Life in Nuvali Philippines

My walls are up

Life in Nuvali Philippines

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DISCLAIMER: vanity post
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When I saw these walls–concrete and solid–it hit me.  I\’m moving.  In three months.  To a place far from home.

Any big lifestyle change brings with it a certain level of stress, but to be honest I\’ve found the delay in moving more stressful (target construction start was pushed back 6 months).

I first moved out last year as an experiment, and reading about what I thought of living alone makes me excited to do it again:

This year–2010–has been my big living alone project. The point was to freely explore possibilities that would open up in the process, to have no other agenda but to clear the path. Five months into it, I’ve been asked by at least two good friends for output, an honest concern as to whether I was getting somewhere, or anywhere for that matter. Without second thought, I gave an exuberant YES to their questions, but in complete honesty, I can only claim this– that my life has become lighter, I have lighter everydays, and although it has its gains, it has also come at a cost.

Remembering even the costly side of it is making me smile now:

On cleaning: I used to cherish neatness and wiping my floor with tissue paper just to see that it was squeaky clean. Now I don’t even bother scrubbing the bathroom tiles. What’s happened? I’ve grown into living with no helpers, and household chores have shown their true nature– hardy, time-consuming, and persistent. They just never stop coming.

Lovely. Really. 🙂

By November, I\’ll be living within these walls in Nuvali, a full-fledged adult with a house to maintain, uprooted from Metro Manila which has been home for 30 years.

While driving to Sta. Rosa the other day I had a random thought: I\’m going to have to register as a Laguna voter now.

Other random thoughts:

  • Gas money is going to kill me! P400 for each trip to \”the North\”
  • Goodbye to futsal in Club650, boo.
  • But there\’s always frisbee/ultimate (I get to wear Pink again!), especially if the league goes back to Nuvali — just have to work around the sun issue:  irreversible skin damage, double boo!
  • So much furniture and appliances to buy!
  • I wonder how hard (or easy) it will be to clean my house
  • Should I get a dog?  Can I take care of a dog?

On my to do list:

  1. Check if Sun internet works on my street / lot.
  2. Check the lights around Nuvali at night– hope the area is lit enough
  3. Get Nuvali and Greenfield stickers
  4. Get to know my neighbors!

I cannot wait to plant in my garden.

I cannot wait to bike everyday.

I cannot wait to set up my workstation and paint away!

Why Ayala has my vote

Life in Nuvali Philippines,

While searching for info on the upcoming Kukun hotel in Nuvali, I found this update on Ayala\’s hotel and tourism investments from the President’s Report for the Ayala Land, Inc. Annual Stockholders’ Meeting 2011:

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I started investing in Ayala stocks recently, so I went through the rest of the President\’s Report with special interest, but it\’s a great read nonetheless.  If anything, it offers reassurance to those of us who have invested in Nuvali– whether directly or by sharing in the collective vision for the place– that we have invested in something that\’s part of a wider and just as impressive development umbrella.

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I was particularly amazed at the simultaneous mixed-use projects going on all over Metro Manila:

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Soon to rise in Nuvali: a hotel and an events place

Life in Nuvali Philippines

Two exciting developments are coming to Nuvali!

Development#1: Ayala is planning to build a hotel in Nuvali under its boutique hotel brand, Kukun.

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I did a quick search (skyscrapercity.com never fails) and found out Kukun\’s first hotel is slated to open in Bonifacio Global City in Q2 of 2012.   Sites for other Kukun hotels in the pipeline (five in total for 2011): Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Quezon City and Alabang.

Another hotel in Nuvali is also planned inside the Republic Wakepark:

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Development #2:   Ayala is building an events place next to the lake and commercial district.

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Set to open in 2012 — the Events Place is a 2,500 square meter space that\’s meant to provide a venue for a wider range of group activities in Nuvali.  Maybe it will be the next best thing to a theater or cinema!  What\’s a concert venue equivalent with that size?

On the map you can also see the commercial district called the Lakeside Evozone (lots in orange, aqua, light green and yellow). Further east, new lots will be opened come September (28 new lots in total).   Contact me directly at johanna@metrorealty.ph or 0920-9624116 if you would like updates on these commercial lots.

