Bonjour, mes chéries! Emma here, fresh off the train from Paris, and feeling like I could pirouette through the Champs-Élysées in a whirlwind of pink tulle. That's right, my lovelies, I spent a few days in the City of Lights, soaking up the romance and exploring everything that makes Paris the cultural heart of Europe.
And wouldn't you know it, my Parisian adventure involved a whole lot of pink tutus, a whole lot of ballet, and just a touch of wild, whimsical magic!
It all started with a vintage find in a tiny shop tucked away in the Marais district. I stumbled upon the most stunning, exquisitely crafted, European-style tutu, crafted in the palest shade of blush pink you ever did see. It was the kind of tutu that whispers "French elegance" in a way that even the most elegant of ballerinas couldn't resist. I felt like I was stepping out of a Parisian dream!
Naturally, I couldn't resist wearing this beautiful creation for my first Parisian ballet experience, an enchanting performance of Swan Lake at the Palais Garnier. The opulent setting of the Garnier, the sheer grandeur of the theater, the masterful performance by the Paris Opera Ballet...it was enough to make a girl want to fling herself into a grand jeté and never land!
Of course, I couldn't resist getting in a little ballet class myself while in Paris. After all, how can you visit the birthplace of so many great ballerinas and not tap into the local talent? I found a delightful little studio nestled in a charming little courtyard near the Louvre. The sun was dappling through the leaves, casting a golden light on the class as we warmed up with elegant pliés and graceful port de bras.
My class wasn't entirely "classically" ballet though, as you could imagine. I found a sweet little boutique filled with pastel pink tutus, with all sorts of delightful embroidery and ribbons and feather trims, all the perfect touch of "Emma" to make it completely me. And then there were the trainers! Think fluffy ballet flats with glitter, with teeny tutus just like tiny dance skirts on them. I knew instantly it was the perfect mix of dancewear and something my girls, my Pink Tutu girls, would simply adore.
After a delicious pastry break (how else could I fuel up for more ballet!), I decided to wander the cobbled streets of Montmartre, looking for inspiration and, well, anything pretty and pink that might tickle my fancy. My wanders led me to a delightful antique shop filled with trinkets and treasures that would make any girl's heart skip a beat. Imagine my surprise when I found a little vintage ballerina doll in a dusty corner, her tiny pink tutu looking fresh as a daisy. She was so sweet, she even had a tiny little ballet slipper that matched the tutu perfectly.
I scooped her up and tucked her safely into my bag. After all, who wouldn't want a little dose of ballet magic to remind them of their Paris adventures?
But no Parisian trip is complete without a little wildlife adventure! So, off I trotted, not to the Eiffel Tower this time, but to the Bois de Boulogne, a vast park teeming with life and energy. There, amongst the trees and flowers, I met the most beautiful creatures: swans, gliding majestically across the pond, their graceful necks a mirror of ballerinas' outstretched limbs; deer, timid and gentle, their delicate steps echoing the steps of ballet; even a family of squirrels, flitting through the branches, as energetic as the smallest ballerina. It was a ballet performance put on by nature itself, a breathtaking show that reminded me of the incredible beauty and wonder found in the simplest of things.
The day was almost at its end, a final romantic wander along the Seine with a baguette and a crepe to add the ultimate Parisian touch, as my eyes followed the light on the Seine with the twinkle of a hundred pink tutus dancing on my inner screen. And with the magical twinkling of lights and a bittersweet "au revoir" whispered on the wind, I hopped back on the train, my heart full of memories and my head swirling with Parisian dreams.
It was the perfect Parisian escape for a ballet-loving girl like me, a reminder that the world is full of beautiful things, whether they're hidden in Parisian backstreets, shimmering on a grand stage, or fluttering in the branches of a forest. So, my loves, if you ever find yourself in Paris, be sure to indulge your inner ballerina. You might just find yourself dancing with a hundred pink tutus in your dreams, too!
See you tomorrow for more Parisian musings, lovelies, as I share my amazing find for a real tutu in a true ballet shop, one of the best in the whole of France... And maybe even, my find for that special something... for my "Pink Tutu" ballet girls.
Ciao for now, Emma!
www.pink-tutu.com
