END-OF-MAY BLISS LEADS TO A GREAT MONTH OF JUNE AHEAD

We definitely received a gift:  An incredibly beautiful spring day!!  I love the way the sun shines over The National Hotel as you come down the hill from Route 12; it never ceases to take my breath away.  Having our front porch open and filled with smiling faces from satisfied customers just absolutely completes this picture!!!

Tomorrow is supposed to be a picture-perfect spring day & we couldn't be happier!  We have a special musical group lined up to entertain our dining guests, 5-7 p.m. in our main Restaurant and Bar:  El Bandito.  They will surely create a special way to close out this gorgeous weekend that will have you "chomping at the bit" for next weekend's line-up that will soon be posted on our website...pun intended, given that it'll be the Belmont Stakes and even if you don't follow the races, this will be yet another reason to get together Saturday afternoon and share our lives together.  Make sure to mark your calendars for June 7th and cheer on your fave, even if it's not California Chrome!  The 3rd and final leg of the Triple Crown is, after all, "the test of the champion."  Can you say, "exciting?!"

And another reason to say thank you, is the recent award we received from TripAdvisor that absolutely floored us, because we know we OWE IT TO YOU!!!  Thank you for your feedback and for continuing to support us and share your experiences with TripAdvisor, Yelp, facebook, and other online forums.

It's also unbelievable how quickly May is winding down! Maybe it's because of all of the activities in our area, from the local schools' proms, graduations, teacher-talent nights, and plays, to the area's myriad activities, ranging from cycle clubs touring our area's local roads to new initiatives that keep tourists and locals in town.

From next weekend's Farmer's Market opening in Frenchtown on June 2nd running through October 27th (10 a.m. - 2 p.m.), to our very own NEW Wednesday Karaoke Night that launched last month, featuring DJ Papa Gs repertoire of hundreds of songs (with on-screen lyrics), this little corner of the world has an invitation card all crafted & carved with your name engraved!!

But let's not forget about Father's Day too...The National Hotel has an entire weekend menu planned for that special day (that we'll post next week) so that YOU can decide when you'd like to celebrate:  Friday, Saturday, or Sunday!!  Make the special man you are honoring truly feel special as you choose the special day, time, and activity.  Call us at 908.996.3200 or click here to make your reservation, be it lunch or dinner, or even an overnight stay with special add-ons to make it an unforgettable Father's Day experience.


How about giving that special person a gift that will make him think of you and thank you EVERY SINGLE MONTH OF THE YEAR?!  Why not give him a membership gift to our monthly National Wine Club?  And if you'd prefer something a little different, why not just give him a Gift Certificate that will allow him to choose the many options available?  Call us at 908.996.3200 or email us to talk to our knowledgeable staff.

With everything we've just mentioned, I don't want to forget about the many other options that The National Hotel offers our patrons:

• Bi-Weekly Tuesday Trivia
• Weekly Thursday Open Mic Night
• Monthly First Saturday Music Themed Night
• Weekly Sunday Musical Afternoons
• and more!

All of this is complemented by Frenchtown's list of upcoming activities, from the Farmer's Market in June to Bastille Day in July.  Even beyond the planned activities, our area offers a ton of options, from kayaking to tubing to bicycling and hiking--not to mention shopping, spa treatments, yoga sessions, pilates training, etc.  As we clear away the winter blues and see the extended hours allowing us to spend more time outdoors, Frenchtown comes alive! 

Thank you for all that you continue to do to make Frenchtown your chosen destination.  Whether you are a local resident or someone who enjoys visiting our area, make sure to visit our website for updates on things to do while you plan your time in Frenchtown.  It will be our pleasure to serve you and to make your stay with us memorable and something that you will long treasure.

Pete and I hope to see you in Frenchtown and at The National Hotel in the near future.  Please do email me with any feedback or questions, or leave a comment on this blog.  You can also reach us at 908.996.3200, or fill out our guest inquiry page on our website.  Stay up-to-date with all of the activities and programs we have planned for this special season:

      

Thank you again.

UN-COMMERCIALIZING MOTHER'S DAY WHILE PLANNING FOR THE DELTON WALKER BAND'S PERFORMANCE ON 5/14 & THE NATIONAL PALOOZA II ON 6/4

May 14th in Frenchtown is going to be a fantastic day.  The Frenchtown Business and Professional Association (FBPA) has put together the first of a series of outdoor concerts/music programs, on the 2nd Saturday of every month, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. in the motorcycle parking lot.  Aunt Martha will be the first and of the series.  Thank you, FBPA!!!

