory Christmas catch-up. It’s been a long year for the beloved broadcaster. Not only did she endure several months of separation from her close-knit family thanks to the COVID-19 lockdown, but also a heartbreaking miscarriage, which followed the loss of her baby son Frankie Tai a year earlier. But as she reflects on the roller coaster of 2021, Hayley tells us that regardless of the challenges, she’s found a deeper level of contentment. “It dawned on me recently that despite all this, I’m actually happier than I’ve ever been. I have…

They drank pinot noir and craft beer, and ate spaghetti alla chitarra at Amano in Auckland’s Britomart. The total bill was $1,428. They dined at Odette’s across town: $1,101.41. And they went to Waiheke for the day for $2,850. Amazon executives were here to discuss filming locations for their Untitled-but-clearly-Lord-of-the-Rings television series, and the New Zealand government was eager to make sure the trip left an impression. The hospitality was generous, noticeably more so than when some representatives from the New Zealand Film Commission stopped by Amazon Studios in Los Angeles in 2019 and were treated to an office lunch of “sandwiches and soda”. For the past three years, the New Zealand government has pulled out all the stops to accommodate the biggest company in the world as it sought to…

The team of five million — that was the slogan that guided New Zealand through the pandemic. But what about the one million New Zealanders who live overseas? A recent survey by Kea, a business association for Kiwis living abroad, suggests that one in every three New Zealand expats wants to return home. Others have family or business ties here and want to visit frequently. But for the past couple of months, places in managed isolation facilities have been near-impossible to get. Some people who need to travel urgently are so desperate that they’re paying four-figure sums to tech firms offering to use bots — which make it even more difficult for all the others to obtain a place. Many New Zealanders outside the country are increasingly frustrated and feel…

SOFÍA’S BIG BIRTHDAY... WITHOUT JOE! Turning 50 is every reason to celebrate and Modern Family actress SofÍa Vergara did exactly that when she took to the town on 11 July for a big bash with her closest friends. Dining at Los Angeles’ lavish Lavo Ristorante, the glamazon turned heads in a stunning Alex Perry dress and matching bag. While the birthday girl and her inner circle looked in high spirits (and may have even enjoyed some spirits too!), there was one noticeable absence – her actor husband Joe Manganiello! The usually loved-up duo have been married for seven years, but the hunky Magic Mike star’s absence certainly raised plenty of eyebrows. While it appears he and Sofía are still going strong, sources insist Joe, 45, better have a good excuse for being missing in action! “She…

‘He moved in on the first day of lockdown and hasn’t left!’ He’s “hot”, energetic, fun, tall and doesn’t like the limelight – and he’s radio star Jay-Jay Feeney’s secret new boyfriend. So hush-hush, in fact, she hasn’t even told her More FM co-host Paul “Flynny” Flynn! While most Aucklanders were counting the hours until lockdown ended, Jay-Jay, 47, confesses to Woman’s Day that she was living her best life in her city apartment with her new man, 27, who she met at a friend’s dinner party. “I told Flynny he was my flatmate,” she laughs. “That’s true because he moved in on the first day of lockdown and hasn’t left! Flynny kept suggesting there’s more to it, so yes, he’s my boyfriend. It’s early days, but we just love hanging out together.” The…

KEEPING UP WITH THE HURLEYS! Fans are begging Liz Hurley and her 19-year-old lookalike son Damian to throw open the doors of their $11 million Herefordshire farmhouse for an at-home reality show. The 55-year-old model shot down rumours last week that she was planning to start filming videos documenting her life in the English countryside for social media, calling them “abzuuuurd”, but fans are urging the Royals star to reconsider. “She is fab. I would definitely watch it,” commented one fan online. “Fantastic, hopefully she’ll film it in her swimsuits and bikinis,” another cheekily added. Liz has hinted there would be plenty of reality show fodder to film at her stunning country estate. “We had nine of us,” she said of spending four months in lockdown at the 13-bedroom mansion she originally bought with ex…

