AN EMOTIONAL MONTH

I've always found writing to be cathartic.  However, I've been unable to put pen to paper (as I often write longhand before "translating" the written word to keyboard strokes), for well over a month.  Only recently, have my thoughts which seemed like wisps of vapor before, become concrete words with images I can thoughtfully describe.

I find myself "jumping in," inspired by so many of our friends and patrons who take it upon themselves to plan great programs for the entire community to enjoy.  Take, for example, tonight's Open Mic Night session, where Alex Wolfson's weekly program 3 years ago has just blossomed into a sustainable and enjoyable night of music and artistic talent.  He just shared on our facebook page, that Mike Pfeiffer will host tonight's program, and that Carol Thompson, who has a Grammy-winning album, will make an appearance tonight accompanied by other harpists.  She is an amazing professional musician who has performed other times, but it's always been a surprise.  We have a little advance notice today and we can't wait for tonight!

We've been busy these last few weeks, between planning the Valentine's Day menu and special hotel packages to enhance our guests' experience, to hosting a Fat Tuesday party (with beads and all!!), to now planning our upcoming 150th evening of our weekly Open Mic Night on March 14th!!!  Mark your calendars to be there for this special night...and don't take too long to come back, because on March 17th, we'll have another special St. Patrick's Day celebration planned, including live music featuring the Clan Suibhine Band.  We've also posted an entire roster of nights filled with music on our website, to help you plan your nights out at The National Hotel, all the way through May.  And, we're getting ready to plan our inaugural wine tasting event for our monthly National Wine Club members.  It's going to be a busy time of the year--no hibernating for us!!

Frenchtown has been a busy little town too, even in the middle of all this wintry weather.  Between the winter goodies in town, Pop-Up Stores that have made shopping so much fun, an old-fashioned ice-skating rink right in the local park with the help of the Frenchtown Fire Department, Borough Hall and Mayor Warren Cooper, to even a flash mob on Valentine's Day hitting Bridge Street, it truly is a hidden gem of a town.  Brokaw Photography captured quite a few pictures that are posted on the Frenchtown facebook page, including:

Photo courtesy of Brokaw Photography

This weekend there's even an invitation by the Hunterdon Land Trust, to join them for a hike at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 2nd, at Horseshoe Bend Park, which has more than 300 acres of preserved land with some of the most spectacular views of the Delaware River.  Our little corner of the world just keeps getting more and more beautiful and enjoyable.  There's something for everyone here!

With all this going on, it's a good thing Pete and I closed The National Hotel for only one week in January to paint and renovate the floors of the kitchen and The Rathskeller Pub (a.k.a. The Rat),

and we took advantage of that time to travel and visit family, a connection that, although sometimes challenging for many, often restores true balance to the soul, helping reinforce the values with which one has grown up, and brings to the forefront just how small daily challenges truly are compared to how good life is.

We returned to our home on the Monday after the horrific and tragic news of the death of Joey Karabin.  The shock is still with me.  The tears that flowed down my face as a mother, followed by the viewing and funeral services we attended, continue to haunt my thoughts.  What that poor family has gone through is not unimaginable.  In fact, in my opinion, it is completely and vibrantly imaginable--their faces are etched in my memory forever.  Their pain, the speechlessness of some of Joey's family members and the kind words of comfort by others in his family (those in the most pain!) to those of us extending our condolences made all of us touched by this, hug our children just a little tighter, just a little longer.  Our oldest daughter, Shiara, who went through a local religious education program with Joey since Kindergarten, was grief-stricken, as were all of her friends and classmates--many of whom knew him and knew his family intimately and were virtually inconsolable.  Shiara's fondest memory of Joey was that he was the first classmate when she started in her middle school, to be nice to her and make her feel welcome there, even though she was the "new kid," the outsider who hadn't attended the same elementary school.

Today, more than 4 weeks after his death, Joey continues to touch our small community.  The fundraisers for his family grow, including:

 

Even his local high school, DVRHS, has created a way to honor his legacy and love of sports through numerous ways to contribute.  And then there are the small acts of kindness by neighbors and friends.  Take, for example, the contributions of food and dinners that were delivered to the family's home by neighbors, the small businesses in Kingwood Township and Frenchtown, that have helped collect funds from their customers, as well as have made donations of their own.  A tree was even planted Hill Landscaping in front of the school as a living memory of Joey.

