Tony Loeb

🍸 Eitch Borromini, located in a building from the mid-17th century designed by Borromini, features a terrace called La Grande Bellezza, offering views of Rome's cityscape. The rooftop terrace is on the fifth floor of Palazzo Pamphilj and offers 360-degree views, including the famous four-river fountain by Bernini in Piazza Navona. The aperitivo tradition dates back to the 5th century BC, with vermouth invented in 1796 in Turin. Eitch Borromini, behind Piazza Navona, was built between 1654-1659 and offers rooms with various views and amenities, including Etro courtesy kits, minibars, free Wi-Fi, and Sky TV.

🌿 In a study by Varun Dwaraka and Christopher Gardner, published in BMC Medicine, involving 21 pairs of adult identical twins over eight weeks, a vegan diet was observed to reduce biological age estimates, compared to an omnivorous diet. The 77% female participants, with an average age of 40, showed benefits to heart, hormones, liver, inflammation, metabolic systems, and lost an average of two kilograms more than those on the omnivorous diet. Further research is needed to explore long-term effects and the relationship between diet, weight, and aging.

📊 Nestlé reported its first-half 2024 financial results showing a 2.1% organic growth. Real Internal Growth (RIG) was +0.1% in the first half and +2.2% in the second quarter, with price increases of 2.0%. Total reported revenue was 45.0 billion CHF, declining by 2.7% due to unfavorable exchange rates (-4.4%) and net divestitures (-0.4%). Underlying Trading Operating Profit (UTOP) margin expanded by 30 basis points to 17.4% reported, and 16.4% for Trading Operating Profit (TOP) margin. Underlying earnings per share grew by 3.3% at constant currency, with free cash flow reaching 4.0 billion CHF. Organic growth by region: Europe 4.5%, with price increases of 3.1%; North America showed consistent growth; Emerging Markets at 3.7%. Product category growth was led by Coffee, PetCare, Confectionery, Water, Infant Nutrition, Nestlé Health Science, Dairy, and Culinary. CEO Mark Schneider anticipates a minimum 3% organic sales growth and a mid-single-digit increase in underlying earnings per share for the full year 2024. Sustainability efforts include an income accelerator for cocoa farmers improving yields by 32% and family incomes by 38%, aiming to reach 30,000 families in

📊 June 2024 saw Italian shopping centers' revenue grow by 0.8% compared to June 2023, with first-semester figures almost aligning with the previous year (-0.9%). The Personal Care and Health sector rose by 8.1%, while Services increased slightly (+0.7%). Other sectors like Consumer Electronics and Culture, leisure, and gifts declined by 6.5% and 4.3%, respectively. June alone showed a 2.6% visitor increase, with a positive 12-month trend (+2.4% from July 2023 to June 2024).

💸 In July 2024, Italy saw a notable price increase in vacation-related services, with holiday villages, campsites, and hostels spiking by 18.6% monthly. National holiday packages increased by 14.5% in one month, reflecting high season demand. Annually, olive oil prices soared by 35.7% since July 2023, followed by national holiday packages at 29.9%. Sound and image recording media climbed by 19%, while pools, passenger rail transport, amusement parks, and sports events each grew by 8.1%. Accommodations unrelated to vacations, like university housing, rose by 7.2%. Source: Unione Nazionale Consumatori, ISTAT data.