Dream On: Shopping in My Nightgown

When we cover the Round Top Antiques Shows, Tall Husband and I find that there are plenty of interesting local places to lay our heads, that is if we plan ahead, months ahead. This picturesque little cottage is Evans Antiques at Stage Coach Inn in Chappell Hill, Texas where we stayed. I did a posting last year about the Stage Coach Inn, which is about an hours drive from Round Top for the average driver; for a crazed antique hunter it's forty minutes away.

Most of us hate those four-letter words but shopping is not a four-letter word...and if it can be done in your night gown, after the shop has closed, it's even more fun! Yes, these were our digs for the night. As Tall Husband watched television and played with the remote, I shopped!

The place was stocked with wonderful antiques and reproduction early American items from tabletop to lighting.

Oh shoot! The old grandfather clock is sold. But not to despair, for everything is for sale...I think Eileen Evans, the shopkeeper, would even sell her husband Steve.

Just look at the patina on that old hutch. And if you look closely, you can see Tall Husband working that remote.

Soups on!

Even the bed we slept in was for sale, as were the lovely antique sheets and pillows. Watch out for the price tags, they stick you in your sleep!

View from the bed.

Just one last shot and I was off to bed to dream of all the antiques around me. I fell asleep to the scent of beeswax candles and lavender drying on old racks across the hall.

Note: I didn't buy anything, as I had spent my allowance at Round Top and the historic little town of Brenham (more about that later.)

An Excellent Weekend Adventure

Under an overcast morning sky: the tiny Coach House at Stagecoach Inn, in historic Chappell Hill, Texas

The weekend weather reports: They told us more than they knew: "Warm, dry, sunny." So, Tall Husband and I booked a weekend in the old carriage house at the Stagecoach Inn in Chappell Hill, Texas...just an hour by car from The Bunny Bungalow in Houston. But as you can see in the photographs, it was overcast with a constant drizzle. And cold. How did we feel about that? Delighted! The drought was ending here in Texas.

Steve and Eileen Evans are wonderful hosts and the famous innkeepers of the Stagecoach Inn. In October 2003, Country Home magazine published an article about them. Recently, Texas Highways: The Travel Magazine of Texas did a story about Historic Chappell Hill which featured Steve and Eileen's Stagecoach Inn and their Antiques shop. They live in an 1850 Greek Revival home on the highest hill in town. On their three-acre property, behind that Greek Revival, is the historic Weems house, in which they have their antiques shop, and behind that is the tiny, two-story Carriage House.

Many houses in Chappell Hill began life elsewhere and were moved to their present locations. That's how the Weems house, an 1866 Greek Revival, ended up in Steve and Eileen's backyard. It seems that folks in Chappell Hill prefer to move a house than to ruin the historic architecture of their homes with additions. "Your Mom's coming to visit? Well, let's just move a house out back." I like that!

How did they know that we love bunnies? This one welcomed us to the tiny Carriage House.

This is the first time we have slept in an antique, four poster. It was so cozy falling asleep under the quilt, hearing the welcome rain outside. (The quilt is handmade of cotton fabric in a small brown check.) But when I awoke, I didn't know where I was; looking up and seeing the canopy netting, I thought, "I'm in a cage! How did this happen?"

From the front porch of our weekend digs, we could see the antiques shop. What could be better? Just one thing...which you will learn tomorrow. Plus, you can see the great antiques that Eileen has in store.

Also, later in the week, you can read about great finds at Beadboard UpCountry in Brenham, Texas, which is just down the road from Cappell Hill.