5 Places to Go Out on Weekends When You’re Too Old for The Clubs

"If I'm still acting like this at the age of 30, please kill me." Little did I know that by the time that day arrived, I would (mostly) grow out of my love of loud, thumping music and staying out till the sun comes up.

Once upon a time, my closest friends worked in the hottest downtown bars so it wasn't uncommon for me to go to "support them" on Fridays and Saturdays.  And by support, I mean drink an obnoxious number of shots that probably should've killed me, dance like no one's watching until last call and grabbing greasy pizza or tacos before the after party.  The next thing I knew? It's 5 o'clock in the morning and we're still at my friend's apartment drinking cheap tequila out of the bottle. Those were definitely the nights I'll never (clearly) remember with people I'll never forget. I loved those people (I still do) and wouldn't trade those (very fuzzy) memories for anything.

But then it happened... probably slowly, but it seemed like all at once.  We grew up. I can't handle nights like that anymore.  My hangovers now feel like a slow, painful death and take an entire day to kick. I have to stick with one type of alcohol the entire night or I'll cause one by accident.  If we're in a loud bar, I know I'll have no voice the next day from screaming at my friends over the music. And quite frankly, I'm tired of having to find "going out clothes" that will make me blend into a crowd of young twenty somethings a little more. Yup.  These are all signs that I'm officially too old to go "clubbing" regularly.

That said, I don't want to become a hermit and sit home watching Netflix on Friday and Saturday nights! I still like getting out on the town as often as I can, but the way I approach those nights with the girls or my fiance has changed quite a bit. Feel like you're in the same place in your life? Then "ta-da" check out my fun list of:

5 Places to Go Out on Weekends When You're Too Old for the Clubs

1) Cyclebar's Happy Hour Ride

It's no secret that I'm training for my fifth full marathon and if you follow me on Facebook or Instagram, it's also no secret that if I can make it a through a week of running without injuring myself somehow, it's a miracle.  A few weeks ago, I started having pain in my foot similar to stress fractures that I had when I was younger.  So, in typical Michelle fashion, I freaked out and immediately tried to find an exercise alternative that would keep me in shape enough to run the marathon without putting as much impact on my foot.  That's how I ended up back at Cyclebar and it's one of the best decisions I've ever made!

Their instructors are incredibly inspirational, the music is awesome and the workout, although tough, is an absolute blast.  You leave the Cycle Theater feeling sweaty but like you really accomplished something after rocking your ride for 45 minutes! And sometimes there's treats waiting for you like there are after their Friday "Happy Hour" Ride.  One of my two favorite instructors, Eren, teaches that class at 5:45 p.m. every Friday.  Once you're done with your class, return your shoes and wipe down...there's a selection of beers and wines waiting for you to enjoy in the locker area!

Never been to Cyclebar at The Village at Meridian, but want to give it a try? If you're a first time rider, you get your ride for just $5! Sign up HERE. (My next happy hour ride is on March 9 if you don't want to be alone. I'm Bike 11 that evening! Pick one by me!)

2) The Brickyard for Dueling Pianos

Ironically, the upscale restaurant is located where one of my old haunts used to be.  Previously the Red Room, The Brickyard is on the corner of 6th and Main underneath The Reef.  We'll occasionally stop through to catch their dueling pianos show.  These are hilarious!  The whole show is driven by customer requests (the more you tip, the more likely you are to hear your song) and the two piano players and drummer will not just play it live, but often parody it into something so off the wall that you never saw it coming! Their repertoire includes hundreds of songs from the monster hits of the 80s, to the boy bands of the 90s and smashes of today!

Dueling pianos at the Brickyard happen every Friday and Saturday night after 10 p.m.  If you want to sip on a drink during the performance, they often have specials like $3 beers, $4 cocktails and $5 wines.

3) Spacebar for Old School Video Games

Call of Duty? Overwatch? Not at Spacebar! If you've never ventured into the "barcade" underneath Dharma Sushi at the corner of Capitol and Idaho, get ready to step back in time.  The room is lined with old school pinball and cabinet games dating back to the advent of video games. Galaga, Pacman, Frogger? Yup, they're all there!  They've also got a selection of old school systems including a Nintendo 64 that still plays original cartridges like Mario Kart 64 and the original Super Smash Bros.

Not one for video games? It's a pretty chill place to grab your favorite local beer or cider and just chat with friends.  They've got a shelf of board games that you can bring to your table!

4) Backstage Bistro for Dinner and a Movie

I truly believe that the Backstage Bistro inside Village Cinemas is the best kept dining secret at the Village at Meridian. Their menu is amazing (if you love fried mozzarella sticks, give their Mozzarella Spring Rolls a try...you will NOT be disappointed) and it's hard to beat their happy hour prices for both food and drinks.  Their staff is also one of the most attentive staffs out every restaurant in the Village.

Plan to go about an hour before your movie if you want to sit down for a meal.  In fact, if you find yourself enjoying the atmosphere enough, you might end up seeing a movie when you didn't originally plan on it! That's what we did after eating here on Valentine's Day weekend.

5) Night in With the Ladies

Yeah, I know I said the goal here wasn't to become a hermit but this is a new monthly plan my girlfriends and I put together! One of that gals in my running club saw a tutorial on how to make these adorable Star Wars bottle cap magnets and asked her Facebook friends if they wanted to make them with her.  A mix of friends and teammates leapt at the chance, so she posted a supply list that we divided up between all of us and got together at her place to make them.  She made the cutest Star Wars themed snacks and after a few glasses of wine, we decided that a monthly craft night was a must that we should rotate between everyone's homes.

I was up next in February and since we were doing a "love" themed canvas craft, I decided to put out a bunch of different wines, cheeses and chocolates for the ladies.  We had a blast and can't wait to get together in March!