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Foods Californians Love After Long Rehearsals

Dance Culture

Foods Californians Love After Long Rehearsals

Jessie Ma
January 23, 2024
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As much as you try to stick to our prepped meals, green juices, and Kind granola bars, sometimes... (Especially after a loooong night of dancing) you have to

Here are some of Californian dancers' favorite guilty pleasures!

1. Carne Asada Fries / California Burrito / Any Mexican Food

(ESPECIALLY pertinent for San Diego dancers!!!)

Anyone knows that fries/carbs + meat, slathered in sour cream, cheese, guacamole, and salsa HITS THE SPOT when you're starving for a savory fix.

It's like everything unhealthy, ever, in one affordable order from a local shop.

Cotixans? Vallartas? MXN? Lolita's? CLOG ALL MY ARTERIES

2. Taco Bell / Del Taco

These pass as "Mexican" food, but on a definite tier down from #1.

Still does the job, though! Especially if you're ballin' on a budget.

Although, that kind of backfires if you end up getting the 1/2 pound XXL Grilled Stuft Macho Nacho Gordita Crunch Feista Pack WITH THE MOUNTAIN DEW BAJA BLAST (UGH), it ends up being like, a normal meal's price anyway.

But it's so. so. so. good.

3. Soda

On the Baja Blast note, as sugary and carbonated and "bad" as it is for you, I find myself craving soft drinks (not water >_<) after dancing.

It's soooo-da-licious. Fanta-stic. I have a soft (drink) spot for em. Swim in a Pep-sea after practice. I Sierra-Mist drinking them?

Ok ok, I'm done, these puns are getting Canada Dry...

(I'm sorry)

(so sorry)

(next)

4. Denny's / Diners

Ah, the universal late-night hot spot for dancers, partiers, general night owls alike!

The good ol' trusty diner with a little bit of everything for everyone.

And if there are no Denny's' in your area, chances are, there's another homey late-night diner you default to.

Eggs? Omelette you eat 'em however.

Nachos? No, they ARE yours.

French toast? Cheers to that.

Burgers? You got it, grill. (no bun intended)

Pancakes? No one else does 'em batter.

Skillets? EAT UP, HOT STUFF!

Salad?

Oh.

Uh.

Why?!

...But yeah, I guess you could get that too!

Basically, whatever you're craving, there's something on the menu that can satisfy.

(And is it just me, or does breakfast taste better late at night? Hm..)

5. In-N-Out

I apologize to our non-Californian readers!!!! But man. I'm not even gonna try to be funny with this one.

You just can't go wrong with a burger, fries, and a drink. (The pink lemonade<3)

That's it. I went in on this one

and now I'm

out.

6. Leftovers At Home

Whether it's something your mom prepared earlier that day, or the other half of your lunch.. knowing you have leftovers waiting loyally and patiently for you at home is one of the best feelings ever.

WHATEVER the food is, getting home, heating it up, and burning your tongue on leftovers feels so amazing.

7. Ice Cream

I personally have a huge sweet tooth. So even if I haven't eaten all day and need actual nourishment and vitamins and whatnot, I'll never pass up on a sweet treat.

A 99 cent soft serve cone from McDonald's, or if I wanna get SUPER fancy, the Oreo McFlurry, are both PERFECT to juggle with while driving home.

Ya might end up with a few questionable white stains on your clothes, but... \_(ツ)_/¯

8. Donuts

Bakeries that are open late seem to be THE place to loiter belligerently at 3 am.

These are 2 OC favorites- Seaside in Newport Beach, and Simone's in Long Beach.

I donut think it's the healthiest snack, but hole-y crap, are they yummy!

9. Boba

According to my calculations based on casual observation,

Our obsession with boba / bubble tea / PMT/ Chewy Brown Balls Of Tapioca Swimming In Fructose-Loaded "Tea," has been attributed to 3 main reasons:

1. Restaurants that serve it are typically open late, sort of conditioning our palette to crave it by its availability alone. Pavlov's Dancers, we are.

2. It's a sweet treat that also hydrates, because there is a 1000% chance you're thirsty as hell after dancing AND also feeling like you deserve to postpone your diet til tomorrow cuz you just danced for 4+ hours. Eating carbs in a drink of carb (most likely accompanied by a few bites of deep-fried chicken dipped in a sweet & sour or creamy ranch sauce).. it's fine! We conditioned today. A little.

3. It's just really really good 。◕‿◕。

Sometimes, after a class or practice, people don't even ask "Do you want to eat ad hang out? Where should we go?" I just hear exhausted, dazed voices: "Cha?" "Cha?" "Yeah fsho" "Cha?" "You going to Cha?" "CHA???!?!"

To which I reply "Yeah I'm down to guzzle some balls"

Just kidding, I don't really say that, I'm just thinking it.

10. Pizza

PIZZA! Any pizza. Just because ..pizza. Pizza always & forever. The end.

Us dancers burn a lot of calories movin' and groovin' and jumpin' and jivin'.So don't just dip after practice or class; go eat and hang out!Bet you're hungry now. What are some foods YOU like to scarf down after a long practice?  Leave a comment below to share with us! This article was originally published on March 17, 2015.

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