30 to Midnight

Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill, Midtown West

Friday, 10:30pm

Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill
6 Columbus Hotel
6 Columbus Circle (aka 308 W. 58th St.), Manhattan

Thankfully we have some smart friends who know about things like uptown Blue Ribbon when you, say, can't get a seat at the bar at Marea, or when you need a quietish-not-boring spot for a date. And not-boring doesn't always mean fire drill, though it did the night we sat at the bar drinking and snacking and meeting AA women from LA.

Sometimes we meet women, and later they contact us to say hello, which we'd attribute to female courtesy but maybe they're really interested in our press contacts because they make and sell an unusual product. Or maybe they're just friendly.  Either way, they, like us, know that you're never alone when you sit at the bar. That's a good thing. Bartender says the crowd is almost always AA. We noticed couples; he nodded. We also noticed those firemen checking us out (while we were taking pictures of them and their shiny truck). Pretty sure they are AI (we used to watch Rescue Me, as you know). AI is for looking. AA is for touching.

The Fantasticks, Off-Broadway (but On Broadway)

M, T, F, Sa, 8pm (other times too)

The Fantasticks
Jerry Orbach Theater
Snapple Theatre Center
210 W. 50th St (Broadway), Manhattan

Most Age Appropriates we know saw The Fantasticks at the Sullivan Street Playhouse (181 Sullivan near Houston; a pre-Civil War bulding that's now a modern-luxury apartment building). The show ran there for almost 42 years. The revival is up in the theatre district, in the theatre named for Jerry Orbach, who was in the original production (see picture with Rita Gardner and Kenneth Nelson). We're linking you to all those actors because today's post is a bit of schooling. Here's another actor to know - Jennifer Mintzer. She's seen The Fantasticks 50 times, and has played The Girl too. She was our date this time (Sara's 3rd). We were among the 40 people in the audience; small crowd even for a theatre that maybe seats 200. Honestly, we miss Sullivan Street but you should still get yourself a discount ticket and remember how fun the play is. And smart. And considerate of Age and life experience.

Knave, Parker Meridien, Midtown West

Thursday, 8pm

Knave Cafe & Bar at Le Parker Meridien Hotel
118 West 57th St. (6th AVe.), Manhattan

"Excuse me," Sara asked a concierge in the lobby while pointing, "What's the name of this bar?"
Concierge 1: The Knave.
Sara: Knave? Like chess?
Concierge 1: That's knight.
Concierge 2: Like a church, because it looks like a nave.
Sara: N-A-V-E?
Concierge 2: Yes, but we spell it K-N-A-V-E for the, you know, person.
Sara: Like in Chaucer?
Blank Stares
Sara: Canterbury Tales? Wasn't there a Knave's Tale?
Blank Stares, still
Sara: Or what that a knight too? The Knight, The Reeve, The Nuns Priest...
Donna: Let's just get a drink.
Sara: The Miller...maybe there wasn't a knave.
Concierge 2: Get a card and you'll see it on the logo.

The logo, incidentally, shaped so the figure makes a sort of "K", looks like kokopelli, just to add to the confusion at the prime meridian. 

The Knave (the bar) is surprisingly welcome in its narrowness. Age Appropriates, mostly the male version, sit, drinking cocktails, coffees, and beer. We're into it. And, if you haven't yet realized that Burger Joint isn't half the burger joint it used to be, (tear), you can have one sent to you.

Marea, Midtown West

Friday, 7:25pm

Marea
240 Central Park South (B'Way / Columbus Circle), Manhattan

We heard the bar food was fantastic at Marea (it does come from the same kitchen) so we planned a happy hour, which started a little late. Or, actually, didn't start at all since the bar here, especially on weekends say the staff, is really just additional seating for diners sans reservations. Not including two men waiting for a table, the entire bar (12 seats? maybe 14) was twosomes with big plates and bowls in front of them.

We waited to see if anyone was getting up anytime soon. A mixed-gender couple stood with us, hesitating to order a drink because of the difficulty and akwardness of leaning over the diners. Friendly bartender helped them. Really, though, what makes the bar not a bar is the fact that the space is library quiet. "You just want a drink?" as hostess practically whispered to us. "You might want to try a weeknight."

All this said, Marea makes our 'Best' list because the crowd is undeniably AA. And the bar itself is attractive. But we don't recommend it unless food is your priority.

