Blog Archive: December 2018
Pet Food Store in Tbilisi - Zoomart on Abashidze street (near Vake park)
| Shopping Venues | 25 seen
Zoomart on Abashidze street 78 (located very conveniently close to the Vake park) has been our favorite pet food store (actually the only one) for several years already. We came here regularly to buy special cats dry food.
According to Zoomart website, there are already 11 stores across Tbilisi (2018).
At Zoomart you will find brands like Canvit, ferplast, Vitakraft, Brekkies, catzone, elmubas, Versele-Laga, Advance, Kong, Acana, Morando, Animology e.t.c
Together with Natia Beridze Veterinary, these are two of the pet-related places I'm familiar with in Tbilisi
Top 16 Best Luxury 5-star SPA hotels in Milan city center
| Hotel reviews | 44 seen
Milan is the world' s fashion capital, so there is no surprise seeing high-end hotels located in the city center.
I've been once in Milan, back then we chose to stay at a hotel close to the Milan-Malpensa airport and chose Holiday Inn Express Milan-Malpensa Airport Hotel (Case Nuove, Italy), as we traveled from Milan to Venice then Florence and back to Milan. For a complete travel route, please see My Italy Travel Guide.
For a luxury stay in the Milan city center, you should be willing to pay EUR 150 - 850 per night. Continue reading to find out the best luxury 5-star hotels in Milan
Milan is the world’s fashion capital and its stores are packed with Italian designer brands and more. T
he super stylish Milanese shop for haute couture at top prices – but also enjoy unbeatable sales! Go past the consumerism and you’ll discover a city with a modern edge and urban sophistication. Go crazy when football season kicks off at San Siro, or explore the Salone Internazionale del Mobile in April – the largest furniture and design exhibition in the world.
Start your day under the towering Duomo Cathedral, take a walk on the neverending grounds of nearby Castello Sforzesco, or grab lunch at an urban café in Navigli. At night, take a stroll along the Colonne di San Lorenzo, where Milan’s younger crowds hang out around the basilica.
N.B. When staying in Milan city center hotels, there is an additional city tax fee at EUR 10
Disclosure: hotels listed below contain links to Booking.com, by clicking on links on this page and by making a reservation on Booking.com site, I might earn an affiliate income, at no cost to you.
Château Monfort - Relais & Châteaux
This 5-star boutique hotel is located in Milan's historic center, an 8-minute walk from Piazza San Babila and the fashion area of Via Montenapoleone. Each room offers elegant parquet floors, an LCD TV, and free Wi-Fi.
Château Monfort is set in a historic building. The rooms are themed after different fairy tales and nursery rhymes. The mix of antique details and modern facilities makes for a unique, glamorous chic style.
Restaurant Rubacuori serves classic Italian cuisine, the Mezzanotte Lounge Bar is open until late, and La Cella Di Bacco wine bar features an impressive wine list.
Breakfast at the Château includes cakes, fresh fruit, hot and cold drinks, and traditional cheese and cold cuts.
Linate Airport is 3.7 mi from the property, while Porta Venezia Station is a 10-minute walk away.
Price: ~ EUR 251 Book this hotel on Booking.com
Grand Hotel et de Milan
ocated in Milan's exclusive shopping district, Grand Hotel et de Milan is 400 m from La Scala opera house. It offers luxury rooms, a high-tech fitness center and great service.
Rooms at the Grand Hotel are air conditioned and furnished with 18th-century furniture. They also have a mini-bar, Wi-Fi access and a TV with satellite and pay-per-view channels.
Guests can enjoy top-quality Italian cuisine at Don Carlos restaurant, while Caruso restaurant offers a more informal atmosphere. The contemporary Gerry's Bar offers drinks and light snacks until 01:00 in the morning.
Grand Hotel et de Milan is one of Milan's most historic hotels and was home to the composer Giuseppe Verdi for 27 years. It is next to Montenapoleone Metro Station and 10 minutes' walk from Milan's cathedral, the Duomo.
Price: ~ EUR 380 Book this hotel on Booking.com
Palazzo Parigi Hotel & Grand Spa - LHW
Palazzo Parigi Hotel & Grand Spa - LHW is in the heart of Milan's fashion district. This luxurious hotel offers air-conditioned rooms with a balcony or terrace and a restaurant.
With free WiFi, elegant rooms with modern technologies at the Palazzo Parigi feature a flat-screen TV, mini-bar and parquet or marble floors. Suites have a seating area.
