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My big fat fake wedding

By Megan Norris

Pictures: Frances Andrijich

Angela had everything that a blushing bride could want — except a groom!

Perched on a podium in the bridal store, Angela Travers twirled in front of the mirror in the gown of her dreams.

“So, where’s the lucky groom today?” asked an assistant as she fussed with Angela’s white veil. The blushing bride was suddenly stuck for words.

Angela didn’t have the heart to tell the woman she didn’t even have a boyfriend, let alone a bridegroom. She was planning to have a white wedding with all the trimmings — all by herself! It was a scene straight out of Muriel’s Wedding.

It was back in 2006 that the Perth fun-lover first woke with wedding bells ringing in her ears.

“I’d been in London for three years and had come home to work for a few months before planning to return to England,” says Angela, who works for a WA oil and gas shipping company. But then she realised that if Mr Right were waiting for her overseas, many of her friends would miss out on the wedding.

Angela, now 37, came up with a crazy plan — to get married on her own in a flash bash where she could be a dream bride and the centre of all that attention.

“I didn’t want to be an old, fat, frumpy bride,” she grins. “So I thought I’d do it now, while I still looked good enough in a slinky, gorgeous wedding gown.”

The former wedding planner, who once organised romantic weddings at a posh WA country club, ordered the works — flowers, bridesmaids, a photographer and, of course, the wedding dress.

“Not having a groom was a bonus, since I was the one making all the decisions about the wedding party,” she says. “There was no conflict or squabbles or meddling in-laws … This was definitely going to be all about me, me, me!” she laughs.

For the full story, see this week’s Woman’s Day (on sale April 28).

Your say:

Is Angela making the best of her situation, or just plain mad? Have your say below…

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I caught my boyfriend’s mistress with an STD test

My boyfriend Donny and I had been together for almost two years and although we didn’t live together we were inseparable. Every Friday night we would head to the local pub together and because we lived in a small town we knew most people there.

One night, I returned from the bathroom to find him chatting to a flirty brunette who I’d never met before. He introduced me to Julie and quickly explained that they went to primary school together and hadn’t seen each other in years.

I soon forgot about her until one day a friend told me that she had seen Donny and a mysterious brunette eating lunch at a local cafe. I decided to confront Donny about. Donny laughed it off and said that he was having lunch with his sister and that I was being paranoid.

But my suspicions didn’t leave me, and they weren’t helped by the fact that we began to stay together less and less. And when we did, upon his insistence, we only stayed at my place.

When I received a phone bill of his a few days letter, I couldn’t help myself — I had to open it. Donny had made several late-night calls to a mystery number, which I soon confirmed was Julie’s. It seemed that they were making a lot of contact for two old primary school friends who hadn’t seen each other in 10 years.

I was convinced that Donny was cheating on me but he wouldn’t budge, not matter how much I probed him, so I decided to call Julie.

I cleared my throat, dialled her number and put on my most official-sounding voice.

“Hello Julie, this is Heather from the local healthcare clinic. I have something very private I need to discuss with you”.

“OK,” she replied slowly.

“It’s concerning your friend Donny. He is very embarrassed at the moment and has asked me to contact you on his behalf regarding the results of his STD test. Donny put your details on a list of people he has had intercourse with in the last six months. Is this correct?”

I could hear Julie gasp before blurting out, “Yes, but what’s wrong with him? Oh my God … Am I going to be all right?!”

I could hardly contain my anger and slight amusement at her freaking out, so I swiftly ended the conversation. “Well you better get yourself checked out then. Bye!”

I was so hurt by what Donny did but I figured that there was little point in bringing it up with him, if he hadn’t been truthful to me all this time, why would he start now? I broke up with him two days later saying that we had grown apart and, between that and all of the STD rumours about him flying around, that it made sense to just put it behind me.

Besides, I had a few old friends that I wanted to look up myself.

Picture: Getty Images. Posed by model.

Your say: Have your say about this true confession below…

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60 seconds with Sami Lukis

Sami Lukis is one busy lady! Debuting as a weather girl on The Today Show, Sami moved to presenting on Ten’s Totally Wild, before switching to radio to join Merrick and Rosso on Nova 96.9FM. These days, Sami is back in her home town of Brisbane, working on Triple M’s The Cage. Here, she gives The Weekly a 60-second insight into her loves, loathes and her exciting new job.

You have just become the face of Optimal Skin care. How did this come about and what are your favourite products?

