(Post #5045)
Hello my darlings! It's Emma here, your very own pink tutu enthusiast, and today I'm positively giddy to be writing to you from the charming town of Eltham, nestled somewhere in the delightful county of Kent.
This little trip has been a whirlwind of romance, creativity, and just the right amount of tutus! My journey began in the traditional Emma fashion: a jaunty trip on the train. I must admit, the carriage was adorned in such lovely shades of peach and apricot that it made me feel like I'd stepped onto the set of a ballet scene – with, of course, the exception of being surrounded by some charming, but utterly mundane, commuters.
But I mustn't bore you with my delightful railway journey. We are, after all, here to celebrate Eltham, which has, I must say, totally captured my heart. The town is as adorable as a teacup poodle sporting a miniature tutu (I swear, they have one at the local pet shop!), bursting with quintessential British charm. There's a real villagey atmosphere, which makes for some very lovely and friendly faces, and some delicious, scrumptious-looking pastries at the bakery. (Sadly, they weren't in pink, but that's something for my next Eltham adventure!)
Speaking of scrumptious, have you ever experienced the pure delight of afternoon tea in an English garden? No, then you haven't truly lived! I treated myself to a truly luxurious tea at the delightful Rose and Crown. The whole affair was a delicate ballet of clotted cream and tiny finger sandwiches, with my companion, a very regal (and slightly pompous) pug named Barnaby, stealing every biscuit he could manage. The weather was simply divine, a perfect mix of warm sun and gentle breezes – not too different from a magical fairy tale, don't you think?
Now, I can't be in a new place without a proper twirl, so off I went to explore the beautiful Eltham Palace. I might have been a tiny bit dramatic, I mean who can resist the lure of a beautiful Tudor manor house and gardens?! It felt as if I'd stepped right into one of those delightful costume dramas that grace the BBC screens on a Tuesday night, complete with the creaking floorboards, a dash of history, and of course, the perfect backdrop for my favourite pastime: dancing.
I couldn't resist pulling on my fabulous purple tutu (don’t worry, it perfectly matched the flowering wisteria outside the grand house!) and treating myself to a dance session right there in the palace grounds. I felt utterly magical and twirled and pirouetted to my heart’s content, channeling all my inner grace and fantasy (even though the nearby gardener’s surprised expression might suggest my "fantasy" dancing resembled more of a drunken giraffe trying to pick an apple from a very tall tree!).
After all that dancing, I was utterly famished, and so I treated myself to the most delicious burger at a little place called "The Eltham Grill." (They really don't have the same flair for naming establishments in Eltham as they do in Paris!). But never mind the name – it's all about the taste, right? And the food was, without doubt, a little slice of heaven, juicy, savoury, and oh-so-delicious. I have to confess, however, that it did come with a side order of rather too many fries, but "a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do," don't you think? (If only those chips were pink!)
The day ended, of course, with a final little twirl in the enchanting setting of the Eltham Park, the setting sun painting the sky in the most beautiful shades of orange and purple. I just couldn't resist catching one more glimpse of the sky, the trees, the charming Eltham folk, and oh yes, even the rather imposing yet elegant Eltham Palace, which has clearly stolen a place in my heart.
My Eltham adventure has left me utterly enchanted and filled with such joy that my toes could practically do the Nutcracker dance all on their own. But that, my dears, will have to be a story for another day!
Until next time, remember: don’t be afraid to put on your own pink tutu and take on the world, and do have a little dance every day.
With lots of love and twirls,
Emma
xxx
(www.pink-tutu.com)
