Ooh, darling, it's been a busy week! Work has been a bit of a whirlwind (let's not even talk about the client who wanted to discuss the colour scheme of her new flat at length...I'm sure she meant well but "I really want a pinky-purple kind of look" - does she know pink is MY colour? I mean, come on! She's even going to wear pink to the next meeting - bless her!). Anyway, the chaos meant it was definitely time for a little escape. I do love my life in Derbyshire, but sometimes a city jaunt is the perfect tonic.
So, here's how it all went down: Train journey booked, trusty tutu (a new one! Peach-coloured, darling, with tiny diamante details! Absolutely stunning) carefully packed and a large bag of treats for my afternoon adventure. (Have you seen the little lavender fudge things at Tesco? Heaven!).
The journey itself was pretty good - met a sweet lady on the platform who also loves ballet! It turned out she went to the same school as my sister, small world, eh? We chatted for a while about a show she was seeing at the Sadler's Wells (one of my faves!). I'm a real train fanatic - just love watching the scenery blur past as the train picks up speed!
My mission in Streatham was simple - ballet, of course! Streatham High Street isn't exactly a mecca for pink tutus, but I'd found a gorgeous little dance studio on a hidden street - "The Swan Lake Studio". The name itself practically guaranteed perfection, don't you think? The owners are lovely, too - all smiles and enthusiastic about ballet, like they haven't aged a day since their last performance! I loved their passion for the art form - the energy was so contagious.
My class was absolutely brilliant! They call it "Contemporary Ballet", and it was like nothing I've ever done. The instructor, a tall, willowy dancer named Lily, made us feel like ballerinas straight out of Swan Lake! We moved with a kind of fluid elegance I haven't felt before - even the occasional stumbles and fumbles were almost beautiful in their clumsiness!
But here's the thing, my dears, it wasn't just the ballet! It was the atmosphere of the studio - all sparkly pink tutus (it was just like being in my own personal ballet wonderland!), the sense of community, the camaraderie - it was honestly inspiring. I had so much fun, I'm thinking of signing up for a course! The Swan Lake Studio is the sort of place you never want to leave - you just want to curl up in a corner and bask in the ballet aura.
Later on, I wandered around Streatham, discovering its charming little squares and tucked-away tea shops. A little vintage shop called "The Tutu'd Up Trinket" had the cutest ballet-themed items - antique dance shoes, an adorable miniature stage, even a beautiful porcelain ballerina.
Streatham is definitely a place with character. It's one of those spots you just know is full of stories - stories of ballet dreams, of artists and performers, of little girls pirouetting around in their pink tutus.
The evening culminated in a fantastic dinner (a roast chicken with fluffy Yorkshire puds! Don't think you can find anything quite as scrumptious as a British roast, darling!), then I caught a performance of "Romeo and Juliet" at the Streatham Hill Theatre. Now, the theatre itself is a bit of a gem - all velvet curtains and chandeliers - and the performance was utterly captivating!
But the most important thing is this, darling: Streatham may not have a vast expanse of pink tutus or an opera house on every corner, but it has a warmth and heart you rarely find in bigger cities. It has that quiet charm of a place where everyone knows their neighbour's name and there's a little dance studio hidden away, tucked between the bakery and the flower shop.
It's places like this that make you believe the magic of ballet isn't just on a stage, but in every little detail, in every moment, even on a chilly Tuesday afternoon in October!
What's next? Well, I'm already planning my next adventure! Where to go, what to wear, what stories to tell... but for now, I'll just sit here with a cuppa, admiring my latest tutu, and dreaming of the next pirouette!
As always, darling, let me know if you have any ballet tips, travel ideas, or want to chat about anything at all! You can leave a comment here on the blog, or email me at
With love and a touch of pink,
Emma xxx