A: I discovered Optimal at a skincare launch about 12 months ago and fell it love with the products from the moment I started using them. When the company heard that I was a genuine fan of the product, they approached me to help promote the brand. My favourite products are the Optimal Skin Cream – it keeps my face hydrated and moisturised all day – even after applying it at 4am before I go to work. The Optimal Eye Cream is the best I’ve ever used. It actually does help to smooth out those cheeky little wrinkles that start appearing in your 30s.

Three things that make you tick?

A: My dog Lolli — She’s my angel, and she makes me laugh every single day. Work — I absolutely love the challenge of my job and I adore the people I work with. Good coffee — I can’t live without it.

What are your favourite Aussie fashion labels?

A: Eileen Kirby does great frocks … Jayson Brunsdon for full on glam … Neil Grigg milliner for the most beautiful hats & fascinators … Lorna Jane for gymwear …

With all your radio experience you’re definitely in the know about the latest and greatest in music. What’s on high rotation in your CD player/IPod right now?

A: Shock Value, Timbaland … Justin Timberlake, Future Sex/Love SoundsAlbertine, Brooke Fraser … The Dutchess, Fergie.

You never leave home without…?

A: My mobile. I left my mobile in the Qantas club a few weeks ago enroute to Sydney and being without it for 24 hours felt like I’d moved to a distant planet.

What’s your motto(s) in life?

A: Life’s too short to drink bad champagne or wear bad shoes.

Book that changed your life?

A: In my early 20s, it was A Guide for the Advanced Soul — a book of inspirational quotes. One of my favourites was : ” You cannot discover new oceans until you have courage to lose sight of the shore”. More recently it was a book called Marley and Me — it’s such an emotional read! You MUST read this book if you’re a dog owner or dog lover. I’m not sure it would have had the same impact on me before Lolli came into my life. But at the end of this book I was sobbing so hard, I couldnt’ see the words on the page through my tears.

What do you wish you had more time to do?

A: Travel. There’s nothing better than seeing the world !

Food you allow yourself to indulge in?

A: It would probably be wine and champagne rather than food. I’m a sucker for great NZ Sav Blancs & French Champagne … always.

Favourite thing to do on a lazy Sunday?

A: When I’m in Sydney I really enjoy spending Sunday afternoons at North Bondi Italian having a rowdy lunch with a big table of friends.

Most memorable career point to date?

A:The highlight of my career would have to be the time I spent on The Today Show — travelling the country presenting the weather from all kinds of weird and wonderful places. I saw so much of our beautiful country and I thoroughly enjoyed every single moment in that job!

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Audrey Tautou: the new face of Chanel

French darling Audrey Tautou has been announced as the new face of Chanel No. 5, one of the great fashion house’s most iconic scents.

Chanel has a history of high-profile, expensive ad campaigns and if Baz Lurhman’s efforts have set any kind of precedent, then great things are expected of this next No. 5 commercial for Chanel which will be shot by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, the man who directed Tautou in her oscar nominated role in the film Amelie.

Chanel has long been associated with iconic women such as Marilyn Monroe, Catherine Deneuve, Carol Bouquet, Candice Bergen, Vanessa Paradis, Nicole Kidman, Claudia Schiffer, Kate Moss and recently, English rose Keira Knightly to front Coco Mademoiselle.

Chanel and movie fans alike will be waiting with bated breath to catch a glimpse of popular French actress Audrey Tautou in the new No. 5 collaboration between Chanel and Jeunet. The commercial makes its debut in 2009.

As the first and most famous signature scent of Coco Chanel, No. 5 was introduced to the world in 1921 and was internationally popular with women of high society. Supposedly, her famous perfume was a result of Coco’s superstitions as she was scheduled to show her collection on the fifth day of the fifth month. We certainly pay thanks to those superstitions with women (and men) all around the world delighting in her iconic frangrance. The composition of Chanel No. 5 is :

  • Top notes : Neroli from Grasse (flower of the bitter orange tree), Ylang-Ylang from the Comoros, Aldehydes.

  • Middle notes : Grasse Jasmine, May Rose.

  • Base notes : Sandalwood note, Vetiver from Réunion, Vanilla from Réunion (Bourbon Vanilla).

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Beat the arvo slump

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Afternoon cravings can easily unravel all the good work you’ve completed on your morning power walk, healthy breakfast and lunch. Instead of heading for the chocolate fix to boost energy levels and prevent the afternoon slump, check out these alternatives:

Nut it out

Even though nuts are high in ‘good’ fat, they are also high in fibre and protein and offer appetite satisfaction in a small serve size. Research shows that portion controlled nuts can be successfully included in weight loss diets.

Get the nut habit:

  • Pour some nuts into a small Tupperware container and snack on them throughout the day. Make sure it’s a small container to hold just a handful of nuts – this way you won’t over eat!

