“When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.” ― Maya Angelou

Dear Maison Family,

I’m sitting in my office getting ready to lock the doors and turn off the ovens, I feel both at peace with what is going on while at the same time the knot in my stomach is doing some sort of somersault much like the rollercoaster of chaos, we’ve all been living through. I’m sipping on a glass of wine and looking at the now quiet and empty restaurant that each of you have helped me build and grow. Truly each of you have been such a significant part of the reason our doors have remained open, how can I not be thankful and hopeful knowing that the community and family that has grown around Maison is full of laughter, love and support.

As I’m typing this, I can’t help but remember the very first email I sent out when the world was tossed into a magic eight ball and thrown around every which way. In that email I said “We are here and we are still smiling and making the most of every minute. As of yesterday, we shut our dining room down, but we are offering our menu for takeout. As long as you all continue to come in, we will stay open, but we are taking it day by day.” I never in a million years would have thought after all we have done to stay open that I would be faced with that decision all over again… but here we are. The most devastating thing of all to me is the that there are thousands and thousands of small businesses whose lights will never turn back on and whose dreams have been cast aside.

Back in March, I not only accepted the fact that Maison would have to change how and what we did but it forced me to grow as a human, it brought to the surface creative juices that hadn’t been used in forever. The parking lot that I had longed to hide behind frosted windows became our outdoor garden… then I said let’s just get rid of the windows all together and two weeks ago we opened the entire face of the restaurant to allow open air dining for all to enjoy. We continued to keep our tables appropriately spaced, we continued our meticulous sanitizing routine and we still smile behind the masks.

After much thought and talking with many of you and my team, I’ve come to the conclusion that Maison will stay open; we will continue to serve our guest and be humbled by the opportunity to support the community around us as you have all embraced and supported us. I ask each of you to continue to join us at Maison, whether for takeout, curbside pickup, online ordering or dining in. The team that works beside me is made up of the most amazing humans, and I am committed to each of them that our door will stay open.

To think that Christmas is merely weeks away is incredible… you guys we’ve made through a year that seemed like it would never end. I’m grateful for each day and the gift of continuing to move forward. We look forward to being a part of your holiday and are so filled with gratitude for the moments we share with each of you. Same as last year, Maison will close for one week between Christmas Day and New Years Eve, we will be open New Years Day with nothing but excitement for the new year ahead.

On the home front… Nate is probably beginning to question why he left the solitude of living alone in a dorm for the chaotic beautiful dance that is our home. Just this morning as I was leaving in the dark hours of 4am, I saw that Georgia (one of my fur babies) was ill, I was frantically sorting what to do, knowing that pastries need to get baked… I woke up Nate out of a dead sleep and sent him off to the emergency veterinarian… after hours of tests and IV’s the doctor’s discovered that Georgia had THC poisoning. Yes, my dog was high as a kite. According to the minions that roam my house, the THC does not belong to any of them and in fact Georgia is known to eat strange things while on their nighttime walks around the park. Lessons about letting dogs eat strange things off the ground were learned and vet bills were paid. But more importantly, the house is once again filled with the craziness of two wild dogs and two amazing boys that I’m lucky enough to call mine.

A few weeks ago, after watching the Queen’s Gambit one night I decided that after nearly 40 years on the planet I needed to not only learn but master the game of chess. The boys (who already knew how to play) and I were in a constant battle until Jaxford the other fur baby ate the white’s king. It was a short-lived adventure. I’m going to surprise them by taking online chess classes and kicking their butts in our next go-around when I get a proper chessboard.

At the end of the day, every moment I get to spend dancing in the dining room, singing off-key in the kitchen or parading around my messy beautiful chaotic house is a gift. I’m grateful for every second, each lesson learned, each laughter shared and most importantly each of you. From the bottom of my heart thank you for continuing to believe in Maison and support my team and myself.

As much as I know the holidays bring joy and festivities, I also know this year is different. If you know anyone in need of a warm meal, a bag of groceries or anything at all, my door is open. The greatest gift for me would be to help someone in need and my staff and I are dedicated to supporting the community around us.

Smile often, love wholeheartedly, never loose faith and yes… drink good wine.

With love,
Chef Danielle