HōM’s two Killerspin ping pong tables are up and running in the back lounge. They are truly works of art, and the play is awesome. On the back wall is a case with paddles and balls. Until 7 pm it’s free to play for as long as you want, and then after 7 pm it’s $5 for 30 minutes of play time (includes paddles and ball). More confirmation on all that as we open (very soon!).

In the meantime focus on your drills and physical conditioning….this summer I’ve been chasing squirrels in Marion Square to improve my speed and agility.

President Obama and Prime Minister David Cameron challenging some British school kids to a game of table tennis yesterday. The world leaders got schooled….another great moment in table tennis.

There’s some confusion out there about the proper terminology for this miniaturized, table-top version of lawn tennis. Some call it ping pong. Others prefer table tennis. One explanation is that ping-pong is the game and table tennis is the sport. Others focus on stylistic differences….one’s casual and the other is refined. Well, we might suggest that it doesn’t really matter, as long as you just play with purpose. And of course, enjoy a burger and beverage before and after.

Officially, the game started in England during the 1880s, where it was played as an after-dinner parlour game known as “wiff-waff” (said to be inspired by the sound of play…as was ping-pong). Table tennis ultimately became the common early name for the game/sport. It was 1901 when Parker Brothers’ English distributor, Hamley Brothers, registered the name “Ping-Pong” as a trademark with the U.S. Patent office. And much like coke, kleenex, xerox and iPhone….it became the generic term for the category.

So we think you should call it what you like. We describe HōM as a burger boutique and pong lounge, and we welcome all players.

Grab your balls (4 stars please) and a paddle, because HōM is raising the bar on the typical beer pong ping pong table. We’ll feature two Killerspin Revolution tables for our recreational and league play. They’re beauties, with a modern design sure to inspire even the steeliest table tennis players. Weighing in at a hefty 410 lbs each, they feature a 22mm high density fiberboard top, measure 107.8″ x 60″ x 29.9″ – the ideal size for competitions, and a blue playing surface that has a special glare reducing coating. So you can settle old scores once and for all without any shadow of a doubt.

Here’s a little something to whet your appetite, featuring the amazing Soo Yeon Lee: