It's 6am in Derbyshire and the birds are already chirping a little symphony outside my bedroom window, waking me up in the best way possible. I am always delighted to be awakened by the sounds of nature. A quick cuppa and a look outside shows the sun shining brightly and it looks to be a beautiful day, even for this time of year! I know the journey to Oxford is going to be filled with glorious countryside views - which is just what this dancer needs for inspiration and motivation for my upcoming ballet class. I am aiming to get up and at 'em this week. You know how it is, every once in a while a little self-discipline is needed to maintain that graceful, flowing physique and keep those turns precise!
Oxford, of course, is my favourite city for a ballet class. It just has such a classy, elegant feel that is hard to resist. Today's tutus is a real food fantasy... * and what I mean by this is, the sheer beauty of this pink creation makes me feel I am ready to dine with royalty - in style! *The pink is a subtle and delicate hue that just shimmers with that magical fairy tale touch... the layered frills mimic delicious meringue swirls. To make the food theme even stronger, I have adorned the tutu with sequin embellished strawberries, each sparkling with the promise of summer and fun. Of course, I’m matching my shoes to the strawberry sparkle, a pink and silver satin pointe shoe, I just adore these! My favourite aspect about the whole outfit is my gorgeous little pink straw hat trimmed with real feathers. It is definitely not the sort of hat to wear in the rain! But when the sun is shining in Oxford and the birds are tweeting, this hat feels the ultimate in ballerina elegance and chic.
As soon as the class was over, and all those stretches and graceful movements completed, I knew there was one place I needed to head... a hidden gem in the middle of Oxford - a tea room called the Pink Poodle. Not only is the tea room name fantastic - the food is heavenly. It feels a little steampunk, a touch gothic, yet feminine - almost a Victorian princess gone to town on the interior design and menu... The food is very pretty with little twists and flourishes, and not too much, everything carefully measured, well considered - like every move a ballet dancer needs to make! My tea was beautifully made - all the leaves gently infusing into a magical concoction - almost enough to bring back my lost youth! But, more importantly, the taste was out of this world. There are lots of special combinations, not just plain old tea, a blend of floral, fruit and spicy flavours. I had a green tea called Dragon’s Breath that included Jasmine and cinnamon. I cannot even tell you how wonderful this little cup was.
Of course, when I'm in Oxford, I always pop in to a lovely old bookstore called The Little Owl, they always have a beautiful display of second hand ballet books and it is the perfect time for me to get lost in stories about dance. This time round I bought a little book that gives historical accounts of dancing in Russia - in the Tsars' time.
For dinner I decided to eat in a quiet little bistro on my own in an unassuming side street. The smell of garlic, wine and steak was divine! Not the most healthy choice, I must admit, but I think we all need to let our hair down occasionally, even in a life of pink tutus.
What to wear today... that’s always a challenge for this fashion loving dancer. But for me it's always the tutu that is the focal point (and this time round a truly dazzling pink confection) that makes any day an adventure! I love how people’s faces light up when they see my tutus. There’s something truly magical about these tutus! They are not just for ballet classes though (although let's be honest, I am a real ballet enthusiast). They can be an accessory that is suitable for every occasion... a birthday celebration, a formal event, or, for example, a wedding! But always be mindful that every day in my tutu is always going to be full of happy surprises and exciting adventures…
And, as ever, you can always get the latest and most up to date news, stories and photos on www.pink-tutu.com Don't forget to come back and visit every day!
See you next time, and always keep twirling!
Emma x
