Going out in the evening

Snap MissA!

I'm out most evenings summer and winter for rehearsals, meetings or meals and occasionally cinema or theatre visits. I don't like night driving either but fortunately a lot of meetings or social events are in the village so I can walk there and for rehearsals/meals out someone else generally drives (DH or friends). Occasionally I have to drive which I don't enjoy at night.
I'd be bored sitting in watching TV every night though the occasional night in is enjoyable.
I always enjoy meals out as I hate cooking! But sometimes on a free Saturday if we've been out a lot and the weather is bad we do have a takeaway in frontof the TV for a treat!

I don't like going out at night, since I retired, I especially hate driving at night. Yet I used to be out at night all the time when I was working.
DH and I prefer to go out into town by train for a leisurely lunch and back home for a cosy evening in.

Only Teacheranne mentioned all the clubs, lectures etc. that happen in the evening. Where I live there are always several every night on an amazing variety of subjects. And the local history group is packed almost every month, with at least eighty mostly elderly people. And there are committee meetings, dance classes, u3a, wea.

I am always grateful for all the members who turn out to the society I am involved in chairing. It is quite embarrassing to have a speaker travel for a distance and a
very small audience.

I no longer like driving at night so am trying to persuade my girlfriends to have lunches together instead of dinners. I like having something to look forward to though. OH and I have started going out for a walk at about 7pm, once a week. We don't get changed or dress up, so it's not an 'ordeal'. It's dark and we do a circular route which takes in three pubs. It makes it more enjoyable stopping off in at least one of them for a G&T. But otherwise, no, I am happy if we have no plans for the evening.

GN Burns lunch this week is pretty ideal for me. Good time of day, good company and most likely good food. Then home for the evening. Lovely.

Well Kirbygirl, I did! They come under the general heading of meetings - I thought it would be too long and boring to describe all the meetings, clubs, evening classes and talks I go to! But I wish more of them were in the daytime especially in the winter!

A real homebird nowadays. Like to visit my two best friends and their husbands locally, but we eat at 6.30 and home by 9pm! Still work 30+ hours per week and does my husband. Love socialising with the family and friends at the weekend - for lunch, and in the summer we BBQ at home and each other's. I was a true party animal in the 70's and 80's. Don't feel guilty reading how everyone else feels! Currently snuggled up with the dog watching Call The Midwife on catch-up!!!!

I think it depends on your personality. All the things I enjoy doing most are in the house. As I get older, I don't want to waste too much time doing the things I don't really enjoy.

We are more who chose to go out at lunch time except perhaps in the light evenings. We find eating our main meal at lunchtime suits us better too.
The main exception to this is when we are traveling between U.K. nd France. I eat very little when we are travelling or I am sleepy so we eat either at the port or on the ship depending on sailing times. The Brittany Ferries overnight ferries have a lovely á la Carte restaurant. However we do try and eat as early as we can - which on some boats is happily from 6-30pm.

Being not too long retired, I find it a treat to go to the cinema in the afternoon when it’s lovely and quiet. I hate it when it’s full and noisy, with people rustling sweet wrappers and the smell of food. Also, as I don’t eat meat it often seems the case that I can cook tastier meals at home than the sad veggie offerings in some places. I do go to a yoga class in the evening but come straight home afterwards at 9 pm, that’s a late night for me!

I am a lot less keen to go out at night now even in the car.
I had to drive myself back from seeing the DGs's on Monday night that is 50 miles over the Peak District. I did not enjoy it at this time of year and we usually share it.
It was just getting really dark by about 5pm.

I go out on two nights to two different choirs and in the winter months one night a month to a Geology lecture at the local university Campus.

The journey to the first choir is straight forward up one big road for about ten miles and the other one is much shorter a bit more bendy but not too busy.

The journey to the university campus is not a lot further but just more complicated. Roads are fast and busy and it is always dark and quite scary.

It is not the distance it's self that is the problem but how complicated the journey is. I am feeling my age right now.

