Middle-Aged Clubbers in NYC
 

My friend and I are having a girls' weekend in NYC next month. We're both 40-ish and love to eat out, go to a show, shop. After the theater, we'd love to go someplace "happening" for a drink and good people watching, music, and a lively atmosphere but have no idea if there is a place in mid-town where people "our age" wouldn't be scorned or feel exceptionally out of place...suggestions??

ttt for Misha

Misha,40-ish is middle aged!? Puhleezz! The locals on this forum will give you plenty of suitable suggestions and from my enquiries on here there will be no scorning going on.Have a great time!

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I'm kind of at a loss. Midtown isn't the most "happening" area for night life in the city, so options are kind of limited. Many of the bars in the neighborhood are either after-work places that tend to be empty on the weekends, or hotel bars.

www.scheckys.com is my favorite resource for finding bars in NYC. You can search by location ("midtown") and type ("older scene" "dancing"). The advance search feature lets you select multiple locations and types.

Off the top of my head, The Stone Rose might be a good choice. It's located in Columbus Circle in the new Time Warner building.

Good luck!

I just realized I spelled the name of the website incorrectly - it should be www.sheckys.com. Sorry for any confusion, enjoy your visit!

You just never know when you'll just stumble in to a fabulous spot.

Last month, my husband and I had lots of time to spare between dinner (at Hurley's where there was quite the lively bar scene...) and "The Odd Couple" and just happened to wander into the Crowne Plaze cocktail lounge along the way, where there was a fabulous gent on the piano.

I cannot imagine why you would worry about being "scorned" or "feel exceptionally out of place".

No idea, either, what you mean by "happening", but you can hardly go wrong by wandering about and dropping into any appealing place along the way.

Suggestions here would include the lobby lounge at the Algonquin, Gaby's at the Sofitel, the lounge at the Hilton Times Square, or any number of places. Nearly every restaurant has a most "convivial" bar. You really can't go wrong.

I'm not sure I know exactly the sort of thing you want Misha. If you just want a lively atmosphere and fun, any of the piano bars around town can be a real hoot from Don't Tell Mama on restaurant row (so very convenient to theater) to Brandy's on the upper east side to the places in the village like Rose's Turn, the Duplex are great fun. You sometimes hear amazingly good singers too.

But it sounds like you want more of a club atmosphere, or something "chic". The bar at DB Bistro Moderne (next to the Algonquin) might be nice. Also on the same street is the Royalton hotel with a chic bar and the Mansfield hotel with a chic bar. The bar in the Bryant Park hotel might be good. Other options

The Beacon (rest. with good bar)
Blue Fin (rest. & bar in the W Times Square)
Fusion is a bar/lounge
Iridium jazz club
Library Bar in the Hudson Hotel (58th st so a bit north of the theater dist.)
Zanzibar rest/bar/lounge with DJ

Peter - Reminds me of an ex-boyfriend who's 60 year old mom called herself "middle aged". He said "Yeah mom, if you live to 120!"

Great suggestions above - thanks! But guys ... why the reactions to "middle aged?" What do you consider middle-aged??

Misha, as we age, the definition of "middle aged" seems to go up. Most 40ish folks don't consider themselves middle aged. :-d

having fun at a club filled with people younger than you all depends on your confidence and state of mind. My departed girlfriend and I went to a very trendy night club a few years ago in London and had a fantastic time. We left the dance floor at 1 AM. I'm also "40-ish".

OK then ... I blush to admit that my friend is 40-ish but I am mid-fifties!! So...I'm middle aged, though I do believe 50 is the new 30 ...

Misha, 40-ish is middle age. I'm with you tho - 50 is the "new" 30! I'll be 30 again soon... And I'd love to go to a lively club in NYC.

I like stone rose in the Time Warner Building.The view is beautiful and it gets a NYC crowd that is mixed with tourists.
Have fun on your trip.All of the above posts are good choices where you will feel very comfortable.