Dan's Papers - June 27, 2008

East Hampton Bowl is in the news these days. While the facility isn't for sale, offers are coming in as fast as gutter balls on amateur night. Whatever happens, the owner promises to always have a bowling alley in East Hampton. But while the current site is open, it's a good time to schedule a birthday party. The facility is a classic bowling alley with 16 lanes, frozen pizza, edible hot dogs, and a game arcade. I'd take our son there on cold winter days. When he was four, I didn't even have to put money in the car racing video game - with all the bells and whistles, he thought it was on. When we got an invite to his buddy Cruz's fifth birthday bash at Bowl last week, he was very excited. At first I wasn't - who wants to go to a bowling alley on a gorgeous Saturday at noon? As it turns out, it was too gorgeous - the sun glared from a cloudless sky. I was happy that he was inside having a ball with his buddies for a couple hours.

Two-hour bowling parties are available any day of the week. For $125 per six kids, you get one hour of bowling, one hour party. The fee includes pizza and soda, free shoe rental, and for two lanes, the birthday kid gets a personalized bowling pin. They'll do lane bumpers to avoid those devastating gutter balls, and launching ramps for little ones. But with great party music and black disco lights the kids have so much fun they have to be reminded to throw the ball.

For the bowling impaired, there's another option: Goat on a Boat Puppet theater in Sag Harbor. A two hour party includes games, dancing and a 30-minute puppet show from the enormously creative, always eclectic mind of puppeteer Liz Joyce. Older kids can forego the puppet show for a disco dance party and crafts. The cost of either is $450 for up to 20 kids. For a small fee, they'll do helium balloons.

At EH Bowl and Goat, bring your own cake and party favors. And at the latter, you can bring in food as well.

East Hampton Bowl, 71 Montauk Highway, 631-324-1950. Ehbowl.com

Goat on a Boat Puppet Theatre, 4 Hampton Street (corner of 114 and East Union) Sag Harbor 631-725-5280. www.Goatonaboat.org.