Sunday is for Pancakes!

As a child, Sundays were my favorite day when it came to breakfast. Mom always made pancakes (sometimes she would do waffles or French toast for variety). As you can see by the look on my face, I was pretty happy with the pancakes!

At Disneyland, in 1957 they held their first Western National Pancake race. Look at #3 giving it her all as she is about to cross the finish line!



The background on this event can be found at the Seattle Times online:

Women in matching checkered aprons, headscarves and a rainbow of running shoes limbered up Tuesday as they prepared for the centuries-old pancake race in this English country town. At the word “Go” they sprinted through the streets, trying not to drop their pancakes as they roughly traced the path taken by a harried housewife in 1445, who legend has it heard the church bells signaling the Shrove Tuesday service and raced off with her skillet. The tradition has been repeated over the centuries — not only in Olney but across England and even in the United States, where the Kansas town of Liberal copied the idea and has been trying to outrun their friendly British rivals for 75 years. The race is held the day before the start of Lent, the Christian period of repentance and sacrifice before Easter. Celebrated as Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday in other parts of the world, the name Shrove Tuesday derives from the English word meaning to seek forgiveness or be granted absolution. Runners must flip the pancake at the start and finish. The 415-yard (380-meter) sprint itself may be a form of penance ahead of Lent.

Because Disneyland had an Aunt Jemima’s Kitchen restaurant, naturally Aunt Jemima participated in the parade/event herself:



This image from November 1962 shows Aunt Jemima leading the parade with Minnie and Mickey Mouse:



In the back you can see two of the Three Little pigs with a sign behind them:



Pluto is carrying the sign announcing the 6th annual Western National Pancake Races with Goofy lagging behind. Unfortunately, I do not have any shots of the actual race from 1962.



At Disneyland, Riverbelle Terrace (the former Aunt Jemima’s) was the usual place to get pancakes when at the Park:



For a more upscale experience, you could have these at Steakhouse 55:



For variety, Storytellers Cafe provided Mickey waffles:



It looks like Pluto liked waffles as much as I did!



Is your griddle out now?

See more Disneyland Main Street, U.S.A. photos at my main website.

Twilight Zone, Shirley, Oz, and The Jungle Book

Yesterday's news of Shirley Temple Black's passing touched many, and my tribute to her caused my blog to be caught up in the manic search for information about the legendary actress and politician. One site asked to use one of my photos of the Shirley Temple doll located in the lobby of the Tower of Terror attraction at Disney California Adventure. I had forgotten about this detail, and decided to revisit my photos last night.



The doll itself appears to be original, but the outfit, button, and even possibly the wig might be reproductions. The outfit represents one Shirley wore in the 1935 movie, "Our Little Girl." On the couch next to her is a book. From a distance, I knew it was an Oz book. Many have written that it is a first edition "Wizard of Oz" book. Not so.



Zooming in, it is possible to see that this is "Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz," the fourth book in Frank Baum's Oz series.



Here is an image of what the cover looks like. Not a first edition; by the style of the cover, I would guess it is from the 1930s/1940s rather than 1908.



Here is what a first edition cover looks like:



Elsewhere at the Disneyland Resort, Shirley can be found inside the Carthay Circle Restaurant. This photo is from the Oscars, February 23, 1939, when Shirley gave Walt his Oscars for "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs."



This photo of Shirley and Walt from the same evening hung inside Club 33. It will be interesting to see if it's still there after the remodel.



Over at Steakhouse 55 Restaurant inside the Disneyland Hotel, you can see this photo of Shirley and Walt, circa 1943.



See more Disney California Adventure Tower of Terror photos on my main website.

Trip Report: Disney California Adventure

Over on the other side of the Disneyland Resort, we ran into this resident of Buena Vista Street; it was the first time I'd seen her in person, and the dog was quite convincing. I hope that these characters are kept, as they add quite a bit to Buena Vista Street's atmosphere and keep it from being just another retail opportunity.

