NYC Central Park Carousel Ride

Brian and I went to NYC for the weekend in order to attend a business school friend's wedding on Long Island. Since it was a quick trip, we left Larkin at home with her beloved Grandma and Papa Hittle to look after her. They had a blast... here's a picture to prove it.

Meanwhile... Brian and I also had a blast in NYC! We got to see some very good b-school friends and spent some wonderful time with my family. Below are some pics of Brian and I hanging out with my Dad, my sister Dana and her husband Greg, and my nephews Gavin and Luke.

We took a long walk through Central Park and Gavin indulged on a 300 calorie vanilla ice cream bar from a stand near the Carousel. How do I know it was 300 calories, you ask? Well, believe it or not, New York has passed a law that any chain sort of eatery must post all the calories of each meal. So, yes, that means that even the menus at restaurants state how many calories are in each meal! It does wonders for helping you pick the lower calorie option. I think it's a great law. To show you what it looks like, I took a snapshot of the ice cream menu with the prices and calorie counts displayed. And, btw, I realize it's a popsicle, but is anyone else grossed out by the idea of eating the SpongeBob treat?

The big treat of the day was our ride on the famous Carousel in Central Park. According to the historical record I read, there has been a Carousel running in that location since 1871! It has hand-carved and hand-painted horses that are 3/4 of a real horse size, unlike any other carousel in existence. Another interesting fact is that when it was first in service, the Carousel was drawn by a blind horse and mule! The ride costs us each a very reasonable $2 and I can tell you from my first-hand experience that this is no slouch Carousel ride... it is fast! Watch us enjoy the ride below (warning... the video is long as it lasts the entire ride).