MANILA, Philippines - While many residential communities feature rolling terrain, lush gardens, and open, green spaces, Ayala Westgrove Heights offers more than just beautiful landscapes. This 400-hectare orchard community, the largest in its category, also offers thriving, creative human landscapes comprised of Ayala Westgrove Heights’ imaginative and talented residents who are as colorful and vibrant as the development’s panoramas and settings.
The Ayala Westgrove Heights’ Night Festival saw the community’s affable, and artistic residents welcoming guests to a unique celebration, which highlighted the relaxing environment of the community as much as it stressed the closeness, passion, and vibrancy of the families who have made Ayala Westgrove Heights their home.
Set at the highest peak of the development, the exciting festival allowed guests to savor views of the city below as well as the delicious food prepared by Ayala Westgrove Heights’ resident chefs and foodies. Beautiful melodies and harmonies from the musicians and singers of the community set the mood for the evening, while guests enjoyed mingling and interacting with the gracious and talented residents.
The blooming mango trees, ferns, bromeliads and a variety of other trees and flora, plus the rolling terrain of the orchard community offered a myriad of picture-perfect settings. Ayala Westgrove Heights’ photography enthusiasts, with photographer/artist/rock singer Wawi Navarroza, offered tips and advice on landscape and outdoor photography, and allowed guests to try their own skills behind the camera. The exquisite architecture of the Church of St. Benedict, the Mediterranean-style clubhouses (there are a total of six in Ayala Westgrove Heights), and the 28-hectare Orchard Park with its colorful flowers and fruit trees provided great subjects for photography.
“It’s always good to maximize your depth of field in landscape photography and make sure that most of your scene is in focus — this means that, as much as possible, it’s best to choose a small aperture setting for a greater depth of field. But compensate for the smaller aperture setting with a greater ISO setting since a smaller aperture setting lets in less light in your camera,” Navarroza said at the seminar. “Also, always look for a focal point for your photo and don’t forget to be aware of your surroundings and appreciate what’s around you. Try to learn more about your camera since it can really record your experiences especially if you’re a resident of Ayala Westgrove Heights, where you have amazing things around you like the sky, the hills, and the city.”
The many different activities and organizations held and formed by residents continue to nurture each family’s creativity and talents. Painting and gardening workshops, outreach programs, tennis, soccer and play groups for kids allow residents to interact with each other and help strengthen old friendships and build new ones as well.
“It is important that residents of a community gather for community-organized activities that appeal to different people. Shared activities let residents discover their common interests,” shared Raffy Nieto, an Ayala Westgrove resident for eight years.
Although the varied flowers, the thousands of fruit trees, the undulating terrain and the scenic views create a lush and beautiful environment, it is the community — the foodies, chefs, musicians, singers, artists, thespians, and children — all the residents — that help define Ayala Westgrove Heights’ vibrant and rich landscapes and give character, strength and charm to the development’s distinctive neighborhood and lifestyle. These characteristics have helped to propel many families and young couples to head south to experience both the natural landscapes and the human landscapes of the community.
Nieto agrees, saying he would recommend Ayala Westgrove Heights to anybody who wants to reside in the south. “First, it is already a habitable community. There’s a lot of development going on right now, there are good establishments nearby with excellent amenities and even hospitals and schools. What more can you ask for?”
Coupled with modern amenities, green open spaces, and a relaxing natural environment, Ayala Westgrove Heights indeed creates an ideal, nurturing, and thriving environment for its residents.