Hello, darling! It's Emma here, back with another edition of Pink Tutu Blog NYC, straight from the heart (and concrete jungle) of New York City!
Today is a glorious Monday, and you know what that means: time to get all dressed up, twirl down the streets, and explore the magical metropolis that is New York!
This week I'm especially thrilled because, not only did I dance the night away at a truly fabulous ballet performance, I also had the opportunity to take a delightful spin around the city in my beloved pink tutu. Because really, who can resist the chance to add a touch of whimsy to New York's already dazzling landscape?
Now, for those of you who are just joining us (a warm welcome!), Pink Tutu Blog NYC is all about embracing life, expressing oneself, and of course, spreading the joy of pink tutus everywhere! My mission is simple: to inspire every soul on this planet to experience the magic of a tutu (pink, naturally). And where better to do that than the dazzling, never-sleeping city of New York, the city that truly embodies the phrase ānever too late to be yourselfā.
I have to say, the Big Apple has been wonderfully kind to me these last few weeks. As a dancer, it's been incredible to see such amazing shows and incredible ballet classes! You can feel the electricity in the air - everyone is passionate, everyone is bursting with creativity. Thereās such a vibrant energy here that I canāt get enough of it! I love walking the streets here, soaking it all up, and oh my word, the shopping - simply divine!
This past week I went to see the most incredible production of Giselle at the New York City Ballet. The costumes were beautiful (naturally, there was a lovely shade of pink!), the music was sublime, and the dancers, well, they were simply ethereal! Their movement, their grace, their strength - it took my breath away. It made me realise why ballet has such a powerful impact on me - it's truly a language of the body, a celebration of human form. And that feeling, that awe-inspiring joy, is exactly what I want to share with everyone through Pink Tutu Blog NYC.
After the ballet, my fellow ballet-loving friend Sarah and I headed to the charming cafe just down the street from Lincoln Center. We sat there for hours, dissecting the performance with fervent passion (it was a ballet loversā paradise), discussing all things fashion, and sharing a slice of the most heavenly red velvet cake (pink, obviously).
For those of you who arenāt aware, Sarah is a fellow dancer, and is actually based here in NYC! Sheās a lovely girl, a brilliant ballerina and an absolute fashion icon! She helps me pick the perfect tutu for my daily adventures in NYC and has great taste. I have to admit, it is Sarah who I learnt how to pull off my daily outfits - sometimes you need someone else to be the guiding light in your world to know when you're truly channeling your best pink tutu fabulousness!
Then, because who can resist the allure of New York after dark? I headed down to Times Square to see what was on, ready to be overwhelmed by the lights and excitement of a truly global, iconic spot. What I found wasnāt quite what I expectedā¦ and I do love the unexpected!
It was my birthday! The people in the area had organised a beautiful street theatre performance, celebrating not just Broadway, but the beauty and diversity of a community. I was blown away - and it really made me feel at home. The air was filled with laughter, the performers were incredible and so enthusiastic and people were dancing in the streets! I felt right at home, not because it reminded me of England (though the lovely accent of some performers certainly did!) but because the community spirit was what struck me - and it was something we certainly share in Derbyshire.
You see, I am actually originally from Derbyshire in the East Midlands. I come from a small village, where everyone knows each other, everyone helps each other and we are very strong, united, and we certainly donāt shy away from community. It's like that here, except everyoneās wearing sequins, or some really stunning fashion choices! So I danced, naturally, and met so many lovely people. Who knew this might be my favourite thing about New York, outside of tutus?
So, how can you emulate your own Pink Tutu life? This week I thought it would be interesting to pick up on how I spent my time in New York Cityā¦ which is definitely what my pink tutu travels are about.
Hereās my diary of this fabulous week in New York, just in case you need some inspiration, to add your own tutu twist:
Monday (05 July): I took the subway to my usual Monday morning ballet class (oh how I love the Metro!). Let me tell you, that early morning ride on the metro is truly an experience, and not in a good way, however the anticipation of my lovely ballet class was certainly enough to get me there. Even when it seems packed with the entirety of New York city! The dance class was really fun today - itās actually more like a party than a workout, in the best way possible, because we really focus on movement and how we move our body! We danced to jazz and broadway hits and had so much fun, I had to come back for another class tomorrow!
