How He Loves

I don't think I've ever gotten on this blog and shared any religious views. If I was diligent, I could look back into the archives and find out... but you know that's not my style. My style is more of avoiding the subject here in fear that I'll offend someone just for typing the word God in caps.

Anyway, my very good friend Matt, married to Megan who writes A Day with the Demos, shared a video with me, and I thought I would pass it on.

I have to warn you... it's emotional. I welled up a bit while watching it at work. I was overwhelmed by this guy's description of God's love for us...for me. When you realize just how much someone, namely God, loves you it demands a response. Mine was tears.

How can a God love me so much when I'm such a mess 99.9% of my day? How does Courtney even love me? She is not God (I assure you she isn't, but she IS totally awesome in every way) and therefore must struggle with loving me on a regular basis. It blows my mind.

The answer of course is that it comes from God and thus is pretty much a requirement that it blows our minds. And today, I was overwhelmed by just scratching the surface of God's love for me. He loves me even when I'm completely terrible and angry at Him and don't understand Him or His way. Which, I have to be honest, is my favorite thing about God. I hope it blew your mind too.

Here's the full song if you want to listen to it:

Your love is (barely) better than ice cream...

The week wouldn't be complete here at Bowdenisms without a post about some sort of ice creamy treat. Those of you that were worried about getting your virtual sugar fix, fear not....we are here for you. We were in Columbus last weekend, and after gorging ourselves on hot dogs (more on that later), I dragged the family out for ice cream. Apparently I’m a little late to the gourmet ice cream party, because they all knew about the cutest little place, that I had never heard of: Jeni’s. How, oh, HOW have I gone this long without some Jeni in my life?? Before we even get to the ice cream (can’t have you getting all distracted due to a sugar buzz)...allow me to show you around....


They have fabric bunting hanging from the ceiling:

Milk bottle style light fixtures:

Fun handmade marketing:

And chalkboards:

Are you dying already?? As if that wasn’t enough- they actually sell ice cream. I know!! Get out!!


Lots and lots of fresh, interesting, pure, local, quirky, DELICIOUS ice cream...

I got Riesling Poached Pear Sorbet, and Lemon Blueberry Yogurt.

Dustin got Bangkok Peanut and Gravel Road (salted caramel with smoked almonds) ice cream.

There really are no words to describe how good it is. After trying a bite, I declared it the best thing I've ever eaten and asked if they could make me a bed out of pear sorbet, so I could eat it and dream at the same time. (this was after I asked for a taste test of approximately 12 flavors. I eventually apologized for being so greedy, and the "scooper girl" reassured me "That's the best part about coming to Jeni's!" Love. this. place.)

If you're within driving distance (and Pittsburgh totally counts!) go now. It's seriously that good.

P.s. Just for fun, I've been adding any of our restaurant reviews to Urban Spoon. And for verification purposes, they require me to tell you "Urbanspoon Rocks". Our reviews are all on Bowdenisms of course, but you can also see them at our site here.

Ninjas are Awesome!

Duh!

Everyone knows that ninjas are awesome! See here to verify.

But I'm not talking about that kind of ninja. I'm talking about this:Allow me to introduce you to the Ninja. It slices...it dices.. and...it's super easy to clean!

Courtney bought it and I use it everyday. Seriously... everyday. Most days I just make protein shakes in the morning and you would think that with my limited creative abilities that I would pretty much stick to that style of cuisine, but no! I have branched out to other items such as:

Salsa!

(pictures by Courtney Bowden... isn't she good?)

Guacamole!
(mmmm... tasty!)

It was delicious if i do say so myself! I grilled some chicken, green peppers and purple onion (peppers and onion provided by the CSA) using a Chimichurri sauce recipe as a marinade (also made in the Ninja) and then grilled tortillas to make quesadillas!

(stop drooling on your keyboard!)

So, if you're hungry and like things chopped really quickly and really tiny, then come on over for some Ninja cuisine while it's still summer!

Seriously... come over. Courtney is away in Nantucket for business. Hence, you're stuck with me as your blogger.

