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TV investigator David Lomas on love and new adventures with partner Clarinda Franklin
TV investigator David Lomas on love and new adventures with partner Clarinda Franklin

NZ Herald

time25-04-2025

  • Entertainment
  • NZ Herald

TV investigator David Lomas on love and new adventures with partner Clarinda Franklin

'It sounds ridiculous, but you can't believe how useful it is having that extra person to mind those bags and also, when I'm doing an interview, to neatly note down my questions instead of me trying to scribble them as I talk.' So does she get an onscreen credit at the end? 'Yeah, personal assistant to Mr Lomas,' he laughs. 'No don't put that in!' In a case of what goes on tour doesn't stay on tour, the couple is happy to share a few insights into what happens behind the scenes of David's hugely popular TV series. Chatting from Clarinda's stunning Mediterranean-style seaside home, he says she brought a much-needed 'woman's touch', especially when filming episode one. It features 22-year-old Justina King, who was looking for her birth mother in Visaginas, known as Lithuania's 'nuclear town' for its now decommissioned Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant, where the TV series Chernobyl was filmed. The young Whanganui woman shares onscreen that she was born with fetal alcohol syndrome, a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by exposure to alcohol before birth. At 5, Justina and her younger sister were taken from her then-alcoholic mother by Lithuania's social welfare and put into an orphanage. Four years later, she and her sister were adopted by a Kiwi couple from Gore. 'Justina first came to me for help tracking down her biological mother five years ago, when she was 17,' recalls David. 'But at that stage, I thought she was a bit too young for what we do. But we kept in touch.' David says while Justina is bright and savvy, she struggles with emotions and concentration due to her syndrome, and he was aware the trip would be very emotionally overwhelming for her. He explains, 'It made a heck of a difference having Clarinda there to keep an eye on her, chat with her and help calm her nerves – rather than having two old blokes doing it.' Clarinda continues, 'I learned that when you're on the road going from place to place, there's a lot of setting up time involved, and also waiting around and that was hard for Justina. 'Because I'm a teacher, dealing with young people from a range of different backgrounds is quite easy for me. Being able to provide that little bit of extra pastoral care didn't go astray.' While Clarinda had her tissues ready for the rollercoaster of emotions, the highlight of her trip was witnessing the heartfelt moments of the reunions. 'We took Justina on a walk in the town where she spent her childhood,' shares Clarinda. 'She remembered where she lived with her mother in a rundown high-rise apartment building. 'David had been defeated by bureaucracy trying to get permission to visit Justina's old orphanage, so we wandered in when we spotted the gate open. It was a real 'wow' moment. 'Two of the teachers in the orphanage came out, and they and Justina recognised each other. It was incredible. There were screams, tears, laughter … Just a sensational scene burst out in front of us. I was so touched to share these moments that people had dreamed of and hoped for most of their lives.' Adds David, who uses his iPhone as a second camera, 'I was busy filming. But I turned around to see Clarinda wiping tears from her eyes.' The affable TV presenter also continues to feel grateful to be welcomed inside people's humble homes while filming abroad. What they may lack in English language skills, he says, they make up for in hospitality. 'You never lose the emotion of seeing people bond with a long-lost family member,' he tells. 'I think if I became numb to that, I wouldn't be able to do the story very well.' The successful formula of the show remains unchanged. David reckons the bigger the challenge of finding someone, the better. Sending flowers with a little message remains one of his most effective ways of contacting a stranger. 'You can write a letter, but you don't know what happens to a letter,' explains David. 'You send flowers from a local florist in someone's town, and you're pretty certain you have that person's attention. 'It's a quick way of finding someone if you can't knock on their door yourself. And dare I say it – I buy the cheapest ones! I pick by price, not flower type. It works wonders!' However, he admits that in a previous year, while busy sending bouquets to strangers, he forgot to send Clarinda some on her birthday while he was away working. The couple has been together since meeting in 2018 and enjoy staying active, tackling the tracks of Queen Charlotte, Abel Tasman, Tongariro Crossing, Rakiura, Routeburn and Pouakai. David still pinches himself that he has someone special to share his life. 'It has been wonderful,' he enthuses. 'We say to each other often, 'We're just very lucky.' It's quite remarkable that we met later in life and it seems to work and work and work!' They were first introduced in a bar after the friends that each of them had gone to meet turned out to know each other. 'It hadn't come up in conversation whether she was attached,' remembers David. 'So I had to make inquiries to find out what her circumstances were and whether she was a single woman. 'Of course, I did some deep research and I knew her whole life story before I asked her out!' he laughs. Advertise with NZME. Responds Clarinda, 'Hmm, very interesting!' The pair keeps separate homes on opposite sides of Auckland's Harbour Bridge – 'more for practicality for our work' – but get together for weekends and holidays. As we chat on a Sunday afternoon, Clarinda has her laptop next to her, preparing for an Education Review Office visit, and he jokes she's the workaholic in the relationship. Clearly, she brings out a more playful side to the serious persona portrayed by David on screen. After they finished shooting a second story in Athens, the couple got to enjoy two leisurely days, paid for by themselves, where they caught a ferry to Hydra, an idyllic island in Greece. Then Clarinda flew back to New Zealand while David went to Honduras with cameraman Ivars. 'I've always enjoyed following David's stories, hearing about how it is going and then seeing the outcome when it screens,' says Clarinda. 'But now I've seen him live in action, I'm just more in awe of what he does. 'He has impeccable organisation – and yes, I've discovered he can be quite direct – but that ability to think on your feet and adapt to ever-changing dynamics was impressive. 'I'm so proud of the way he helps bring happy outcomes to so many New Zealanders.'

