A turquoise ball goes great with the shoes

Is it a flashback if it never happened?

Call this a flashback fantasy, then: a pizza and bowling date for a girl who never quite got around to that in high school. And, really, what’s not to like about a low-maintenance evening that involves some friendly competition and a drink or two?

Channeling our teenage selves, my beau and I cruised down Ventura Boulevard, San Fernando Valley’s Main Street, in search of some old-fashioned fun. The appeal of the Valley has always been its down-to-earth vibe. And at dusk, the drive was scenic, with new and old businesses buzzing on this weekend night. The boulevard was alive, but without the stifling congestion you might find in Hollywood.

At Mulberry Street Pizzeria, a friendly Encino eatery owned by actress Cathy Moriarty, we ordered a plain cheese Sicilian pie -- without realizing that the look on our waiter’s face indicated we had just chosen a pizza large enough to feed a family of six. While waiting for our food, we got a kick out of checking out the celebrities whose (mostly) 1980s head shots adorned the walls.

Post-pizza, we continued our westward journey down Ventura, stopping at the low-key Corbin Bowl in Tarzana, where the retro marquee beckoned us. We entered the mostly empty establishment around 8:30 p.m., giving us plenty of time to play before the rock ‘n’ roll bowling got underway at 10 p.m.

The blue-and-red bowling pin carpet might not be chic, but it gave the place an old-school charm. My date had a difficult time finding a ball that suited him, while I grabbed the first turquoise 10-pounder I spotted. Then I headed to the bar for a drink.

On the rare occasion that either of us made a good shot, an animated bowling pin appeared on the scoring monitor to congratulate us. But it also mocked us if we failed to pick up a spare. Oh, the shame.

Of course, the video arcade was there to assuage the embarrassment of our sub-100 games. My date’s eyes lighted up like a 12-year-old’s as he played hero, saving presidents and hostages while playing Silent Scope EX. I tried my hand at driving a futuristic hovercraft, but the experience only bruised my ego further.

In true teenager fashion, we stole a few kisses in the parking lot on our way out.

Back in the car, the Ramones came on the radio. The time warp was complete.

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The tab

Dinner $26.13

Where: Mulberry Street Pizzeria No. 2, 17040 Ventura Blvd., Encino. (818) 789-6861

Bowling, etc. $21.50

Where: Corbin Bowl, 19616 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana. (818) 996-2695. Includes drinks and video games.

Total $47.63