Oh, darling! Fancy seeing you here! It's Emma, back in New York City for another fab week. This is post number 37 in my Pink Tutu Blog NYC - I can't believe I'm up to nearly forty posts already! Time just flies when you're having fun. And this week's definitely going to be full of fun, let me tell you...
This past week, back in Blighty, I had a rather smashing time, what with rehearsals for the grand Derbyshire Ballet Ball and performing at the Royal Theatre in Derby. I felt utterly fabulous, especially twirling in my specially commissioned, hand-stitched, pink tutu with a delicate flock of sparkling butterflies flitting across the silk. (Can you tell it's one of my favourites?)
But alas, duty calls, and New York is waiting! It's the only place that can properly satisfy my craving for fashion, ballet and city-scapes â and of course, a proper, good-old, delicious cup of afternoon tea at my favourite English-style tearoom (but I shanât reveal the name for now⌠it's a little secret between me and you!)
Oh! And speaking of secrets â I can tell you this... this week's going to be utterly fabulous. You won't want to miss a single whirl of this blog! It's bursting with excitement, from exploring some hidden gems of New York City to a secret performance of Giselle (shh⌠just between us) which is simply divine!
I have a whole tote bag filled with goodies for my fashionistas to swoon over: an exquisite new pink silk dress I spied in a hidden little boutique (you wouldn't believe how tiny this little gem was!), a glorious pair of velvet ballerina flats that fit me like a dream (they had tiny ribbons for extra twirling! You're going to love these!), and a darling pale pink straw hat that I just have to share!
Now, I have to share my excitement! Today, February 19th, 1996, it's going to be ballet galore in New York! It's the opening night of the new ballet season, which means a fantastic programme, beautiful dancers and⌠drumroll... a surprise visit by the renowned New York choreographer, Peter something-or-other... (canât remember the full name). Oh, don't you love a surprise? I bet he's bringing his famous âTwirl of Dreamsâ ballet, I couldnât miss it for all the tea in China! It's simply divine.
Of course, the opening night at Lincoln Center wouldn't be complete without an absolute splurge at the Metropolitan Opera House boutique, with a little "I-love-pink" ballet dress, which I simply couldnât leave without (a new ballet outfit? Yes please!), and a pink floral headband, which I might need for the performance tonight... just so I stand out, darling, what can I say?! It's just that, if you're not extra enough, New York simply wishes you'd go home, don't you think?!
From The Derbyshire Hills To the City That Never Sleeps: A Pink Tutu Odyssey
Ah, NYC! Where else in the world can you go from being mesmerized by a graceful dance of a snow-covered, cobbled street to be drowning in the dazzling light and vibrancy of Times Square in the blink of an eye? It truly is the most amazing, bustling and exciting city in the whole wide world! I wouldn't want to live anywhere else (but maybe for a few weeks every year, my little heart still yearns for the peace of my beloved Derbyshire countryside)
The way the city seems to ripple with life â the hum of the taxi horns, the clanging bells of the trams, the laughter of children playing in Central Park, it's all so stimulating. The rhythm of the city is as fascinating as a ballet.
But this week's been about more than just cityscapes and taxi honks, you know that, darling! It's been about tutus. Lots and lots of pink tutus. It all started in London at that divine ballet shop (oh, how I'm going to miss them! Their tutus were heavenly... ), but it just felt like I had to keep going. The shops in New York City have all been offering the most stunningly feminine and gorgeous creations that would make any ballet dancer (and I dare say, any fashionista!) go "ooh la la!" Just a couple of days ago, I went to a wonderful ballet store on Broadway. Imagine this, darling, just rows and rows of the most delightful, frilly, flowing, colourful (especially pink!) tutus... all in that wonderful pinky-red light. It felt like I was in a whimsical ballet dream world. I felt a tingle go through my whole body just standing in front of them. Honestly, it just made me want to twirl!
I've been thinking... it would be wonderful if we could create a "Tutu Tribe" - a community where we can share our love for all things ballet, fashion, and just a general love for everything that makes us feel feminine and fabulous!
Can you imagine all of us, in our tutus, twirling around the world - sharing our love for dancing, clothes and travel with everyone we meet?
The Best Place In The World? A Bit of My City
You know what the most extraordinary thing about NYC is, darling? Every single corner has the potential to make you feel like youâre in a beautiful, captivating film. The city always knows how to give you a little dramatic flair, donât you think?