Delton Walker performing on the porch of The National Hotel

beautiful antique & vintage cars are always passing through town

But that's not all that Frenchtown has to offer this Saturday the 14th...we'll be treated to an incredible night of jazz, 9 p.m. - 11 p.m., when The Delton Walker Band will perform at The National Hotel, $20 pp (includes a complimentary glass of wine or beer).  Delton has established himself as a new up-and-coming Contemporary Jazz artist, having studied with Tony Hayes, Willy DuPont, and Jesse Jones, Jr.  Most recently, he has studied under the direction and guidance of Walter Beasley, that helped springboard the release, "Back in Your Arms Again."  For ticket information, contact Pete at 908.996.3200 or visit Delton's website.  I have to thank Delton Walker for performing live with no cover charge, on May 1st.  It was one of those perfect spring days where people watching from our porch was the most natural thing to do.  And Delton's beautiful rendition of contemporary jazz, was an instant attraction to those inside and those walking  (or driving) by--and we have some beautiful automobiles that always grace our roadways, especially on the weekend.

Here are a couple of webclips from his recent appearance at The National Hotel:

Actually, I can already fast-forward into June; it's certain to be a wonderful month for us, with the next installment of The National Palooza II, our all-day outdoor live music festival in Frenchtown, NJ on June 4th, 4 p.m. - 2 a.m.  The day's festivities will start with the DelVal HS Jazz Band, led by their music director, Steve Cooney.  The National Palooza will then feature:

• CC Coletti
• Pawnshop Roses
• Top Soil
• Citizens Band Radio

Additional acts will keep you entertained in between the music breaks.  Please visit http://www.thenationalhotelnj.com/events.aspx for more information or to purchase advance tickets for the day.

But back to May...I hope those of you who celebrated Mother's Day had a truly enjoyable day.  It couldn't have been planned better, weather-wise.  Our porch was full of patrons enjoying the warmth of the day.  And inside, the flowers lunch and dinner guests bestowed on their mothers, made the entire first floor radiate with happiness.

Delton Walker performing live

Can we say thank you to these patrons any louder for choosing The National Hotel as the place where they wanted to honor their mothers on this special day?!  Actually, I have often questioned why we're honoring our mothers on this "Hallmark-mandated" day, when as mothers we do soooooooooooo much year-round for our children.  I'll confess that I used to resent this "mandated" day, because I felt that mothers didn't need a day of recognition, but rather, appreciation for all they do year-round.  Well, the same holds true for fathers and grandparents.  Reality, however, tells its own story, which is, that we often overlook those closest to us, because we're working so hard to put food on the table, or so busy building "a better life" for our family.  And so, introspection aside, I honor those women around me who are mothers and those women who are no longer with us, but were mothers long ago.  My wish is that we not only celebrate the mothers around us, but also the families who appreciate those mothers day in and day out.

This is a special day that everyone can enjoy, especially if we remove the "commercialization" value attached to it.

Anna Jarvis

I learned over the weekend that Mother's Day originated in the hills of Appalachia, in the US, where Anna Jarvis, a homemaker there organized a "Mother's Work Day" to highlight the awful conditions of the children in that community, 150 years ago.  When she died, her daughter, Anna, worked to institute this day in 1908.  Others, such as Julia Ward Howe, who as a pacifist and feminist (who had written the Battle Hymn of the Republic 12 years earlier), felt could champion causes on a political level.

My children asked me on Saturday, "What do you want for Mother's Day?" Truly, I had no answer, because I feel as though I have everything for which I could ever wish.  I have two beautiful and intelligent daughters, a wonderful husband, a doting mother, a loyal and loving brother, a mother-in-law who adores me, a sister-in-law who confides in me and loves me, and extended family (blood and in-law) that has shown me love, trust, and affection.  On days like this, when I have the opportunity to truly think about my values and my life on a macro-level, I feel like Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music:  "I must have done something good..."  And there are days when I feel as though my life is just so absolutely full, that it's just...too full.  Too much to do, too many responsibilities, too many demands.  But whether for better or worse, we have these holidays that shine that spotlight on us, and allow us to think about all the positive things we have in our lives.


So to Hallmark I say:  "Thank you!"

And I echo this gratitude to our executive chef, Lisa Frederick, who truly outdid herself planning a special Mother's Day menu just for that day, separate from the Additions to the Menu that we feature regularly starting Thursday for the weekend.  She is already working on planning a fabulous menu in honor of the fathers in our lives for next month.  Call us at 908.996.3200 for information on this special menu and to make reservations.  It's sure to be a great day!

We'll keep updating our website with more information, as well as our facebook fanpage, our youtube channel, and our twitter page.  Please continue to post your comments or email me your feedback.  I really do appreciate all of your comments and ideas for future planning.  Again, thank you for always showing your support of The National Hotel in so many different ways.