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Petanque in Brooklyn,
Last year(2005) for Bastille Day a tournament was held on Smith St., five tons of sand spread out over two city streets and marked off (the city rerouted the traffic for the day!), if memory serves some two hundred teams entered (three man teams). The tournament went from mid-day till 10ish. Local restaurants set up tables on the sidewalks serving food and drink, there was a French brass band. The event was sponsored by some of the local French bistro's and by Ricard, it attracted an estimated 2,500 spectators. A great day out even with though the mercury hit over 100 degrees.On the more mundane level, there is a restaurant in Red Hook, Brooklyn (called 'Pit Stop' because the owner likes Formula One) where people gather during the summer to play, it has floodlights of a sort so games continue into the night. It has four 'courts' and impromptu tournaments happen on weekends. While there are a lot of French players at 'Pit Stop', there are also, Canadians, Americans, an Iranian, a Tiwanese, some Irish, Brazilians, Senegalese, well, you've been to NY so you know the way the city is. Oh, the food is great bistro suff too, the mussels are excellent as is the mergeuze sausage.In Manhattan, there are three public 'courts' in parks: Washington Sq., Bryant Park and Central Park.For info on where to play in the city google labouleny.com this sit also has a message board where you put in where and when you want to play and then others can sign up for pick-up games, or at least you know people will be there.
Should you or any other members of the Dublin club fancy a game in Brooklyn 'Pit Stop' is at 127 Columbia St., between Kane and Degraw St.'s, tel: 1-718-875-4664. Or in the city google labouleny.com.Of course I would be more than happy to try and organize something should someone find themselves here during the playing season.I hope that gives you a picture of the state of petanque in Brooklyn.
Best wishes.
Paul Kelly
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