A ballerina turned bookworm. An Arts Advocate. A creative writer consumed by wanderlust & wonder. A ‘Petite Épicurienne’ (p.e.). This is me.
Here you will simply find chronicles of my daily encounters & curiosities as an insatiable twenty-something living about the big City.
passionate & purposeful.
humbled to share my path.
s.e.
*All photographs pictured on Tutus&Tea are taken by moi, unless otherwise specified…
*Photo Credit for header/profile: Jack & Tina Fussell
The offbeat Chronicles of a TuTu with Tea 
61 Comments
Post a commentSo excited to see your blog up and running. You photos are so enticing, makes me very hungry! Can’t wait for more.
Beautiful blog! I can’t wait to follow your adventures. I love your photographs, they are all really wonderful! Maybe we can cook “together” sometime? (not sure how that would work… throw identical dinner parties maybe? or cook variations on a theme?) hope you’re well!
Russell
I would be honored to cook ‘together’ Russell! Hmm….shall we pursue a baking or a cooking recipe first??! Can’t wait to co-bake and blog with you!
Big Kiss!~
Let’s definitely bake! I really want to try to make macarons (like the ones at Laduree), but I feel like those will be really challenging…
Wonderful
Ooo I adore the macaroons from Laduree!!! I have dreams about them all the time in fact….Let me do some research and find a good recipe :)
Oh what a beautiful creative blog from a very beautiful girl!!!! Looking forward……stor knus !
Thank you Amy! Look forward to sharing & savoring many more blog posts with you! :) xoxo
i love this beautiful, inspiring website! and such beautiful costumes!
our play is going to be doing the phantom of the opera and i get to wear costumes like these!
im so excited to look as beautiful as these phots;D
Dear Shelby, love your observations, couldn’t we agree, however, that All Saints Day originated in catholic Europe, migrated across the pond to America, and then recently came back as an Americana pumpkin festival ? :-)
This blog is so gorgeous, I am required by the laws of physics to add it it my blogroll. Hope that’s ok
I am so happy to be on your blogroll, thank you!
I added it to mine. And wrote a whole blog post about it. I think you’re fine friend! This blog is breathtaking.
Thanks for the link candy! Have reciprocated. What a lovely site, we adore the RDB and will keep dropping by.
Do you also tweet by any chance?
Best,
E&L
I am not yet ‘tweeting’ as I wanted to give my blogging full attention for now :) Perhaps sometime in the future! Thanks for visiting!
I found your blog through the comment you left on my site, and wow! Love it! It’s very cool to combine ballet and cooking. Happy adventures!
Tried to figure out how your dance blog rating comes about. Then tried to think about what one could think about tutusandtea. Apart your lovely insights on dance with RDB and chocolate cakes I started wondering when p.e. will bring up anything on the subject of tea? or maybe, I just take things too literally!
I just came across your blog today and I am in awe.You bake these delicious treats, dance like an angel, and take beautiful photos.I honestly lost track of time going through your posts :)
Thank you Alisa! I hope you continue you enjoy it as much as I do :)
I adore this blog! Very interesting, creative and down to earth, showing interests and ordinary life of a dancer, no flashy, glamorous, grandiose and competitive side of the dance! And I adore both ballet and food, so this is a perfect match! :)
<3
Thank you so much! I hope you will continue to come back for more :)
Hi. :)
I saw you last night, at the danish royal ballet :)
I loved everything. :D
It makes me so mad, that my mom wouldn’t let me go to audition when I was younger. :(
I love your blog. :)
I’m so happy you enjoyed watching as I much as I enjoyed performing for you! Do come back for more (…to the theater and to tutus&tea :)!
Shelby – I am a very good friend of your grandparents and father. I grew up across the street from your Dad and in fact I was a babysitter for him and his brothers (your uncles). We are coming to see you dance on May 28 at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Would love to meet you if that is at all possible? Looking forward to the performance.
Dear Shelby Elsbree,
I’ve just come across your Tutus & Tea–Good writing! Gorgeous photos. Your talents are many!
I’d be pleased if you’d list my blog SEEING THINGS (www.artsjournal.com/tobias) on your site.
Med venlig hilsen,
Tobi Tobias
Dear Shelby Elsbree,
I’ve just come across your Tutus & Tea–Good writing! Gorgeous photos! Your talents are many!
I’d be pleased if you’d list my blog, SEEING THINGS (www.artsjournal.com/tobias), on your site.
Med venlig hilsen,
Tobi Tobias
Hi!
I just came across your blog today. I am now officially a huge fan of your baking, dancing, and photography skills. I, too, am a ballet dancer (15 years old, but I do not plan on going profession, unfortunately, but I love dancing more than anything in the world!) and love to bake as well. I now have a huge admiration for you (I hope that doesn’t sound creepy…). I’ll have to try some of your recipes. Thanks for reading and thank you for blogging!
Love,
Your new fan
P.S. This blog is amazing! Don’t ever stop! :D
Thank you Claire! Please continue to visit and tell your friends!
Love it! So wonderful and interesting!
I will stay tuned to your blog more than to Facebook!!
<3!
Hi I discovered your blog this evening whilst researching diaries and blogs by ballet dancers for the start of my classes new topic – “Why do people dance?”. We have our own class blog so we are always on the look out for other blogs that are exciting. I would love to show my class your blog and wondered if they would be able to ask you some questions about why you dance and what is your routine etc. Would you consider this at all??? Thanks Abbie Turner
Your blog is goegeous with all the beautiful pictures. I’m looking forward to read all of your recipes and of course, make them beacuse they look delicious!
