What treasures are on your doorstep?

The other week, a friend of mine said she couldn't afford a holiday. Well you know what I'm like, always finding a way, even when it doesn't seem that possible. So I suggested on her going on a little mini holiday in her home town. Doing the touristy bit , having a lay in maybe, taking a walk, stopping off for afternoon tea, something nice for dinner, that kind of thing.

This got me thinking. What was there on MY doorstep? I am the sort of person who not only parks in the same car park, but often I park in the same space in the same car park (due to the fact my head is generally so full of ideas if I don't, I probably won't find the car again). In fact once many moons ago I not only got the wrong level, I got the wrong car park too! Oops.

Anyway I decided to take a break from parking my car in the same space in the same car park and go park somewhere else. I parked at the other end of town and decided to visit our local museum. That didn't take long, so I thought I'd potter round town, look in a few charity shops for bargains to feed my new Shabby Chic-ing everything that stays still long enough habit.

On my travels I found a lovely shop selling all kinds of colourful stuff, practical things made in the most pretty, brightly coloured way imaginable. I walked down a little snicket and found a gorgeous shop selling candles and homewares and gifts, a couple of tea rooms that I previously hadn't known existed.

Then I found a little doorway, with an arrow pointing up the stairs. I hadn't much hope for it, expecting it to be a single room above another shop, probably with an old lady manning it. Boy was I in for a shock. Upstairs was a warren of tiny antique shops selling everything from china to glass to watches, furniture, antiques, artwork, trinkets, jewelry and bric a brac. It was fabulous. I was beginning to regret only getting a couple of hours on my parking, really there was something there for everyone and I could have spent all day looking. It was so nice to find something this interesting on my doorstep, tucked away in a little alley, above a shop.

I wonder now what other treasures I've been missing out on over the years, always going the same way, doing the same things, parking in the same parking space..