From a kid's point of view, most merry-go-rounds are created equal. There are horses (or other animals) to sit on, and they all go round and round. But some carousels are more eye-catching than others. Just look at Dumbo's glass-encased Jane's Carousel, Harlem's kid-designed Totally Kid Carousel and the Flushing Meadows Carousel, the centerpiece of Queens' mini-amusement park Fantasy Forest.

Now there's a new merry-go-round in town: the B&B Carousell in Coney Island. To be accurate, the merry-go-round isn't really new at all—parts of it date back to 1906 and it was turning in Coney Island up until 2005, when the owners planned to take it apart and sell the scraps. Happily, the city bought it intact and over the past eight years, the B&B Carousell was meticulously restored in Ohio before being returned to its Brooklyn home.

We recently took a few spins on the historic merry-go-round, which debuted Memorial Day weekend 2013. Check out our pics and find out why It should definitely be on your to-do list the next time you hit Coney Island.

Unfortunately, this series is not happening in 2014.

On Friday evening, I headed to dinner with my family along Mamaroneck Avenue, a popular strip close to Mamaroneck Harbor and the Long Island Sound with lots of restaurants, shops and things to do. A routine dinner out turned into an evening of fun, as we walked right into a block party along the avenue. This event, part of an annual series of block parties along the avenue, was created with two worthwhile goals in mind: to support local businesses and to raise money for local charities. My kids had a blast and with three more events scheduled throughout the summer, we're sure to be back.

The summer block parties are hosted by Mamaroneck Shares, a local non-profit organization started in 2010 by local restaurant owner/operator Mike Hynes and Peggy Jackson and Ellen Hauptman, founders of a local chapter of Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. Currently in its 4th year, the series has grown bigger each year and has become part of the village's summer landscape. Read on for the remaining dates and everything else you need to know about the series. 

As of summer 2014, Mister Sunday is now held on Sundays from 5 to 10pm on Second Avenue between 36th and 37th Streets in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. This post refers to its old space. For more information on the current party, visit the website. When I first became a mom I assumed my clubbing days were over. Then I found out about fun family dance parties like Baby Loves Disco and Little Club Heads held at real NYC clubs in the afternoon so they felt pretty authentic (so much so that we even had to wait on lines to get it—that was a bit of realness I could have done without).

But last summer my family and I discovered our favorite all-ages dance party of all: Mister Sunday, which takes place outside in Brooklyn's Gowanus Grove. Located right along the banks of the Gowanus Canal, Mister Sunday has a chill crowd, and is both kid and dog-friendly. Regular DJs Justin Carter and Eamon Harkin mostly spin house, disco and techno music, and revelers dance the day away under the disco ball and poplar trees.

We went several times as a family in 2012 with our two girls (who were then 2½ and 3 months) and had a blast every time. We felt like we were in a huge backyard just hanging out with friends. Unfortunately, due to a real-estate development along the canal, it looks like this will be the last year for Mister Sunday, so hit the dance floor with your kids while you can.