Innehållsförteckning för TAK2348 från Take 5

Hi Take 5ers, note our Christmas on-sale dates, above right, for you to keep handy. With the dates Christmas falls this year, we’ll be on sale Thursdays as normal. And if you’re looking for stress-free festive gifts, look no further! There’s easy treats you can make, from page 57. And what’s better than a gift that keeps on giving with a subscription to your loved one’s fave mag. If you subscribe between now and the end of Jan, you’ll go into the draw for your chance to win a share of $50,000. Five subscribers will win $10k each (p70). Don’t miss our new comp – Shop Local and win $10,000. If you buy anything* from a newsagent – another great place for gifts while supporting local businesses – you…

I was bopping along to the band at a music festival when I spotted a familiar face. That’s Faith, I realised, my heart beating faster. I’d met Faith, 26, on Tinder four years earlier, in 2016. My marriage to a man had ended shortly before and I’d been open to dating new people – male or female. Faith and I had matched and we started chatting on the phone often. I liked how kind and down to earth she was but when she stopped responding to my messages, I was sad it was over. Now, seeing her in person for the first time, I had to ask her why our relationship ended so abruptly. She smiled when she spotted me approaching and after some small talk, I asked where we’d…

Within easy reach from both Sydney and Canberra, the NSW South Coast is the ultimate weekend destination. Despite being just a short drive from both cities, you’ll feel like you’re a world away. Enjoy the slower pace of life and stunning scenery as you disconnect and unwind. Reconnect with nature, lap up the crystal-clear waters and dine on some of the finest food on offer – there’s plenty to do here. With picture-perfect towns dotted all along the southern NSW coastline, you’ll be spoilt for choice on where to stay. There are plenty of farmstays and upscale motels offering unique ways to spend the night (or a few days!). Here are some of our favourites… OAKS RANCH Although the name sounds like something out of the Yellowstone TV show, this…

The snake slithered over my boyfriend’s legs and up the wall. “He’s harmless, don’t worry about him,” Josh told me. “Okay,” I said, nervously. I’d always loved animals and had wanted to be a vet when I grew up. But the animals I liked tended to be the cuter, softer, cuddly ones – not giant pythons! An ex-girlfriend of Josh’s had given him Banjo, the black-headed python, and I quickly learnt that if I wanted to be with him, the snake was part of the deal. Thankfully, I soon got used to his slithery pet. Josh and I were country folk. He worked at a gas plant in Longford, Vic, while I drove tractors at a local salad farm. One day, a family friend of Josh’s, Marnie, told us how…

Reaching my hand into the freezer in the servo, I pulled out a Magnum. “Only plumbers’ kids eat Magnums,” my dad joked beside me. “Builders’ kids eat Frosty Fruits.” Dad was a builder, and in his mind, the plumbers earned all the money. It was a view that influenced me when choosing my path. Years later, when I was 18, my studies in beauty therapy left me feeling uninspired. Then, one night, I was at a pub when a female tradie walked in, covered in dust. Seeing her, one of my male friends turned up his nose. “Women shouldn’t be in trades,” he said with a sniff. “Why not?” I replied, narrowing my eyes at him. It got me thinking that it was something I wanted to do. I’d always…

1. SCRUB UP A change in season can wreak havoc on our skin, leaving it feeling dry and flaky. Give your complexion a refresh with an exfoliating scrub to cleanse and buff away dead skin cells. This heavenly maplescented scrub features natural AHA and quartz to help clean and polish for a glowing complexion. Epzen AHA Exfoliating Body Wash, $22 2. BARE ALL If you shave, it’s best to opt for a good-quality razor that’s gentle on skin. Pair with a soothing shaving gel to reduce redness and irritation. If you’re feeling brave enough for a DIY wax, try naturally formulated body strips and follow up with a calming oil to soothe the skin. Marzena Natural Body Wax Strips 40 pack, $17.99 3. HYDRATION STATION Heat and humidity can play…

Rebecca Aylward was excited. The 15-year-old was getting ready to meet up with ex-boyfriend, Joshua Davies, also 15, and she was determined to win him back. The pair had dated for a year on and off, with Rebecca even introducing Joshua to her mum, Sonia, and her younger siblings, Jess, 13, and Jack, eight, who had happily welcomed him into their family home. The young couple had a tumultuous relationship – they’d argued about him reading her diaries and making up rumours. In the end, Josh dumped her by text in January 2010, after they’d spent the weekend together. Becca, as her friends called her, was known to be funny, kind and smart, and had been completely blindsided by the break-up. So she was thrilled when Josh suggested, out of…

From the TV shows we watch to the comment section of any plus-sized celebrity’s Instagram, fatphobia and weight bias is everywhere. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, over two-thirds (67 per cent) of Aussie adults are overweight or obese – yet the war on larger bodies still exists. Most alarming might be when weight bias finds its way into our GP’s office – a 2016 study found around 53 per cent of women with obesity report hearing inappropriate comments about their weight when seeking healthcare. We spoke to endocrinologist and Juniper spokesperson Dr Ramy Bishay (myjuniper.com), to get an understanding of how weight bias presents itself in healthcare and what can be done about it… WHAT IS WEIGHT BIAS? First things first, though people in smaller bodies…

I rubbed my eyes in disbelief. “Surely I’m seeing things,” I said to myself. I’d come through to the work kitchen to make myself a cuppa and enjoy a custard tart to help get me through the three o’clock slump. A bakery near my home made the most sublime pasteis de nata, Portuguese custard tarts. At the start of the week I’d brought in half a dozen. It was Tuesday, and I’d had one the day before. Yet in the packet there remained only four. Someone was nicking my custard tarts – and it wasn’t the first time! A few weeks earlier, I’d bought my favourite sweet treat and some had gone missing then, too. Fed up, I decided I needed to catch the culprit. That night, back at home,…

SAGITTARIUS Nov 23 – Dec 22 This week will go a long way to improving your mood and motivation. You’ll be ready to tackle personal challenges and new goals after a few initial hiccups. As you do, it may pay off to implement some boundaries, too. ★ You can achieve whatever you’re willing to commit to. PISCES Feb 20 – Mar 20 It’s your career and major life direction that comes into focus this week. As you take action on new goals, you may need to recognise personal limits. You may not want to do what you once did. ★ Success may equally be about what you say no to. GEMINI May 22 – June 21 Whether you’re single or spoken for, relationships are now in the spotlight. Perhaps…