Yep I'm not keen for all the reasons mentioned here. However, did a biggie the other evening. We were bought a voucher for a comedy night in the West End of London so off we went. We live in London so not totally alien to us, but the city if we go, is usually a daytime occurance. I expected not to get a seat on the tube, I expected drunks slumped in the gutter and was slightly nervous about being out that late. Nevertheless, we had a great time and no problems at all.

Jamside, like you I always go to the cinema in the afternoon. My friend and I meet for a snack or a coffee first and then sit back and enjoy a relatively quiet showing with not too much rustling going on. When the evenings are light DH and I sometimes have an early evening meal out, but are back before it’s dark. Like many, I have virtually given up night time driving.
I hope your evening yoga class helps with sleep. I very occasionally go to an evening Pilates class if I’ve mussed my daytime one, and I find it really helps me to relax.

Agree so much about driving at night. I'm fine in well lit urban areas, or on motorways, but will nowadays avoid like the plague driving on unlit country roads at night. Never used to think twice, but night vision does apparently deteriorate as you get older.

I love going out in the evening. We go out as much as possible. We are retired and are here all day just the two of us. The evenings can get monotonous so we go out a couple of times a week. There may come a time when we can't, so we enjoy it while we can [simle]

KatyK i really am going to try to follow your example. I feel we are getting in a rut. DH goes to Bowls a couple of times a week in the evening and I watch rubbish TV. This has got to stop. Must find some other people to go out with but not to bowls!!!!

Many restaurants and pubs, right across the board, have dispensed with carpets and tablecloths thus making their premises an echo chamber. Chairs scraped across tiles or wood, clattering tableware and the din of loud chatter ruin it for me. IMO, it's nothing to with age, I simply want to be able to enjoy the meal without a cacophony of sound leaving me feeling wrung out. It's not a pleasant outing any more unless you dine at places such as Claridges, Clos Maggiore, The Langham and any of the top London establishments where your celebration is prioritised by staff from entry to exit. As a once yearly expenditure, it's worth every penny to be treated as a treasured guest.
During the rest of the year I entertain at home, getting meal and different recipe ideas from YouTube or buying meal deals from Waitrose or M&S if I don't want to spend time prepping.

Grannyknot

Seinfeld...???
I know the stand-up you mean. I loved the series and his solo shows.

No Mollie, it doesn't sound odd, to me anyway.
I have no qualms about having a meal in my own in a restaurant and emphasise that I want a decent table, not one near the back.

* on my own.

Bridge, bowls, U3a, choirs and geology lectures and talks plus afternoon cinema seem to be very popular with the over 55s.
Personally, I'd never go to any of those activities. I'd feel as if I had one foot in the grave. I like running, horse-riding and racing and belong to a few of the Meet Up groups one of which is urban photography. I also enjoy rowing, having been introduced to gig racing when holidaying on St Martins (Isles of Scilly)

.Bellanonna yes, evening yoga leaves me feeling very relaxed!

My normal evening begins as it starts to get dark. Close the curtains, switch on lights, and then go upstairs to get undressed and into nightie and cosy fleece dressing gown. Once I have eaten (I do so very early), then settle comfortably on my chair with legs up on stool, with knitting in hand, mug of green tea and tele on ( I always record programmes so can watch whatever I fancy in the evenings).
I do belong to several organisations that have evening meetings, never mind going to these in the Spring and Summer, but have to really give myself a strict talking to so that I can attend during winter months. Did find a couple of years ago that I was not attending many of these, and now make myself go. I know they have to be in the evenings as many of those in attendance are still working, but do find them hard.
But can remember when I was younger, loved evening outings and meetings, often starting out at 9 o'clock or even later. Very much a daytime person now.

for any Glasgow area grans ,we went to see a folk group last night at Celtic Connections.It's a new band that we've seen before and this was a bigger audience being recorded for Celtic Radio.It was on from 5pm until 7pm at the Concert Hall on the Danny Kyle Open Stage ,5 acts with 20 minutes each and it was brilliant.The time means grans who dont want a late night can be home early and there are a different 5 acts every evening for the whole festival.Oh ...and its FREE.So all it costs is your transport ...and a drink if you feel inclined .Early evenings need never be boring again.Well not until mid February .