Settle in and enjoy some of the best lifestyle and entertainment stories from our talented and award-winning journalists, from Demi Moore’s return to the spotlight to what it’s really like to online date in midlife. Here are our top picks for this weekend - you can find more to read at our Lifestyle, Entertainment and Viva hubs.
South Island luxury lodge The Lindis’ new addition is an absolute gem.
Improving on an already impeccable luxury lodge in one of New Zealand’s most breathtaking locations is an unenviable task.
The Lindis has all the outstanding features needed to be considered one of the country’s top exclusive accommodation offerings — priceless views, off-the-beaten-track location, high-end suites, world-class fine dining and bucket-list worthy activities. So the temptation would be to rest on its laurels and focus on continuing to do well what it already does. Read the full Viva Premium story here.
As Moore steals the show at Cannes, Tim Robey examines the rise, fall and resurgence of an actress the industry loved to mock.
A quarter-century since she last made a serious impact on screen, Demi Moore could have stayed faded. But she had other ideas. In The Substance, she has leapt back into focus with a savage, self-lacerating commentary on her own relationship with stardom.
Moore has never done anything to prepare us for this body-horror shocker - a go-for-broke Cannes sensation that has just won Best Screenplay at the festival - that makes you rethink her whole career. Read the full Entertainment Premium story here.
A new study linking anger to heart problems spurred our short-tempered feature writer to try out some calming tips recommended by experts.
In a fit of fury, I have been known to smash glasses, punch pillows and kick trees.
When my son was young, and I was grinding along on three hours of broken sleep, I would sometimes find myself filled with a rage so strong I felt that I could pull barn down barn doors with my fingernails and set light to curtains with just my eyes. Read the full Lifestyle Premium story here.
A reader decided to give casual dating a go on Hinge, but she says the more she enjoys herself, the more she feels as though she’s doing something wrong. Annabel Rivkin and Emilie McMeekan give their advice.
My ex-husband and I divorced three years ago after 15 years of marriage. The children split their time between us and it’s not as awful as I thought it would be. Last year I thought I’d try dating app Hinge — not because I am particularly looking for a life partner, but because, having married at 24, I wanted to give casual dating a go. I’ve had so much fun and, to be honest, more and better sex than ever before — with a few different men. But the more fun I have, the more I seem to be involuntarily asking myself “Is this okay?” which makes me feel weird and as though I’m doing something wrong. Am I? Read the full Lifestyle Premium story here.
Viva’s Wānaka-based food writer Jo Elwin has been surveying Queenstown’s restaurant scene to bring you this updated ‘best of’ list, which highlights old favourites and some welcome newcomers.
The central Queenstown dining scene hasn’t received a lot of love lately so, in preparation for ski season (let it snow, let it snow, let it snow), we thought we’d poke our fork around downtown and see what’s tasting good. Mostly through necessity, change is bringing a passionate energy back to the heart of Aotearoa’s resort town that is as exciting for locals as it is for visitors. Read the full Viva Premium story here.
Richard Coles, Harlan Coben, Scarlett Thomas, James Comey … we pick 20 criminally good new thrillers
Think Twice by Harlan Coben
After a “break” – in which he has produced several other novels and collaborated with Netflix, for whom he has a staggering 14 projects ongoing – Coben returns to his most popular character, sports agent Myron Bolitar. In this, the 12th novel in the series, Mylar faces a couple of FBI agents who’re keen to speak to his client Greg Downing on suspicion of murder. The only problem is, Downing died three years ago, and Mylar even gave the eulogy at his funeral. The story becomes just as twisty as you would expect. - Terry Ramsey
Out now
From hyperactivity to impulsivity, the symptoms in females can be very different from male ones – making the condition harder to diagnose.
Cases of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) seem to be rocketing – so much so that there is talk among medical professionals that it’s “the label of moment”.
For decades, it has been seen as a “male only disorder”, but that is also changing fast.
The growing number of high-profile women who have gone public about their ADHD – former Spice Girl Mel B, TV presenter Sue Perkins and actress Sheridan Smith to name a few – coupled with a plethora of ADHD content across social media platforms, especially TikTok, have prompted more women and girls to see it in themselves and seek help. Read the full Lifestyle Premium story here.
It peaks in young adulthood and older age in what’s called the ‘loneliness curve’. Here’s how to deal with feeling lonely in each life stage.
Loneliness can hit you if you’re a young adult trying to navigate starting employment or education, and it can hit you when you’re older too, when your relationship status changes or you’re dealing with health issues. This U-shaped pattern, peaking in younger and older adulthood is now being referred to as the “loneliness curve” thanks to a new study by Northwestern University. The study showed that loneliness consistently increased in older adults too. Read the full Lifestyle Premium story here.
Need an additional layer to keep you toasty this season? Reach for a high-neck top both elegant and cosy.
Whatever you want to call them — skivvy, polo-neck, turtle-neck — one thing is certain; the skivvy is one of those wardrobe staples that offers plenty of added warmth when temperatures cool.
Some could argue that a skivvy can be somewhat restrictive; having a garment sitting high and taut around the neck isn’t necessarily everyone’s idea of an ideal winter layer, but there’s an assortment of comfortable options that offer plenty of warmth and support without feeling overly confined. Read the full Viva Premium story here.
When comedian Dai Henwood was approached to write about his cancer, he asked friend Jaquie Brown to collaborate. Kim Knight spoke to the pair about The Life of Dai - a new book that has been described as ‘part memoir, part masterclass in finding hope and joy’.
The comedian is taking questions from the audience.
Can he demonstrate his famous high kick? What is he predicting for the Warriors vs Penrith? How did he tell his children he had incurable cancer?
At an Auckland Writers Festival event, something extraordinary is happening. Dai Henwood is making them laugh, making them cry - and allowing them to ask the hardest questions in the world. Read the full Entertainment Premium story here.