As April and I headed south on Interstate 5 toward Highland Park Bowl, the conversation inevitably turned to when we bowled last.
After a few minutes of discussion, we concluded it had been at least a decade - not counting Wii bowling. The occasion was a friend's 40th birthday party. And like me, said friend is now past his 40s.
But for whatever reason, we weren't alarmed by our lack of recent bowling experience. We naively assumed everyone else would be similarly, or less, proficient, especially since we were the last to arrive and the rest of the party already had drinks in hand.
And, the evening wasn't envisioned as seriously competitive. It was more about enjoying drinks in a retro bowling alley and eating dinner in LA with The Date Club. That's what our collection of middle-aged parents bills itself. Under the tutelage of our friend Emily, who always has a bead on where to go and what to do, we venture out of Santa Clarita and explore LA.
So that's how April and I found ourselves at Highland Park Bowl on a Thursday night slipping into rental shoes and hunting for just the right ball. Situated on Figueroa, the alley dates to the Prohibition era, when doctors upstairs would write prescriptions for medicinal whiskey that could be filled legally downstairs, where there was also bowling. About 40 years later, new owner Joseph Teresa bought the building, updated everything to 1960s aesthetics and christened it Mr. T's Bowl.
Proving once again that what's old is new again, the current owners brought it back to its 1920s glory. With iron beams, concrete walls and league banners from decades gone by on display, it's like entering a time machine. Unfortunately, it didn't bring April or I back to an era when we had any bowling prowess.
I wasn't too worried following my first couple of frames. After a decade between games, I needed a chance to warm up. But I knew I was in trouble when I failed to hit anything on my second throws in the next couple of frames.
I told myself to relax and that worked. I picked up a spare. But that proved to be the highlight of the night. When the final scores appeared on the flat screens above the lanes, they confirmed that April and I were indeed the worst bowlers in the group.
Thankfully, the pity was short-lived, as everyone was more interested in finding dinner. We wandered down Figueroa, and after a couple of false starts, we landed nearby at Cafe Birdie. Given the size of our group, they sat us at three separate booths.
We settled in, absorbed the hip - but cozy - vibe, and pondered the menu. Without planning it, each couple in our booth placed the same order: Moroccan-spiced Fried Chicken for the ladies and the burger for the guys.
Both proved to be excellent. The burger was a masterclass in what a burger should be: soft potato bun, a still-juicy patty and a rich blend of flavors from the toppings - house spread, quick pickle, arugula, onion confit and raclette.
Fried chicken isn't something I get excited about, but theirs was spectacular. Generous pieces were finished to a dark brown. Each bite was both crispy and moist, and although I was full from the burger, I couldn't get enough of the spices and the Harissa aioli and finished April's leftovers.
I'm content to wait another decade before bowling again, but I'll go back to Birdie in a minute.
Eric Harnish lives in Castaic, which has the real estate necessary to accommodate another bowling alley for the Santa Clarita Valley.

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Highland Park Bowl
highlandparkbowl.com

Cafe Birdie
cafebirdiela.com