It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas in Crosswinds, Tagaytay

Christmas carols blared from loudspeakers as a thick fog slowly crept over Crosswinds, a suburban property set against Tagaytay’s lush landscape. Here, on a blustery, slightly wet day, Crosswinds residents came to meet and mingle.

In a Swiss lodge, dominated by a towering poinsettia Christmas tree, guests dined on Zurich Geschneltes (shredded pork tenderloin in a creamy mushroom sauce with roesti potatoes), Chicken Forrestierre (grilled marinated chicken and wild mushrooms in a brown mushroom sauce on top of buttered and herbed linguine, Fish Fillet En Pappilotte (cream dory fillet oven poached in wine, butter, lemon and cream) prepared by Old Swiss Inn’s chef Peachy Alberto. A Toblerone chocolate fondue, a Swiss Inn signature, served as a wonderful way to cap the meal and fight the chill brought on by Tagaytay’s other-worldly weather.

One Pine Day

A mere hour from Makati (depending on the traffic), Tagaytay is often considered the perfect weekend getaway. Not as far as Baguio and filled with destination restaurants like famed culinary haunt Antonio’s, the location offers a cool respite for weary workers tired of the hustle and bustle of Manila.

Surprisingly, Crosswinds feels a lot like Baguio — sans the travel time, of course. Set in an area that’s not quite congested as other properties nearby, it’s bordered by parks filled with over 20,000 pine trees. Brittany Corporation’s 70-hectare development, Crosswinds, found on the breeziest point of Tagaytay, boasts homes inspired by traditional Swiss architecture, along with a soon-to-rise gourmet village with an organic market, café and deli.

Its greatest asset is, literally, the greenery. A hillside property that makes most of its considerable views, the development coasts along its highest point (2,500 feet above sea level to be precise) to its more secluded, lower levels nestled among pine trees. Most newcomers find the open spaces, tree-bordered homes and parks breathtaking upon first view.

These first impressions solidify as you take the long winding road from the property’s gate, where you are buzzed in by security after they check whether you are homeowner or guest. Soon you drive by a small park, little wooden lodges that dot the perimeter of the development and, as soon as you get to the main portion of the property, Swiss chalet-inspired homes.

For those unfamiliar with the subdivision, Brittany Corporation’s Crosswinds is divided into sections. Deux Pointe, made up of compact, vertical structures like Duetto Primo (three bedrooms with an attic), Duetto Tresor (two bedrooms) and Gran Duetto (four bedrooms with an attic), sits on the highest peak of the property. Swiss Quadrilles, larger-cut homes with a sizable lot area, can be found in the lower areas of the hillside compound, offering privacy and more space. The style consists of one large property cut into four units. Grand Quartier, a mid-rise condominium, is set against the crest of the hill. Montreux Ville, where you can build custom homes, houses units like Uster Uphill (a large home with space for a great room with a view deck and porch) and Delemont Downhill (open plan with a basement) and makes most of the slopes, providing paramount views of the landscape.

Christmas All Year Long

For Charito de Leon, a retired, former staffer of the Archdiocese of Seattle where she assisted the elderly, it was the festive air that drew her to Crosswinds. “I really like this place because they have a little bit of Solvang in it,” Charito says over a slice of bibingka. (Charito had brought what she considered the “best bibingka” to the lunch in order to share it with the staff and residents of Crosswinds.) Solvang, located in California, was, according to the town website, founded by Danish immigrants in 1911, and boasts authentic architecture, thatched roofs, old-world craftsmanship and traditional windmills. “The Scandinavian-inspired town celebrates Christmas for an extended period,” she proclaims.

It’s not just the Swiss chalet-style homes that appeal to Charito’s sensibilities. The community recently welcomed a Christmas store into the community’s fold, so residents can feel the spirit of Christmas all year long.

