Carly is a weekend writer for the Bay of Plenty Times
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'I'm just going to say it as it is': New Georgia Lines album shares vulnerability
The songs were written during some personally challenging times.
Why for some people, answering a call is a ‘fate worse than death’
'Telephonophobia', a type of social anxiety, is common amongst Gen Z and Millennials.
Meet the Kiwi bodyguards protecting NZ’s rich and famous
Clients have safe rooms, intruder detection, CCTV, drivers, and kidnap protection plans.
'Who keeps the fur baby?' How not to traumatise your dog in a break-up
By law, pets are considered chattels — items of property — and subject to equal division.
'Situationships', 'throuples', 'ethical non-monogamy': The shift in modern relationships
People like to think sex can be void of emotion, but the reality is often different.
‘Beautiful the way you are’: The challenges of mothering an adolescent daughter
Tween life coaching is already prominent in the USA, and in NZ the need is growing.
'Where did my food come from?': Can you do 12 months of NZ-only food?
Before you collectively sigh at the 'woke term', know it's not a new fad.
Hungry and at home: How to keep teens filled up during the holidays
Teaching adolescents to cook - and cook creatively - is a skill for life.
Fighting insomnia? One thing will help more than sleeping pills
Nearly all NZers experience some degree of acute insomnia throughout their lifetime.
Low and slow - how this barbecue cooking style is overtaking gas four-burners
A Bay duo offer masterclasses aimed at the would-be 'barbecue god or goddess'.
Long lunches, jazz and a 'bun in a bottle': How you can eat, drink and be entertained this Easter
A list of some of our favourite venues to raise your glass, dine and be entertained.
Bay of Plenty holidays: How to make a staycation feel like an actual holiday
Airbnb-ing is not within everyone’s budget, so here's how to have fun at home.
‘I was a d***head on the piss’: Former drinkers get real about alcoholism
A silly season sobriety survival guide from people who've been there.
The ultimate Christmas gift guide for your favourite foodies
Plus, seven cheap presents you can make in your kitchen.
Three Kiwi sustainable swimwear brands to watch, including the world’s first zero-waste label
The fashion industry has been known as the second-biggest polluter in the world.
Fishing, house-hunting: Bill Bailey on his love affair with NZ and his nationwide tour
Bailey has looked at real estate here, saying he has thought about moving.
How each Kiwi household wastes $1510 of food a year - and how to stop it
Grocery shopping or buying takeaways when the fridge isn't empty needs to stop.
The chore war: How working couples can make peace on the home front
Some women feel they have to 'parent' their male partners, which is a 'turn-off'.
Why more teens are heading down a path of anxiety, depression
Dr Jo Prendergast advocates “benign neglect”, where parents intentionally step back.
Social media lights a fire under envy
More people want to keep up with the Joneses “including the Joneses themselves".
Morgana O'Reilly's one-woman sell-out show
With her having performed the show over 50 times, it will soon be made into a film.
10 ways to make the most of daylight saving in the Bay of Plenty
Drinks, food, activities: we've got your extra daylight hours covered.
Stylists' tips: Noughties revival in spring fashion trends
A few Y2K trends are reemerging thanks to fashion’s cyclical nature.
How to catch a cheater: Private investigators' tips for spotting the red flags
Investigators say a spouse’s gut instinct that something isn’t right is usually correct.
10 of the best: Where to take Dad this Father’s Day (or any day, for that matter)
From the gamer to the luxe-life lovin', we've got the many types of dads covered.
'Absolute force': Live storytelling event honours late founder's legacy
As event honours Dawn Picken, her close friend shares a cruel twist in her own life.
Four top chefs share their number-one tip for home cooks
They will exhibit at the Tauranga Food Show, which marks its 10th anniversary next week.
Popular Kiwi Instagram gardener's tips for vege patches big and small
Her how-to book spawned out of her popular Instagram page @mrs.evans.garden.
12 Questions: Tauranga Arts Festival’s Shane Bosher
He wants this festival to be accessible to everyone, "irrespective of their bank balance".
The Ginaissance: How distilleries here work to stand out in the craft spirit crowd
'A lot of beer and wine drinkers are leaning towards gin these days.'
'A complete turnaround’: Demand for overseas holidays soars
The past year has surpassed a "bumper" 2019 travel year by 25 per cent.
The silent change: What to expect when going through perimenopause
BIG READ: Dr Linda Dear labels perimenopause a "blind spot".
Dad pods: Unedited, quick-witted, dad banter
There hasn’t been a dad-led podcast in NZ until now, and nothing is off the table.
‘Special but difficult’: Bic Runga reflects on hit album Beautiful Collision, 20 years later
Bic on her shows: "I hope people find it cathartic and maybe nostalgic.'
Lonely? How to make a new best friend in adulthood
While you can ask someone, “Are you single?”, there's no question, “Are you friended?”
‘I’m not giving every waking hour’: Meet the employees who are quiet quitting
The phrase means doing what you're paid to do, without going 'above and beyond'.
Hunting for the black gold
Big read: Their property has proven to be one of the highest per tree producers.
60 million streams: Rotorua songwriter to release first full-length album
Praise comes worldwide for singer-songwriter Alayna Powley.
Making steak an art form: How Mount restaurant made world’s top 101 steak list
Forget plain steak, Mount restaurant serves carnivore artistry.
Mums over 40 - what it's like having a baby later in life
The number of NZ women having babies over age 40 has remained stable in the last 10 years.
For the love of old clothes: Why thrifting for vintage is so hot right now
Thrifting has grown from op shop drop-offs to Instagram accounts reselling vintage.
