Meet the Game Gurus
These six Airbnb Experience hosts show off their cities the best way they know how: by playing around.
By Suzanne Rust
Do as the locals do. It’s the best way to get to the heart of a place, and with any of these six hosts as your guide, you’ll get to know their hometown through play. From a pétanque expert in Paris to an eSports enthusiast in Seoul, here’s how they get the ball rolling.
The Pétanque Master: Arnaud Brument
Location: Paris
Occupation: Contemporary art dealer
In a nutshell… playing pétanque is a way to see Paris in a different light. We meet by Place Dauphine, a beautiful historic square on the ÎIe de la Cité. It’s the kind of place where Parisians will come for a pickup game and have a glass of rosé while they play. They have their aperitif and use a park bench as a table for snacks.
For novices… pétanque is so easy. You take turns throwing a steel ball toward the target — a wooden ball, called a cochonnet — and the closest is the winner.
What I love most… is that the game is not intimidating. Every French person has played since childhood; you play at the beach, the way Americans play Frisbee. If you don’t really know the people you’re with, pétanque is a go-between, making it easy to talk.
“Games force you to be in the moment. If you’re not paying attention, you’re not going to do well. Instead of being stuck on your phone, it feels nice to connect with the world more organically.”
Know before you throw
- The cochonnet should be 6 to 10 meters from you. If you win a game, you toss the cochonnet for the next one.
- New players feel like they want to take a wide stance, but you have to stand with your feet within a small circle. The word pétanque roughly means “fixed feet.”
- If someone calls you Fanny, it’s because you got zero points in the game. They are teasing you for being the loser.
The Entertainer: Felice LaZae
Location: Los Angeles
Occupation: Singer-songwriter
In a nutshell… I run a game night that’s like going to a private party. We have board games, music, drinks over here, food over there, and maybe a henna artist or an astrologist. Local artists and artisans are the vendors, and musicians from the area perform, including myself. There’s an L.A. vibe.
A fun moment… is always the first Jenga crash. It gets totally quiet, then I yell “Jenga!” and everyone laughs.
The musical part… is acoustic, by independent artists — usually just a vocalist or two. It’s very intimate. The games bring everyone together first, and by the time we jump into performances, it’s like you’re watching with old friends. At a regular mixer, there’s pressure to have good conversations, but when you’re playing a game, that’s the focus, so it’s natural to just start talking.
The Gaelic Games Guru: Cormac Ó Donnchú
Location: Dublin
Occupation: Former marketing executive
In a nutshell… this is a hands-on introduction to Gaelic life. You come to the club and get a lesson in Gaelic football, Gaelic handball, and hurling. Then you put on a helmet and warrior up!
We start off with… an overview of the importance of games in Ireland. They’re embedded in our culture. From a young age, you play games at your school and club.
A Gaelic club is… like a mini community center, but with a lot of members. Ours has 3,000 or so, and nearly 80 percent live less than two kilometers away. So coming to the club is a way to bond with locals.
Playing Gaelic games… gives you real insight into Ireland, because everything here is around the concept of the craic, which roughly translates to “enjoying other people’s company.” It’s all about making conversation, telling stories, and sharing the joy of achievement or disappointment of defeat.
A bonus is that… our club is near the Gravediggers, a famous pub that’s been in the same family for eight generations. Often after playing a match, we’ll pop by.
Gaelic Games at a Glance
- Gaelic football: Like soccer, but played mainly with the hands.
- Gaelic handball: Similar to squash, using your hands as the racquet.
- Hurling: A stick-and-ball game on grass. Two teams of 15 compete for possession of the ball and try to drive it between two posts.
The eSports Evangelist: Sol Hong
Location: Seoul
Occupation: Strategy director at a tourism startup
In a nutshell… I give a window into modern Korea. Typically four or five guests play with me and other Korean gamers at a PC café, and then we watch a pro match at an eSports stadium.
For authenticity… we order food that’s typical of a Korean PC café. Foreigners are amazed by the electronic ordering system. Most guests want noodles and a traditional sweet rice drink called sikhye.
It’s thrilling… at the arena. You sit near the player you support and watch them on a giant TV. You see commentary, and there’s cheering, like at a soccer game.
I want guests… to see that PC games are a main part of how Korean people spend time with others. People make friendships through playing. It’s a very welcoming culture.
3 Picks for First-Timers
- Hearthstone: A virtual card game.
- Starcraft II: Alien warfare! The goal: Eliminate other players’ buildings.
- Kartrider: Racing, missiles, and shields. “Item mode” is best for beginners.
The Old-School Strategist: Mayu Noda
Location: Tokyo
Occupation: Café owner
In a nutshell… I teach guests to play Go, a 2,000-year-old board game. You position stones to create territories and capture the stones of your opponent. Kids here play it on weekends, and adults play after lunch or work.
I learned the game… at a Go club my grandfather opened in 1965. My mom took it over almost 20 years ago. She had never played, so I was taught by a teacher.
While you play… you can drink tea or beer. The café has many windows, so there is a good atmosphere. Most of our customers come alone, and we match up partners. Of course, it’s also common to talk to the people at the table next to you.
Ready, Set, Go: Good Etiquette
- Place a stone down softly so you don’t make a loud sound.
- When strategizing your next move, don’t hold the stone in your hand; it disturbs the other player’s concentration.
- At the end, thank your opponent by saying arigato.
The Brazilian Football Fanatic: Luiz Renato Malcher
Location: Rio de Janeiro
Occupation: Pro player turned tour guide
In a nutshell… I make you an insider. We go to a Flamengo game at Maracanã stadium. I give an overview of football in Brazil and my history as a former player, and I teach chants like “Vai pra cima deles, Mengo! O, o, o!” People are shy at first, but in five minutes they’re clapping and singing.
Before the game… we stop at a convenience store next to the stadium, where you can buy a home team jersey and bond with local fans over a beer.
“The action is thrilling, and the cheering is always loud. Every play in a Flamengo game feels like a third down in the NFL.”
The fans are… pretty colorful. It’s common to see people shirtless with a team tattoo on their chest or their face painted.
Football in Rio is… a vivid form of cultural expression. Fans go nuts. You’re singing, cursing, or hugging the person next to you even if you’ve never seen them before. You get this boost of energy that has no parallel.
About the author: Suzanne Rust is Senior Curatorial Producer at The Moth. She is the former Lifestyle Editor at Family Circle magazine and Staff Writer for Real Simple. Her work has also appeared in Essence and on The Grio and Mom.me.
