Latest news with #Christine
Otago Daily Times
7 hours ago
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Sir Michael remembered as ‘great visionary'
Sir Michael Hill has been remembered as a "great visionary" after his death at the age of 86 yesterday morning. The founder of Michael Hill Jewellers died at his home in Arrowtown after battling cancer. He was remembered yesterday by friends and colleagues as "highly intelligent", "very philanthropic" and a "great visionary". Sir Michael founded Michael Hill Jewellers in his home city of Whangarei in 1979 — it now has 291 stores spread across New Zealand, Australia and Canada. How he ended up in the business is a testament to the expression, "life begins at 40". Hating school, where he was bullied, he left at the age of 16 with the intention of becoming a concert violinist. Told he had left his run too late, he worked for 23 years in his uncle's jewellery business where he showed his marketing flair by winning an international window-dressing competition. It is also where he met his future wife, Christine, who hailed from England. In 1977, the couple, who by then had children Mark and Emma, lost everything they owned when their newly-built mansion burnt down, though Sir Michael managed to retrieve Christine's jewellery and his violin. That night he wrote on a card: "I'm gonna own my uncle's business or I'm going to leave him and start alone". When his uncle would not sell, he and Christine set up a store nearby, Christine's artistic skills and his own marketing flair — which verged on zany — coming to the fore from their early days. After the chain took off, the family relocated to the Gold Coast before shifting to Queenstown about 1994, after originally going there to learn to ski. They then bought a former deer farm bordering Arrowtown, now known as The Hills, where Sir Michael initially developed a chip-and-putt course before commissioning golf course architect John Darby to turn it into a championship 18-holer. Having been granted three years' rights to host the New Zealand Open, the course opened just in time for the first one in 2007. When the Open was then shifted to Christchurch, Sir Michael held the New Zealand PGA Championship tournament with a pro-am component. In 2014, The Hills and neighbour Millbrook were granted the right to jointly host the New Zealand Open, that tournament also adopting the pro-am format. That arrangement carried on until The Hills' involvement ended in 2020. While he can be credited with saving the New Zealand Open, Sir Michael also initiated a huge event, the Michael Hill International Violin Competition, which has run every two years since 2001 in Queenstown and Auckland. It has launched careers for many young violinists around the world and been rated among the world's foremost violin competitions. Sir Michael, who also hosted many recitals by top classical musicians, revealed his artistic streak by turning The Hills into a sculpture park. He was also a prolific cartoonist, putting out a book of cartoons in 2019, the year he also started producing weekly cartoons for Queenstown's Mountain Scene newspaper. In 2007, he launched plans for 17 bunker homes at The Hills, but abandoned the idea. However, after an agreement in 2023 with the American interests behind the North Island's Tara Iti and Te Arai golf courses, plans are afoot to develop visitor and residential accommodation at The Hills and also expand its golf offering. Sir Michael's many honours included induction into the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame in 2006, becoming Ernst & Young NZ Entrepreneur of the Year in 2008 and being knighted in 2011. Early this year he hit his first hole-in-one — 72 years after taking up the game — and he and Christine celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. Fittingly, that is the diamond anniversary. Former Queenstown mayor Jim Boult said Sir Michael was an enormously valuable member of the community. "He was highly intelligent, always amusing, very philanthropic and enormously interested in the arts." He had been friends with Sir Michael for more than 30 years since he arrived in the Queenstown Lakes district. Sir Michael was a "highly engaging person" to talk with, Mr Boult said. He had a lot of respect and admiration for the fact Sir Michael was a self-made man. New Zealand Open chairman John Hart said Sir Michael was "absolutely crucial" to its success. "I have a long association and huge respect for Sir Michael as a great visionary in business and sport. As a businessman, Sir Michael was very fair. "He was someone who wanted to do things differently and that sort of clicked with me because we were trying to create something different." An obituary will follow.
