BROOKLYN BOULE: January 2008

Friday, January 11, 2008

Pétanque American Sheila

So nice to see one of our very own Sheilas on the cover page of Pétanque America. In the act of skillfully pointing a boule at the Bryant Park Open last Summer.......roll on Summer 2008!!!

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Bonne année tout le monde

And to start it off... a charming youtube video of snails.

So far this year, few games have been played upon the sodden earth under the oaks. Yet we aspire to have this year be a superb one for Pétanque playing in Brooklyn. The invitation is still open for anyone interested in participating in games or just coming to watch. Wednesday Nights and Sunday Afternoons.

As heard on the vague Pétanque grape-vine, it seems that the Pistes in Washington Square are closing down for re-modeling. It will be a great loss to all players to see those go, but rest assured that we welcome any refugees from the sinking Isle. I'll try and update as more information comes to light.

Hope to see you all soon.

(PS. Santa didn't bring me the Louis Vuitton set, the #$@*&+!)

Pétanque

The sublime game, of French/Belgian decent, played world wide has now found it's way to North Brooklyn under the shade of three oak trees in McCarren Park williamsburg/Greenpoint. As in resent years the popularity, good press and not to mention the Bastille Day Bar Tabac Petanque tournament has opened a lot of eyes to the joy of Petanque. There are of course places to play in Manhattan and clubs to join, but time has come for some Brooklyn Boule. In McCarren park there are Bocce courts next to the running track but alas it's surface is not suited (in my opinion) to Petanque, as well as feeling like your playing in a coal bunker. So to the trees we go, three beautiful American Oak trees ( now more, thanks to the all the groups and support for the park), are nestled in the mid-south east of the park. The trees cover an area large enough for one game and there is a another, that is in the light at night, shade by day and lit in the eve. They are NOT perfect "pistes" or man-made courts, but challenging patches of playable surface, so hard to find in our beautifully manicured urban city parks. To share the surrounding areas with such activities as Baseball, Kickball, Frisbees, kites and boomerangs; and on the odd occasion Medieval Sword Fighting. Only enhances the communal aspect of park life and the people around us.
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I have started this blog to create some interest and hope that players of all levels can embrace the idea of playing in Brooklyn, maybe leading to having our own "Washington Square like Petanque Piste".

Please feel free to sign our "GUESTBOOK"
BROOKLYN BOULE