Michigan State University soccer standout Justina Gaynor signs with Chicago Stars FC
Michigan State University soccer standout Justina Gaynor signs with Chicago Stars FC

CBS News

time12-03-2025

  • Sport
  • CBS News

Michigan State University soccer standout Justina Gaynor signs with Chicago Stars FC

Chicago Stars FC of the National Women's Soccer League announced the signing of Shelby Township, Michigan, native and Michigan State University alumna Justina Gaynor. The Michigan native will join Chicago on a one-year contract through 2025 with an option for 2026 after spending the preseason with the Stars on a training camp invite. "I am so grateful to start my professional career with the Chicago Stars! I am excited for the opportunity to contribute to the team however I can and learn from both the staff and players," said Gaynor. "Thank you to everyone who has pushed me along the way to help me fulfill this lifelong dream." "We're happy to have Justina join the Stars," said Chicago Stars general manager, Richard Feuz. "Before receiving a full invitation to preseason, our coaches and scouting team invited various talented players to a combine with our coaches. After impressing there, Justina took advantage of her opportunity and continued to stand out this preseason. I look forward to watching her continued growth with the Stars." During her four years at Michigan State, the defender started in 76 of 83 match appearances with the Spartans, scoring 17 goals and tallying 20 assists. In 2023, she was named Big Ten Midfielder of the Year. She was also named to the All-Big Ten First Team in 2022 and 2023. Gaynor joins a roster in Chicago which includes two other Michigan natives, Ava Cook from Battle Creek and Micayla Johnson from Troy. Gaynor's sister, Celia Gaynor, was drafted by Chicago in the fourth round of the 2024 NWSL Draft. Celia Gaynor now plays professionally for Fort Lauderdale United FC in the USL Super League. Chicago Stars FC will kick off the 2025 National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) regular season at 8 p.m. ET on March 14, taking on the 2024 NWSL Champions, the Orlando Pride.

23 Black-Owned Home Companies You'll Wish You'd Known About Sooner
23 Black-Owned Home Companies You'll Wish You'd Known About Sooner