THERE’S a lot of people in New Zealand’s car-building modification and construction sector. There are the vehicle owners, there are the people who do the modifying and building (whether for themselves or others), there are the people who make or bring in and sell the parts needed, there are the LVV Certifiers, and there are the people who provide the legal framework and the technical requirements to enable New Zealand’s vehicle modification and construction industry and hobby to keep going. Even though we’re all wanting the same thing, sometimes there’s a bit of a disconnect between some of the players, and frustration can set in. But it shouldn’t be that way. Maybe there’s a lack of understanding going on, so seeing things from the perspective of others might shine a bit…

WILL SMITH CRACKING UNDER THE PRESSURE A week on from the shocking Oscars outburst that saw him slap comedian Chris Rock on stage, Will Smith is facing a shaky future in Hollywood. Now an insider tells Woman’s Day that Will and his wife Jada Pinkett Smith, 50, are nervously waiting to see whether the scandal will cost the 53-year-old Best Actor winner his career. “They’re both genuinely very worried about his future, given the general consensus is that while he stood up for his wife, he went way too far with the violence,” says the source. After issuing a grovelling apology on social media for his behaviour, the Bad Boys star is now waiting to see how the leading industry players respond to his actions. “Will’s team is scrabbling to save his future and,…

MATILDA’S SWEET BOND WITH HER STEPDAD In the 14 years since her dad Heath died, Matilda Ledger has grown up as the only child of her single mum, actress Michelle Williams. But after the Dawson’s Creek star married Thomas Kail in March 2020 and had her second baby with him just months later, Matilda suddenly found herself in a family of four. Sources say the 16-year-old shares a “special bond” with 44-year-old director Thomas, who Michelle met when they were working on Fosse/Verdon. “Matilda lost her dad when she was two and Heath’s family, including his dad Kim, are all in Perth, so she’s pretty much grown up without a father figure,” says a Ledger insider. “Michelle was quite worried about how Matilda would adjust to having a stepfather and a sibling enter her world…

When Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy prepared for a visit to the Southland town of Riverton last month, she thought it would be amusing to remind the people there of an incident that happened many years earlier. In January 1874, one of Dame Patsy’s predecessors, a governor called Sir James Fergusson, travelled to Riverton. Fergusson, apparently a man in a rush (he only spent a year in New Zealand before returning to England) had been expected to stay for lunch. Instead, he swiftly changed horses and carried on to Invercargill. Dame Patsy found a story about the incident in the archives of the Western Star. She enjoyed the article so much that she offered to read it out over the phone. “It’s extraordinary journalism,” she told North & South, “written by someone who…

When Toni Street was growing up in New Plymouth back in the ’90s, life seemed pretty simple. She kicked around in rugby shorts and t-shirts, plans were made by landline, and her beauty regime consisted of a lick of sunblock and a hairbrush through her thick blonde mane each morning. “It was a simple time,” she laughs, welcoming Woman’s Day into her new beachside home in Auckland, which she shares with her husband Matt France and their children, Juliette, nine, Mackenzie, six, and Lachie, three. “I look at young people today and feel like my experience growing up was a world away from what they’re dealing with. No internet, no selfies… I didn’t even get a mobile till I was about 15! Social media can be great, but it can also bring…

For more than 50 years, Queen Elizabeth II skilfully negotiated peace between Princess Anne and Camilla, Queen Consort, with the longtime rivals enduring an uneasy but courteous relationship. Unfortunately, the ceasefire has come to an abrupt end, with insiders saying the 72-year-old Princess Royal “has had enough” of Camilla’s moves to install herself as Queen – and it all came to a head at a Buckingham Palace coronation rehearsal dinner. An insider reveals, “All the rehearsals have been tense because of King Charles’ perfectionism, but this feud between Anne and Camilla has been brewing for months. Anne’s been waiting for a chance to make her feelings known, with a few choice comments about Camilla calling herself ‘Queen’ and not ‘Queen Consort’.” In February, it was announced Camilla would drop the word “consort” from…

Bindi Irwin is the young face and assumed heiress apparent of Australia Zoo but in a bombshell new allegation, her late dad’s friend alleges she never initially wanted to inherit Steve Irwin’s legacy and empire. In a recent interview, cameraman Justin Lyons, who worked with Steve for a decade until his death, described Australia Zoo as being “cult-like”, with Steve’s imagery looming everywhere, reminding him of the day in 2006 when he filmed the famous conservationist dying from a stingray attack. Among his stunning revelations, he claims the now 24-year-old Bindi initially “didn’t really want” to follow in her famous dad’s footsteps. “Bindi and I spent a lot of time together,” Justin insists. “We’d go up to Far North Queensland and while they were doing whatever, Bindi and I would go off. She’d…

