News

Epsom Village celebrated International Cat Day with a special Happy Hour last week. Residents came dressed up as their favourite cat characters… including a special appearance by a real cat! Celebrated on August 8 every year, the day is used to raise public awareness about cats and to learn about ways to keep and protect them.

Pakuranga Park Village turned into a stunning Art Gallery yesterday afternoon. The community really enjoyed the opportunity to see the works of contemporary New Zealand artists such as Flox, one of the leading stencil-based artists in our country. According to Real Living Groups' director Chris Murphy, the exhibition is part of the Village's efforts to give back to the community.

Would you like to meet the two cheekiest residents at Epsom Village? If you wander around the gardens you may bump into Katsumi and Boscarelli, two lovely cats who have become quite popular among the residents. This weekend they celebrated International Cat Day with their favourite pastime: keeping warm in their owner’s cosy apartment.

Commonwealth gold medalist Roy Williams has just moved from Te Aroha to Pakuranga Park Village. He is the only kiwi to win a Commonwealth Games gold medal in the demanding decathlon. He’s settling into his new apartment in the village where he has been binge-watching the Tokyo Games, with a special interest in the new Olympic sports such as skateboarding.

Joan Gilchrist was a sports journalist who specialised in horse riding. She covered five Olympic Games including Los Angeles in 1984, when New Zealand was the top country in the world in the equestrian events. She’s been enjoying watching the Olympics from her villa at Pakuranga Park.

Happy International Friendship Day! Real Living villages are full of real friendships, like the one that Gail and Colleen have. They met in Epsom Village almost 8 years ago and they became best friends. They love going to cafes and restaurants or just strolling around the village and sharing a coffee or a glass of wine.

Stunning performance by the Madeleines Trio at Epsom Village. The trio has worked internationally in musical theatre and now they’re back in New Zealand to perform wonderful songs from the 1920-1950s. The residents followed the popular melodies with big smiles and a bit of toe tapping.

Tai chi is the most popular exercise at Remuera Gardens, with classes running four times per week. The residents love practicing the gentle movements of this ancient Chinese practice that embodies mind, body, and spirit. Their experienced teacher, Joe, guides them through several sequences of exercises, most of them can be done sitting in a chair. He keeps reminding them that “tai chi is not about muscle strength, but mind strength”.

Who can imagine a barbeque or a party without a bowl of homemade Kiwi Onion Dip? The creator of this all-time classic, Rosemary Dempsey, lives in Epsom Village. She’s the first resident to share a recipe for our new series “Real Ingredients” by Real Living.