From another decade, Mrs. Incredible was out in the Hollywood section of DCA, showing off her spandex-enclad bod.



We had all but melted into a pool of sweat by this time, so we ducked into the Art of Animation Building. Turtle Talk with Crush was about to start, and it seemed as good as any of the other choices we had.



Waiting for the show to start, I was able to admire one of the custom light fixtures above.



If you've never experienced the Turtle Talk with Crush show, it really is a lot of fun.



Mainly for the kids though, it still provides a few chuckles for the adults.



Crush actually talks to the audience; how it all works, I have no idea, but I am guessing that the guy voicing Crush is one heck of a quick thinker, adept at doing comedy improv.



Another way to get rid of the sweat is to feel the breeze while riding California Screamin'. This attraction provides some of the best views of DCA...if you can stop screaming long enough to enjoy them!





Dinner was at Steahouse 55, located inside the Disneyland Hotel. This place is a real hidden gem, although judging by the amount of people dining there that evening, it's not so hidden anymore! Again, it's all about the details, such as the light fixtures.



And the fresh florals.



And the vintage photos of Golden Age Hollywood celebrities hob-nobbing at the restaurants and clubs of yesteryear. These help set the mood of Steakhouse 55. This one has Rosemary Clooney, José Ferrer, and Marlene Dietrich.



My pork chop was delicious, cooked just right.



Some of the desserts we ordered included this creative spin on a Root Beer Float:



and a decadent 24-layer chocolate cake:



The service here is VERY warm and friendly without being forced, and attentive without being overbearing. Whoever does the training for wait staff at the hotel restaurants should be helping out at the restaurants in the parks. I would have a hard time believing that they go through the same training.



Another beautiful floral display in the entryway:



This was the first race that I didn't stay in a Disney Hotel. I waited too long to book it, and the only one left was the Grand Californian. Since I couldn't justify $400+/night, I stayed at the Hotel Menage, which boasts one of the best locations for the race at its Harbor Blvd./Ball Road address.







The feel of the hotel is somewhat club-like; sleek, minimalist, and fairly chic. The rooms are good sized with comfortable beds and very clean.





Some of the fabulous views include the TDA Building:



The pool at night:



The one drawback is the noise. The rooms are not very well soundproofed, and at night, you can hear the live music at the pool as well as the booming fireworks from the park. If you are a light sleeper, this might not be the place for you. Otherwise, highly recommended.

That's it for my most recent park report. Hope you enjoyed!

See more vintage & current Disney California Adventure photos on my DCA web pages.

Disneyland Half Marathon Trip Report Pt. 5: Trader Sam's

The older I get, the earlier I want to go to bed. Still, it was a special weekend and we decided to end it at Trader Sam's, the Enchanted Tiki Bar at the Disneyland Hotel. What a fun spot. Friendly staff, cool decor, and exotic drinks. What more could one ask for?



SOOOO much to see here. You'll note some familiar items from The Tiki Room as you peruse the bar and walls:





This colorful tableau changes from sunshine...



to storm clouds:



You could spend a ton-o-time looking at the mementos and postcards on the wall:









A nice nod to Disneyland Legend Harper Goff:



Just in case you've never noticed his window in Adventureland:



Be sure to check out this little ship in a bottle located above the bar:



It actually sinks at sea!



No Daveland post would be complete without a few light fixtures:





I don't think this chap is aware of the "No Smoking" rule here:



Finally, it was time to turn in. The next morning, it was all about food again. Steakhouse 55 was the restaurant of choice.



A vintage photo of Walt in the lobby area to greet guests:



Beautiful furniture, a tasteful arrangement, and deco light fixtures...just my style!



And with a breakfast like this, I can now say that it was my favorite Disneyland Half Marathon ever. I plan on being back next year!



Hope you enjoyed my trip report as much as I enjoyed experiencing it!

See more vintage and current Disneyland Hotel photos on my Disneyland Hotel photo web page.