Halloween Fun Starting Today including a Paranormal Night on Thursday and an Annual Halloween Party Next Saturday

Have you ever felt like time literally slips through your fingers? How one day becomes one week, and suddenly you are playing catch-up with things? Well, that's the only down-side to life these days, because the flip-side is that life truly is amazing in Frenchtown! There's just so much to do, so many ways to feel connected to the community and be a part of the amazing "fast-casual" and yet, excitingly chic life of our little hidden gem, that sometimes my writing just takes a backseat. Or at least, the writing that I'm willing to post...

So after a long and beautiful summer, the leaves are finally transforming into a museum-quality painting with their beautiful autumn colors. Did you know that when the Hudson River School masters first showed their 19th century landscape paintings in Englad, people there thought the paintings were fake? The colors of the leaves in the UK during the fall foliage season do not turn the myriad colors we see from bright orange and red to even purple. Interestingly, CBS Sunday Morning featured a story about this less than a week ago:

http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/art-show-with-something-old-something-new

As beautiful as the Hudson River area is, I truly see beauty that is unparalleled right here, right in our own backyard by just taking a stroll to the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park (a.k.a. the tow path) that runs parallel to the Delaware River. Some of the photos that have been posted on facebook that are just minutes from Frenchtown are incredible! There are hiking trails, picnic spots, camping sites, and all are open to everyone. What an amazing place to live!

Photo courtesy of Gaetano DeSapio

On a selfish note, we at The National Hotel, have a lot happening this week. From live music featuring Chris Bauer tomorrow from 5-7 pm in our Restaurant and Bar, to the launch of our new fall menu on Tuesday--and to a special homage to our National Wine Club members, by opening up a special selection of our wines to everyone for ONE WEEK ONLY, all at 50% off!!--to a special on-site internet broadcast on Thursday, October 29th (8-10 pm) by Unknown Origins Radio,

where everyone is welcome & invited to come in and share their paranormal experiences, memories, and stories, followed by our Halloween-themed Open Mic Night in The Rathskeller Pub (a.k.a. The Rat), to, of course, our annual Halloween Celebration featuring one of our faves, Rainbow Fresh on Saturday, October 31st! Join us for special drinks and fun starting at 4 pm, with music starting at 9 pm. Prizes for best costumes will be awarded towards the end of the night. These is a Frenchtown tradition now, so make sure to mark your calendars!!

And beyond activities at The National Hotel, Frenchtown itself has tons of activities from a Zombie Crawl in town that kicks off later today, to special events like:

• The Book Garden’s World Explorers Kids Club that welcomes Laurie Wallmark, author of Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine on October 25th. 

• Frenchtown kids of all ages are invited to Early Bird Espresso & Mercantile on Wednesday, October 28th from 3 - 6 pm to paint pumpkins.  

• Even our local High School (DVRHS) has a special event, when Emmy-winning CNN correspondent and writer, Tom Foreman, makes a special appearance on Tuesday, October 27th, on his run (yes, on foot) from Maryland to NYC to participate in the NYC Marathon in early November. The event is co-sponsored by The Book Garden and the Delaware Valley Education Foundation (DVEF). Ticket admission includes a signed copy of his book and benefits our local HS kids.

• The events culminate on Friday, October 30th in a Halloween Parade sponsored by the American Legion awarding prizes for best costumes and providing snacks and refreshments!

This is absolute proof-positive that Frenchtown is the center of the universe...in my mind...because we are so accessible from Philly, from Princeton, from NYC, and elsewhere. Just take a look at the reviews from our overnight guests who continue to return, year after year. There's truly something special about Frenchtown. And for those guests, boy do we have special activities planned too...

And of course, thank you to so many of you who continue to join us every week for our weekly activities, including:

• Open Mic Night every Thursday
• Karaoke every Wednesday
• Trivia Night every other Tuesday
• Saturday Night Live Music in The Rat

We're incredibly grateful also to those of you who have stopped by on Monday nights now that The Rat is open from 5 pm - midnight (drinks only). It's great to have a little time to catch up with friends in a low-stress atmosphere that allows everyone to decompress after the 1st day of the work week has begun: Monday Madness at its best! (And Happy Hour from 5 - 7 pm doesn't hurt either!!)

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

        

     

MAKING PLANS FOR A GREAT VALENTINE'S DAY

The New Year arrived with new convictions and an invigorated spirit. This year marks the 165th anniversary since The National Hotel broke ground and transformed itself from a 'Rooms for Rent' small inn, the Sign of the Dove (built by blacksmith Samuel Powers), to the beautiful edifice that still makes Frenchtown proud.  165 YEARS!  Now that's a celebration woth having!!  Check back monthly to see what we have in store for you to commemorate this special day.

2015 brings new updates too, like our newly revamped homepage based on feedback from friends like you.  It's a "work-in-progress," b/c we're updating the photos and improving the interactivity.  It's pretty neat to be able to upload new content and new special offers right onto the homepage, so we look forward to announcing when it's fully operational.  We're also excited to do some maintenance and sprucing up of The National Hotel the week of February 16th.  Although that means we'll be closed on February 16th for the week and reopen on Monday the 23rd, it is our annual commitment to the very community we serve.  It provides us with the opportunity to refurbish, paint, and do the necessary touch-ups that sustain us for the entire year.

