A Little Lyrical

17Jul 2015

Time

Sometimes just sometimes I wish there was more time. I know more time is never going to happen but I can carry on wishing for it. I probably spend too much time doing meaningless jobs around the house and not enough time noticing the world around me.

I don’t spend enough time with the boys.

I’m guilty of spending too much time cleaning the house but in the moment I’m doing yet it feels important to me.

I’d love to have more time to spend exercising and pursuing hobbies or painting, reading or drawing but those times never seem to come.

Other days I just want to turn back time to see your children as little babies again, to relive our wedding day or to speak to people that we have lost. But never a truer word has been spoken when it was said that tomorrow never comes and yesterday is the past. There is only one day and that’s today, so I need to stop wishing for more time and try to make every minute meaningful and have purpose.
I’m back at work doing my usual hours now and have made a real effort to throw myself into every opportunity that comes my way. I want to do as much as possible to be helpful at work and make a change. This has had the surprising effect of making me enjoy work so much more. I’ve turned positives into even more positives.

05Jul 2015

My Sunday Photo

by Lyric ⋅ 7 Comments

02Jul 2015

SJCAM SJ4000 Review – Hubby blog takeover

by Lyric ⋅ Leave a Comment

It’s time to hand over to my husband again for a review of the SJCam SJ4000 which we recently purchased for our family, this is not a product we have been given to review.

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I love the idea of a GoPro, the design, the durability, the features but mostly I love the marketing, it’s an amazing example of lifestyle marketing, buy a GoPro and you can film yourself surfing, diving, climbing into volcanos and jumping out of helicopters to ski down a mountain.

The only problem is that I don’t really do any of those things and I because I don’t really do any of those things, I could never really justify the purchase of a GoPro.

I know that last year, GoPro launched an entry-level camera at a slightly more justifiable £109.99 but I felt that the compromises made to achieve the price point (no wi-fi, built-in battery and you can’t remove it from the waterproof housing) reduced the camera’s appeal to me, so thought I’d wait until I had suitable justification to buy a higher spec’d one.

A couple of week’s ago, I was reading lifehacker’s roundup of the five best action cameras when I noticed the SJCAM SJ4000 which at $99/£66 seemed like something I could use and not worry too much about it getting lost, stolen or eaten by one of my children. So I set about buying one.

Beware of the clones

The SJCAM SJ4000 is a very popular clone of the GoPro, so popular in fact, it’s attracted it’s own clones and there are numerous cameras of differing (frequently lesser) quality all selling under the SJ4000 name but there are several suppliers of genuine SJ4000s that deliver to the UK.

The Package

The SJ4000 comes with a good collection of mounts to get you started, included with in the box with the camera and battery are;

1 x Waterproof Housing
1 x Quick Release Buckle
1 x Housing Backdoor with Holes
1 x Handlebar Seatpost Pole Mount
1 x Curved Adhesive Mount
1 x Flat Adhesive Mount
1 x 3-Way Pivot Arm Mount
2 x 3M Adhesive Tape
1 x Frame Mount
1 x Quick Release Clip for The Frame
1 x Vertical Quick Release J-Hook Buckle
1 x Universal 1/4″ Camera Tripod Mount
1 x Tripod Mount Adapter
1 x Bandage Set
1 x Stainless Steel Safety Tether
4 x Nylon Cable Ties
1 x Cleaning Cloth
1 x USB Cable
1 x Power Adapter

Overall Impressions

The camera feels solid and well made, as do the mounts although the battery case is a little hard to open, on the front of the camera is the on/off/menu button, on the top is the record / stop / select button. on the right hand side is the up and down buttons, pressing the up button turns on the camera’s wi-fi and shows a screen with the access point name and password. On the left hand side of the camera is the MicroSD slot, micro-usb and micro HDMI ports.

Overall, This is a great little camera for the money, the included mounts mean that, as long as you have a microSD card ready, you can get started filming interesting stuff straight away. The LCD screen on the back is decent enough and lets you frame your shots, cutting out after a few minutes to save power but after a few day’s use you get a good enough understanding of where to point the camera without having to use the screen, so I’m not sure about the long-term benefits of the screen.

The video quality is great in good light, reducing in quality when the light fades or you start videoing indoors, nighttime footage is pretty poor quality but you can still make out what you’re trying to film. The auto exposure isn’t the fastest and the camera sometimes take’s a while to correct itself when the light changes and in most cases the video white balance seems to be a little cool and on the blue side.

The camera has a time-lapse function which takes 1 frame of footage every 3, 5, 10, 30 or 60 seconds, results from this are very good.