Buzz Feed

time19-02-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Buzz Feed

23 Black-Owned Home Companies You'll Wish You'd Known About Sooner

We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page. There's something for everyone on this list. 1. Justina Blakeney is the GOAT of bohemian-inspired interior design. She and her team concoct something for everyone, from rugs and pillows to stationery and invitations. Justina is also the author of The New York Times best-selling book The New Bohemians, among other books. You can exclusively shop Jungalow's collaboration with Opalhouse at Target, and buy Justina's books on Amazon or Promising review (for the book): " This book got me so inspired and instilled courage in me to dare more with color, texture, and pattern combinations. I bought it on Kindle but will order it as a physical book to savor and enjoy over and over. I love design books and own a bunch but this one is way more artsy and fun than any other I know." — ArtLover 2. Hilton Carter is a plant influencer who has amassed over 550,000 followers on Instagram. He's also the author of four books about houseplants and plant styling. In addition to being a celebrated author and plant genius, he has a small range of plant-adjacent products, like aprons and planters. Amazon, Things by HC Hilton has a line called Things by HC — a collection of gardening accessories — including this denim apron with leather details. It has leather pockets for holding heavy and sharp tools like shears and a ring for holding a towel or mister/spray bottle. Get the apron here, preorder a signed copy of Living Wild here, and shop the rest of offerings here. 3. Clare is a paint company that aims to make paint shopping hassle-free. Founded by interior designer Nicole Gibbons, the colors are designer-curated, and the swatches are peel-and-stick, which is perfect for renters who don't want to paint the actual wall until the final color's been selected. Clare All of Clare's paints have zero VOC, which means they don't contain harmful toxins that cause headaches when drying. Promising review:"We have painted four rooms in our house, all of the ceilings and the kitchen cabinets with Clare paint so needless to say, we love Clare paint! It covers great and is so easy to work with! They have such a great color selection and I haven't been disappointed with any of our selections. We had bought a couple other brands of paint before working with Clare paint and there is no going back. The quality and ease is so worth it! Highly recommend this paint!" — Kelsey M. A gallon of paint is $74, a quart is $28, and a swatch is $3. 4. EcoVibe is a retail shop in Portland, Oregon (they have a fabulous online store, too!) focusing on sustainable, ethical practices. Husband and wife team Leonard and Andrea Allen support local designers, and woman-, minority- and family-owned small businesses. EcoVibe While the business sells all sorts of earthy homewares — like barware and gardening supplies — the real star of the show is the shop's online plant inventory. 5. Estelle Colored Glass makes handblown colored glassware for the most gorgeous tabletops out there. From nearly opaque jewel tones to pastels galore, the color options are endless and super inspiring. Estelle Colored Glass founder Stephanie Summerson Hall grew up visiting antique shops in South Carolina small towns with her grandmother Estelle, and loved looking at her grandmother's growing collections of vintage colored glass. Because of this, Stephanie launched Estelle Colored Glass, which sells er heirloom-quality colored glass pieces, which are handmade by glass artisans in Poland. Get the pair of iridescent martini glasses here, the set of six goblets here, and shop the rest of Estelle Colored Glass here. You can also shop the brand's offerings at Anthropologie. 6. Harlem Candle Company is a luxury home fragrance brand specializing in scented candles inspired by the richness of Harlem. The candles all come in beautifully designed glass jars that can be used as drinking glasses once the wax burns out and they are cleaned. Harlem Candle Company This is a Black woman-owned small business founded in 2014 by Teri Johnson to help embody her love of jazz music and Harlem. The soy vegetable wax blend candles are made with one-of-a-kind fragrance oils. Promising review: "If you want to be known as the favorite daughter, sister, niece, grandchild, etc. then these are you go to! Not only do the make the room smell irresistible but they also are a great focal point too. And the meaning behind each candle makes its that much more special. 10/10!!" — Becca W. 7. Linoto is a luxury linen company that makes bedding, window treatments, bath towels, and other home accessories. One of the reasons Linoto stands out among the other linen bedding companies is that it has a vast array of colors available, from terra cotta to turquoise to aubergine. 8. Yowie in Philadelphia is an impossibly cool lifestyle retail store that has an array of homewares like handmade planters from Australia and hand-thrown stoneware like mugs. Yowie In addition to Yowie being Black-owned, products made by Black artisans are tagged as such on its website. 