Once the unforgiving Spanish heat subsides, and golden hour approaches it was time to grab a cocktail and head out for dinner. Iv said this before, but its really great to be able to leave your hotel room and not have to travel too far got Dinner. It just adds a more relaxed vibe to the evening, don't you think?
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So I mentioned in my previous post that there was a hotel - The Hacienda de San Raael iv been dying to stay at, not far from Vejar de La Frontier. Its been on my radar ever since reading about it on one of my favourite blog's Gal meets Glam.
When I saw it pop up on Julia's Instagram account I actually could not believe that there was such a cute hotel so close to us that I hadn't even heard of, let alone been to. That's why following good, like minded accounts on Instagram (You can find mine here) is so beneficial for finding fabulous places around the world 
A few weeks ago, the hubs and I decided to have a little date weekend exploration around some still undiscovered "to us" parts of Andalusia.
 Image source Pixabay If you are planning on taking a trip along the Trans-Siberian railway, many people will start their journey in Moscow, and it is worth your while in spending a couple of extra days there to explore this fascinating city. There are many well-known landmarks that many people will visit in Moscow such as:
Haven't Set a Date Yet? This Wedding Planner's Guide to the Seasons Will Help You Narrow It Down7/15/2019  So you’re getting married. Congrats! After the Instagram hype around your engagement ring selfie has died down, get ready for the question everyone’s going to ask: have you set a date yet? This question can be daunting if you haven’t given it any thought. The first step is deciding on a time of year.
So, will it be Spring, Summer, Autumn or Winter? These tips will help you weigh up the pros and cons of each wedding season. 
If you have followed me for a while, you'll know I'm fanatical about 2 things... Jo Malone and flowers. As I absolutely love peonies, and my favourite scent in the world is Jo Malone peony and blush suede I figured, why not combine the 2 and share with some of my favourite people for an evening of candlelight and cocktails. I managed to capture a few images to share with you too before retiring the camera for the rest of the evening.
As it was also the last week for peony's, it was even more reason to go out with a bang. I have wanted to visit the Windmills of La Mancha at Campo de Criptana or molinos de viento (Spanish translation) as my Spanish friends call them, ever since since seeing them on Rick Steins Spain! They are quite the drive from Andalusia (nearly 6 hours in fact) so trying to persuade my husband that we absolutely had to visit some windmills so far away hadn't been too successful So when a trip to Madrid came on the agenda (Its amazing how the Champions league final will motivate a man) I saw my opportunity. He gets football, I get culture and we both get a weekend in Madrid (coming soon)   This tiny pueblo, in the region of La Mancha, would be unknown if it was not home to a collection of windmills made famous by Don Quixote (which also happens to be one of the best ballets we have ever seen). The novel chronicles the adventures of Alonso Quixano in his quest to revive chivalry. The most iconic scenes in the novel involves a collection of windmills that Don Quixote fights, mistaking to be giants.   The 10 windmills are such an impressive sight, their height and scale imposing over the little town like something out of a fairy-tale.  Dress is Zara, now in the sale HERE  We were on a whistle stop tour, so we didn't venture into the town. I had been told that there wasn't too much to do here once you had seen the giant windmills (la molinos de viento gigantes) so we came, saw conquered and hot footed it to Madrid for the weekend.      Am I glad I pursued mi hombre to do the 2 hour detour? Absolutely! These giant windmills are truly unique, and very very special. Another tick off my bucket list...
Belle Xx I have always wanted to stay at The Grand hotel, but never quite had the opportunity. When we recently spent the weekend in Brighton I knew the place to stay immediately  I'm a big fan of Victorian seaside architecture so i'm sure you can see why The Grand was on my list.  Its a Iconic hotel has truly beautiful architecture, the kind they don't build anymore... you could say its very grand (sorry)  We didn't have time on this visit for afternoon tea, but its served in the super pretty Victorian terrace and i fully intend to check it out on my next visit.  The workman ship is everywhere here. Such pretty detail to be found on everything.   I especially loved the blue and white detailing as you make your way up the atrium Speaking of which, doesn't it remind you of intricate crochet work? Atrium's are such an amazing feature of those hotels lucky enough to have one, and I don't recall seeing a finer example although it did remind me a little of The Beekman hotel in NYC    We had a lovely time at The Grande Hotel Brighton... I would truely go back in heartbeat
Belle Xx 
A few weeks ago, the hubs and I went to Brighton for the weekend. It was such a nostalgic weekend as we used to visit quite often (my husband is from worthing, so this is his neck of the woods)
Another of my favourite villages from our last trip to Provence was Lacoste. In my opinion, one of the prettiest provincial villages with its medieval (it dates back to the 14th century) crumbly walls and french blue shutters.  It is the quintessential french chocolate box village. And also, compared with other villages we explored... relatively tourist free (maybe we got lucky?!)    Its also home to Chateau de Lacoste, a ruined castle owned by the Simiane family! It was also home to the Marquis de Sade and has some incredible sculptures. Its now owned by Pierre cardin.   The Belfry dates back to 1793 and its quite something to gear it ring through this village of picturesque streets and vaulted passageways    Lacoste is the perfect sleepy little town to explore, and one to add to the list for sure
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A travel, beauty and lifestyle blog with the occasional afternoon tea by Angelina BelleCategories
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