All in all, I think this whole area– the \”entrance\” to Nuvali– is becoming  really interesting.  I always see people walking leisurely around the lake, riding the water taxis (I have yet to do this! Last I heard it costs P30 for a ride one-way), or just picnicking on the grass.  It\’s a lovely sight and I would definitely love to see more foot traffic in this part of Nuvali.

 

 

 

Nuvali Gate Pass

Life in Nuvali Philippines

On a recent visit to Nuvali, I was surprised to be asked to surrender my license at the gate towards Nuvali Central, the area of Xavier School, Avida Settings & Estate, Treveia and Elaro.

I usually just smile and tell the guards I\’m a lot owner and they let me through without further ado, but that was the first time they told me I needed to get a Nuvali Gate Pass.

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As a future resident, I\’m glad they\’re finally putting tighter security in place, but  I also wonder how they\’re going to keep this up without inconveniencing or turning away visitors once the Republic Wakepark opens this October.  I can already imagine the logistical nightmare for the guards!

Nuvali\’s Republic wakepark taking shape

Life in Nuvali Philippines,

Actual site pic as of August 14, 2011.

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You can already make out the loop for the \”lake\”– I\’m skeptical it will finish in two months (I hope I\’m wrong!), but my brother thinks it\’s possible.

Couldn\’t stop myself from taking pics of these cows to the right of the wakepark…

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We now know who\’s first in line to try the cable skis! 🙂

This is the mound of mud we climbed to get this view:

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Be sure to wear good shoes if you plan on doing what we did on a rainy day!

Venare Phase 1 pics — it\’s looking great!

Life in Nuvali Philippines, ,

My brother Pete and I went around Nuvali today just to check out what\’s new — Venare is really looking good!

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That\’s the main gate for Phase 1 under construction, with the beginnings of the Green Zone already showing at the back.

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Here\’s a closer pic of the main gate.   It\’s a four-lane entrance, with two lanes already started.

I took another shot of the Green Zone last Saturday, from the road leading to Avida Village, and I was surprised to notice trees jutting out of the hills:

Wakeboarding in Nuvali begins in October!

Life in Nuvali Philippines, ,

Republic Wakepark is finally opening its doors on October 26, 2011– woohoo!

Here’s the announcement from the Republic Wakepark Facebook Page:

Heads-up, guys: REPUBL1C WAKEPARK, NUVALI will officially open on OCTOBER 26th, 2011. The Philippine Wakeboard Nationals will also be on October 26th-29th at REPUBL1C WAKEPARK, NUVALI. We would like to apologize for the delay of the opening due to the delay of construction brought by the recent typhoons. We will be announcing REPUBL1C WAKEPARK’s Yearly & Monthly Rates by end of August.

Getting excited!

Dug up old photos of my first visit to the Camsur Wakeboarding Complex (CWC) in Camsur in 2008:

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Xavier Nuvali applications for SY 2012 now open

Life in Nuvali Philippines, ,

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Forms are available both in Xavier School Greenhills and Xavier School Nuvali in the Evoliving Center!  That\’s nice that they now have a physical office in Nuvali 🙂

Levels opening next school year are Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 2, and Grade 3.

Office hours in Xavier School Nuvali in Evoliving Center are every Friday and Saturday from 8:00am to 3:00pm.

More info at the Xavier website

Azkals surpise in Nuvali

Life in Nuvali Philippines,

I had no idea the Azkals were going to be in Nuvali to launch Solenad 2 last Saturday.

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As luck would have it, we dropped by just in time for the meet and greet with the boys. Apparently the first forty people to register at Solenad 2 Main Activity Area were given the chance to get their pictures taken with Aly Borromeo and Anton Del Rosario.

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\"Azkals

Since high school I\’d hear Aly\’s name from my younger brothers who were friends with him in La Salle. Even back then he seemed to be dead serious about soccer. Nice to see him all grown up, a rising celebrity at that.

This was the second time I got to see the Azkals in Nuvali–the first was for a Venare event in the Treveia clubhouse earlier this year (saw the Younghusband brothers). I\’m way beyond the fangirl age, but what can I say, football is football and I\’ll always be a fan.  🙂