PARALYMPIC GOLDEN GIRLS! It was all about girl power at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo, where athletes Sophie Pascoe, Lisa Adams and Tupou Neiufi beat the competition to win gold medals for Aotearoa. Our jewel of the pool Sophie made history by coming out on top in both the 100m freestyle S9 and the 200m individual medley SM9, as well as winning a silver in the 100m breaststroke SB8 and a bronze in the 100m backstroke S9, which brings her Paralympic medal tally to 19, including an incredible 11 golds! After vomiting and blacking out following her medley triumph, the Christchurch swimmer, 28, who lost her left leg in a lawnmower accident, said, “I certainly and literally left it all out there in dramatic style… but I got what I fought for and…

Many Thanks HI PAUL, Just a thank you to the team for the feature on my ‘32 Vicky and all the good work in hot rodding you provide. Tony Vittle Mystery Fordors HI PAUL, Shane “Clown” Brown in Franklin Street Rodders has a chopped ‘32 Fordor sedan, which he has owned for a long time. There is a good picture of it in an FSR club craft feature in the magazine in May 1999. It may be another piece of the puzzle. He purchased the sedan around 1987, in stock condition, from a hot rodder in South Auckland, who also had a ‘32 Tudor. Bear in mind Clown was only 17 years old at the time. He did the roof chop on it, but I suspect it is the one that is on page…

ALBERT’S PUBLIC PLEA ‘CHARLENE, PLEASE COME HOME’ She’s been “grounded” in her native South Africa since mid-May due to health issues, but Princess Charlene of Monaco’s husband Prince Albert has insisted she’s “ready to come home’’. In recent months, the couple’s long separation has prompted numerous split reports in Europe, with claims that Charlene, 43, has “no intention of returning’’ to Monaco. But after visiting Charlene in South Africa with their six-year-old twins, Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques, Albert, 63, has cast aside those rumours – insisting Charlene will return home as soon as she’s given the all-clear. “She’s jokingly said she’s ready to stow away on a ship to come back to Europe,” Albert said. But just days later, the palace confirmed Charlene had been “taken to hospital after becoming ill due to…

The epic motorhome journey that took Joel Krutz, Michelle Narciso, their children and Narciso’s mother to two dozen national parks across the United States before they all caught Covid-19, at the same time, got underway with a PowerPoint presentation. It was Krutz, a 47-year-old New Zealander living in New York City, who desperately wanted to go. But he knew that Narciso wasn’t keen on the whole idea of showering in cubicles and taking toilet cassettes to dump stations. So he began working on what in corporate lingo is known as a deck — a series of beautiful slides and persuasive bulletpoints. “There’s nothing that a great PowerPoint cannot solve,” he says. Krutz called the presentation “Roadtrip USA 2020”. It featured a floorplan of the vehicle (a beast of a campervan, 10 metres…

Denys Watkins has been one of New Zealand’s most open-minded artists over the past five decades. He has sometimes, quite suddenly, changed medium or style, responding to new stimuli or in order to stave off stasis, to challenge himself. Conceptual art, pop art and colour field abstraction all played a part in the early years. However, Watkins regularly finds inspiration outside of the western art canon, absorbing into his work imagery encountered on overseas travel or inquisitively gleaned from a wide range of print media. His paintings have changed from precisely rendered visual jokes to fuzzy dreamscapes to the mainly abstract ‘constructions’ that have occupied him more recently. Watkins taught at the University of Auckland’s Elam School of Fine Arts from 1980 to 2011, and in 2017 had a survey…

THE way I see it, 2023 is going to be a volatile year. Economists predict higher inflation and lower consumer spending with associated doom and gloom. We have a huge fish to fry this year, and that is our choice for the next NZ government. Freedom of speech is now a real issue, with our current crop of elected officials being caught red-handed using social media platforms as propaganda arms to suppress and eliminate opinions they don't like. Those very people we should trust to be fair, neutral and charged with maintaining our democratic rights appear to be using social media to advance their own narratives. The truth is our greatest adventure, and whatever the powers that be, have in mind for us in the coming year, it could be…

