As seen on Martha Stewart!

Our recycled Levis denim aprons may be on Martha's show today! Hand-crafted by a local Mill Valley CA textile designer, Molly de Vries, these aprons are inspired by our favorite Julia Child. She loved the demi apron just like us. Today our friends at remodelista.com will on The Martha Stewart Show and plan to give Martha one of our lovely aprons! We love Martha and get so many creative ideas from her team daily, so this is quite a thrill.

Our Julia aprons come in two sizes: full (with bib fronts) $88 and demi (waist down like Julie loved) $68. The demi styles are available in two lengths - long (shown above) $68 and short (below) $48.

All styles available in navy blue, white or orange stitching. Our favorite is the organge stitch --inspired by our Maison Reve orange logo. We originally made them for our in-store team to wear until customers kept asking to buy them!

Call or email to get your own Julie inspired recycled denim apron 415.383.9700, shop@maisonreve.com. We ship across the country. Fingers crossed we make Martha....

An Urban Farmhouse Wedding

We love weddings at Maison Reve! Our owner Yasmine and now husband David's wedding on a foggy cliff in Mendocino, California was signature Urban Farmhouse style. From the sea glass bottle with their wedding vows that David threw out to sea. To orchard ladders to form the arbor where they spoke thier vows. To french baguette trays with votive candles lined down tables.

Bowls filled with sea glass chips. Vintage champagne buckets and weathered pitchers for fresh cut blooms.

To their favorite gift from a flea marketer friend in London -- large D & Y antique letters that now inspires them everyday over thier mantle headboard. If you are getting married, call us! Our expert wedding Inspirer, Ashley, will help if you want to rent our vintage treasures for your wedding or create the perfect wedding registry. 415.383.9700

Warm Sunday Soup

Want a great farmhouse soup this weekend? Try this delicious vegetable soup with pistou. Lovely for the whole family or your next casual dinner party.

Soupe Au Pistou
2 quarts boiling water
1 fresh bouquet garni: parsley, thyme, celery and bay leaf, tied together
8 oz pumpkin, marrow, squash, or sweet potato, seeded, peeled, and cubed
6 ½ oz fresh coco beans or equivalent
2 carrots, sliced
2 onions, sliced
6 ½ oz small potatoes, quartered
6 ½ oz green beans, such as haricot or runner beans, cut into 4-inch pieces
2 medium zucchini, sliced
A handful of broken spaghetti, vermicelli, or short macaroni
2 tomatoes, blanched, peeled, and cubed
Crusty bread, to serve

Pistou
1 teaspoon coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 young garlic cloves, chopped
A handful of fresh basil leaves and basil buds, torn
2 oz Parmesan or pecorino cheese, grated
1 oz tome de chèvre (hard goat cheese), grated
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Serves 4-6

Pour the boiling water into a large soup pan. Add the bouquet garni, pumpkin, coco beans, carrots, onions, and potatoes, and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to a moderate simmer, then cover and cook for 20 minutes. Add the green beans, zucchini, pasta, and tomatoes. Continue cooking for 10 minutes, until the vegetables and pasta are soft. Meanwhile, make the pistou. Put the salt, pepper, garlic, and basil into a mortar and pound to a paste with a pestle. Add some of the cheese and a splash of the olive oil, and pound until a stiff paste forms. Continue adding the remaining cheese and oil, pounding each addition. The final paste should be thick and rich. (note: pistou can also be made in a small food processor). Clean the pestle and place it back in the sauce in the mortar at the center of the table: a dramatic presentation. Ladle the soup into big, individual bowls and let everyone stir in their own pistou as they eat. Serve with crusty bread and woody Chardonnay. Bon Appétit!

Our Most Popular Gift this Year!

Our Holland flower vases are our most popular gift this season! Versital, unique and perfectly priced at $25 small, $36 large. Customers keep saying they make the "perfect" gift.

Fill with flowers for the Hostess.

Herbs for the Chef. Small size pictured above.Paint brushes for the Artiste. Or colored art pencils for the Kiddies. Large size pictured above.

Glasses are all attached and slide up the metal handle as a set for easy cleaning! Buy your vases soon...limited quantities as they are imported from Holland shop@maisonreve.com, 415.383.9700

For the Entertainer: Noël Napkins

Hunting for the special gift? Here's one from my Holiday Reve List:

For the Entertainer: a set of Noël flax napkins from Libeco-Lagae in Belgium. Comes in red or white embroidery on natural flax linen. I love their classic look and quality. $22/napkin. Purchase in-store, 415.383.9700 or info@maisonreve.com. Remember we gift wrap and ship. Check back daily for more of my favorite gift giving ideas! Yasmine

Vintage Holiday Workshop

Mark your calendars!

