Hello my lovely lot, Pink Tutu Sparkles here, fresh from a whirlwind trip to the delightful seaside town of Hove! This vibrant seaside town just north of Brighton has been on my pink tutu bucket list for ages, and it definitely lived up to the hype! And just so you know, today is going to be one of my most gushing posts ever, because I am practically bursting with glee!
I've been aching to explore this corner of Sussex for ages. This post is a little bit special as it marks the start of a new season for your girl, Pink Tutu Sparkles! Summer is definitely over, but that doesn't mean I can't still keep my sparkliest attitude going. Autumn in England is truly a magnificent time, and I just know my fabulous, pink-tutu-wearing self will look utterly glorious amongst the vibrant foliage and crisp, cool air.
After spending my summer days making audiences gasp and roar with laughter at fabulous street festivals in the Peak District, I needed a bit of a change of scenery! My pink tutu has had quite the busy season with events from the grand Derbyshire County Fair all the way to a rather raucous birthday bash for a posh private school.
As usual, travelling with my own, very special kind of luggage (and a pink tutu needs a lot of care, darling!), I took the train to Brighton, hopping off at the rather grand Brighton Station. That little stop was a show in itself! Just wait till you see my photos. They have the most beautiful, grand old building at Brighton Station, with an ornate tiled ceiling and enormous stained glass windows. I practically pranced through it!
After a cheeky walk down the seafront to get some chips, (and naturally I wore my most fabulous pink tutu!), I got my very own little black cab to Hove. You can't go wrong with a black cab if you are a proper lady on a trip, right? Especially when the driver puts the little radio on full blast playing Dolly Parton while he waits for me to perfect that "I'm on holiday" pose, and I can tell you, it was totally fab!
Now, I arrived in Hove at about mid-day on Friday and I've already had such a fabulous time. First up, I went to the most magnificent art deco cinema, the iconic picture house that's so popular. It's the one on King's Road. I decided to treat myself to the newest Barbie film, and I absolutely adored it! Not only was it utterly glamorous and utterly ridiculous (like Pink Tutu Sparkles!), the decor was magnificent. Iâm so delighted I've ticked this cinema off my bucket list. You could spend hours just marvelling at the little details inside the building! If only theyâd put on a proper vintage picture show⌠that would have been the dream.
On Friday night, I had to make the most of my seaside adventure and go for a seaside dinner! Well, itâs not every day a drag queen gets to spend an evening looking down at the Sussex waves! Oh darling, how I do love a sunset by the sea. The restaurant I chose is a proper fancy seaside gem called 'The Grand.' They actually served my food on these exquisite white plates and it tasted absolutely fabulous, I couldnât even tell you what they served as I was so lost in the grandeur of the situation! This is my motto; When Iâm on holiday I eat like royalty, itâs just what Pink Tutu Sparkles does!
After dinner I decided to go to one of Hove's more upmarket nightclubs. This wasn't any ordinary night club, no! It was The "Black Rabbit." This is a secret little place they have right near the railway station, and darling let me tell you - It is a sight to behold. Imagine, a fully lit stage with go-go dancers galore and some absolutely phenomenal musicians! They did this incredible '80s tribute set which included all the classic tunes. I'll be posting a photo of me dancing the night away to a proper '80s banger! Oh, and darling, did I mention, this club is basically a giant black rabbit costume? You'll have to come and see for yourselves! It's so crazy! But the absolute best part? Well, they played "Dancing Queen" and it felt so surreal - It truly was an experience. It also gave me a great little insight into what the local nightclub scene is like!
But Saturday, oh Saturday - the reason why I took the plunge to come down to Sussex. You all know how I love the ballet, especially ballet performances by the seaside. So on Saturday I finally went to Hoveâs very own Theatre Royal! The Hove theatre is so impressive from the outside, I actually got quite teary-eyed with how beautiful the front of the building was. It's this charming red brick Victorian gem! Imagine that! A stunning historical building just like something from my dreams! It felt a bit like a proper Victorian castle on the inside too, but also very intimate, which made the whole evening even more magical!
