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Don Pearse
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Don Pearse
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Don Pearse
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Don Pearse
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Don Pearse
By Bob & Tanya Waite
No rush this time to get ready and hit the road. We’re already packed and are ready to drive about 20 miles to our destination—River House at Odette’s in New Hope. Now we generally don’t go this local, but we signed a beam along with other people who were invited to the construction site for a ribbon cutting ceremony. So, River House has our name on it.
Tanya looks out the window and says, “Look at all the snow.” She hates to get her shoes wet, even a little, even though she usually wears boots during the winter. It is somewhat strange that we go on our trips a season ahead of the issue in which it will appear. But I love snow, especially the way it makes the drab winter landscape come alive. As we get into the salt covered Nissan, Tanya says in a kidding but stern voice, “Look man, you need to wash this car.” I say, “Too late now.”
Driving down River Road looking at the snow on the ground and shards of ice floating on the river, Tanya says, “It’s beautiful!” I concur. Then I say, “It’s strange Sweetie, but we drive this road at least once a week, and now I feel like we are somewhere else.” Tanya says, “Stay out of my head! I was thinking the same thing.”
We arrive at River House and a young very polite valet approaches the car. Tanya, who likes to get personal fast, asks, “What’s your name?” Alex smiles from ear to ear. They have a conversation. The valet parking is under the building and the elevator to the lobby and the rooms is right there.
Piano music and a jazz singer’s melodic voice greets us as we come off the elevator into the River House lobby. Stepping out of the elevator, we see Odette’s Restaurant straight ahead, to the right is a cozy sitting room called the Piano Lounge that has a stone wall with a glass-covered fireplace imbedded in the wall, a vaulted ceiling, tables, comfortable furniture and, of course, a grand piano. There are a few couples, maybe hotel guests or perhaps diners having a cocktail before eating at Odette’s. We are mesmerized by the scene—elegantly different. To our left is the check-in desk where we meet Sara Miller, who not only checks us in, but asks us with a smile what else she can do for us. Opposite of her sitting at a table is Sarah Dils, the friendly concierge who asks us where we are from. I say, “Middletown Township, outside of Langhorne.” She says, “Oh, a staycation; that should be fun.”
Is it really a staycation? I keep thinking that we are somehow far away, not staying near home. Tanya is busy taking photos in the Piano Lounge, Odette’s and the lobby. Local art is placed strategically on walls. Candelabras and unusual lighting arrangements are everywhere, and as I am handed the room key, Tanya appears by the elevator out of nowhere to go to room 309.
I can’t sit down or put my bags anywhere but out of site as Tanya marches about the room taking photos. She, as usual, oohs and aahs and even pulls up her shoulders and makes a squeaking sound. I am standing behind her to not get in the way. Her first screech is for the bright floral mural spanning the room over the large king-size bed. Hidden back lighting romantically sends a steady stream of soft light from behind the top of the bed.
The room is furnished to look like Bucks County but also like somewhere else. I love the use of a transitional style furniture, such as the sitting chair and ottoman, the green-gray dresser, and a colorful carpet with a spectrum of colors that is tilted to warm but had enough blue and white to present a pleasant contrast and a strong feeling of being somewhere memorable. The desk chair is bright white and has a spindle back making it look very Bucks County. The balcony and view of the river and the Jersey side are both romantic and awe inspiring, especially in the snow. Looking over Tanya’s shoulder as she takes an outside shot, I see two brave souls walking their dogs on a path across the river. And the sturdy wooden shutters over the wood framed glass doors to the balcony are a perfect complement to the furnishings.
On the dresser is a plate of fruit and cheese. I dig in immediately. Tanya, trying to be above such animal instincts, nibbles on a small piece of cheese and a cracker. I make coffee in the Keurig coffee maker and notice the little enclave which has a coffee maker and a refrigerator. The refrigerator lights up with a blue light when you open the door. Above is a shelf with dishes, glasses, coffee cups and cloth napkins. Nothing is paper.