'To be able to say we’re married is big': Couples celebrate 10 years after marriage law changed
The law meant NZers could marry regardless of sex, sexual orientation or gender identity.
One man’s $30,000 mission to adopt a Mexican street dog and bring her to NZ
BIG READ: Bringing a rescue dog into NZ is a "real commitment".
How chef became the Bay’s sausage ‘boss’
Pagani arrived in NZ not speaking a word of English but his skills spoke volumes.
Luka Connor: 'I knew 1000 per cent I wanted to be a Black Fern'
She's 'just a small-town girl' blazing a trail for other girls to follow.
Who Loves Who the Most: Dance Exponents take on The Exponents, in a national tour celebrating 40 years of music
The 11-stop tour celebrates 40 years since their debut album Prayers Be Answered.
Expectant dad starts men-only classes for conversations about fatherhood
Simon Street hopes to create a safe space and a “flowing kaupapa” for fathers to share.
‘It’s cool to be a Kiwi’: The Black Seeds’ Barnaby Weir on the band’s 25th anniversary; the longevity of their distinctive sound
The Black Seeds will bring their reggae-funk beats to Tauranga in March, for First We Eat.
'Te ao Māori is compelling': Chefs Kārena and Kasey Bird on their new project
The sisters preserve and blend traditional Māori cooking techniques with modern twists.
'The last stretch in a marathon': Tips for surviving until Christmas break
Here comes Santa Claus: Tips to survive until holiday time, including managing stress.
'Fat is not a naughty word': Plus-size shoppers call for change
Reader opinion: Many plus-size items are 'ugly', more expensive, and ill-fitting.
Sex, betrayal and dysfunction: What really goes on behind a sex therapist's walls
Sex is "the play of adults" and shouldn't go to the bottom of the priority list.
Your guide to daylight saving: Sleep, barbecues, flower planting, and the perfect party dress
The changing of the clocks: Clocks move forward an hour on Sunday for daylight saving.
Moonwalking and mayonnaise: What they have to do with reducing your cleaning time
Pantyhose, lemons and mayonnaise: Your cheap house cleaning must-haves.
'Having an affair, buying a fast car and looking tragic': Debunking the mid-life crisis myth
Is a midlife crisis a meltdown or something deeper? And how do you navigate it?
Hitting rock bottom: Ex-boozers on Dry July and beyond
Taking it to the limit: Many Kiwis give up grog only after suffering serious consequences
Drama, betrayal, sex: Behind Disco Bloodbath, a doco 'without limits'
The doco follows Auckland's iconic underground cabaret drag show Disco Bloodbath.
Getting it off their chest: Men share honest experiences of the blues for Men's Health Week
"It's hard to say 'are you okay?' if you don't have trust because their guard will be up."
Not your traditional comic: Josh Thomson on stage fright, how 7 Days helped shape a cultural identity
NZers now embrace comedians after tall poppy syndrome in the 1990s and early 2000s.
'Simultaneously savage and tender': Tom Sainsbury on his tour, the sensitivities of fame
"I sometimes put videos up and think 'why did you do that?', Tom Sainsbury says.
Villains, laughs and long naps: Shorty St actors recount memories for anniversary
Many high profile Shorty actors over the years have originated, or grown up in, the Bay.
Prioritise yourself: How to stay on top of your mental health when you're scant on time and money
No matter how under the pump you are, prioritise yourself. Take mini-breaks and talk
Edible weeds and other eco-thrifty tips for eating well
The main way to make meals cheap and sustainable is to eat less meat and more plant foods
Nurturing ties amid Covid's big chill
In the past two years, many have had to work hard at keeping relationships strong
'You are allowed to moan, complain and want time to yourself': Coping with family pressure
Dr Ross helps to normalise many family-related stressors as "problems of life".
Staycations, books, bars and beaches: The ultimate guide to a Bay of Plenty summer
Information and opinion: Staycations, beach reads, fish and chips, best bars, and events.
Eight tips to ease your Covid anxiety as we head into 2022
Kiwis have high hopes for a better 2022, but it's still easy to succumb to worry.
Overbooked, overwhelmed and overweight. Here's how to 'kick the culture of being busy'
As a society, we feel a need to do and be more, and for everything to run at a fast pace.
My Girl: Celebrating the bond between dads and daughters
Father's Day: Dads and daughters reflect on the ups and downs of their relationship.
The secret to ageing well: Why wealth is your health
Those with more social and financial advantages tend to age better.
Bubbles, tug-of-war, swimming, and zoomies: What really goes on at doggy daycare
Creches charge about $30 a day; offer pick-up/drop-off and operate downtown and rural
Dry July: Why breaking the grog habit will change your life along the way
Dry July has real benefits, particularly if participants don't give up halfway through.
'How to Dad' Jordan Watson on being a full-time YouTuber
His online career has been full-time for the past four years; and earns him six figures.
Digital detox: Ditch your smartphone and reclaim your life
From setting limits to finding alternatives to being glued to devices, here's what to do.
Kiwi star Benee talks regional shows, anxiety and her meteoric rise
Benee likes to think she can inspire others battling insecurities, to chase their dreams.
Anyone can be a life coach, so how do you find a good one?
Life coaching is unregulated in NZ, so the advice is to do your research wisely.
Getting it done: Meet the mums running businesses in school hours
Since Covid-19, an increasing number of mums have started up their own businesses.
Hollywood eyes up Taupō author/illustrator's work for animated movie
Bixley has been approached to have one of his chapter book series turned into a film.