Different Kinds of Light

I went out to dinner with my boyfriend recently to Cheesecake Factory in The Grove in LA. Its Saturday night and we have an hour to kill until we're seated, so we walk around to the various stores in the shopping area. I head straight for Crate&Barrel (because I can't wait to own my own home) and as I'm looking at all the dishware and home furniture, I'm struck by the light quality: it's bright and direct, but not harsh. Then I also notice that every surface it shines on is white, so it gives a very clean, simple and classy feeling to the viewer, making you feel like that "if you want to have a modern classy house, buy this product". They also use tiny lights to light the products that are the focus of the display, much like on stage. I also passed by a Tommy Bahamas, whose much softer, dimmer and yellow colored light (which much have been much lower on the Kelvin scale) marketed to a beach-like, laid back, settle-into-your-hammock-and-relax comfy feel. Directly across from that store was a bebe, whose front display had light so close to sunlight it was almost hurtful to your eyes, way higher on the Kelvin scale, closer to blue light. The atmosphere became edgy, as if to say to its audience "Our clothing is top fashion, it will make you stand out from everyone else." I'm starting to really see the differences in light. Finally, we are seated and as I'm looking through the restaurant, the lights are so dim that I can barely see my own hands, common in fancy restaurants. I can't think why the restaurant is designed that way, because now I can't see my boyfriend across the table, the beautiful food in front me, or anything for that matter and it made me uncomfortable. Dinner was great, nonetheless, but it was impressive how light became so different when there is no sunlight.