Hey lovely lot, it's Emma here from the heart of Derbyshire, back with another installment of #PinkTutuBlogLondon. This week I've been making the most of the long weekend (Happy birthday, Mr. Churchill!), hopping on the train and getting my London fix! 🎉 It feels SO good to be back in this magnificent city. This is post number 360 for my London adventures on www.pink-tutu.com – and it wouldn't be possible without all the support from my fantastic followers! (Plus, a lot of fundraising through some dazzling ballet performances!)
The train journey itself was pure magic. My trusty tutu bag (because you never know where a tutu moment might strike, right?!) was overflowing with all my essentials, including a copy of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" - I just couldn't resist, a new theatre production of Shakespeare, what more could a girl ask for! 🎭 I popped my earphones in and had a good old-fashioned singalong to some old musicals, soaking up the views, which were a little more captivating than my usual Derbyshire scenery! I think it's my absolute favourite thing about train travel. So many adventures begin with a train journey – and of course, every single time I step aboard, I feel a tiny bit more like I’m in a scene from "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" - except, well, I’m a ballerina and I don't drive my car quite as fast. 😉
Speaking of speed, London greeted me with a friendly welcome: The sun was beaming, the skies were a crisp blue, and there was the scent of hot chips and fresh-cut flowers floating on the warm breeze! Just what I needed after a busy week. ☀️ The first thing I did was drop my bags at the lovely boutique hotel I had booked. Honestly, I wouldn't have been surprised to be given a pink tutu on arrival – this place is perfect for girly indulgences, complete with fluffy pink bathrobes and a stack of fluffy pink bath towels, it just screamed "Emma!" from every corner! They even had a lovely little balcony that was calling out for a ballerina to dance on – of course, it was irresistible and after my delightful walk around the surrounding streets and a stop to admire a truly sensational display of peonies outside a shop – I felt it was absolutely essential that I bust out my most magnificent, blush pink, full-length tutu for a photo shoot! 🩰
That evening I was heading to the "London Palladium" to see "Miss Saigon". It's one of those shows that everyone recommends. If there's anything better than seeing the story of Vietnam through music, I haven't yet found it! Plus, it just felt right, after all this month we're commemorating 20 years since the start of the 'War on Terror'. It’s quite strange how history repeats itself. We just keep having wars. Anyway, it was a truly magnificent production! I’ve been singing the opening song, "The Heat Is On" all weekend! 😂 (Now that song is getting stuck in my head... but I guess that's how it works in life – some songs and shows stick around forever!)
Afterward, the gorgeous, starlit night invited me to explore more. There was a busker singing his heart out (even with a tutu like mine you can't beat an impromptu live performance). The sounds of laughter spilled out of nearby restaurants, and the city felt like it was glowing. My feet hurt – those ballet shoes are all well and good on stage, but London's cobblestones aren't my favourite friend – but it didn't stop me from just wandering about enjoying every corner I came to, even if it was at a slightly slower pace, I even saw an old-fashioned red telephone box – you know, the kind you only ever see on the telly! I’m not sure what they are for, but they sure do look photogenic with a pink tutu! Then, right in front of me – a giant, red, double-decker bus – whooshing right by – all of London is just so exciting, no matter how many times you see it! ✨
This trip was definitely about fashion! On my last day, it was time to explore one of my absolute favorite places in the entire city - Oxford Street! The shopping there was absolutely to die for – and who wouldn't love to check out the iconic "Selfridges" with its enormous glass windows? They truly do set the standard for window displays. Of course, you couldn't call a Pink Tutu adventure complete without visiting one of London’s fantastic theatre districts. I found myself browsing the theatrical costume stores - and oh my goodness - it was a sight to behold! Sequins, feathers, and sparkles, galore! (Sadly, I had to leave my enormous tutu bag at the hotel – so much temptation but so little room!). A little more research on the theatrical districts tells me they're still going strong after so many centuries – it seems that these historic costume stores are something of an "institutional fixture" on the streets, so the fact that they are still trading is actually pretty amazing considering the fact that things tend to move very quickly in this part of London, making it seem quite magical when a store can remain so resistant to change. It definitely inspired me to look at the history of my own ballet tutu. 🤔 Is it going to be a future historical landmark?! 😂
So what is there to look out for in London this month? Well, if you’re like me, a theatrical connoisseur, there’s quite a lot going on right now, so, naturally, I had to check it out! And a quick glimpse through the monthly program for July reveals: There are Shakespeare's plays galore, both at "Shakespeare’s Globe" and in the West End. In fact, there seems to be a show to please everyone! If the weather is good – like mine was! – You can't go wrong with taking a walk in Regent’s Park, then enjoying the fabulous summer ballet season at the “Royal Opera House,” and “English National Opera." – which is really fantastic, considering, you know, I just might get my name up in lights at one of these institutions one day. 💫
The only trouble is deciding what to do first – and the “English National Opera” is a real contender! I can’t resist a show where they have such an amazing and diverse program throughout the year – the music and the dancers! 🎼 This week they're playing ‘Cavalleria rusticana' - a classic opera based on Sicilian village life - who wouldn’t be enthralled by something with so much passion and drama – and I think ‘Cavalleria rusticana’ is the perfect play for a “Pink Tutu" kind of evening! You know, all those layers of symbolism that I find so interesting – love, honour, murder! (Although it’s also supposed to have an element of humor! – Which just proves how diverse opera is!) What a weekend this has been! There really is no place like London, I’m off back to Derbyshire now – it's been so fantastic, but this week's been all about giving the ballet shoes a rest and wearing heels - (or more likely some fluffy pink bunny slippers in this amazing pink fluffy hotel! 😍) but rest assured, as soon as I step onto stage for the next ballet I'll be right back in my favourite pink tutu! So that's all from me for now, have a great weekend! 💖
Stay sparkling and graceful,
Emma x