Craigslist Countrified

On Saturday, Dustin and I went on another Craigslist adventure (yes...I’m pretty much obsessed. But, I limit my searches to furniture, and stay out of the “encounters” section. Sketchy!) This time, the item of choice was a new console cabinet for our TV. (you know...the one we’re not watching...) Great news is it was antique, solid wood, and only $15. Bad news is we had to pick it up an hour away. But we decided to make a day of it, so we headed out into the Mon Valley (otherwise known as the country.)

Our first stop was in Charleroi to browse some antique stores. We found a fun store called Tim’s Secret Treasures. It pretty much looked like an episode of hoarders....just without the health code violations. The amount of stuff he had was unbelievable! But this “treasure” was by far my favorite:

If you are in the market (why did I say if?) for a giant plaster rooster wearing a Big Ben jersey then you are in LUCK!

We stopped by another store, but then had to skeedaddle (that’s MonValley talk for leave) to make it to the Army Surplus Store. It was a trip for work, but Dustin and I had fun browsing the aisles. (I really wanted a giant tent...we could have sleepovers in the backyard!)

From there we ventured to Brownsville to pick up with our Craigslist purchase. It was then that we encountered the perfect storm of navigation: a confusing road name (how many East National Pikes could there be? Plus an "old" one?), a missing GPS (it accidentally went home with my mom's car), and a bridge renovation. After crossing the same bridge three times, passing a horse and buggie parade (not lying) we finally got accurate directions, and ended at our desination....conveniently located before bridge. But we made it, and the seller was very nice- even if he didn't have exact change.

So we swapped $20 for the old console and headed off again, chancing our direction handicap to try a local cafe. We should have guessed that it would be an extremely small town joint- in that the chef/owner also lived on the premises. But regardless, it was delicious, and they even made their own desserts (and wedding cakes!) Of course I had to get a treat to go....

So that's how we spent last weekend....Oh- and the topper was that on Sunday night, Dustin and his friend Sean got the record player going (we plan on removing it to make room for all our stuff, but still...kinda cool.) And if some Christmas music isn't enough for you, as an extra special bonus, you can see Meg accidentally hit on my husband at the end....

craigslist console from Courtney Bowden on Vimeo.

Tiny Luxuries

When people find out I work in fashion, I think they're often surprised (and maybe disappointed) that I don't have a more impressive wardrobe. Now, don't get me wrong, I really do have tons of clothes, but I'm not into designer labels, premium denim, or iconic shoe collections. Instead, I have about a billion t-shirts, ten pairs of old jeans that only *kind of* fit, and a couple of solid pairs of flip flops that I've worn (literally) into the ground. I'm just a comfy kind of girl....and though I often fall in love with certain pieces, I rarely can bring myself to spend a substantial amount of money on clothes. But- before anyone attempts to run me out of the industry- allow me to defend my sartorial honor....there is in fact at least one superficial staple that I am powerless to resist.

And that, my color loving friends, is nail polish.

Now, I know, nail polish doesn't exactly count as fashion, but the worlds of beauty and fashion are intertwined, and I like to consider my brightly hued tips an important part of one of my favorite categories of life: accessories!! I may not always spring for a new dress or sweater, but good gracious, if there's a chunky necklace, a bold ring, or a ruffled scarf in the vicinity, hide your pocketbooks, I can't be trusted.

I pretty much can't drive by an Ulta without venturing in to see the new color collections....and with a five dollar off coupon....who can blame me for springing for a couple of new additions? I've recently realized it's gotten a little out of control (realized is obviously code for Dustin told me so) so I decided to take an inventory. I lined everything up according to color, and oh if that didn't make my heart go pitter pat.....

Now you might think that seeing them all together like this might make me say- "Yep. We're all set here for a bit." But if you think that, you're clearly not a girl. In fact, if you think that was the realization I came to...you might not even know any girls. Nay, all this project did was show me the voids in the collection- there's so many shades I still don't have represented! There is clear justification for more!!

But the good news is, as pointless obsessions go, this one is pretty harmless, and relatively cheap. Averaging around $5 a pop, it's an affordable little luxury that I can occasionally "splurge on" and not break the bank. Gotta love that!

So in the interest of sharing...allow me to introduce you to some of my current faves:

Top Row: Electric Pink, Classic Navy, Wet Cement, Lively Lilac
Bottom Row: What’s with the Cattitude?, Mint Candy Apple, Gold Get ‘Em, Space Cadet

(p.s. I lost my bottle of Space Cadet- ironic I know-
so if it's at your house, can you kindly return it?)

I know my picks are a little heavy on the blue....but I'm just in a bluesy kind of mood lately (in the best way possible.) I love the way the occasional glimpse of a bright pop, or a quirky color, during a mundane workday can bring a little bit of joy into the monotony of typing, driving, and cleaning. If you haven't ventured out of the pink & red safety zone- let me encourage you- I've gotten nothing but compliments on everything I've tried (even the really out-there choices). And a quick coat of paint is one of the easiest ways to try colors and trends that might feel too risky in a larger statement or more permanent investment.

For more nail fun, check out:
All Lacquered Up (this girl has me beat. By a gajillion.)
The Daily Nail.
Instyle's 15 Best Summer Shades.

So what about you? Do you have guilty pleasure or affordable luxury that you can't seem to pass up?

Ooops I did it again. (and again)...

I might be single-handedly keeping this place in business.

(except for the fact that there is a line out the door every time we go there....turns out a LOT of people are keeping it in business.)


How does it get more delicious every time ? (I think it may have something to do with the addition of chocolate sauce. Good choices). I almost went twice yesterday. Almost.

I think we’re going to give up on remodeling the nook, and just stick some fro-yo machines in there. Between that and the gumball machine I could probably afford to quit my job.

Game, Set, Match.

There's something I have to tell you. Something pretty important. Something that could potentially change our relationship....but I hope you can look past it, and just treat me like the same old Courtney you've always known (and loved).

I am a former Ping Pong Champion...specifically:
Heritage Middle School's Seventh Grade Gym Class Table Tennis Tournament Winner 1997.

Now, I probably should have told you, but I just wanted us to have a normal friendship. No autographs, no constant pestering about the glory days, no question of "do they like me for me? Or is all because of my super-human talent?" It's simpler for me to forget about the fame, and just lead a regular humble life.

But that doesn't mean I ever forgot the thrill of the table tennis world. The smooth handle of a paddle in my hand. The sweet sound of "ping", "pong" in my ears. In fact, I couldn't listen to Enrique Iglesias's Do You Know? without longing for my sport. A life without ping-pong is one thing, but giving up Enrique? That's just too much

So I attempted to revisit the joys of my childhood by purchasing a table from Craiglist. The seller- Shirley- was about the sweetest old thing you could ever meet. She and her husband purchased the table brand new (she claims in the early 70's, but I think it might be closer to the 50's. I mean...look at the box....and the typewriter printed instructions):



Either way, that is some official stuff. In her email to me, she gave me advice on pick up:

Heavy. Truck needed to move it plus some sturdy guys to take it out of the basement.

Dustin and I took that to mean:

Not that heavy. You and your husband should have no problem dragging it up

the basement steps, and strapping it to the roof of your car.

So after paying the kind woman $25, (probably the exact amount she originally paid), turning down her generous offer of home-grown tomatoes, but accepting the free chocolates she hid in the paddle box for us (what's with grandparents pushing candy?) that's exactly what we did.

We actually did it with little bickering, and no injuries. (For what it's worth, Shirley remembers bringing the table home with her husband, and said navigating the basement stairs involved some "choice words" on their part.

But we made it all the way home, without incident. After one full basement clean out (thank you Dustin!) plus a little assembly time, we were in business.

We celebrated our new purchase with an inaugural game. Dustin of course, knew he would have to bring his A-game to compete with such a legend. And I, being the true competitor that I am, couldn't allow myself to go easy on him. We faced off, and the memories came flooding back. The swift "crack" of the paddle on a strong serve...the thrill of landing a spin-shot right off the corner...points racking up, an imaginary basement audience cheering as my paddle almost invisibly darted left-right-left-right....I could almost taste the sweetness of victory after all these years.....Game point.....the suspense.....