I’ve loved following you from afar ! Your passion comes through in this very “real” blog which beautifully balances your passions without all the ego that someone of your talent could ensue. I’m so very proud to call you my cousin…even if at a distance. Thank you Shelby for sharing the talents you have been blessed with , with all of us! Can’t wait to make some of your recipes!!!:) Don’t think I’ll try the dance moves. LOL
See you Friday! -Hugs…Jodi
Thank you my dear Jodie, how thoughtful of you to stop by and leave such a generous mark on Tutus&Tea….an honored reader I have in you!
Dear Shelby.
Ballet and baking – what a perfect combination.
I spent almost the whole of yesterday procrastinating on your blog, drooling over your delicious recipes and sighing over all the lovely pictures of tutus and dancing.
I was wondering which brand of utensils you use for decorating your cupcakes. I especially love the stars you put on the earl grey chocolate cupcakes. I’m a decoration novice, so I only learned the English words for the specific items yesterday … icing bags and … nipples? :-D
Keep up the good work!
Kirsten
Hi Kirsten!
How sweet of you to write, I’m so glad that you’re enjoying tutus&tea :) I used a Drop Flower icing tip and a pastry bag for the Earl Grey Tea Cupcakes, it’s super easy and gives the most mouthwateringly beautiful result… the recipe’s definitely worth a try!
Happy Baking!
I have been happily jumping all around your blog this evening. Lovely stuff!
I have nominated you for Versatile blogger award. Please, visit dancehealthier: List of sites – Nominations, to see the rules of this blog award.
Happy Blogging, and please, stop by at dancehealthier often.
http://www.dancehealthier.com
hi Shelby, thanks for stopping by my blog today and leaving a comment. :-) love your blog! will definitely check in regularly to read more. have a lovely day, Helene
Hi Shelby,
You are my inspiration! I dream of being accepted into a ballet company and becoming a beautiful dancer like you. I have read all your posts and am so inspired I have begun to work harder, eat healthier and think more positively to hopefully get into a dance school or company. I am 15 year old teenage girl and dancing means the world to me and I would really like to hear your life story (absolutely everything) . I really hope I can one day see you dance in real life and see just how beautiful and graceful your dancing is like in your photos. Your photos look so amazing especially the amount of emotion and soul you put into each dance move. I hope my soul can become as beautiful as yours, thank you for giving me an insight to your life with your blog and giving me the motivation to pursue my dreams. Thank you, really thank you
Hi there,
We made a ballet hybrid 1 minute movement piece yourself and your readers might enjoy. https://vimeo.com/44784525. Check it out. Thanks.
Love your blog. The pictures are exquisite. I will also try some of the recipes!
Could you please let me know what the Marzipan around your tutu is made of in the Nutcracker production. It really appears intricate and I was wondering its weight.
Thanks, Debby
Are no news good news or bad news? Are you stuck on the Arabian Peninsular somewhere? Btw 2012 was impressive, incredible all that happened within one calendar year.
Just came across your blog today and am thrilled to find out you’re now dancing with Boston Ballet! I’m a dancer with Festival Ballet in Providence, RI (about an hour away) and BB is one of my favorite companies. Boston also happens to be one of the best cities in the world! You’ll have a great time there :) Merde for the rest of your season…maybe I’ll catch you on stage soon!
http://settingthebarreblog.com/
Enjoying your lovely blog – just love the photos, in particular! I’m a dance blogger too, and I’m putting you on my blogroll!
Thank you so much Terez! So happy you enjoy it!
Your blog looks awesome! Probably I should open a session in my blog for Indian Cooking!. Your cooking session impresses me.! Blessings
Hi Shelby,
The RDH just ran into a donation of 50 million DKK or almost 10 million $ for new productions. Berlingske Tidende accompanies their report with a photo of a ballerina named Susanne Grinder – I believe you today pose in the role of Susanne :-)
http://www.b.dk/kultur/kaempedonation-til-det-kongelige-teater
Well, you also had your name on your door at RDH into the summer !
Keep smiling
Philip
Hmm, RDB of course.
Hi Shelby!
I nominated you for the Inspiring Blogger Award. You can see how to accept it at my post here:
alone with a cupcake: Off I Go & Thank You
I hope everything’s going well! – Isara
Lovely Blog! Checked it out at recommendation of Shir Lee Wu. My 9 year-old is in PMP 1 with CCBS. Happy days! Going to try the nut butter and find some video clips of Étude…. Thank you for the inspiration.
Where are your beautiful pink legwarmers with the black ties from?
George xx
My mother made them! Thanks for stopping by!
Wow they are so beautiful! I have been searching the internet to find a similar pair :-)
Such a lovely blog and such a lovely person for being a dancer and such! :). Honored, though unworthy, of following you :). Can’t wait to read about your adventures as a dancer :)
Would you be interested in reading With Ballet in My Soul by Eva Maze? We’d be happy to send you a complimentary review copy!
http://bookpublicityservices.com/ballet-soul-adventures-globetrotting-impresario/
I would be delighted to read Eva’s story! Please send an email address I can contact you by. Thank you for reaching out!
Trackbacks & Pingbacks