Boogie Down in the 'Burbs

When the Westchester Magazine came out with its Nightlife issue in March '08, I couldn't help but be cynical and think that nightlife in Westchester was an oxymoron.

It's not that hubby and I don't go out a couple days a week, or that we don't appreciate the nearby venues where we have a good time, it's just that the suburbs have always been synonymous with quaint neighborhood eateries, quiet streets and a 10 PM curfew. Or, so I had thought...

On Saturday night, we ended up at Lucy's Lounge in Pleasantville- not by coincidence. When hubby and I were sitting by the waterfront in Yonkers a few weekends ago, we had browsed through a copy of the "More Sugar" paper and noticed that one of the U2 tribute bands, 2U, we had previously seen (the other one is the Unforgettable Fire) would be playing on Aug. 16th, same day as the Jets pre-season game where we would watch Favre for the first time. We decided that we'd go to the game and then head over to Lucy's afterward.

I was happy that Lucy's was easy to find, right off Bedford Road, conveniently accessible from the Saw Mill & the Taconic. Parking was accessible as well- not in the bar's designated parking lot but at the municipal parking spot across the street. From the outside, it looked like a cool cousin of one of the bars in White Plains- girls and guys catching a few smokes, the door-boy making small talk, and music pouring outside the door.

Walking inside, I was pleasantly surprised to find the bar packed with not only 20-somethings, but also with some slightly more mature (at least in their looks!) crowd. There were women decked out in tent dresses and big jewelry, men in casual slacks and button-downs, adding to the polished atmosphere. (I thanked my wisdom in taking off my Jets jersey and putting on something more appropriate prior to going in!) There were also more individualistic styles- I attributed it to the wide range of crowd that the band must've drawn in to the bar that evening- I actually love that!

The band played on, Michael Phelps won his 8th gold medal, we sipped our beers, and enjoyed the cool breeze coming in through the doors and windows. Our evening at Lucy's in Pleasantville, overall, was quite pleasant (cannot help myself!!!); I'd love to go back and sample one (or two?) of their martinis.

Maybe, after all, there's a nightlife in Westchester for those of us in their 30s & 40s aside from our neighborhood comfort zones- we just need to stretch our thinking...