I call her Rêve.

Have you ever wanted to do something you love but not sure it's the right time? 

If so, this story about a little white bird might inspire you to make the leap.

We live in Sausalito in a white Victorian called The Sparrow House named after Captain Ed Sparrow who built the home in 1893. Over the years many sparrows, blue jays and other birds have built their nests here. This time a little white bird came to visit and inspired me to let my own dreams fly.

As many of you know, I had a vintage home shop in downtown Mill Valley, CA called Maison Rêve (dream home in French). It was something I loved and quickly became a hub for the community to connect and get inspired.

But when our children, Finnegan and Delphine, became toddlers it was difficult to run a growing business and be a full time Mom. Something had to give. I knew I didn't want to miss that special time with my kids so I closed the shop after 10 wonderful years.

On the final day, when my team and I took down our Maison Rêve sign, I felt confident that one day when the kids were both in high school flying their own strong wings perhaps as a Tam Hawk, it might be the time to bring back Maison Rêve. So I continued to build the business in new exciting ways including as a boutique real estate team to help people find their dream home. 

This year with both kids at Tam, the time had arrived! Here’s where the little white bird comes in.

One morning while sipping my cappuccino looking out at the sunrise over the San Francisco Bay I found myself wondering “Should I start to look for a space? Or wait a little longer?” My inner voice said YES. But I needed some inspiration.

I looked up to see this little white bird at our picket fence…Not sure if she was a dove or pigeon, she just felt special. My heart filled with hope and possibility. Especially meaningful because our Maison Rêve logo has always been a little white feather. A simple reminder to dream (rêve in French). And this little bird had plenty of them!

She inspired me to put my dreams into action and see what happened. The next morning after dropping the kids at Tam high, I grabbed a cappuccino and walked around downtown Mill Valley. I felt so happy and light, definitely with a skip in my step. 

I chatted with merchants, many who were still there running their businesses, and asked if they knew of good spaces to lease that might be right for Maison Rêve. Everyone was thrilled by the news and shared ideas. With their help, I found an amazing spot. It all happened so fast that the following weekend I was at a local antique market with Finnegan buying vintage items for our new shop!

Our new location is 2 El Paseo Mill Valley. It's on the Sunnyside Ave side, and former home of Waterlittles, The Markers Space, and The Goods (so we’re in good company!) I am sharing the space with another woman-run business, The Living Room Collective, who also sells curated vintage items. A perfect pop-up spot for Maison Rêve with the potential to become a permanent home. 

It also feels quite serendipitous as the El Paseo walkway is where I first opened the doors to Maison Rêve back in 2002, just on the other end of this charming passageway. One of the founders, Bonnie Powers, of the lovely boutique now in Maison Rêve’s original space, Poet and/the Bench, was the merchant who sparked the idea of possibly sharing the space at 2 El Paseo.

I thought this little white bird would be gone the next day. But looks like she too created her own dream home in one of our roof eaves. Some mornings while I’m watching a breathtaking pink and orange sunrise over the water, I see her walk down the sloped roof, perch on the edge, and enjoy the sunrise with me. Other times she’s happily walking around the garden nibbling at things. Surprisingly, our dog Minou even seems to like having her around. Yesterday I spotted Minou napping in the sunshine while the little white bird hopped along around her exploring the yard. Neighbors are even sharing how she is such a joy to see by our picket fence.

I call her Rêve. Which always makes my kids laugh (secretly I know they love it!). I share this story in the hopes that maybe Rêve will inspire you to give your dreams flight. 

Pop by to say hello. We’re at 2 El Paseo, downtown Mill Valley. Our Autumn Hours are here. When we get new vintage items I’ll post a sneak peek on IG @maison_reve so follow us there.

Have a lovely day.

Y.