Buongiorno, darlings! It's Wednesday, 2nd February 2005, and I'm writing to you from the vibrant and oh-so-stylish city of Milan, Italy! I'm feeling utterly fabulous in my pink tutu (naturally), soaking up the incredible atmosphere. This is my fifth week in Milan and it just keeps getting better and better! I’m just buzzing with the energy of this fabulous city and loving my weekly Milan blog.
I arrived in Milan on Sunday after a fab journey, first by train from Derbyshire, then catching a very luxurious plane to Milan's gorgeous airport. The Italian air just smells of excitement, sunshine and… croissants! My goodness, the pastries here are absolutely divine, and I’ve been trying to get my hands on every type of delicious confectionary Milan has to offer! They make even the pinkest of tutus seem even more magical.
I do have to admit, being in Milan can be quite overwhelming at times. It’s such a fast-paced and energetic place. And then you’ve got the fashions – fabulous doesn’t even begin to describe it! The Milanese women all dress to the nines and it can feel intimidating if you're not careful. I just had to keep telling myself, ‘Emma, it’s your personality that truly shines through – not just the outfit!’ And anyway, pink tutus are never intimidated, are they?
On Monday I managed to grab some beautiful new dancewear, all in, you guessed it – pink, naturally. This beautiful boutique I discovered, tucked away in a quiet street, sells the most incredible pink leotards. Just what every aspiring ballerina needs to shine! And you know me, I’m never afraid to go for bold prints – floral patterns are my absolute favourite, so naturally I got a matching pair of pink ballet shoes to match, covered in roses.
This week has been jam-packed. There have been so many incredible sights to see and so many wonderful things to discover. One of the things I love about Milan is the tram network - it's so efficient! It's a cheap and fun way to get around. One morning this week I took a tram ride down to the Teatro alla Scala. This majestic opera house is absolutely magnificent, like something straight out of a fairytale. Sadly, it’s closed for renovations at the moment, but I did manage to capture some truly inspiring photos in front of its iconic facade.
And you can bet I took full advantage of my time here! My life in Milan, this week, has involved many hours spent wandering through beautiful parks, catching street performances, sampling mouth-watering gelato, and discovering charming cafés, where I’ve spent countless hours, enjoying delicious Italian coffee while scribbling down all the inspirational thoughts for my blog! Oh, I also discovered a really great bookstore selling books about ballet and fashion. My handbag is quite heavy with all my purchases this week, but oh, it’s all so lovely! I will certainly be posting photos on www.pink-tutu.com very soon!
Wednesday was a rather magical day - I decided to put on my new, floral pink tutu and spent the day strolling through the streets. There's a wonderful art scene here, with beautiful murals and galleries. It was so nice to take a step back and admire the artwork, it’s quite humbling! I stopped to take photos, even had a quick chat with a local artist. I'm finding, actually, that a good tutu, like a great work of art, can open up conversations with complete strangers!
Thursday, oh Thursday! What a fantastic day! You can bet I didn’t miss my usual ballet class! It was an incredible experience – and you won’t believe this – but they have a class here called "Ballet Street"! A unique class blending ballet, hip-hop and contemporary. It's quite remarkable how the instructors combined all these different dance forms.
You might be thinking, 'Emma, do you always have the energy to attend ballet class, even when you're travelling?' And the answer is… you bet! My travels are fuelled by my love for ballet! In fact, a big chunk of my budget goes toward ballet tickets, classes and the occasional new pink tutu – and, of course, beautiful Italian pastries.
After the ballet class, I made my way to a delicious little bakery, bought some incredible pastries to eat as a reward for all that dancing. My favourite was a delicate meringue tart covered in luscious pink frosting – pure perfection! The day ended with a visit to the Duomo – I still can't believe how stunning it is! I took loads of pictures, just can't seem to get enough of it. My goodness, it's so majestic! Every detail, from the intricate stone carvings to the stunning stained glass windows, simply mesmerized me. It’s definitely a must-see if you ever visit Milan!
On Friday, it was a day for the theater! I couldn't miss a show here, I had to, absolutely, positively had to see "Giselle" – performed at the beautiful Teatro Dal Verme. A truly magnificent theatre – just as magnificent as its namesake.
The performance was mesmerising. I can't think of anything more graceful than a graceful ballerina with a beautiful pink tutu swirling and leaping, accompanied by a grand orchestra. I am, quite literally, on cloud nine as I write these words. My ballet class paid off. My posture and techniques have certainly improved thanks to my time spent here in the “Capital of Fashion”. The beauty and art of ballet never ceases to amaze me. And, if you haven't discovered the beauty of ballet, do try to go and watch a show as soon as you can – it's pure magic!
As a ballerina, it’s a beautiful experience to witness and appreciate a performance of such caliber – especially as I spend my life trying to learn and understand the world of dance, it makes my heart skip a beat. In the audience I saw many children there – and a small one did try to wear their mum’s sparkly ballet shoes for a bit! It made me smile! Perhaps these young ones, watching their mums and dads enjoying a theatrical ballet performance, will grow up loving dance as much as I do? I mean, can you truly call a child “loved” if they haven’t witnessed the incredible magic that ballet brings?
The best thing about ballet, or even just wearing a pink tutu, is that it makes you smile! It really is contagious and uplifting. My mum always says I'm very determined. It’s true. My ambition? To inspire all my fellow fashionistas to embrace their inner ballerina and wear a pink tutu! I don't believe there's anything quite as lovely and empowering as the simple act of dancing!
Oh, the journey isn't always a bed of roses. For one thing, the trams can get extremely crowded - which is, understandably, difficult to navigate if you're sporting a dramatic pink tutu! That’s why my biggest challenge is definitely the travelling part! Sometimes my bag is filled with so many books, art supplies, and shoes that there’s no space left to squeeze in my beloved pink tutus. Oh, and that’s not to mention, the tutus sometimes do get dirty and the tulle gets snagged on those sharp, pointy handbag clasps. Honestly!
There are definitely many more journeys to come, and many more experiences to explore, so do pop by next Monday to www.pink-tutu.com. I've got to run! Lots to see and do – it’s Friday evening and Milan is, once again, in full swing. I'm off to see the Duomo bathed in the soft glow of sunset! Ciao for now!
And remember… pink tutus always win!