The play I went to watch was a rather fabulous one: A touring production of Swan Lake! Yes, it is one of my favourites, as I mentioned in an earlier blog post. But darling, imagine, it was an actual stage performance with live ballet dancers! I just about wept with joy! I actually did get rather carried away by the moment. I started swaying gently in my seat with the music and, oh, that glorious ballet. Even the little girl next to me had tears in her eyes! Such a magical production and the scenery⌠absolutely beautiful, like stepping inside a fairy tale. I'll be writing up my thoughts about the show, I have so much to say, for my âSparkles Saysâ blog, that's the one where I give a real expertâs opinion on anything I think is good.
After Swan Lake I did what any self-respecting drag queen would do - I grabbed a pizza in a restaurant called âPizzamania,â a proper old school seaside joint. Oh my! You havenât experienced real seaside pizza until you've tried it. Let's just say, itâs not fancy, itâs definitely not dainty. You have to experience this little gem!
As well as the usual attractions, Hove has some really fantastic hidden gems too. The âArt Deco Museum,â darling! You haven't lived until youâve seen an actual Art Deco building from the 1930s! This museum has some absolutely glorious architecture, perfect for getting my creative juices flowing. In fact, I must say it truly has some really fantastic ideas to help inspire the next Pink Tutu Sparkles stage show! My creativity is just bursting at the seams now and you know, that means that I am really looking forward to sharing a lot more inspiration and new ideas about the style of Pink Tutu Sparkles with all my dear followers in the coming weeks and months!
If you want to experience real Hove fun then you have to go down to the pier! And naturally I wore my pinkest tutu to explore this seaside wonder! I had to hop aboard a mini-Ferris wheel and grab a photo of myself above Hove town. Just in case I get to visit again and want to compare where my trip is going. You never know how things might go! I was also tempted by the other attractions they had there, such as the "Crazy House," but oh my, my sequins were just begging to stay out of a really crowded, messy, claustrophobic place! And then darling, imagine, just as I am trying to have my photograph taken⌠boom! this huge storm of seagulls swooped in to attack! They definitely weren't my cup of tea. But the seagulls did add to the ambiance!
Hove really surprised me with how green it is! Not just green with nature, although, I do really recommend taking a walk along âThe Hove Lawns.â This little bit of countryside right near the coast. It's stunning! Thereâs so much grass and green leaves and beautiful trees and even these funny little streams that wind their way through the whole landscape. Thereâs also some really beautiful wild flowers - it was a lovely surprise to see those.
Before I left Sussex, I found myself at the "Old Shoreham Road,â (which is actually in Portslade, not Hove, but letâs be honest, itâs pretty near). Oh darling, if you haven't already discovered it you must visit Portslade. Itâs truly a treasure! This quirky little town is about five minutes from Hove and its little lanes have the most darling shops! Honestly darling, you have to pop into the vintage shops, they really have the best gems, and oh the prices - bargain time! Oh, and of course I bought more pink tutu inspired gear and some gorgeous fluffy cushions! After my adventures I knew I had to reward myself and oh, darling! Have you ever seen such stunning soft furnishings and I thought, why not?
In the evenings, it really comes to life here! On the last night, the whole town lit up with fabulous outdoor entertainment and people just milling around looking absolutely beautiful. They all even had street performers dancing in pink tutus! Well, almost. They had them in sparkly costumes of some sort. There was even this fabulous Drag Act â I swear he had this incredible red glittery leotard. And he could actually really do these flips and backflips! Now darling, that is true skill. Oh! We canât have Pink Tutu Sparkles hanging back now, can we? So guess what? This red glittery leotard wearing drag queen decided to bring a rather enthusiastic friend on stage for a bit of fun! Just me! A bit of improvisation. Letâs get it done!
To be completely honest darling, it was at that point that I knew I really loved Hove. The local people here are just so fun. They absolutely embraced me and my Pink Tutu! Now darling, a lot of my posts have been a bit quieter recently, as I have been working on a new secret project to get everybody embracing the tutu! So the new pink tutu plan is simple, just do what I do. If you want a life of sparkle and delight then you just have to start with the tutu! Why not get one, just a tiny bit pink? Now wouldnât that just be glorious!
Well my dears, that is my Hove adventure in a pink tutu nutshell. If you want to hear more about this and my plans for the next Pink Tutu Sparkles tour â you can check in on my socials and at my web-site www.pink-tutu.com and you never know, Pink Tutu Sparkles might pop up on your town or city sometime soon. Remember if you are ever looking to meet up with me or give Pink Tutu Sparkles some extra love just say "hello" via the "Leave a message" section.