When checking out the room, Tanya always saves the bathroom for last. She is going in now. I hear loud praises to God! “Halleluiah!” Sounding very 90s she exclaims, “The bomb!” Like everywhere in River House, art adorns the bathroom walls. Two abstract paintings, both colorful and peaceful at the same time, are visible on the wall adjacent to the sink and over the toilet. The shower gives you a choice of either a rain forest deluge coming out of the ceiling or the more traditional shower which has a wide shower head to keep you very wet during the whole relaxing experience. Everything in the bathroom is perfect. There are different shaped tiles on the side of the shower, the floor and the opposite wall. The marble sink and backlit mirror combined with the modern art give the room a European feel. As my wife says, “The bomb!”
We are lying in bed watching a Netflix series on the large smart tv above the dresser. Our bodies wanting to stay but the excitement of going on a tour stirs us from our sedentary posture and we go down to lobby to meet our tour guide, Assistant General Manager Jason Mancuso.
Jason brings with him lots of experience in hotel management. He originally is from Rhode Island and worked in Newport. Since then, his career took him to New York City, Kansas City, Asbury Park and now New Hope. He loves River House and takes a lot of pride in what has been accomplished in this special boutique hotel.
We meet Jason by the elevator. He oozes enthusiasm as he starts talking about the restaurant and where he is going to take us. It is hard to hear him over the piano music which is a little livelier than when we arrived. He takes us over towards Odette’s and begins showing us around. After that we visit the Gallery where wedding receptions and other events are held such as Bar or Bat Mitzvahs, birthday parties, showers, and so on.
Weddings here are amazing. The doors that separate the Gallery from the lobby can be opened leaving a great space for cocktails and hors d'oeuvres before the actual event. In the Gallery are indoor space inside the gallery and outdoor space on a beautiful terrace that overlooks the Delaware. This outdoor dining and socializing space has overhead heaters for cool autumn nights but is closed during the winter months. Terraces are found throughout River House. Also, the Gallery has hardwood floors that allows for dancing anywhere on the floor.
Jason then shows us the hotel. We see paintings by local artists that decorate the hall as Jason takes us to see several of the rooms. Our room has a river view and rooms on the other side of the hall from us have a mountain view. Jason shows us two suites. One suite has a door that leads to two entrances. On one side of this suite is a master bedroom and large bath and on the other side is a full kitchen with a slate topped table and a sitting area that has a sofa, several well-appointed and comfortable chairs, a Nakashima table and a fireplace. There is also a powder room. Enchanting paintings decorate the walls of the sitting area and bedroom.
Jason takes us to the Riverview Suite, which is as Tanya says, “Just too cute.” The view of the Delaware is enhanced by having more outdoor space than the Riverview King. The sitting area has one wall with eight paintings over the sofa. Across from the sofa is a fireplace and large screen tv. There are two comfortable chairs placed diagonally facing one another and a Nakashima coffee table in the middle of the room. Lighting comes from small inset lights in the ceiling, lamps and a circular minimalistic chandelier. The bedroom has a king size bed behind which is floral print wallpaper, and there is a large window that overlooks the river. Tanya is getting dizzy—me too.
Our tour ends with Jason leaving us at ROOF. The River House At Odette’s website describes ROOF as “a vibrant, 1970’s inspired bar & lounge scene capturing the glamorous art influences of New Hope’s hey-day in its unique design. High above the rolling river, reverie is in-store with spectacular views, signature cocktails and seasonal menus …” The ROOF is s member’s only club that hotels guests are given membership for the days of their stay. A menu is available for dining or just having a bite. The seating is comfortable, and the furnishings blend several influences to make it a real nightlife experience. The outdoor dining is closed because of the cold weather, but it offers sleek styled hardwood floors, tables with chairs and comfortable sofas and sitting chairs.
