The National Hotel, Frenchtown, NJ: March 2016

[Photo courtesy of Frenchtown Lions Club fb page]

Happy Spring! Yes, it's a little crisp outside, but boy, is it beautiful! Some of our neighbors already had the pleasure of participating in the town's annual Easter Egg Hunt earlier today thanks to the Frenchtown Lions Club! What a treat for all the little kids to experience this small-town event, where everyone comes together.

It truly is a perfect day to experience Frenchtown's natural beauty, just taking a leisurely stroll (or, OK, you can also take a run or bike ride...why not?!) down the D&R Canal State Park (a.k.a. the tow path) that runs parallel to the Delaware River and is the perfect way to take in the day's beauty. It's where one of our daughters loves to walk our beloved family dog (who turns 11 next week!)

Frenchtown, NJ is not just the location of our business, The National Hotel, but moreover it is the nexus of our lives, where our children grew up strolling through Race and Bridge Streets, exploring Harrison and Trenton Streets, and always welcomed by all of the shops' owners and employees. We hear this all the time when our Restaurant and Bar guests express how the town embraces them each time they come by, and even when they catch our live music in our cellar tavern, The Rathskeller Pub (a.k.a The Rat, The Frenchtown Underground), they always make a point of recognizing its friendly and inviting vibe.

[Photo courtesy of Gary Reed]

Tonight, our patrons will be able to experience this again, when Mike Chet Beck performs live in The Rat (9-11 pm), while tomorrow we'll feature the return of Gary Reed in our Restaurant and Bar (5-7pm)! This and all of the weekly programs we are able to share with our vibrant community makes us proud to be a part of the fabric of Frenchtown.

Many of our guests will be celebrating Easter Sunday tomorrow and we're so pleased to be the chosen venue to mark this celebration. It is such a great testament to the relationship that our guests have built with the town, with us, and with neighbors from Frenchtown and visitors, whereby The National Hotel's Easter Menu will allow them to enjoy themselves while permitting us to cater to their every need. We are just incredibly honored--and we'll do our best to accommodate you if you still need to make a reservation for tomorrow, but do call soon please (908.996.3200).

It's truly amazing how the many weekly programs that we feature have started simply by a patron asking if he/she could test an idea, and now, for example, Thursday Open Mic Night is in its 6th year! We've got Party Animals Karaoke every week, and this coming Wednesday the 30th, we're hosting a Karaoke Beach Party night! Come dressed for the beach, sing some songs, and stay late into the night to win prizes for best beach outfit (men and women)!

With all the fun to be had that night (and any night in Frenchtown, really!), why worry about driving home. Just contact our friendly concierge to make a reservation for an overnight stay. We even have special packages for mid-week stays!!! Each week there's consistent programs, but we also have some surprises, such as (again) a beloved musician and patron asking if he could play some jazz once or twice a month on a Tuesday night in The Rat. How could we say no? We have Bi-Weekly Tuesday Trivia Night, so this fits in beautifully. Call us at 908.996.3200 if you'd like more information on either of those programs.

And remember, Monday is Locals' Night in The Rat. We learned this week that our House-Made French Fries were declared the winners in Hunterdon Happenings' 2016 Best French Fries competition (thanks to YOUR votes!)--but, since our Restaurant and Bar is closed every Monday, with only The Rat being open, we only serve a liquid diet, so make sure you BYOF (food...friend...fun)! So if you want the award-winning fries, please return Tuesday-Sunday!!

This bond with our community and our neighbors is exhibited not just in being nominated (and winning thanks to the votes of so many of you) for Hunterdon Happenings Winner of Best French Fries, or in this morning's Easter Egg Hunt, or through the big events that Frenchtown holds (such as Bastille Day in July), but moreover it is often through community service, where area residents come together to help each other and the town. A prime example, and one where you too can get involved is the Frenchtown Park Clean-Up Day on April 16th. Every year, volunteers carve out time to remove debris, clean, and refresh our Frenchtown Park. Please mark your calendar and help if you are able.

Please continue to send me your comments via email or on this blog. I look forward to seeing you soon at The National Hotel. Thank you for your continued patronage.