As a supermodel-turned-yoga teacher who splits her time between Aotearoa, India and the US, Rachel Hunter has seen her fair share of beauty trends and fancy products. However, her latest discovery came from a surprising place – the cosmetics aisle of a supermarket! By chance, the Auckland-born star found Kiwi brand essano stocked at the grocery store near her home in Los Angeles and it took her back to when she first laid eyes on the products almost a decade earlier, when she was filming New Zealand’s Got Talent. “It was a sign!” she beams, chatting to Woman’s Day about her partnership with the brand from her lounge in California. “I thought, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me!’ And it all developed from there.” When it comes to the world of beauty, “Our…

Despite having Hollywood royalty for parents, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman’s adopted daughter Bella Cruise and her husband Max Parker are said to be feeling quite the financial squeeze! According to title deeds, the couple have recently had to take out a mortgage on their humble terrace house in the less-than-glamorous suburb of Croydon in London. Meanwhile, Max’s Twitter also reveals that the avid gamer’s been retweeting posts to win competitions, such as one for the new EA Sports Formula One computer game. It’s a far cry from the world of Tom, who is living the high life as he jets around the globe promoting his box-office smash Top Gun: Maverick. Bella and IT consultant Max – who have been married since 2015 – recently enjoyed a simple beach break in the Yorkshire seaside…

Jennifer Lopez is officially a wife for the fourth time after tying the knot with Ben Affleck in a drive-through ceremony at Las Vegas venue A Little White Wedding Chapel on July 16. But it’s his first wife, Jennifer Garner, who Ben has to thank for helping him get back on track, allowing him to find his happy-ever-after. In a touching move, the mother of Ben’s children was the first to be snapped heading over to the couple’s Los Angeles home to offer her well wishes on 17 July – just one day after the secret ceremony! Jen’s visit speaks volumes of the tightly blended family the stars have worked hard to build together despite their split, with sources revealing “Jen is nothing but happy” for the newlyweds, who reportedly toasted their…

• Hot Rod Hero THIS picture appeared in the NZ Herald in 1971, when Pete Lodge broke the National drag outright record at Kerrs Road, Manurewa. It was the day he first ran slicks (M&H), and it was the first time slicks were used in NZ. He set the new mark at 11.35 seconds that day, just undercutting the long-time record holder Brian Trigg in his rail Andromeda, which had been 11.4 for a couple of years, I think. Pete had done a 10.9 before this, but it hadn’t been recognised or not backed up. The NZ Herald photographer staged the photo by bringing in a spectator suitably scantily attired to add interest. Her name was Michelle, I recall from the Newspaper version, which I have in a scrapbook somewhere. Pete…

Where do you call home? Wherever my family is, wherever we can be together. We live in Ponsonby, in Auckland, and on the weekends and in the holidays, we spend a lot of time at the beach house in Omaha. Who do you share your home with? My husband Onny, my three children – Rocco, Hawk and Kai – my mother-in-law Nellie, my dog Boo and our cat Vampire. What is your home like? It’s quite a relaxed space. My husband is super orderly so the house tends to be quite neat and tidy. We like to cook and entertain and have people over for meals and drinks and things like that. Also, with our kids and their friends, we love having them round to hang out and swim in the pool. How…

More than Ever IT’S a topsy-turvy world at the moment, and we’re experiencing significant volatility with changes coming that we may not find that palatable. On the boil in this alphabet soup of change are; the swing towards electric vehicles, the highest gas prices in history, the poorest off-highway roads in many years, inflation, war, political instability and the trend towards becoming a divided society. Those are the downside ingredients, but on the upside, we are blessed with new motorways and roads coming onstream, and more time on our hands as our demographic nears retirement age. I think the end result of the soup of factors will be a positive outcome, but there’s a catch: we are all going to take a more proactive approach in determining and designing our future…

MATILDA’S SECRET FATHER Michelle Williams has revealed Succession star Jeremy Strong stepped in to be a surrogate father to her now-16-year-old daughter Matilda after her dad Heath Ledger’s sudden death in 2008. “Matilda didn’t grow up with her father, but she grew up with her Jeremy and we were changed by his ability to play as though his life depended upon it, because hers did,” says the former Dawson’s Creek star of her daughter, who was just two when the Aussie actor died of an accidental overdose aged 28. “Jeremy was serious enough to hold the weight of a child’s broken heart, and sensitive enough to understand how to approach her through play and games and silliness,” Michelle shares. The 41-year-old mum, who moved her pal into her New York home, along with her…