Extra.ie
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Extra.ie
Irish singles take centre stage in Love Is Blind UK season 2
Netflix has finally lifted the veil on the cast of Love Is Blind: UK Season 2 – and the pods are about to get a distinctly Irish twang. Among a number of hopeful romantics getting ready to flirt through the walls and gamble on love without a single glance, several hail from across the Irish Sea. From Limerick natives to Wicklow wanderers and even a Northern Irish accent or two in the mix, this year's batch promises plenty of craic alongside the chaos. Christine in Love is Blind: UK: Season 2. Pic: Netflix/Tom Dymond The streaming giant unveiled the line-up on Thursday morning, sparking instant buzz online. Could 2025 finally be the year the UK franchise delivers its first mega Irish love story—or heartbreak broadcast in 4K? A synopsis for the reality show reads: 'UK and Ireland-based singles who want to be loved for who they are have signed up for a less-conventional approach to modern dating, and will choose someone to marry without ever meeting them. 'Over several weeks, the newly engaged couples will move in together, plan their wedding and find out if their physical connection matches their strong emotional bond developed in the Pods. Tara in Love is Blind: UK: Season 2. Pic: Netflix/Tom Dymond 'When their wedding day arrives, will real-world realities and external factors push them apart, or will they marry the person they fell blindly in love with? Hosted by Emma and Matt Willis, this series will uncover whether looks, race or age do matter, or if love really is blind.' First up representing the emerald isle, we have 35-year-old HR Operations Lead Christine, with the Limerick native hopeful to strike gold. 'Christine has had her fair share of heartbreak and admits that bad boys are her downfall. The Monica from Friends lookalike finds it hard to date in her small rural town where the guys are already snapped up,' show bosses divulged. Billy in Love is Blind: UK: Season 2. Pic: Netflix/Tom Dymond 'As an only child, Christine would love to be able to provide her parents with a grandchild and is hoping the experiment will lead to the white wedding she's always dreamed of.' Next up we have Tara, a 33-year-old cafe owner from County Wicklow. Speaking on her dating history, show bosses said: 'Tara finds it tough to meet men in Wicklow because the dating pool is relatively small. Her last relationship ended 18 months ago after more than two years together because she felt they were recycling the same jokes and small talk. Tara was told by a fortune teller that she'd be engaged by September, so watch this space!' Hailing from up north, we have 35-year-old Army Physical Trainer Barry. The Bangor native was once married, but is now ready to find love once more following his split. 'Billy has been single since his divorce five years ago and finds the modern-day dating world 'a complete minefield.' He often feels like the third wheel as most of his friends are settled down and as a result, doesn't socialise as much as he used to. 'Divorce hasn't put Billy off marriage and he's keen to be a husband again and start a family with his life partner.' The second season of Love is Blind UK will hit Netflix on August 13.
The Irish Sun
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Love Is Blind UK season two cast revealed with THREE Irish contestants including Hollywood star lookalike
THE Love Is Blind UK season two cast has been revealed with three Irish contestants taking part. The popular dating series is making a comeback this year with a whole new group of eligible singles across the United Kingdom and Ireland. Advertisement 5 Tara K Mason is gearing up for the pods Credit: Netflix 5 Christine Hogan is looking for someone to impress her 'very Irish' family Credit: Netflix 5 Billy Jervis Jnr has been divorced for five years Credit: Netflix The unconventional show sees 30 men and women search for a soulmate solely based on an emotional connection. Over the course of several weeks, the participants enter the pods in hopes of getting engaged without ever seeing each other. After meeting face-to-face, each engaged couple will move in together and navigate the stresses of daily life and at the end of it all, they'll hopefully walk down the aisle and decide if they're ready to say 'I do' within a matter of weeks. The 10 episode series, which married are returning to front, launches on August 13. Advertisement read more on love is blind And Netflix have finally revealed the full cast and three Irish contestants have stood out to fans. Wicklow woman, Tara has been described as "outgoing and confident". The cafe owner has no problem getting deep but struggled to connect beyond the banter in her last relationship. The 33-year-old doesn't want to wast any more time on someone who doesn't have similar interests as her. Advertisement read more on the irish sun Tara is ready and willing to enter the experiment with full optimism and was even told by a fortune teller that she'll be engaged by September. Christine, from Athlacca in Limerick, is sick of being always the bridesmaid and never the bride. First look at Love Is Blind UK series two with Matt and Emma Willis as Netflix reveals launch date The 35-year-old believes the dating pool is too limited in her small rural town. The HR operations lead is hoping to break the bad habit of falling for bad boys "that end up breaking her heart". Advertisement Christine has said people often say she looks like Monica, played by Courteney Cox, in Friends. Being an only child, Christine's future hubby will need to impress her parents who would love to welcome grandkids to their "very Irish" family very soon. 