OK, so you can't bowl in a hard rain -- the roof leaks. Nor is a game of tenpins much fun in the summer -- there's no air conditioning, or, at least, not enough that you'd notice. And call ahead in the winter so they'll turn on the furnace.

But if you want a glimpse of what bowling was like back when Dewey was defeating Truman, Arcade Lanes is the place.

Opened in 1948 as Froy's Bowling Alleys, Arcade hasn't changed since Kennedy was in the White House, except for ever-warping lanes that make any score over 150 cause for celebration. Proprietor Jim Lampson will talk your ear off about bringing this place back to its glory days, but, as with wine, the Arcade has gained a certain nuance that's best left alone.

The faded floral carpet. The jukebox that plays 45's by the Mills Brothers, the Stones and Sinatra. The ancient beer signs. The vintage Brunswick table set in a spacious billiards room.

The musty smell.

And it's usually empty, making Arcade a perfect date destination when you're low on cash and that special someone understands.