He won 21-11.



I hang my head in washed-up shame (and contend that the sun was in my eyes).

Rockhouse of Love

Each year for our anniversary, Dustin and I try to plan some sort of trip to celebrate another year of wedded bliss....Last year we went out west, on what we now consider the trip of a lifetime. (If you want to live vicariously...you can check that out in the archives) So we've set the bar pretty high for memory making, and there was a bit of pressure to make this year...our fifth year even more special. We kicked around pretty much every idea possible- Puerto Rico? California? Fiji? Montana? But we just couldn't find the perfect trip that fit our desires, our timeline and of course, our (small) budget.

Truth be told, as much as I LOVE going on vacation, I hate planning it. Hate researching hotels, and flights, and restaurants and activities. Endlessly comparing one place to another, this plan to that plan, all inclusive vs. a la cart. The options are overwhelming, and the limits are frustrating. (If only you could just hire someone to do this all for you. They could like, an agent....of travel. Could be genius!) Each time we thought we landed on something, we'd hit a roadblock, and have to start from scratch. All this work, all this time, all this effort...just to relax. Oh, the never ending irony of my type-A, perpetually internally conflicted existence.

But then....we found it. The one. The place. Our place.

I give you: The Rockhouse Hotel, Negril, Jamaica.

I've never in my life even thought about going to Jamaica. It's not that I didn't want to go, it's just wasn't ever really on my list. In some ways it reminds me of meeting the man I now call my husband. I assure you, at nineteen years old, I didn't set out for a month of volunteer service at YL camp because I was looking for a husband. That thought wasn't even on my radar. But then I saw him. And it all changed.

But that is another story for another day. For now, I have fallen in love. Again. Love at first sight, and the object of my affection is this:

For some reason, The Rockhouse kept appearing before me, even when I wasn't looking. I saw pictures in magazines, and on blogs. As I flipped through a copy of GQ on a trip to Columbus, I saw that photo of the bridge, and I off-handedly remarked to Dustin- "There. Take me there."

As we continued our search, I couldn't get this place out of my mind. We debated, agonized and number-crunched, but the most simple thought in my heart was "There. Take me there." And so he will.

I can't wait.

From Budget Travel:

The Rockhouse Hotel, in Negril, Jamaica, sits atop limestone cliffs overlooking the coral reefs of Pristine Cove and the surreally blue waters of the Caribbean Sea. Winding passageways shaped from hand-cut stone bring guests to a 60-foot-long infinity pool located near Jamaica's westernmost point—when there's no cloud cover (and there usually isn't), sunsets are spectacular. The hotel's two restaurants serve modern interpretations of classic Jamaican cooking at tables on a balcony hanging over the cove. In the new on-site spa, try the Ultimate Coffee Scrub, which blends pinches of orange, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and brown sugar with beans from Jamaica's own Blue Mountain Coffee for an invigorating rubdown.Upgrade worthy: For the utmost in seclusion, spring for the thatched-roof villas near the edge of the cove, which have wraparound decks, private enclosed outdoor showers, and rock staircases leading to the water below.

From GQ:
Negril is known for its beach—a seven-mile stretch of white sand—but the Jamaican coast gets rocky as you go west, and perched over the water, on the western 'cliff side' of the island, is the Rockhouse. I've been going to the Rockhouse for ten years; I brought my wife on her first trip to Jamaica, and she fell in love…The Rockhouse has this great vibe, which I'm a little biased about, because I think Jamaica is about the food, and the music, and the culture, and this incredibly relaxed feeling that sets in while you're there. And the Rockhouse is the perfect place to bring that girl you want to take somewhere, because it has all the trappings—thatched-roof bungalows that feel like French Polynesia, fishermen who bring fresh fish right up to the restaurant, a fantastic bar. It's just paradise, and you'll feel like the two of you are far, far from the rest of the world. The water is pristine, and it's the best sunset you can find in Jamaica—full stop. I'll put it this way: It's my favorite place in the world.

Animal House

Look who just moved in!



