Traditionally pancakes were made in order to use up the final fresh ingredients in the house. The ones that could not be used during lent like eggs. NO eggs for forty days. I wonder if the chickens knew that! How did they hold them in? Well trained I guess.   The first pancake recipe was in a cookbook dated back to the year 1439. But the best part of a great Shrove (Fat) Tuesday in Great Britain are the pancake races.  A pancake day race has been run on shrove Tuesday since 1445 in Olney village in Buckinghamshire.  And there after in almost every village in Great Britain. It is thought to have started when one busy housewife heard the shriven bell at the village church and ran straight there so as to not be late. She was still holding her frying pan! This apparently started the pancake race. Modern runners now dress up in aprons and bonnets while holding a frying pan and flipping a pancake. The rules are that they must toss the pancake at least once to start the race and once to end it. Silly, but really so much fun when everyone lines up on the village green and runs flipping pancakes!

In 2007, it was reported that Earlsdon Cottage, the Warwick Street were treated with perhaps the most decadent pancakes in the world. They were the most expensive at £95 ($185) per pancake.  The batter contained Madagascar vanilla beans and were topped with a Dom Perignon Champagne jelly and fruit mixture  that were flambéed in in £100-a-shot Louis XIV cognac, and a scoop of amaretto ice cream. Chef Alex Lovell created them and the event was a success. Hopefully worth the price tag – wow.

Here is the obligatory weird stuff that comes with a day like this. The largest cooked pancake was made to celebrate the Co-operative movement 150th anniversary. The largest cooked pancake was 15 meters in diameter and weighed 3 tons. It was cooked in Rochdale, England and was estimated to contain over two million calories.  And then in June of 1997, Ralf Laue from Leipzig tossed a pancake 416 times in two minutes. In the 24 October 1999 Mike Cuzzacrea ran a marathon whilst continuously tossing a pancake in a pan. It took Mike Cuzzacrea three hours, two minutes and 27 seconds to complete the event.

Whatever the way Fat Tuesday is celebrated across the world Do you give anything up for Lent. For some this is very sacred and others even non – Christians have adopted the practice in self-control. What will you do? Have you been inspired at least to have pancakes today? Whatever you choose, have a great Fat Tuesday.

“Bowlers often use money as the limiting factor as to why they can’t bowl well.  Whether it is affording the equipment, lane time, leagues, association fees, or Big Lebowski t-shirts, it’s easy to point the bad bowling finger at a lack of funds.  That said, more often than not the real reason for the struggles is that said bowler doesn’t put the time in, but in some cases I will concede financial woes can sometimes hamper your bowling success.  I cringe at the thought of hearing a youth bowler say “Coach, bowling is too expensive, I think I’ll take up Pilates with my Aunt Betsy instead.”

You love your Aunt Betsy, but it just isn’t worth it.

While I’d agree to an extent bowling CAN be expensive, but it doesn’t have to suck your wallet dry.  When I was in high school I only worked a bit over the summer, yet I still managed to afford to bowl on a modest budget all year long and avoid doing Pilates (I wonder if Pilates even existed when I was in high school).  Anyhow, here are some of the strategies I used to keep my wallet fat and my thumb swollen:

Buy bowling shoes. I’ll assume most of the people reading this already has some super fly bowling shoes, but if not, make sure you pick up a pair.  A decent pair of shoes can be had for $30 and often less if you catch a good special.  Even if you bowl once a week and the rental is $3 each time (I’ve seen it as high as $5) you’ll have your shoes paid off in a matter of months.

Bowl at off peak times. Friday and Saturday night are amateur nights at the bowling center with disco balls spinning, flashing lights and the like.  You’ll also be surprised to find that under the black-light you were actually unsuccessful at getting that tropical punch Kool-Aid stain out of your shirt.  Good luck getting in a focused practice session, not to mention the fact that games will cost double what they would any other time.

