#TutuQueen on 2006-10-12 stars in Surbiton

Hello darlings! It’s your favourite pink-tutu-wearing, sparkle-loving queen, Pink Tutu Sparkles, and welcome to blog post number 2477! (Who'd have thought a queen like me would ever be counting this high?)

Today's adventure takes us to the charming, if somewhat quiet, town of Surbiton in the Home Counties. Now, some might think this sounds boring, but let me tell you, dear readers, Surbiton has its own special brand of charm, much like a faded-yet-gorgeous vintage frock! 😉 It's all about finding the little gems tucked away in unassuming corners, and let me tell you, Surbiton has its fair share of those.

This week, I journeyed to Surbiton on the train - it just seems so wonderfully romantic to travel that way, especially in full drag! You see the countryside flitting past, the gentle sway of the train is strangely relaxing, and it’s a chance to get a good read in (currently engrossed in 'The Secret Life of Bees' - such a poignant story!). I'm thinking maybe a horse and cart next time for added dramatic effect? Imagine, dear reader, the image of Pink Tutu Sparkles perched in a jaunty carriage, tutu fluttering in the wind... sheer magic! 💖

As I stepped off the train, feeling delightfully sparkly and poised, I knew Surbiton would be the perfect stage for my fabulous self! Firstly, Surbiton boasts the cutest little vintage shop I've ever seen, "The Button Box." Now, this is a treasure trove, darling! Not only does it have every button you can imagine (and a few you wouldn’t even dream of), but it has a collection of hats and fascinators that would make a milliner blush! And oh my dear, you could get lost for hours just trying on the stunning, silky scarves they have on offer. I might have been there for a bit longer than intended… 😉

But wait, there’s more! After my sartorial soiree, I felt peckish (after all, it’s not easy maintaining this glorious figure), and so I popped into the cutest little cafe called "The Sweet Shop." It was a delight! Everything from pastel pink cupcakes with sugar sprinkles to lavender-infused tea - it’s just the sort of spot that a queen like me can get completely lost in. The atmosphere is just charming, and it even has a tiny garden area where you can take a bite to eat and let your imagination run wild. (I spotted a particularly sweet hedgehog there too – we are indeed friends for life! )

And the evening? Oh darling, it was simply magical! I was invited to a truly wonderful ballet performance held in the beautiful Surbiton Village Hall, where I spent the evening swirling alongside the elegant dancers on stage. This town really has it all, doesn’t it?!

I'm not going to lie, sometimes it's nice to step away from the glittering lights of London and venture to a quieter spot. Surbiton is exactly that: quiet, charming, and filled with those little surprises that make a visit truly special. I encourage everyone to get their dancing shoes on and head to Surbiton. You won't be disappointed!

Speaking of dancing shoes… dear readers, have I told you about the absolutely heavenly pair I found in that vintage shop in Surbiton?! They are sparkly black heels with a slight platform and a delicate flower detail, just divine! This queen is ready to take on the world!

Until next time, dear readers, keep those pink tutus swirling,

                     **Pink Tutu Sparkles**

                                                XOXO

                  P.S. Visit www.pink-tutu.com for your daily dose of sparkle! ✨

Let's talk about something else very close to my heart, dear readers, my "other" world - the world of science! It’s probably not the most glamorous world you’d imagine, but when you get down to it, the science of fabric is pretty darn amazing. (It also makes for great conversation at a cocktail party!)

As you know, by day I’m a bit of a scientist in a lab – my lab coat is slightly more, shall we say, conservative, than my performance attire. It might be a little surprising to some people, especially in the world of glittery make-up and flowing tutus, to discover that a scientist lurks within the heart of Pink Tutu Sparkles. It is a dichotomy, dear readers, but one I embrace with open arms, a testament to the vibrant and unexpected corners that can be found in the most unlikely places.

The journey from tutu to lab coat, or shall I say from dance floor to science lab, began years ago during my time at university in Derbyshire. You might be surprised, dear reader, to hear that the first spark of my obsession with pink tutus actually happened in a lab setting, and a rather scientific one, I must add!

While studying for a degree in Chemistry, I decided to join the university's ballet club. Yes, darling, you heard that right – a science student at a ballet class, a story of unusual brilliance, perhaps?! In fact, it’s probably not as unusual as you think, the human heart has an incredible way of defying convention. (Besides, scientists can dance, too!) It was an attempt at finding some much-needed release from the intense pressures of university life.

During one particularly busy week, our student union organised a fundraising charity event where we dressed up for an “all-comers” charity performance – the grand plan was to make it into the university paper with a cheeky (and I mean extremely cheeky) ‘science department dancing’ article. You see, this was also an opportunity for us students to push the boundaries of student life and see how far we could bend them.

Needless to say, my involvement was short-lived, it wasn’t the science or the performing part that sparked a revelation. What truly got me were those pink tutus! It was like a dazzling epiphany, a revelation about who I was truly meant to be! As the university student representative, I ended up sorting through costumes from local theatre companies, searching for things that might suit our slightly less coordinated students! The thought of a group of slightly intoxicated students in full ballet attire gave everyone goosebumps!

As I was browsing a dusty wardrobe backstage, a stunning, full-skirted, pink tutu (think ballerina ballerina, nothing at all like the tutu for a ballerina, it was truly grand!) simply jumped out at me. My hand, seemingly without a thought of my own, reached out and snatched it. It felt electric; I just had to wear it, just then, in that dusty backstage area.

Let me tell you, that very moment, as I looked at myself in a mirror in a full-skirted pink tutu, surrounded by an assortment of stage clothes – and my science lab white coat, still clinging to me, looking ridiculously out of place! – I was instantly reborn. The feeling, darling, was simply exhilarating! This, I thought to myself, was something truly special, something completely and utterly ‘me’. That pink tutu felt so liberating, so absolutely perfectly…Pink Tutu Sparkles! That’s the first moment, the initial “sparkle” moment, of Pink Tutu Sparkles – the name was so completely fitting! It became something of an anthem to a new and exhilarating side of me.

It took me a few years, while finishing up my studies, and gathering a good stock of pink tutus, to make that bold leap, but it was always, always on my mind, to leave the labs and follow the calls of a world with flashing lights and adoring fans. Now, that journey, darling, has taken me to Surbiton, to some amazing places!

So, there you have it, dear reader! A little sneak peek into the other world of Pink Tutu Sparkles! I hope this has offered a fascinating and illuminating glance into what lies behind those sparkles and the power of the pink tutu! (And yes, I still wear the sparkly black shoes!).

This is just a small slice of life for a queen like me. Now I am off on another little adventure to a quaint market in nearby Cobham where I am going to be performing my Pink Tutu Sparkles routine for the locals! I believe the journey of Pink Tutu Sparkles isn't simply about being flamboyant, it’s about finding beauty and sharing joy. It’s about spreading those pink tutu vibes!

Now, if you will excuse me, I need to get ready! It’s not easy squeezing all my glittery costume components into my backpack. There’s just enough room for a small vial of the secret lab concoction I created for my stage act tonight, a fabulous pink spray shimmer effect, if you will, and one more, shall we say, “science experiment.” 😉

Until next time,

                    **Pink Tutu Sparkles**

                                      XOXO


                        www.pink-tutu.com