30 to Midnight

Getting Someone's Number

Two days and massive loofah scrubbing later I still have noticeable remnants of the 29-yr-old's phone number on my hand. I remember him pinning me to the bar so he could scribble on me, and remember him pressing hard (with the pen), and scratching out one of the numbers. Yes he made a mistake while writing on me.

When I figured out his name yesterday I google-stalked him and realized he'd messed up more than one number. Hilarious.

Funnier: at some point before he decided to go home he was nonstop grabbing me whenever I was within two feet of him.
Me: why the hell do you keep grabbing me?
29: you're huggable me: what? him: you're huggable
Me: no I'm not. what the hell is that supposed to mean?
29: huggable

He really was a perfectly nice guy; pretty cute, not tall, but smart and funny. Yet not smart, funny, cute, or nice enough to warrant hugging. was it his age blocking him? I think so. What's the right thing to do here? This is why we all need to be in bars with people in our range: no additional hurt feelings and confusion.

Coppersmith's, Hell's Kitchen

Sunday, 6:15pm

Coppersmith's
793 Ninth Ave. (53rd St.)

Mixed crowd, likely due to ongoing NCAA tournament and nearby Zog Sports fields. Late 20's and 30's, mostly guys. Three good-looking thirties at bar. Starting to wonder if Timing is maybe more important than Location. Will have to investigate. Friend loved her oversized something-chicken wrap.

The Morning During / After Via Text

1:32am: Still waiting for train. You home?

9:22am: made spaghetti when i got home. afraid to see kitchen. 

Joe's Bar, East Village

Saturday, 9:45pm

Joe's Bar
520 E. 6th St. (Avenue A), Manhattan

9:45pm: Cab drivers love it when you tell them you're going to Tribeca, then change your mind and have them U-turn and take you to the East Village, especially after they just yelled at you for trying to get four people in the backseat. But money is money and we arrived at Joe's unscathed.

9:55pm: Sara and a forty-something at the bar agree their tap beers taste terrible. She says so to bartender who suggests she stick with bottles, and unhappily replaces whatever she was drinking with a Bud Light, or maybe a Miller Light, but probably a Bud.

10:15pm: The 43-year-old (who did not make it into our cab) arrives. He's angry. Not sure why he didn't go home. Sara offers her place at the pool table, partially to be nice and partially to get away from the 29.

10:45pm: The 29 keeps grabbing Sara in an awkward-drunken halfhug; The 30-year-old and a 35-year-old play pool and talk tennis, Kansas, Asics sneakers.

11:15pm: The 29 and the 43 leave. A self-proclaimed regular, 30's with mustache, grabs Sara, declaring "I take her" as his pool partner. This decision makes no sense.

11:30pm: The Mustache tells Sara he was a member of Pink Floyd, and she wants to believe it. Is Pink Floyd from New Jersey?

12am: 35 goes to the bathroom and Sara kisses the 30. Oops. Confusion ensues.

UPDATE: we returned to Joe's on 4/10, about 10pm=a very crowded mix of hippies, hipsters and, yes, the Mustache. Ages vary; we still think it's Appropriate.

Cellar Bar, Bryant Park Hotel, Midtown West

Thursday, 7pm

Cellar Bar
The Bryant Park Hotel
40 W. 40th St. (Sixth Ave.)

We like coat checks. Coats in a pile, sitting on coats, etc. is slovenly and juvenile. Two young girls (24?) sneer when asked to check their coats, then head downstairs like they did not hear the rule. But they're the worst of the crowd, which is, yes, thirty-ish, even forty-ish. Some suits and lots of Connecticut. Guess we're not far from Grand Central.

Wilfie & Nell, West Village

Wednesday, 9pm

Wilfie & Nell
228 W. 4th St. (7th Ave.), Manhattan

New York Magazine seems to be a driver of Age InAppropriate traffic, which means their deeming Wilfie & Nell "best pickup bar" has filled the place with children in suits. It wasn't always so, and maybe the old days (nights) will return, but for now we have to suggest staying away if hanging out with appropriately aged peers is your desire. Sad, really, because here the food, beer selection, exposed brick and farm tables are pretty great. 

Zum Schneider, East Village

Tuesday, 9pm

Zum Schneider
107 Avenue C (7th St.), Manhattan

Saturdays are terrible here (packed with children and students). And Fridays too, but the rest of the week Zum Schneider is a mellow place to have a Bavarian beer and play fooz ball with people in their 30s. 

The Rules of the Age Appropriate Bar Project

To ensure the success and continuation of the project, the following guidelines must be adhered to at all times:

1. Midnight Curfew
2. $40 Limit (per researcher)
3. At least one (1) drink should be bought for us by someone we did not know previously 
4. One (1) Drink per Bar
5. Rules #1, 2, 3 and 4 can be amended on as needed basis.

Gramercy Tavern, Gramercy

Thursday, 8:45pm

Gramercy Tavern
42 East 20th St. (Park South), Manhattan

Gramercy Tavern is one of our favorite places. Siddle up to the bar, let the bartender make you a cocktail, or order from the outstanding wine list. Great food too can be had at the bar. They'll set up a fancy setting and you'll feel special and wonderful. It doesn't get better than that, unless your barstool neighbor picks up the tab. The only young'uns in here are with their parents (or considerably older dates).

1/4/2010 update: Where is our GT picture? And how is this our only update? Hmm. Well, it matters not because we still love this bar (and the restaurant too but the bar is so wonderful). You can't go wrong here - age, food, drink, service - and if you happen not to clean your plate and ask for some to-go, your doggie bag will me waiting at the coatcheck. How awesome is that? Very.

Dublin House, Upper West Side

Tuesday, 8pm

Dublin House
225 West 79th St. (Broadway), Manhattan

Yes it's Age Appropriate, and Irish appropriate, which does not mean we recommend going to the Dublin House on St P's Day (in fact, we think that's a great day to stay in). The regulars here are well over-thirty. Great jukebox. The mellow vibe of this place is only interrupted by small groups having a quick drink before they "go out" for the night; not much disturbance at all. Bonus: Bartenders provide menus for ordering-in from nearby restaurants.