The restaurant serves local specialties. At the patisserie Caffè Parigi you can taste characteristic Italian sweets. A buffet breakfast is available on request.
Milan Cathedral is 0.9 mi away, while Milan’s Turati Metro Station is 500 m away. Malpensa Airport can be reached by car in 40 minutes.
Milan City Center is a great choice for travelers interested in food, luxury brand shopping and shopping.
This is our guests' favorite part of Milan, according to independent reviews. In this area you can shop 'til you drop for popular brands like Cartier, Gucci, Tiffany & Co, Hermès, Louis Vuitton.
Price: ~ EUR 620 Book this hotel on Booking.com
Park Hyatt Milano
Facing the entrance of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, Park Hyatt Milano is set in the heart of the fashion district, 200 m from the Cathedral and La Scala Theater. The hotel features free WiFi, a spa and gym.
Spacious and luxurious, rooms at the Park Hyatt feature large marble bathrooms. Some rooms are complete with a private terrace with views of the city's skyline.
Taste fine specialties at 2-Michelin-star VUN Andrea Aprea restaurant, or sip a drink and relax at the Mio Lab or try the international All Day dining offer of La Cupola.
Duomo Metro stop is a 2-minute walk from Park Hyatt Milano.
Price: ~ EUR 623 Book this hotel on Booking.com
Four Seasons Hotel Milano
Just 250 m from Montenapoleone Metro Station, Four Seasons Hotel Milano offers luxurious rooms in Milan’s shopping district. The Cathedral is a 10-minute walk away and Wi-Fi is free throughout.
A sweet and savory buffet breakfast is served daily. It includes pastries, hot and cold drinks, and cold cuts. The 2 restaurants have Sunday brunches and wine tasting events with fresh local products.
Set in an ex 15th-century convent, guests can enjoy hors d'oeuvres, desserts, and cocktails in the Four Seasons’ foyer, next to the fire-lit lobby.
All spacious and air conditioned, the rooms feature a flat-screen satellite TV and DVD player, a seating area, and soft bathrobes and slippers. The bathroom has a bath tub and shower.
With a convenient central location, the hotel is a 15-minute drive from Linate Airport, while Expo 2015 Exhibition Center is 8.7 mi away.
Milan City Center is a great choice for travelers interested in food, luxury brand shopping and shopping.
Price: ~ EUR 792 Book this hotel on Booking.com
Bulgari Hotel Milano
Bulgari Hotel Milano is probably the most refined and exclusive establishment in Milan, a boutique property adjacent to the most important shopping street, Via Montenapoleone.
The comfortable rooms overlook the Bulgari's magical garden and the neighboring Botanical Gardens. Enjoy a blend of modern designs with high technology features.
A wonderful spa with an indoor swimming pool is the ideal to unwind after a busy day in Milan. Glass mosaics, gold and emerald green design and special lighting effects, enhance the relaxing atmosphere of the spa.
At the heart of the Bulgari Hotel Milano, the extensive bar faces out to the gardens, with the restaurant stepped right behind. Spend pleasant moments in the establishment's most sociable area. Spacious and wide, refined and friendly, here you can enjoy wines, cocktails and fresh Italian cuisine with a cosmopolitan clientèle.
Price: ~ EUR 825 Book this hotel on Booking.com
Mandarin Oriental Milan
Offering a free wellness center with an indoor pool and fitness center, Mandarin Oriental Milan features luxurious accommodations located just a leisurely walk from the boutiques of Milan's fashion district. It features the on-site restaurant, Seta, with 2 Michelin stars and meeting facilities.
Set in a complex of 5 connecting 18th-century buildings, all air-conditioned rooms and suites display furniture designed by Antonio Citterio, modern dècor and parquet floors. They overlook the courtyard or the street, some feature views on Milan's cathedral.
Accommodations comes with a marble bathroom with soft bathrobes and slippers. Each has a Nespresso coffee machine and a flat-screen TV which can be connected with your own laptop via HDMI cable.
Seta, the Mandarin's fine dining Michelin starred restaurant serves Italian cuisine with fine weather also into the inner courtyard, upon request a private dining room is available, also.The Mandarin Bar offers cocktails and 24-hour in-room dining is available.
The wellness center extends over 2953 ft² and comes with an indoor pool, sauna and fitness center. Massages, beauty treatments and a hair dresser can be booked.
Other facilities of the property include a concierge service, bike and car hire and a business center with meeting facilities with natural daylight.
La Scala is 300 m from Mandarin Oriental Milan, while the nearest airport is Linate Airport, 4.3 mi from the property. The property is a 25-minute drive from the Area Expo Milan Exhibition Center.
