How to See ...

See - a prompt from The Gypsy Mama for her - Five Minute Friday, please join us.

My mentor in the newsroom lived with a debilitating illness, but I am not sure she suffered with it.  At least not in public.  In fact, unless you saw her standing up her condition would not have been clear.  She was an astounding journalist - punchy & powerful - she broke headline stories, and took no prisoners with her interviewees.  If a story was newsworthy & hidden, she would uncover it.  If tough questions needed to be asked, she asked them, and she didn't put up with wishy -washy answers.  Government ministers were taken to task, as were executives. 

I don't think I heard her once define herself by her illness.  In fact I only remember one conversation where we actually talked about it, to her there was so much more to discuss, than pain.   There was so much more to see. 

I learnt more from her in six months, than I thought was possible.  But not soley in relation to work. 

I learnt about how to see. 

How to see stories, how to find them and uncover them.  How to explore and develop them, how to present them, how to write them and how to ask the questions.  But I also learnt that illness does not define our sight, or us. Unless we want it to.  Unless we make the choice to let it.  Now of course certain things are beyond our control, having been desperately ill, I realise this.  What is not beyond our control is how we see.

Recently I have worked with another person who suffers from the same illness that my mentor in the newsroom did.  The contrast between how they live, and how they see is as far apart as the poles. 

This latter person does nothing but talk about the illness.  Everything is too much for them, every part of their lives is defined by their condition.  They are constantly wanting to talk about how their life is ruined, what they can't do, how much pain they are in.  The continual negative attitude and the willing ability to want to make everything about their illness is painful to hear.  

Listening to them is difficult but more than that, it is sad.  They have chosen to be identified as a sufferer and to see a life where nothing is possible because of their condition.  When in actual fact, as my mentor showed me, so much is possible but we have to see it. 

What strikes me as I compare these peoples reaction to the same illness, is how differently they see the world. One wants to live life, the other wants to die.  I think about my own illness - the darkness & pain that surrounded me, during those agonizing days - and I recall how important my attitude was, how important 'seeing' was to actually make it through the day.  How by making the choice when all around me was coloured with pain, to see light allowed me to create my own identity, one that was shaped by my illness but not formed because of it.

How important is your sight to you?  What do you see when you see the world?

Today I have chosen iPhone photographs of Cow Parsley to accompany this post.  Interestingly I took the photographs, before I saw what the prompt was.  Cow Parsley is a weed which is rampant throughout Ireland in the spring and summer.  Hedgerows and lanes turn to white, as it sprouts up everywhere.  But look at it closely.  It looks like the most delicate lace imaginable.  As I wandered up the lane today, I wondered did people in time gone by feel inspired to make lace, when they saw it?

Have a great weekend - let me know what you see.

That's it for now ...

Nics

Salt & Sparkle = Life Remarkable

My visit to Wagamama

It was one of those hot and sticky, unbearable summer days in London, when I was first introduced to Wagamama, nearly a decade ago with by friend Veronika.  The cool air and slurpy noodle soup, served at communal tables, with endless green in a Soho basement was manna to our overheated souls.  

Dumplings, Udon Noodle Soup with Chicken, Edamame beans - this was the ultimate comfort food, it was healthy, zesty, fresh and exciting.  Since my first experience of Wagamama, it became my go to restaurant in any time I came down to London from Oxford.  High days and Holidays, were celebrated there.  Tears were shed over breakups, words were spoken, business meetings held, quick dishes snatched on the way to here or there and laughter aided by plum wine rolled out of our mouths.  It was without doubt one of my favourite restaurants.

Whenever I came back to Belfast, I used to dream longingly of bowls of noodles with cubes of tofu, skewers of chicken in light spicey peanut sauces, miso soup and pickles.  I would talk to anyone who would listen about this fantastic fast food restaurant, that was both healthy and indulgent.  A place to get nutritious, light, delicious and fresh dishes, in a relaxed calming atmosphere.  I longed for a Wagamama to open in Belfast.

Until that time I worked my way through the cookbook.

