Birthday Fun in July!
July 1st kicks off Birthday Month for Mike and I and we’re all about celebrating the whole month long! I’ve always loved having my birthday in July. As a kid I would have slip-n-slide and pool parties in the backyard, sleepovers, roller skating adventures, water park or theme park visits, trips to the beach, and BBQ’s galore! School was out and summer was in and July 1st meant - time to party!
Here’s me on my very first Birthday Party where we invited people over for a backyard celebration, some swimming and some birthday cake smashing! Good times!!!
Crystal’s 1st Birthday Party
Yum! It makes me miss my Grandma’s angel food bundt cake, even belly flopping into it. Haha!
But young or old, birthdays are a chance to come together and celebrate and this year was no different.
This year, Mike and I decided to get a pass to Universal Studios in Hollywood, CA. We’ve been inundated with commercials on TV for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and as Disneyland fans, we had to check it out! So on Monday, I had taken the day off and we headed over to the 2nd happiest place on Earth to check out what this theme park had to offer.
First off, I got a Birthday button at Guest Services. It’s crazy how quickly guests and Universal employees alike hone in on it like a magnet and wish you happy birthday! I felt so special all day long.
We had a ball checking out “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey” first thing but the line was super loooong! We waited 85 minutes while staying hydrated in the summer sun. Luckily our excitement made the wait time pass quickly as we chatted about our action plan for the day. I don’t want to spoil the ride for anyone who hasn’t ridden it, but you’re on a robot arm and they switch you back and forth from 4K HD projections like you are playing Quidditch with Harry Potter, to being at Hogwarts with impressive scenes, sets and frightening animatronics. Needless to say I was blown away but after riding it, I got super shook up and kind of nauseous. Blah!
So we took a break from the crowded park to explore City Walk for a bit. We haven’t been here for awhile and while some stuff is exactly the same, other shops and restaurants have changed dramatically! As we passed by Gordon Biersch my eyes lit up, so we enjoyed some air conditioning and a cold free birthday beer - yum! Next, we went to Tony Roma’s for lunch. They even noticed my birthday button and offered up some cold ice cream with a cookie crumble topping, so yum! Feeling better with each bite, we were ready to go back into the park to enjoy the world famous Studio Tour!
Overall, I had an incredible time and knowing we can come back as passholders, we didn’t feel the pressure to see and do everything all in one day. It’s going to be a good summer, and this is only the beginning. I am so thankful for my friends, family and another wonderful year of health and happiness. Happy Birthday to me, and Mike’s is next on the 19th. Can’t wait!
Enjoy a birthday video we made on July 1:
Thanks for reading and sharing this special day with me!
-Crystal Olguin
Birthday Greetings from Universal!
Happy July Everyone!!!
Happy July!
