News

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.

Boney M “By the rivers of Babylon” is one of the classic favourites that the residents of Warkworth Oaks enjoy dancing again and again. The village started a socially distanced 'boogie' class during the 2020’s lockdown and it was so successful that it became a permanent weekly meeting.

Remuera Gardens has a very enthusiastic Theatre Group that goes out at least once a month to see plays, musicals, concerts, or ballet. At the beginning of July, they attended a concert by the Manukau Symphony Orchestra, and they were all very impressed with Auckland-born pianist Henry Wong Doe.

For many people, retirement is the perfect opportunity to cultivate a new passion. Elva Leaming enjoyed her career as a librarian, but now that she has more free time, she likes to dedicate it to her new hobby: drawing.

When they party, our residents do it with style, creativity and also a good sense of humour. These are the real ingredients behind the success of Real Living’s mid-winter dinners, celebrated during June and July at all our villages. Take a sneak peek at the best pictures!

“There's no place like home” when you live in one of Real Living’s villages. Mahurangi College Students visited Warkworth Oaks recently to promote their production of The Wizard of Oz. How many generations of children have marched to the iconic song “We’re off to see the Wizard”?