Mumbai & Goa / India Trip
It has already become something of a tradition for us - escaping the cold during our daughter’s winter school break and trading grey skies for warmth, color, and a slower rhythm of life. Each year, we carve out about three weeks to leave Tbilisi behind and head somewhere sunnier. And more often than not, that “somewhere” turns out to be India.Our latest trip follows a familiar yet always exciting route: from Tbilisi to the buzzing metropolis of Mumbai, before retreating to our beloved Palolem Beach in South Goa. Another three weeks in India — and once again, it proves why we keep coming back.The journey itself feels like a transition between worlds. Leaving behind the quiet, wintery streets…
RWA Tokenization in Georgia: Key Takeaways from DGFI & Forbes Conference in Tbilisi
On April 24, 2026, DGFI, in collaboration with Forbes Georgia, hosted a conference on Real-World Asset (RWA) tokenization at the Radisson Blu Iveria Hotel in Tbilisi. The event brought together representatives from financial institutions, regulators, brokerage houses, and emerging fintech players to discuss the evolving landscape of tokenized finance in Georgia.I attended primarily to track local initiatives, assess institutional direction, and expand my network within the Georgian financial ecosystem.The dominant focus of the conference was not real estate tokenization - as one might expect from broader global RWA narratives—but rather:Tokenized bonds and debt instrumentsRegulatory sandbox…
Building a Frame House in Latvia: Kitchen Installation, Ground Tilling & IKEA Trip
As usual, we planned our spring around the school break at BIST (British International School of Tbilisi). This year we again split the time — one week in Latvia working on the frame house in the west, and the other in Berlin for business meetings related to the translation company.Returning after winter always comes with surprises. This year didn’t disappoint.The biggest “welcome back” moment: a broken bathroom faucet. Not a minor drip — water was shooting out from the side under full pressure. That turned into an emergency replacement before anything else could move forward.Not exactly how you want to start a work week, but typical for a house that’s still in progress.This year we finally…
New Synagogue Berlin
The New Synagogue in Berlin is one of the city’s most recognizable historical landmarks, located on Oranienburger Straße, within walking distance of Alexanderplatz. Its striking golden dome rises above the surrounding buildings, making it visible from afar and hard to miss even during a casual walk through the neighborhood.Originally inaugurated in 1866, the synagogue was once the largest in Germany and a central place of worship for Berlin’s Jewish community. Designed in a Moorish Revival style, its architecture stands out from typical European religious buildings, blending oriental elements with modern 19th-century engineering. At its peak, it could accommodate over 3,000 worshippers,…
Book Reading Afternoon in Tbilisi
At the start of March, it was Book Week at the British International School of Tbilisi. Year 3 students were given a fun assignment: create a short video about their favourite book and take photos of themselves reading in unusual places.We slightly misunderstood the task and ended up focusing entirely on reading in unusual places, turning it into a little family adventure around Tbilisi. What started as a simple school project became something much more fun than expected.During filming we had several unexpected moments along the way — we even bumped into the Danish national basketball team, rode the Tbilisi Funicular, and enjoyed some delicious ponchiki while exploring the city.In the end,…
Magalaant Church Complex
I first discovered the Magalaant Church Complex a few years ago during one of our spontaneous road trips to Kavtiskhevi. No fixed plan, no strict itinerary - just a turn off the main road and the usual curiosity about what might be hiding on the hills above the valley. That’s often how the best places are found.Magalaant sits modestly on a hillside, overlooking the surrounding landscape with the calm confidence typical of old Georgian churches. It’s not a heavily commercialized site. No crowds, no ticket booths, no tour buses lining up. Just open space, stone walls, wind, and wide views.The complex blends into the terrain rather than dominating it. The church structure, built of stone,…
Week 47 / Managing an NVDA Covered Call Roll After Earnings
As of February 27, 2026, the portfolio closed at $11,343, gaining a modest 0.27% during the week.The year-to-date return now stands at 7.29%.This was NVIDIA earnings week, and as expected, NVDA had an outsized influence on both the portfolio and the broader market.Earnings weeks can create attractive opportunities for options sellers because implied volatility usually rises and option premiums become more expensive. However, the same volatility also increases the risk of rapid losses, assignment, and difficult trade adjustments.Rolling the NVDA Covered Call Up and OutEarlier in the week, I decided to proactively roll the existing NVIDIA covered call.The previous position was:NVDA June 2026…
