What a wonderful town! We just celebrated Bastille Day, and our little corner of the world was JUMPING! Local residents and tourists alike meandered through the town, shopped, strolled, enjoyed the outdoor music and entertainers, as well as shared conversations and enjoyed some wonderful food and drinks offered at some of the Frenchtown establishments.
For us, at The National Hotel, it was a day to have our "peacock feathers" fully on display, proud to have the opportunity to share our love affair with this historic building and the warmth our patrons bring to all the guests who set foot for the first time in this building. And it was wonderful to have new visitors to Frenchtown experience the fantastic culinary choices our executive chef, Lisa Frederick, has created. From our wonderful classic dishes, such as Black Angus Strip Steak and The National Burger, to our more exotic and ethnic-inspired dishes, such as the Chicken Seekh Wrap (with Indian paratha bread) and Black Bean & Shrimp Empanadas (with lime-poached shrimp), our patrons continue to come back to The National Hotel because of the quality and the care that the kitchen staff puts into every plate--not to mention the creativity they express by incorporating international ingredients into the dishes on the menu, adding a twist to traditional fare, while introducing new favorites to our area clientele.
Sea food stew with clams, mussels, shrimp, lobster, and chunks of sea bass all stewed to perfection with tomato, white wine and fennel with grilled bread
Photo courtesy of Kimmy Schmidt
Chicken and Raita salad. Chicken seekh kabab (with Indian spices) over a mixed salad with a Indian yogurt dressing
Photo courtesy of Kimmy Schmidt
Homemade pizza with fresh mozzarella, asiago cheese, roasted garlic and fresh spring onions
Photo courtesy of Kimmy Schmidt
House made ravioli, filled with bacon, sweet peas and goat cheese, topped with three U-10 scallops, seared in bacon jus
Photo courtesy of Kimmy Schmidt
And those who visit Frenchtown, NJ this summer are treated to additional activities from the Frenchtown Business Association's (FBPA) Second Saturdays--a huge success and so much fun!! Musicians entertain visitors and residents alike, performing throughout the town, outdoors.
You'll find more videos of Rainbow Fresh and other artists who have performed at The National Hotel on our youtube channel. This flows so smoothly from The National Hotel's own arts and music programming:
Monthly People's Poetry on the 3rd Sunday of the month (poetry open mic), 2 - 4 p.m.
There's something happening almost every night of the week--and every single program was started by one of our patrons. They plan it, they initiate it, and they organize and execute the plan. Just take a look at our brand new bi-weekly WEDNESDAY SCRABBLE NIGHT program, 7 - 9 p.m. that kicked off last Wednesday and will be on again on August 3rd--organized, sponsored, and launched by Frenchtown's own Paddle Creek--immediately following our Wednesday Ladies' Night with 1/2 off drinks (5 - 7 p.m. every week). Only one word comes to mind: blessed. Yes, Pete and I are blessed. The success of The National Hotel is owed to our patrons, and the help of our friends, family, and not least, our talented and wonderful staff. If you've stopped by to have a drink and have had a chance to chat with Kasey Goyette, our lead bartender, or Donna Jane Sampler, our Rathskeller libation maven, you know exactly what I mean!
August will surely be another great month. Frenchtown, NJ is just an absolutely delightful place to spend an afternoon, an evening, or for a few days. You'll find friendly people, welcoming merchants, scenic vistas, and lots of activities to suit you, whether you're looking to relax or to have an active stay enjoying the outdoors. Please feel free to contact our knowledgeable staff with any questions, at 908.996.3200, and do continue to email us your comments and feedback...they are truly helpful...or just leave a comment on this page. Stay up-to-date with everything being planned, by:
Just a few more days before we celebrate our nation's birthday! All around Frenchtown there will be Independence Day actitivies--and we are lucky to have one of the country's most famous historic sites just a short drive down Route 29 from Frenchtown itself: Washington Crossing State Park!!!
"On December 25, 1776, the icy waters of the Delaware River provided the setting for one of the pivotal events of the American Revolution. The Continental Army had little to celebrate that Christmas and seemed beat by hunger and cold. After crossing the rough winter river at night, General George Washington and the Continental Army landed at Johnson’s Ferry, at the site now known as Washington Crossing State Park. At 4 am, they began their march to Trenton where they defeated the Hessian troops in an unexpected attack."
Happy July Fourth!HappyIndependenceDay!
