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Former social editor Mollie Little passes away

Mollie Little (in white) at a race meet and in a portrait later in her life.

Mollie Little (in white) at a race meet and in a portrait later in her life.

Mollie passed away aged 88 after suffering from Alzheimer’s for seven years. She was farewelled at St Mark’s in Darling Point on October 30.

Mollie started her career as a 17-year-old copy girl at The Telegraph in 1942 before moving on to The Daily Mirror, where she made a name for herself writing a weekly column entitled Women at the Top.

Her success in newspapers led to her nabbing the coveted job as social editor at The Weekly, where she covered everything from country race meetings to the annual opening of the snow season at Perisher – one of the biggest events on the calendar at the time.

In 1952, Mollie and her first husband Athol moved to Tanganyika in British East Africa, where she worked for three years.

Years later, she met the man of her dreams, her second husband Arthur Little. Theirs was a whirlwind romance, conducted in Sydney, London and many other places in between.

They shared many passions and were the inaugural patrons of The House with No Steps, which Arthur built.

Mollie is survived by her only son Rod Lyons and daughter-in-law Wendie-Sue, and 3 grand-children Malcolm, Tiffany, Michael and wife Gabriela and brother Ken Christie.

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Ironman legend Trevor Hendy ties the knot

Ironman legend Trevor Hendy ties the knot

Four time world ironman champion, Aussie surf legend Trevor Hendy, has married long time partner Jo Macdermid in an intimate ceremony on Queensland’s Gold Coast.

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Catriona Rowntree’s top five luxury escapes

Catriona Rowntree’s top five luxury escapes

Catriona Rowntree

If you’ve always wanted to visit a health retreat, but not known where to start this one’s for you!

Travel expert Catriona Rowntree has done the hard work for you, selecting her top five retreat destinations to kick-start a healthy 2014.

Five Elements – Bali, Indonesia

One of my favourite places to rejuvenate in Bali is Five Elements – a healing centre founded on Balinese traditions. Nestled alongside the sacred Ayung River, this health retreat offers Balinese therapies, a Living Foods Dining Room and Bamboo Mandala Pavilions for sacred arts healing. At Five Elements you will learn to love and respect life and leave feeling relaxed, refreshed and rejuvenated.

Chiva-Som – Hua Hin, Thailand

Heralded as the ‘Haven of Life’ on the Gulf of Thailand, Chiva-Som is one of my favourite invigorating health retreats. This little slice of heaven will re-set your mind and help you focus on living your life in a more mindful way. Chiva-Som is a one-stop self-restoration service with expert professionals, including: naturopaths, fitness instructors, spa therapists, nutritionists and alternative health practitioners.

The Banjaran – Ipoh, Malaysia

If you are looking to re-set the clock in Malaysia, you can’t go past The Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat. This therapeutic wonderland is located in the northern state of Perak, cradled by 280 million-year old towering limestone hills, lush rainforest, regenerating geothermal hot springs, natural caves and cascading waterfalls. I can guarantee you this natural oasis will dissolve your daily stresses and set you well on your path to wellbeing.

Kamalaya – Koh Samui, Thailand

For relaxation and time-out in Thailand, book a stay at the Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary and Holistic Spa Resort. Centred on around a monk’s cave that once served as a place of meditation and spiritual retreat, Kamalaya is the essence of balance and calm. I love this resort’s array of therapeutic and health facilities. Wellness programs on offer include: detox, stress and burnout solutions, yoga, , fitness and weight control, naturopathy and an extensive range of holistic medicine, spa and healing therapies.

Cabarita Ocean Health Retreat – New South Wales, Australia

If you’re looking for somewhere to relax a little closer to home, check out Cabarita Ocean Health Retreat in Casuarina, NSW. With luxurious suites, Cabarita a great place to kick start a healthier and more relaxed lifestyle. My favourite feature of this retreat is its specialised suites, which are designed to represent various overseas countries.

Cabarita offers a variety of services such as yoga, health and wellness consultations, counselling, mind and spirit classes, beauty treatments and bike riding. As a lady who enjoys Australia’s beaches, I love this resort’s close proximity to the ocean, allowing guests to wander the shore at sunrise and sunset. Reduced booking rates are currently available for a limited time on the Luxury Escapes website.

Note: Catriona Rowntree is the brand ambassador for Australia’s luxury holiday deals site LuxuryEscapes.com.




Related video: Prince William Jokes New Baby is ‘Loud’ But ‘Good Looking’.*

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Chrissie Swan’s $10 ‘Test’ launches fasion line

Chrissie Swan breaks donw: 'I've made mistakes'

Chrissie Swan

She’s had success on TV and radio and now Chrissie Swan is launching herself into the fashion industry.

She’s had success on TV and radio and now Chrissie Swan is launching herself into the fashion industry.

