Oh, hello darlings! Pink Tutu Sparkles here, back with another fabulous travel tale, this time from the heart of Lancashire! You see, Burnleyās been calling to this pink tutu princess for weeks, ever since I saw a photo of the gorgeous Burnley Mechanics theatre online, and knew I had to visit! A majestic theatre, dripping in history and charm? You know my style! Itās not just any stage, though, itās one where my idol, the divine Dame Judi Dench herself has tread the boards! Can you imagine? My inner ballet bunny did cartwheels when I booked my tickets ā and the even better news is that Burnley Mechanics hosts a regular programme of ballet performances too, oh the thrill!
Now, itās no secret I love a good train journey, and Burnley's only a couple of hours by train from Derbyshire, where I hang my sparkly hat when Iām not shimmying across stages. As you all know, I do have my private collection of carriages that I use for certain, more grand events (can't travel everywhere by tutu, now can we, darlings?), but a trusty old train carriage is definitely the way to travel for the regular theatre-going queen! I love looking out of the window, and even though my darling Lancashire has that special grit and charm about it, thatās even more evident on a rainy day. A truly picturesque sight, the cobblestone streets glittering in the light of street lamps...and speaking of charm, it's not just the landscape that takes my breath away, the people in Burnley were incredibly welcoming!
My travels are a little unconventional, and sometimes the journey is longer than others because, frankly, the thrill of discovering new venues, even in a charming little town like Burnley, is truly inspiring. You might remember how I travelled by boat on the canals of Venice and my journey with a magical, albeit smelly, travelling circus from Berlin! Oh the memories! You never know what kind of adventure awaits you, darlings. I did manage to hitch a ride in a little red car this time, for the journey from Burnley to Blackburn, a lovely town I will explore next! Blackburn, with its gothic, Victorian charm and its incredible history? You know Pink Tutu Sparkles will find an excuse to stop there for some tutu-inspired theatrics! I love learning new things! Did you know that Blackburn is known as "the town of 10,000 chimney pots" - I imagine they look magical in the moonlight, my dears!
Burnley is a town with history etched onto every street corner. A bustling marketplace where local artists displayed their craft alongside mouthwatering homebaked goodiesā¦ ah, and theyād be perfect in the centre of a glorious Pink Tutu-themed bake-off, if I may say so myself. Thereās a "Queen of Lancashire Rose" thatās on display in one of the gorgeous old buildings there ā quite the grand flower, perfect inspiration for my next couture creation, darling. There are incredible old buildings everywhere you turn, theyāve really retained their architectural majesty. Donāt even get me started on the Burnley Art Centre! My muse went a bit wild inside, oh, Iām dying to start working on my own artwork to display there!
But you already know, darling, what draws me to Burnley ā and thatās the magic of their stage! Burnley Mechanics has hosted everything from classical theatre, pantomime and dance to modern music, cabaret and more, oh my! The stage itself was built over a century ago. And yes, while Iām happy to sashay on almost any stage I can find, there's an atmosphere of history here, a genuine passion for the arts, a genuine spirit of the old, and that really adds to the feeling of excitement for me. They even hold workshops on how to become an artist, I wonder, do they hold any on becoming a Tutu Queen? (Perhaps a lesson for me!), Oh my! Iāve heard whispers, too, that they have a ballet school ā I'm making some calls about a little workshop to learn how to perfectly execute a graceful pirouette. Because yes, you guessed right ā the big finale this trip has to involve a ballet show, of course. And I even spotted an āadult balletā class ā a little Pink Tutu Sparkles twist on my nightly routines ā how fun, darling!
For a queen like myself, it was just what I needed to fill my soul with that extra bit of glitter and a dose of dramatic whimsy! So many places here that just scream out for my tutu magic. I mean, just the name, Burnley Mechanics. Mechanics! A theatre, a name so wonderfully quirky ā itās just so "Pink Tutu" it gives me chills. But my loves, of course the beauty is, you donāt need a fancy theatre to put on a show, sometimes the grandest shows are just little flickers in someone's eyes when they spot something fabulous!
Oh! And did you know that Lancashire itself has some pretty dramatic hills and waterfalls. I simply HAD to find an area for my famous āPink Tutu Sparkles on a Cliff Top" photoshoot ā and this time it included a cascading waterfall in the background ā you know Iām all about taking a moment to stop, breathe in that air, and admire that incredible natural beauty, just like I did by the majestic Walsden Clough! It really inspired me ā imagine the incredible photo shoot possibilitiesā¦ perhaps on top of Pendle Hill, next time I'm in these parts? Imagine, darlings! My dress fluttering, a sea of pink and purple heather ā how glamorous, darling.
One last bit of loveliness, before I have to dash! Because Burnley is so charming, it meant I had an extra hour or two to indulge in some of that truly lovely fashion inspiration Burnley has on offer. My bag is practically bursting! This town is bursting with personality and an interesting blend of quirky charm. They call themselves the "Textile capital of the world", you know! Well darling, after a quick spin on my private carriage to go back to the atelier, I'll be making some custom tutu ensembles, that's for sure! I am, of course, making a couple of pink dresses that will be absolutely perfect to pair with a matching pink tutu, something just a tadā¦ theatrical.
Oh, but speaking of coutureā¦ darlings, did you know they hold an annual Festival of the Performing Arts here? I simply must have a show there! Can you picture it ā Pink Tutu Sparkles taking to the stage in Burnley?! Oh my! But even if the stage remains just a dream (until my next show!), thereās always that twinkle in the eyes of someone wearing a bright pink tutu as they glide through life, or a twinkle of āI want to do that too, thatās so magicalā ā¦Thatās the whole point of it all. To spread that magic everywhere I go! This isn't just about tutus and fashion darling, it's about confidence and finding joy, reminding you that you are wonderfully, magnificently YOU. I'll keep you all updated about that, darling, as soon as I find my perfect costume design.
Until then, darlings! Itās a fabulous life, embrace it with sparkle and let your inner tutu-queen loose! Be sure to keep checking in daily, my loves, to www.pink-tutu.com for a fresh dose of sparkly joy.
Always,
Your favourite Tutu Queen, Pink Tutu Sparkles (aka Alex) xx
