Hair:
Salon Podium. Sergei does a great hair cut for those with short hair (women included).
15 lari (yes, seriously, 15 in July 2012).
locations: There are two locations. I went to the downtown location, not the Vake location.
How to get there: Head down (street), towards the Casino....
Pedicure:
Salon Podium also does pedicures, manicures, etc. Pedicure was 27 lari in July 2012.
Massage:
Thai Massage Center: Tbilisi. Thai massage for 55 lari, relaxation massage for 60 lari. Email them to make a reservation. Thai owned (or so it appears) with English speaking Georgian working the desk. Cash only.
Address: Kostava 75/a
Note that to find them you need to go through an underpass into the residential area and walk back a couple of minutes. See map on backside of card (below).
Another Thai massage location: Next door to the Roman Catholic Church in Tbilisi's Old Town. Details to come.
Relaxation massage (Batumi):
Address: located across the street from the main covered fruit/vegetable market (that is behind the Roman Catholic church).
Grocery Stores:
Good Will (Tbilisi): Very large superstore - with food and lots of other stuff. Great to know about but there are a bunch of products I was looking for that I couldn't find. Example: there is no baking powder (as opposed to soda), brown rice, soba noodles, tortellini, ... In terms of non-food items, they sell bikes but no helmets. No reflective tape. Didn't have the special battery I needed.
Carrefore (Tbilisi): Located in Tbilisi Mall. Huge and awesome. Probably the best the selection of products in all Georgia. No metro service. Mall is in the north part of the city. Ask a taxi to take you to "Tbilisi mall" or "Tbilisi Mall-i".
Smart Market (Tbilisi): Located on Rustaveli next to Radison Blu. Good selection. Spice section is somewhat limited (and in Spanish).
Good Will (Batumi): Much, much smaller than the Tbilisi store. Has a more extensive line than a traditional Georgian store.
Willmart (Batumi): Better than Batumi's Goodwill. More products, larger store. Apparently prices are also slightly lower. There are a few products (like balsamic vinegar) that, interesting, Willmart doesn't have but Goodwill does.
Address:
How to get there:
Turkish Store (Batumi): Great store if you're looking for spices, chic peas, ayran or other dairy products. Plus a bunch of standard Georgian groceries.
Other Shopping: There is a new Tbilisi mall. It can be reached by taking the Metro to (stop) and then taking a bus. The mall is more empty than full at this point (July 2012) but it currently has a Clarks, Gap, and Banana Republic (if memory serves).
For shopping, also consider crossing into Turkey from Batumi. It's an easy day-trip from Batumi.
Restaurants in Batumi:
Press Cafe: Has wifi. A little pricey. Started by Peace Corps volunteer.
Cafe Literatura: Has wifi. A little pricey. Lobiani is good. A chain with a few locations in Tbilisi.
Piazza - Good Woman Pub
Piazza - other restaurant
Vinyl - next to Iranian embassy.
Blue restaurant on water.
Restaurants in Tbilisi:
Hangar Bar: One of the best sports bars in town. They serve breakfast all day.
Betsy's Hotel Pub: Very popular with Tbilsi's long-term expat community. Located up the hill from Rustaveli Metro. 32-34 Makashvili Street.
Cafe Gallery: Located a few minutes from Rustaveli Metro. Free wifi. Tasty food. Comfortable place to sit with a computer or book for several hours at time.
Tasty treats:
Pastry and baklava store in Turkish area of Batumi.
Trains:
You can purchase train tickets in Batumi at 5 General Mazniashvili St (between Melashvili and Abashidze). Bring a passport, even if it's a domestic train trip. (For train trips, bring your own food and water.)
Batumi Airport:
Warning: if you're ticket is from Hopa, you need to go to Hopa, Turkey to check in. A bus will bring you back to Batumi for the flight.
Bicycle shop:
Batumi - 59 and 61 Pushkin Street. There are two bike shops in Batumi on Pushkin street. I'm not sure which is which - 59 vs 61, but one has lots of spare parts, a few helmets, lights, tires, etc. They do not have reflective tape - I had that sent from home.
English language library:
Batumi library has an American corner. With free wifi. The book collection includes fiction, nonfiction, study guides, and TEFL materials. The DVD collection is mostly kids stuff, but there is some adult stuff also (mostly classics). If you're a local resident, you can get a card. A card allows you to check out books (fiction and nonfiction) and DVDs. Bring a passport to get a card.
How to cross into Turkey at Sarpi:
If you are an American, a visa will cost you $20 (90 day, multiple entry). If you are Canadian, it will cost you $60 USD. Bring your passport to the border at Sarpi, go through the line and eventually you'll be shooed to go purchase your visa (and return to have it inspected). Fairly easy process. The border also has a duty free and a Turkey cafeteria.
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