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.

LABOR DAY WEEKEND TODAY AND YEARS PAST

Leaving the rushed streets of the surrounding cities for the tranquil scenes of Hunterdon County, NJ.  I am thoroughly looking forward to this long weekend!

 

It's not the end of summer yet, but somehow it just feels like it.  Labor Day weekend is always bittersweet, because it's usually the last "free" weekend of the season, when many people travel, visit loved ones, spend more time outdoors, and for many parents and students, it signifies the beginning of the school year.

One thing I can always count on to buoy my spirits, is Frenchtown's annual Riverfest.  Each year, it seems to get more and more organized, have greater outreach, and even more live outdoor music throughout the town.  It's an all-day festival with fun for the whole family.  If you're coming to town, please stop by Frenchtown's weekly Sunday Farmer's Market.  This is a terrific way to support local farmers and purveyors, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.  A key element of The National Hotel's vision is to support local and sustainable farmers--you can taste these locally sourced ingredients in all our dishes, especially our weekend Additions to the Menu that take advantage of the area's bountiful supply of farm-fresh items.

With The National Hotel open for nearly four years, I remember Labor Day weekend of 2009, when Pete and I, along with our General Manager, Marlon Aranha, were working at a feverish pace to make the renovations and repairs that would allow us to share this Frenchtown historic anchor business with the community.  I remember the people who walked by our front porch as we painted, weeded, planted, etc.--many stopping, genuinely excited about the prospects; many sharing their own personal stories about when they first set foot in the building; and many outside visitors strolling through the town taking it all in.

One particular memory I have is talking to one such visitor to our little town, Rich Connolly, and catching my breath from the work at hand, we struck up a conversation.  He had been friends with Claiborne Cary, former owner of The National Hotel in the 1970s, and sister of actress Cloris Leachman.  He shared stories about the days when Claiborne owned the hotel, about the Cabaret Nights she held coming down the stairs in a long evening dress and performing alongside her friends, Valerie Harper, Mary Tyler Moore, and Merv Griffin.  He posted these pictures of his friend, Claiborne, on our facebook page after Claiborne passed away in 2010.  His tribute to her time at The National Hotel was incredibly moving, and I cannot thank him enough for sharing his precious memories with us:

"THIS IS AN INVITE THAT I GOT FROM CLAIBORNE CARY WHEN I WAS 18 YRS OLD TO COME AND VISIT AT THE NATIONAL HOTEL IN FRENCHTOWN (OH AND BY THE WAY, YOU COULD DRINK AT 18 BACK THEN). SHE ALWAYS OPENED HER SHOW BY SAYING..." AND NOW LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, LIVE FROM THE NATIONAL HOTEL IN FRENCHTOWN, NJ, ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE SUNOCO STATION, AND 4 MILES DOWNRIVER FROM UPPER BLACK EDDY, WOULD YOU PLEASE WELCOME".....WHOEVER HER GUEST OR GUESTS MIGHT BE....CLASSIC CLAIBORNE CARY....SHE WAS A BALL OF FIRE!!!"

Music filled the building during those years.  I promised him that our goal was to continue this tradition of music and support of the arts at The National Hotel, albeit hardly at that former scale.  And these many years later, I am so glad that our commitment continues with the support, encouragement, and initiative of our Frenchtown and area neighbors.  This Saturday night, we'll feature the return of a favorite duo,
Dennis Mascarpone and Sue Hladik, part of our weekly Saturday Night Live Music series in The Rathskeller Pub (a.k.a., The Rat).

Dennis and Sue

Dennis, Sue, Pete, and I were invited a couple of years ago to WDVR's Friday Bleeker Street Cafe session hosted by Chris Poh and Ed Petersen, and it was such a treat to watch them perform in the studio--and it continues to be a treat every time they perform at The National Hotel.  Our schedule of music (from weekly Thursday Open Mic Night--started by Frenchtown's own Alex Wolfson, to weekly Sunday Musical Afternoons, and special Wednesday Hump Day Music) are always posted on our website.  Tuesday Trivia Night continues to have a solid following by patrons from both sides of the Delaware River--and it's truly a special night, hosted and organized completely by one of Frenchtown's favorite residents, Russ Coen, and our General Manager, Marlon Aranha.

I feel like I've come full circle this weekend, remembering all the wonderful people who helped us along the way, who continue to be a part of our lives.  From friends volunteering to help us paint, help us clean, help us change the building from years of neglect to what it is now, I continue to be amazed at the absolute love and devotion that the community has for this historic establishment.  Come on out this weekend and enjoy this lovely part of our country.  There's a lot to do, if that's what you choose, but this area is also fantastic for just enjoying nature, the outdoors, the scenic vistas of the river, and taking in "life."

Pete and I continue to be grateful and in awe of everything our area neighbors continue to give to us, from their patronage to their words of encouragement and support.  Having the pleasure of growing our circle of friends to include the many out-of-town visitors who come spend a day near the Delaware River, or who make their visit an overnight stay in Frenchtown, is an added bonus to our involvement with The National Hotel.  Thank you again.

Please continue to 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 the summer: