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The Newport Diary


Newport Society: The Harold Brown Villa

9 / 20 / 185 / 15 / 24

In a very European fashion, the Harold Brown Villa has been occupied by the same family since 1895 – approximately seventeen generations – which is befitting of an aristocratic family… Read More

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Bay Views: Private Newport Residences

9 / 6 / 187 / 27 / 20

It occurred to me as I was enjoying another Newport summer tradition, a harbor cruise, that we perhaps take Narragansett Bay a bit for granted. While I’m most respectful of… Read More

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Privileged Pets of Private Newport

8 / 30 / 185 / 15 / 24

Last summer’s post on “Newport Living: A Pampered Pets Perspective” was so popular (no surprise) that I knew I needed to include a part two for 2018. It has been… Read More

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A Splendid Affair! Coaching Returns to Newport

8 / 23 / 187 / 27 / 20

An equestrian sport, a tradition and a social pastime, Coaching Weekend was introduced to America in the1880s  by Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt. It’s first venue was Newport and 130 years later… Read More

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Newport’s White Architectural Jewels

8 / 9 / 185 / 15 / 24

Perhaps it is because there are so few in a town noted for it’s stunning architectural diversity. But on a very late afternoon with a crystalline blue sky, at just… Read More

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The Return of Downton Abbey

7 / 26 / 185 / 15 / 24

Is it just a coincidence that the announcement of Downton Abbey’s  return as a silver screen adaption is coming out a mere three to four weeks before Coaching Weekend returns… Read More

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Out and About with Private Newport

7 / 12 / 185 / 15 / 24

Whew, summer in Newport has seemed a long time in coming! But once that sun appeared and the breezes started, there was already a varied selection of guests, get togethers… Read More

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Newport “Before and After” the Blizzard, Part 2

1 / 25 / 187 / 27 / 20

I was bemused by the fact that so many readers feel as I do about “Before and After” pictures. So I delved back into my cell phone images to present… Read More

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Newport, “Before and After” the Blizzard

1 / 18 / 185 / 15 / 24

I don’t know about you, but I’ve always been intrigued with the “before and after” images in decorating magazines. This past December a version of this opportunity presented itself in… Read More

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Newport’s Holiday Doors

12 / 26 / 177 / 27 / 20

Before we finish Christmas week, I indulge in a tradition started a few years back…strolling the side streets of the Colonial areas of our town and recording their appropriately simple… 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

There are gardens you visit… and gardens you remember✨

Parterre is one of those rare places where every path, clipped hedge, and bloom feels intentionally timeless. It’s quiet, deeply personal, and a reminder that Newport’s greatest beauty often lives behind gates most people never pass through🍃

Save this for your next Newport daydream, and follow along for more of the hidden estates, gardens, and historic places that most visitors never get to experience. 🌿✨

#privatenewport #newportri #secretnewport #historicgardens #gardendesign

View Instagram post by privatenewport

Jul 7

290 13
Open post by privatenewport with ID 17971096749094876
There are gardens you visit… and gardens you remember✨

Parterre is one of those rare places where every path, clipped hedge, and bloom feels intentionally timeless. It’s quiet, deeply personal, and a reminder that Newport’s greatest beauty often lives behind gates most people never pass through🍃

Save this for your next Newport daydream, and follow along for more of the hidden estates, gardens, and historic places that most visitors never get to experience. 🌿✨

#privatenewport #newportri #secretnewport #historicgardens #gardendesign

privatenewport

The anticipation.
The symmetry.
The sound of the fountain.
Then… Rosecliff💫
@newport.mansions

Some places don’t need an introduction, they let the experience speak for itself.

If Newport is on your bucket list, save this reel for later and follow @PrivateNewport for more timeless corners of the City by the Sea🌊
#privatenewport #newportri #gildedage #rosecliffmansion #newportmansions

View Instagram post by privatenewport

Jul 6

105 7
Open post by privatenewport with ID 18086347259420231
The anticipation.
The symmetry.
The sound of the fountain.
Then… Rosecliff💫
@newport.mansions 

Some places don’t need an introduction, they let the experience speak for itself.

If Newport is on your bucket list, save this reel for later and follow @PrivateNewport for more timeless corners of the City by the Sea🌊
#privatenewport #newportri #gildedage #rosecliffmansion #newportmansions

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

936 20
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

260 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

167 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

699 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
Follow Bettie on Instagram

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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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