Video is recorded at 1080p (full HD) @ 30 frames per second by default and can be set to 720p @ 30 or 60fps (which isn’t a true 60 frames per second, rather than record 60 unique frames per second, it each frame twice, so it’s more like 30fps x2)

When inside the waterproof case; sound is practically non-existent with the camera’s microphone only picking up knocks and vibrations affecting the case itself, there’s no easy way to add an external microphone, so take into account if you’re considering buying this camera but since all GoPro style videos have a banging techno soundtrack this shouldn’t be an issue, right?

The firmware on the camera isn’t the greatest and it took me a while to understand how to navigate the menu structure and change the settings but if you’re the type of person who doesn’t want to fiddle then the default 1080p@30 fps should be fine for you.

The Wi-Fi built into the camera acts as a wireless access point that you can connect your Android phone / tablet or iPhone / iPad to, then you can use the SJCAM app to act as a remote screen for the camera, start and stop recoding, alter settings and transfer video from the camera to your phone.

Battery life is fairly disappointing with the camera only running for a couple of hours using the supplied battery, fortunately it is removable and additional batteries can be bought pretty cheaper from all the usual places.

The supplied mounts are useful and the SJCAM uses the same mounting method as the GoPro, so there’s many additional mounting options available, I picked up a carry case and a party bag of mounts for about £25, allowing me to strap the camera to my wrist, my chest or mount it to my head (which I’m not sure I can do in public).

Conclusion

For £67, I knew that I’d be making some compromises over a more expensive GoPro and I strongly feel that the positives of this camera more than outweigh the negatives, but when looking at cheaper alternatives to popular devices you always need to do your homework and know exactly what those compromises are otherwise you run the risk of being disappointed.

I’m very happy with the camera and it will suit our family nicely and will allow us to record holidays, bike rides and all the kind of things that you’d worry about exposing your phone or video camera to.

Although if I ever jump out of a helicopter and ski down a mountain, I’m definitely buying a GoPro.

28Jun 2015

My Sunday Photo

by Lyric ⋅ 6 Comments

17Jun 2015

Breastfeeding Strike

by Lyric ⋅ 13 Comments

The last three days have been awful, Flixster has been on a breastfeeding (nursing) strike. It’s been awful. Before the strike started we would feed each morning when he woke around 5am, then sometimes during the day if he asked for it by snuggling into me then often a quick feed in the later afternoon when he was tired, or if we were out and about and needed a little snack, a breastfeed would do the trick and relieve the immediate hunger.

Then all of a sudden he stopped feeding. It was like he’d never ever ever fed from me before. When I offered him the first morning he turned away. I offered again and he bit me hard and then just turned away again. He just wouldn’t feed, but I wasn’t that bothered as I thought I’d just feed him later in the day. But later came and he still wouldn’t feed. By now I just tried not to think about it, I thought the more I stressed about him not feeding the more he’d pick up on it.

As Flixster is now 14 months old my breasts never feel full anymore so I didn’t feel the need to express any milk off to comfort. If you were exclusively breastfeeding it would be advisable to express at normal feeding times if baby goes through a feeding strike so that the strike wouldn’t affect the supply and to avoid blocked ducts or even worse mastitis.

The next day came and went and still Flixster wouldn’t feed, he just kept refusing, turning away, trying to get away, even morning snuggles weren’t persuading him to feed. That was our special time together and now I couldn’t even offer him my milk.

By now I was worrying that this was the end of our journey, I wasn’t ready to stop feeding, inside I was crying. Desperately wishing I’d paid more attention to the last feed we had together, paid more attention to the way he looked at me. The way his tiny hand gently stroked me as I fed him. I’d missed it, I’d missed our last breastfeed together and now it was gone. The chapter was ending and I’d missed it.

By day three I told myself I had to start accepting that it was probably over. With a heavy heart I offered a feed again in the morning and again it was refused.

Today I went along to the breastfeeding group as normal, hoping against hope that if Flixster saw other babies feeding he might remember what to do, might remember our special snuggly morning cuddles. He didn’t, I offered at group and he refused, point-blank refused. I could have cried right there and then. The amazing lady who runs the group suggested I expressed a little milk off and tried to get it onto his lips. I gently hand expressed some milk and dropped it onto his mouth which wasn’t easy with him turning away. At first I don’t think he noticed, I did it again and he licked it off. All of a sudden I almost saw his brain click into action, he turned to me and I took the opportunity to get him into position to feed him. He latched on, I could have cried again. He was feeding, he was actually feeding from me. I hadn’t missed my last feed. I breathed it all in, I gazed at his face. I wanted to kiss his cheek (but couldn’t as I didn’t want him to unlatch!) All thanks to the amazing lady who runs the group I hope that the end hasn’t come and that we can carry on feeding. If it wasn’t for her advice right there and then at that moment then my journey may have taken a different turn.