Join a league. Often times bowling centers will give discounts to league bowlers.  The discount can often cover the cost of the league even if you bowl just a few times per week.

Sign Up for email lists. Many local bowling alleys have websites where you can sign up for email lists and even physical mailings.  This guarantees you’ll be kept in the loop on specials and discounted bowling.  Alternatively you can call local alleys up regularly and see if they have any specials going on.  While you’ve got them on the phone ask if they advertise and maybe you can score yourself a coupon in the local paper.

Stop Striking. What? Blasphemy! The addiction to that sound of all ten pins being pushed back into the pit will make this one a tough sell, but this is a surefire way to get more for your money.  On your first shot rather than aiming for the pocket shoot for some spares.  Aim at a 7 or 10 pin (or similar pin combinations) and then for your second shot take aim at the pocket.  This ensures that you get two shots every frame.  Feel free to have at the pocket on all your shots in the tenth frame.  The only downside to shooting spares on the first shot is difficulty determining carry, but between the tenth frame and mixing up your spare shots you should have a pretty good idea. I’d advise you refrain from using this tip in competition as your teammates are likely to throw rosin bags and rental bowling shoes at you.”  http://www.thebowlingapproach.com/2009/06/

The professionals and any great bowler at your lanes use the plastic bowling ball for those shots where you need precise straight shots that aggressive hook balls cannot make.  The most common shot is the single 10 pin shot for right handed bowlers.  It’s extremely difficult to make that shot with a bowling ball that was meant to hook.  Plastic bowling balls do not have a specific or differentiated core like the more technologically advanced bowling balls do.  They simply have a solid core that makes them go straight down the lanes.  And a straight shot is sometimes the simplest option! Don’t complicate things.

The best part about a plastic ball is that you can really show off your own personality. You can get almost any type of design for these bowling balls.  Sports team, images, favorite characters, and others.  Pretty much if you can think of it there is a bowling ball for it. Probably one of the more popular plastic bowling balls has to be the skull and cross bones. But whatever your preference, having a plastic ball for spare shots will definitely help to improve your game. Bowling.com has a huge selection of plastic balls from Marvel comics to NBA and University logos or Larry the Cable Guy!  Have fun with this selection and addition to your collection.

 The day before Valentine’s Day, we hope everyone is excited and happy for the day. This would be nice. It is not the case for some of us. So names like “Singles Awareness Day” surface and its understandable. However this exhibit in Croatia takes the Valentine’s cake! It is reported on by the Associated Press by Darko Bandik. It is a great comment on all those who have loved and lost – and ended it with a bang!

” What becomes of a garden gnome hurled in fury at a car during a stormy breakup? Or a teddy bear that was once a Valentine’s Day present? A wedding dress from a marriage gone awry? An ax that smashed through household furniture?

All are on display at the Museum of Broken Relationships in the Croatian capital, each with written testimonies telling tales of passion, romance and heartbreak.On Valentine’s Day, the museum sees its visits almost double.”The objects that are here represent all the stages of a breakup … and how people go through love,” said Drazen Grubisic, a designer and artist who co-founded the museum in 2010 in the Croatian capital.”We might say it’s a love museum, just upside down,” he said.

The mementos _ collected from all over the world _ are random and varied, ranging from fake rubber breasts to a cast from a broken leg. Each item comes with dates and locations of the relationships, and notes by their anonymous donors. Some are funny. The note next to a garter belt says: “I never put them on. The relationship might have lasted longer if I had.” Some are bitter. The garden gnome flew over a car driven by a husband who turned “arrogant and heartless.” It bounced on the asphalt, shattering its face. “It was a long loop, drawing an arc of time … that defined the end of love,” the note from Slovenia said.

An ax from Berlin was used by a woman to smash every piece of furniture her girlfriend had left behind. “The more the room filled with chopped furniture, (the more) I felt better.” The text by a blue frisbee reads: “Darling, should you ever get the ridiculous idea to walk into a cultural institution like a museum for the first time in your life, you’ll remember me.”

