new backer reward - 6 pack case of tudor wines pinot noir

California Central Coast winemaker Dan Tudor came to the last minute backer rescue with a generous donation of (4) six-pack cases of his award-winning Pinot Noir. Each 6 pack case is available with a $250 pledge to The Global Citizen Project.

Here's what you get (one bottle of each):

• 05 Tudor Tondre' Vineyard Pinot Noir
• 05 Tudor SLH Pinot Noir
• 06 Tudor SLH Pinot Noir
• 06 Tudor Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
• 06 Tudor Sarmento Vineyard Pinot Noir
• 06 Tudor Balo Vineyard Pinot Noir

All the 06's received 90 to 93 point ratings in Wine Spectator, while the 05's got top scores from various other wine publications.

In an increasingly mechanized world, there are still a few handcrafted products that stand out. Fine wine is one of them.

At Tudor Wines, we select fruit from family-owned vineyards and transform it into wine using traditional techniques. These include small fermentations mixed by hand and aging in French barrels. The resulting wine has a purity of expression that cannot be duplicated on a larger scale.

The 2000 Tudor Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir was the inaugural release from Tudor Wines. By working closely with our family growers and winemaking staff, we made sure that low yields combined with maximum grape maturity produced wine with optimal flavor profiles - a balance of ripeness, acidity, and tannins.

- Dan and Christian Tudor

 You read tasting notes and accolades for Dan's wines on his website.

upping the reward ante

Hacienda Tres Rios Resort, Spa & Nature Park, Riviera Maya, México  has added (2) one hour massages to the already kick you-know-what two night, Endless Luxury, all-inclusive stay they donated. The value of the two night stay is $1440 without the two massages and it's available with a $695 pledge to The Global Citizen Project. Hello, deal! Here are the details about the stay - and yes, I've stayed here and can whole-heartedly recommend it.

Chef/owner Michael Jones of Cachagua General Store in Carmel Valley, CA has also thrown something pretty awesome into the reward mix. Michael has already pledged TGCP, rallied his entire family to pledge TGCP, rallied friends near and far to pledge TGCP and donated dinner for two at his restaurant. Tonight, he offered up dinner for two , including wine from Dan Lee of Morgan Winery fame for anyone who pledges $100 or more. If you can get to Carmel Valley, I cannot recommend Michael's restaurant enough. It's more than a meal - it's an experience, and if you're a foodie, one not to be missed. Here's everything you need to know about why the Store is my fave restaurant on the Monterey Peninsula - and well beyond the (831) area code.

Big huge thanks to Hacienda Tres Rios and Michael Jones for believing in my project and for sweetening some already sweets deals.

letter of recommendation

Charyn is an outstanding steward of community service in her provision of her gentle spirit, time and good will. I can't say enough to underscore the merits of Charyn's good intentions and capacity for volunteering. I happen to know first hand as I met Charyn when she was a volunteer at the Women's Cancer Resource Center in Berkeley, California in 2000.

I was the Volunteer Coordinator and interviewed Charyn to be of support to women with cancer. I quickly learned of Charyn's personal and intimate catalyst to the giving of her time in this specific field of cancer as her own mother died of cancer when Charyn was a teenager. Charyn was profoundly affected not only with grief, loss and a permanent altering of her family structure, but also because Charyn experienced first hand what it was like to witness and experience hardship. I feel this softened and carved out Charyn to the amazing women she is today. I also see it as a prominent presence behind her many acts of selfless giving - whether it be of her time, her compassionate nature, her exceptional skill and ability to capture the essence of life in the written word or with practical resources. While Charyn's resilient and committed nature has been partially affected by her personal experience, it certainly does not start or end there. Her commitment to volunteering is humbling - and something I have admired within Charyn since the day I met her 10 years ago.

Charyn has moved me to my core with her intention and passion to be of global service with The Global Citizen Project. It takes a very unique, courageous and phenomenal person with the mind, energy and gumption to take this on. Very few people I know could do it - but there is no doubt in my soul that Charyn is one.

I feel honoured to contribute what I can to support Charyn - and I hope you can as well. If it isn't me working alongside Charyn in this capacity, then the next logical step is to support of of the most kind hearted, committed and selfless woman that I know to make it happen.

Tammy Dyson, MSW, RSW
Vancouver, BC Canada

new backer reward - dinner for two at cachagua general store (carmel valley, ca)

Cachagua General Store is hands down my favorite restaurant/dining experience on the Monterey Peninsula. Open for dinner on Monday nights only, there a million reasons why I love Chef/owner Michael Jones, but his culinary rockstar skills and kick ass friendship top the list. (Our recent foodie tour de force of Seattle was an afternoon for the records.) It also doesn’t hurt that he put this super delish salad on the menu: Charyn’s Roast Baby Beet Salad with Coconut Chevre and Balsamic Reduction. Mmm…Michael has already pledged The Global Citizen Project and rallied several other donations from Carmel Valley and Philadelphia folks and also decided to offer dinner for two. He’s one heckuva cheerleader and I’m glad he’s on my team. If you know about Cachagua General Store, I know you love it, and if you don’t, I’d love to use this opportunity to turn you onto one of the best dining experiences you will ever have. Getting there is an adventure, but the reasonably priced wine list and menu that spans everything from Fresh Sardine Bocadillo with Mojito Mayonaisa and Mesquite Grilled DuRoc Farms Baby Back Pork Ribs to Micah’s Pizza with Crème Fraiche, Corralitos Ham, Carmelized Onions, Fresh Basil, Fresh and Domestic Mushrooms and Niman Ranch Lamb Chops with Mint Molé, as well as friendliest dining vibe you’ll ever find will make you an instant believer. Pinky swear.

Want to learn more about The Store? Read the reviews on Yelp or check out their Facebook Fan Page.

sue pledged. have you?

Big thanks to the travel writers who have pledged support to The Global Citizen Project - the latest being fellow Washingtonian, Sue Frause. We met a few years ago at Travel Media Showcase in Palm Springs, CA, and despite living in the same state the past year-and-a-half, have been unable to coordinate travel schedules until our paths crossed last month at the Alaska Media Road Show in Santa Barbara, CA. Maybe California is our preferred place of pow wow?

Anyway, Facebook and Twitter tend to be our communication methods of choice, but you can keep up with Sue's adventures via her two blogs: Closet Canuck and Travel Vivant: Aisle or Window?