Hello lovely tutu-lovers! It's Friday, which means it's time for another #PinkTutuBlogLondon post! This week I've been feeling very adventurous and decided to pack my bags and hop on a train to London, that glamorous city! You know how much I love a good train journey - the rumbling of the wheels, the quiet contemplation as you speed past the countryside… bliss!
My train journey was a whirl of excitement, though this time I was armed with my new “Love is a Ballet” t-shirt and a rather striking pair of pink, feathered slippers that caught the eye of more than one fellow traveller. It’s amazing how even the smallest things, like a pair of pink slippers, can spark conversation and smiles.
My arrival in London felt electric. As I stepped off the train at Kings Cross, a sea of people greeted me with its bustling energy, all those commuters in their suits and hurried pace – I think they could have all used a little pink tutu inspiration.
A Pink Tutu Tour of London:
Before I get too carried away with my London adventures, I just have to tell you about this fantastic online community I’ve found that is making the world a more pink, sparkly place – The Worldwide Tutu Tribe! It’s a space where people from all over the world are coming together to celebrate the magic of tutus and ballet. I’m thinking we’ll have to have a proper #PinkTutuLondon meetup next time I visit the city! (You know you all want to join me, right?)
Alright, enough about the online world, back to London. It was a crisp autumn day when I set out on my tour. My tutu swirled behind me like a pink cloud as I headed to the Covent Garden piazza, which is just always so lively, it was a joy just being there. I spotted some street performers – an opera singer in a fabulous pink velvet coat (it’s a theme!) and a magician doing some tricks.
Later, I spent some time wandering through the Royal Opera House, gazing at the plush red seats and dreaming of the ballets I could imagine myself dancing on its stage. Then it was onwards to the National Gallery. This museum is always so inspiring – it has paintings by the masters of art, with all the swirling dresses and beautiful poses in them – perfect for balletic inspiration!
One of the highlights of my trip was visiting the Sadler’s Wells Theatre. Now, you might know it as “The home of dance”, but you may not realise it has a wonderful boutique with all sorts of ballet gear (tutus, tights, shoes…)! It's almost as if they’d been following my blog. This place was like ballet heaven! I picked up a gorgeous, feather-boa-trimmed tutu - it was like a tiny work of art.
London really is the best for shopping! On Saturday I headed over to the Borough Market. The market is vibrant and busy and a foodie haven but I found myself drawn to a vintage clothing stall, with rows of dazzling, vintage dresses just begging to be twirled in. My inner- ballerina was going crazy.
Later that afternoon, I treated myself to an hour of pure indulgence – I booked a massage in one of those cute, pink and fluffy-looking beauty salons (just how I like it!) Then onward to the theatre to see the London production of “Singin’ in the Rain”, which was sparkling and hilarious - I've already started practicing the “Singin' in the Rain" ballet, and the choreography is going to be amazingly fun - a few more practice sessions, and then it will be ready!
Oh and if you love shopping, make sure you check out The Victoria’s Secret store on Bond Street – there’s something magical about this store. After a spot of retail therapy it was time to head back to Derbyshire. That’s me off to practice for next weekend’s ballet recital. But of course, I will be back in London again soon.
Things to do in London on 2017-04-14:
Here are a few things that were on in London this weekend that I’d recommend. I couldn't make it to every one, but if you're visiting London, then here’s a list to inspire your inner ballerina and fashionista:
- Ballet: “The Nutcracker”, Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London. I've been dying to see “The Nutcracker”, so I'm already booking tickets for next week!
- Classical Music: London Symphony Orchestra performing "Berlioz, Mahler, Beethoven” at Barbican. Just thinking about all that elegant classical music has me all fired up for a spot of twirling!
- Shopping: It’s all about the London shops!
- The Fashion & Textile Museum was hosting an exhibition entitled, “Textile, Technology & Transformation".
- The "Exhibition Road: Museums, Science & Culture” was happening on April 13-16th at Victoria and Albert Museum.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this post. Until next week - remember: Life's better in a pink tutu!
*Emma x *
