The Kari Diaries: Friday Favorites & Obsessions

Two weeks in a row? Go me! Well, here we go, my current loves:

The Casting of Christian Grey

Yes, I admit that I read all three books in the 50 Shades of Grey trilogy, and that I, like most women who read them, fell in love with a fictional character, Mr. Christian Grey. That's not to say that I didn't see the major flaws in the series: I concede that it seems to have been written by a pre-pubescent teenage boy with a dirty mind and a dictionary; it was not well-written or well-constructed to say the least. I have my own gripe with plenty in the series, believe me. But once you get past the fact that 80% of it is a rip-off of the Twilight series, it's a rather addictive read, at least for me. And of course, I couldn't resist the allure that is Christian Grey (however, slightly sadistic that allure may be). So I waited with bated breath for the reveal of the actor to play him. When I first heard that Charlie Hunnam was to play the part, I was surprised because I was accustomed to viewing him as one with Jax Teller, the bad-ass, tattooed President of the Redwood Originals bike club on Sons of Anarchy (which returned for the 6th season this week!). But then, I thought about it, and, well, he's just perfect for the role. Not only have I been drooling over him for years now, he's a bad ass with a sweet side, a soothing voice and no problem stripping down. Plus, it can't hurt that I want to lick him, right? :)

Nivea Lip Butter in Caramel Cream Kiss

Thank the lip balm gods for this one. Seriously. It's creamy, luxurious and smells just like a caramel candy. It's sold in a pretty sizable container, yet a little goes a long way. At night, I'll put a little bit on and in the morning I wake up with buttery soft lips. It's done wonders for my lips this week and it's the best drugstore alternative I've found to high-end balms. At only $4, what are you waiting for? Go get it!

Summer Boardwalk candle by Bath & Body Works
This 2013 limited edition candle has been burning in my apartment for more than just the past week. When alight, it fills your room with the scent of sweet caramel with just hint of salt. The label boasts: "Like memories of the best summer spent at the beach - caramel-glazed popcorn, warm taffy-apples and salted sweet cream." When I walk into my apartment, I get a whiff of the sweet, yet fading, summertime and cling to the final days we have left.

"Hurricane" by Thirty Seconds To Mars ♥

I love rediscovering an old song that I replayed constantly when it was released and, in listening to it now, love it even more. This is one of those songs. Jared Leto's voice is AH-mazing as usual and he doesn't look half bad in the video either. For the past week or so, I've been blasting this in my apartment on repeat. If you close your eyes as he sings "Crash, crash, burn", the tone and strength of his voice would convince you that you were at a 30SM concert. The song begins at 3:04, although I urge you to watch the video (it's a little strange but also artistic) and I quite like it (probably because I adore Jared).