Feed a Hungry Belly

For once, I’m not referring to my own. This month, Alder at Vinography has invited me to participate in the 3rd annual Menu for Hope campaign, a virtual raffle featuring very real and very fabulous prizes from food (and drink) bloggers all over the world, which will be held from December 11 - 22. All the proceeds will be donated to the United Nation’s World Food Program. Last year, the event raised over $17,000 for UNICEF, and we’re hoping to exceed that amount this year. Tickets are a mere $10 (about 1100 yen), and there is a bounty of booty to choose from. Wait! Don’t be put off by the word raffle – t-shirts exhorting you to “Belize it or not” and lawn gnomes that crimp your style and haunt your dreams are not among the offerings. No, no, this is stuff you actually want: booze.

I’m an accommodating sort, so I’ll give you the choice of, not one, but two prizes.


A) You will receive, by mail, two cups (180ml each) of premium sake unavailable outside of Japan. Tell me about your preferences, and I’ll fix you up with summin’ real nice.

If you live pretty much anywhere outside of Japan, it would cost a minimum of $600 to get here. Think of the tremendous savings!

B) Coming to Tokyo? Wanna try some sake? Let me be your guide. I may not be fluent in Japanese, but you’ll be amazed at how well I navigate a menu. I’ll even supply the two drinks you forsook in choice A.

If you don’t speak any Japanese, it would cost at least $400 worth of lessons to order sake at a bar. Think of the tremendous savings!

For a chance to win one of these tempting prizes, make your donation lickety-split and type in my code, WB11. Remember to get your ticket by December 22nd (or early 23rd, Tokyo time). If you win, let me know which prize you want via email.

Okay, so maybe sake’s not your thing. I’ll try to understand. But you like wine, right? Go to Vinographyto check out the 20+ wine-specific prizes available.

What’s that I hear? You’re a teetotaler? Oh, my. But surely you must eat? There’s bound to be a foodie prize for you over at Chez Pim.

Here's what you should do...

1. Go to the donation page.

2. Make a donation. Each $10 will give you one raffle ticket toward a prize of your choice. Please specify which prize or prizes you'd like in the 'Personal Message' section in the donation form when confirming your donation. This is very important. Do tell us how many tickets you want to allocate per prize, and please use the prize code For example, a donation of $50 can be 2 tickets for UW01 and 3 for UW02.

3. If your company matches your charity donation, please remember to check the box and fill in the information so we can claim the corporate match.

4. Please also check the box to allow us to see your email address so that we could contact you in case you win. Your email address will not be shared with anyone.

5. Check back on Chez Pim on January 15 when we announce the result of the raffle.

Y'all know that abject begging’s exactly not my style, but please, please, please buy a raffle ticket! For me! For the children! Do something good for humanity AND get a buzz at the same time. Did I mention it’s tax deductible? If ever I heard 3 good reasons to give, them’s it.