This Sunday, December 13, 11-12 noon for our Annual Vintage Holiday Workshop at Maison Rêve! Our Chief Inspirer and owner, Yasmine, will get you in the spirit with endless creative ideas - including her personal favorites - for bringing that special vintage touch to our holiday season.

From Vintage Decorating with red stripe grain seed sacks....

To Vintage Entertaining tips to create a very merry table for your guests....

To Vintage Gift Giving with personalized gifts that have meaning and inspiration without overstretching your wallet. Workshop is free but seating is limited. RSVP early info@maisonreve.com 415.383.9700. photo credits Country Living magazine.

Come laugh and share some bubbly with the girls at our annual Urban Farmhouse jewelry trunk show, Thursday, October 29, 6 to 9pm! We'll feature local artists Mishka and The Powell Girls.

Here's the story behind Mishka and a sneak peak at a few of the pieces we'll have that evening.

Mishka is a one woman story. Her name is Kaoruko Acker and she lives local in Marin County. In between driving her kids to school and soccer practice, she set aside time time in her studio to be creative.

All her necklaces, bracelets and earrings are made from natural stones. Inspired by the seasons, her unique designs are brought to life with her two loving hands. Kaoruko's daughter Ella sometimes helps Mom string some gems for fun or organize her antique print letter trays full of treasured vintage clasps.

Since each piece is one-of-a-kind and never made exactly twice, they are the rave among stylish Moms. We have a big following of women that can't wait to see her new collections.

This lovely blue necklace is definitely my favorite! The little "create" tag so inspires me. Each piece often carries a little word tag -- strength, laugh, believe, balance, inspire, breathe, diva.... It's a beautiful way to bring more abundance of that mantra in your life.

Mishka is known for her vintage clasps. She loves mixing new gems with vintage clasps from the flea markets each having a story of their own to tell. Her styles pair perfectly with our store of recycling old with new.

The inspiration for the name Mishka were Kaoruko's two former babies before her kids -- her dogs Misha and Kaya (now passed after very long and happy lives). Sometimes she finds vintage clasps with dog images -- always a big hit among the many dog lovers in town!

So come share some bubbly, ooh and ahh at Mishka's new collection, and hear from Kaoruko herself what colors and styles are in vogue this holiday season. Receive 20% off all her pieces that evening only. Her pieces make very special presents so bring your gift giving list. RSVP info@maisonreve.com.

Rachel Ashwell November Event Announcement

Rachel Ashwell is coming to Maison Rêve! Thursday, November 12th 5-7 pm. We can't wait -- already 85 people have rsvp'd to this event...

Rachel Ashwell has been a long-time inspiration for Maison Rêve. So its an honor to have her launch her new book, Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic Interiors; My Rooms, Treasures and Trinkets, at our store. She'll share her personal thoughts behind her new book and lead a 'Vintage Holiday' workshop! Space is limited so spread the word and rsvp now info@maisonreve.com 415.383.9700. Stay tuned for weekly updates on the behind-the-scenes preparation for Rachel's visit.

Come Flea with Me!

Our customers had beaucoup fun at last month's Brocante! The sun was shiny just like the hot flea market days in Provence.
We shared our tradition of treasure hunting in France with a "pain au chocolat" in one hand -- always brings us good luck. We served them fresh from the oven to our customers. They were all gone in the first hour!
Pretty little mixed matched vintage teacups were very popular. We got these from a local estate sale.Our imported milk bottle crates from Provence were scooped up for their repurposed function as unique storage containers. We have a few left for this month's market.More people came early this time -- there was even a little line at 8am if you can believe it! Lots of customers took home these french jars and perfume bottles. They make a lovely vase in your bedroom paired with a simple bloom for your daily inspiration.

We've already found some fabulous treasures for this month's market. So save the date and spread the word to your friends -- August 29th, 8am - noon. Why not make it easy on yourself and just go ahead and mark the LAST SATURDAY of every month on your calendar for the Maison Rêve Flea Market. As I always say, "Come flea with me!" Yasmine

Paris je t'aime

We just finished watching this fabulous french movie and had to share. Its called Paris je t'aime (check sundance channel for times). It has 18 seperate short stories each one by a different international director -- but all filmed in Paris. Very witting and entertaining. Great cast...juliette binoche, gerard depardieu, steve buscemi, natalie portman... It made me want to book a flight and fly to Paris tonight. Paris je t'aime aussi!