back from blog paradise

Blog Paradise at CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa was a blast. If you were following along on Twitter, I'm pretty sure I (and the eight other bloggers) kept you more than in the loop. Expect a few recaps/posts and photos in the coming days (the hotel is very involved with local community efforts, which really impressed me). A quickie trip south of the border was exactly the 72-hour respite this Vitamin D deficient gal needed right before the holidays.

In other news, The Global Citizen Project broke the $2,500 mark last night with a pledge from Matt Villano. Matt is a dear writer friend of mine, sometimes collaborator and constant source of friendship, laughs and inspiration. Thank you, MJV! So far, $2,506 (or 13% of the $20K goal) has been pledged. I still need your help to meet my goal by February 22, 2010. If the goal isn't met, The Global Citizen Project will not happen, and well, I simply can't imagine 2010 without embarking on this volunteer tour de force. Please pledge whatever you can -- every single dollar helps. I'm also in need to donations for backer rewards and open to any creative collaborations, so if you like what I'm trying to accomplish with The Global Citizen Project, let's talk and find a way to work with each other. I'm in total team-player mode.

Coming up on the media front: I just completed interviews with Lisa Rogak, New York Times bestseller author of Barack Obama in His Own Words and fave online travel magazine, Matador Network. I don't have confirmed run dates quite yet, but promise to post links upon cyber publication. Thanks in advance to Lisa and Julie for helping to spread the word about The Global Citizen Project.

I hope everyone is finding time to breathe this week. I rang the week/Winter Solstice with a most relaxing Monday afternoon filled with hot cocoa and conversation, followed by cocktails and sweeping Seattle city views from the 28th floor of Renaissance Seattle Hotel. Pretty much anything is possible after that.

next week: i'm a blogger in a paradise

TwI have some non-The Global Citizen Project related, but still very cool news. This past week, I was selected as one of “Nine Bloggers in Paradise,” thanks to the brilliant marketing minds behind Paradise by Marriott (@diamondpr). Paradise by Marriott has seven properties throughout the Caribbean and Mexico and effective Wednesday afternoon, I will swap my Smart Wool socks for warm, toasty sand and SPF (the high temperature today in Seattle was 38F˚) and blog from CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa. I haven’t received my itinerary quite yet, but have been told that my 3-night/4-day south of the border stay includes a tequila tasting guided by a sommelier-esque expert, early morning whale watching (‘tis the season), dinner at the chef’s table, a spa treatment at the hotel’s brand new 21,000 sq. ft. spa (I’m no size queen, but that is huge in spa speak) and oh yes, plenty of time to soak up some sorely missed Vitamin D. Big thanks to Marriott Resort for saving me, at least for a brief respite, from Seattle's wintery weather. Whew.

I promise I’ll continue to blog about every new development on The Global Citizen Project scene, but if you’re so inclined to play travel voyeur (or maybe just need some vicarious cyber sun), follow the adventures of all nine bloggers at #blogparadise on Twitter. Of course, you know where to find me on Twitter (@global_gourmet).