The Sunday scaries didn’t stand a chance this week; I write to you from more than 30,000 feet in the air as I head to the City of Angels for our GT Tested Reader Survey awards event. As I mentioned in my last blog, I was a bit nervous about flying this time of the year — especially from Newark Liberty International Airport — but luckily everything moved along quickly (despite the already ridiculously long lines before 7 a.m.), and I was able to grab breakfast before boarding my flight.

Anyway, I welcomed in my last dance of my twenties — my 29th birthday — this past Thursday, and what better way to honor myself than to allow the Christmas-obsessed child in me have a little fun? My boyfriend and I went to the LumiNature light show at the Philadelphia Zoo, and it was everything I needed to make the day even more special. Although it was a cold night, all the walking through the different installations and a few dance moves kept us warm and cozy for the almost 90 minutes we were at the venue. The tickets are sold with a timed entry, but there is no limit as to how long you can stay in the park; I should note, once you complete the loop, there’s no way to reenter the show unless you turn back around. The show is running through Jan. 9, and tickets can be purchased on the zoo’s official page. There are drinks, snacks and other refreshments available at the park, as well.

Right before leaving, we enjoyed a Bailey’s spiked hot chocolate; on the ride, we blasted Christmas music and picked up our go-to comfort meals from one of our favorite local spots in Newtown — Harvest Seasonal Bar & Grill. To my surprise, I returned home to a delicious homemade birthday cake, the cherry on top to close out the day.

We’ll head south to New Orleans in less than 48 hours for an extended birthday celebration; stay tuned for more about both trips in my next blogs!

Until next time …

— Yasser Ogando, advertising & production manager