Summer is officially here! June is a hectic month--from wedding invitations, to end-of-the-school-year events, to charitable organizations' events. And for Frenchtown, NJ, nothing less! At The National Hotel, we're getting ready to launch our very own monthly National Wine Club, thanks to so many of you who have asked us to put together a selection of wines that you have come to enjoy during these nearly three years that we've been fortunate enough to be a part of Frenchtown. It's so exciting for us to create something about which we are passionate, and that makes it an affordable and quality addition to one's lifestyle. We've worked very hard to put this together and we'll be announcing the details very soon. Email me if you too would like to be added to the list of patrons who have already expressed an interest in joining us.
If I tell you that we've been in the news all month, you'd be hard pressed to believe me, but it's a fact. From a grassroots artists' movement (yarn bombers strike at sunset),
to an outdoor artist's mural to benefit the Frenchtown Elementary School's art and music program as a way to
"create a porthole back in time to show us the original inhabitants of our river valley, the Lenni Lenape Indians,"
to a cyclists' dream come true of beautiful and winding country roads, to a beautiful write-up about the different shops in town, Frenchtown has truly become a destination location. Several of our town's establishments held special events that truly help to make Frenchtown a unique hamlet on the Delaware River, including Dions Hitchings Outdoor Gallery's Toyland Exhibition and The Book Garden (which hosted an appearance with author Dom Forker of Milford, NJ about Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams). We even had great press coverage of an outdoor adventure company, Delaware River Tubing, which embodies summer FUN!! And of course, being a part of The National Hotel in town, I can only say that I am so PROUD to be a part of this wonderful Delaware River town community.
There's even been a news article about Tama Matsuoka Wong, a financial services lawyer and a Hunterdon County resident who has found a way to harvest "weeds" and has partnered with some of the top restaurants in New York City, including Daniel, to take advantage of the robust flavors of some of the common plants that grow in our gardens that we discard and destroy daily. Many of our local restaurants harvest their own herbs and greens (including The National Hotel), and this is yet another way that one of our local neighbors has taken a look at her surroundings and truly created a niche market for herself. We applaud her!
Please forgive us for also patting our own backs, but we were chosen among very few establishments to receive a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence for 2012! Thank you to all of you who have taken the time to select us for an overnight experience and who have written reviews and shared your stories about The National Hotel on the TripAdvisor site, which is the world's largest site, that allows travel enthusiasts to plan the perfect get-away with trusted suggestions from other travelers. During these last few weeks, we were also mentioned in a couple of publications, including Bergen's Good Living Magazine, as a true family destination spot (Canal-Side Charm Meets Outdoor Adventure), and we were one of just nine areas picked! We felt equally honored to have been selected as THE place to enjoy a great meal and wonderful drinks by Mano A Vino, as well as to read about the other establishments that help make Frenchtown a hidden gem.
The town has even started a Third Friday of the Month Independent Film Series Night that premiered this month and will continue through September. And this follows on the heels of the town's Second Saturdays Live Outdoor Music Series where musicians perform outside and entertain visitors and residents from 6 - 8 p.m. through September. The second Saturday of the month music program is sponsored by the Frenchtown Business and Professional Association (FBPA), that will also sponsor Bastille Day on July 14th. There will be tons of outdoor artists performing and entertaining visitors to the town, as well as numerous in-store promotions and outdoor vendors. Every year, the town outdoes itself and we are confident that 2012 will not be any different.
The National Hotel will also be hosting some pretty spectacular events, from a special pre-Independence Day performance by Rainbow Fresh on Tuesday, July 3rd, starting at 9 p.m., followed by our very own Monthly Music Themed Night on the first Saturday of July, the 7th, featuring one of our favorite performers, Mike Pfeiffer. Join our mailing list and we'll keep you informed of all of the upcoming events being planned this summer.
As always, please continue to email us with your feedback, leave a comment on this blog, and stay up-to-date with everything being planned, by checking our website, calling us at 908.996.3200 or:
Thank you again for your continued support and patronage.
As usual, I was rushing to get from Point A to Point B. I'll never learn my lesson to slow down a little bit in order to finish things in a timely manner; seems counter-intuitive, but I know from experience the truth in this statement. But when I took a little shortcut through the winding roads of Frenchtown and Kingwood, NJ, I found a totally different kind of rush hour:
No choice but to sit back and let the large tractor in front of me drive as slow as need be in order to be safe. I was definitely impressed by the maneuverability of the farm vehicle, scooting to the right to let oncoming cars pass by. And yes, I was late, but I was not pulling my hair out, surprisingly. It felt like a Zen moment, surrendering, and finally enjoying the lovely winding country roads that are so abundant in Hunterdon County, NJ.
So although I was a little late, I managed to make it for the dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony in Frenchtown, NJ, where the town had the opportunity to thank the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission for funding the road work improvements in town. We were even fortunate to have good weather to boot, which made the day's ceremony an absolute joy.