The formerBig Brothercontestant has released her own budget range of clothing for women size 18 to 28 that will be available from Big W.

“Plus-sized women get so frustrated finding clothes that actually make us feel good,” she told A Current Affair.

“If you are a plus-sized woman it is tough because a lot of the clothes… I don’t know, the designers are trying but it doesn’t seem to be working.”

The size 22 mum of three says her designs not only complement full-figured women but are also affordable, comfortable and look good.

Chrissie says she “fell in love with myself just as I am” after she had children.

“I’ve been on every diet under the sun from the age of 13 onwards and every woman who has a few extra kilos has fallen into the trap of thinking they’re not perfect the way they are,” she said.

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Hollywood’s famous friendships

While some Hollywood romances come and go, it seems Tinseltown's bromances last forever.
Brad Pitt and George Clooney

In a land known for some of the best love stories ever told, it seems natural that Hollywood would be the breeding ground for blossoming bromances. More and more male celebs and movie stars alike are proudly confessing their platonic guy-love for their bromantic other halves.

While we’re sure George Clooney and Brad Pitt often just hang out and do regular guy things, you only need to look at the box office bucks that rolled in off their ‘Oceans’ franchise to see that together these two have the Midas touch when it comes to movie-making.

While the combined charisma radiating from ‘Brorge’ is enough to set anyone’s heart aflutter, they aren’t the only hot celebrity guy couple to catch our eye. So in celebration of the bromance let’s take a look back at some of Hollywood’s other bromarkable mates we’ve spotted going on regular man dates.

The combined hotness of this male pairing burns our eyes. Brad Pitt and George Clooney had a blast making those “Ocean’s” movies and the fun just continues for these two.

Lance Armstrong and Matthew McConaughey forged their friendship over fitness. Over the years the pair could be spotted running and training together but we’re not sure if this love lasted through Armstrong’s duplicitous doping admission.

While Tom Cruise hasn’t quite leapt onto a couch and confessed his love for Will Smith, the love in the air is evident. Smith once told reporters that Cruise was “one of the greatest spirits that I’ve ever met.”

Tobey Maguire and Leonardo DiCaprio didn’t become besties on the set of The Great Gatsby. The talented twosome actually began their bromantic affair way back in the late 1980s. While doing press for Gatsby, Maguire called DiCaprio “one of my best friends.”

Perhaps the original bromance. The film “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” was one of the highlights of a beautiful friendship between Robert Redford and the late great, Paul Newman. They worked together again in “The Sting.” When Newman passed away in 2008, Redford spoke at length about their relationship, praising Newman’s social responsibility and his sense of fun.

While this might be a budding bromance we see a bright future for these star crossed brothers. It seems Bradley Cooper and Gerard Butler not only hang out at award shows but the duo made quite the handsome paring at Wimbledon when they were spotted laughing and taking selfies in the stands.

Ever since “Zoolander” even a male model could tell that the on screen chemistry between Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson was legit. The pair have been in several films together including “The Royal Tenenbaums,” “Starsky & Hutch” and the “Meet the Parents” films.

Ever since “Zoolander” even a male model could tell that the on screen chemistry between Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson was legit. The pair have been in several films together including “The Royal Tenenbaums,” “Starsky & Hutch” and the “Meet the Parents” films.

Toward the end of the 90s Adam Sandler and Rob Schneider were the powerhouse paring in the bromantic-comedy genre. The two bonded on “Saturday Night Live,” and Schneider and Sandler have been riding the money train together ever since.

It’s not easy to find anyone who will admit they’re Mel Gibson’s friend these days after the actor seemed to go on an alcohol fuelled bender and slam every minority group in America. But the Hollywood veteran can find a friend in Robert Downey Jr who used his speech at the 25th American Cinematheque Awards to ask everybody to ease up on his bro.

Kanye West and Jay-Z go way back. Their rapport was built around music collaborations with each artist appering on the others music records. However the bromance was solidified upon the release of the pair’s wildly successful album “Watch the Throne” in 2011. While Kanye is very talented, we don’t think Beyoncé has to worry about Jay-Z going astray.

An Aussie bromance at its best! The mateship between the boys from down under, Russell Crowe and Hugh Jackman is far from miserable. Jackman recently revealed that her owes his career to Crowe who passed on what would become Jackman’s most iconic role– Wolverine in the X-Men franchise– and recommended his friend for the part.

John C. Riley and Will Ferrell may have played step brothers in their film aptly titled “Step Brothers” but the fictional family tie clearly didn’t get cut when the cameras stopped rolling. The BFF’s are often seen together, not only at official industry functions but giggling like school kids courtside at LA Lakers games where they once planted a peck on each other for the Kiss Cam.

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are the poster boys for just how one can become super successful if embroiled in a hot Hollywood bromance. After their Oscar-winning script for “Good Will Hunting,” the pair continued to work together and their careers took off.

Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro have perhaps provided us with one of the greatest bromances to ever be seen on celluloid. The creative chemistry that has been forged between the two cinema veterans has resulted in one of the most celebrated friendships in cinematic history. The pair started collaborating together in 1973’s gritty Mafia movie, Mean Streets, and have continued over the decades with another project, The Irishman, due to go ahead this year.

Since their “Freaks and Geeks” days in the 90’s, Seth Rogen and James Franco seem to make every effort to work together, most famously in “Pineapple Express,” and most recently in star studded comedy “This is the End.”

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The truth about sex in nursing homes

Nursing homes should provide opportunities for elderly residents to express their sexuality, such as cocktail hours, double beds and sexually explicit magazines or DVDs on request, according to an Australian Government initiative.

The assessment checklist, which also includes providing Do Not Disturb signs and allowing visits from sex workers, was developed to enable nursing homes to better support older people in maintaining their sexuality.

The Sexuality Assessment Tool for residential aged care facilities – funded by the Australian Government and developed by the Australian Centre for Evidence Based Aged Care at Victoria’s La Trobe University – gives managers a score out of 69 to assess how well their establishment supports the sexual needs of residents.

“Many older people living in residential aged care facilities continue to desire intimacy, which may range from simple touch and cuddles, to sexually explicit contact,” the 12-page document explains.

“Unfortunately, expressions of sexuality by older people can present difficulties and challenges for staff working in residential aged care facilities, as well as families.”

As well as promoting policies on sexual expression, the assessment tool scores the training of staff, provision of information, safety and the environment.

Information on sexually transmitted infections (STIs) should be available, for example, and residents should be able to attend social events, discuss their personal needs and “request sexually explicit materials to use in the privacy of their own rooms”.

Staff are encouraged to help residents with their personal presentation and styling, and knock and wait permission before entering their rooms.

Meanwhile, staff should be trained to recognise signs of unwanted sexual contact or abuse. Apart from crisis situations, the use of chemical or physical restraint to control residents’ sexual expression was not recommended.

Guidance on negotiating consent and the rights of older people with cognitive impairment, such as dementia, is also provided.

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French President Hollande chooses his First Lady

Valérie Trierweiler (L), François Hollande, and Julie Gayet.

Love triangle: Valérie Trierweiler (L), François Hollande, and Julie Gayet. Images: Getty.

Mr Hollande, 59, is understood to have chosen his alleged new girlfriend – French actress Julie Gayet – over France’s de facto First Lady, Valérie Trierweiler.

It was revealed earlier this month that the president had allegedly been having a secret affair with the 41-year-old Ms Gayet. As the news of the scandal broke, along with photos published in a glossy French tabloid magazine, Ms Trierweiler was admitted to a Paris hospital where she spent several days being treated for “extreme fatigue”.

When asked at a press conference last week whether Ms Trierweiler was still France’s First Lady, Mr Hollande said: “Everyone in his or her personal life can go through ordeals — that’s the case with us.”

He then promised to “clarify” the situation in public before an official visit to Washington on February 11.

Ms Trierweiler, 48, who writes for Paris Match magazine, left hospital on the weekend to recuperate at a presidential retreat near the Palace of Versailles, while Mr Hollande made a decision about their relationship, it was reported.

The president has now made up his mind and is in “negotiations, including legal ones” to end his nine-year relationship with Ms Trierweiler, according to Britain’s Telegraph newspaper.

The presidential love triangle has rocked the Elysee Palace and created headlines around the world.

One of Mr Hollande’s advisors reportedly said he should remain a “bachelor President” and not move Ms Gayet into the presidential palace too soon or risk disapproval from the public.

Mr Hollande, who is an unpopular leader in France, has seen no further drop in his approval ratings after news of the affair.

It is unknown who will accompany President Hollande on his official trip to the US next month which will include a state dinner at the White House.

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Who the hell is Joe Hildebrand?

He's the curly-haired comic and rising star of TV and radio whose quirky humour is winning him legions of fans, but his childhood harbours a family tragedy.
Joe Hildebrand and The Australian Women's Weekly. Photography by Kristina Soljo. Styling by Jamela Duncan.

The thing about Joe Hildebrand is, he’s always been the funniest guy in the room.

Whether he’s sitting opposite an elegant Ita Buttrose on Ten’s new morning show Studio 10, or co-hosting, with Matt Tilley, the Drive show on Triple M; or writing his  column in Sydney’s Daily Telegraph; presenting programs for the ABC; or laying down the one liners on Twitter, you can generally count on Joe to give you a laugh.

Being the funny one is paying dividends this year; by The Weekly’s count, he has at least four jobs, including as a writer. He’s just published a book, An Average Joe, with ABC Books.

