INPUT ARTICLE: Article: There are a wide variety of places that sell alcohol. You can get what you need for your party at both online and in person at liquor stores, beer distributors, grocery stores, and some large retailers. Save money on your alcohol by comparing prices. Often, online retailers or wholesale stores have lower price points. Liquor stores and beer distributors may have more of a selection, but they may also be significantly more expensive. Cut costs where you can and splurge a bit on something special like a premium liquor or wine. Ask store personnel if they are willing to give you a deal. Explain that you will be buying a larger quantity of alcohol and were hoping to help the local economy by supporting the business. Find out if the vendor will refund you for unopened bottles. However, don't be too push negotiating prices or you might offend the store owner. Bring some friends or family members to help you carry your purchases. You may have people who don't consume alcohol and many guests may want something non-alcoholic in between drinks. Make sure to have either tap or bottled water available to your guests and an assortment of other options such as soda, juice, or tea. Recognize that you can use many non-alcoholic drinks as mixers with liquor. Remember that alcohol causes the body to dehydrate, which means that your guests need to drink water to replenish lost fluids. Encourage your guests to drink more than only alcohol. In addition to your non-alcoholic beverage drinkers, those guests having liquor may want something with which to make a mixed drink. Having a wide variety of mixer options will keep your guests happy and can also help save on alcohol. You may also want extras such as grenadine or Angostura bitters. Consider all or some of the following mixers for your party: Club soda or seltzer Tonic Ginger ale Cola Diet cola Lemon-lime soda Tomato juice Grapefruit juice Orange juice Cranberry juice Some people like a garnish with their mixed drinks and some guests drinking non-alcoholic beverages may also like them in their beverages. Garnishes are relatively cheap, so you can buy extras and use leftovers for other occasions. Figure on lemon, lime, and two each of following for each guest: olives, cherries, cocktail or Gibson onions. Every person has different tastes when it comes to alcohol. Some people like warm beer, while others like ice-cold beer. Some of your guests may like their mixed drinks on the rocks or non-alcoholic beverages with a few ice cubes. Plan on buying or making 1.5 pounds of ice per person. This will ensure that you have plenty of ice for drinks and any ice baths for wine or beer. Drinking alcohol on an empty stomach can result in sick guests. As host of a party with alcohol, serve fooda meal or finger foods-- alongside the alcohol. Have 5-6 choices of finger foods if your party takes place outside of a mealtime. Calculate 1-2 of each choice per guest. If it is during a mealtime, you'll need 8-10 foods. You'll need to figure on 2-3 of each choice per guest in this case. Think of the type of drinks you're serving to guide your food selections. For example, things like chicken wings, sliders, and pizza go well with beer. You could do cheese and arugula toasts with herb oil or tomato mozzarella skewers with wine. For liquors, you could do deviled eggs or a guacamole. Consider other options such as soups, tiny sandwiches, fruit squares, cut vegetables and dip, or meats such as salami. Make sure to add extras for hungry or larger men. Your guests won't be able to enjoy the drinks and food spread you provide if they don't have anything to drink them out of or off which to eat. Make sure you get plenty of cups, plates, utensils, and napkins for your guests. If you're using disposable or plastic utensils, plan to get extra in case people throw them away. For cups, have guests write their names on the cups so that they can continue to use them throughout the evening. Buy disposable bamboo utensils if you want to watch out for the environment. Often, bamboo options look nice than their plastic counterparts, though they may be more expensive. Make sure to have paper towels or cloth dishtowels on hand to clean up any spills or messes. You may also want to get tablecloths to protect any tables or other furniture from spills.

SUMMARY: Purchase your alcohol. Get non-alcoholic beverages. Provide mixers. Have plenty of garnishes. Cool off drinks with ice. Offer different foods. Get cups and utensils.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Seashells can either be gathered from the beach or purchased at a craft store, or you can buy synthetic or artificial shells. While artificial shells may not have the same natural appeal, they are better for the environment. Seashells play an important role in coastal ecosystems, and provide homes to algae, birds, and hermit crabs. Removing shells from the beach can have a detrimental impact on the creatures that rely on them. If you really want to collect your own shells, only take a couple from each beach, and never take shells from highly visited beaches where others are often collecting shells. Always inspect each shell to ensure a hermit crab hasn't claimed it for a home. Shells are also a byproduct of the fishing industry, and there are some shell suppliers that only obtain shells from these producers. Buying shells from these producers could have less of an impact than purchasing ones collected from beaches. Natural shells that are collected from the beach need to be cleaned to remove dirt, particles, odors, and bacteria. The most common way to clean shells is to soak them in a bleach and water solution: Fill a bowl with one part bleach and three parts water. Soak the shells for anywhere from 30 minutes to 24 hours, until the leathery coveringcalled the periostracumcomes off. When the shells are clean, use a soft cloth or soft-bristled toothbrush to give them a gentle scrub, then rinse them well with clean water. Allow the shells to dry. You don't actually have to do anything to preserve the shells, but if you want to enhance and protect their shine and luster, you can polish them with mineral oil. Use a lint-free cloth to rub a small amount of mineral oil over each shell, and gently polish the inside and outside. Since you'll be using the shells for jewelry, another option is to protect them with a thin coat of satin-finish polyurethane varnish. Apply a light layer of varnish to the inside and outside of the shells using a clean paintbrush. Allow the varnish to dry completely.

SUMMARY:
Obtain seashells. Clean the shells. Preserve the shells.