It seems as though every weekend in May has brought its own reason to celebrate. Even this past weekend, Frenchtown was in the newspapers yet again, because a brand new and lovely bocce pavilion was built and dedicated in memory of Antonio "Tony" De Sapio.
Jamaican Rum, Cognac, Peach Brandy “So keep a watchful eye on any rich unsophisticated maiden aunt’s trips to the source of supply”
GREENS
GARDEN GREENS & MARGARET’S VINAIGRETTE
Frenchtown’s own garden greens, fresh radish, spring onions, sliced tomatoes & cucumbers, with Margaret’s tangy tarragon vinaigrette
POT ROAST A LA MODE SENTIMENTALE & OTHER LESS CORNY MEATS
CREAMY COUNTRY STEWED CHICKEN
Slow stewed country chicken served with corn fritter & basil buttered asparagus
...and many other dishes exclusively available the weekend of May 18th.
Thank you, Liz Gilbert, for sharing your new book with Frenchtown, and for allowing The National Hotel to feature so many of the recipes in your book. Our Executive Chef, Lisa Frederick, had a wonderful time reading the book, playing with the recipe choices, and ultimately crafting a menu that we feel paid homage to the spirit of Liz Gilbert's great-grandmother, Margaret Yardley Potter.
Just like this though, every weekend The National Hotel features an exclusive Additions to the Menu selection that make it a favorite of the area. Our Executive Chef makes it a point to support local and sustainable farmers, and has also started her own garden right on our premises. Can you say "FRESH"!!
May was also the month that we learned about a resident artist who has quietly built a following that makes him one of the most sought-after tattoo artists on the East Coast. So much so, that filmmaker Jon Reino created a film documenting Rich Cahill's work. Whether you like tattoos or not, the fact that Frenchtown is consistently producing such talented, creative, and influential artists is very telling. Those of us fortunate to be around these individuals know that they are passionate about their craft, that they have true talent and even a calling to continue to produce a work product that stands out and is a snapshot of their inner soul. What's even more telling about the type of individuals they are, is the humility with which they accept and embrace their status, always caring about their town, always demonstrating that it's about community first and their own personal glory second.
We even had the good fortune to have two of our very own Frenchtown local poets, Warren Cooper (journalist, adjunct professor...oh, and yes, Mayor of Frenchtown to boot!) and Ray Brown, participate in Bill's Figs poetry festival last weekend in Raritan Township:
Looking ahead to June and July, these months promise to bring all of us many opportunities to reconnect and to renew our promises to stay in touch. There's a dedication for the Lenni Lenape Wall Mural that was lovingly painted by Adrienne Crombie and Don Dalen. Those of us who are in Frenchtown day in and day out, know how painstakingly they've worked on the details, on putting meaning to every creature they painted on that wall. It's truly a work of art, and if you can stop by to see it, dwell a while, and think about the wolf, the turtle, the turkey--all representatives of clans. On Saturday, June 2nd, there will be a special ceremony in the Frenchtown Park at 11 a.m. off Kingwood Avenue (at the end of Route 12 in Frenchtown), where there will be a Lenape story teller, a drumming circle hosted by the Mankind Project, and healthy snacks donated by ShopRite. Definitely a day that promises to be full of memories to be made.
The warm weather months always invite people to stay out a little later, to prolong conversations, to take longer walks, and in our case, having the Delaware River as one of the center pieces of our town, to congregate together just having FUN! There are so many activities to do in Frenchtown and the surrounding areas. We try to update our website frequently to record Things to Do on our Concierge page. Please continue to let us know if we should add another activity that you've tried or another event that we should feature. And don't forget to check our Music pages to get the latest line-up of artists who will be at The National Hotel to entertain you, as well as to make plans to attend our Monthly Music Themed Nights--always the first Saturday of the month. We've done the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, Holiday Music, and even Country--all with our patrons coming in era-inspired outfits, music requests, and cameras in hand...what will Mike Pfeiffer think of next?
As always, please continue to email us with your feedback, leave a comment on this blog, and stay up-to-date with everything being planned, by checking our website, calling us at 908.996.3200 or:
The National Hotel is located in the scenic and historic town of Frenchtown, NJ. It has a colorful past and offers 10 rooms, each with its own private bath and many with jacuzzi tubs. The National Hotel also boasts a restaurant, a bar, and a tavern (the Rathskellar) bar.
No choice but to sit back and let the large tractor in front of me drive as slow as need be in order to be safe. I was definitely impressed by the maneuverability of the farm vehicle, scooting to the right to let oncoming cars pass by. And yes, I was late, but I was not pulling my hair out, surprisingly. It felt like a Zen moment, surrendering, and finally enjoying the lovely winding country roads that are so abundant in 