Mixologist Carol Doering visits our table for a cocktail demonstration. She explains that she will bring three signature cocktails for our sampling. The first is called Spice Pear, which is a martini made from Stateside vodka, spiced pear syrup, and lemon juice. The next is called Our Leading Lady, Odette Myrtil in honor of the owner of the original Odette’s restaurant. This cocktail is a delectable combination of sparkling Brut Crémant wine, Bacardi Silver rum, Gifford Crème de Fraise liqueur and fresh strawberries. Our third and final cocktail is the Almond Old Fashion 1860s. Carol warns us about this one, which is made from Hudson Baby Bourbon, Rittenhouse Rye, Demerara cube and a dash of Angostura. We are awed by the pleasant flavors of these cocktails and the skill of the mixologist.
It is 7 p.m. and we have reservations at Odette’s. The music from the Piano Lounge permeates the restaurant adding a special touch to a romantic evening. Tanya is smiling or as she would say, “cheesing” as we are seated by a window that overlooks the Delaware. Our waitress, Lizzy Lipkin comes to our table to introduce herself, provide a menu and ask us what we want to drink. We go for still water with lemons. Like all the staff, Lizzy is friendly, helpful and professional.
When Lizzie brings the water, we order Shrimp Cocktail as an appetizer. Tanya, sticking with her favorite seafood, orders Buttermilk Fried Shrimp that comes with Bloody Mary Cocktail sauce, lemon and French fries. She also orders a Classic Caesar salad that is made of chopped heart of Romaine, Grana Padano, focaccia crouton and Caesar dressing. I order the Center Cut Filet Mignon that is served with mushroom potato hash, creamed spinach, and Bearnaise.
The Shrimp Cocktail is beyond expectations. We are served four gigantic yet fresh and tasty jumbo shrimp on ice with cocktail sauce. We cannot wait for the main course.
My steak is perfectly medium rare and is as tender, if not more, than steaks I once ate in Omaha. The potato hash and creamed spinach provide a delicious contrast to the flavor of the steak, and I am in love. Tanya is also enamored with her shrimp and her salad. I help her with the fries (always willing to lend a hand to a lady in distress). We are full, but Lizzie brings us desert anyway. The White Chocolate Pomegranate Verrine was too good. Consisting of pomegranate mousse, white chocolate pastry cream, pomegranate seed, and chocolate covered pomegranate seeds; it literally melted in our mouths.
Thoroughly sated, we return to our room and watch tv. In the morning we skip breakfast and go for a ride. Again, it seemed like we were somewhere else. Driving through rural Hunterdon County we are pacified by the snowy fields, farms and winding country roads. Driving for a couple of hours without an endpoint in mind, we wind up where we began. We stop at the New Hope Diner for breakfast. We still feel that like we are somewhere else. Familiar surroundings are surprisingly new and different.
In the evening we are tired, so we stay in our romantic river view room reading, talking, watching tv. We are both happy and sad—happy to be here—sad because tomorrow we leave.
Up at 7 a.m. I get ready, pack and enjoy the view of the river. Tanya is already packed, as is her custom. She likes to take a long, hot shower before we go. At around 9 a.m. we go down to breakfast at Odette’s. There our waiter, Anthony Bullart, comes to our table with a big smile on his face. I order a coffee and Tanya orders a glass of water with lemon and some herbal tea. We order breakfast.
Our breakfasts come. Tanya has a croissant and a mocha chip muffin, and I have the Apple Pancakes—both delicious. We eat and go back to the room, say a sorrowful goodbye, grab our luggage, step onto the elevator and down we go to Valet Parking.
Driving south on River Road the vision of being somewhere different fades and gradually we come to. My mind is on work; Tanya is talking to her daughter on the phone. The River, however, seems more beautiful. Tanya notices a deer running up a hill. We no longer feel like we are somewhere different, but we appreciate Bucks County more than we did before staying at River House at Odette’s.
River House at Odette’s is located at 274 S. River Road, New Hope, PA. To book a room, call 877-464-0512 or visit www.riverhousenewhope.com. Odette’s Restaurant & Lounge can be reached at 215-682-2022. Open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Reservations recommended. Available for catered affairs of every kind.
Bob Waite is the editor of Bucks County Magazine and Tanya is his wife, travel companion and the co-writer of this department.