We’re two weeks deeper into this adventure, Grand Rapids and Wilmington updates ahead (as well as a new batch of press photos…). But first: BREAKFAST. When I was little (let’s be honest, I was never terribly little, when I was young) our family had a tradition of making pancakes on Saturday mornings. I would scurry downstairs as soon I could break free from sleep’s 8-hour hold and turn on the television. My sister would join soon-thereafter and commandeer the remote. We watched her favorites (which, in a Stockholm syndrome case quickly became my favorites), Garfield and Friends taking the crown for best in show.
At some point our parents would walk down the blue, carpeted stairs to insist that we eat something, something. Pancakes were clamored for, not to be served without a heavy infection of chocolate chips. We held white plates piled with two or three pock-marked cakes each, drizzled syrup on top (I was never interested in too much maple with my chocolate) and then ate ravenously, as children are genetically inclined to do.
With that, I give you this recipe for banana pancakes. Make some for your family this weekend?
(Regardless of what you make, don’t skip breakfast darlings, it’s far too important).
As for the Flashdance tour, we’ve finally hit the devil’s speed bumps these past few weeks. Grand Rapids welcomed us with a 14 degree atmosphere and near non-stop precipitation. While the cold was arresting, I was overjoyed to have a few long walks in delicate snow. The week began with sandy, uncomfortable snowfall, but ended with fluffy flakes, floating gently down and powdering the streets.
I was gifted a list of restaurants from a dear reader of this site before we traveled to Michigan, and I’m ashamed to say I wasn’t able to make it to any of her suggestions. Because of the weather, we were confined to a walking radius of the hotel, which meant only a handful of restaurants and a mini-market.
The biggest challenge of Grand Rapids was the theatre. In most spaces we have enough room to do many of our quick costume changes in the wings, but there was limited wing space at the DeVos Performing Arts Center. We were relegated to a hallway behind the stage, running at times just to make it back in time for the next scene.
This being an enormous dance show (it isn’t called FlashSing) we’re now running into injuries aplenty. In Michigan we had to bid adieu to our dear Charlene, a lithe and sparky dancer whose right foot was showing signs of stress-fractures. She will take a few months to heal and then triumphantly rejoin us in April. Our breakdancer, feeling lightheaded, had to exit at intermission one day, putting our incomparable swings in the spotlight.
By the time we reached Wilmington, DE (my least favorite stop, so far), the company had already hired another female dancer who began rehearsal immediately. Our breakdancer was back in, but then rolled over his toe while on relevé in a ballet combination. He had to leave the show again, this time for a few days. Our lead ballet dancer in the show took over the breakdancing track (these dancers are terribly multifaceted), and our male dance swing stepped into the ballet track. While performing the breakdance track, our lead ballet dancer injured his hand and had to exit the show the following day. We ended the week in Delaware with every swing on stage and a few understudies bumping up to pick up missed lines and set moves.
To top it all off, the theatre in Wilmington had even less space backstage than our house in Grand Rapids. Under the stage, in a cement bunker so cold we could have been outside, we kept our costume rigs and hair/makeup stations. As such, we spent the entire show running up and down steel staircases to change costumes and enter/exit opposite sides of the stage. Needless to say, these past few weeks have been physically and emotionally draining for the company, we’re overjoyed to be in warmer weather down in Atlanta as of yesterday.
We’re currently staying in the luxurious Georgian Terrace hotel, directly across the street from our venue, The Fox Theatre. I have a full kitchen this week, confounding me as I look at my list of restaurants around the city. Do I spend my days finally cooking?! Or give in and just eat at all the fabulous recommendations I’ve amassed? I’ll inevitably try to do both, updates on Atlanta next time!
More press photos, courtesy of T.J.Hamilton in Grand Rapids:
Banana Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 Bananas
- 1 Egg
- 1/2 cup Rice Dream Original Rice Milk
- 2 tablespoons Brown Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Spectrum Safflower Oil
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 cup Arrowhead Mills Gluten Free Pancake and Baking Mix
- 1/2 cup Arrowhead Mills Gluten Free Organic Corn Grits
Process
- 1) Mash bananas in bowl, whisk in egg, milk, sugar oil and salt.
- 2) Stir in Arrowhead Mills Gluten Free Pancake and Baking Mix and Arrowhead Mills Gluten Free Organic Corn Grits.
- 3) Heat griddle over medium-high flame and ladle batter onto surface.
- 4) Cook pancakes for 2-3 minutes, until bubbles appear around edges, then flip.
- 5) Cook for another 2 minutes then remove to plate and enjoy.