Later in the day I managed to feed him again and I took a photograph, just in case it was my last ever feed, just in case I never ever breastfeed my baby again, I wanted to remember this very special occasion, from now on I won’t take his feeding for granted. I will be paying attention and enjoying every single feed and I make no apologies for posting my breastfeeding baby picture, he’s my baby and I am proud to still be feeding him. I won’t be aware when our last feed happens but just in case the next one is the last one I’ll be paying attention.

16Jun 2015

Siblings – A Photograph Project {June 2015}

by Lyric ⋅ Leave a Comment

Things I’ve learnt this month.

1)I defiantly don’t take enough photos of the boys together, or more likely the ones I do take are all blurry and difficult to capture. I know that you are both so young but maybe I need to keep the DSLR handy insisted of just my phone, so that I can take loads of shots.
2) I need to take more photos!

So my offerings for siblings this month isn’t massive which makes me a little bit sad. You’re relationship is growing in ways I’d never have dreamed and I love it, I really do.

We still go to breastfeeding group every week where I am a peer support volunteer and now that I’ve swapped my work days I have to take both of you. This is sometimes hard work as you can both be quite demanding at times but in recent weeks it’s been lovely to watch you play together with the toys. I’ve watched you crawl around in the tents and play together with the toy kitchen which has given me some time to take to all the new lovely mummies.

The boy you still love hugging and kissing Flixster but I know he’s not as keen. You do tend to ‘over hug’ though if there is such a thing. Flixster will tolerate a quick hug but your’s are rather long and squeezy! So by the time I’ve grabbed my camera the moment is over.

Boy you’ve really go the knack of making Flixster laugh now though, it’s so adorable. You find something that makes him laugh and you do it over and over and over again and that buys me a little time sometimes to make lunch or pack the bag for the day, so thank you for that!

My favourite photograph of you together this month though is one I quickly snapped in a shoe shop. We went to buy Flixsters first shoes (another milestone in your little life) as we were leaving Flixster was looking in the mirror as he walked towards it all excited and fell down. Within seconds the boy was there hugging him and checking he was ok. I love the photo not because it’s focussed well or its a canvas worthy capture but because its shows the growing love betters you both. A love I can’t wait to watch grow and grow.

10Jun 2015

Artificial Grass on Decking – Project Picnic

by Lyric ⋅ 5 Comments

Artificial Grass on decking right outside the back doors is something I had thought about for a while but until I did it I didn’t realise how amazing it would be. I’m always doing jobs around our house, I never feel like I’ve finished decorating, building or doing. As soon as I finish one job its on to the next. This week I’ve started project picnic! I had samples sent out of artificial grass to try on the decking before deciding which one to order.

Artificial Grass on Decking – How I did it

For years after we moved into this house I wanted to have a deck outside to sit on and enjoy the south-facing garden for food, drinks and reading. When I was pregnant with the boy, I put plans into place, ordered the materials and my wonderful father in law and husband built it for me. I loved it. It has a rail around the outside and gates so the boys are safe. When the boy was little I’d rock his pram out there and sit out there in the evenings. We never let him crawl out there as I was worried about him getting splinters. This wasn’t a problem as he didn’t have anyone else to see running in and out. Now that he’s bigger its lovely to throw the door open, let the air and sun come in and let him play in and out. I have the issue now though that Flixster is on the move and is moaning like mad and wanting to go outside too, wanting to follow his big brother so I had to solve the problem of splinters and creating a safe play space. A few weeks ago I thought I’d give some anti-slip paint a try so I bought some lovely grey decking paint and set about painting the deck.

It looked great and with older children I would have probably left it like that after a second coat, but the paint didn’t solve the problem. Poor little Flixsters hands and knees were still getting hurt on the wood. So I looked around at various options, mainly on pinterest (which I absolutely love!) and came across the idea of artificial grass. At first I wrote it off as a daft idea, I thought it would look strange. But the more research I did the more the idea was growing on me. I liked the idea of walking straight out of the door onto the soft green grass no matter what the weather was. I shopped around and decided to get some samples to help me choose. I went for a mid priced grass and ordered a 4m x 4m piece large enough to cover the deck. It arrived within 48 hours of the order which was great and delivery was free.

I did my research and found out that to put the artificial grass down on decking boards you just need to make sure the deck is treated and obviously flat. Then all you do is cut to size and screw it down onto the boards using green decking screws.

The boy was excited to stay up and help (which is why he is in his pjs for the photos!) We rolled the grass out (exactly like a carpet) cut it to size with a knife and hubby screwed it down with the boys help.

