Shalice Noel Shows Us Around Manhattan Beach in Style
Written By: Shalice Noel
Photography By: Diane Lombardi
Hair and Makeup By: Lexi Kleyla Shalice Noel
The city that finally convinced us to move our family from Chicago to LA was Manhattan Beach. We quickly fell in love with the beach views, quaint shops and charming brunch destinations that sparked our longing for the SoCal lifestyle. My name is Shalice Noel and I’m a mom of four, a wife and creator of the fashion website, Shalicenoel.com. Our family relocated to Los Angeles a year ago and we still pinch ourselves every time we head to the beach. While we miss our family and friends, we know they are always excited to visit us and hit the beach towns. While I split my time between school drop-off, writing for my website, photoshoots and watching my youngest son, I don’t usually have time for the beach. However, a weekend doesn’t go by without my kids begging to go. My husband and I love watching our kids play in the sand for hours, visit flower-covered walls, shoot beach scenes for pictures, and eat ice cream at Manhattan Beach Creamery or yummy acai bowls at Paradise Bowls. If you cannot live by the sea, you can at least visit Manhattan Beach and feel right at home. It’s hard to believe such a friendly, gorgeous, quaint place actually exists, but it does! And I love discovering it with my family. One day we would love to call Manhattan Beach our permanent home, but in the meantime, I’m sharing some must-see stops to visit.
I started my Manhattan Beach outing with intentions of early shopping, but I craved a warm croissant, fresh fruit and a cappuccino from Le Pain Quotidien. I sat outside on their beautiful terrace among the plants and flowers while I planned my quiet day alone. The kids were at school and my husband took our youngest down to the pier to watch the surfers and play in the sand. My plan wasn’t much of a ‘plan’—shop, lunch and shop. When you have four kids, you really appreciate the experience of browsing in stores peacefully.
451 Manhattan Beach Blvd Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
310.546.6411
The first store I came across was Gum Tree. It’s such an eclectic collection of items that totally define the California lifestyle we had made the big move for. It is great for gifts to send back to family in the Midwest too.
324 Manhattan Beach Blvd Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
310.318.2990
Another store with great gifts for the home is DACHA. They have a collection of home goods that fit into our California décor, which is no surprise as the meaning of their store refers to a summer retreat. This vibe can be seen and felt throughout their entire store.
1219 Highland Ave Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
310.545.8990
Lunchtime means a stop at Little Sister. My first impression when they brought over countless plates was “Wow!” It was complete eye candy from the Shaky Shaky Beef with watercress to exotic drinks like the silky and tropical Charlize Theron, which is infused with red wine, yuzu, and orgeat. Chef Tin Vuong blows your mind with Pan-Asian small plates and the perfect miso soup. It was no surprise that each plate of this Neo-Vietnamese cuisine was deliciously prepared and beautifully plated. Hello scrumptious sides of peanut and cilantro. Yum! I’m still baffled at the lingering taste of that sauce on the sesame sourdough baguette. This cozy find reminded me a lot of the Pan-Asian cuisine we would frequent for date nights in Chicago. To Little Sister, I wore a tan Tularosa top, Hermes belt, Girlfriend denim and blush sandals. It’s the perfect casual date night attire for comfy chic surroundings.
1131 Manhattan Ave Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
310.545.2096
First up after lunch was Eclat to look for a new bag. Their selection and modern aesthetic fits easily into my wardrobe. They have great pieces that can be dressed up or down for any occasion. With everything from bold colors to nudes this spot is definitely worth a trip.
1100 Manhattan Ave, Ste 102 Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
310.376.3553
Next up on my busy and productive day of exploring Manhattan Beach was Roberto Coin. They have so much elegance under one roof. One piece in particular stuck out to me, as it was similar to my signature turquoise ring. The little beauty had brown diamonds and agate and was absolutely beautiful! As a renowned Italian designer, the pieces at Roberto Coin show his innate and instinctual style. With everything he does, Coin shows a keen attention to detail. Simply put, his designs are legendary. I played with a cuff and rings, and flirted with the rose gold options. For those who follow my blog, you know I like simple jewelry, so I naturally gravitated to pieces like the rose gold circle pendant, spider cuff and black jade ring. I will definitely be back with my hubby. Wink wink!
1141 Highland Ave A Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
310.546.4900
We always make a stop at Greigh Goods to meet the founder and designer, Sisongfa Noukhay. She is of Laotian and Hmong descent, and after a short stint with biology at UCLA, she rethought her love of fashion. That love began as a young girl sewing dresses for her dolls and followed her all the way to FIDM. Thankfully, she hasn’t looked back. With reams of fabric and a sewing machine lining the wall, walking into her shop is like walking into a private studio. Her small and quaint setup features hand-sewn, beautifully designed dresses and separates. I loved trying on her dresses as I asked about her quality of fabrics (I love to feel everything), and about her beginnings in fashion. My husband says I like to play dress up and that’s not too far from the truth. One dress caught my eye, the Bijoux dress, which gives a modern twist on the shirt dress with built-in ties that can be tied high on the waist or low on the hips. It was surprisingly flattering. You can probably guess that dress came home with me, as you’ll soon see on my Instagram page.
1300 Highland Ave, Ste 108 Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
424.262.2881
Not only does Manhattan Beach offer great shopping and dining, there’s also yoga by the beach. When I need a quieter, more serene workout, Beach House Yoga checks my fitness and stress-release routine. What more could someone ask for in a relaxing day?
815 Manhattan Ave, Ste E & F Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
310.376.0107
Nothing screams beach day like ice cold lemonade. Our favorite family walks are down The Strand during sunset with a Cucumber Mint Lemonade in hand from one of our favorite spots—Lemonade. Its sweet and sour taste always hits the spot, and my family loves it.
451 Manhattan Beach Blvd Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
310.545.5777
You don’t have to leave fashion all together once you’re a mom. I retained mine by styling high-end with low priced pieces, and adding unique accessories to be edgy yet comfortable. Waverly Boutique has a wide selection of accessories for any day of the week.
912 B Manhattan Ave Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
424.206.1884
Next on the hitlist: Blvd. I needed a new swimsuit for our upcoming vacation, and Blvd. has such a wide variety. I’m confident no one else on the beach will be wearing the same suit as me.
320 Manhattan Beach Blvd Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
310.372.0777
Cami
I stopped by Cami next for a new spring dress—always an essential during the season. Cami’s collection carries major fashion labels as well as garments from up and coming designers that I love to discover.
316 Manhattan Beach Blvd Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
310.545.2264
At the end of the day, my husband picked the kids up from school and met me at Old Venice for their amazing pizza. The kids love pizza for dinner and I love not having to make it.
1001 Manhattan Ave Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
310.376.0242
The Right Fit: When in doubt, take a selfie! If she likes something on the hanger, she tries it on and takes a quick snap to make sure it’s a worthy purchase.
Playtime: The best high-intensity family workouts are on the beach. You can find them playing a game of tag in the sand. It’s their secret to early bedtimes.
Obrigada! Shalice is proud of her Portuguese roots.
Modern Woman: When Shalice isn’t taking care of her kids, she spends her time as a full time blogger and stylist.
Up Close and Personal: Vague and impersonal are two adjectives that are never used to describe Shalice’s blog. She makes sure to include insightful, personal details, about her life.
www.shalicenoel.com
@shalicenoel
Products Used:
Makeup Provided By:
Makeup For Ever
Skincare Provided By:
Joa Brand
Hair Products Provided By:
Aquage
Photoshoot Location:
Manhattan Beach, CA
Fashionista’s Unite! Take a Tour of Manhattan Beach With Shalice Noel