Sushiden, Midtown West

Sushiden - 6th Ave Location
123 W. 49th St. (7th Ave.), Manhattan

Sushiden - Madison Avenue Location still open.

Jake's, Midtown West

Sunday, 10pm

Jake's
875 Tenth Ave. (57th St.), Manhattan

It might be surprising to hear that the bar closest to Terminal 5 is AA, but it is. And we're told the food tastes great though we can only confirm it smells great. And we really thought we had more to say but it seems we do not. It just felt good in here. Too bad Tenth Avenue is so far away. 

The Breslin Bar and Dining Room, Midtown West

Wednesday, 9:30am

The Breslin Bar and Dining Room
Ace Hotel
20 W. 29th St. (Broadway), Manhattan

The plan was: coffee and breakfast at The Breslin. It didn't happen. Not because we really don't eat breakfast, but because the trains were slow and crowded and the restaurant was slow and crowded. The bar was half-crowded with breakfast-desirees and their dripping outerwear. Everyone in this place was AA or at least looked AA. Alas, no drinks at the bar, not even the coffee-kind so we walked over to Stumptown Coffee Roasters (open 6a to 8p, daily). 

In the morning, they sell baked goods from Frankie's Spuntino (pictured) and later in the day the options are from The Breslin. Exciting. We love Frankie's. We can't find our Frankie's post. We'll get back to you with that. Anyway, we took our cappuccino and latte and pretzel-bread-brie-sandwich and orange bundt cake and sat in the lobby of the hotel. We were not alone. And we were all appropriately-aged. And it was wonderful for a morning meeting. Now we need to make sense of the nighttime. 

Terminal 5, Midtown West West West

Sunday, 9pm

Terminal 5
610 W. 56th Street (11th Ave), Manhattan

can't do the things I used to
'cause I feel old
-Heartless Bastards

You know we like live music, and maybe you know we love Wolfmother. We didn't get to see them last time they were in the States because we had to attend a wedding on a Wednesday. Really. And men and women were separated during the service. How bonding. Anyway, we finally finally got to see the band and we could not be happier about it. They rock. Like how bands used to rock. And, for possibly the first time ever, Sara has a crush on a lead singer. Usually she goes for the bassist, but that dude - Andrew Stockdale, 33 - has something to him. Sheesh.

More importantly in terms of venue, Terminal 5 has some seriously Age Appropriate bathrooms. We like. We were slightly freaked out by the mega-AI's taking all sorts of pills at the Wolfmother show, but were calmed by the many AA's smoking dope or simply drinking beer. Obviously the music will determine the age of the crowd. Oh, and the above quote, and the photo, are Heartless Bastards, an amazing band that opened for Wolfmother. They have one of those Sara-appealing bass players. You know you're AA when you're looking for rings on the hands of guys on stage.

House of Brews, Hell's Kitchen

Sunday, 12:15am

House of Brews
363 W. 46th St. (8th Ave.), Manhattan

"Weekends are totally different," says waiter Jena, looking around the bar half-full of Bridge+Tunnelers. We felt okay, age-wise, and Jena agreed House of Brews can be AA.

Usually it's mid-to-late-20's (office types, Broadway types, musicians), she says. Plus the 30something regulars who sit outside and smoke (patio open until 12am on weekends, 10pm weekdays). We can't believe we found such a normal bar in such an abnormal location (with such a lame name). We wouldn't go out of our way to come here, but it is a legit post-theatre option.

Update (we like to keep our info fresh): Three months after our first visit we returned to House of Brews. This time on a Thursday, 9pm. The crowd was indeed mostly AA, and mostly corporate casual, and mostly male, plus one aqua-sequin-tank-top.

Dream Hotel, Midtown West

Friday, 9:15pm

Dream Hotel
210 W. 55th St. (Broadway)

An exception to our rule that Hotel Bars are always AA. From the ground level to the roof, this hotel is crawling with creepy Age InAppropriates. That sounds mean. But is it mean that the forefront of our photo is a heap of garbage? We like the contrast - fancy and antsy, as in colonies of drones and queens. Why does it seem like we're saying the Dream Hotel is insect-infected? We're not. But that doesn't make it a good place for thirty-somethings. FYI - the tight roof space is called the Ava Lounge, and Rm. Fifty5 is the horrible written name of the lobby bar.