  • Many sandwich shops are now making sandwiches which include nuts. Try it for a crunchy take on the normal sanga!

  • If you’re going to a business lunch, look for menu items which include nuts, you’ll be surprised at the innovative ways nuts can be used

  • Share some nuts with your work colleagues for meetings and tea breaks rather than pastries/ biscuits

Yummy yogurt

New research published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health, showed that a higher dairy consumption was associated with greater weight loss and a greater decrease in waist circumference. The study supports previous clinical trials which showed that the inclusion of three daily serves of dairy in a weight-reducing diet leads to substantially more weight and body fat loss than a similar diet that only includes one daily serve of dairy. The low glycemic index and protein content of yogurt makes it a particularly good afternoon snack.

Boost your yogurt intake:

  • Snack on fat free yogurt or low fat yogurt drinks between meals

  • Dollop low fat natural Greek style yogurt on kebabs, curries and tagines

  • Add yogurt and fruit to breakfast cereal

  • Use vanilla, creamy yogurt as an alternative to cream in meringues and healthier desserts.

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An apple a day?

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A recent nutrition and health review of apples completed by an Australian dietitian has looked closely at the benefits of including an apple a day in your diet. Apples have been shown to have a range of health benefits including asthma and cancer protection. But can they really keep the doctor away? Let’s take a closer look:

Apples and antioxidants

The report claims that apples have the highest antioxidant content of Australia’s most popular fruits and ten times the antioxidant power of goji berry juice. Red apples do score well on the ORAC scale a measure of the antioxidant activity of a food, however other fruits like blueberries score higher. Even though blueberries may not be considered a ‘popular’ fruit their appeal and availability is growing. So it is somewhat biased to exclude them for this study. In addition, the report mainly focuses on red apples with more phytochemicals or antioxidants than green varieties.

Reduce cancer risk

According to the report apples have been identified in population studies as having the capacity to reduce cancer risk, specifically lung cancer. An analysis of the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals’ Follow-up Study involving 77,000 women and 47,000 men revealed that women who consumed at least one serving of apple per day had a reduced risk of lung cancer. It’s important to realise though that many more foods could be associated with these findings. Apples may appear to have these benefits from the very fact that they are commonly consumed fruit in the countries where the population based research on food intakes has been performed and reported in the western scientific Journals. There are publications of Asian and Indian foods, like high antioxidant activity herbs and spices, that receive less attention, but may be just as potent for health protection.

Chew on this

The bottom line is that if you’re not a great fruit eater, adding an apple a day to your diet can be a great way to boost your health and vitality. Apples are great tasting and readily available all year round. If you’ve already got the fruit habit, it’s better to mix up your 2+ serves a day, for a varied intake of nutrients and antioxidants.

Apples:

  • Have a low glycemic index of 38 for sustained appetite satisfaction and energy between meals

  • Are a good source of potassium and vitamin C

  • Are a good source of fibre and can be eaten on the run for breakfast

  • Suit most fussy kids, but remember that the peel contains much of the antioxidant activity

YOUR SAY: Do you manage to eat an apple a day? How do you incorporate this fruit into your diet? Tell us below…

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Can chiropractic cure hypertension?

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That’s the intriguing finding of a new study from the University of Chicago Medical Center published in the Journal of Human Hypertension.

When 50 individuals with a misaligned Atlas vertebra (located high in the neck) were given a one-time specialised chiropractic adjustment, researchers noted that their blood pressure decreased dramatically – in fact, at a rate equivalent to taking two blood pressure drugs at once.

According to the lead study author, Dr George Bakris, the Atlas (or C-1) vertebrae is unlike other vertebrae which interlock on to the next, instead relying on muscles and ligaments to maintain alignment. Researchers were unable to determine why this vertebra, if misaligned, seems to be linked to high blood pressure, but they did note that the decrease was still in effect eight weeks following chiropractic adjustment.

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Run away to the circus

Roll up, roll up and find out about one of the hottest new ways to get fit and have fun — circus training. No, we don't mean circuit training. Think juggling, balancing acts, contortion, the strong man and more.
Photos by Getty Images

Roll up, roll up and find out about one of the hottest new ways to get fit and have fun — circus training. No, we don’t mean circuit training. Think juggling, balancing acts, contortion, the strong man and more.

Circus skills

Troupes like the Flying Fruit Fly Circus and Circus Oz have spearheaded a new style of circus performance that features highly physical activities and no animal tricks. Enjoyed by young and old this new style of circus has also merged into performance arts with the popularity of internationally acclaimed Cirque Du Soleil.

