Not serving the High Life

The dy-no-mite ms. wobs and I had a date night on Thursday evening. We headed into the city for... bowling. We don't go bowling too often, namely because ms.wobs convincingly kicks my ass most of the time, but it seemed like a good idea for this evening (I did win one game, thanks to Lady Margarita).

However, the bowling alley we went to... I dunno. It was the Lucky Strike down at Gallery Place. Now I have nothing against fine or trendy establishments. I enjoy a good meal at a nice restaurant, and I can dig on the trendy bar with the impressive martini menu. But "posh" and "bowling alley" should not be uttered in the same breath. Yet there we were.

First, it appears to be cosmic bowling all the time in there, so the lanes are a black-lit dim, with a video projection screen over the pins (this was very annoying, as it obscured the lane markings which I desperately need to make a decent roll). The seating area around the lanes had a low table with two couches. Couches, people. And they were relatively comfortable. On the table was a freaking candle.

What's more, there's something highly discordant about being able to get a well-poured, top-shelf manhattan delivered to your lane while you're bowling. I don't begrudge the liquor - the tasty margarita which ms. wobs slurped down did inebriate her enough to assure victory in game 2 (ok - it was only by a sliver) - but it's strange. And having goat cheese pastries and coconut prawn shrimp that actually taste good while you bowl? I'm sorry, but a bowling alley should serve greasy fries and jalapeño poppers. And the rest of their menu was pretty good as well. It shouldn't be that way. It really shouldn't.

No rotund, mustachioed guys with a scowl named Earl disinfecting shoes. Nary a Polish-American social club in sight. Not even a gang of college hipsters swilling PBR and occasionally sneaking out to smoke rolled Drum cigarette. Nope, this was bowling for the young and beautiful crowd (where, of course, ms. wobs and I blended in perfectly). Don't get me wrong, we had a lot of fun, but I think for our next ten pin experience, we'll seek out something a little more downscale.