⁓ Favorite Stills: Midnight Diner: Episode 1⁓

~ Favorite stills from Ep.4, Izakaya Bottakuri: One evening, Aki-chan shows up feeling demotivated and unsure of her contribution as a colleague. The other guests along with Mine & Kaoru help her to see her true worth. On today’s menu: pickled cucumbers, deep fried tofu with minced meat, a wannabe quiche and a ‘bottakuri’ take on margaritas. ~ 

~ A very proud moment for me. I completed a 100 blog posts of original, heartwork yesterday evening.

This blog has been a source of comfort, creativity, fulfillment and a space where I’ve learned the joy of putting in consistent work to build something from scratch.

The feeling is indescribable and for everyone here, supporting my journey, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. 

Turning this into a beautiful memory today.🌼🥑 ~

~ Lean into Grace. It will protect, nourish and set you free. ~ ✨

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~ notes from everyday ~

~ Dear joy, thank you for quiet, persistent whisperings. ~ 🌼

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~ notes from everyday ~

With 'When The Camellia Blooms' I Learned The Beauty Of Owning Who I Am

Early on in my drama journey, curious about having 'When The Camellia Blooms' pop up on my Netflix feed, I tuned in. (Good job, Anvi.)

The Story:

The story revolves around a small Korean town, Ongsan and its residents. A fishing county, Ongasn's citizens are mostly fishermen who pride on their freshwater crabs.  In comes a single, young mother, Dongbaek with her 2-year-old son Pil-Goo. She decides to start a new chapter of her life and opens a small bar named 'Camellia'.

We then have Hwang Yong-Sik, a junior cop who's looking for his “Princess Diana”. With a heart of gold, he falls head over heels for our Dongbaek at first sight.

What follows is not just a love story between the two, but also a thriller mystery involving a serial killer who calls himself 'Joker'. We have Dongbaek's old lover, Kang Jong Ryul, return (who's now married with a child of his own), have her find comradery in the oldest badass of Ongsan, Mrs. Kwak and see her battle stigmas around single parenthood, objectification and bullying.

Not your typical male-female-lead Kdrama, this one is about: - the power of community, 🌼 - badassery (with some FANTASTIC female characters), 🌼 - real love standing the test of time, 🌼 - female companionship, 🌼 - healing 🌼 - and the pains of growing up in a society that prescribes 'two' parents as a requisite. 🌼

Each character has shades of grey versus your typical black and white. Each one, a poignant element, without which the story would have been lacking. The drama was a thorough delight to watch. And I am sure a lot of you who've watched this can nod your agreement when I say that it is legit a world in its own.

I don't know how to sum up a possible thesis of what moved me in the show, but here are my top 6 learnings from 'When The Camellia Blooms':

1. If you love someone, tell the whole damn world about it.

My favorite trait about Yong-Sik apart from his drop-dead gorgeous confidence, is the way he keeps choosing Dongbaek every.single.time. He taught me that love wasn't limited to a three-word confession. That was just the beginning of the beginning. Love meant showing up and choosing the person I loved, every single day.

2. Bravery often comes in surprise packages.

As we see Dongbaek own the person she is, an element we least expect to find is her bravery to stand up for herself and the ones she loves when the time arises. She taught me that often, we negate certain people as 'walkovers' and 'pitiable' only to see them outgrow their thick skin and show immense courage. At such times, one realizes the futility of boxing people up with permanent labels.

3. Wisdom and maturity have got nothing to do with age.

Bare with me as I prove my point by citing the stark contrast of EQ levels between Kang Jong Ryol, a father and his 8-year-old, Pil-Goo. While the former could pass for a bratty toddler, our Pil-Goo is too wise, profound and caring for a child his age. More often than not, he is the rock Dongbaek leans upon when she's too tired to fight the world alone.

4. Community is belongingness.

That's my favorite part about Ongsan. The town's committee is a motley of women who're there for each other through thick and thin. With stay-at-home trophy husbands, we see them battle their own regressive social stigmas and come to terms with inclusivity. It is here, in this communal space that DongBaek finally finds a home away from home.

5. We all just need someone who believes in us to start believing in ourselves once again.

Sometimes, without knowing, when we're lost, somebody's belief in us can help us find our way back home to ourselves. It's that person's belief that helps us reignite the belief we need in ourselves to grow and bloom. To rest my case, I give you Dongbaek's unconditional belief in Choi Hyang-mi.

6. Every person is a universe in their own might.

Each character's narrative in the drama made me realize how each of us are a whole, separate world on our own. Our ideas, our beliefs, our daily lives are individual universes colliding with one another for brief moments in eternity.

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Credits: Images 4 & 15: dramabeans | Image 5: kdramaclicks | Image 14: coffeecaramello.wordpress.com | Netflix | Doodle App

~ 'Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House', a very warm Japanese drama, also happens to be a favorite of mine.

When one of my favorite Instagram artists @wiwadd happened to share a drawing of Kiyo and Sumire, I knew I had to print it out and include it in my Lokta journal. 🥰

The glitter quote 'You're going to do great things' is also fitting for Sumire who achieved her dream of being a Maiko. (Equally fitting for Kiyo who beautifully shows us it is we who must define what success means to us) 🌟~

~ “Today’s Special: Gyozas” - Favorite stills, Episode 3, Izakaya Bottakuri ~

~ I made coffee for myself this morning and it tasted perfect-- bitter, nutty. slightly sweet. It was filled with a thick cover of bubbles and was piping hot. 

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Today I finally begin a passion project here --- sharing my Zen moments with paper. 

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Thank you for being with me. I hope you have a lovely day ahead. 🌼

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Illustration: https://www.instagram.com/wiwadd/?hl=en 

~ We give so much of our time to things that do not benefit us. I realize this as I struggle with staying off my phone. But becoming aware each time we’re giving away our time to what isn’t good for us, and pausing to reflect and change is a practice. 

🌸 I hope we keep practicing making better choices, to feel and live better. 🌸 ~

- a note from today

~ Our Beloved Summer ~ Favorite Moments/ / Stills (1) 🌺