I hope you'll be able to visit our quaint little corner of the world over the weekend or make plans to come another weekend during the summer. Frenchtown, NJ has so much to offer our visitors, from adventure sports such as cycling (the Cycle Corner) and kayaking (Paddle Creek), to relaxing activities from one of the area's best-known spas, Euphoria Studio, to family activities such as bicycling down the D&R Canal Path that runs parallel to the Delaware River and has beautiful and scenic vistas of Bucks County, PA, or renting a tube from Delaware River Tubing and float down the river for a few hours surrounded by nature, or how about some good old-fashioned family fun of going to the local roller skating rink, the Frenchtown Roller Rink! We have included much of this information and activities on the NJ side as well as the PA side of the Delaware River listed on our website. Just click on the Concierge tab for more listings of things to do. But we are also fortunate to have publications such as Skylands Magazine (online and print) providing information on new events and activities that are taking place in our area. They just did an incredibly nice write-up on The National Hotel in their print and online publication:
Lisa Frederick and Zack Rovner
It was a wonderful treat to have this publication focus on our establishment. They always have a lot of information about area activities, and are very supportive of local businesses and events. On our end, we also try to be supportive of our local shops, vendors, and community events. Being part of the Frenchtown Business and Professional Association (FBPA) definitely helps all of us know what we're planning, how we can support each other, and moreover, how we can provide a wonderful experience for out-of-towners who make the time to visit Frenchtown, while always maintaining high standards of service and products available to our local residents. On a micro level, The National Hotel also makes a point to support local sustainable farmers, and we are very lucky to reside in an area of the nation that allows us to turn these fresh ingredients into flavorful and delightful dishes. Having Lisa Frederick leading this area of the business has brought us many accolades from our dining guests, and she continues to push herself and the kitchen staff to always exceed expectations.
And then there's the Second Saturdays planned (thanks again to our FBPA) with live outdoor music filling the streets of Frenchtown throughout the summer months, as well as Frenchtown's own 13th Annual Bastille Day Fete, July 16th, noon to 6 p.m., featuring street performers, clowns, a puppet show, live music, and more. Mark your calendars for this special day!
What an extraordinary month July is going to be. If you're planning to make a day trip, there's plenty to do in Frenchtown and in the surrounding scenic areas, on the NJ side, and the PA side. If you're making plans to stay a little longer, then feel free to contact our General Manager, Marlon Aranha, who will help you make your stay memorable and customized to your needs. Ask him about our Summer Celebration special, where you'll receive a special discount to be used in the Restaurant during your weekend stay. But there are other special packages too, that you'll find on our Hotel page of our website. Just scroll down to find one that will enhance your stay in Frenchtown, or speak with Marlon and he'll create a special program for you.
And after our 2nd annual National Palooza II, we feel completely energized to continue to provide community programming that is fun for everyone, whether you are a local resident or coming to our little town from far away. From our weekly Thursday Open Mic Night, to our Saturday Night Live Music series, to our Sunday Musical Afternoons, to our bi-weekly Tuesday Trivia, and our monthly 3rd Sunday People's Poetry (poetry open mic), we have activities the whole family (or just the adults) will enjoy. And we've just added a bi-weekly Wednesday Scrabble Night to our menu of activities, so there's now another night of easy and relaxing fun to enjoy in Frenchtown. We wrote about much of this on our last e-newsletter. Did you catch our very own bartender EXTRAORDINAIRE, Donna Jane Sampler, doing a fire-breathing act? OMG!!! Fantastic! And then she went right back downstairs to our wonderful cellar pub, The Rathskeller (a.k.a. The Rat), and continued to chat up clients and get to know newcomers to our town. Donna is a fantastic bartender, always caring, always attentive, and always making everyone feel welcome. I see her, and I feel the need to hug her! She's just one of my absolute faves.
Lisa Frederick, left & Kasey Goyette, right
But I'm just echoing what our patrons tell us time and again. And they compliment Donna just as they compliment the other members of The National Hotel family. You know I've written about Lisa before (and today--because she absolutely deserves praise in so many ways--from choosing a fabulous menu, to how she interacts with her staff and everyone who enters The National Hotel--just gracious, welcoming, always warm!!), and about Kasey Goyette too...but I just wanted to share just a few extra kudos for Kasey just now...SHE IS A FANTASTIC WOMAN!!! She not only served up some fabulous libations during The National Palooza II, as she always does every night of the week she works, but she also helped in so many ways--went out of her way, in fact, during our June 4th event--that she deserves a medal. And of course, we are grateful to our wonderful friend, Kristine Marinelli and Jodi McGill, for volunteering and stepping in to be our fun cheeleaders, all-around guest welcomers, and "fun girls." Thank you!!!
