MEMORIAL DAY WISHES, LOOKING BACK AT THE MONTH OF MAY AND AHEAD TO JUNE

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.

James McBride

And yesterday's program followed on the heels of a ton of musical programming at The National Hotel.  From Mike Pfeiffer, to The Delton Walker Band, to Dallas Vietty, and 15 Keys, it's truly been a spectacular month.



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!