Just like that within half an hour it was down and looked great, I don’t know why I ever doubted that it would look good. I’m so pleased with it and would recommend it to anyone with children who wants a safe non slip alternative on top of decking. Here’s hoping for many sunny days where we can picnic out on our forever green grass!

The final thing I want to do is paint the rail around the edge. I’ve bought some lovely cornflower blue paint which I hope will go well, I just need some nice light dry child free nights to get it all done!

04Jun 2015

Dear Boys

by Lyric ⋅ Leave a Comment

Dear Boys,

Before you were born or even thought about your daddy and I loved each other.
We met at work as we both worked within the same department. Doing completely different jobs but under the same roof. We were friends for many years and would go out on nights out with work together. I always thought your daddy was funny and sweet but never thought of us as a couple together. It was many years later that he finally plucked up the courage to ask me on a date. I’ll be forever grateful that he did and that our love story started right there and then. You are both a part of that too, our love story didn’t end with you, it’s still going strong and growing bigger and bigger digging its roots deeper into the soil of life. We both love you so much and are proud everyday that we created such special little people who are growing so quickly before our eyes and continuing to amaze us everyday.
Boy this week I went to the first meeting at your school. I wasn’t sure if it was something you could attend as it started at 6pm. There were a few other children there but I knew that you’d be getting tired right around that time and so I thought it best you stayed at home. I do wish though I could have let you see your new classroom. The evening started with an introduction from the head teacher. She seems nice and part of the reason I chose the school for you. It has a lovely family feel and I hope that you’ll fit right in there. We were given lots of hand outs about various aspects of school life. They explained the school day and what you’d be doing when. Lunch is at 11:30 and we can choose the menu together from home in advance. I think you’ll love the dinners they sound really nice and the catering staff said it was all cooked on site which is good. In the morning there’s a little space for some worship which is nice and the reason I waned you to go to a church school. Even if you decide religion isn’t for you that’s ok, just use that time to reflect and be grateful for the day ahead. After lunch you get some tooth brushing time, this I thought was a good practise and I was also glad to read about hand washing before lunch. Is it too much to send you with some alcohol gel? I think my healthcare background has passed on the importance of good hand hygiene to you! Even Flixster knows the drill when it comes to alcohol gel before eating!
There were uniforms there to view too and an order form. I need to get on with ordering them for you, it just seems like a big thing to do! Your uniform will be grey trousers, a white polo shirt which can be monogrammed but it’s not compulsory, along side a red school jumper with the school logo on it. Theres also a PE kit to buy, book bag and kit bag. It’s all so exciting yet scary!
I’ve arranged for your teacher to come and meet you in a few weeks at home. I couldn’t find out if your teacher was male or female as the reception classes have one of each. You asked me to find out two things at the meeting, what sex your teacher is or in your words “Is the person going to be a man or a girl?” and what your password will be for the computer, hopefully when they visit it will all become clear. I did ask though if you were to have a computer password and apparently not until you move up the school so that should put your mind at rest. I had a look at your classroom and it seems like a lovely environment for you to grow in. That was the part I wish you’d seen. When I’d finished I came home to find you waiting for me, but you’d fallen asleep on the sofa. It’s the first time you’ve ever done that in your life and it reminded me just how little you still are. Being an August baby I worry about how you will keep up with your peers.

Flixster you just get cheekier and funnier everyday at the moment. You’ve taken your very first steps. Its slow and steady progress at the moment but you’ll get there. I think it’s almost the same date as your brother did. He was walking around 13 months just like you are. On Tuesday you took 3 consecutive steps at the breastfeeding group we go to. I wish I’d caught it on camera. I’ll try to catch you this weekend if I can so that you will be able to watch it back when you’re older. I love all the new things your learning. Each morning I get a hug from you and I love it.
I love kissing your chubby little cheeks.
However I don’t love you waking up between 3 & 4am each day. Please please please can you sleep just a little bit longer in the morning. We always bring you up into our room when you wake and I lie down to feed you but that’s it then, you’re up and about and raring to go, ready to menace us.
You know your own mind and you are very strong-willed, you know what you want even if you’re not supposed to have it! I love watching you grow up so fast before my very eyes. You adore the boy and the relationship between you both is fantastic to watch. I hope you will be close together for many many years and support each other in all you do.

The boy told me the other day that he loves having a brother, my heart melted when he said it. He’s such a sweet caring boy. You both are.
I’m hoping to make it a summer to remember but please forgive me if we don’t get it quite right. I want you to enjoy your last summer before school as once you starts I’ll miss my days with you so much. So lets enjoy the long summer days and try to get out and about as much as possible.
Please always remember I love you both unconditionally….forever.
Mummy

31May 2015

Dine around the Dome – Trafford Centre

by Lyric ⋅ 2 Comments

Wow, just wow. I actually don’t know the best way to start this blog post. I have so many thoughts running around my head about the ‘Dine around the Dome’ event I was very grateful to be invited to attend last Thursday evening. I wasn’t sure what to expect but I certainly didn’t expect the culinary taste teasing tour that we were treated to.