Kristine Marinelli & Lisa Frederick
And if you want a few glimpses at what happened, visit our youtube channel for some of the webclips, such as:
As we approach the day that honors the birth of this great country, Pete and I feel its significance more than ever this year. Yes, it's a time when families get together, picnic blankets hit the ground, and people light up their grills to have some summer fun. Yes, it's a time when people get in their cars and take a little vacation taking advantage of the three-day weekend. Yes, it's a time when many towns put on their Fourth of July "best" and some even feature fireworks, parades, or concerts. But for us, having delved deep into the history of The National Hotel, studied the area's revolutionary past that predates even the creation of Frenchtown, NJ itself, it is a date that grants us the opportunity to remember the conviction and determination of those who came before us and took a stand to create a nation that would give new life to so many generations that followed, and invite people from all over the world to set roots in this wonderful land. We honor this country's birthday, a unique place in the world, where one can truly become a citizen of the nation, equal in every way to his/her fellow citizens. We are blessed to be here, to be citizens, to be a part of this great nation, contributing to its growth--even in our own miniscule way--but creating our own legacy for our daughters just the same.
I invite you to leave a comment here (or as you seem to prefer, to email me directly at marie@thenationalhotelnj.com), visit our facebook fan page, follow us on twitter, visit our youtube page, or continue to read our blog. Thank you for your patronage, and here's to a fantastic summer ahead for all of us!!!
Life is good! Yesterday I had the good fortune of being interviewed by Tom Drake, from NJ Skylands Magazine. He surprised us by also taking a webclip of The National Hotel in addition to the write-up that should be online soon and in the July issue of the print magazine. This follows a very nice write-up about The National Palooza in this week's Bucks County Herald. Thank you for helping us spread the word about what is sure to be an even better installment of our annual outdoor live music festival!
This Friday, June 3rd, be sure to tune-in to WDVR (89.7 FM), at 2 p.m. when two of the artists who will perform in The National Palooza II, CC Coletti and Top Soil, will be interviewed during their Bleecker Street Café (12 - 3 p.m.), hosted by Chris Poh and Ed Peterson Folk. You can even listen to it live by clicking on the link in the navigation bar on their website!
General John A. Logan
It's been a fantastic month of May, and today being Memorial Day, I feel as though I've been given the gift of a day to reminisce, a day to enjoy, a day to look ahead. Today is a day that the nation pauses to remember our fallen heroes who have given their lives in our nation's service. This special day, originally called Decoration Day, and officially proclaimed Memorial Day in 1868 by General John Logan, National Commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, and Waterloo, NY was proclaimed the official birthplace of Memorial Day in 1966 by President Lyndon Johnson--although many towns and generations have claimed bragging rights for establishing this special day.
Add to this special day the fact that it is is the unofficial start of summer for many--passing thunderstorms and all. I'm looking out my window and everything looks so green and fresh. The temperature is just perfect right now, although I know it will increase later on. But for right now, it's a perfect way to start the day. And this echoes how I feel about the whole month of May.
From finally being able to hang the beautiful flowers that now grace our porch, to being able to feature musicians right there on our front porch, where everyone walking or driving by can share in the enjoyment of beautiful music, May has been a good month to us. If you joined us yesterday to enjoy the music of James McBride, you know that I'm not exaggerating when I say that we were treated to a top jazz musician and his accompanying artists, where we ended up having people who ate in our upstairs Bar area, standing by the entrance to the Restaurant, just to be able to listen to James McBride and to see his band. He's not only an award-winning musician, but also a critically acclaimed author, whose books, Song Yet Sung and Miracle at St. Anna have received high praise. His book, The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother, spent more than two years on the New York Times bestseller list.
Music wasn't the only highlight of the month--from our terrific weekend Additions to the Menu that continuously receive rave reviews from our lunch and dinner patrons, to recent reviews about our hotel guest suites and our travel guests' experiences posted on TripAdvisor, our spirits are soaring! Here's a little snapshot of one of these reviews:
My husband and I just returned from a weekend stay at the National. We went for a quiet getaway for our wedding anniversary but what we got was an EXPERIENCE. The National is unbelievably charming. It's updated decor is classic and elegant but does not take away from the feeling of history. This building was constructed in the mid 1800's! Our room was clean and nicely decorated with a gorgeous and extra-large bathroom that included a soaking jacuzzi tub. The GM, Aldon, was one of the nicest, most personable and accommodating people we've ever had the pleasure of meeting. He was attentive but not intrusive, and really takes pride in his job at the National. After we enjoyed the delights of the fabulous Frenchtown, we were elated to come back and discover live jazz being played in the dining area! The breakfast the next day (homemade blueberry muffins, quiche, and fresh orange juice and coffee- yum!) was the cherry on top. We only regret that we were not able to enjoy the food in their dining room. We WILL be back.
