VALENTINE'S DAY EXTENDED TO THE PRE-VALENTINE'S WEEKEND!!

Before I could even acknowledge the New Year, I see March already ready to run away with the end of February. The pages on our calendars turn much too fast these days. I suppose the older I get the more I will find myself trying to hold onto just a few more minutes from the present. Living in the present, securely embracing the moment--each moment--is my goal for 2017. There are so many wonderful neighbors that Pete and I have had the privilege of getting to know in Frenchtown; so many new faces that have already become frequent guests this month; so many things for which to be grateful.

It's in this spirit that Pete and I are pleased to announce our 4th annual Valentine's Day Contest, with three (3) great prizes to 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.

So what do YOU have to do? Simple. Send us a 250-word minimum/400-word maximum essay about the most meaningfully romantic moment of your relationship, and why you think your particular story is relevant to Frenchtown, NJ or any of the surrounding Hunterdon County, NJ or Bucks County, PA areas. Deadline for submission is Monday, February 13th, and winners will be announced on February 14th on our facebook page.

Historic photo of original backyard of
The National Hotel, provided by a
descendant of the Apgar family.

There is so much history and natural beauty in our little corner of the world, with the Delaware River providing countless poems and art renderings, to the sheer romance of establishments such as The National Hotel, that has provided comfort to so many throughout its long history. And to us, Valentine's Day provides us with the opportunity to showcase the exquisite labor of love by our executive chef, Geoffrey Thomas. Our Valentine's Day menu that is available all weekend starting tonight, is a testament to his passion:

Of course, between the live music this weekend featuring Jimmy Garabo on Saturday (9-11pm) and Gary Reed on Sunday (5-7pm), you just can't go wrong with making Frenchtown your Valentine's Day/Valentine's Weekend destination!

Don't forget to make your reservations NOW so you can properly plan that special person in your life. Better yet, contact us via email or at 908.996.3200 and make it a getaway or a staycation, with our Valentine's Day exclusive overnight packages. You will not be disappointed. Our knowledgeable General Manager, Marlon Aranha, will take care of every detail. With enough lead time, he could even schedule an appointment for massage sessions at Euphoria Studio, designed exclusively for our overnight guests, just a short stroll from The National Hotel.

Our programs don't stop there, because we will have a post-Valentine's Day special Karaoke celebration on the 15th of February. FUN, all in caps!! Remember to join us for our weekly Thursday Open Mic Night in The Rathskeller Pub (a.k.a. The Rat), and every other Tuesday, catch our Bi-Weekly Trivia, but not February 21st, because we will be closed for our annual building re-fresh. This is when we close our doors for one week and do all the work that needs to happen to continue our high standards to better serve you when we reopen on February 28th. 

Frenchtown provides so many choices, all unique, all sure to be memories you will long treasure. We hope to welcome you to The National Hotel in the very near future. And if you agree with us and have a little bit of time, please take a minute to vote for us in this year's Hunterdon Happenings List--just vote one time per email address in any (or all) of the categories listed below--and THANK YOU in advance for your help in sharing how much you care about The National Hotel:

• Best Hotel
• Best Specialty Cocktails
• Best French Fries
• Best Happy Hour
• Best Kept Secret

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.

        

STARTING 2012 BEAUTIFULLY & PLANNING AHEAD FOR FEBRUARY 2012

I'm happy to share that we now have an easier way for you to find us on facebook!!  We've created an easy username:  www.facebook.com/thenationalhotelnj.  And voila!  That's it.  You can stay up-to-date on everything we do!!

As we near the end of the first month of the new year, Pete and I have had numerous conversations about how grateful we are to have such tremendous support from our patrons.  Last month I wrote on this blog about so much that happened in 2011, locally and around the world.  As we start 2012, I'm confident that our little establishment, The National Hotel, will continue to show our old friends and the new friends we'll make this year, that Frenchtown, NJ is a wonderful and quaint Delaware River town.  Wonderful, because it is the perfect little hidden gem, offering unique shops, many with attention to every detail and offering hand-made items.  Quaint, because you'd be hard pressed to find another small town that honors tradition, embraces change, and elevates everyone associated with it, while keeping its finger on the pulse of residents, businesses, and visitors alike.  But don't take my word for it, read about it yourself in an article that appeared in the Hunterdon Democrat earlier this month.