We were told to meet at 6:30pm at the Circle 360 champagne bar on the upper level of The Orient area in the Trafford Centre. Anyone who knows me personally will know how often I frequent the Trafford Centre. It’s almost my second home. I love the place. As a family we spend quite a lot of time there because living in the Manchester area we aren’t blessed with the best weather so the convenience of having a covered area which has everything you need in one place and free parking is the perfect solution. I love that it has entertainment, Odeon cinema, ten pin bowling, adventure golf, Legoland and Sealife to name but a few. As well a massive variety of shopping and so much choice when it comes to food. No matter what your taste they’ll always be something to suit you there.

Before the boys came along and it was just the two of us we would head to the Trafford Centre on date nights to try new restaurants, any special occasion would be marked with a meal and a few drinks. We’ve had many great nights there and worked our way around many of the eateries. So when thinking about dining around the dome I wasn’t sure how many new things I’d discover.

A little before we were due to meet up at the Circle bar I met with my good friend and blogging inspiration Jenny from Lets Talk Mommy. I haven’t seen her in a while so it was great to have a quick catch up together. We headed up to the bar and signed in. I love meeting new people and chatting but I felt a little nervous at this event as I knew it would be a small gathering and thought that perhaps everyone would already know each other. Over the course of the evening I got to know quite a few people and everyone was so lovely. I certainly have quite a few new blogs to add to the list to read now!

At the bar we were given an Elderflower martini which as the description said was dressed dirty with a twist of lemon. As I was driving I was very careful to just take a little sip to sample the flavour. It was at that point I instantly regretted not being able to drink the whole thing. Wow, what a start to the evening, it was beautiful! I could have sat there and sipped the whole thing, if the evening had ended there I would have been a happy lady. I haven’t stopped to have a drink at the bar before. It always looks like a fab venue. Having young children it’s never been possible to just take time out to sip on a champagne but next time we have some couple time there together I am adding it to the must do list! I often walk past and see couples or friends sipping and chatting there, taking a break from shopping. The bar staff were lovely and I can’t wait to return and sample some more of the menu!

Jenny and I sampling the Elderflower Martini at Circle 360 Champagne Bar

After a few introductions we were off to our first stop on the tour Cafe Rouge. Now although I have eaten in Cafe Rouge a couple of times I’ve never considered it to be one of my top choices of food venues. I’m not sure why, maybe I’ve just not had a dish there that has wowed me. Everything changed last night. It was our first stop on our tour but they certainly set the bar high for the rest of the evening. We were served ‘Ceviche de Saumon’ which although originally from Peru consisted of Atlantic salmon slices cured in lime marinated with chilli, red onion and spring onion served on a bed of crisp baby gem lettuce. It was drizzled with Valles des Baux EV olive oil and finished with fresh coriander. It was delicious!

I love sea food more than I love meat so this was my idea of a great starter. I loved the way the sharpness of the lime worked with the heat of the chilli. The salmon itself had a lovely light flavour and the crunch of the lettuce made sure that it wasn’t a heavy carb laden starter which ensured we had lots of room to carry on with the rest of the tour. I do love bread but if I start with it when I’m already hungry I tend to eat too much then there’s no room for the fabulous main course.

The food was paired with a white wine called ‘Saint Etalon Sauvignon’ again I just had a sip but it was crisp and tangy and I thought it was in my own description quite sharp. Cafe Rouge said that it was a perfect accompaniment to a lime marinated fish. I’d defiantly agree with that. I enjoyed a lovely chat with my new-found dinner mates and all too soon it was time to move on.

So from France we headed to Italy in what was probably the quickest hop from country to country ever! So within minutes we’d hoped over the border and were seated in Carluccio’s which is located on the ground floor of The Great Hall at the back of The Orient in the Trafford Centre.

This time as most of the food was to be served cold the table was already laid with the dishes and was a fabulous sight it was to behold! Beautiful wood serving boards decorated with thinly sliced Italian meats from Carluccio’s own deli. Palma ham, Mialno salami, Napoli salami and herb roasted ham were amongst the selections decorated with olives, caperberries and home backed focaccia.

I love a pick and mix style meal so I was in my element with all the different things to try. By far the hit of the table was the Caponata.

