Monday, July 22, 2013

Newport Beach: Where to Shop and Eat


Today I am taking you on a tour of Newport Beach  shopping strip.  There are some really great home wares and clothing stores, and cute cafes and restaurants.  My absolute favourite of all is Manyara Home.  Rouba Alamein is an absolute creative genius and I adore her work.


She sources stunning bespoke collectibles and home wares from all over the world.  These chandelier frames were beaded by her and I would absolutely love one hanging over my island bench.  Their price is commensurate with the level of style. But I did manage to source the chandelier hanging over my dining table for Manyara some years back.  Although it is alot less elaborate than these gorgeous ones, it was well under $150 from memory and is much admired by guests to the Beach House.





Rouba also has a wedding styling business, known as The Style Salon and you can see loads of her talents there as well.  She styles many beautiful Northern Beaches weddings and Sydney events generally.


The store has a small range of interesting exotic fashion


and so many gorgeous bespoke pieces


Newport is also home to Mark Tuckey, who I featured in a separate post here.


Beachside Homewares is a more conventional home wares and gift store, with some interesting object d'art and is the only supplier of the Palm Beach Candle Collection on the shopping strip on Barrenjoey Road Newport Beach.


The there is Karavan for hand woven rugs, artisan furniture  and some beautiful middle Eastern ceramics and other objects of desire




There is a lovely cafe culture in Newport and some of the cutest are down the side streets off Barrenjoey Road.


But my two favourites are Zubi Bar.  Where there is some serious eye candy


and a fabulous court yard which is often well frequented by mums with prams.


The indoors has some lovely vintage styling and they do a great coffee and toasted sandwich.


For a more substantial meal, think breakfast lunch and dinner. Harvest Store & Kitchen is absolutely lovely.  There have been several attempts in this space to make a go of it, but I think Harvest is really onto something.  They have beautifully styled the space with lush hot pink lounges and big vases of greenery.  There is a bar and the food looks great.  We only had a coffee, but they have a two and three course table d'ote style menu (below) which Mr Beach House and I will be coming back to try in the near future.


They also offer a range of gourmet produce in the cafe which looked interesting.  I also loved the 'corrugated iron' wallpaper, which actually looked real.  The waitress told me to go up and feel it, which I duly did.  It is such an optical illusion and looks completely real from a short distance.


Here's the menu, which looks simple, elegant and reasonably priced on quality.


My pick for clothing stores is Di van Ooi Atelier. who would not allow photos, but they have some lovely stuff.  The store is described on its website as the "working atelier and showroom of a milliner, passionate traveller, collector and design talent spotter" and I think that just about sums it up.  This store is different in a good way and definitely worth a look.

They are downsizing into the corner shop at the moment and have much beautifulness that will not fit, so there is lots on sale right now.


Lee Mathews, (also in Paddington and Mosman) who also does not allow photos has some lovely designer pieces.  Prices are not for the faint hearted, but are lovely all the same. And the sale is worth a look.


Another of my favourites clothing stores is Splice up the southern end of the strip.

There is also a great recycled fashion store known as Encore and they stock some fabulous designer womens' ware, with brands such as Ralph Lauren, Charlie Brown and Saba at prices which are very much on budget.


Most of the shoes were as new and I am definitely going back to have a look in more detail.
  

There is also a Red Cross Shop in an arcade on the Barrenjoey strip.  I have never found much to buy in here as it is quite small, but with these kind of stores you have to look constantly.


So they are my tips for a day trip to Newport Beach.
If you would like to make a day of it and check out this region for homewares, fashion and lunch, you would also have time for at least Avalon or Palm Beach. Here are my  picks for Avalon and Palm Beach as well.

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15 comments :

  1. thanks for the tour! i love the shell covered cupboard and chandeliers, and the eye candy ;)
    x

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  2. What a great tour. You are so lucky to live in the area and that Red Cross Op Shop is a gem.

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  3. What a great post it all looks so good one day I will have to do a day trip and check it out.-love dee x

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  4. It's a while since I shopped in Newport and clearly I need to head back there to see all these wonderful cafes and stores. Love Zubi especially when the weather's good and you can relax away from the traffic in that wonderful courtyard xx

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  5. Love, love, love Zubi!!! Seriously the best bacon and egg rolls I have ever had. xx

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  6. Lovely post, one to refer back to a few times. I was in Newport twice last Saturday and saw none of these places... shame! Saw plenty of the rugby league pitch though. Next time, and without the kids.

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  7. You always find the best shops!

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  8. Loved the visit to your 'Newport Beach'. Loved the top (three) pendant lamp.

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  9. I need to get my butt down there but hang on to my wallet I think ;O)
    Tania xx

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  10. Those chandeliers are amazing. The second one looks like octopus tentacles! Great tour, will get there one day!

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  11. I know where I'm dragging Country Bloke to when we go to his home country for a visit! Love the tour of Newport Beach. I'm in love with Manyara Home as well.

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  12. Always love a good tour of NB shops, this one is great. Been trying to get to Manyara for ages. Looks fab.

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  13. oooo I feel a shopping day coming on! xx

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  14. Eye candy alright! I love these little shopping precincts. You always find the best stuff.

    Anne xx

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