We gathered our strength and resolve, and as a community raised our spirits in his honor, determined to move forward while not forgetting.  As life would have it, we were dealt another sad blow with the death of a much-loved local bartender, Sarah Majoras from New Hope, within one week of receiving the news about Joey.  Her smile is still an image that will remain with many of us.  Sarah's tragic death along the Delaware River Canal on a cold Saturday night, made headlines in local papers, as the search ensued for days.  The news that her body had been found only brought closure, but did not lessen the sadness that so many felt.

After all this, one's life is never the same.  The overwhelming feeling of impotence in situations such as these is immense.  I give thanks to my family and all the friends in our community, because together, we bear the emotional weight of these recent events.  Listening to my mother and Pete's mother, I always feel that as dark as that moment might feel, they are in fact moments.  Remembering the lives of those we've lost and how they impacted the community and us personally, is one advice these two wonderful mothers have given me, that I will put to good use.  Processing that, knowing that we are not alone and that there is no one who can answer, "Why him?" or "Why did that happen to her?" is powerful.  Our two mothers have lived through so much, dealt with the death of their spouses, through difficult and challenging moments--and yet, they continue to love life, continue to push forward, continue to share their experiences that helps put much into perspective.  They are inspiration personified.

As I thought about these events, I couldn't help but recall so many conversations I've had recently with our patrons about these tragedies.  Each one of these individuals has helped me sort through so many of my feelings.  I can only hope that what I shared with them, also helped them find solace.  I am so grateful to this beautiful community, this gathering space that The National Hotel invites, that inspires us to be even more dedicated.  Pete and I continue to be in awe of the community of friends that The National Hotel has created, independent of us, but so connected to our establishment.  Each day our doors are open, is one more day that the community helps breathe life into this grand old building, whose legacy I'm sure will be felt for generations to come.  Thank you for your continued patronage, and for helping us in so many ways.

We hope you'll join us for dinner, drinks, come for our bi-weekly Tuesday Trivia, Open Mic Night, and/or our weekend musical programs, become a member of our monthly National Wine Club, or prolong your visit and make it an overnight trip.  For information, please continue to leave comments here, email me, visit our website, call us at 908.996.3200, or:

      

Thank you for your continued support and patronage.

THE NATIONAL HOTEL RESTAURANT & MORE

Today it actually feels like a spring day--it's about time!  Our flowers outside of The National Hotel don't know whether to come up or not, because the temperatures dipped so low recently.  The low temperatures, the horrible news from Japan on March 11th, and the aftermath of the tsunami, compounded our own local situation, where neighbors suffered damages to their properties after the Delaware River rose and flooded homes, closed river roads, and left many wondering, "Why?"  The local churches and non-profit groups have been busy collecting food items and donations to help those in need, and outside of our area, the international community has been rallying to provide aid to Japan, help with the rescue effort, and support them through the work of many international organizations.  I found a very good summation of the different organizations who are on the ground helping today, and bringing the necessary aid that Japan will need for a very, very long time:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/21/how-to-help-japan-earthquake-relief_n_834484.html.  It lists organizations that cross all lines, religious, humanitarian, health & human services, etc.  

Even in the midst of all the news that surround us every minute of the day, from Japan's situation to the Middle East and elsewhere, our patrons really help us to "live in the moment," to live in the present.  We are grateful for what the community has helped us build and create with The National Hotel, a beautiful and historic building that is truly a part of our family now, and that envelops us in all the tales we've heard, the milestones that many families have shared once inside its doors.  

It's this spirit and enthusiasm that draws such talent to The National Hotel.  We see this every single week, when our Restaurant & Bar patrons let us know how much they love the musicians or the dish or drink they had.  The comfortable ambiance is something we strive to create, while still providing excellent and attentive service.  We heard such wonderful feedback these last few days, that even though the temperature was cold outside, it heated up inside The National Hotel's Restaurant this past weekend.  We had our second installment of "Indian Nights," where our dining guests were treated to an All-Indian Additions to the Menu.  And our executive chef, Lisa Frederick, did not disappoint.  Pete was very pleased that he was able to bring these authentic Indian dishes of his childhood as well as well-known Indian traditional dishes from around the Indian sub-continent, to Frenchtown.  