Afterwards, I went back home and got ready to wear a pink tutu - of course! - for an afternoon of shopping. Now, my wardrobe is already bursting at the seams with tutus in all sorts of shades of pink, but I couldn't resist treating myself to a brand new sequined pink tutu. (Sometimes you just have to splurge, right?)
Later that evening, after my second ballet class (because how could I resist that?), I went to see Giselle with Sarah, who I met at a ballet class about a year ago, so now we are great friends. Itās amazing what you can get up to just through sharing a passion for dance - I even took up ballroom with Sarah this year, so you never know who you might meet or what kind of fun adventure you might be invited on. And now Iām having dinner, so you know, good day!
Tuesday (06 July): I started the day with a trip to my local coffee shop for an almond latte - no room for dairy in my diet! - before joining my new class for some fun jazz dance. You know, they always say the way to make yourself at home in a new city is to embrace a local coffee shop and make it your regular hangout. This particular one had amazing avocado on toast (yes, there was even a dollop of pink edible glitter on top!) and an endless supply of amazing bagels (New York bagels are another of my favourite discoveries, donāt even get me started about the different cream cheeses).
In the evening, after I had finished writing an update for my dear friends on my little village Facebook page (so important for them to see all my adventures, and naturally, my latest pink tutu collection!) I put on a gorgeous pale pink tutu with fluffy feathers and headed to a dance performance in SoHo. It was a captivating blend of contemporary dance, circus acts, and storytelling, a beautiful interpretation of "Alice in Wonderland"! I was totally mesmerised - a beautiful story that you could simply feel. It was one of those performances where I actually forgot that I was even there - just fully engrossed in what was going on on stage!
Wednesday (07 July): This morning I took a tour of the MET - the Metropolitan Museum of Art, or āThe Metā to all of us New Yorkers (because the local language here is certainly different)! And by ālocal languageā, I mean saying ābagelā as opposed to ābapā, ābrilliantā as opposed to āsmashingā, and calling shoes āsneakersā and āflatsā! I can certainly make my friends at home jealous when I head back next month! I learnt all about fashion in art, art movements and I felt inspired! I have to admit, even I get swept away in the world of Art, even I need my inspiration fix sometimesā¦ though if you haven't noticed, my own Pink Tutu fashion world is pretty inspirational on its own, but shh donāt tell everyone.
As soon as I left The Met, I walked to Bryant Park (because I wanted a good look at that amazing library! Yes, it does have beautiful stairs) for a stroll around, had some lovely street food - and oh how I love the NYC hotdogs! Before the evening arrived, I started getting ready for another night at the ballet! (And that was after the class, I truly can't get enough!) This evening I took in a beautiful performance of Swan Lake and Sarah even made sure that we were in the best seats. Honestly, it is great having a friend who can actually help you choose the perfect seats.
Later in the evening, we got dinner in an old-school American restaurant - a diner with red leather booths and the most heavenly milkshake - of course, it was a beautiful shade of pink! This was my night for feeling a bit like Marilyn Monroe, after the amazing Swan Lake performance I wanted a bit of Americana (and a very pink milkshake)
Thursday (08 July): The days are really starting to whizz by now, you know how it is. I really have been enjoying exploring New Yorkās neighborhoods; today I ventured to Brooklyn to try a famous bagel spot there - apparently they are THE place for bagels in New York (so everyone says!). Oh and of course I headed out with a new tutu - it had the biggest most beautiful, fluffy pink feathers and sparkly sequins, and honestly it was made for Brooklyn!
We spent the afternoon meandering through a fabulous independent boutique shop with absolutely divine clothes - I had to have at least one dress. The owner actually took me aside and told me she loved my pink tutu and thought I had amazing style. What a fabulous feeling to get when you're wearing a pink tutu - I must be on the right track! After a good look around we finally managed to make our way out of that shop (because I wanted EVERYTHING) and grabbed an amazing chocolate fudge brownie. Oh how I miss proper English chocolate brownie now that I'm living hereā¦ we definitely make the best! It was actually a little difficult to resist the amazing brownie that had so many swirls of chocolate insideā¦ so we walked until I finished it.