So it’s not surprising to see circus skills school popping up all over the place. There’s even the National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA) the only government-accredited institution that provides professional training in contemporary circus arts in Australia. NICA’s first graduate show was performed at Festival Melbourne 2006, the cultural festival of the Commonwealth Games. They also offer short courses for beginners which include learning how to juggle, tumble, spin hula hoops, fly the trapeeze, tip toe the tight wire and ride a unicycle.

Clowning around

The popularity of circus skills is starting to creep into mainstream fitness programs around Australia too. If you’ve always wanted to give circus skills a try or are looking for something new to boost your motivation, check out what’s on offer in your local area.

Celebrity personal trainer Donna Aston was one of the first to offer clients circus training. Seriously, we’re not clowning around. So don’t be surprised if your personal trainer suggests juggling as a new activity. Also local circus skills schools or juggling clubs may exist right under your nose. Plus even your local gymnastic club is a great place to start for kids and teens with an interest in running away to the circus. You never know, as well as enhancing your fitness you may just gain a few new party tricks!

YOUR SAY: Would you consider taking up circus training to get fit? Tell us below!

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Portofino’s Hotel Splendido: a lovestruck celebrity’s paradise

It’s one of the world’s celebrity hot spots, a beautiful harbour where the stars go to find romance. Find out which celebs have been lovestruck at Portofino's Hotel Splendido.
Rod Stewart and Penny Lancaster in Portofino

Portofino — and its world famous Hotel Splendido — is where the stars go when they’re in love. Here we take a peek into the world of the rich and famous — the most sought-after destination on the Italian Riviera.

Napoleon loved it so much he decided to rename it after his wife, Josephine, but ego got the better of him and it became Port Napoleon, until he lost his throne. Actor and Hollywood heavyweight Orson Welles arrived cradling a tiny pooch – a fashion accessory copied later by Paris Hilton. Garbo, Dietrich and many other stars of the silver screen arrived before Humphrey Bogart came romancing Ava Gardner. Elizabeth Taylor came four times – each time with a different husband. Jackie O came with husband number two, Aristotle Onassis, then the world’s richest man, and Beyoncé Knowles arrived with an entourage that looked like a US basketball team.

We give a rare glimpse into a very private world — the perfect destination to celebrate a special occasion, such as a honeymoon or momentous anniversary. If you go, you’ll never forget it…or the celebrities you see around the traps. And if you want to see which Aussie megastar came to convalesce and which king arrived only to return home and lose his throne.

Getting there

Fly like a celebrity

Singapore Airlines will operate flights from Sydney to London on its fleet of double-deck A380 aircraft.

Stay with the stars

Hotel Splendido: www.hotelsplendido.com

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Look better in a hurry

Photos by Getty Images

Diet, exercise and sleep are the long-term habits that lay the foundations for looking good. But sometimes you just need a quick fix to look better straight away.

Savvy cosmetic choices and easy tricks of the beauty trade do the job for a lot less pain than going under the surgeon’s knife.

1 Mist your face. Dull, dry skin magnifies fine lines, so spritz on this recipe whenever skin feels tight. Combine in a spray bottle 1 cup still mineral water, ½ cup witch hazel and 3 drops chamomile oil. Stored in a cool dry place, it keeps indefinitely.

2 Try a cold teaspoon. Believe it or not, this is the make-up artist’s secret weapon. Place two in the freezer for a few minutes, and then hold over puffy eyes. The spoons’ bowls fit the contours of the eye perfectly and, unlike cucumber slices, the metal stays cold long enough to do the trick.

3 Smooth wrinkles. The new light-reflecting foundations and powders literally scatter light over the surface of your skin, blurring flaws and evening out tone. To further downplay wrinkles, dot along them with a light-reflecting pencil, blend the edges, and then dust with translucent powder.

4 Lift droopy eyes. The first step: Gently tweeze your brows, as having more of the brow bone showing gives the illusion of lifted lids. Then use a neutral-coloured eye shadow – a bone or pale pink – rather than dark colours, which can make your eyes look heavy.

5 Get rid of under-eye circles. Some people are born with a propensity towards dark circles; others develop them as the skin in this area begins to thin. Use an opaque concealer that’s a shade lighter than your foundation. Blend with your ring finger, then set with a layer of translucent powder.

6 Erase lip lines. Those fine lines around your mouth are here to stay, but you can at least stop lipstick from accentuating them. Dab foundation around your lips and blend, then blot with loose powder. Choose a light-coloured lipstick and sheer gloss. Dark colours make lips look narrower.

7 A lash curler makes you look more alert. Heat it with a hair drier for a few seconds before using.

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