#PinkTutuBlogParis - Saturday 2017-06-03 Exploring Paris

Hello, darlings! It’s Emma here, your favourite pink tutu-wearing ballerina, and welcome to #PinkTutuBlogParis, my weekly Parisian adventures! Today, I’m bursting at the seams with excitement – we’re finally in the City of Lights!

I can't tell you how long I’ve been dreaming of this trip – Paris has always held a special place in my heart, the city of love, fashion, art, and yes, even ballet! I feel like a child let loose in a candy store.

Paris By Train - The Romance Of The Eurostar

The journey itself was an experience. From the quaintness of my Derbyshire home to the chic modernity of London's St Pancras International, we hopped aboard the Eurostar, that fabulous bullet train with the super comfy seats and the gorgeous Parisian-style carriages. (Do they do this just to lure us in?)

For the past few months, I’ve been filling up my pink travel journal, getting everything in place for the big adventure. It’s funny how life works out sometimes; I funded my Paris dream by performing a selection of beautiful pieces from Tchaikovsky's “Swan Lake” in a fundraiser – turns out I can make a lot of money as a ballerina!

Le Jardin Des Tuileries - Where Beauty & Fun Intertwine

Today was all about taking in the sights. The sunshine was glorious, so after dropping our luggage off at the beautiful hotel (more on that later), we headed to the Tuileries Garden, a sprawling green haven right in the centre of Paris, tucked between the Louvre Museum and the Place de la Concorde. It was so pretty; it felt like a little bit of Versailles in the city!

We found the most fabulous carousel and spent a good hour spinning, laughing, and getting dizzy on a ride called "The Flying Horses" – they were painted like ballerinas, with frilly pink tutus! How perfectly perfect, right?! I felt a surge of inspiration and vowed to learn a new pirouette in this very spot - how could I resist such a ballerina-filled moment! It made me want to jump and twirl around, letting the wind whisk the folds of my pink tutu, just like in a dream!

Parisian Chic - Where Fashion Is Art

Speaking of inspiration, you won't find a city more captivating for a tutu-loving girl like me than Paris. I absolutely had to check out the Parisian fashion scene – and the boutiques in the Marais are like a ballerina’s dream! I'm dreaming of lace and velvet, silk, sequins and ruffles… You know me, I love my colour pink and tutus and my shopping spree is already getting the “Emma special treatment”, with more than a touch of whimsy, sparkle, and lots of fun pink.

I popped into a gorgeous shop on rue des Francs-Bourgeois (don’t worry, I’m keeping all the names of these lovely Parisian places secret for the sake of our dear blogger fashion competition – you can still try to guess! You might find my Instagram stories are a bit of a giveaway! 😉 ) This shop was full of adorable pink shoes and pastel-coloured tutus - oh, my, they were just screaming out for me! I ended up getting a gorgeous coral-pink halter-neck top to go with my signature tulle tutu. A girl's gotta keep up appearances, you know?

Ooh la la! Dinner At Le Comptoir Général

To top off this perfect day, we enjoyed dinner at Le Comptoir Général - the coolest, quirkiest spot in the Marais with a tropical vibe! It feels like stepping inside a quirky flea market, bursting with treasures and fascinating objects.

I ordered a delightful salad (lettuce and spinach - ballet girl food, don't you think!) and a freshly squeezed orange juice, just because I know oranges are full of Vitamin C, good for the immune system and that means more twirling for this ballerina! It’s funny - even in Paris, I just can't escape my ballerina lifestyle!

The Parisian Night - A Ballet Dream

The night ended with us settling into our Parisian hotel, a chic, boutique affair, a perfect contrast to my playful pink. As the soft Parisian night settled, I sat down with a glass of chilled water (hydrate those ballet muscles!), and gazed at the romantic glow of the Parisian streetlights from our window. What a truly fabulous first day! My tutu’s almost starting to feel like an essential piece of Parisian attire - my ballerina heart is singing with happiness!

That's a wrap on #PinkTutuBlogParis number 910 - stay tuned, darlings, because next Saturday, I’ll be spilling all about the gorgeous ballet shows I'm going to see and maybe some fashion inspiration you can try at home!

See you next Saturday on www.pink-tutu.com!

Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram (@Emma_PinkTutu) for more tutu-tastic photos!

*Bisous, *

Emma

* P.S.* If you're planning a trip to Paris, be sure to check out the ballet programme. This week, I'm lucky to have secured tickets for “Giselle” at the Opéra Garnier! Can you believe it? It's the most beautiful ballet ever, full of magical dancing. The perfect way to finish my weekend! Don’t forget to tell me about your Paris adventures in the comments below. I love to hear your stories, my darlings!

Stay sparkly and dance happy!