VueJS - logging localStorage item returns correct result, but assign same item to var returns {__ob__: Observer}

I'm trying to understand why this is happening.

In created() of my Vue component, if I console.log a localStorage item directly I get the correct result.

console.log(JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem("currentRoom"))); // correct object

But if I assign the localStorage item to a local variable and console that I get sadness. Why?

this.currentRoom = JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem("currentRoom"));
console.log(this.currentRoom); // {__ob__: Observer}