I hope that you'll help us make June an equally fantastic month, by sharing your feedback, giving us your thoughts on other ideas to help improve your experience at The National Hotel. I really thank those of you who have reached out to me via email or have shared your comments with Pete in person. As always, stay up-to-date by liking us on facebook, subscribing to our YouTube channel, and following us on Twitter. You can certainly feel free to post a comment here too. Thanks for your constant and continued support!
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.
I'm looking out my window this morning as the sun rose, and happily started my day knowing that the weather reports are predicting a beautiful spring day today. We're ready for it!
There's been such a buzz at The National Hotel, awaiting the release of our new spring menu, that we just can't wait for the final proof to arrive from our designer. Here's a little sneak peak of some of the new items that will be included in addition to our other Restaurant faves:
Spinach & Arugula Salad
Spinach, Arugula, Sliced Red Onion, Candied Pecans, Smoked Blue Cheese, Orange Champagne Vinaigrette
Conch Chowder
Diced Conch in a Spicy Bacon, Corn, & Tomato Broth, Fresh Herbs
Minced Chicken with Indian Spices, Mint-Yogurt Chutney, Greens, Sliced Cucumber, Red Onion, Paratha Bread
Eggplant Rollatini (Vegan)
Marinated, Grilled Eggplant Slabs Stuffed with a House-Made Macadamia Nut & Herb-Cheese, Melted Spinach, Smoked Tomato Jus
Grilled Salmon
Grilled over a Gingered Sweet Pea Purée, Lime & Cilantro Gremolata
Looking ahead as to the other items that have kept us huddled around our planning table, we are so pleased to be open special hours to help our patrons enjoy an Easter celebration that will fit their schedule. We'll be open from 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. on Sunday, April 24th, serving a special Easter Brunch Menu in the Main Bar and Restaurant. And the week after that, you can look forward to a special Vietnamese-inspired Ethnic Food Weekend starting on the 29th.
Luckily for us, we continue to count on the wonderful area residents who trust our establishment to be the "right" venue for their artistic expression, whether that be participating in our weekly Thursday Open Mic Night (oh yes...tonight starting at 9 p.m. to closing) in our Rathskeller Pub & Lounge, our recent addition bi-weekly Tuesday Trivia night (8:30 p.m. - 10 p.m.), our Saturday Night Live Music series (9 - 11 p.m.), our Sunday Musical Afternoon series (5 - 7 p.m.), or our 3rd Sunday of the month People's Poetry (2 - 4 p.m.)--which by the way, was just amazing last month! We had participants getting up and reading, crossing generations. There were young children as well as those who proudly announced they had already lived a lifetime, sharing their poems and beautiful works. It's just such a joy to be able to attend these monthly sessions. I hope you'll be able to join us this weekend for the April installment of the People's Poetry. Here's a just a glimpse at what we heard last month:
For those of you already trying to make plans for Mother's Day, don't worry, we've got that covered too...We've planned a special and distinctive brunch menu for that special woman in your life, and we'll honor her by also establishing special hours for the day where you'll be able to plan the day on your terms: 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.
There will be a few other things planned for May, but I'll leave that for another blogpost. In the meantime, mark your calendars for Saturday, June 4th: We're thrilled to announce that we'll be hosting our 2nd Anuual music festival, The National Palooza, 4 p.m. - 2 a.m. the next day. I'll write more about this in upcoming blogposts, but you can always get details of our events on our website, or by following us on facebook, twitter, and even by subscribing to our YouTube channel.
If there are other ideas or events that you would like to bring to our attention, please feel free to contact me directly at marie@thenationalhotelnj.com or by posting a comment here. As always, Pete and I are incredibly grateful for your patronage and continuous support. We couldn't create these events or programs without your help and encouragement. Thank you!
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!
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.
There's something happening almost every night of the week--and every single program was started by one of our patrons. They plan it, they initiate it, and they organize and execute the plan. Just take a look at our brand new bi-weekly WEDNESDAY SCRABBLE NIGHT program, 7 - 9 p.m. that kicked off last Wednesday and will be on again on August 3rd--organized, sponsored, and launched by Frenchtown's own Paddle Creek--immediately following our Wednesday Ladies' Night with 1/2 off drinks (5 - 7 p.m. every week). Only one word comes to mind: blessed. Yes, Pete and I are blessed. The success of The National Hotel is owed to our patrons, and the help of our friends, family, and not least, our talented and wonderful staff. If you've stopped by to have a drink and have had a chance to chat with Kasey Goyette, our lead bartender, or Donna Jane Sampler, our Rathskeller libation maven, you know exactly what I mean!
