A weekend in Lewes

Well eighteen months of little to no sleep has finally started to take its toll and I've really started to look like the proverbial. 

So when the other half suggested we go away for the weekend I jumped at the prospect of different scenery. 

We rented a little house in Lewes a quaint British town in East Sussex. For the historians amongst us you may well remember learning about the battle of Lewes (1264) but more on the landmark castle later. 

Lewes is a sweet little town with plenty of pubs, restaurants and cafes. The perfect place for a foodie, to spend the weekend happily eating. 

Harvey's the Sussex brewers is right in the centre of town with a brewery shop and John Harvey tavern, were you can have a nice cool pint. They have a great selection of Ales and Bitter. 

You can build up an appetite wandering its antique and charity shops. 

We opted to have lunch in The Real Eating Company, an independent restaurant which uses good quality locally sourced produce. 

We quickly decided on a sharing platter of flat bread, meatballs, chicken and fried cheese, chips and local drinks. 

Just off the high street and hidden down a lane is Lewes castle. Now whilst the castle site is small we really enjoyed looking round.

The base of the castle offers a beautiful garden with wonderful flowers and shrubs. 

A steep climb up the stone stairs offers a great way to stretch your legs, where you are rewarded with stunning views of the beautiful town upon reaching the top. 

Noah very much enjoyed exploring the castle he even turned his hands to putting himself in the stocks. 

We completed the day at Bills restaurant, a favourite of ours and this one is special as it's their very first restaurant. 

Despite the weather outside being over ninety, I chose Thai Green Chicken Curry (£13.25). 

Green curry is a favourite but be warned this is really spicy, with a wonderful coconut broth, sugar snap peas, courgettes, lemongrass, ginger and coconut rice. 

The other half sensibly opted for the salmon salad (£14.50) with the addition of chicken skewers. 

Bill's offers some wonderful desserts and picking is always incredibly difficult. We settle on Melting Chocolate Bombe (£6.95) and Strawberry and Mango Eton Mess (£5.95). 

We absolutely loved Lewes and will definitely be back it was the perfect weekend get away and certainly helped to recharge the batteries. 

www.lewes.co.uk

Do you have any recommendations for weekend getaways? 

Beauty on a budget

If you've been reading this blog for a while you will know that whilst I love luxury beauty products, I also love a bargain. Elf is one such beauty brand, and today i'm sharing some of their latest new offerings. 

Elf skincare hydrating serum (£14.50)

I've been using this serum for a number of months in the morning, the Green Tea scent does wonders to wake me up. I love the consistency too, it goes on smoothly, feels silky and is easy to rub in. The vitamin E and Aloe Vera is lovely and soothing. It's perfect for applying before makeup. 

The packaging and product feels considerably more expensive than its under £15 price tag. 

The only thing I wish was that the packaging was transparent so you could easily see how much of the product is remaining. But that is a small negative and I would definitely repurchase this. 

Elf Nourishing Night Cream (£14.50)

The first thing to say about this, is that a little bit goes a long way. The consistency of the cream is thick and incredibly moisturising with vitamin E, Jojoba, cucumber and Shea Butter. The smell may put some people off. But for the price and the fact that similar products from Clinique and Clarins would be treble the price, it gets a huge thumbs up from me. 

Elf hydrating Gel mask ($12)

I have some brilliant face masks that have done absolute wonders for my skin but these are expensive and have to be left on for a considerable amount of time. This mask is ready to go and gets working straight away. The consistency is not a gel though, definitely more like a cream. 

I have really dry skin and this mask is perfect, it is wonderfully moisturising with the addition of coconut and Aloe Vera. My skin after using it felt really soft and nourished. I would definitely repurchase this and I hope that they will bring it to the UK soon, as it is currently only available in the States online from the Elf store.

So if your looking for luxurious beauty at an affordable price, Elf is well worth giving a try. You can buy online and at Superdrug stores. 

www.eyeslipsface.co.uk

What beauty products on a budget do you rate?