Blog post #7894
Hello, darling dears! It's your favourite pink-tutu-wearing diva, Pink Tutu Sparkles, reporting live from the charming town of Ashton! Iāve been touring the North West lately and haven't been able to resist a little visit to this lovely part of the world, where they say you'll find "the warmest welcome and the friendliest folk!" Well, they weren't wrong!
Now, let's be honest, I love travelling. The excitement, the anticipation, the adventuresā¦ My passion for exploration is pretty much as strong as my love for all things pink, frilly, and fabulous, which, if you've ever seen me perform, is REALLY strong! But sometimes you just want a change from the usual "dash on the plane, explore the sights, jet back home" routine, so this time I opted for a rather moreā¦ elegant means of transportation.
Think less, āhurtle down the M60, screech to a halt at the servicesā, and more, "sit back, relax, watch the world roll by, with a cup of tea and a slice of Victoria sponge". Yes, darlings, I embarked on a charming little train journey to Ashton!
First stop, a spot of tea
Ashton is known for its delightful array of independent shops and cafes. It just screamed "afternoon tea" at me! Now, I'm not talking your basic builders' tea here - think delicate sandwiches, mini quiches, and enough scones with clotted cream to fill a royal ball! Honestly, the sheer volume of butter was enough to bring a tear to a ladyās eye!
It was an absolute dream. The staff were lovely, the cafe was picture-perfect, with pink roses and everything! Naturally, my look for the day was an eye-catching pink and silver number, and even though my tulle petticoat took up the whole booth, no one seemed to mind. I think the tea just added to the feeling of occasion.
Pink Tutu adventures in the afternoon
After the delightful and totally filling tea, I couldn't resist a little retail therapy, so I went on a wander round Ashton's high street. Now, while my own wardrobe may be bursting at the seams (one of the drawbacks of being a drag queen with a very pink tutu fetish), I had to stop at some of the quirky little shops and check out their window displays. There were a couple of absolutely beautiful vintage shops, and I almost bought an incredible velvet hat with a huge pink feather that was just begging to be part of a showstopping new outfit!
And what's a trip to Ashton without a visit to the town's stunning market? It was abuzz with colourful stalls overflowing with fresh local produce and handcrafted goods. I snagged a stunning handmade card with a flamingo in a tutu on it (no surprises there!), and even snagged some beautifully ripened raspberries from a friendly stallholder ā those things just begged to be sprinkled onto my afternoon scones.
Pink Tutu Spotlight: The Ashton Hippodrome
Ashton is a town with a rich cultural history, with the iconic Ashton Hippodrome standing as a symbol of the townās commitment to performing arts. I can't visit a place with such theatrical history without, wellā¦ putting on a show myself, darling! And my Pink Tutu Spotlight wouldn't be complete without me sharing the magic with my lovely blog readers.
This afternoon, I strutted onto the stage (OK, the rather small but equally iconic stage of a local pub, but I like to think that my Pink Tutu Sparkles can rock any stage) and treated Ashton to a taste of my glamorous act. There was glitz, there was glamour, and naturally there were copious amounts of pink! And those who thought Iād bring my sassy dancing to a local pub clearly didn't know Pink Tutu Sparkles very well. I danced until I dropped! The pub patrons went wild and gave me a lovely standing ovation, just a shame I had to go off for a toilet break mid-song ā the excitement really got my bladder going!
But Ashton is much more than a beautiful town with great shopping and fantastic hospitality ā itās a haven for dance lovers, just like me. I was told about an amateur ballet troupe, and couldnāt resist going along to their open rehearsals.
Ashton Ballet: The Magic Begins
And let me tell you, darlings, this was something truly special! Seeing these young dancers putting their hearts and souls into every movement, their dedication just shines through! Itās pure joy to see young dancers expressing themselves and making something beautiful happen with the movement of their bodies. There's nothing more magical than a ballet performance, and these Ashton ballerinas had that sparkle in their eyes. The way their bodies moved, the delicate and expressive movements of their hands, the precision, the emotion... it was just breathtaking. They made my tutu heart sing!
But for all my love of tutus and all things sparkly, even I have to take a break from the world of theatre and pink to, wellā¦ be a normal human being. Now, donāt go getting any ideas ā normal can be incredibly glamorous too. After all, I am still a real-life scientist with a very pink twist, working in my laboratory with chemicals and stuff. And by stuff, I mean fabrics, fabrics, and more fabrics. Yes, I'm a fabric scientist! That means by day, Iām a quiet, scientific woman with a lab coat, testing the wearability, sustainability and strength of fabric, but come night-time Iām the shining star on the stage that everyone loves, Pink Tutu Sparkles.
And that's the wonderful duality of life in my world, darlings. By day, it's fabrics, equations, and all the normal scientist things. By night, itās all tutus, sparkles andā¦ well, quite a lot of pink, But even my science alter ego, ānormalā Alex, couldnāt resist joining the Ashton ballet class. It was exhilarating, with tumbling leaps and elegant pirouettes, But, with the graceful ballet steps came my usual āsparkly twist.ā Now, who wouldnāt look twice at a science student dressed in a full-length pink tulle skirt?
Ashton's pink promise
So there you have it, my delightful dears, a peek into my Pink Tutu Adventures in Ashton. I may be the queen of pink tutus, but I never fail to be inspired by the creativity and beauty I discover in all corners of the world! And what better place to be inspired than this charming, beautiful, vibrant town. The local community in Ashton are a friendly bunch who definitely deserve to have more of a sparkly life, so if you ever get a chance, you have to come and visit! I definitely canāt wait to return. This time, Iām taking my ballet shoes and maybeā¦ even a pink unicorn for the Hippodrome stage. After all, when it comes to sparkle and pink, the only limit is my imagination ā and it's quite large, I must tell you.
And donāt forget, you can follow all my adventures right here, at www.pink-tutu.com, every single day!
Until next time, rememberā¦ every single one of you is worthy of a little bit of pink magic, so why not get out there and unleash the sparkle?
With love,
Pink Tutu Sparkles