He is a quiet little fellow, but is not without his quirks: Loves cool, dark climates, and has an insatiable appetite for butter.The Bowden menagerie is more than happy to have him. Welcome to the family little guy!

Remember When?: Crossfit Regionals

Once upon a time I used to work out. At this place called Crossfit. I even liked it! I talked it up, and invited my friends, and had lofty goals, and then....then....I stopped going. Work got crazy (excuse!), I got too busy and tired for the new 5AM class (excuse!) and eventually I got chubby and lazy and couldn't even fathom dragging my jabba-like self to the gym, (truth!) let alone getting through a whole workout.

But let's not talk about that. Instead....let's look back on happier, skinnier, times. Way back in May, when we attended The Crossfit Games Regional Competition. Perhaps the memories will spur me to action. Or at least steer me away from the Klondike bars.

Two ruthless competitors, and one in the making.

It's all smiles when you just have to watch people climb the hill of death.

See? They encouraged my downfall.

Blake's magic shoes look even more magical with over-dramatic Photoshop effects!

Does it look cold? Oh, was it cold.

He may have broken an ankle, but his spirit was intact 'til the end.

It's like a really tough comic strip.

Whoa, I almost didn't even see you there.

What the weekend was really all about.

Crossfit, Bitchez.

(I'm sorry...the photo spoke to me, and that's what it said.)

Veggie-tales

This Summer, Dustin and I signed up for a Community Supported Agriculture share (a CSA for those of you into abbrevs.) We put our little veggie toes in the water, and went with a half a small, which means that every other Wednesday, the good people of Kretschmann Organic Farm drop off a crate of fresh, locally grown produce, at a nearby house. We just have to swing by before nightfall, transfer the goodies to a bag, and we're on our way to healthy meals! Perfect! Right?

Well, in true Bowden fashion, we've managed to take a very easy process, and botch up repeatedly. Oh yes, our over-complicating skills know no bounds. So, as a warning to family farms everywhere, I present: The Official (non-exhaustive)
List of Reasons Not to Allow Courtney and Dustin To Participate in Your CSA Organization:

1. We will send you approximately 18 emails before the season starts, with questions that are probably answered on the website, but we're new at this, and I was just wondering.....
2. We will also inquire multiple times, at length about coordinating a group sign up and drop off at our gym. After countless discussions of how said project would work, we will advise you to "Nevermind." and abandon the idea completely due to lack of interest.
3. After signing up for a location, we will promptly request to change it, shaking the delicate balance of the drop-off system.
4. We will ask you in-depth questions about the beef, chicken, coffee, and eggs options. We will not want any of these options. We don't even drink coffee.
5. On the first week of pick up. We will forget to pick ours up.
6. We will then remember, around 11pm, and leave a 5 minute voicemail for the "host family" apologizing profusely, brainstorming ideas to fix the catastrophe, eventually offering our veggies up to a good home, and ending the message with, "I really hope this is that family that hosts the CSA, because maybe I didn't dial right, and if not....um...disregard."
7. When we are permitted to pick up our veggies late, we will forget the rules, and take the box home.
8. We will not learn this lesson, and will continue to take the box home for at least 3 more weeks.
9. We will eventually remember that we are supposed to leave the box, but we will not have a bag to hold our produce instead, so we will take the box anyway.
10. We will go on vacation, notify you too late, and waste a box of veggies.
11. We will then ask you to deliver two weeks in a row as a make up.
12. We will cheat on you at the farmer's market. With tomatoes.

So.....all that to say, there's a bit of learning curve (or a "stop being such jerks and learn to be part of the community" curve) to this whole CSA thing. But logistical challenges aside, the produce has been well worth it. Every other week we go on a veggie adventure where surprises and challenges abound.

I call this one: how many leafy green things exist that are actually edible?
(alternate title: "Mom, smell it....is that basil?")
And this one: Fried kale chips sound interesting....
(alternate title: gross.)