Price: ~ EUR 825 Book this hotel on Booking.com
NH Collection Milano President
Set in the historic center and just 500 m from the Cathedral and Milan’s famous shopping street, Via Monte Napoleone, the NH Collection Milano President is a stylish modern hotel with free WiFi. San Babila Metro Station is a 5-minute walk away.
This 5-star hotel features rooms with elegant, contemporary furniture and parquet floors. All of them come with a air conditioning, mini-bar, and flat-screen TV. Each bathroom features a rain shower and soft towels. Some rooms have balconies and views of the cathedral.
Il Verziere restaurant offers characteristic Milan-style dishes, as well as a complete menu that includes Italian and international cuisine. A generous breakfast buffet is served daily and includes fresh fruit, organic yogurt and jams, homemade juices, and a selection of cereals and milk.
Price: ~ EUR 272 Book this hotel on Booking.com
Sina The Gray
Boasting a central location, 100 m from Milan Cathedral, Sina The Gray features free WiFi, a terrace and bar. It overlooks the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II shopping arcade.
Rooms at Sina The Gray feature modern design, combined with African fabrics and decorations.
Some rooms offer a private gym, some have a Turkish bath. A free smartphone is provided in each room. Smoking rooms are available on request.
Price: ~ EUR 297 Book this hotel on Booking.com
Baglioni Hotel Carlton - The Leading Hotels of the World
Baglioni Hotel Carlton is a luxurious boutique hotel set on Via della Spiga, in Milan’s fashion district. It offers free WiFi throughout and elegant rooms with a classic design.
The hotel’s Caffè Baglioni is a popular meeting point in Milan. The Baretto al Baglioni Restaurant serves modern Italian cuisine.
The Spiga 8 Spa is available for a selection of superior wellness and beauty treatments. The English-style library is complete with traditional furnishings.
Via Montenapoleone, the Cathedral and the city’s famous theater, La Scala, are a short walk from the Carlton Baglioni Hotel. Rho Fiera Milano and Expo 2015 Exhibition Centers are 30 minutes' drive away.
Price: ~ EUR 505 Book this hotel on Booking.com
Armani Hotel Milano
Stay in the Heart of Milan – Excellent location – show map
One of our top picks in Milan.Just 50 m from Montenapoleone Metro, the Armani Hotel Milano is in the chic Quadrilatero della Moda district. Guests are taken to their elegant modern rooms by a personal lifestyle manager.
Set in a 1930s building designed by Enrico Griffini, rooms include Armani Casa furnishings and a Nespresso coffee machine. The stone or marble bathrooms feature a shower and bathtub, and each room offers a satellite LCD TV and an iPad.
A daily buffet breakfast is available at the Armani Milano. The Michelin-star restaurant serves both Lombard and international cuisine.
After a day of meetings, shopping or exploring Milan’s historical center, guests can relax in the sauna or Turkish bath. Sports lovers will appreciate the fitness center.
The Scala Theater and Milan Cathedral are within a 10-minute walk of the hotel. Sempione Park is 0.6 mi away.
Price: ~ EUR 514 Book this hotel on Booking.com
Style Hotel
A 10-minute walk from the Duomo, Style is a 5-star hotel in Milan's most exclusive neighborhood. It offers ultra-modern rooms and a private wellness center.
Style is a hi-tech boutique hotel in the heart of Milan's design district. Contrasting design effects include the use of antique mirrors, modern lighting and black and white marble.
All rooms at Style Hotel offer a LED Smart TV with free internet access, and a large marble bathroom with designer bath products.
On site there are an elegant Lounge Bar and an intimate restaurant. A valet parking service is available on site.
The designer shopping street of Via Montenapoleone and the La Scala Opera House are both 10 minutes away on foot. Lanza Metro Station on Line 2 is 200 m away. The Rho Fiera exhibition center is 8.1 mi from the Style Hotel.
Price: ~ EUR 180 Book this hotel on Booking.com
Palazzo Matteotti, The Dedica Anthology, Autograph Collection
Overlooking Milan Cathedral, Palazzo Matteotti, The Dedica Anthology, Autograph Collection offers luxury accommodations, a modern spa and gourmet restaurant in one of the world's leading fashion capitals.
A unique, futuristic design sets this hotel apart from the rest. Large windows make every common area bright and attractive. The hall, reception, and restaurant are all joined in one open-plan area.
