Combine bowling, breakfast for a blast

This weekend I had the great pleasure of going to Perry Hall Lanes with the on-campus group, Stepping Stone, to bowl. As an avid fan of the activity, it was a great relief for me, as well as a casual start to this weekend (if you’re also feeling hungry, head over to the IHOP just about five minutes away afterward, where you’ll be treated to great food and great service). As an aside, I apologize for the careless use of commas in the previous sentence.

Brunswick Perry Hall Lanes offers great rates on both weekdays and weekends, with bowling from midnight to 2 a.m. on Fridays for only $10, including shoe rentals. If you’re not a fan of duckpin bowling, this alley offers standard bowling, a rarity in Baltimore. Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays all offer two hours of bowling from 9-11 p.m. and if you’re not a fan of late-night bowling, it’s $8.99 with shoe rental.

I personally haven’t tried duckpin bowling before, as it seems so different from what I’m used to, but if you want to try I would recommend Stoneleigh Lanes, where you can get three hours of bowling, rental shoes and karaoke, all for $15 a person. This is more of a multifaceted approach to bowling, with more bang for the buck, and it’s also another viable option for your Friday night. Saturdays work similarly, but for $20 you can also watch local bands perform at the bowling alley, on top of the three hours of bowling and shoe rentals.

Let me take a minute to differentiate between standard and duckpin bowling. Duckpin bowling uses a slightly smaller bowling ball without finger holes, making it much more difficult to maneuver. The pins are also smaller and spaced further apart, making it much harder to get a strike or even a spare. There is a silver lining, however, in that you have three throws, rather than two, per frame.

I’m definitely biased toward standard bowling myself, but duckpin does sound fun. Bowling in all of its forms is a great way to de-stress after a long week of classes at Hopkins, an almost meditative activity that can be enjoyed from the most avid of bowling enthusiasts to the most casual of bowlers.

Afterward, our group headed over to the International House of Pancakes for, well, pancakes. Breakfast? At midnight? In the words of the always-delightful Leslie Knope of Parks and Recreation, “Why would anybody ever eat anything besides breakfast food?” It may be a hyperbole, but there’s a definite hint of truth to her words; it’s a great break after two or three hours of bowling and, since it’s on the way back to campus from Perry Hall Lanes, it won’t be far out of your way to stop by for pancakes.

Bowling is a great activity because of its flexible nature; you want to join a bowling league? You can do that. You can’t bowl above a 70, but want an excuse to hang out? You can do that too. I can guarantee you that it most certainly won’t be a Friday night wasted.