Whether itâs taking a ride on the metro (that famous, old subway that runs around the city) through an underground tunnel and emerging into a flashing street, filled with iconic yellow taxi cabs and buzzing with a throng of people, or finding a hidden boutique in a little side street packed with lovely, quirky things ... you never know what youâre going to find around the next corner!
The city truly enchants you, making you feel alive and like the most important person in the whole world. It doesn't matter what youâre doing, as long as you're exploring the magic that the city holds in store, you're living a fabulous life and there is nothing better than that right now right ? And Iâve always loved the âeverything goes" vibe, in terms of what people wear! I really admire that unconventional, independent style. It makes me want to jump into a pretty, whimsical ballet dress with some fluffy, tutu-y elements in a jiffy and twirl with joy around the city. Oh, to live the fabulous New York life - itâs just utterly captivating!
This week, I made sure I took my little, cute "I've Been to New York!" pink tote bag and packed it with some of my absolute favourites - some pink fluffy sunscreen (yes, you need it even in the cold, New York sunshine that always tries to give you a kiss), and my extra-fluffy pink toque. You've got to know that winter in NYC is so different than what you are used to back in England, but it's still such a spectacle!
This week, I took my little New York adventures all around the city in the Metro and spotted so many interesting things, some that are not on your usual tourist maps, that you can only find if youâre actually living it up for a while and start to feel like a real New Yorker!
Speaking of being a real New Yorker, let's talk ballet for a secondâŚ
You see, that's one of the things that really gives you that true, inside view of the city, it's like walking on a special path that brings you to all these hidden secrets and hidden beauty.
And I've been following all the best paths and it all started on Sunday, just a little bit ago, in an incredibly charming ( it felt like we were stepping into the old city that I had seen in so many black and white movies! ) theatre where I saw the most amazing, absolutely magical, contemporary ballet piece ever.
Honestly, it made me want to just throw off my winter coat and dance the night away, in my favourite pink tutu, of course! It was a dream world, but it was a dream that became real!
I know I've been talking up this contemporary ballet all week (well, every week is about contemporary ballet right?!) because Iâm a ballet freak - I love every type of ballet you can imagine! And there was something so captivating about the show's choreography and how they brought the characters to life, making you fall into the performance as if you were one of the dancers, right there, in the centre of the stage!
Dancing with The City
Thereâs nothing like a few ballet shoes, a beautiful dress and a trip to New York City! The magic in the air that comes from the most beautiful dance that the city puts on for you.
You see it everywhere - you can feel it when the people walking past you have a rhythmic swagger in their step as they hustle and bustle around the city, as if they're doing a graceful ballet in the rush hour. It is almost as if the city is saying âlook at me! Look how well Iâm doing!â
Or it can be a gentle sway of the trees in Central Park and the soft tumbling of the falling leaves, which makes you want to do some pretty moves in your own little tutu - I certainly did, while no-one was watching! The dance of the city is around every corner here in NYC!
As much as I adore spending some of my time exploring the hidden corners of New York City, getting to know all the nooks and crannies, the streets I just can't get enough of are those ones that lead to ballet venues! (and maybe the ones that have a great boutique with a lovely tea shop just around the corner - because there is nothing quite like a great afternoon tea!)
Oh, you have got to experience that magic for yourself, and that is why I started this blog and why Iâm still writing it today. I want everyone to have a pink tutu - well at least one little bit of tutu magic in their lives - even if they think it might be a little extra for them right now - come on, just give it a go! And maybe a little tea in the afternoon!
You know, itâs not just the clothes (oh, I can imagine the designer creations you could create! Every designer in the world should have at least one tutu collection. But that's another story for another time...!) It really is about finding something that makes you feel good in your skin.
So take that dance lesson - maybe try out a pink tutu, have a hot chocolate in a stylish coffee shop, take a stroll around Central Park... take in every single second of it. Youâve got to live it up!
Now get out there and find your ballet dream! I can't wait to hear all about your adventures. Until next Monday!
P.S. * Remember to check back here on *www.pink-tutu.com for next weekâs blog - itâs going to be packed with pink delights! And be sure to give me a twirl and a shout on social media â you can find me on Insta @PinkTutu.
*PinkTutuBlogNYC: A Weekly Dose of Fashion and Ballet from the City That Never Sleeps. The inspiration for it all comes from a passion for ballet and a genuine belief that you don't need to wear a tutu all the time, but you can have a tutu heart!
