Saturday 29th January 2011
Bonjour mes amies!
Iâm so excited to finally be in Paris! I've been planning this trip for ages, and now it's finally here. I canât believe I haven't been to the City of Lights before! I even got a fabulous new tutu for the trip â a glorious shade of pink with sparkly diamantes. Perfect for twirling under the Eiffel Tower, don't you think?
The journey on the EuroStar was fab, Iâd never travelled by train across the channel before, but I can see why everyone raves about it. The carriages were so comfy, the scenery flew past at a rapid pace, and the journey was far less hassle than flying. And I actually got a bit of work done! Itâs amazing what you can accomplish with a good book and a nice cuppa!
As soon as I stepped off the train at Gare du Nord, the magic of Paris swept me up. The scent of fresh pastries filled the air, and the street vendors were already setting out their wares - fresh fruit, gorgeous cheeses, and colourful bouquets of flowers - the sights, smells and sounds are simply intoxicating!
Where to Start? The Louvre, of course!
I knew I had to start my Paris adventure at the Louvre Museum, it's a classic and a must-see for any art enthusiast, right? So, after checking into my gorgeous little hotel in Montmartre, (it has a balcony that looks right out onto SacrĂ©-Coeur, can you believe it!), I decided to tackle the museum and all itâs artistic wonders.
I wandered around in a bit of a daze. It's incredible the amount of historical treasures in this place. Youâre looking at Egyptian hieroglyphs one minute and then you're suddenly in the Renaissance with Botticelliâs Venus. My brain was officially overloaded. But my favourite has to be the Mona Lisa.
Sheâs a fascinating enigma, that one. So mysterious, she really caught my attention!
I was tempted to twirl a little right there in front of her but thought I might get kicked out, and, well, I was definitely ready for a hot chocolate. The cafe at the Louvre is a hidden gem. The atmosphere is fantastic - it's so quaint and cosy.
After art, Shopping? Yes please!
Iâm not going to lie, my Parisian dreams involve loads of clothes shopping!
Luckily, I came across a fantastic store in a quiet, cobblestone lane, a gorgeous boutique with an explosion of lace and tulle - you wouldnât believe the tutus they had, I may have had to grab myself a little something for the blog. Oh, and I had a quick look at a charming little vintage store called âThe Parisian Belleâ. So, I bought a pair of chic white pumps with black polka dots (I couldnât leave the city of lights without some gorgeous shoes!), and picked up the most fabulous cream satin skirt with black embroidered detailing. Itâs almost begging to be paired with a pink tutu!
Ballet Inspiration!
No trip to Paris would be complete without seeing a ballet! And this weekend, the OpĂ©ra Garnier was performing Giselle. I'd been wanting to see it for ages! Oh, the performance! The dancers were so incredible! They practically flew across the stage and glided through the air with effortless grace. Itâs truly the most enchanting experience to see the art form so gracefully and expressively interpreted in the stunning, majestic setting of the Opera Garnier.
It truly left me feeling so inspired and uplifted. Itâs a truly wonderful feeling, I left feeling ready to tackle the world! I'm already practicing my pirouettes and hoping to fit in a ballet class tomorrow - maybe even wear my new pink tutu.
Le Weekend in Paris
Later tonight, Iâm going to find the best little crepe stand in the whole of Paris for my dinner. And after that, maybe Iâll watch the sunset from the Eiffel Tower⊠Ooh, itâs going to be amazing.
Stay tuned for my adventures tomorrow - more fashion, more food, more Paris, and of course, a pink tutu!
Until next week my lovelies! Bisous,
Emma xx
* #PinkTutuBlogParis - Post 580 - Saturday, 5th February 2011 *Bonjour mes chéries!
Well, it's a week since my trip to Paris started and it feels like Iâve lived a lifetime! So much has happened. I have been doing the âclassic tourist thingâ, of course! Yesterday I even walked all the way from the Eiffel Tower down the Champs-ĂlysĂ©es. The architecture, oh, it's just beautiful - it is simply amazing and it seems to be built for pink tutus.
I had some lovely pastries from a patisserie on the Champs-ĂlysĂ©es and tried one of the classic crĂȘpes. I have to say the Parisian crepes are quite different from the ones back in Derbyshire! And not nearly as much Nutella!