The museum, located just across from Zagreb’s City Hall where couples get married, currently displays some 100 “relics” out of about 1,000 that have been collected from around the world. Parts of the collection have traveled as far as Manila, London and Singapore to be put on display. In each city, the heartbroken can donate their stuff to the Zagreb museum. A prosthetic leg currently showcased in England at the National Centre for Craft and Design, was donated by a war veteran who fell in love with his physical therapist. A note says it lasted longer than the relationship because it was made of “sturdier material.”

The museum itself is the brainchild of a breakup. When Grubisic and co-founder Olinka Vistica, a filmmaker, split up, they got stuck when it came to dividing their sentimental memorabilia. They didn’t want to just get rid of it, so they created a museum. “Maybe sometime in your life you will want to remember some of the good parts of the relationship,” Grubisic said. He said that donors of mementos find the giving therapeutic. “They can move on,” he said. “They also show there’s something universal: We all have been brokenhearted at least once.”

Decide on a Budget

There are balls at all price points. Decide on what you would like to spend.  Inside that price point you will have many different choices. But don’t feel like you have to go for the newest and most expensive in order to bowl well. That ball might not suit your style.  Cars are a good analogy here. You can get to work in a good running car. It doesn’t have to be an Audi bla bla to get you where you want to go. There are some bowlers that have a ball they have used for years and it is still their go to ball. So feel confident in picking a price point, you will find a great ball and feel good that you haven’t over spent. We at bowling.com really feel great that we can offer more expensive balls for discounted prices. That will mean more bang for your buck!

Bowl with Style

There are many different styles. Some are more consistent than others and as you’ve been bowling you might have settled into your own. There are two handed throws made famous currently by Belmo himself, and then some bowlers bowl straight, or some have mastered the wide hook.  Even if this is your first ball purchase, you most likely have figured out what is working for you – so trust it and go with it.  Here is some ball language you need to know.  Manufactures call the hooking potential of a ball the “differential”. And then they give it a number. If you want a ball that will have a wide hook, look for a a ball with a differential of 0.060. The higher the number the higher the hooking potential. That number goes all the way down to 0.00 for plastic balls used for spare shots. Knowing the lingo should help. And for the majority of the balls on our website we include the video of its performance. This way you can see the style of throw that particular ball was made for. Any other questions and our representatives know everything (of course!).

 Weight Matters

When considering weight of a ball don’t let ego get in the way.  It really is better to have a ball that may weigh a little lighter but allow you to have maximum control and constituency. And it won’t wear your arm out! Stamina is important too. Men generally like to use a ball between 14-16 pounds. Women are all over the map from 10-16. If you hold a ball in both hands straight out in front of you, you should be able to hold that ball out straight and steady. If the ball is too heavy your arms will not be able to keep it up for too long. And then try as many as you can during your time on the lanes.

 Back to Style

Funny that when you choose a new ball, your personal style that has nothing to do with the sport can still come through.  Let it. You are unique and your ball should really say something about that. If you feel your ball is boring but you love it, then spruce up your style with great shoes or a bag that says who you are. Bowling equipment is kinda fun like that. Refer to some of our other blogs about that before you buy. And have fun!

 Consult

Last tip is to consult everyone. Ask your friends. Find a person at your alley that is your similar height, build and bowling style and ask them. You’ve asked us and we hope we can always be helpful. Good luck with your choice and then with your game. Maintain your ball and keep it clean and you’ll be fine.  And then move on to building up your arsenal as you get better and better!

From the very beginning, bowling and food have been enduring links. There’s something about eating a juicy, American hotdog in the clatter and rumble of the lanes as the pins come tumbling down. Bowling isn’t the same without your essential French fries, dog, and a beer. So, it should come as no surprise that modern bowling was born in a restaurant. Our 10-pin bowling is in fact the brainchild of Joe Thum, a restaurateur who many named the father of bowling. Thum created America’s first bowling association, The American Bowling Congress, on Sept. 9, 1895, in order to share his love of this now incredibly popular family sport.

