Let's Talk Oral Hygiene...

{What's your nightly oral hygiene routine?}

I go to the dentist about every 5 months for a cleaning (which in my opinion is definitely more than others who narrow it down to every 9 months or even every few years!). I don't usually get cavities, but I am constantly being yelled at for not flossing!

I hate flossing. I bought a Sonicare toothbrush because I read that it if you brush with a Sonicare you don't need to floss (not just for the bright white smile that comes with it).

However - did you know that bacteria starts to build up after only 24 hours? If you floss daily, you don't need to worry about the bacteria that makes gums sensitive and leads to gum disease and even tooth loss. Time to pick up the flossing... daily.

How often do you floss? What's your daily tooth-brushing routine? I definitely would love to know. Visiting my dentist today really doesn't help my OOCD (oral obsessive compulsive disorder).

Weekend Wrap-Up: Happy Birthday Dad!

{Roasted bone marrow with croutons and a parsley salad}

Today is my lovely father's 55th birthday. Not only does the man not look a day over 40, but also he is one of the most caring, loving fathers out of anyone I know. Okay, I'm a little biased - but he really is one of the most awesome dads in the world. Ask my friends. He also is one of the most humble people I know - he insists that instead of taking him out to a fancy restaurant, that my sister and I cook a "low maintenance, home made meal." Of course since he is so special to us, we find ways to spruce up the annual birthday dinner. This year with roasted bone marrow, pork with a white wine cream sauce, white wine risotto, and garlic haricots verts.

 It may be one of the best meals that we ever threw together (and I may or may not have thrown in some cute pictures of my dad from childhood until now)...

Lovers in Japan (Coldplay at the Hollywood Bowl)

{Coldplay at the Hollywood Bowl}

Well, well,  here we are again at yet another spectacular spectacular Coldplay concert. This past Tuesday I was lucky enough to visit the Hollywood Bowl with three of my friends and boyfriend in tow. A magical night of miracles where we barely made the Hollywood and Highland shuttle, and where we were able to picnic on not one, not two, but three bottles of wine (okay it was more like 3 mondo-bottles...), endless Brie and baguettes, cured meats, hummus, and my famous broccoli pasta salad.

10 Reasons Not to Hate Twitter (And Why You Should Embrace It)

It's time to get on the Twitter train.

For the life of me I still cannot get some of my friends to get a Twitter account. No matter how I coax them, or show them how I stay ahead of the curve with my news and gossip, they still think it's creepy that I have so many "random people" following me. So to all of you Twitter haters out there here are my 10 reasons not to hate Twitter.

Get Baked (Goods, that is)

{Best Cookbooks for Baked Goods}

Since trying to minimize my intake of complex carbohydrates, the cravings have started, and Pinterest is not helping the temptation. Today I came across this article on Bakerella which counts down the top cookbooks that you need to read if you love sweets. Oddly enough, I don't usually crave sweets (until I cut them out of my life completely).

I have to admit the ones that I'm looking forward to reading the most are Les Petits Macarons and Tartine Bread - but there I go again, showing off with my obsession with France. So go on - get baked (goods).

The Perfect Martini (Shaken not Stirred)

{The perfect martini is very dirty}

Firstly, here are my three requisites for the perfect martini: (1) it has to be extremely olivey and briney, (2) it has to be shaken, not stirred, (3) it has to be gin. Any other type of martini is just a slap in the face to any martini ever.

Secondly, if you follow me on instagram (@amyturman), you will think I'm a 100% alcoholic because I post a lot of photos of what I may or may not be drinking. Can you really have a social night without having a cocktail?

Thirdly, Grandma would be proud, yes she would. If I could describe her in one sentence: Grandma is a woman who has a gin on the rocks (with extra olives for me to eat) every night and a fantastic sense of humor. She's not just a gin fan; she's a Beefeater gin fan. Now Beefeater may be the Smirnoff of all gins, but I don't care. I still believe that Beefeater dirty martinis with 6 olives makes the perfect pick me up (or dinner).

Here's my recipe for the perfect dirty gin martini:

3 oz gin (Beefeater gin is just splendid, but Hendrick's makes for a fancier martini)

1/2 oz extra dry vermouth

1/2 oz olive juice

6 Spanish olives

Step one, eat one of the olives (you'll be eyeing them and fishing for them with your fingers out of your martini if you don't give in and eat one now). Step two, add the vermouth, gin, and olive juice into a shaker with a bunch of ice. Step three, shake your ingredients together like there's no tomorrow. The ice will melt due to friction and will semi-dilute your martini and make it less strong. Strain it into your martini glass and plop in the olives.

If your martini isn't cloudy, it isn't dirty enough. The dirtier the better. It should be salty, briney and fully satisfying.

{The culprits: gin, vermouth and olives - clearly running out of gin}