Finding an undiscovered gem is one of the joys of exploring local neighborhood haunts. Once discovered, my husband likes to call them DiscoGems, short for 'discovered gem.' Last summer he surprised me by taking me to Lileds in Vallejo, CA, a DiscoGem for ice cream, chocolates and candies. The minute I entered the colorful shop it reminded me of Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory. I love the old school vintage feel and their ice cream is made on site with fresh ingredients. My favorite flavors are pineapple coconut and peach, which is only available in summer. Lileds was established in 1936 and Yvonne and her husband Vaughn Hardiman took over in October 2005. They are the fifth shop owners to run this wonderful creamery and confectionary.

Here with Yvonne Hardiman.

Photography by Julie Angold