Appetizer: LifeStraw

Feast your eyes, blog-goers. Today's platter is a serving of utter genius.

The LifeStraw is honestly one of the best finds I've happened upon in a long time. According to a study the World Health Organization conducted in 2007, 1.1 billion people lack access to clean drinking water. Save for food itself, water is the substance most necessary for human survival. This is appaling.

However, the folks at Vestergaard Frandsen have come up with a brilliant solution.
It's caled the LifeStraw, and it can provide a year's supply of relatively clean water for only $3.75.

Below is a Wiki page with more information on the LifeStraw:
http://lifestraw.wikispaces.com/

Essentially, the device functions like a normal straw would but contains several filters that rid the water of sediment, bacteria, and diseases such as diarrhea.

Note that none of this requires electricity. The LifeStraw is low-tech, simple, and therefore is both affordable and sustainable.

Unfortunately, the LifeStraw is not sold on a retail basis in North America; however, it is sold on wholesale basis. I would like to garner enough support to make a wholesale order. If you are intersted in contributing, email me at angelica.lasala@yahoo.com, or comment on here with your email address.

Appetizer: Lip Scrubs by Lush

Disclaimer: The below is not by any means astute. Long story short? I went with my mom to Macy's. This post is junk food for the erudite, but hey, summer break is upon us. There will be insightful jargon again soon, rest assured.

It's rare for me to splurge. Lush is the grand exception.
That said, today's joyous morsel is a little something called a "lip scrub" -
essentially, it's a sugar scrub that serves as lip balm.

http://www.lushusa.com/shop/products/face/lip-balms-and-scrubs/sweet-lips

The above is a link to my personal favorite flavor. It tastes like vanilla and chocolate.
Kind of expensive at $8.50; but, your lips won't be chapped, and these do wonders at curing the sugar fix. Mmm. Bon Apetit.

Small Talk: Creative Writing Marathon 5/28/2010

We pulled a Thoreau and wrote amidst the greenery of our school grounds - the event was dubbed "The Writing Marathon." Creative writing class, I will miss you dearly. Below is the result.

I.
Pine cones make a Fibonacci sequence.
God would get along with Mr. Doll just fine.
1=1, 1+1=2, 2+1=3, 3+2=5, 5+3=8, 8+5=13...
Remember, however, that you only need one seed to yield a tree.

II.
The juxtaposition of grass and turf fields is funny,
and I wonder what team Mother Nature thinks we're on.
I'll argue that the turf boasts more blood and sweat
and is therefore more alive.

III.
There is a spot behind our school that says "Little House on The Prairie" louder than it says "Hinsdale."
Think plant stalks taller than you are. Think ground that isn't perfectly level.
Think, thank God for this oasis within a Starbucks wasteland.
Don't pick at the leaves,
and leave your gift card at home.

Small Talk: Long Walks, Commencement

Thursday, May 27, 2010.
Hinsdale Central High School's Seniors graduated today,
and therein lies a tale.

I. The Long Walk

My best friend and I decided to walk to another friend's house before graduation.
The trek was over two miles long.
The talk began as most pseudo-sister discourse goes
(think: colleges and men and all that is wonderful about both),
and then we decided to sit in the grass,
looking like perfect hitchhiker prostitutes
as I checked my aesthetic in the reflection of my DSLR's screen
(something I evidently overlooked when leaving the house)
on the side of the road.

I wonder whether or not anyone would stop for us
if we put our thumbs up.

II. Commencement

I enjoy spectating commencement ceremonies for two reasons.

The first is the hedonistic joy of learning friends' embarrassing middle names,
or which "Jacks" are really "Johns,"
and how many generations along.
The second is the congratulating part.
Plan of attack is as follows -

Flood the field. Walk around. Find someone you know. Give them your blessing. They will either hug you or give you a handshake. Hold on tightly to the ones that do the prior.

III. Epilogue

Congrats to all you 2010 Red Devils. Carry on, good folk, and always stay red.

Appetizer: Everland, Paris and Sala Silvergruva, Sweden

I took the day off from school today,
seeing as I wasn't feeling well.
I slept in until 1PM but don't remember
dreaming anything.

This is the part of the story
during which I allow StumbleUpon
to do the dreaming for me.

Search Inquiry: Hotels

Arguably my favorite topic on the site
(perhaps second to writing).

It led me here:
http://www.everland.ch/en/panos/

The Everland Hotel in Paris.
It's only one room,
and they've changed the location of it
a couple of times.
Take a look at the view.

and here:
http://mlmcored.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/a96696_a457_salasilver2.jpg

Sala Silvergruva, Sweden.
Also only one room.
It's literally situated in a silver mine.
Think Phantom of the Opera.
I've always wanted to live in a cave.

Viva la daydream.

Le Intro

Nice to meet you, internet spectator.
The name's Angelica,
the nickname's Gel,
and the pseudonym's Your Alter Ego.

I give a good handshake,
and I lament for both our sakes
that the World Wide Web
is not so multi-sensory.

I was inspired by a certain Mel to
create a blog.
And whaddya know.

So, here we are.
I'm new to this.
I'm awkward at this.
I like food.

Let's start there.
Yeah, that's a great place to start.

Which brings us to...
(drum roll please)
this blog's title -
Hors d'œuvres: Your Daily Appetizer

By definition,
Hors d'œuvres are
bite-sized morsels of flavor
that precede a dinner's main course
(and oftentimes taste even better).
They're served at cocktail parties, too.
Mmm.

Funny.
Life's kind of a party, too.
Let's call teenagedom
(la juventud, if you will)
cocktail hour.

Crowd-noise-and-lounge-music-social hour.
Sweaty-palms-and-Arnold-Palmer hour.
Your-eyeliner-looks-freshest-now hour.

Take a bite and take a picture.

This is the blog's goal.
To document the small talk
(how about them Hawks)
and bestow upon you tiny remnants of
awesome,
on wholesale toothpicks.

Consider the world a limitless platter;
I'll try to point out what's good.

Feel free to tip the waitress.