Caponata as I found out was a traditional Sicilian dish of aubergine sweet and sour stew, served cold with toasted sliced focaccia for dipping. This dish took me by surprise. Looking at it you expect it to be a warm dish. It was chilled to perfection and it really works. It was so juicy and flavourful. This is something that I wouldn’t hesitate to order in future. I’m hoping that the recipe can be found in one of Antonio Carluccio’s cook books though as I really think the boys and hubby would enjoy the dish. It seemed to be a hit with everyone!

Shortly after we were seated the warm dish of the evening Pepolata Arancini was served to out table. Pepolata Arancini is a crispy fried pepolata and mozzarella rice balls served with a pepper mayonnaise for dipping. They were delicious, when you cut into them the outside was crispy and the inside a melted gooey mixture of the cheese and rice. I could defiantly see myself returning here for more of these little bites of heaven!

This beautiful dishes were accompanied by an Aperol Spritz which I had never heard of. As I learned on the evening Aperol Spritz is a classic Venetian aperitif of Prosecco, Aperol and soda. It is a drink that was invented in 1919, it apparently took off like wildfire outside of Italy in 2014 but I must have missed this being in the new baby haze of life. It is set to be a must-sip drink of summer 2015. I for one can see myself getting on board with this! Although again I only had a sip it was really refreshing. I can see myself ordering a glass of this next time I head to Carluccios’s which I imagine will be soon after the wonderful taste tingly samples I had on the evening!

From Italy we headed much much further west to latin America, Las Iguanas to be precise (which is only 30 seconds walk away!). Las Iguanas is one of my ‘go to’ restaurants when we are at the Trafford Centre. I love the flavours there. I thought I knew the food pretty well but as I discovered on the evening I haven’t branched out enough with the menu and was excited to be sampling dishes I haven’t had before.

On the menu was a fantastic selection of foods. Adorning the table as we arrived were some Totopos which are Mexican spice-dusted corn chips with tomato salsa, served with Peruvian olives.

Olives are like Marmite in that I think you either love them or you hate them. I used to hate them but after many years of trying them over and over again I now love them. The olives served at Las Iguanas were particularly nice! If you’re a lover of olives I’d recommend sampling those. Along side the corn chips and olives there was also a salad. It was a Mango and Pecan salad with avocado.

This was the only sample of a salad on the evening, it’s a good job though that it was as this one would have won hands down! The soft sweet mango was perfectly complimented by the crunchy candied pecan nuts, the baby spinach was lovely and fresh as were the peppery rocket and piquant peppers. This was the sort of salad that I wouldn’t necessarily choose normally but having tasted this one I would certainly look out for something similar in the future. As far as I could tell this was a hit up and down the table. I also loved the way it looked, very pleasing on the eye it made a great visual dish.

The cooked food selection was soon with us and we were once again in for a treat. At Las Iguanas we were served Churrasco Skewers which are mixed marinated and flame-grilled skewers of honey glazed chicken and halloumi, served with Manioc root cassava fries with home-made tomato salsa. I tried the fries first. I hadn’t pre-read the menu so I assumed they were normal potato fries. I was in for a pleasant surprise. I’ve not had cassava before so I was keen to look it up and discovered it is the third largest source of food carbohydrates in the tropics, after rice and maize. It was really nice, quite sweet not dissimilar to sweet potato. The salsa was a lovely accompaniment to the fries too.

I’m a big cheese fan and halloumi is up there as one of my favourites, especially when its been flame grilled so I was looking forward to the skewers and they didn’t disappoint. I only tried a small bite or two as I wanted to make sure I had room for all of the other delights of the evening. I can tell you thought that’s it defiantly a dish I’d add to the list of foods I’d like to go back and have again.

The last item to be added to the table was Empanadas which are crispy “street-style” pastries served as either brie and mango or tender lamb and mint varieties. Where I was sitting we were served the brie and mango ones so I didn’t get to try the lamb and mint although I heard the others talking about how nice they were. I cut into my empanadas which was steaming hot and looked lovely, I tried some expecting a sweet type of dessert taste given that it was brie and mango but it wasn’t that sweet at all. The brie complemented the mango perfectly. I’m not sure I’ve ever had warm mango that I can remember but it was really tasty. I almost wish I could have eaten the whole thing but given that we still had a couple of stops on the tour I didn’t want to fill up too soon.

The food at Las Iguanas was accompanied by a Mango Collins drink. Mango Collins is a cocktail I’ve had before at Las Iguanas so I already knew that I loved it. For anyone that hasn’t tried it it is a refreshing cocktail of Absolute Mango vodka, triple sec blended with orange and mango juices topped with lemonade which gives it a gently sparking taste on the tongue. It was a great pairing with the summary foods we’d been served and if I wasn’t driving I’d have indulged in a glass!

