Well, darlings, it's Wednesday, 15th of February, 2006 and I'm finally settled in my lovely little Milan apartment! It's quite tiny, just one bedroom, a teeny-tiny kitchen and a sweet little balcony where I can sip my morning cappuccino and dream of all the adventures to come in this gorgeous city. I've even got a darling little table and chair for my desk, all decorated in pink of course, where I'm going to spend hours and hours writing about my Milan escapade.
This whole adventure started when I won a prestigious spot at the Ballet d'Italia - and boy am I thrilled to be here. The judges seemed to absolutely adore my solo performance in The Nutcracker last week. Apparently, a graceful twirl with a perfect arabesque always wins them over, no matter what the dress code.
Speaking of dress codes, how do I even start to describe the joy I felt this morning as I slipped into my brand new tutu? It's a magnificent shade of bubblegum pink with beautiful sequined stars scattered all over. Oh my, it's just sooooo sparkly and beautiful - almost as sparkly as my bright, cheerful personality. 😉
You know how much I love trains and trams - well, getting to Milan was a dream. My little journey began in my sweet hometown, Chesterfield in Derbyshire, England. My Mum, bless her heart, gave me a huge box of freshly baked cookies and a hand-knitted shawl (oh how I love a bit of home-cooked baking!) before I boarded the train for the Channel Tunnel. The smell of sea air filled the carriage and I was dreaming of sunny Italian skies.
And then, I got to see Italy! It's all sunshine, bustling streets, charming cafes, and the most divine architecture. The architecture is practically a ballet in itself! It's like those old Italian renaissance paintings, only in real life!
Yesterday, I was so excited that I decided to go on a mini-adventure in the centre of Milan, on foot! I can't resist a bit of shopping in fabulous boutiques, just to get inspiration for my own pink style. You should have seen me! I had my darling little tutu, of course, and a perfect fluffy pink cardigan. My hair was in my signature ponytail, adorned with a ribbon with a cute little silver ballerina on it (I think it looks rather elegant with a dash of sweetness) and I wore my go-to little silver heels to show off my dancing skills when I twirl through the Milanese streets! (You gotta watch out for the cobblestone though... ouch!)
The thing is, darlings, Milan is absolutely blooming beautiful - full of fantastic little boutiques with stylish clothing and dazzling accessories that sparkle like diamonds. I managed to find this perfect silk scarf, a lovely coral-pink colour. It felt so good draped around my neck. I simply have to get a picture with the Duomo in the background! Imagine! A glamorous little me, a coral scarf, and that spectacular Cathedral all in one photo.
Speaking of the Duomo, you'd simply think they've gone crazy over all the white marble! I must have spent about half an hour standing at the entrance and gazing upwards. They’ve got these spectacular carvings everywhere! Even the building’s walls have detailed sculptures, which are a testament to a remarkable skill set! Honestly, my lovely darlings, it is worth every second just to soak up all this amazing architecture and to walk around and breathe in that Italian air.
This afternoon I'm off to see the beautiful Milanese dancers, performing the beautiful classical ballet Giselle. Now, Giselle is one of my absolute favourites. She is so brave and innocent, yet tragically drawn to this romantic hero. I simply cannot wait!
One thing I've realised about Italy, you have to give yourself plenty of time to do anything - I know that it might seem obvious, but I swear sometimes you forget just how slowly Italians do things. (I’m not saying they're lazy, but their pace of life is definitely very... relaxed.) They don't rush, which can sometimes mean long queues! Just yesterday, I went to get an afternoon cup of coffee in one of the cafes just near my little apartment. It's the tiniest cafe and just a cute little bar with three chairs around the bar, one of them with a beautiful tapestry back-rest.
Now, as they’re making your coffee they don’t rush it. It was almost like it was a slow dance – the man was measuring the coffee beans carefully before grinding them, adding a little of this and a bit of that… It was so calm, relaxed, almost mesmerizing. And as I’m saying all this, darling, do you know that I just couldn't drink my coffee right away because, wouldn’t you know it, the most lovely man started chatting me up - with the sweetest accent imaginable. We got to chatting about our passion for the art of ballet - he mentioned Giselle, too! He's going to join me at the theatre later! Maybe this Milan adventure will blossom into a real-life Romeo and Juliet romance, wouldn't that be lovely?
Well, I'll have to hurry now and get ready for tonight's show. And in the meantime, remember my sweet, beautiful, precious darlings, I am absolutely obsessed with the idea that everyone could wear a pink tutu, even if it's just a pink ballerina scarf. Imagine it. A whole world, where all the people are filled with grace, kindness, sweetness, beauty - in pink, of course!
See you all on Monday - then, my lovelies, I'll be writing to you from the ballet world of Milan - a pink tutu wonderland. Ciao Bella!
P.S. Just a little update darling! My Mum emailed me this morning saying she wants me to tell you all that I got my pink ballerina scarf! Oh my goodness, I can't wait for the mail to arrive. You know I just have to put on my gorgeous ballet outfit, complete with a beautiful pink tutu, and twirl to get the most magical feeling! I simply can't wait for all the lovely mail.
P.P.S Oh my, what a night! Giselle, was magical. The dancer was amazing - you would have been absolutely captivated darling! But it got even better! Well, my Romeo is simply the most wonderful Italian man. (I was, after all, destined to be the dancing darling who falls for a handsome Italian prince) He gifted me with a beautiful, traditional Venetian Carnival mask. Can you imagine! A lovely hand-crafted mask for this little ballet bunny! He has just the best style and impeccable manners. Oh darlings, I do think he will be my new favourite Romeo... and how gorgeous the Duomo looked illuminated from our romantic table on the balcony, after the show. He really knows how to romance this Giselle.
Now, to be honest, dear darlings, I really did think the romantic tale of my prince charming was simply a beautiful dream. I swear darling, it all felt so theatrical – almost like we were in Giselle! It is just all too romantic to be true!