A Day of Ballet Bliss
Yesterday was a perfect ballet day. I started with an early morning class. I've actually been surprised to discover that ballet classes are huge in Paris. Everyone, even the guys, are out twirling and pirouetteing and leaping and dancing! Thereâs so much passion for it and I loved it. I even picked up a lovely tutu from the shop after. The teacher seemed quite impressed. She spoke to me about all the great ballerinas who danced here in Paris and encouraged me to be bold and graceful in my twirls. Oh, it just made me feel amazing, the whole experience!
After lunch in the cute cafĂ© down the road, I went to the Palais Garnier and took a tour of the Opera House. Itâs beautiful - very glamorous! The golden ceilings, ornate details and painted murals all add a magical element. Itâs easy to imagine all the great singers, dancers and performers who have graced that stage! I loved it! I definitely had to take some pics for the blog - you guys should definitely see them!
Food Glorious Food
My Parisian adventures involved plenty of tasty treats - I even ate the crepes for dinner! Yesterday evening I tried a croque monsieur. This cheesy ham sandwich was delicious and I discovered it was a local favourite, (maybe they had it in Gilmore Girls!), And this morning I had some fresh bread, butter and a beautiful raspberry jam in the local bakery. It was a delicious little Parisian breakfast!
I did have a slight disaster with my baguette yesterday - it broke clean in half. I'd forgotten that baguettes are really quite brittle.
My trip wouldn't be complete without some chocolate. Paris is famous for its chocolate, you know! But so far, Iâve only been trying a small bite of something special.
I have a whole lot of chocolatey adventures planned for the next couple of days! Iâve even got my sights on the gorgeous French confectionaries! Maybe a visit to LadurĂ©e is in orderâŠ
And the shopping! I even spotted the prettiest little silk scarf on my way to the café this morning. It would go perfectly with my new pink tutu!
Paris, oh la la. Iâm totally falling for you.
Until next Saturday, mes amies, stay tuned for more adventures, pink tutus and chocolate! Bisous,
Emma xx
#PinkTutuBlogParis - Post 581 - Saturday 12th February 2011Bonjour mon chérie, how are you? It's a fabulous, frosty Saturday morning here in Paris!
Itâs been an exciting week! I have discovered more shops! I bought a fabulous red cashmere jumper in the most amazing shop that also sold handmade tutus! You should have seen the tutu they made especially for me. So elegant.
I love going to new shops, it's so exciting. It's one of the best parts of being a ballerina blogger and I'm so lucky to be able to experience new and exciting shops all over the world!
Catching Up With the Locals!
Last night I had the opportunity to go out for dinner with my friend Isabelle and some of her friends at a really chic little bistro in Montmartre. You could call it an evening of local food and culture and a very nice night too! And they all want to try wearing pink tutus.
I always enjoy discovering local cuisine in the cities I visit. I particularly enjoyed the Coq Au Vin! There were even tiny, little carrots and round onions on my plate and it made my meal all the more elegant. It felt so French!
I found this little bar close to my hotel which is fab. There was live jazz on. They had one of the most amazing soufflés I've ever tried - filled with caramel. So good.
Oh, The Romance of Paris!
It feels so romantic here in Paris. I can easily imagine a classic French love story taking place here - a boy and a girl meeting at a coffee shop and falling head over heels in love over a bowl of crepes. The City of Lights is so charming and so romantic and that makes me feel extra special.
The weather here has been absolutely fabulous - it's sunny but crisp. The parks look amazing covered in snow. I saw a group of children building a snowman this morning. And a few even had pink tutus on with fluffy white coats - absolutely adorable - they would look fab on my blog.
*A Final Day in Paris. *
Tomorrow I am planning on getting a final little Paris shopping fix before making my way to the Gare du Nord to board the Eurostar. And my new pink tutu is making its way to Derbyshire! Iâve been meaning to add some sparkly accessories and a feathers too - I'm thinking it will look gorgeous for a springtime performance at the Derbyshire Ballet Club when I get home! It will look magnificent dancing across the stage!
And I'm going to miss the City of Lights and all its tutus. Paris was magical. It's so enchanting and makes me feel so inspired and uplifted that I have so many new ideas and concepts to bring to my blog! Paris is an incredible place that makes me want to spread my pink tutu wings and fly. I'm really going to miss it and canât wait to come back for more! But it's time to pack and say âĂ bientĂŽtâ to the City of Lights -
Until next Saturday mes amies, Stay tuned for more adventures and pink tutus!
Bisous and merci beaucoup for reading my blog,
Emma xx