How to make Adjarian Khachapuri at Home
Today we finally got it right — real Adjarian khachapuri at home. This was my second attempt. The first time I made the classic mistake: I thought regular cheese would work. It didn’t. The texture was wrong, the melt was wrong, and the flavor was flat. Lesson learned - the cheese is not optional detail, it’s the core of the dish.This morning I went to Goodwill in Tbilisi and bought the two essentials:Imeretian cheeseSulguni cheeseThat combination is what creates the proper creamy, stretchy filling. Without it, you’re just baking bread with melted cheese. With it, you get the real Adjaruli experience.Living in Georgia, we love experimenting with traditional Georgian cuisine — but some…
Lemon Tree Premier, Malad Mumbai – Decent Stay, But Know What You’re Booking
At the start of 2026, we spent 2–3 nights at Lemon Tree Premier, Malad, Mumbai while returning from Goa to Tbilisi, with a stopover in Mumbai.We were looking for a practical option rather than a luxury experience. The price made the decision easy: we paid around $250 total, roughly half of what many central Mumbai hotels were charging for similar dates. There was a reason for that.The hotel is located in Malad, which is about an hour’s drive from South Mumbai (Colaba, Marine Drive, Gateway of India area), depending on traffic. And in Mumbai, traffic is not a minor detail — it’s a factor you must price in.If your plan is to explore central Mumbai extensively, this location isn’t ideal. But…
Week 46 / Rolling a PFE Cash-Secured Put Before NVDA Earnings
Portfolio Value: $11,312Weekly Change: +2.20%YTD Return: +6.91%Options Premium Collected: $21.90As of February 20, 2026, the portfolio gained 2.20%, closing the week at $11,312.Trading activity was relatively quiet this week, but the portfolio continued to make steady progress. While much of my attention was focused on NVIDIA ahead of earnings, the position that ultimately required action was Pfizer (PFE).That is often how options trading works. The positions you expect to demand attention can behave exactly as planned, while seemingly quiet trades require adjustments.Adding More McDonald's SharesEarly in the week, I added another 0.1 shares of McDonald's (MCD) to the portfolio.Over the…
Week 45 / How I Use Cash-Secured Puts to Accumulate Dividend Stocks Like Pfizer (PFE)
As of February 13, 2026, our covered-call stock portfolio declined slightly by -0.33%, closing at $11,069.Since I had already rolled my NVDA credit spreads out to the February 27 expiration, there were fewer opportunities for weekly premium generation. Rather than forcing trades, I decided to revisit a familiar name: Pfizer (PFE).Why I Added Pfizer Back to the PortfolioI view Pfizer as a potential long-term dividend holding rather than a short-term trading vehicle.After closing a previous Shell position, some capital became available for a similar-sized setup. Instead of chasing another speculative trade, I deployed that capital into a company I already understand and would be comfortable…
Tbilisi ETH Hackathon: Finally Making It (and Mostly Drinking Beer)
I first noticed ETH Chipmunks toward the end of 2025. They kept popping up on my radar via Luma links Ethereum meetups, hackathons, small community events in Tbilisi. I applied several times. Each time, something got postponed, rescheduled, or quietly disappeared. Timing never worked.That changed in early February 2026, when the Tbilisi ETH Hackathon (Season 2 or something) finally happened—and I finally made it.I showed up prepared. Laptop in the suitcase, a few rough AI-related ideas in mind, and at least a vague intention to build something. Reality, as usual, had other plans.The event itself was solid. Well organized, relaxed, no unnecessary hype. A real hacker crowd. Most people were…
Week 44 / $94 Options Premium Earned Amid NVDA Volatility and Tech Sell-Off
As of February 6, 2026, our covered-call stock portfolio increased by +0.51%, closing at $11,106.While the portfolio posted a modest gain, the broader market environment was anything but calm. Technology stocks came under pressure, cryptocurrencies experienced another sharp decline, and volatility returned across several asset classes.This week reinforced one important lesson:Avoid excessive leverage whenever possible.During the same week, our separate Ethereum strategy suffered a significant drawdown, eventually forcing us to exit leveraged positions. While painful, it served as another reminder that preserving capital is often more important than maximizing returns.Actively Managing NVDA…
The Fisherman's Wharf Calangute