HI GUYS I have a dumb question. Weare putting suppressors on our rifles, mine is a 270 Rem, and my wife's is a 243 Win. After talking To the gunsmith, he has suggested that we fit the same calibre suppressor to each rifle, for safety (in case we switch them around by mistake:), and I can understand his thoughts on this. So my question is, will the larger diameter hole of the 270 suppressor diminish its effectiveness when used on the 243 (we are fitting DPT Magnums on both); The gunsmith thinks that the magnum Will workso well on the 243 that the larger hole will not be an issue. I would just like a second opinion from someone, with knowledge. Love the show, if we can't watch we record it religiously. Two oldies who think…

As far as storytellers go, Kiwi broadcasting legend Mike McRoberts is one of this country’s best. In his 30 years of journalism, he’s covered war zones, politics, pandemics and everything in between. Now, though, he’s lifting the lid on a wonderful tale of his own – an epic love story the 56-year-old never knew was waiting for him. Introducing his partner Heidi Ettema in an exclusive interview, Mike is excited to share their amazing news – the loved-up pair are getting married! “It’s very exciting,” he says, a huge smile spreading across his face. “You only have one life, so to have stumbled upon this relationship with Heidi at this stage feels so fortunate. As soon as we got engaged, I had this wonderful feeling of completeness. We’re solidifying what we have…

When Auckland went into lockdown in February, first for three days and then for a week, the experience felt both familiar and radically new. Familiar, because I’d spent six months in what passed for lockdown in the United States. New, because it was my first lockdown in New Zealand. As it turned out, time was just as gluey in both places: those first three days working from home in Auckland felt like months. But one thing made a world of difference. In Washington DC, lockdown was a worst-of-both-worlds affair. Nobody could go anywhere but Covid was everywhere. In Auckland, we went into lockdown with a purpose and a plan. There was actually a way to trace the spread of the outbreak. We didn’t know how long the lockdown would last, but…

She’ll be remembered by fans for lighting up the stage and screen, but it’s the private Olivia Newton-John – the wife, the mother, the friend – that her loved ones are mourning. The devoted family woman is survived by her husband of 14 years, John Easterling, who announced the news of her death on social media, revealing the beloved entertainer “passed away peacefully” at her ranch in southern California on 8 August “surrounded by family and friends”. The 70-year-old natural-health businessman went on to describe how Olivia “has been a symbol of triumphs and hope for over 30 years, sharing her journey with breast cancer”. The singer’s only child, daughter Chloe Lattanzi, 36, also paid tribute to her “angel on earth”, calling her treasured mum “my safe place, my heart space”. Arguably Australia’s most…

Bob Armstrong May 22, 2021 AS with most teenage hot rod enthusiasts of the late ‘60s, Bobs interests were born from some of the most iconic kiwi Dragracers and Hot Rodder’s of the time. Hatching plans with brother Ken how they too would one day have some cool machinery of their own. Their father Ben had several cars, including a 1939 Chev sedan which the boys would take out and join the scene. As most will verify, neither did anything by halves. “MORE POWER” was always on the menu. Many a car was bought and brought home, but much to their dismay, their father, would make them take them back and demand they got their money back. As time went on, they became old enough to make their own decisions, and…

BRADLEY & IRINA PLAN BABY NO 2! Rumours that Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk are getting back together have been circulating for months. Now sources say spending Christmas with their beautiful daughter Lea, four, has given the couple the baby bug again. According to our insider, Bradley, who turns 47 this week, and ex Irina, who turns 36 this week, are fleshing out a pre-natal agreement – despite not being an official couple. “They both want a sibling for Lea and the timing’s perfect in terms of their locations this year,” says an insider. “Another baby probably won’t bring them back together, but they’re both incredibly excited about the new year – and hopefully a new baby.” DEMI & GWYNETH HOLLYWOOD’S NEW POWER BESTIES Demi Moore and Gwyneth Paltrow have run in the same powerful circles…