Hello darlings, it's your favourite pink-loving Tutu Queen, Pink Tutu Sparkles, bringing you post number 5194 on my blog www.pink-tutu.com! Today's blog is about my absolutely magical trip to York! Oh, darling, what a glorious city it is!
As soon as I arrived, I could feel the historic vibes of this ancient city radiating out at me. Just thinking about York Minster brings shivers of excitement down my spine. Can you imagine all the history held in its stone walls, whispers of royalty and battles past, stories told in faded frescoes and whispers of kings and queens!
But before I went venturing forth, I had to find myself the perfect location for a little impromptu photoshoot! And darling, I found the absolute BEST place. A cafe on a street, bustling with locals and tourists, just outside the historic heart of York. This café had windows like they came out of a fairytale. A beautiful, wrought-iron framed shop front. Just what my fabulous pink tutu needed.
My beautiful pale pink, multi-layered tulle tutu was practically a statement of my own: ‘York, you're going to love me!’. I mean, this tutu is practically a fairytale, with shimmering pink glitter embellishments dancing on each layer! I must tell you, the shop owners, a charming husband and wife, fell in love with my tutu, darling, so much that I even got invited in to join them for a cuppa and a slice of their home-made cake. (Scone, darling, not a cake! And it was scrumptious!)
York Minster, oh York Minster! What an experience. The architecture, so beautiful and grand! All I wanted to do was float inside it like a fairytale princess. I took about a million pictures there (all the perfect pink filter, darling!), the colours, the carvings... every detail was just so beautiful! The minster felt so peaceful and full of history. The windows of stained glass in glorious colours of blue and red just took my breath away. They inspired me to think of new routines, I have a feeling that the dramatic colour and grandeur are going to fuel some incredible performance ideas! I have already started scribbling in my notebook! I imagine myself taking to the stage in front of an ornate gothic arch, wearing a bright, royal-blue, full-length tutu with matching feather headdress. The perfect stage to truly let your imagination run wild!
I am not ashamed to say, darling, I have always been a huge fan of theatre and dance! There's a reason my stage name is Pink Tutu Sparkles! I have been dancing since I was little. And so of course, after seeing York Minster, it felt natural to see what kind of dance school I could find nearby. And let me tell you, York certainly knows how to get their wiggle on! So I headed down to The York Dance Centre. I love getting the chance to take classes wherever I go, so I spent an afternoon doing ballet! (Darling, can you imagine? Taking a ballet class with my fabulous pink tulle tutu... all the others were dressed in black, darling!) The tutor seemed amused when I first came in, but when I nailed that fouette and pirouette (in my pink tutu, darling!), she absolutely beamed with pride.
This was my second full day in York, and I couldn't help but notice the beautiful streets lined with Tudor style buildings and shops, and I felt it was time for another photoshoot location! I found the perfect place on a cobbled street, with houses painted in the most beautiful colours. All those adorable shops on either side… you really could feel that this town had so much history and so much going for it, you could really feel its heart. And that is just the kind of environment I adore, a town that really is full of heart and soul. That soul, that history is reflected in the wonderful array of independent stores you find on those streets - artisan chocolatiers, independent bookshops, unique clothing boutiques - truly a shopper's paradise, I think.
Of course, I needed to sample all the delicious things that York has to offer. There were some truly magnificent restaurants there! (And all those tea rooms, darling… I was spoilt for choice!) But I do have to mention my absolute favourite spot… a cafe near York Minster with the most delicious gingerbread, it truly is something else! (You haven't tasted gingerbread until you’ve tried York’s version, I promise you! ). It goes without saying I needed another photoshoot here. The cute cafes and adorable buildings made for the perfect background for a pink tutu. This location just screams pink!
The only problem was, my tutu had become rather rumpled from the journey and after all that ballet, darling. So what's a girl to do in York, when your tutu needs a little bit of love? I wandered off the main street into a quiet corner where I spotted the most beautiful flower shop. A riot of colour - everything a Pink Tutu Queen needs for a glamorous touch. There was such a variety of roses - velvet red roses, dainty pale pinks, and bright yellows - perfect for creating some stunning tutu embellishments! I have already put a whole new twist to this tutu by using bright silk petals and fresh rosemary. York is really inspiring my artistic side and sparking a whole load of new creativity, darling!
I also fell in love with this tiny boutique selling absolutely exquisite vintage clothing. (The shopkeeper had the best collection of 1950s and 1960s vintage outfits.) She even had a pink and silver vintage gown that screamed ‘Pink Tutu Sparkles' from top to toe, she didn't want to sell it to me but in the end she did, as long as I wore it for a few photos! (It was going straight on the stage with me, so win-win situation really). This gown just had such beautiful detailing: embroidery with pink roses and delicate pink pearl beads. Absolutely perfect for a pink tutu performance, I have to show this off in my next performance!
But the beauty of York, darling, is not just in the streets or shops, or the food. The real joy, darling, is the feeling of the city’s past radiating off the stone walls. In the quiet back alleys where you discover ancient city gates, and Roman walls, still standing! I wandered round one quiet afternoon exploring the ruins and admiring the architecture and its beauty. It's hard not to feel connected to those past inhabitants and it truly brought home what a truly special city York is!
And just like all of you reading this, I too have a bit of a ‘secret side'. By day, you know me, your scientifically-minded fashion queen. And as a scientist, I'm working to use my science knowledge for a really amazing project... It’s secret, I’m not going to spill it, but I can give you one little hint - it will have something to do with improving fashion and clothing… you know that is really my life's purpose: making everything brighter and better and all about a dash of sparkle, darling.
As usual, this city inspired a completely different side of my creativity too. My mind has been racing! As I was on my train ride to York I was reading the book 'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time', and the story just triggered some serious performance ideas. There's a reason I keep saying the phrase ‘secret side’.. The only clue is the title of the book...and let's just say, there’s more to Pink Tutu Sparkles than you might think, darling… You’ll just have to wait and see how I explore this theme in a future show.
As the evening started falling in York I found myself in the shadow of the old city walls in a cobbled alleyway (near the Roman baths, actually!)...it was almost dark by now, but the sky was such an beautiful and intense shade of deep blue... a magnificent backdrop, darling. The scene begged for one more photoshoot.
And of course, it wouldn’t be a true Pink Tutu Sparkles trip without riding a horse. I made sure to find a beautiful stable and had a fabulous, breathtakingly romantic ride in the sunset! There is truly nothing better, darling, than riding a horse through the fields and into the sunset in a tutu!
Now I’ve had such an amazing adventure in York that I'm off to visit other great cities. And in just two days, my tutu’s already ready for another new adventure! I just love finding those places off the beaten track, where the local people have so much love and enthusiasm for their city. The people of York really are so warm and welcoming (I was even stopped several times, people wanted to take a picture with my pink tutu and have a chat!), so thanks, York! You will stay in my heart as one of the loveliest places I've ever visited!