The afternoon just whizzed by! And I was up all night working on this blog! But then, wouldnāt want to be writing a fashion and tutu blog without some tutu inspiration, right?
Friday (09 July): My early morning began, like most of my mornings here, in the Metro on my way to the studio for ballet! However, you'll not be shocked to hear I have certainly made the Metro much more exciting than you might expectā¦ It is not easy, but the trick is all in the timing! Today was Friday, which meant everyone wanted to get to their destination - for me, the destination was my dance studio. So it was a case of choosing the right carriage (at this time of the week I steer clear of the carriages that most people would use. They're more difficult!).
The key to being a graceful tutu dancer, especially on the metro in New York City, is choosing the right time! Donāt worry, I wonāt tell you when - it is a little trick Iāve discovered myself (but no-one told me! You have to discover these things for yourself. Honestly, even those local New York guides don't know how to have a fun pink tutu-loving journey, so donāt believe everything they say!), and I havenāt yet had a problem with my skirt flying up in the air! In fact, a lot of people now compliment me, and the way that the way I get about the metro - as if itās my own personal stage.
As soon as I arrived back at my apartment I headed out to meet my new favourite New York friend for coffee (in a slightly less packed place) for brunch, I did an amazing spot of window shopping and went to see one of my new favourite bands at The Bowery Ballroom. It really is an exciting time to be here.
Saturday (10 July): This was a day of restā¦ except that rest actually involved quite a lot of planning for my upcoming week and my week of work and shows. Sometimes it is good to let your mind rest even when your body feels like moving! Oh, I do enjoy getting those ideas all together. There's also something about working from your own cafe table that adds a kind of extra oomph, don't you think? Oh yes! I do love those coffee shops and really, isnāt the point of travelling somewhere just so you can have another cup of coffee in an amazing cafe that does the best avocado on toast (it truly has to be an amazing one) ? You can say it's about the amazing local treats and meeting new peopleā¦ But we both know what it's really about, darling.
The evening was a truly fabulous, relaxing evening of hanging out in Central Park (you know how much I love this spot!), getting lost in my latest book (the most divine historical novel, perfect for a relaxing Saturday night in Central Park!) and getting a truly incredible view of the city lights. This was a great time for catching my breath after a week of touring around New York. So glamorous! (Just donāt tell my friends back home! Because I need to be ārelatableā so my village life continues. Who knows? They might think they're not enough if they realised what it was really like.)
Sunday (11 July): Today was definitely my lazy day - the ultimate day for being a girly girl - and thereās really nothing quite like it, especially in this amazing city. Oh yes, New York makes you want to embrace your girly girl life in the best way possible, because thatās exactly how it embraces itās fashion, its shopping, its Broadway and the beautiful girls (and men!) here! It was the perfect time to wear my amazing pale pink, fluffy tutu - no-one can convince me it isnāt a special occasion dress (and you know my philosophy, when itās tutu time, then it's tutu time! No arguments! - Itās really not that hard to have the kind of style we both adore.) So I dressed in it. You know I adore fluffy tutus. And let's be honest, fluffy pink tutus have that je ne sais quoi, right? Especially when they are a mix of feathers and sparkle (naturally!), that is. So yes, I put on that perfect girly girl outfit, because this is New York! You should be feeling your best and being the ultimate girly girl!
Oh darling! I know this was another long blog post! I just have so much to say, and so many great memories from New York City! I always have the best time and have met such fabulous people, so thatās the way this lovely pink tutu world keeps spinning, you could say! As you all know, this is my way of encouraging everyone to dance, twirl, and have the time of their life! It's truly a world where you can wear what you want, and dance until youāre happy. So make sure to share your adventures with me at @PinkTutuBlogNYC, and of course join me every Monday for a new dose of fabulousness! See you next week!