All too soon it was time once again to switch countries this time we were headed back east to Japan and Korean. The restaurant we were going to is called Wokooshi. Out of all our stops this one was new to me. Wokooshii can be found at level 1 of the Orient in the Trafford centre. It was founded by Gerry Yeung who is also the founder of Manchester’s famous Yang Sing Chinese restaurant. We were delighted to be served by Gerry himself who explained all about the family ethics of the restaurant. He is passionate about bringing the Japanese and Korean flavours to the diners.

Wokooshii has been open since early 2012 and the word Wokooshii, amalgamates the words wok and oishii, which means ‘delicious food’ in Japanese and the description couldn’t fit the food any better. I love how involved Gerry is with running the restaurant he explained all about the sourcing of ingredients for the menu and how everything is made in-house from scratch. Nothing is bought in pre-made at all so you can be assured all the flavours are authentic.

On the table as we arrived was a cup-shaped lettuce leaf for each person, we joked that we’d eaten so much so far that we really could only mange a leaf. Thankfully though the staff of Wokooshii had other ideas and within moments they had brought out Beef Bulgogi to our table. This was beef marinated in Korean soy sauce, sugar and black pepper to enhance its tenderness. It is traditionally served with a side of lettuce which is used to wrap the cooked meat to add crunchiness. We all picked our pieces of beef, added a hot sauce and tucked in. I have to admit beef isn’t my favourite meat so I was very pleasantly surprised when I found myself finishing the whole leaf wrap. Gerry explained that Bulgogi means ‘fire meat’ in Korean. The dish is listed 23rd in the ‘Worlds 50 Most Delicious Foods’ poll. The meat was historically grilled on gridirons over a brazier, but now it is also popular to pan-cook the meat. Wokooshii Bulgogi is cooked on a sizzler or hot plate.

We didn’t have to wait long to taste the flavours ourselves. We were first served a Japanese dish of Salmon Teppanyaki which was a succulent salon fillet cooked on a teppan (hot plate) with butter, garlic, sake and Japanese soya sauce accompanied by mild peppered teppanyaki vegetables and rice. The dish was accompanied with sizzling seafood udon noodles with scallops, king prawns and squid. The noodles were served on a sizzler with a lively Japanese soya sauce.

The salmon was perfect, so moist with lovely flavours of the sauce, the vegetables were crunchy and matched the salmon well, I didn’t try the rice as I wanted to leave room for a sample of the noodles as udon noodles are my favourite and I wasn’t disappointed! I couldn’t just try the noodles thought without trying the seafood too. I’m pretty much in love with any foods from the ocean, I much prefer them to meat so I went in and helped myself to a king prawn and some scallop. I always think scallops can be a dangerous choice when eating out, it only takes a little over cooking to make them rubbery and not nice to eat. Wokooshii scallops however were as near perfect as I’ve ever had, a delight to eat and perfect with the king prawns, squid and udon noodles. I was sure to only have a small sample though as I knew we were going to be also lucky to try the Korean food.

The Korean taster was something I’ve not heard of before Spicy Chicken Bibimbap which is a signature Korean family dish made up of steamed rice served in a hot stone bowl topped with chicken, carrots, kimchi, black wood mushrooms, bean sprouts, seasonal greens and topped with an egg. This dish is mixed at the table with chilli fermented soya bean paste.

I particularly loved the way this dish was presented, Gerry himself mixed it for us after adding the sauce while explaining the elements of the dish.

The dish was accompanied by Sho Chiku Bai Nigori Sake which is one of the oldest style sakes. It is coarsely filtered and milky white in colour, which gives it a full pleasantly sweet complex flavour which is best served chilled.

I have sampled Sake before and yet again this had surpassed my expectations, it was something I will be going back to enjoy some time soon in the future it was a great companion to the Japanese and Korean food. We were also given a sample of Asahi Premium Japanese Black Lager. I am not a regular lager drinking I much prefer a wine or spirit based drink so I wasn’t sure I was going to like this one. As it was poured due to its dark colour I expected to be tasting something similar to a stout based drink which I’m not keen on but was very pleasantly surprised when I tried a sip. I’m glad I did as it was much much lighter to drink than its appearance made out.

As the saying goes don’t judge a book by its cover and this is very true in the case of this lager! It was very smooth. Asahi means rising sun and it is made using only the purest water along with the finest hops.

One of the things I loved most about the Wokooshii restaurant was the seating layout. There are so many different sized tables available, whether you are having a romantic evening out or dining as a large group there’s sure to be the right size table for your party. As we were a large group we spread out over two large round tables which made for great conversation and the meeting of new friends.

The last treat in Wokooshii was the sampling of a particularly nice sparkling sake, this was not something I’d had or even heard of before but is now on my must have again list. The bottle is came in is particularly beautiful.