'WHIRLWIND' Down man Billy is ready to meet the woman of his dreams who makes his heart sing. The 35-year-old got divorced five years ago after a "whirlwind romance" but that hasn't crushed his happily ever after fantasy. Advertisement The army physical trainer loved being a hubby and wants his partner to be able to come on group dates, create a family with him and of course - enjoy a pint of Guinness. This season features singles ranging in age from 26 to 37. The rest of the incoming pod squad includes a dating app founder, a gaming entrepreneur, a professional dancer, a teacher and... a DJ. FANS IN FRENZY There's also a mummy's boy, a member of Mensa, and a single dad, as well as some small-town gals, foodies, and daters who just can't get out of the friend zone. Advertisement Netflix viewers are already so excited for the episodes to drop. Bridget said: "Can't wait. The UK version tops the USA version. We will see you in August." Luis commented: "I love this show so much." Sasha wrote: "YESSSSSSSSS READY TO BE OBSESSED." Advertisement Tasha added: "Yes!!! CANT WAIT." 5 Tara has been told by a fortune teller that she'll be engaged this year Credit: Instagram 5 Billy is looking for a partner to build a family with Credit: Instagram
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Weight loss coach who dropped 9 kilos shares 5 truths about protein that can help in faster fat loss
Christine Stines, a weight loss coach who successfully transformed her body by shedding 9 kilos, regularly shares insights from her inspiring journey on Instagram. Through her posts, she offers practical diet and workout tips to help others on their path to fitness. On May 7, Christine shared an eye-opening post revealing key truths about protein intake that she discovered during her own weight loss journey. Also read | Cardiologist says too much protein is 'ticking time bomb' for early heart attacks in your 30s and 40s Here's what Christine learnt about protein that changed her weight loss journey.(Shutterstock) 'For years, I thought I was doing it right - eggs for breakfast, salmon on salads and a protein shake after workouts. But even with all that? the scale barely budged. Turns out I wasn't actually getting enough protein. And more importantly, I wasn't getting the right kind,' Christine wrote. Here's what she learnt about protein that changed her weight loss journey. 1. 30 grams of protein per meal is the minimum This is the amount needed to trigger muscle protein synthesis which is critical for building and maintaining muscle. And muscle mass is equal to more metabolism. The more muscle you maintain, the more fat you can burn (even at rest). 2. 30% of your daily calories should come from protein Fewer cravings, better blood sugar control and increased fat loss are some of the benefits that come from protein intake. Because protein is the most satiating macronutrient—and hitting that 30% sweet spot helps regulate hunger, reduce overeating, and keep your metabolism humming. Also read | Gastroenterologists reveal truth about protein supplements: Are whey protein powders safe for your liver and kidney? 3. Protein density matters A lot of women think they're eating enough, but the foods they're choosing aren't actually protein dense. That grilled chicken breast? Great. But the avocado, nut butter, and eggs you're calling protein? Most of them are only 20–40% protein by calories. The rest? Mostly carbs or fat. 4. Food > protein powders and bars Yes, those are convenient, but whole foods are more satisfying and better for blood sugar stability. You don't need to avoid them but be mindful: your body responds differently to a grilled chicken breast than a sweetened protein bar. 5. Protein alone isn't enough If you're over 40, you also need fibre, especially at breakfast. Fibre balances blood sugar, keeps cravings away, and supports hormone health. When you pair protein and fibre, you start your day in fat-burning mode. Also read | Are you consuming too much protein? Experts share the safe limits of intake and debunk common myths Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Here are 10 new books for your bedside reading pile