At The National Hotel, we have a lot planned already for 2012.  Let's start with our upcoming monthly music theme night, where on Saturday, February 4th, Mike Pfeiffer will help us get into a dy-no-mite mood filled with 70s music.  Prizes will be given all night, including one for the best 70s-inspired threads.  Special drinks will be mixed by our talented bartender, Donna Jane Sampler starting at 8 p.m. in The Rathskeller Pub (a.k.a., The Rat), followed by live music, 9:30 p.m. onward.

And that's just the beginning.  We have a month of February filled with special programs--some that you've asked for, and others that we just couldn't wait to bring back:

• February 14th -- VALENTINE'S DAY, featuring the Wallace Brothers Band in the Rat (7 - 11 p.m.)
• February 21st -- RAINBOW FRESH - Fat Tuesday (8 p.m. onward).
• February 23rd -- Cajun Food Weekend (in honor of Fat Tuesday, February 21st)

Our regular weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly programs are still on the calendar for 2012, including our Tuesday Bi-Weekly Trivia night, our weekly Thursday Open Mic Night, our weekly Saturday Live Music series, and our weekly Sunday Musical Afternoon series.

If you've had our burgers, you know how good they are.  Help us spread the word by voting for The National Hotel that is participating in "the Big Cheese" search for NJ's Best Burger contest.  It's been extended until the end of the month, but don't wait, please...we thank you in advance!

We're also well on our way with planning our weekly Additions to the Menu.  This weekend we have so many wonderful dishes that there's something for everyone.  From the Pheasant Stew (Beer-braised Pheasant, winter vegetables in a stew with a butter pastry dough), to our Grilled Steak & Crab Fritters (10 oz. Skirt Steak grilled to your liking with 2 crab fritters over a sweet potato hash), to Panner & Lotus Root Fritters (Paneer Cheese, crunchy lotus root with Indian spices over a creamy cashew saffron sauce), to so much more.  Keep checking every Thursday night to see the weekend Additions to the Menu.

We've received some wonderful compliments from our hotel guests (as well as our frequent--and even our new--Restaurant and Bar dining guests).  One recent review  from a New York resident who stayed with us was so candid and filled with high praise, that I wanted to share it with you:

"I took my husband here for his birthday and we had a great time. We took the Loft suite and I told the General Manager Marlon the room looked better in person than on the website. What I love about our room [is that] we had a separate entrance so it seems more personal...We ate in the dining area and the bar and the food was delicious. If you need a place to stay where the area is quiet this is the place." 

Pete and I have thoroughly enjoyed our wonderful new friends that we've made at The National Hotel, as well as the old friendships we've been fortunate enough to reinforce, in great part because of the easy and elegant--yet inviting--atmosphere at The National Hotel (not to mention the casual atmosphere of The Rat with our woodburning fireplace to keep the winter blues outside & the fun inside).  Having these friends join us at The National Hotel lends itself to enjoy in-depth conversations, feeling free to share opinions, dreams, aspirations, and even the challenges being faced at any particular time.  It's a wonderful little Delaware River town, filled with some of the most creative people we've had the pleasure to meet, and The National Hotel itself is a wonderful old historic establishment that welcomes all who step through its doors.  Our patrons are incredibly supportive and wonderfully active in our music and arts programs.

But as 2012 establishes its pace in all our lives, I feel compelled to once again share how absolutely wonderfully blessed we are to have such wonderful and talented people working at The National Hotel.  Each one brings his or her own flair to add to the chemistry of the establishment, and it is thanks to each and every one of them, from the wait staff to our kitchen staff, to our talented executive chef, Lisa Frederick, and to our wonderful "unofficial mayor" of Frenchtown, our very own general manager, Marlon Aranha, that we are able to bring to the table the fabulous dishes, serve delectable cocktails and wine and liquor choices, as well as provide exceptional service on the hotel side, with guest suites that have our overnight guests leaving beautiful hand-written notes to us as to the fantastic service, and restful night's sleep.  I truly walk into this historic building each and every time feeling like I'm home.  I know Pete echoes this sentiment, and with the hours he keeps there, it really is his home away from home.  Thank you for all you've done to help us get to this point.  Here's to an even better 2012!

Please continue to email me with your comments, or post a comment below.  Stay up-to-date with everything being planned, by checking our website, calling us at 908.996.3200 or:

      

 Thank you again.