Why I Moved to Makati
I had a wonderful childhood in the south. We were one of the very few homes in our village back then so I spent much of my time outdoors in the open fields without a care in the world. By the time I reached high school and my social life was more and more active, I found ways to beat the traffic (pre-Skyway days!), planning ahead of time, and packing my things Friday morning so I could just change at a relative’s or a friend’s house after class before heading out with friends. When I moved to Paris for university, it was there I discovered what it was like to live in the heart of a city. I would go for a morning run, head to class, do all my errands from the bank to groceries on the way home, maybe stop for some shopping and still have time for the Parisian cocktail hour of apéro with friends to maximize my day because everything was so accessible. After being accustomed to this lifestyle, there was no doubt that when I came back to the Philippines, I needed to be at the heart of it all, so I chose to move to Makati.
For someone like me who doesn’t have a typical 9-to-5 office schedule, living at the center of things is extremely important because routine is something I most definitely don’t have. My life is rather erratic, like one big jigsaw puzzle that has 24 pieces, which simply gets shuffled around depending on the date, time, and occasion. Whether running from a meeting to a taping, covering a media launch or attending social events, plus now, being a hands-on mom and homemaker—there are groceries and cooking that need to be done as well as bringing my baby to his pedia appointments, and for my sanity and well-being, squeezing in a quick workout or a mani-pedi – I need to be able to move as quickly and as efficiently as possible. It makes absolute sense to live in Makati simply because these activities happen here!
In the past six years that I have been back, the city has changed so much. Where there used to be just a handful of options for dining and recreation, the choices have expanded and not just in number but also in variety. What I love about the city now is that things are starting to move away from concentration in the malls and starting to develop more organically. The storefronts of the office buildings in the Central Business District as well as the numerous condominiums are filling up with cute cafes, quaint restaurants, concept bars and speakeasies, and niche boutiques adding true character and flavor to the city streets. People can enjoy the weekend by shopping at one of the markets then walk over to brunch in a hip new resto, grab some coffee and transition into cocktails with ease.
One of my absolute favorite developments is the Ayala Triangle Gardens, It’s so nice to have a real park, a green space in the heart of the urban jungle. It’s one of the few accessible places in the metro with large trees and open spaces where you can unwind, converse with friends, or play with your kids. The row of restaurants overlooking the gardens has a unique charm that mix with the verdant surroundings and joyful atmosphere of the park, making it truly pleasant for outdoor dining. Also, one thing that I have truly been looking forward to is the transformation of the Nielson Tower.
The first commercial airport in the Philippines and the entire Asian region, the Nielson Tower used to control the runways that ran along Ayala Avenue and Paseo de Roxas. The stunning art-deco inspired building built in 1937 is the only pre-WWII building left in the city making it a very important piece of heritage since much of Manila was destroyed during the war. Only last week did it re-open its doors having undergone a glamorous transformation into what truly will be a unique restaurant in the country. Under the helm of Chef Colin Mckay, the genius behind world-class restaurants like Sala and People’s Palace, Blackbird has managed to keep the charm of the building while adding the chef’s signature style of lush, luxurious, chic, and contemporary interiors. Playing with the theme of travel, the menu is a voyage around the world with flavors from Europe to Southeast Asia. The gorgeous lounge will definitely be one of the hottest in town.
The boom in the restaurant and bar scene is a reflection of a city in economic growth. The Makati CBD is the undisputed business capital of the Philippines and what is unique about it is that it is not only the seat of the biggest local and multinational companies but also of many start-ups. The variety offered in office space and the ease of location makes it a prime choice to set up shop. It’s no wonder it has the highest daytime population with a workforce that drives the growth of the recreational economy. It’s here where restaurants and cafes are packed for lunch with people on business meetings or simply looking for a quick escape during their busy day. One of the major reasons why I chose to move to the city is the ease of blending your personal life with your work life. I can bounce back and forth from meetings to coffee with friends to running errands as everything is accessible. If you plan your day right, you can, in fact, do it all in one place such as in Ayala Center – between Greenbelt and Glorietta, there’s a whole flurry of activities and truly, things can get done as efficiently as possible. That’s also why Makati is so close to my heart. Walking is so convenient because of the extensive network of pedestrian walkways including the underpasses. For ease of navigation, I downloaded the Makati map for free from the Make it Makati website. I found it interesting as it also gave me ideas on where to shop, where to dine, and explore many other things happening in the city like shows, mall sales, museum exhibits and concerts. I also follow the Make it Makati pages on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to keep myself up to date. Additionally, I always look forward to the Makati Leads magazine, the official magazine of Makati, to know more about the exciting and new things happening in the city.
It’s not just all about the glitz and glamour or the corporate life. Makati is starting to become an exciting place for culture and the arts. There are museums, exhibits, regular art fairs, concerts, and theatre that I personally appreciate. While much of these are already happening in other parts of the metro, accessibility has always been an issue for me and on a Friday night when traffic can be deadly, it’s great to have options nearby. North of Ayala Avenue, a whole new exciting, artsy neighborhood is brewing dubbed by hipsters as “Williamsburgos”—a fun play on the hipster haven of Williamsburg in Brooklyn. Additionally, Ayala Land has some exciting plans to encourage the growth of vibrant urban culture with Makati North, which is envisioned to be the creative hub of the city. This place will soon house fresh start-ups, creative industries like ad agencies, art galleries and studios, a hotel, and BPO companies. In a similar thread, Circuit Makati, the 21-hectare former Sta. Ana Racetrack at the tip of Ayala Avenue currently has the Globe Circuit Events Grounds, which has been the site for amazing music festivals like Gatorade-Chelsea Blue Pitch, the first ever FIFA-sized blue football field in the country, Mountain Dew Skate Park, and Urban Karting. It is also being developed as the city’s entertainment district with new developments coming in the next couple of years such as the Circuit Mall, Blackbox, Circuit Theater, a hotel, and much more. Exciting times are most definitely ahead!
Coming home from such an exciting city such as Paris, I had always been afraid of being bored, looking for things to do other than just simply “malling” on the weekends and truly, Makati has grown to be more vibrant and alive in recent years. There is a dynamic energy and rising electric creativity that is truly palpable. With my new little family, it’s wonderful to be able to lead a balanced life, blending career and home life with ease, plus to have so many more options on top of crazy nights out and shopping needs of single living. Makati is the city that makes it all happen and moving here was definitely the right choice.
Learn more about what makes Makati the vibrant, exciting city that it is now by liking its Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/makeitmakati), Twitter page (https://twitter.com/MakeItMakati) and Instagram account (http://instagram.com/makeitmakati).
