Private Newport - with Bettie Bearden Pardee

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Travel Notes


Reminiscing about England

4 / 16 / 264 / 7 / 26

Along with the daffodils and the tulips, the other gift I anticipate the most about spring is my trip to England. But this year, “circumstances” superseded that annual/semi-annual trip…though New… Read More

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New Zealand’s Omaio Garden

4 / 1 / 266 / 9 / 26

Omaio Garden (in Matakana) on the North Island of New Zealand would be the envy of anyone…even if you’re not a gardener. Liz Morrow’s talents clearly carry out the meaning… Read More

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Ayrlies Garden and Wetlands, New Zealand

3 / 19 / 263 / 16 / 26

Ayrlies Garden is the creation of visionary Beverly McConnell, who, since 1964, has been sculpting 14 acres of bare farmland into one of New Zealand’s best known Gardens. An hour… Read More

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Palm Beach, a Taste for Regency

3 / 12 / 263 / 10 / 26

Imagine the pleasure of coming to photograph a home only to realize that it was the former residence of a good friend…and then to see that this Regency jewel has… Read More

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An Island Enclave in Palm Beach

3 / 5 / 262 / 6 / 26

Everglades Island, a thin sliver of land floating just off Palm Beach in the Intracoastal Waterway, is an enclave just a short causeway from South County Road. As with many … Read More

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Palm Beach and its Vias

2 / 12 / 262 / 11 / 26

While I await my trip to New Zealand, I have to focus on something other than the icy snow with which we are stuck…and which is going nowhere fast! And… Read More

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Revisiting the Lake District of Italy

1 / 21 / 26

Mid-January, with snow on the ground, is a wonderful time of the year to relax by the fire and look back at favorite trip pictures, a treat I save for… Read More

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October in New York, Part 2

10 / 23 / 2510 / 23 / 25

Openings, Re-Openings, Shows, Restaurants, Exhibits…New York in October is vibrant and buzzing, just when you’re looking for a good pickup after a Newport summer. Two re-openings prompted this trip and… Read More

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October in New York, Part 1

10 / 15 / 2510 / 15 / 25

There’s nothing more glorious in the fall than a trip to New York City…especially when the sun is beyond brilliant and “strong” breezes hint at seasonal changes. It has been… Read More

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Postcards from Edinburgh

9 / 4 / 259 / 4 / 25

Arriving back in Newport from our Scotland trip just as Labor Day weekend started…so this post was created a bit on the fly, sharing “Postcards,” as I like to call… Read More

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About Bettie

Author of Private Newport and Living Newport, designer of the Parterre Bench, national lecturer, and entertaining expert.
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privatenewport

Long before fireworks lit the harbor, history quietly began here.

In 1781, General George Washington and French Commander Rochambeau departed Newport for the remarkable 14-week march south to Virginia, where they joined Lafayette and ultimately secured the decisive victory at Yorktown, helping shape the birth of a nation.

Tonight, the same harbor reflects fireworks instead of warships, but its place in America’s story remains unchanged.

Happy Fourth of July from Newport. 🇺🇸✨

Follow @privatenewport for the history, homes, and hidden stories that continue to define this extraordinary city💫
#privatenewport #fourthofjuly #250thanniversary #happybirthdayamerica #newportsummer

View Instagram post by privatenewport

Jul 4

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Open post by privatenewport with ID 18018225521854726
Long before fireworks lit the harbor, history quietly began here.

In 1781, General George Washington and French Commander Rochambeau departed Newport for the remarkable 14-week march south to Virginia, where they joined Lafayette and ultimately secured the decisive victory at Yorktown, helping shape the birth of a nation.

Tonight, the same harbor reflects fireworks instead of warships, but its place in America’s story remains unchanged.

Happy Fourth of July from Newport. 🇺🇸✨

Follow @privatenewport for the history, homes, and hidden stories that continue to define this extraordinary city💫
#privatenewport #fourthofjuly #250thanniversary #happybirthdayamerica #newportsummer

privatenewport

Most visitors walk through Rosecliff @newport.mansions admiring the grand rooms. The ones who look up discover the real masterpiece✨

Hand-painted skies. Intricate plasterwork. A chandelier that has watched over more than a century of Newport history☁️

It’s details like these that make Newport’s Gilded Age estates feel less like museums and more like works of art🎭

✨ Save this for your next Newport visit, and follow @privatenewport for the details most visitors never notice.
#privatenewport #newportri #gildedage #newportmansions #rosecliffmansion

View Instagram post by privatenewport

Jul 1

246 9
Open post by privatenewport with ID 18107910049995446
Most visitors walk through Rosecliff @newport.mansions admiring the grand rooms. The ones who look up discover the real masterpiece✨

Hand-painted skies. Intricate plasterwork. A chandelier that has watched over more than a century of Newport history☁️

It’s details like these that make Newport’s Gilded Age estates feel less like museums and more like works of art🎭

✨ Save this for your next Newport visit, and follow @privatenewport for the details most visitors never notice.
#privatenewport #newportri #gildedage #newportmansions #rosecliffmansion

privatenewport

The grand rooms of Rosecliff @newport.mansions weren’t built to be silent…

During the Newport Flower Show, one of the mansion’s most captivating details quietly came to life, a self-playing piano filling the halls as guests wandered through rooms once designed for America’s wealthiest families.