Rooms at Palazzo Matteotti, The Dedica Anthology are all air conditioned and come with the latest amenities, including LCD TVs and design furniture.
Palazzo Matteotti's spa features a heated swimming pool, sauna, and Turkish bath. Guests can enjoy a cocktail in the hotel's spacious lounge bar.
This hotel has an unbeatable location right in the center of Milan, 5 minutes' walk from the exclusive shopping street of Via Montenapoleone and 250 m from San Babila Metro Station.
Price: ~ EUR 247 Book this hotel on Booking.com
TownHouse Duomo
Opening directly on Piazza Duomo square, Townhouse Duomo is set in a historical building overlooking the great Cathedral of Milan. It is a few steps from La Scala Theater and Duomo Metro.
With free WiFi throughout, all rooms here feature air conditioning and a flat-screen TV with satellite channels. The private bathrooms are complete with a hairdryer, free toiletries and slippers.
Price: ~ EUR 397 Book this hotel on Booking.com
TownHouse Galleria
Set in Milan's elegant Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II shopping arcade, TownHouse Galleria offers high-end design rooms with a balcony and advanced technological facilities. It features 2 gourmet restaurants, limousine service, and free Wi-Fi.
Overlooking the shopping arcade or courtyard, the elegant, air-conditioned rooms and suites at TownHouse Galleria include satellite flat-screen TV with pay-per-view channels, wooden floors and a mini-bar. The private bathroom has soft bathrobes plus slippers.
The property hosts 2 restaurants. Featuring panoramic views of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, the Ottagono Restaurant & Lounge offers light meals and cocktails. The Michelin starred Pavarotti Milano Restaurant Museum offers haute cuisine dishes.
The property also hosts the famous exhibition on Leonardo da Vinci.
Piazza del Duomo is just a few steps form the hotel. Duomo Metro stop offers links to Rho-Fiera Exhibition Center, while Via Montenapoleone is reachable on foot in 10 minutes.
Price: ~ EUR 358 Book this hotel on Booking.com
Hotel Pierre Milano
Hotel Pierre Milano has been recently refurbished, and it is set in the heart of Milan, a few steps from Sant'Ambrogio Metro Stop and a 15-minute walk from Milan Cathedral. Guest rooms are comfortable and elegant, and feature free Wi-Fi access.
Each room comes with satellite TV with Mediaset Premium channels.
The Pierre Milano features an elegant lounge bar with piano. The restaurant serves Italian and Mediterranean dishes.
The property is 0.6 mi from Milan Cadorna Train and Metro Station, offering metro links to Milan Malpensa Airport, as well as to Rho Fiera Milano and Rho Fiera Exhibition Centers.
Price: ~EUR 175 Book this hotel on Booking.com
IWA Christmas Charity Fair Tbilisi 2018
| Living in Georgia | 7 seen
Annual Winter Fair (Christmas charity fair) was held at Tbilisi's Radisson Blue Hotel on December 1, 2018
For many expats in Georgia, it has been already a tradition to visit this fair year. For me, this was already some sixth or seventh fair (as a visitor), maybe I should start selling hot wine in the next years (who knows)
Here are a few articles from the past: Christmas Charity Fair Tbilisi 2017, Christmas Charity Winter Fair in Tbilisi 2015, Christmas Charity Winter Fair in Tbilisi Sheraton Hotel, Christmas charity fair in Tbilisi
As usual, I took my DSLR camera, backpack and went shopping (this year was special, as it was the first fair for our little daughter).
Fair is a great place to buy great things and let's believe to help charity, as all earnings made during this fair is believed to be donated to charity. It should, after all. Winter fair was organized by International Women's Association Georgia (IWAG)
Kid books at British embassy stand
Bought a few reading books for the little fella.
Candles for sale at Winter Fair
Seems from Greece stand. If you will look closely you will notice a little hand waving to the camera (to visitors actually) in the right bottom corner. That's the first time our little princess waived to someone.
Our basket of goods after this year's Charity fair in Tbilisi
For years, our favorite stand has been the embassy of the United States of America, but this year the UK won our hearts (because of the children books). The bottle bak by the UK this year was pretty lame, but that's fine. See you at 2019 fair.
November 2018 Dividend Income Report - $111.60
| Investments | 15 seen
Welcome to the nineteenth (#19) dividend income report, covering earnings I've made from dividend-paying stocks, peer to peer lending (both fiat and cryptocurrencies) in November 2018.
