Leon’s has a court, Ormsby’s put theirs inside and now a construction crew is ripping up the outside of the 999 Peachtree building preparing for the new Hugh Acheson restaurant, Empire State South’s, court.  (He’s the chef I love from Five & Ten in Athens!)  Friends, it is time to become an expert on bocce ball.

Bocce Balls

Here’s the Q+DD on Bocce Ball:

Bocce is a precision sport belonging to the boules sport family, closely related to bowls and pétanque with a common ancestry from ancient games played in the Roman Empire.  Developed into its present form in Italy, it is played around Europe and also in overseas areas that have received Italian migrants, including Australia, North America and South America, initially amongst the migrants themselves but slowly becoming more popular with their descendants and the wider community.  The sport is also popular in the former Yugoslavian countries of Slovenia, Croatia (predominantly in the coastal regions), Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro.  Bocce ball is traditionally played on natural soil or asphalt courts approximately 20 to 27 meters in length and 2.5 to 4 meters wide, sometimes with wooden boards of approximately 15 centimeters in height surrounding the court.  Bocce balls can be made of metal or various kinds of plastic.  Unlike lawn bowls, bocce balls are spherical and have no inbuilt bias.  (www.wikipedia.com)

Court @ Ormsby's

Now that you know what it is, here’s how you play it:

A game can be conducted between two players, or two teams of two, three or four.  A match is started by a randomly chosen side being given the opportunity to throw a smaller ball, the jack (called a pallino or a boccino in some areas), from one end of the court into a zone about 5 meters in length, ending 2 meters from the far end of the court.  If they miss twice, the other team is awarded the opportunity to place the jack anywhere they choose within the prescribed zone.  The side that first attempted to place the jack is given the opportunity to bowl first.  Once the first bowl has taken place, the other side has the opportunity to bowl.  From then on, the side which does not have the ball closest to the jack has a chance to bowl, up until one side or the other has used their four balls.  At that point, the other side bowls its remaining bocce balls.  The team with the closest bocce ball to the jack is the only team that can score points in any frame.  The scoring team receives one point for each of their balls that is closer to the jack than the closest ball of the other team.  The length of a game varies by region, but is typically from 7 to 13 points.   Players are permitted to throw the ball in the air using an underarm action.  This is generally used to knock either the jack or another ball away to attain a more favorable position.  Tactics can get quite complex when players have sufficient control over the bocce ball to throw or roll it accurately. (www.wikipedia.com)

Well, there you go.  Now you’re officially cool.  You’re welcome.

xx, L

sweet kicks

My top three places to bowl in Atlanta used to be:

1- Midtown Bowl  (Midtown)
1936 Piedmont Circle NE
Atlanta, GA  30324
404.874.5703
www.midtownbowl.com
Kitschy – Impressive Bar Selection – Good ‘Ole Greasy Bowling Food – Come As You Are…

2 – Funtime Bowling  (Buford HWY)
3285 Buford Highway NE
Atlanta, GA  30329
404.636.7548
www.funtimebowl.com
Black Lights + Glow Lanes – Good Music – Got to Love Buford HWY – Diverse Crowd…

3 – Ten Pin Alley  (Atlantic Station)
261 19th Street NW
Atlanta, GA  30363
404.872.3364
http://dolcegroup.com/tenpinalley/
High-End Bowling – Owned by Dolce Group – Expensive to Bowl but Worth the Scene Every so Often - Dress Code…

Until, Slick and I doubled with The Shapiros for a bowling night at 300 – Atlanta.  (300 is a bowling chain with an alley in a number of major cities, apparently, but I’d never been before.)  

The Shapiros - Bowling Ballers (what!)

I’ll be honest – it was a schlep, but it ended up well worth the drive.  300 is noticably clean, reasonably priced and a great mix between Midtown Bowl (lower-end) and Ten Pin Alley (higher-end).  The music is bumping, they have large screens above the pins at each lane and seriously comfy seating areas for players while waiting for your turn.  The music they played – accompanying videos were on the screens – was so good I went directly home after the date and got on iTunes to download.  (Now, I’m working out to Chris Brown’s ‘I Can Transform Ya’ on repeat.)  The food looked more than edible, too. 

unnecessary bowling-related cockiness

necessary bowling-related cockiness

I strongly recommend trying 300 if you are looking for a nice bowling alley that your don’t have to wear a tuxedo to, but also aren’t afraid to put your feet in the communal shoes.  And, let me know if you need a few bowling pointers – we played girls vs. boys and the ladies won both games…

the sad, sad face of defeat.

naturals!

I mean…  When you’re hot.  You’re just hot.

300  – Atlanta
2175 Savoy Drive
Atlanta, Ga  30341
770.451.8605
http://www.threehundred.com/atlanta.html