Oh my sweet loves, I am just bursting with excitement to share the tales of my trip to Hartlepool! The wind whipping through my hair, the seagulls squawking, the salty tang of the air... it was simply magical.
But let me rewind a bit for those who are new to my blog. Itās me, your darling Pink Tutu Sparkles, here to make the world a bit brighter, a bit twirlier, and a whole lot more fabulous, one pink tutu at a time! You see, I am a firm believer in spreading joy and love, and what better way to do it than with a twirling, sparkly pink tutu?
I was so excited about this particular trip, as you may recall, I have a penchant for a bit of coastal air. And let me tell you, the Hartlepool Marina was just picture-perfect.
Now, I am a big believer in sustainable travel (I mean, whatās the point of dazzling the world with your style if you are destroying the planet?). So I hopped aboard the good old Northern Rail line, complete with a "Don't touch me" sign over the seat, a most essential part of any travel journey, I find! Oh, how I do adore the train journey ā I find the rhythmic clattering of the wheels very soothing. Of course, no train journey is complete without a quick stop for a scrumptious cream tea, and believe you me, this one didnāt disappoint. I can't travel without a generous amount of jam and cream, and a little sugar too! A fellow traveler in a floral print frock (never fear my dears, Iāve a dress just like it!) smiled at me as I devoured my tea, which I returned, with a tiny wink, in the form of a "Lovely day for it isnāt it?". I do so enjoy a quick friendly chinwag, particularly on my journeys.
Arriving in Hartlepool I couldnāt wait to discover all it has to offer ā but let's get real for a moment. My travels arenāt fuelled by a bottomless purse. I work my sparkle-filled butt off to fund these glorious escapades. And as the fabulous queen that I am, I put my skills to work, and my pink tutu took center stage in Hartlepool! Letās just say I put the "tutu" in "fabulous", shall we? You would be shocked where you can get away with a pink tutu! It just makes the world feel so much more joyful, right?!
I mean, can you picture me in all my gloriousness, a whirlwind of pink tulle and sequins, entertaining crowds at a charming local fair? The kids absolutely loved me, as did many adults who took advantage of my fun-filled photo opportunities. It was such a rewarding experience. I have so much to give back and if a few hours of twirling makes some kidās day... well then it just makes my week. And the little money I make, keeps me travelling. The circle of glitter continues!
Now, while the fair was lovely and all, the real reason I was drawn to Hartlepool is the history, the charming harbour and a particular little ballet studio hidden on the harbourās edge.
Yes my darlings, ballet and tutus... they are like two sides of the same magnificent coin. If the thought of ballet in a tutu doesn't immediately bring joy and sparkles to your day, you might need to have a serious think about yourself. (But do keep your tutu on, I mean really, it's more fun!)
You see, my love for ballet was ignited back in my university days, in the depths of Derbyshire! You might not expect a young lady like me with a passion for all things frilly and fancy, to also be a scientist in a lab! Yes my lovelies, Iām a scientist by day! And one with an extra spark! It all happened whilst studying the glorious complexities of fabrics. We were putting on a university fundraiser event and one of the lovely girls in the ballet club needed a tutu, she wore it so beautifully but alas she had none of her own, we were in the science lab, so it just seemed logical that sheād be donating a few lab coats for the auction. The ballet club was right next door so I nipped over to their costume room for a quick donation of an old lab coat for their auction ā they hadnāt been using it much, anyway... and they hadn't realised that it was a real treat of a coat... I swear, I heard angels singing when they asked me if I'd be happy to donate my spare tutu, (oh they meant it!) but I hadnāt actually bought a tutu... let alone owned a spare one!
In a rush, and being the kind hearted scientist (as all true scientists are, yes they all have a secret passion, maybe youāve just not asked the right ones), I popped out on my lunch break and purchased a pink tutu in my size (very difficult, all of them felt much too short!), Iām sure the lab had no idea, anyway by the time they had realised the science student was not going to get a āniceā (read sensible) donation they already had to hold a special auction item for the "kind" science student with a "most amazing" (read slightly terrifying for an older lab tutor) donation... oh dear! I even wore it myself at the event, you know for good measure... well let's face it, I would have worn a pink tutu in a chemistry lab! The rest as they say is history and so I decided to pursue a life of fashion and pink tutus ā not in a lab ā at least not during lab hoursā¦ of course there is an occasional, pink-tutu, dance themed charity event in the science department, but they had to accept there would be tutus, they had to give in to me and the sparkle! A fellow scientist bought a pink tutu from me as part of that yearās Christmas Secret Santa (such fun... I might post that story too!).
Now my loves, I was so excited to reach Hartlepool, I mean it was more than just a town. Itās the home of my most wonderful Ballet Studio, the place where my pink tutu can twirl in a beautiful space... Oh my darlings! I know I haven't given a studio name! Thereās something very special about seeing how graceful it makes my every movement, oh it really makes me float in those tutus and if that studio could actually feel it in the floorā¦ It really just makes my world, just makes it shine... Oh, the power of pink!
The dance studios in Hartlepool really embraced the joy and passion of dance, in fact, I met some lovely dance students with a thirst for creativity who want to see more color on the stage... Pink seems to be their most desired color and of course it always warms my heart! Oh! This made me think of one of my first blogs when I started my new career path in tutus... āWhy must dancers have plain outfits? ā What makes you feel like a dance champion?ā Letās all dance and be as pink as possible, right? A bright, fun dance scene can only help make a good show even better, right? The girls were full of exciting ideas, one for one... but they all knew that if you want something good, you gotta be daringā¦ just look at my own history with scienceā¦ I didn't let them down either, I don't intend to... I even helped them plan for their next dance performance with an extra pink twinkle (letās not forget the glitter! It all comes with the tutu, as we say!)
So whatās next my dearest darlings? Well, I have so much to share with you all, so much to doā¦ And of course, my journeys never end (I am such a magpie, there are new pink tutuās to discover every week ā not a week goes by when I donāt see another opportunity to dance or just put a bit of sparkle into the world!)ā¦ So tune in next time to hear the tales from my next adventure, my dears! Until then, donāt forget to sparkle, wear your pinkest, brightest and best tutusā¦ I want to know what makes your heart sing. And always remember, dear loves, the world is a much brighter place when you twirl in a pink tutu! Love and sparkles, your very own Pink Tutu Sparkles!