It’s the kind of moment that reminds you these homes were never museums… they were meant to be lived in..

✨ Save this for your next Newport visit, and follow @privatenewport for more hidden details inside the city’s most extraordinary historic estates.
#privatenewport #newportri #gildedage #newportmansions #privateliving

View Instagram post by privatenewport

Jun 29

163 11
Open post by privatenewport with ID 17933663904090998
The grand rooms of Rosecliff @newport.mansions weren’t built to be silent…

During the Newport Flower Show, one of the mansion’s most captivating details quietly came to life, a self-playing piano filling the halls as guests wandered through rooms once designed for America’s wealthiest families.

It’s the kind of moment that reminds you these homes were never museums… they were meant to be lived in..

✨ Save this for your next Newport visit, and follow @privatenewport for more hidden details inside the city’s most extraordinary historic estates.
#privatenewport #newportri #gildedage #newportmansions #privateliving

privatenewport

Some rooms don’t demand attention, they quietly earn it..

Beyond Rosecliff’s @newport.mansions grand staircase is a space wrapped in rich wood paneling, hand-carved ceilings, and stories that have unfolded over generations. It’s easy to miss if you’re only looking for the ballroom.

These are the details that make Newport unforgettable.

🤍 Save this for your next mansion visit.
Follow @privatenewport for the Newport most people never get to experience✨
#privatenewport #newportri #newportmansions #rosecliff #privateliving

View Instagram post by privatenewport

Jun 28

678 13
Open post by privatenewport with ID 18101117891267002
Some rooms don’t demand attention, they quietly earn it..

Beyond Rosecliff’s @newport.mansions grand staircase is a space wrapped in rich wood paneling, hand-carved ceilings, and stories that have unfolded over generations. It’s easy to miss if you’re only looking for the ballroom.

These are the details that make Newport unforgettable.

🤍 Save this for your next mansion visit.
Follow @privatenewport for the Newport most people never get to experience✨
#privatenewport #newportri #newportmansions #rosecliff #privateliving

privatenewport

There are grand staircases… and then there’s Rosecliff..

For more than a century, these sweeping steps have welcomed society’s elite, dazzling gowns, celebrated guests, and evenings that became part of Newport’s legendary Gilded Age story. Every carved detail, every graceful curve, and every soaring ceiling was designed to leave a lasting impression, and it still does today💫

It’s impossible to stand here without imagining the music drifting through the halls, the anticipation before a ballroom filled with laughter, and the grandeur of an era when Newport was the center of America’s most extravagant summers✨

Some places preserve history….

Others make you feel like you’ve stepped inside it☁️

✨ Save this for your next Newport visit, and follow Private Newport for more timeless moments from the City by the Sea🌊
@newport.mansions
#privatenewport #rosecliff #newportmansions #gildedage #newportsummer

View Instagram post by privatenewport

Jun 25

429 13
Open post by privatenewport with ID 18186966058376120
There are grand staircases… and then there’s Rosecliff..

For more than a century, these sweeping steps have welcomed society’s elite, dazzling gowns, celebrated guests, and evenings that became part of Newport’s legendary Gilded Age story. Every carved detail, every graceful curve, and every soaring ceiling was designed to leave a lasting impression, and it still does today💫

It’s impossible to stand here without imagining the music drifting through the halls, the anticipation before a ballroom filled with laughter, and the grandeur of an era when Newport was the center of America’s most extravagant summers✨

Some places preserve history….

Others make you feel like you’ve stepped inside it☁️

✨ Save this for your next Newport visit, and follow Private Newport for more timeless moments from the City by the Sea🌊
@newport.mansions 
#privatenewport #rosecliff #newportmansions #gildedage #newportsummer

privatenewport

Part 2: The Newport Flower Show 🌿

For one weekend, Rosecliff @newport.mansions became Newport’s most beautiful address✨

Thousands of blooms, sweeping ocean views, and the grandeur of a Gilded Age estate set the stage for the Newport Flower Show, one of the city’s most beloved traditions🌸

It’s easy to see why people fall in love with Newport..

Save this for your next visit, and follow for more of the Newport most people never get to experience🤍

#newportflowershow #newportri #rosecliff #privatenewport #gildedage

View Instagram post by privatenewport

Jun 23

179 17
Open post by privatenewport with ID 18114627154895104
Part 2: The Newport Flower Show 🌿

For one weekend, Rosecliff @newport.mansions became Newport’s most beautiful address✨

Thousands of blooms, sweeping ocean views, and the grandeur of a Gilded Age estate set the stage for the Newport Flower Show, one of the city’s most beloved traditions🌸

It’s easy to see why people fall in love with Newport..

Save this for your next visit, and follow for more of the Newport most people never get to experience🤍

#newportflowershow #newportri #rosecliff #privatenewport #gildedage
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Bettie's Faves

  • Charlotte Moss
  • La Dolce Vita
  • My Beautiful Paris
  • The Enchanted Home
  • The Glam Pad
  • The Lush List
  • The Potted Boxwood
  • Vicki Archer
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