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Seeing everyone mention Florida today suddenly brought back memories of the friends I met there many years ago and all the happy times we spent together.

We often walked along the river and visited our neighbors one by one, tasting their homemade garlic bread, Cuban croquettes, Ropa vieja, and other local food.

We learned how to fly, how to fish, and how to grow things. Very early in the morning, we would go to the school to watch the female soldiers doing their drills. We would fish along the lush riverbanks in the golden light, and after the sun went down, we would take the boat out on the river, even when it was so cold that we could barely feel our hands.

Once it got dark, everything was almost completely black, and all that remained were the little scattered lights from the many lakes ✨

The older gentleman in the photos was in the U.S. Air Force when he was young and was stationed in Korea. He married a Korean woman there, and after he retired, they moved back to Florida together.

We often went to their house to spend time together. He taught us how to fish and how to operate the boat. We spent wonderful Thanksgivings and Christmases together.

Looking back at these old photos today, I suddenly remembered all those happy days in Florida.

It’s been a minute since I last wrote a review. Ever since The White Lotus first aired, I wanted to deep-dive into it. Now that Season 3 has been wrapped for months, I’ve finally gotten around to it—though I’m still not taking this piece too seriously! 😉

With US television in a decline lately, The White Lotus has been showered with critical acclaim. To be honest, I find the plots of all three seasons rather mediocre; it’s just the same old tropes recycled over and over. However, where it truly shines is its immaculate production value and the sheer density of Easter eggs hidden in the details. The visual metaphors in the opening frescoes, the score, the costume design, the cinematography, and the brilliant aesthetic choices made by the director—all of these elevate it to a rare gem in today’s era of creative drought.
Looking back, Season 2 remains my absolute favorite. Maybe it’s just my bias toward Sicilian islands, but the masterstroke of the season was the two vibrant local hookers. The director is undeniably a massive fan of Elena Ferrante's My Brilliant Friend. In Season 1, we see the female lead reading the book by the pool; in Season 2, these two fresh, wild fruits (Lucia and Mia) are carbon copies of Lila and Elena—from their look and style to their temperaments. I am deeply obsessed with the rich, cinematic texture of My Brilliant Friend (which deserves its own proper review later).

In Season 1, the scene where the younger brother wakes up on the beach and encounters the rowers felt so heavily inspired by Life of Pi—a poetic awakening to an "ideal sanctuary" (though honestly, what can a 15-year-old boy really accomplish?). To me, that was the ultimate sublimation of the first season. As for the rest? I couldn't care less about the endless whining of neurotic middle-aged folks wrestling with corporate anxiety, mid-life crises, generational friction, class divides, or marital superficiality (Season 1 was entirely about Money & Class). American TV rarely subverts these themes with actual depth anyway; you're better off watching classic European, Japanese, or Taiwanese cinema. Give me that picture-postcard, passionate Sicilian island vibe instead—it hits the spot perfectly. It left me desperately craving an Aperol Spritz against a Sicilian sunset.

Season 2 can be viewed as an exploration of Sex & Desire. The primary and secondary arcs are beautifully nimble. From the bitchy, toxic "frenemy" dynamics between the two wealthy couples, to Tanya’s legendary, flawless gun-slinging that single-handedly dismantled an entire romance scam syndicate, to how "Lila" and "Elena" completely derailed three generations of hypocritical men before sharing a sweet, queer-coded intimacy with the stunning hotel manager—every storyline is bent just to the right degree.

The most breathtaking moment was Tanya’s plunge. Born into immense wealth but scarred by deep childhood trauma, her desperate craving for love and validation blinded her completely. Her death was framed as an accidental drowning, but in reality, it was her own drowning pool of self-pity and validation-seeking that consumed her. That said, the explicit parallels to Renaissance paintings felt a bit heavy-handed (a classic American director move, perhaps worrying too much that the audience wouldn't catch the high-art references).

Season 3 shifts its gaze toward Spirituality & Death, exploring karma and reincarnation through an Eastern lens. The overall tone is quiet, lush, and humid. The music, color palette, and visual direction remain top-tier; I was mesmerized by every single frame of the opening credits, which felt like reading a sprawling, atmospheric epic set in Southeast Asia. The costume design is easily the best of the trilogy—each woman’s wardrobe seamlessly dissolves into the background. The plot itself is still predictable (you can guess the killer and the ending by Episode 1, lacking that classic Death on the Nile suspense). Yet, the director’s intellect and meticulousness save it. The books characters read, the artwork hanging in the suites—everything calls back and echoes with delicate precision.
Alright, alright, cutting it short before this turns into a dissertation! That’s it for today. ☺️

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