Some places just stick with you.The Fisherman’s Wharf in Calangute (Goa) is one of those restaurants we keep coming back to and not by accident. We first discovered it during our first India trip in 2023/2024, when we spent a few days staying in Calangute at Hotel Renest (seems I have forgot to review it here)Back then we were exploring the area, trying different food spots, and The Fisherman’s Wharf instantly stood out, also it was closely located to our hotel.On our most recent trip, we once again made a stop at The Fisherman’s Wharf and this time it was perfectly timed.After spending a few hours shopping at our favorite boutique shop, Boutique Eternal, we were hungry, tired, and ready…
Week 43: Boring but Profitable — BMY Credit Spread Brings in $65 Options Premium
As of January 30, 2026, our covered-call stock portfolio has once again increased by +2.43% and closed at $11,050. For the first time, we’ve cracked the $11K milestone. Awesome. Interestingly, we kept activity minimal this week the only new trades were BMY credit spreads opened today. Despite that, the NVDA-centered portfolio is clearly outperforming the crypto portfolio, which suffered another sharp -30% drop this week. Definitely worth noting.This week, I also published an article explaining our NVDA strategy - you can read it here: How the NVDA Strategy Became the Backbone of Our Stock Portfolio.Our covered call portfolio is up 3.71% YTD, slightly outperforming the S&P 500…
Hiking to Turtle Lake: A Winter Trail in Tbilisi
Last Sunday we did a hiking trip to Turtle Lake, starting from the stairs on Polikarpe Kakabadze street. I’ve been a big fan of hiking in Tbilisi for a long time. More than ten years ago, we used to do hiking trips almost every weekend, something I’ve written about on the blog many times. Back then it was routine.Last chance workout on the trails around Turtle Lake before Tbilisi MarathonHiking trails near Turtle lake, Tbilisi in WinterRemote and Abandoned Hipster Party Place with Great views of Tbilisi (Hiking near Turtle Lake)and moreRecently we moved to a new apartment on Pavle Ingorovka Street, and from our window we can clearly see hiking trails cutting through the hills. That alone…
Week 42 / $107 Options Income From Rolling NVDA Credit Spreads During the Greenland Shock
As of January 23, 2026, our covered-call stock portfolio has dipped slightly by -0.43% and closed at $10,788.The previous week was highly turbulent. As the market opened on Tuesday, NVDA briefly dipped below my call strike levels. Given the elevated volatility, I decided not to wait and took an early roll, pushing the position several weeks (February 6) out to reduce near-term risk.Volatility remained elevated throughout the week and only began to ease after President Trump’s speech in Davos, which I followed closely on CNBC. Once he stated that no force was planned to be used regarding Greenland, both equity and crypto markets reacted positively and turned green again.That relief, however…
Week 41 / NVDA Credit Spread Strategy: 0.43% Weekly Return if Expires Worthless
Greetings from Tbilisi. After more than three weeks in India, we are finally back—welcomed by temperatures below 0°C and already missing Goa and its +31°C.Last week, we also held our annual office party (Caucasus Translations) at Babilo Music Hall, enjoying excellent Georgian cuisine, wine, and traditional Georgian dance. I skipped the food due to intermittent fasting (no eating after 14:00), but it was a great evening nonetheless.As of January 16, 2026, our covered-call stock portfolio has increased again by additional +1.71% and closed at $10,835.It has been an excellent start to 2026, and we are positioning for further growth while remaining cautious. A market correction around earnings…
Week 40 / NVDA Strategy, $65 Premium Income, and Margin Reduction
Greetings from Mumbai, India. For the past three years, we’ve spent our winter holidays in India, usually traveling to Goa via New Delhi. This time, however, we arrived and departed through Mumbai and had a few days to explore the city. I’m genuinely impressed. Mumbai is definitely a city where I could imagine living long-term. Beyond that, it stands out as one of Asia’s major financial centers.One thing that really stands out when traveling around India is the prevalence of billboards advertising investments in mutual funds. Likewise, when visiting libraries, it’s not uncommon to find educational books on options trading. This suggests that India’s retail financial markets are not only…
Week 39 / Road to $25K: Rolled Up and Forward NVDA Covered Call, Adjusted Credit Spread
Greetings from South Goa, Palolem Beach, India. I hope you had a great New Year’s party - we certainly did.As of January 2, 2026, our covered-call stock portfolio has decreased slightly by -0.84% and closed at $10,607. For the sake of transparency, it’s worth noting that the slight decline is due to USD/EUR exchange rate movements. The U.S. dollar appreciated modestly against the euro, which reduced the total value when expressed in EUR and back.This marks the first options week of 2026; however, all position adjustments were made back in 2025.One of our short- to medium-term goals is to grow the portfolio to $25k using options trading alone. With a systematic approach — and some…