This "cleansing" of The National Hotel's heart and soul will follow on the heels of our annual Valentine's Day celebration, from a special menu to a Lovers' Essay contest.  Just like last year, the contest is open to Hunterdon and Bucks County area residents with the #1 prize being a complimentary overnight stay at The National Hotel.  The rules are very simple:

• Submit your story--at least 250 words, no more than 400 words via email
• Story/essay must be about you and your loved one, sharing your most romantic moment as it relates to Frenchtown, or any of the surrounding Hunterdon County, NJ or Buck's County, PA areas

Three prizes will be awarded: 

1. One overnight stay at The National Hotel for two
2. Dinner for two in The National Hotel’s Restaurant and Bar
3. Dessert and after-dinner drinks for two in The National Hotel’s Restaurant and Bar

Last year's entries had such beautiful stories, we wish we could have featured all of them.  So, if you weren't a finalist, or simply forgot to submit your essay, please send it in now.  Check our facebook page for more information and for the announcement of the winning essay.  Best of luck to all of you who might participate!

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION IS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13th.

Don't forget to plan your Valentine's Day with us, and make your reservation early.  We're finishing up our special Valentine's Day menu with you in mind--check back this week on our webpage.  Stay up to date by liking us on facebook, regarding Valentine's Day and also our upcoming music programming (and other special weekly events), so you don't miss anything.  Here's just a glimpse:

• Monday weekly Happy Hour, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
• Bi-weekly Tuesday Trivia, 8 p.m. - 10 p.m.
• Wednesday weekly Happy Hour, 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.
• Wednesday weekly Karaoke Night, 8 p.m. - midnight
• Thursday weekly Open Mic Night, 9 p.m. - closing
• Weekly Saturday Night Live Music Series, 9 p.m. - 11 p.m.--The Good-Frost Project performs 1/31/15
• Weekly Sunday Musical Afternoon Series, 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Join us every week for these special programs. There's just never a dull night at The National Hotel!

I can say this with complete confidence, because many of these programs are in place because of friends like YOU, friends who have taken the time and interest to work on the programs, create the content, and implement their vision.  Pete and I are so grateful to all of you for your support.  We hope that 2015 is already off to a great start for you, and we look forward to chatting more with you in person, via email, or through the comments you leave on this blog.  Here's to a great year together!!

          

4th ANNIVERSARY AND HALLOWEEN CELEBRATION IN 1 WEEKEND!!

We had family from Chile who visited us last week, and I had the great pleasure of welcoming them to Frenchtown, NJ.  It was such a treat to be able to show them my little hidden gem of a town--from the natural beauty of the Delaware River, walking paths, and scenic country routes, to the splendor of the town's businesses all ablaze with fall colors and decorations.  I was inspired by the shops' variety of merchandise, but moreover, by the shop owners themselves.  The owners of each unique gallery, shop, and boutique, invited us into their space with warmth and genuine interest in learning about my family.  "Where did they come from?"  "How long will they be in town?"  "Is this their first visit to Frenchtown?"  "Have they already been here or there?"

There truly aren't too many places where one can be made to feel so special by complete strangers.  These inquiries were genuine and their interest in making sure that my relatives enjoy their visit, was authentic.  This was an unplanned acknowledgement of everything I had shared with my family all these years about Frenchtown and the joy it brought us after Pete and I took ownership of The National Hotel and became part of the community.

This coming Sunday, November 3rd, will mark FOUR years since we opened our doors in 2009.  With no advertising, just word of mouth, we quietly opened this grand old building and our first guest wandered into The Rathskeller Pub (a.k.a. The Rat).  With a look of true happiness, he had a drink and exclaimed, "Running across the street to vote.  I'll be back."  And when he came back, others had joined him...and others...and others...Today, we still enjoy the patronage of that very first guest, and so many of you.  Thank you for making the last four years an absolute adventure, that allowed Pete and me to build a new life among you.

Halloween 2012

I'm particularly pleased with the way the calendar worked out this year.  Our annual Halloween party landed on Saturday, November 2nd.  That means, we'll be celebrating our fourth anniversary that night right after midnight--costumes and all! Having booked Rainbow Fresh for the Halloween party, we are all sure to be in a festive mood all night, and I cannot wait to see what our patrons will wear this year!  Remember, prizes will be given out for best costumes (individual and couples).  Come early for a great time hosted by our bartender extraordinaire, Donna Jane Sampler.
Last year, she had a terrific mix of music that everyone enjoyed leading up to the live music performance by Rainbow Fresh.  Guests ordered micro brews and beers on tap, as well as other drinks.  I wonder what specialty shots Donna will create this year?

We'll need to keep up the good spirits on Sunday, because we'll be enjoying the first Additions to the Menu selections since launching our new Fall Menu last week.  Thank you to all of you who have already left us feedback on our facebook page or told us in person how much you enjoyed your dining experience.  We're so glad that you liked the new choices, like the Arugula & Pancetta Salad and the Lamb Shank.

Arugula Salad (Arugula, Pancetta Crisps, Blue Cheese Crumbles, Strawberry Honey Vinaigrette) 

16 oz. Lamb Shank (Slow-Roasted with Onions, Carrots, Celery, Garlic and Mediterranean Spices, Couscous with Currants and Dates) 

We also heard you loud and clear, and made sure to keep the favorites untouched (e.g., The National Burger, Fish and Chips, Spicy Tuna with Lotus Chips, and more).  You'll have a chance to try these dishes all week, and/or choose something from our Additions to the Menu all weekend.

There's a lot planned for November, so do check our music pages frequently for our calendar of musicians and special events.  We'll keep this tradition of music at The National Hotel going throughout the upcoming months, with our weekly Thursday Open Mic Night, our Saturday Night Live Music series, our Sunday Musical Afternoons, our Bi-Weekly Tuesday Trivia (next installment:  November 5th), and some special Wednesday events coming up next month and into the new year.

It's a privilege to be able to write this blog and know that the commitment we made four years ago, is part of the fabric of The National Hotel, with music and special events making it a community center of sorts, an inter-generational meeting spot, with something for everyone.  I just love that!

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 the fall:

      

Thank you.