Oh, darling readers, it’s been a whirlwind week! After my glamorous stay in Bath, the time came to venture onwards. A horse-drawn carriage whisked me to the quaint town of Trowbridge – picture cobbled streets, adorable little shops and that distinct air of history you can practically taste.
Trowbridge is a place of dreams. They even have their very own ballet school, and the sight of little ballerinas twirling about sent a delightful tingle down my spine! It felt like a place straight out of one of my favourite ballet storybooks. Oh, to be young again and take classes with the promise of tutus and tiaras in my future!
I felt that the universe conspired to create a truly magical day for me. First up was the ballet performance itself, a classic performance of The Nutcracker, set to Tchaikovsky’s magnificent score. There was something enchanting about seeing these young, talented dancers leap, twirl, and even do those oh-so-complicated, gravity-defying, gravity-defying, pirouettes right before my eyes! It was like stepping into a fantastical world for a few precious hours. I simply could not resist adding my own dose of tutu-fied glamour, sporting a gorgeous pink tutu that practically danced with me as I navigated the beautiful streets of Trowbridge.
My favourite part of the show, aside from the phenomenal dancing, was the incredible scenery and costumes. Oh, to have such imagination, such exquisite details and fabrics! Even the rats looked perfectly delightful in their tiny, little, tutu-fied ensembles. The ballerina snowflakes were, of course, ethereal and whimsical, looking like something from a dream! But then the Sugar Plum Fairy arrived in all her pink and sugar-coated glory and she just stole the show. The way she floated around, ethereal and elegant... oh, she was my personal inspiration.
I always try to see as much of a place as I can in one day. After a delicious afternoon tea with lashings of clotted cream and dainty finger sandwiches at a delightful little tea shop – I did discover that there was a new bakery just off the market square offering delicious pastries and bread. Of course, a raspberry and custard-filled cream bun was the order of the day.
Afterwards, I was ready to embark on my evening adventures! And Trowbridge truly impressed me with its unique blend of historical charm and vibrant artistic scene. The first stop on my evening adventures had to be the Trowbridge Museum and Art Gallery. Imagine my joy at finding a collection of beautiful, antique dance shoes from all the great ballerinas from the Victorian and Edwardian era! Seeing such incredible artefacts up close filled me with a wave of admiration for those pioneers of our beloved dance. Each shoe had its own story and its own unique appeal, like little historical relics, they showed the transformation of fashion over the centuries! I actually took photos, so that I could draw some inspiration for my next few ballet-themed outfit posts for the website!
As evening fell and the city lights twinkled – it was almost time to catch the evening performance. The ballet was set in a breathtaking historical theatre. The red velvet seats, the shimmering chandeliers and that "oooh la la" feel - it was absolute heaven for a ballet lover like myself! You know how I feel about a little bit of theatre!
Now, you see dear reader, the stars were really aligned on this night. For I wasn’t only graced by some gorgeous ballet performances. There were several little touches that made my trip completely divine. The first touch was a chance encounter I had with a charming old gentleman who wore a striking velvet suit. He was sitting on a bench with his lovely little dog by his side – an adorable terrier in a beautiful burgundy tweed coat. We chatted briefly, as we often do here in the UK – a brief and warm exchange about the beautiful buildings and architecture of Trowbridge. And of course, we discussed the delights of a beautiful ballet evening and our admiration of these young talented performers!
The highlight was definitely a delightful tea shop I discovered, filled with beautiful things! And no trip to a charming shop would be complete without buying something, darling. I treated myself to the most adorable, hand-stitched pink ballet tutu necklace – so charming and it just makes me think about all the wonderful little ballet performers out there who are learning to dance. It was love at first sight! And I felt that such a lucky purchase should be worn to a celebratory evening dinner!
With a few moments to spare before dinner and catching my evening ballet performance – I took the opportunity to visit the local Wildlife Park. The Wildlife Park itself was a bit smaller than most I have seen, however, it felt unique and was home to a variety of local animals including adorable otters and very curious owls, even a little pony that was very fond of apples. But what impressed me the most was an extremely polite, talkative parrot that said “good evening” in perfect English as we approached his enclosure. It was as though he wanted to tell me what a wonderful day I had already had and offer his best wishes for an amazing evening, how sweet! It seemed as if the universe was determined to add extra doses of magic to my time in Trowbridge, that night.
A little stroll through the charming centre of Trowbridge with my little, pink ballet necklace dancing gently with my every step and finally arriving at my local trattoria to enjoy a delicious pasta and an excellent red wine. My evening had ended as wonderfully as it began!
Trowbridge was such a wonderful surprise for me. So, darling readers, you have it from me, a beautiful little town with history and character. There were friendly locals, great little cafes and shops and beautiful ballet performances. In fact, it almost felt like home to me! Now that's a big thing to say. You can tell, I really liked Trowbridge, I was very taken by this magical place – it almost made me wish I could stay there longer.
This enchanting, inspiring trip, as usual, reminded me why I have made spreading my love for the arts, ballet and tutus in all their pink glory the central focus of my life. So, my darling readers, as I pack my bag and bid farewell to my darling Trowbridge, I invite you all to come with me and join me on this magical adventure as I make my way to my next stop... you’ll have to wait for my next blog post for more details… But remember - there’s no dream too big to achieve when you have the right tutu and the right attitude!