Then it happened - Wagamama opened in Belfast's Victoria Square.  I was there on the very first day with my workmates in TV, and I still have my T-shirt to prove it.  We dined on edamane beans tossed in a fierce chilli salt, Chop Salad, bowls of miso soup, Chilli ramen, Yaki Soba, and yasia pad thai.

When I was asked to visit Wagamama, and write about the Belfast restaurant on my blog, I was delighted to accept the invitation.  

The starters are among my favourite dishes on the Wagamama menu.  There is a great selection, and ordering three or four, some noodles, a bowl of rice and a miso soup can be a meal in itself, and a very tasty one.  

The night we visited Wagamama in Belfast we had a selection of the following starters - chicken tebasaki, (wings in a sticky sauce), negima yakitori (chicken skewers with scallions), wok fried greens, yasai gyoza, and duck gyoza.  The gyoza which are a steamed rice dumplings, with a soy and chilli dipping vinegar, where our favourites, followed closely by the wok fried greens, which had that perfect combination of crunch, and slightly oily soy sauce, with a dusting of black and yellow seasame seeds.   The chicken skewers were made with thigh meat and had a depth of flavour that was perfectly complimented by oily crunchy scallions.

As the dishes come from the kitchen when the food is ready, its possible to graze through several starter plates, without realising.  This makes for a very relaxed style of eating, that is infinitely enjoyable. 

My main was yasai chilli men - wholewheat noodles in a spicy chilli soup, with lightly steamed veggies - red onions, courgettes, peppers, topped off with lime and corainder and cubes of fried tofu (I'd prefer the tofu to be steamed, not fried).  It is a light dish, that is surprisingly filling. Lemongrass provides a depth of flavour to the stock, chilli brings heat and soy a saltiness that keeps you going back for more.  Overall the taste is zingy and fresh, with a juxaposition between the crunchy veggies, and the slippery noodles.  It is a dish that I could eat again and again, and again!

Beef Fillet Teriyaki soba, came rare with curry oiled noodles, and springy beansprouts while the chicken katsu curry a sweet thick curry was served with a light pickled salad, and sticky rice.

Freshly squeezed juices - apple, orange and ginger, unlimited green tea and glasses of water quenched the thrist that we worked up from the salty dishes.

The light airy room, gives a calming atmosphere, and the shared benches and tables make the dining experience relaxed and funky.  The food is colourful and beautifully presented, which immediately makes it more fun to eat.

Wagamama is a fast healthy food and a restaurant that I know will remain one of my favourites.

Have you been to Wagamama - what was your favourite dish?

That's it for now ...

Nics

Salt and Sparkle = Life Remarkable

A good brush

This is Foinn just after we saved him at the pound enjoying a good brush. We must have taken nearly a kilo of dead matted hair from his coat.

The little fella is in great form, he always seems to be smiling & so happy.

It feels great to have saved his life from destruction.

I'm linking up with Kentweakley.com for Sweet Shot Tuesday. Please join us.

That's it for now ...

Nics

Salt & Sparkle = life remarkable

Photographs from my early morning walk

Today I thought I'd share some of my iPhone photographs I took each morning this week on my walks with Foinn.

Ireland has been unseasonably & wonderfully warm this week & it's made me smile.

What has made you smile this Week?

That's it for now

Nics

Salt and Sparkle

Foinn Cahill - Sweet Shot Tuesday

Let me introduce you to Foinn Cahill our new Labrador Retriever.  We got him from the Dog Pound at the weekend.  He is the happiest & friendliest little fella.  A joy to walk on the lead and a great friend to my brother & Sarah's dog Roxy. We feel so blessed to be his new owners.  Dogs bring such joy and if we hadn't gotten Foinn he was due to be put down, as he had been at the pound for several days before we got there.  

If you are thinking of getting a dog, please think about getting one from a rescue centre.

Today I am linking up with Sweet Shot Tuesday, hosted by the wonderful photographer Kent Weakley I'll hope you will join us.

What's new with you?

That's it for now ...

Nics

Salt & Sparkle = Life Remarkable