Sunday, February 19, 2006

Candlepin action

Sunday night in Nashua has traditionally been candlepin bowling night. The gang all climbs into the Rambler and heads on over to Leda Lanes for a few strings of candlepin.

Candlepin bowling is a great activity. You get fifteen thin pins and something resembling a bocce ball. You get three tosses to knock the pins down. It's harder than it sounds, especially when you consider that the all-time highest score was 240 (out of 300).

At one point, we talked to the manager of the lanes for a few minutes. We had no idea what a good score was, so he filled us in. 80 is good for a first-timer. 100 is what league bowlers get. And the really good guys, the ones you see on TV, get around 120. Then he walked away.

Leaving us with one question.

WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN BY "THE CANDLEPIN BOWLERS YOU SEE ON TV?"

Saturday, February 18, 2006

Hooters sucks

Tonight was the first time I've been to a Hooters restaurant. Ever. I was strong-armed into going with a group of other hockey dads. And let me just say that it surpassed all expectations I had.

Here's why it sucks:

- In Nashua, they let you smoke in the Hooters. Our table enjoyed billowing clouds of Winstons across a divider.
- The waitresses are skunky. And really, a costume where the bottom of your ass cheeks hang out for hours at a time has to be some sort of health hazard.
- The service sucks. It took them over 90 minutes to get us the damn wings.
- The food is godawful. "Oh, they have great wings" everyone said. The wings showed up. They had half an inch of grease on the bottom of the plate. But it wasn't grease, oh no. It was "butter-based sauce." Outback Steakhouse has wings that are an order of magnitude better. They offered a choice of dressings on their salad, and said choices came in the same handy sealed plastic cups they give you on airplanes.

The atmosphere is depressing, and the food is about as good as you can find at a skating rink. And who needs to stare at half-naked women you can't have? That's what the Internet is for.