I can see myself having to revisit Wokooshi quite a bit just to repeat all the fabulous flavours! Sadly before long it was time to move on to our 6th and final stop of the night, the dessert surprise!

We had been told that dessert would be a lucky dip, we’d be given and number and then asked to sample the dessert that corresponded to that number. In reality we all sampled each others, which was fab! The desserts were provided by a section of restaurants from around the Trafford Centre. There were far too many to be able to list them all. I’m a dessert lover so this was my idea of heaven! This was the sight that greeted us as we entered The Captains Table room looking out over the orient open eating area.

My number corresponded to a delicious lemon cheese cake, I was so busy sharing it around I didn’t even get to find out where it was from. I did however find out that the fabulous chocolate dip accompanied churros were from La Tasca. They have also been added to my list of places to dine for those beautiful treats alone!

The desserts were accompanied by Espresso Martinis provided by the 360 Champagne Bar, it was as though we had come 360 degrees ourselves, finishing off with drinks from the place we started! This was the drink that I wished I could have finished the most out of all the sips I’d had that evening. As a coffee lover this was an amazing find.

Coffee to accompany dessert was also served by Nespresso who were showcasing their new special edition coffee Peru Secreto an intensity 8 with an intense sweet round espresso flavour. As with all the special editions they won’t be around long so if it’s something you are interested in then get it while you can!

Before long it was time to say farewell to all my dining companions and new-found friends. Just before we all left we gathered for a group photo.

What an evening we’d been treated to, from far east to far west via France. So many wonderful flavours to tingle the taste buds. So many new finds to add to the list of places to visit. I can’t say that one dish stood out above the others because it didn’t, they were all so fabulous. I can’t compare country to country, like for like it wouldn’t be fair. I can say though that there wasn’t a dish I tried that I didn’t like, no actually love!

We can often be found at the Trafford Centre as a family and from now on I can see that we’ll be working our way around the restaurants too. The only problem we’ll have is agreeing which one to go to!

If you’re still with me at the end of that epic blog post then thank you for reading and I hope you’re not feeling to hungry now!

Picture credit for some of the images to Jason Lock Photography of Carousel PR

Thanks to the Trafford Centre for organising the ‘Dine around the Dome’ event. I was not paid for this blog post but all the food and drinks were complimentary on the evening.

30May 2015

Park Run Done!

by Lyric ⋅ Leave a Comment

Last Saturday I took part in my first Park Run. I’d first registered with Park Run a couple of years ago when I heard about it but I was too nervous to go. I was worried I’d come last and look like the most unfit person in the world. The results would be there online for all to see. I’d have felt awful looking at them. How wrong could I have been!

So last week I headed out a little before 8:30am to go and find my local Park Run venue. I wanted to make sure I was early so I had plenty of time to find the start. I’m always an early person so I didn’t want to be late on my first run. I parked up and saw a few people in running gear. I’d already looked up online the route that my local park run took so I knew roughly which way to head.

All the park runs start at 9am I think and its easy to find your local one on the website.

I kept following everyone until I got to the large group of people huddled by the start. As I knew no one I just smiled at a few people and set up my iPhones music ready for the run. I had read on the website that music was ok but to only wear one headphone so that you can hear the marshalls. As a rule follower I only put one earphone in.

Just before the start a nice chap dressed in a yellow jacket gave a quick briefing about some safety rules and reminders. He also welcomed first timers which was nice. He explained that at this particular park run you have to go around the route 3 times to make the 5km. I needed to remember to count!

In just a couple of minutes we were on our way. I hung back to the end of most of the people as I know I’m not great at running so knew I’d be slow. I went past the start and tried to get into a nice rhythm that suited me. I managed to keep going like that for around 18 minutes before I had to slow down for a walk. I kept going though running when I could and walking when it became to hard. The marshals on the course were great and clapped every time I passed. It made me feel proud for taking part and pushing myself to keep going.

I finished though, I did it, I finished! Just after the finishing line you scan your barcode that you get when you register which later translates to your time. I knew roughly what time I’d completed it in but wanted to wait for the park run results. I was surprised later o in the day with a text message to tell me that I’d completed the run in 38:01 and I’d come in position 191. I wasn’t sure how many runners there had been but I knew I hadn’t finished last as I saw another man scan his barcode not long after me. Later that day I was able to check online and there were 208 competitors that particular week. So I was far from last.

Walking back to the car I felt so proud that I’d done it. I’d taken part in my first park run and I was no longer a newbie, and although I did feel like it was the hardest thing at the time I actually do think I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the challenge and the push it gave me to keep going.

I’m looking forward to taking part again in the future and I can’t believe it took me so long to get myself to my first one!

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