9. LooHoo is a female-founded small business that makes 100% domestic wool dryer balls that are a non-toxic alternative to single-use dryer sheets. Put them in the dryer with your wet clothes to dry clothes faster and help prevent wrinkling. LooHoo Wool Dryer Balls Promising review:"I LOVE my LooHoo dryer balls. I have watched other wool dryer balls fade and fall apart, but my LooHoos still look practically new after years of constant use (this purchase was a gift for my parents, a replacement for their unraveling non-LooHoo dryer balls). In my opinion, LooHoos are an especially great choice for drying natural fibers like cotton and linen — gentle but 'fluffing.' And, of course, I love that these are Maine-made!" — Emma M. Get a three-pack of wool dryer balls here and shop the rest of the brand's offerings here. 10. Unwrp begs the question: is it art or is it gift wrap? In this case, it's both. Founded by artist Bianca Blow, Unwrp sells super colorful wrapping paper in bold prints that are worthy of framing and hanging on your wall. And try the fabric option if you love a gift that keeps on giving. Unwrp Promising review: 'Dior, Prada, Hermes, UNWRP... it's definitely giving luxury! — Shaquira J Get the paper gift wrap here, the fabric gift wrap here (available in small or medium), and shop the rest of the brand's offerings here. 11. Sweeten is a referral service for finding the very best general contractors to assist you with your home renovation. Founded by Manhattan architect Jean Brownhill in 2011, people post their home projects, and then Sweeten's team curates a list of pre-screened general contractors that you then choose to connect with. Sweeten Folks have used Sweeten on everything from tiny projects like tile backsplash installation to big projects like complete home renovations. Check out Sweeten's renovations blog to get an idea of all the sweet, sweet home renovations they helped facilitate. 12. Reel Paper is toilet paper, paper towels, and tissue made from 100% tree-free fibers. Instead of single-use paper sourced from a dwindling supply of trees, it's made from bamboo, which is a rapidly renewable material that's way more sustainable. And don't worry, it's actually softer than traditional toilet paper. Reel Paper 13. Don't Sleep Interiors is a woman-owned small business that designs mindful and historical decor items like art prints of historical Black newspapers and pillows printed with quotes from the likes of Audre Lorde and James Baldwin. Each piece is created with a thoughtful combination of African diaspora culture and political consciousness. Don't Sleep Interiors 14. Loam is a woman-owned small-batch candle company that takes inspiration from founder and urban farmer Jessica White's time spent in everyday gardens around Los Angeles. Loam All of Loam's candles are small-batch, vegan, and paraben-, paraffin-, petroleum-, and phthalate-free. Promising review: "Best-smelling candle ever! Gorgeous packaging, lovely branding. Will buy again and again." — Elizabeth L. 15. Expedition Subsahara makes colorful woven home goods that'll add a pop of color to any interior. Founded by Senegal native Sofi Seck, every product is made by African artisans. Twenty percent of all sales go towards a school in Senegal for young girls that focuses on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math). Expedition Subsahara Promising review: 'I bought one for myself and two as gifts and I'm *wishing* I bought more for myself! They add a touch of personality to my home office and are perfect for hiding the little clutter on my desk!' — Crystal Riley Get the wishing basket here (available in small and medium sizes), the Sokhna storage baskets here (available in four sizes), and shop the rest of the brand's offerings here. 16. Rochelle Porter Design is a one-stop shop for brightly colored and pattern-heavy textiles and wallpapers. From pillow covers and beach towels to peel-and-stick wallpapers, there are plenty of options for adding a burst of color to your abode. 17. Reflektion Design is a result of founder Anitra Terrell's love for African design and textiles, which she developed when she spent eight weeks immersed in the creative culture of Ghana. Shoot forward to today and the brand features homewares made by artisans in Ghana, Kenya, and Uganda. 18. Be Rooted was founded by Jasmin Foster with the intention of creating a space for women of color to see themselves represented in places they traditionally hadn't. Her brand has a plethora of cheery and colorful items, from home goods like puzzles and drinkware to paper goods like journals and calendars. 19. Nikss Art designs and sells prints of Black bodies, faces, and hair. Reviewers rave about how beautiful the art is, and say that the matte card it's printed on is super high quality. Nikss Art 20. The Trinigee is a small business out of Houston that makes home goods that celebrate the layers of Black culture and history. Tote bags, blankets, mugs, T-shirts — there's a little bit of everything. The Trinigee / Etsy The Trinigee is a Black woman-owned small business based in Houston, Texas making home goods inspired by Black culture. Promising review (for the Afro Tech plush blanket): "The beauty and comfort of these pieces is heightened by the saturated color and quality fabric. The ARTWORK is exceptional! Excited by this purchase, as it will serve me twice as much with the reversible option. Quick and easy shipping as well. Thank you kindly." — Linda Moore 21. Pardon My Fro makes lifestyle goods and home decor like shower curtains and coffee mugs. Graphic designer Dana Bly started Pardon My Fro in 2010 after starting her natural hair journey and noticing a lack of imagery of Black women with natural hair. 22. Jeanette Gonzales is a Los Angeles-based artist and designer whose multidisciplinary studio specializes in surface pattern design, lettering, and graphic design. Her online store offers a small collection of home goods, like art prints and blankets. 23. Create The Culture makes home goods and clothing with designs in embroidery. The brand also sells DIY embroidery kits if you're an embroidery hobbyist and want a cool pattern to try. Create The Culture Create The Culture is a Black woman-owned and operated brand based in Brooklyn, NY making embroidered decorative objects for the home. Get the Bantu embroidered art here, the Beyoncé pillow here, and shop the rest of the brand's offerings here. Check out more Black-centered content by exploring how BuzzFeed is celebrating Black History Month this year! Of course, the content doesn't end after February. Follow BuzzFeed's Cocoa Butter on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to keep up with our latest Black culture content year-round.

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