Work often takes those of us based in the Pennsylvania office into New York City. Yesterday, I joined Olivia in NYC to handle some last-minute details for our annual wine survey (taking place at the end of the month; check out the August issue for more details) and to look at possible locations for the 2011 awards event. At the end of the day, we decided to linger in the city and become “tourists,” checking out the Big Apple’s newest sightseeing attraction, The Ride. The Ride is an interactive, multimedia bus tour through midtown Manhattan. One side of the bus and the roof are windows, allowing passengers to catch a full glimpse of what is all around them. The stadium-style seating faces out the windows, ensuring everyone has a view. Our tour was led by our guides, Jackie and Scott, who were funny and energetic. Also a tour guide? The Ride itself, which interacts with guests over a loudspeaker and through TV monitors lining the bus. The Ride offers a new way to view New York City. Not only is the tour interactive with those on the bus, it is also interactive with those walking along the NYC streets. Along the way, outside of the bus, Ride performers entertain tour-goers and New Yorkers alike with ballet, hip hop, break dancing and opera singing. My favorites were the UPS deliveryman/break dancer (after all, everyone in NYC is something other than what their job indicates) and the ballet performance around Columbus Circle. I also enjoyed The Ride’s comedic approach to New York City, poking fun at the city, tourists and natives alike. The Ride scans landmarks and people throughout the city, and this is where the true comedy shines. Also along the way, the guides ask the guests questions, with correct answers resulting in Ride points. GT’s own Olivia Falcione was the grand-prize winner last night, correctly identifying the pop-star who served as the coat check girl at the Russian Tea Room in 1982. Any guesses? I got one question right as well. Which two NYC buildings are tied for third place as the tallest buildings? Here’s one answer — the Chrysler Building. Do you know the other? In addition to being entertaining, The Ride was also incredibly informative. I learned a lot of facts I never knew. For example, the AMC Theater on 42nd Street is in a protected building that was originally located a few addresses up the street. Since the city couldn’t knock the building down, they moved it — pulling it down the street in eight hours. The Hearst Tower was started in the 1920s, but construction was halted because of the Great Depression. When they decided to complete it in the latter part of the 20th century, they built the new, much more modern building right up through the older, protected building. These are just a few of the interesting tidbits I learned along the way. NYC landmarks passed along the route include the Bank of America Tower, the New Year’s Eve Waterford crystal ball, Grand Central Terminal, Bryant Park, Central Park and more. It was interesting to be inside the bus, watching the people on the streets interact with the tour. Some chose to dance along with the street performers or wave to those of us on the inside, while others chose to pretend they didn’t notice anything and kept on walking. I’ve never before been on such an interactive tour, and it was certainly a unique experience. While I don’t know that native New Yorkers would enjoy The Ride, tourists visiting the city will definitely get a kick out of the one-of-kind tour. I laughed quite a bit while on board. The Ride even scanned Olivia and myself, correctly reading our minds that we had “super powers.” I even participated in the “Ride Wave,” directed at amused onlookers on the streets. The only slightly embarrassing part of the experience? As we concluded the ride, driving through Times Square, with “New York, New York” blaring for all to hear, the microphone was handed to me. I opted out of singing for everyone. I thought that was the kinder option for those in the street, as well as those of us on the bus. Enjoy The Ride! — Kim Krol, eFlyer editor, circulation and public relations executive