Our Special Connection with Shaun Wallace
The barrister and TV star also stayed in one of The Avenue’s brand-new apartments, which certainly made an impression on him.
By the way, I stayed here last night at the Remuera Gardens apartments, and they’re fantastic! I almost got up late. They had to wake me up! That’s why I was slightly late.
Staying at The Avenue also gave Shaun the opportunity to spend some time with our residents and staff, including one of our lovely residents, Mary, who joined him for a morning snack in one of The Avenue’s beautiful top-floor, two-bedroom apartments.
Shaun returns to New Zealand every year, touring the country alongside Brendan Lochead from Believe It Or Not Quiz Nights. Together, they entertain audiences while raising funds for Cure Kids, a charity close to their hearts.
Shaun is out and about, raising money for various charities while he’s here. We’re doing a Cure Kids tiki tour, but Shaun has a special affiliation with this village, as you’ll see in our Q&A.
And Shaun’s connection with Real Living goes back a few years. During his visit to Remuera Gardens in 2023, we discovered that Shaun was a huge fan of Kiwi Onion Dip. As luck would have it, one of our residents at Epsom Village, part of the Real Living family, is none other than Rosemary Mount, the woman who invented the iconic Kiwi dip while working as a home economist for Nestlé in the late 1950s!
It was a very special moment when Shaun finally met Rosemary, and the two shared a lovely moment of mutual admiration.
Shaun’s two Q&A events at Remuera Gardens were fully booked, with residents and guests enjoying fascinating stories about his life, the secrets behind The Chase, his love for New Zealand (which he describes as his favourite place on Earth!) and his commitment to giving back through various charities.
We also discovered that Shaun is a huge All Blacks fan and that one of his childhood heroes is Sid Going. To make his visit even more special, Remuera Gardens arranged for former All Blacks captain Ian Kirkpatrick to sign a photograph of himself playing alongside Sid back in the 1970s.
Ian also wrote a heartfelt personal note to Shaun, sharing memories of his time playing with Sid. Shaun was absolutely delighted with the gift, which he took home as a very special reminder of his visit. We’re incredibly grateful to Ian Kirkpatrick for taking the time to make this possible.
At Remuera Gardens, we’re all about bringing people together, creating special moments and enjoying great events. Shaun’s visits are a wonderful example of the connections and experiences that make our village such a special place. And of course, we’ve already invited the Dark Destroyer to come back next year. Fingers crossed!
If you would like to learn more about Remuera Gardens and the lifestyle on offer, visit remuera gardens.