From Chicken Biryani (classic north Indian royalty rice dish with chicken, saffron, and turmeric), to Kashmiri Lamb (traditional sweet and spicy lamb with yogurt curry, over basmati rice, garnished with fresh cilantro and almonds), to Vada (ground lentil patties, Indian spices, served with cilantro chutney), the kitchen was kept on its toes, bustling with activity...and we LOVE THAT!  And, when you topped that off with one of Kasey Goyette's Additions to the Menu specialty drinks, Mango Indian Cocktail (Rum, Triple Sec, Mango Pulp, Sour mix and Rose's Lime) or one of her distinct wine or beer choices to complement the dish ordered, you just couldn't find a better way to make all the stress and worries of our daily lives just float away this weekend.

And speaking about drinks and libations, they all require the establishment to possess a liquor license.  Well, just imagine how thrilled I was when Pete brought home the original liquor license--almost crumbling at the touch!  It's a liquor license from August 1, 1892, owned by William Apgar, one of the original families to own The National Hotel.  Can you believe the license cost $25 back then...a pretty penny for sure even in 1892.  I just couldn't wait to share!

And he also surprised me with this other wonderful historic photos of Frenchtown, which I promptly framed and took back to The National Hotel:

Even with the temperatures dipping into the 20s, they did rise enough for us to be able highlight Clan Suibhne, an authentic Irish trio, as they performed on our porch on Saturday, March 19th, helping us extend the St. Patrick's Day celebration well into the weekend.  They were a huge hit, with their extraordinary personalities, their musical talent, and ability to reach deep into their family vault of music, "pulling out" just what our patrons wanted to hear--and all with an explanation of the instruments, their history, and how certain songs came to be.  I'm uploading some of what I recorded onto our youtube channel and should have everything done by the end of the week.  They were really extraordinary, connecting even with passersby on the sidewalk, often stopping them in their tracks as they played and encouraged them (many with children in tow) to sway to music that touched all of us.

Lucky for us that although the temperatures started to drop as they started to put their instruments away, the day was warm enough for everyone to enjoy some St. Patty's Day fun all weekend long.  And the fun continued inside, because we had more music downstairs in the Rat, where Christy Jefferson entertained our Rathskeller Pub & Lounge patrons until 11 p.m., part of our Live Saturday Night Music series.

And not to be outdone, our local poets filled our Rathskeller Pub & Lounge space in our cellar, to the point where we had to add chairs to accommodate everyone.  It was a wonderful People's Poetry (our poetry open mic, third Sunday of every month) session that easily filled the two hours dedicated to poetry.  Some of the webclips are just about finished and will be posted on our youtube channel soon, but you can find many of these same poets' prior reading already live on our channel.

   

Looking forward into what's left of March and further into April, we have a lot in store, including our Vietnamese Additions to the Menu weekend.  Check our facebook page and become our "friend" so you can stay abreast of all the different programs we'll be featuring, the musicians who'll entertain you, or just simple news about what we're doing on any particular day, or if you use twitter, follow our tweets.  And if you'd like to receive news, special discounts or information about upcoming events, sign up to receive our e-news and we'll add you to our distribution list.

We hope to see you soon at The National Hotel, and continue to thank you, thank you, thank you, for your support and patronage.  Because of you, winter is just a distant memory.  Here's to spring!...oh wait, I just heard an announcement on the news that it might snow soon...really?!!!  No matter, we'll be nice and warm inside, and Kasey, Donna, Tobi and the rest of The National Hotel staff will be on hand to bring you a memorable drink of your liking to help you unwind while you wait for your favorite dish from our menu.  See you soon!

ETHNIC-THEMED WEEKENDS AT THE NATIONAL HOTEL

They say "word-of-mouth is the best form of advertising," and although I've always known this intuitively, it was proved to me quite conclusively this past weekend.  We did NO marketing...no advertising...no public relations, announcing our Thai-inspired Additions to the Menu this past weekend.  It was a test of sorts, to see if we could build enough "buzz" about the weekend's special items without actually utilizing traditional media outlets to get the word out that we were doing something truly unique for our area.

And it worked.

Photo courtesy of Lois Heyman

Lisa Frederick, our executive chef, truly outdid herself creating a sensually delightful selection of inspiring dishes that invited diners to select them based on her written descriptions of the dishes, followed by the visually appealing presentation of the dishes that appeared before them...and...wait for it...the taste.  The absolutely delightful, appealing, and excitingly exotic flavors of Thai cuisine came alive this past weekend.  Had I been a little quicker on the draw, I would have a photo of Lisa preparing these dishes to share.  My bad.  In the meantime, here's one of Pu-Ja, two soft shell crabs, stuffed with pork and crab, flash fried with Mee Ploy sauce...can you say, "YUMMMMM?!!"

