5 Things I love Tuesday (Thursday)?

1. Crisan Bakery on Lark Street.

I've been a fan of Crisan Bakery for quite some time, but before last week I hadn't been there in months. The atmosphere in this bakery is so beautiful and kitsch. Considering how beautiful these pastries are, they are very moderately priced. I highly recommend their nutella croissants and cappuccinos!

2. Spirited Away.

(All images below are screen-shots from Spirited Away.)

Spirited Away is a Japanese anime film directed by Hayao Miyazaki, who also directed My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki's Delivery Service. In fact, Kiki's Delivery Service is one of my favorite movies of all time. The painterly quality of these movies really suck you into the dream. I do enjoy watching anime films every once in a while because I love the imagination of them. Why do we put limits on what we believe is feasible? Maybe if we allowed something beyond the scientific to enter our worlds, we'd realize that "logic" encapsulates so much more than we would have ever thought... logical.

The fact is, we create our own reality. We only exist in our worlds from our personal viewpoints and we will never, ever be able to have an objective perspective on anything outside of ourselves, so why not allow our minds to live in the world we desire, that we build for ourselves?

Miyazaki's films remind me of Murakami's novels because both incorporate the surreal and fantastical in a way that is still somewhat believable and in a way that we almost want to believe can be true. /rant

3. Sephora by OPI nail polish in Caffeine Fix.

Caffeine Fix used to be my favorite nail polish years ago before I got really into pastels. Lately, I've been really enjoying the recent vampy trend. Case and point, my bold lipstick obsession. Caffeine Fix is a very deep, very dark maroon color that almost appears black in some lighting. This is great because I love the look of black nails, but I think it looks so stark on my über paleness, so Caffeine Fix is a great compromise.

4. Almond Milk.

image from Ninja Fitness.

I realize more and more each year that my body does not react all that well to dairy products. We'll leave it at that. BUT I can't seem to give up many dairy foods, like cheese and ice cream. However, I am willing to make a concession when it comes to milk. I've not been a huge milk drinker, anyways. Almond milk is not that delicious on its own, but it's very low in calories and generally only has 1 or 2 carbs per 8 oz. glass! It's great for blending in smoothies and I like it in my cereal in the morning! So far, I think the coconut unsweetened flavor is my favorite.

5. J'adore by Dior perfume.

Those who know me well know that J'adore is my scent. It is a floral and sensual scent. Most girls have a perfume that they feel really encompasses their unique femininity. J'adore does just that for me, although I find it to be more of a nighttime scent and I am on the look-out for a more day-friendly scent!

Thanks for reading!

xoxo

Cara