30 to Midnight

Kibo, Union Square

Saturday, 6pm

Kibo
111 E 18th St. (Park Ave. South), Manhattan

Kibo is very large, like Nobu 57 dining room large but somehow larger (maybe it was the perspective from the footstools in the lounge area, behind the bar in the photo). Scantily-clad cocktail waitress tells us it's too soon to put a number on average age of customer, but, not to worry, it's been fun. That says Age Appropriate Before Midnight to us, if you like sitting low, or at a large, non NYC-like bar (not our NYC, we should say). Know differently? Do tell.

Italian Wine Merchants, Union Square

Saturday, 1pm

Italian Wine Merchants, Tasting Room
108 East 16th St. (Irving Pl.), Manhattan

Wine School! So what if the acoustics were not great; the wine was interesting, the paired meat and cheese and bread was wonderful, and the entire room was Age Appropriate. Teacher says that's usual. We may have to start an 'education' category. What do you think? More Learning Under the Influence?  Astor Center? All signs point to yes.

Help us help 30+ers by sharing your favorite classes, and places to take them, in the comments below. Thanks.

Birreria at Eataly, Flatiron

Wednesday, 8:30pm

Birreria at Eataly
200 Fifth Ave. (23rd St.), Manhattan

Apparently we really like going out on Wednesdays. What is that about? Coincidence, actually. Had a meeting across the street from Eataly so decided to give Birreria another go. Summer venture thwarted by Age InAppropriate lines. Fall better.

Bars in Madison Square Park on a Sunday Night

If you happen to be wandering around, thinking of grabbing a drink and a snack at a restaurant bar in Madison Square Park - SD26 (left picture) and Eleven Madison Park are closed on Sundays. Tabla is open. If that leads you to an uptown subway, please note that The Mark Restaurant (below picture) is currently open only for brunch on Sundays (that will change in the upcoming months).

Molly's, Gramercy

Friday, 11pm

Molly's
287 Third Ave. (St.), Manhattan

Fireplace! Age Appropriates! Beer! The feeling that you're not in Manhattan! (should that have an exclamation point? but it's pretty, the sequence). History: Opened as a bar in 1895. Operated as a grocery during Prohibition. Named after an Irish folk song in the 60's (Molly Malone's). Renamed in 1991 (Molly’s Shebeen; a shebeen is an illegal drinking establishment). That was the year Sara graduated from high school. Also the year Seinfeld debuted. Also the year Elizabeth Taylor has her eighth wedding. 

Japonica, Union Square

Saturday, 9pm

Japonica
100 University Place (12th St.), Manhattan

One of our most favorite people has officially become Age Appropriate. Actually, two of our favorite people. So many 1980 friends we have. Wow. Happy Birthday. Welcome. And thanks for getting us out to Japonica, home of sushi that's fresh and not cheap. Perfect. It seems today is the day of one word sentences. Great. So what did will experience on our celebratory night out? Age Appropriates. Tourists. Parents of students. Cocktails. 

Gramercy Park Hotel Roof Club and Garden

Sunday, 11pm

Gramercy Park Hotel Roof Club and Garden
2 Lexington Ave. (21st St.), Manhattan

We had a sick meal at Mialino (also in the Gramercy Park Hotel) then elevated and walked up to the Roof Bar, which was mostly empty and completely lovely, as evidenced by this captivating photo. If they can manage to keep it mostly empty and completely AA (which it was) we'll be back. You can reserve sections for group gatherings, which could be nice if, again, the rest of the space is not jam-packed. Because we like our jam a little thin. We like jelly. 

Jade Bar, Gramercy Park Hotel

Sunday, Midnight

Jade Bar at the Gramercy Park Hotel
2 Lexington Ave. (21st St.), Manhattan

Someone who is not allowed to have liquor, particularly after an afternoon of Bloody Marys, got involved with Pineapple and Ginger Margaritas at the Jade Bar. That someone was hungover for three days. That someone now remembers why she is not allowed to have liquor. That someone was 13,425-days-old at the time of the consumption. The forgetting about the not allowing seems to happen about once every 500 days, which means watch out May-June 2011.

We did not need to make a reservation to enter the cozy Jade Bar, but sometimes that is necessary. It's always necessary at the adjacent Rose Bar. E-mail them if you want to try to get in. We're into that exclusivity because we like the way it keeps out the AI's (the majority of guests at this hotel are AA). We also like the way it promotes forethought. Someone needs to get back on that program.

Rye House, Flatiron

Tuesday, 1pm

Rye House
11 W. 17th St. (5th Ave.), Manhattan

During lunch at Rye House the camera, as sometimes happens, did not make it out of its case. Neither did the phone (which may be a blessing though day shots generally work out). We're rationalizing our lack of photog instincts by telling ourselves we could not have decided what to shoot - the appealing space, the assortment of rye-bourbon-whiskey-sugarcanesyrup, the juicy burger, the crunchy chips, the long communal table in the back that would be more approachable sans pre-set glasses? Or how about anyone in the place since they were all AA? Bartender says evenings and nights are livelier and mostly in the appropriate age range. Excellent. We have to say one more thing: scrumptious. Now we'll use it in a sentence: Though we were unsure of what to expect, and our expectations were low, the mac&cheese croquettes were scrumptious. Thanks to Randee for the treat.  

SD26, Flatiron

SD26
19 E. 26th St. (Madison Ave.), Manhattan

Unlike our usual commentary, here we refer you to someone and something with 30toMindight-like sentiments: Sam Sifton's review of SD26. Have to say, based on our attendance at the San Domenico closing lunch, we saw this coming.

We'll update with our own words when we have them.