Pete sat with Lisa at the end of 2010 and designed a slew of weekends that would be ethnically-themed, kicking it off in February with our Thai-inspired weekend.  We wanted to quietly promote these unique items that followed our fully-booked Valentine's weekend, without advertising it.  So much of our business comes from our local patrons, Frenchtown residents and Hunterdon and Bucks County patrons, that we didn't want to have a sold-out weekend that would exclude them.  After all, it is these same individuals that have shown up at our doorstep during the worst of our winter storms, always with a smile, and always grateful that our doors were open to receive them.

Our gratitude is immense, and our deepest honor comes in serving our patrons.  And this is why, truly, we didn't "pound the pavement" to make sure EVERYONE knew that we were featuring these special dishes.  We wanted to make sure our "regulars" were treated in a special way, and that they received the same treatment that our weekend visitors would receive.  At The National Hotel, we pride ourselves in being able to meet our clients' expectations--and exceed them.  We are so pleased with the way things turned out.

And to those of you who follow our blog, or have checked our website, or our facebook fanpage, you'll be happy to learn that this Thai-inspired weekend was just the beginning.  Oh yes, we have our second installment of our Indian Nights weekend planned for March, and a Vietnamese-themed weekend in April.  Stay tuned for more details...

But I'm getting ahead of myself.  How about our St. Patrick's Day celebration, with an authentic Irish band, Club Subheine (pronounced "Sweeney"...in case you were wondering) playing on our porch that following Saturday night, March 19th, and our wonderful and robust line-up of musicians that are listed on our website?  How about our incredibly well-attended bi-weekly Tuesday Trivia nights?  And best of all, these are all programs that have grown organically...not because Pete or I wanted to feature this or that, but rather, because you brought these programs to our attention, and you were willing to host, program, encourage, or attend these special nights.  No wonder The National Hotel has become an evening destination for so many people.  There's always something happening.  Even on the the odd days when there isn't a planned program, there's always a friendly or familiar face waiting for you indoors.  And we love that.

I think that what Pete and I love about being associated with The National Hotel is not that we "own" the building, it's not that we "run" the restaurant, it's not that we "dispense" the libations that keep patrons coming back...it's more than that.  Pete and I have been absorbed into the very fabric of the building; we love learning more and more about the building with every day that passes.  Its history is rich...and its heritage is envied by many.  Pete and I are only hoping that our minuscule moment in time with The National Hotel will prove to our next generation that honesty, integrity, and a just plain "roll up your sleeves" attitude can truly create a place that resonates with so many.  And you, who come to dine, or for a quick lunch, or to enjoy some local talent on Open Mic Night, you who boost our spirits with accolades about our menu choices and specialty drinks, continue to make sure that The National Hotel NEVER undergoes the terrible crisis it felt in 2008 and 2009 when it was shuttered.  This establishment is bursting out of every pore of its facade with joy, with happiness and with familiarity.  It is a building with such tremendously rich history that just being associated with it brings us a tremendous sense of satisfaction.  And from the feedback I've gotten from our patrons--it also brings you a familiar sense of "home."

This feedback is tremendously welcome.  So many of you have taken the time to email us, and to fill out the cards at the end of your meals with your birthday and/or anniversary dates, as well as comments on the back of the forms, that I've been amazed at the honesty with which you share your thoughts.  Again, thank you.  It is this very transparent communication, this true integrity in our relationship with our patrons, that propels us forward every day.  And boy do we have plans for 2011!  From our March Indian Nights weekend, to our April Easter brunch, to a Vietnamese-inspired weekend, to a Spanish-themed weekend...oh, and let's not forget our 2nd annual National Palooza scheduled for June 4th.  2011 is definitely shaping up to be a banner year!  Hope you'll get on board and share this ride with us.  We'll keep posting information on our facebook fanpage, our website, our youtube channel, and our twitter page.  Do continue to email me your feedback, because ultimately, our success is tied directly to you.  We are very appreciative of your support, your ideas, and your continuous commitment to making sure we "get it right."  Thank you, thank you, thank you!