Charito, who’s planning on unloading her current home in order to purchase a new one with fewer levels (making it more convenient and age-appropriate), can’t help but rave about the staff. “People here are like family,” she says. She maintains the Crosswinds property is her weekend home, residing in Alabang during the rest of the week. “They get in touch with me via cellphone to update me on anything going on here.” For her new home, which is in the process of being built, the architect had already called her up to get her approval on the color scheme of her preference. “That’s the kind of service you want — the efficient kind.” 

Whatever Charito wants she gets. “I asked for a chapel, because I need a place to pray on Sundays,” she explains. Soon Crosswinds began plans for erecting their very own chapel. “Now I’m asking for a laundromat, salon and spa,” she says in a conspiratorial voice. “The folks here can’t help but say, “‘Ma’am, one at a time, please!’” she laughs.

“There’s a rapport here with the staff,” she says, of the relationship she shares with Crosswinds regulars. “They’re like family.”

Natural High

Pat and Liz Santos, a young couple with a child, purchased a duplex in Deux Pointe in late 2007 in order to get away from the congested streets of Manila. “My dad always planned on buying a second home in Tagaytay,” says Pat, who owns and helms a recruitment agency for skilled workers. “When he passed away, we decided to make his dream come true and bought our very own place here.”

Pat, who works with his wife Liz in Makati, fell in love with his home as soon as he saw it. “The design is cozy yet functional,” he explains.

For Liz, it was the greenery that did it. “We’re surrounded by what seems like forests,” she says. “The air seems cooler and crisper.” After living in Makati, breathing in the mountain air feels like a break. “Even my daughter sleeps better here because of the weather.”

“We live on the highest point,” he says, “so we have a view of everything.” Which explains why their weekend home is considered the focal point of get-togethers during holidays. For Christmas, the couple is hosting a reunion of sorts, with family coming over for the big noche buena feast. Since the attic was converted into a guest room, they have plenty of room to entertain.

“We’re preparing baked ham and pasta,” says Liz of their Christmas meal. “Pat will just do the grocery at the nearby Robinsons, so we basically come here empty handed and do everything here.”

“I look forward to coming here every weekend,” says Pat, “but most especially during Christmas.”

Family Retreat

“We’d decided on this place before realizing what amenities Crosswinds offered,” claims Velinda Cabalquinto, a homemaker with a businessman spouse. (In case you’re interested, there’s a community pool, paths for hiking along with soon-to-rise cafes and commercial establishments.) Such was the allure of the locale that the Cabalquintos snapped up their Quadrille home. “I really like the architecture,” says Velinda.

From Antipolo, it only takes them an hour to get to Tagaytay if the traffic is light. The couple, along with their children — most of which are working — visit their getaway home on the weekends.

“My kids take turns here staying over with their friends,” she says. The attic was converted into a bedroom with two twin beds. Its best asset, according to her husband, is the huge flatscreen which dominates the corner.

They come over and play Wii, according to Velinda’s husband, she explains with a laugh, mimicking the motions of the game.

“The room can easily accommodate 15 people,” she says proudly, “so my kids can bring a lot of friends with them.”

With the help of interior designer Leo Almeria, the Cabalquintos transformed their living space into a warm home. Mediterranean hues color the kitchen (which serves as a visual divide between the open plan kitchen and living space) and the bedrooms. From the room, a breathtaking view of the mountains serves as a reminder of their location. That and the weather.

“I love how cool it is here,” she says. “It’s so nice to come here during long weekends and experience weather so different from Manila.”

Her husband appreciates the more practical aspects of the development. The first thing he noticed when he came here was that the cables and wires were underground, he noted, which is unusual in subdivisions. No electric posts mar the view. “And the security is good, because the guards go on rounds,” she says.

What makes the place special is how they feel as soon as their eyes light on the first view of Brittany’s Crosswinds, after a hectic week in the city. “It’s a one-of-a-kind place,” says Velinda. “I can’t imagine a nicer getaway.”

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For more information on Crosswinds, call 850-2868/ 850-6986 or visit www.brittany.com.ph.