This week's books include a romcom, a story examining politics of race, wealth and masculinity and a gothic imposter story, a biography of indie legends Oasis, a history of Turkey and a guide to organising your finances. FICTION PICK OF THE WEEK The Revisionists Michelle Johnston 4th Estate, $34.99 The knotty ethics of storytelling, both in fiction and in journalism, are woven through Michelle Johnston's literary psychological mystery. Former Manhattan-based journalist Christine Campbell has fame, success, money and mixed feelings about a documentary praising the war coverage that made her career. Christine travelled to the Northern Caucasus in 1999, following in the footsteps of her NGO worker friend Frankie Pearson, as the Russians invaded Dagestan and the Second Chechnyan War erupted. She was driven by ambition and altruism – to make a name for herself and to give voice to women silenced in war. When the doco prompts Frankie to reappear in Christine's life after decades of estrangement, these erstwhile friends must confront potentially unreliable memories to excavate the truth of what happened. Johnston reflects on uncomfortable truths about trauma, bias and privilege that play into the complexities of 'authenticity' in storytelling, and the fine line between giving victims a voice and misappropriating their stories. With a nod to E.M. Forster's A Passage to India, the drama in Sameer Pandya's Our Beautiful Boys proceeds from shadows in a cave. At an elite school in southern California, three high-school football stars with bright futures ahead of them face disaster after a night of violence. A confrontation in an ancient cave between MJ, Vikram and Diego and the bully and drug dealer Stanley Kincaid ends with Kincaid so badly beaten he's taken to hospital. The three boys are suspended, and we're swept into the world of the boys and their families, as the school and authorities investigate. Pandya's novel reminded me a little of Christos Tsiolkas' The Slap, in that the repercussions of a violent act bleed onto a social battleground. As we learn more about the Latino, Indian-American and privileged white families the boys grew up in, the novel becomes an elegant springboard for an examination – as meticulous as it is clear-eyed – of the psychology and politics of race, wealth and masculinity in contemporary American education. Mistaken identity and miscommunication can be central to the tension in romance plots, and Moira MacDonald's Storybook Ending embeds the trope into a cute frame perfect for bookworms. Lonely heart April has become isolated working from home so much. Determined to bust out of her funk, she leaves an amorous note in a book at her local bookstore, hoping the dishy clerk Wesley, whom she fancies, will see it. Fate has other plans, and single mum Laura, widowed for five years and constantly run off her feet, gets the note instead, believing it to be a flirty missive from the hot guy who just served her at the bookstore. What follows is an artsy romcom in which two women court each other unawares, as a clueless love interest blithely ignores them both. That farcical situation yields some memorable comedic set-ups, though it's a slow burn of a novel until the plot begins to unwind. Ultimately, it's a romance of fresh starts, and the importance of disrupting the deadening routines that set these three characters up to be lonelier than they might be. Receiving an email from her best friend Tess might not be so unusual, were it not for the fact that Tess died 20 years ago from ovarian cancer. Forty-something Margot has a husband and son and a steady middle-aged life, having long abandoned the dreams she entertained when she was young, and Tess was still alive. The unlikely message from beyond the grave offers an adventure – Tess' estate will pay for Margot to go on the Europe trip that she and Tess never got to take together as young women. (Margot fell for a boy, and their plans were scuppered.) There are several catches to the bequest, including having to travel with Tess' stepbrother Leo, and performing set tasks such as scattering Tess' ashes. Despite its intriguing premise, Jessica Dettmann's Your Friend and Mine only sporadically achieves the author's typical wit and comes across as a rather formulaic tear-jerker in which Margot reflects on her choices, and whether they've made her happy, in the sobering light of a friend who died young. It is a celebration of friendship and a song of innocence and experience, though a certain grimness and mawkishness accompany the painful task of self-examination in middle life. The Wrong Daughter Dandy Smith Echo, $22.99 A contemporary gothic imposter thriller from Dandy Smith, The Wrong Daughter takes flight from a dramatic child abduction. Sisters Caitlin and Olivia were 10 and 13 when an intruder stole into their bedroom while their parents were at a dinner party. Olivia was kidnapped, never seen again … until 16 years later, when a woman claiming to be Caitlin's long-lost sister returns to a joyous family reunion. But is she who she claims to be? Caitlin begins to have doubts about this 'sister' and her intentions. Meanwhile, a seemingly unconnected manor house plot, with a creepily incestuous relationship and a large inheritance involved, starts to intersect with the story of the missing sister. The Wrong Daughter is solid genre fiction, full of suspense and eeriness and morbid atmospherics, betrayals and human perversity, and the question of which sister to trust, and what really happened that fateful night, should keep readers anxiously turning the pages. NON-FICTION PICK OF THE WEEK Live ForeverJohn Robb Harper North, $34.99 Oasis, in many ways, is a classic working-class tale that could have been scripted by Alan Silitoe or John Braine. Traditionally, there were three ways out of the working-class cycle: sport, art or marrying 