And who can forget: "Courtney, what's that smell?"
(alternate title: "Courtney, Don't put beets in a measuring cup, cover it with plastic wrap, microwave for 4 minutes, let rest for a minute, add another four minutes, walk away, ignore the crash noise and the smoke smell because you assumed it was the neighbors grilling out. There will be consequences.")

And the classic: Mystery Bloodstain
(alternate title: Beets Strike Back. This Time It's Personal.)

But seriously folks, we've actually loved having a CSA. We've tried foods we wouldn't have otherwise, our dinners are fresher and better for us, and I got to buy a brand new measuring cup. Win-win-win! Now who wants to come over for a nice beet-kale salad? Raw, of course....

Nothing...and everything...

So about that whole break....

It ended up ending pretty much as soon as I announced it, but I hadn't been writing for a month or so, and I just wasn't sure when I would feel like it again.

It's not that we hadn't done anything blog-worthy....on the contrary. We were BUSY. So many trips. So much work. So much fun...
I've had literally a million (Dustin hates it when I say “literally”. Maybe because I say it literally all the time.) things I’ve wanted to post, but haven’t had the time/energy/motivation to make it happen. Several times I’ve opened up the blogger window, and stared at it for a few moments, before deciding that it was all too much effort, and giving up. But I miss this place. I miss recording and sharing bits of my life. So I’m going to ignore that pesky “this has to have a point” feeling, and just unload some thoughts. After all, life is in the details. (besides, it's not like I have TV to watch instead!)

• Have you seen the new show If You really Knew Me. Last week I watched the premiere and I cried. If you're not taking a TV-break, you should check it out (either way, this might just be a worthy exception.)
  
• I’m back on a reading kick....something about the summertime makes me want to laze around with a good book. (...something about the allthetime makes me want to laze around...) Just finished Eat, Pray Love. (yes, I read it just because the movie is coming out and I wanted to feel like an “insider”). I thought it would be overrated, but I loved it. Elizabeth has such a great writer’s “voice”. I’ve already reserved her next book, Committed, at the library. Now I’m on to The Help. This one is so good I’ve even read parts of it aloud to Dustin (gotta do something on those Pittsburgh to Columbus trips!) Every night I climb into bed and turn on my mini reading clamp light so I don’t wake up Dus. Reminds me of being a kid and sneaking chapter books way after my bedtime.

• Dustin and I contemplating giving up on laundry and embracing a disposable life strategy. We will wear/use things until they need to be washed, and then instead, just throw them away. This should work for a couple of months. Except for sheets. We will be sleeping on the box spring soon. Or living in our car. But it beats all that folding!

• Leinenkugel’s Summer Beer collection is delicious. Try the Summer Shandy.

• If I was ever really rich, I would hire a masseuse/housekeeper/pedicure tech. Do you think that exists?

• Ever since YL camp I’ve been wearing hemp anklets. I love them irrationally.

That's about it for today. What's on your mind?

He didn’t get peanut butter....

He got pistachio. And I got mango/strawberry + every fruit they had. (his weighed more though. Just saying...)

Have you local folks tried Razzy Fresh yet? It’s Pittsburgh’s version of Pink Berry. And it is Yummmmmmmmmm.

TV-Be-Gone

Remember this?

Let’s call this The Sequel. Get ready, for TV- Free August!

Yes, I know we just got the new flat screen....but the summer has flown by so far, and I’d like to attempt to slow it back to a more peaceful pace. I'm hopeful that eliminating the boob-tube option, will open up our evenings and weekends for more productive (or at least less pointless) activities. We're one day in, and have already done laundry, cleaned the house, researched and booked a vacation, and written this here blog. And we've still got time to run some errands and get frozen yogurt (it's like Ice Cream Sundays lite). Not bad for day 1, huh?

I've got high hopes for the rest of the month....I'll keep you posted on how it goes. And let us know if you'd like to join the challenge. Who knows what 30 days could do for you?

P.S.
In a related story- I am now in the market for a ping pong table. So if you would like to donate one to the Bowdens Beat Boredom fund, we would happily accept.

P.P.S. In case you're wondering, I will still be watching the finale episodes of The Bachelorette, and Bethenny Getting Married. Because this thing was my idea, so we play by my rules.