Last night I went bowling at Strike Cupertino, a trendy new bowling alley that’s part of the grand master plan to make Cupertino Square (the former Vallco Fashion Park mall) an ultra-cool, happening place for people to shop and hang out.  (I think changing the name alone is already taking it places.)

This is the coolest bowling alley I’ve ever been to.  The employees wear trendy outfits, there is a full bar, giant tv screens playing sports, an arcade, pool tables, and lane-side food and beverage service.  There’s even a cover charge after 8pm where you’ll be greeted by sleek, well-dressed bouncers and cops guarding the front door. 

I thought the lane-side food and beverage service was great.  A waiter or waitress comes up to your lane, takes your order, and then brings your food and drinks to the small tables in your area.  The food selection is an extensive array of typical bar food as well as some salads and popular Chinese dishes.  The bar got major points because they had pear cider, which is my favorite. 

I got really excited when I saw sliders on the menu.  If you don’t know what a slider is, it’s basically a mini-hamburger.  (Btw- it won’t take long before you realize I’m obsessed with mini food.)  We ordered the sliders, fries, and chicken quesadillas.  We then proceeded to take on the bowling with gusto. 

Ok, now picture this.  It’s your turn to bowl.  You try out a few of the bowling balls to see which combination of weight and finger holes suit you best.  Then you pick your weapon, snuggle your fingers into the holes securely while cradling the ball in your other hand, concentrate intently on the 10 pins in the distance, and then give it your all.  You watch as your ball makes its way down the alley picking up whatever dirt is in its path, strikes a respectable number of pins (I wish), and then gets sucked down into the internal system.  Finally it is magically regurgitated to the beginning via the rotating belts.

Now imagine doing that over and over again.  And imagine all the other people who have done that over and over again with those same bowling balls.  And now imagine being presented with a plate of mini-hamburgers, fries, and quesadillas. 

Don’t you desperately want to wash your hands right now?

I wished they had installed pumps of Purell at each bowling station.  I felt at a loss.  Should I go wash my hands every single time I finished my turn bowling in order to take 3 bites of my food?  Did I have enough Purell in my bag to last me through the evening?  Should I try eating a mini-hamburger with a fork and knife?  In the end, I reluctantly took the attitude that I was building up my immune system, blocked my mind from thinking about germs and cooties, and focused on the food, the pins, and NOT licking my fingers.