Thum opened the White Elephant at the end of the 19th century being one of the first bowling establishments in the country. Aside from also being a restaurant, the White Elephant was steeped in elegance and class. In fact, it mostly served the wealthy and the upper class. Some of the richest men in America sent a bowling ball or two careening down the lines. The wealthy were some of the first few Americans to ever experience what many consider to be one of America’s favorite sports.

Although bowling started with the upper class, it’s irresistible fun, competitive spirit, and family-friendly entertainment soon spread to the working classes in the heart of the Great Depression. Men in the factories discovered the exhilaration of bowling, that incredible feel you get when the bowling ball hits the heart of the pins and sends them all crashing down.

As bowling spread to the masses, bowling’s connection to food continued. As anyone who has spent an evening at the bowling alley knows, food can really be the heart of the game. There’s nothing more satisfying than a family munching down a pepperoni pizza at the bowling alley, bonding in a sport where everyone has a chance to compete. Bowling was born in a restaurant, so sharing the experience with the family while going out to eat is only natural. Great food is what makes the sport so much fun. No matter your bowling style, whether or not you own your own ball, family fun really comes down to pepperoni with extra cheese.

Special thanks to Sports Illustrated Kids for posting this on their fun SIKids page. Great to see that they are using a pro to teach the kids a good approach, swing and ball selection. Show this to your kids before going bowling all together next time. They might take the advise better from a pro anyway. Sorry Mom and Dad – no matter how great your game!

Carrying six balls onto the lane, is as easy and simple as a suitcase. You’re on the lane to roll, so why not let the rollers do the walking? Save your arm for your game. Why risk injury needlessly carrying a heavy ball? Bring everything you need conveniently on wheels on a single trip, gliding to the lane in style. Many bags feature easy loading and easy access, offering front and side pouch options. Some feature removable bags for more options. Others feature a range of other pockets, convenient for carrying keys, change, tobacco and trinkets. Then there are bags that feature options to grow. A four ball bag can often be converted to hold six balls with a converter kit, allowing you to adjust your gear to suit your collection of balls.

Bowling ball bags not only offer convenience for multiple balls, they can also add style to any entrance. Walk onto the lane with a bag personalized with an American Flag, Harley Davidson logo, your favorite sports team or racecar driver. Get a bag with a fashionable design, one that people notice as when you’re entering the lane. A classy bag helps make bowling fun. It’s easy to share the joy of bowling by making bowling ball bags gift items, increasing the appeal of the sport for a loved one who may just be getting into bowling.

Whether for style or convenience, a proper bag adds class to the game. Multiple balls don’t call for multiple trips when a bag can get everything to the lane the first time. Keep your options open. You never know what the game will call for.

Understanding the bonuses from strikes and spares is usually where things get tricky. To put things simply, a spare gives a player a one-ball bonus, in which the next ball rolled will count toward both the frame with the spare, as well as the current frame.

With a strike, it’s a two-ball bonus, meaning the next two balls (even if rolled over two frames), will be counted toward the frame with a strike.

One thing that makes this easier to understand is to know that when a strike and a spare happen in consecutive frames, no matter which of the two comes first, the result of the first frame will always be a score of 20. For example, if a spare is followed up with a strike, that means all 10 pins of the ball following the spare were cleared, adding those 10 extra pins to spare frame. If a strike comes first, to follow that up with a spare would have taken the two rolls that count toward the strike frame, again totaling 10 pins.

Much of it can be learned more in-depth by looking over a bowling scorecard and figuring out how a specific score got to be where it was.

Helpwithbowling.com has more on bowling scoring. Read the details here: http://helpwithbowling.com/how-to-keep-score-in-bowling.php