'up'. From the rough and tumble of a tough family (a drunken father who regularly beat the kids and the mother), and the fairly soulless suburbs of post-punk Manchester, Noel and Liam (William) Gallagher found their oasis in art. Rock journalist John Robb, often in fittingly gritty writing, charts the band's rise, from the musical soup of 1980s Manchester to the world stage – while also incorporating the pivotal influence of the Beatles (so evident in their songs) and the Sex Pistols (so evident in their attitude). The creative tension and the bond between the two brothers (Noel chief songwriter, Liam vocal interpreter) is at the centre of this group portrait, along with some interesting details. Noel, for example, wasn't originally in the band when it was formed – he was a roadie for another band. And the title turns out to be fitting – Oasis is, after all, resurrected and touring. Ciara Greene & Gillian Murphy Princeton University Press, $49.99 The title might suggest this is a playful study of how our memory works and – while that element certainly exists, especially in the way Greene and Murphy (both psychologists) engage with the reader – it also leads into the serious and problematic, such as false and 'recovered' memories. While most of us tend to think of memory as a sort of filing cabinet or computer stored data, they insist that memory doesn't work like a computer. Better to think of memory as a neighbourhood that is constantly evolving every time we walk through it. They are very strong on case studies that are intriguing in the way they highlight the flexible and flawed nature of memory – such as speculative thinking becoming a memory or the power of suggestion. In one trial, adult participants were encouraged to think that in childhood they were lost in a shopping mall and were rescued by a kind old lady. By the end of the interviews a sizeable percentage of participants actually believed it. Our memories are imperfect, but, they say, we should celebrate the way they also allow us to forget the painful and negative, not get stuck in the past and move on. The 'hood is always changing and no trip down memory lane is ever the same. The Shortest History of Turkey Benjamin C. Fortna Black Inc, $27.99 The first thing Fortna had to decide on in this concise history of Turkey was the terminology – settling on key terms the Ottoman Empire and the Republic of Turkey. It also provides the framework for what emerges as the two major historical phases: the Islamic Ottoman state, which peaked with the reign of Suleyman the Magnificent, and disintegrated following WWI – and the post-war secularising age of the Young Turks and the establishment of the republic under Mustafa Kemal (Ataturk), a reformist one-party regime that set itself up in direct opposition to the Islamic past. But, says Fortna, it was always ambivalent in its reformist zeal; on one level anti-religious, an another, needing it. What comes across most significantly is what a multicultural melting pot Turkey has been and still is, evident in the return to the authoritarian, Islamist leaning Erdogan government and his Justice and Development Party. Astute combination of the entertaining and informed. Beyond Difficult Rachel Samson, Dr Jessie Stern Affirm Press, $36.99 Once upon a time in 1934 America, there was a little girl who was unwanted, spent time in a home and grew up constantly wary of a mother who drank and who could shift from carefree to cruel in a flash. When she married and had children, her childhood trauma came back and she became a 'difficult person'. She was, in fact, Stern's grandmother and is one of the case stories in this manual for dealing with difficult people in the workplace, family, relationships and in society. Australian Samson and American Stern, both psychologists, base their practical, step-by-step guide to dealing with people we come across and who seem to us 'beyond difficult' on the assumption that understanding them (and ourselves) is the key to better communicating with them. Mind you, they are not talking about extreme cases of violence and abuse (which require specific treatment) but, among other things, everyday interactions with highly sensitive temperaments, insecure types and the neurodivergent. Down-to-earth advice that incorporates years of experience in the field. Sensible Money Emily Stewart ABC Books, $34.99 This guide to keeping track of your finances by business and finance journalist Emily Stewart – aka the ABC's Sensible Emily – might well have been called Cents and Sensibility, in that it's so full of common-sense strategies. A trip to the supermarket, for example, can get out of hand unless you take precautions – like making a list and always getting a receipt because mistakes happen. More broadly, she urges everyone to keep a three-month money diary. Among other things, it gives you a snapshot of the money coming in and going out, and if there's a balance or not. Whether it be breaking down debt into the necessary (rent, mortgage) and unnecessary debt (rip-off buy now, pay later schemes), the need for basics such as insurance or how to get the best out of your super fund (and when to start), Stewart covers the waterfront in an entertaining, no-fuss, and yes, sensible, manual.