In case you are wondering why I'm sharing online my earnings - the answer is pretty simple - back in January 2017, I set a goal to reach one million dollars in my bank account by the time I will turn 60 (27, 26 years still to go). I believe in transparency and sharing dividend income reports every month helps me to observe my personal progress or bounces. Hopefully, those reports can give some inspiration to you as well. (If so, please leave a short comment below).
In short, last November was neither good nor bad, I managed to crack $100/mo milestone, and I hope I will never be under $100/mo. Anyhow last month dividend income doesn't impress me at all. That's how it works I believe. Greed. Greed is good!
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links to mintos.com peer to peer lending website, by clicking on links on this page and by making an investment on mintos.com, I might earn affiliate income at no cost to you. Also, I'm not a financial advisor and I don't give you any advice, I'm just sharing my own experience. Investments in stocks, funds, bonds or cryptos are risk investments and you could lose some or all of your money. Do your due diligence before investing in any kind of asset.
Both individuals and entities can invest through Mintos. Individual investors must be at least 18 years old, have a bank account in the European Union or third countries currently considered to have AML/CFT systems equivalent to the EU, and have their identity successfully verified by Mintos. At the moment, US citizens or taxpayers cannot register as investors at Mintos.
Sign up for Mintos.com here. By using my affiliate link for registration both you and I will receive — 1% of our average daily balance which should be paid in 3 installments for the first 90 days.
Interest income in November 2018
From the stocks, Mintos.com peer to peer lending and from cryptocurrency lending on Poloniex.com I got following income last month:
Ticker
2018
2017
Mintos
€40.73
€40.17
LON:BGLF
€22.50
€0.00
LNA1L
€8.64
€3.55
EDF
€6.74
€0.00
NHCBHFFT
€6.50
€0.00
CLM
€6.20
€0.00
EDI
€5.09
€0.00
Poloniex
€1.76
€1.27
Total
€98.16
€44.99
Total: EUR 98.16 / USD 111.60
In total there were 8 great companies paying us dividends in November, that's 5 companies more when compared to the November 2017.
The YoY growth rate for my dividend income in November is 119.90%. That is a USD 60.85 growth YOY.. Would love to see YOY rate at least USD 100, but I will take it.
Monthly income to the date
The cumulative earnings for 2018 now are at $1,306.26 which is exactly 108.86% from my goal of 2018 ($1200). Awesome I have beaten already y yearly goal and there is still one month till the end of the year. 2018 has been great for my dividend income.
2017 in Review and Financial Goals for 2018
Monthly Income chart as of November 2018
As I have already reached my yearly goal I will just enjoy a ride next month.
Goals for November 2019
This is my favorite part of the reports - trying to forecast/set goals for the next year. But before setting goals for November 2019 dividend income, let's see what I forecasted for this November a year ago:
If looking from today's perspective I cannot see making more than $70 a year later. Still, a year is a plenty of time, and I will stick with a more optimistic $100/mo for November 2018
Wow, I just did it, I crossed two milestones, which seemed like a mission impossible a year ago. That mostly thanks to the I have started to add to my portfolio monthly/ quarterly paying US stocks.
When setting goal/forecast for November 2019 I have a $180 goal for the next year. Again, from today's perspective, hard but doable. Let me explain- November is one of the slowest months in my portfolio, there are not many stocks paying me dividends in November. To get to the $180 goal, I should raise my dividend income by about $70 for next year. Hard, but doable.
Documentary "Inside Mao's China"
| Documentaries | 10 seen
A very interesting film by Martin Gronemeyer, telling a story about foreign expats in China during the cultural revolution.
The film tells a unique personal story combined with rare historical footage give a new perspective on Mao’s utopia.
At the height of Maoism, China was as closed off as present-day North Korea. Then as China eased out of its age of isolation in the early 1970's, Westerners equipped with government regulated narratives began to romanticize the new government. Only a small group of Westerners who grew up and lived inside Mao’s China witnessed first-hand the upheaval of the Cultural Revolution. Until now they had preferred to remain silent but armed with a new outlook on life they are committed to sharing their experiences without fear.
When the Westerners were finally granted permission to leave, they were shocked to find their peers in Europe cheering for the very dictator they had just fled. In this time young leftist activists In Western Europe idolized Mao as a harbinger of a utopian society. However, many Western Maoists who journeyed to China to enjoy the revolutionary tours often returned disillusioned or confused. Why? “Inside Mao’s China” tells the truth about this period of recent Chinese history. These ventures between cultures and political systems underscored by this film are among the few materials that can paint a true picture of life inside Mao’s China.
Learn more: Inside Mao's China