It would, however, be a mistake to right Joe off as the merely the funny one. Here, for example, is Joe on the time when he went walking in Wilson’s Promontory with his hippy Mum, a couple of young cousins and his awkward little brother Paddy, who was just nine years old at the time, and a bit autistic:

“Paddy loved nothing more than bushwalking. The forest ahead was calming and the way ahead was clear. And so we all strolled lazily along the path, a couple of kids straggling behind and Paddy a few short metres ahead. Then he rounded a bend, and we never saw him again.”

He isn’t mucking around. Joe’s little brother, Paddy, has never been found. His disappearance prompted one of the largest searches in Australian history. Some of the SES volunteers who went to the Prom that day to try to find him still go back, year after year, unable to accept a child could slip away and never be found.

Paddy’s death had a profound effect on Joe’s family.

“In a single tick of the clock we were all broken,” Joe writes. “Our whole lives became instantly forlorn … That night, on the long straight road out of Wilson’s Prom, I stared out the windows into the dark shapes of the bushland. Somewhere in there, my brother’s body lay but I knew we would never find him. The blackness told me so.”

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An Aussie style star is born: Margot Robbie

Australia’s newest film star, Margot Robbie was dressed to impress at the hometown premiere of her new Hollywood hit in Brisbane.

Our newest bona-fide movie star, Margot Robbie rocked the red carpet at the Australian premiere of her new flick, The Wolf of Wall Street, on Monday.

The former Neighbours star could not contain her joy at coming home.

“It doesn’t matter if I’m coming here after eight months or days, I’m never happier than when I’m home … This is my hometown, this is the most important premiere of them all,” says Margot.

The Gold Coast born beauty worked the cameras in a white mini dress and a bright textured cover up with matching colourful pumps. While she looked stunning, the actress was somewhat dressed down for the event in comparison to the other gorgeous gowns she has been whipping out for award season.

The Aussie’s gowns have been a hit with the fashion police and while we wait to see what frock the blonde bombshell will treat us with come Oscar day, we have a look back at Margot’s most recent magic red carpet moments.

Margot Robbie was a little low key in a white mini dress and colourful pumps as she worked the cameras on the red carpet at the Brisbane premiere of The Wolf of Wall Street.

The Gold Coast beauty wore a white Armani Prive gown to the The Wolf Of Wall Street premiere in New York in December.

Margot Robbie Wolf of Wall Street premiere

Margot sizzled in this ruby red Oscar de la Renta for The Wolf’s London premiere.

Margot chose a bejewlled white Gucci gown for the Golden Globe Awards in LA last week.

The Australian starlet wore a flattering fitted black jumpsuit with lace sleeves to the Critics Choice Movie Awards.

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How modelling almost destroyed me

A decade ago, Sophie Ward was envy of girls everywhere. A top model, she travelled the world, attending parties and photo shoots, but in reality she was a wreck, starving herself to the point that she started losing her hair.
former model Sophie Ward.

Sophie Ward. © The Australian Women's Weekly. Photography by Michelle Holden.

Sophie, now 28, opens up about the misery of her modelling years in the February issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly.

“Driven by a message that I wasn’t quite good enough as I was, I pushed my body to limits I now regret,” Sophie says. “I survived on vegetables, oats, lean protein, some fruit and caffeine. My periods stopped and I lost hair in the shower.

“I took sleeping pills to help myself drift off at night, my stomach wrought with hunger. I drank litres of water to fend off that empty feeling. My BMI dropped to 16.3.

“Forcing my brain to equate hunger with success, I believed that if I just woke up thinner, I would win this war with my body.

“Behind closed doors, we hardly ate. In public, we were smiling, amenable waifs. For years, I maintained the illusion that everything was as it seemed, until I couldn’t keep it up any longer. “

Sophie with her sister Gemma Ward, also a top model who has now quit the industry. 

Sophie was just 19 when she decided she had had enough.

“Ninety per cent of my thoughts were about what I had eaten, what I would eat next, how much exercise I was getting and how I could restrict myself more,” she says.

“I was on prestigious catwalks, in ever more expensive shoes and better make-up. I was making money, flying around the world and enjoying an active social life. My life looked great: I was a high-flying model, admired and accomplished.

“Inside, I was exhausted. I felt that losing weight would increase my value in society. Knowing I had power over my own life, I decided to quit modelling.

“Not only was I sick of eating salad, I was tired of believing that I could be better than I already was. I knew it wasn’t true, so I unplugged myself from the system and watched my life flourish. I started to love myself for who I am.”

Sophie is now happy, healthy and six months pregnant with her first child. She has never regretted quitting modelling and is now a passionate spokesperson for the dangers of eating disorders in girls and young women.

“We must ask ourselves, what kind of young women are we raising? I believe every young woman has the capacity to invent her life,” she says. “We must give her the proper tools with which to create it.”

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