What to Enjoy as an Ayala Avenue Condo Resident

Living in a condominium in Makati, especially an Ayala Avenue condominium, invites a one-of-a-kind lifestyle. This is fitting, considering how many things you can do in Makati. In fact, if it isn’t the only place in Metro Manila that offers it, it’s probably a safe bet to say that Makati can give it to you better than pretty much anywhere else in the region (hey, the National Capital Region counts! It’s in the name!).

If you happen to live along Ayala Avenue, like in The Estate Makati, or even in any other condominium in the Makati central business district (Makati CBD) area, you can sidestep one of the biggest issues in actually getting to these interesting places in the city: the travel time.

Furthermore, living nearby means that you won’t have to slog through most of the traffic getting here and going home, which means more time to spend on your day plans. If you were so inclined, you could even walk to all these places in a decent amount of time.

But enough delay, let’s give you a taste of that Makati slice of life and look at some of the cool things you can do in Makati and around Ayala Avenue.

Shop for everything you could want or need

Makati is a shopper’s haven. There are options upon options for shopping from the most affordable, disposable, and consumable items for everyday use to the most premium and cutting edge of fashion and technology choices.

Highlights include The Landmark, which is a general department store and supermarket that offers a great selection of the essentials; SM Makati, another entry from the SM group in their country-spanning chain of malls; the Glorietta malls, which have a wider selection of economic to high-end items, restaurants, and entertainment options; and the Greenbelt mall, which cater to the luxurious end of the spectrum, with stores holding designer brands and other internationally-renowned names. There are also tons of other smaller stores scattered around the city which specialize in one thing or another that invite a more thorough exploration or a recommendation from friends in the know, but that’s for you to discover for yourself!
 

Exercise or engage in other activities of self-care or self-improvement

Most condominiums in Makati have built-in gyms that allow residents to work out in a private space. However, if you find that the facilities aren’t adequate for your fitness level, there are many members-only gyms that are within easy reach. Sometimes though, you may want a change of scenery and look at more than just mirrors and gym equipment, and get yourself some fresh air.

In that case, you’ll be happy to learn that every Sunday, Ayala Avenue is closed off to cars from 6 AM to 10 AM, making it usable for anyone looking to get his or her cardio on. Walking, running, biking, rollerblading, skating—everything is fair game here.

At the nearby Ayala Triangle Gardens, you could take part in other paid fitness programs such as Pound (a workout that incorporates drumming to work up a sweat) and yoga if you want to enjoy greener scenery while you stretch and strengthen your muscles.

Actually, while we’re on the topic of Ayala Triangle Gardens, you could…
 

Hang out at the parks

Parks are treasured locations in major cities that have simply expanded upon the urban sprawl. It’s why malls and other new developments have incorporated green spaces into their interiors, in order to bring visitors closer to the relaxing aura of nature. Most of the time, Metro Manila residents have to drive quite a distance to nearby provinces just to experience more abundant flora, so having parks where you can lounge around and lay on the grass is a godsend.

The obvious choice is the aforementioned Ayala Triangle Gardens, which covers two hectares and has a beautiful annual assortment of Christmas light decorations during the holiday season. It also makes for a popular place to do running and other forms of exercise. Beyond that, there’s the Jaime C. Velasquez Park which has a playground for children, the Washington Sycip Park with its art installations, and Salcedo Park, a small but cozy park that’s more popularly known for its special weekend event, the Salcedo Weekend Market.

Shop for ingredients and local crafts, and eat at the markets

Every Saturday, people head to the Salcedo Weekend Market to purchase fresh produce, snacks, meats, and other kinds of ingredients. It’s also a fine place try out new and exciting dishes or indulge in old favorites; having all those delectable ingredients does make one hungry, after all.

You can also visit the Legazpi Sunday Market which leans more towards arts and crafts, but also has its own array of delicious food offerings to explore.

Speaking of art…

Enjoy the nightlife at Poblacion

The Poblacion area of Makati has grown in recent years to become a go-to spot for partying and drinking excellent drinks, many of which are locally brewed and/or crafted. These make for excellent talking points and stories to share with friends, if you haven’t invited them to go out with you in the first place!

However, don’t let the party scene turn you off if doesn’t match your vibe. There are a lot of fantastic food destinations that you can visit throughout the day, not just at night, to savor delicious dishes only served in this area.
 

Make Makati yours

These are just some of the many things you can do on the regular as a resident of Ayala Avenue or of Makati in general, and there are so many more things to discover. For every new experience you go out to try, there’s probably something new popping out where you least expect it. And even on the very low chance that you’ve tried EVERYTHING the city has to offer, you’ll probably want to return to your favorites to experience them again. And why not? By then, Makati will be your city too.