Elvis has left the building - twice in one weekend at the Hotel Fredonia!

Marilyn Monroe and Elvis made an appearance Friday evening at the hotel after they attended the showing of Sara's Book at the Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House - what a beautiful downtown attraction and what a talented team of SFA students who put this production together!

Elvis had so much fun Friday that he arrived back at the hotel on Saturday evening - at the Viva Las Vegas Fund-raiser for Christ Episcopal Church School - just in time to start the auction with a trip to none other than Las Vegas!

The Los Angeles TLC Crew was here filming Toddlers and Tiaras this weekend. We really enjoyed having Tonya Bailey, the organizer of this event and her staff as well as the film crew in house. They were awesome to work with and it was fun having them as our guest as they all interacted with the contestants and their families. Safe travels to all the families and Michael and his crew!

So.... The Bellamy Brothers checked in on Saturday as well and had an outstanding performance at Banita Creek Hall! Favorites include "Let Your Love Flow" and "If I Said You Had a Beautiful Body Would You Hold It Against Me?" which was inspired by Grouch Marx....

Here is some interesting trivia per wikipedia... the Marx brothers performed in Nacogdoches at The Old Opera House years ago... during a particularly dispiriting performance at The Old Opera House and while a mule was running loose in downtown Nacogdoches, Julius (Groucho Marx) , Milton (Gummo Marx) , and Arthur (Harpo Marx) began cracking jokes onstage for their own amusement. Much to their surprise, the audience liked them better as comedians than singers. They modified the then-popular Gus Edwards comedy skit "School Days" and renamed it "Fun In Hi Skule". The Marx Brothers would perform variations on this routine for the next seven years.

So read on... How cool is this story about "If I said You Had A Beautiful Body Would You Hold It Against Me?" Per Wikipedia, the song boasts one of the most interesting titles in Country music, and as Howard Bellamy tells it, originated from a phrase coined by one the 20th century's most enduring comedians. Says Bellamy, "I have to give credit for that line to Groucho Marx. That's going way back. Of course you've heard of the Marx Brothers. Groucho used to have a show on TV when we were growing up - which I hate to even admit how long ago that was - but he had a show called You Bet Your Life, and he'd have guests on, and different quiz questions. And Groucho smoked a cigar - that tells you how long ago it was, he smoked cigars on a TV show. He'd use that line occasionally, he'd say, 'If I said you had a beautiful body, would you hold it against me?' and shake his cigar and kind of raise his eyebrows. So we had heard that line growing up, and our family always had a weird southern sense of humor, and they'd use that line around a lot. So it just came one day that it'd be a great song title."

Never a dull moment at the Hotel Fredonia...

Stay tuned as rumor has it... Elvis will be in the building again for the Nacogdoches Water Works Water Park project fund -raiser on April 17 - Blue Hawaii is the theme and raffle tickets will be available soon!

Come see us! We look forward to serving you, our guest!

Ciao!

March 8, 2010 | Susan (spackreents@hotelfredonia.com) 

Bundle up and come see us. Bring your sweetie and relax and enjoy a Cappuccino, White Chocolate Mocha Latte or a Lanana Creek Coffee with Kahlua & Brandy in our Vault Coffee Bar and Wine Bar.

Beginning with our seafood buffet on Friday and our special Valentine's Dinner on Saturday, we have a weekend full of dining, wining and live music for you and your sweetheart to enjoy together.

Looking forward to another weekend of taking care of our guests!

Stay Warm and Cheers!

Susan

February 11, 2010 | Susan (spackreents@hotelfredonia.com)

I set out to name my small part on this web page something creative. Knowing that foodie is a hot term for those who love food and all that it encompasses, I thought hotelie made sense for my interest and love of hotels, but to my shock, the urban dictionary has the term hotelie reserved for students who are associated with the Cornell University hotel program.

Being a proud graduate of the University of Houston Hotel and Restaurant program I was a bit miffed that Cornell could claim this title and certainly was not going to use it.

Upon further obervation, I realized many European hotels used the term in their web titles like the following - hotel.ie

To me this signified the International travel flair that I love for people to experience at the Hotel Fredonia, so without knowing the real reason for hotel.ie - I have apdopted hotel.ie to relate what I love about serving guests at the Hotel Fredonia and being a hotelier...

University of Houston rocks - coming from a girl from San Angelo, Texas who began at A&M and finished at U of H - loving every moment of the big city and the education I received at U of H. Never say never...

Cheers! - (as one of my team members signs off on his email (: What a happy thought!)
Susan

January 31, 2010 | Susan (spackreents@hotelfredonia.com)



What an amazing evening at the hotel last night!

Thank you to all that came out to raise money and awareness of CASA while enjoying some belly laughing fun with Bob Biggerstaff, Slade Ham and Lee Adams.

I wish we did not have a need, for a group of volunteers, to be child advocates for children who have been abused and therefore removed from their homes. What an atrocity when the individual(s) who is supposed to love and protect you - makes the choice to harm you and/or not protect you.

Thankfully we do have special people like Casa Executive Director Rebecca Carlton, the CASA Board and child advocate volunteers, and physicians like Amy Huggins, who give all they can to enable our area judges to make the best decision for these children and their future for a loving home.

Mark your calendar for Saturday, February 20th. CASA's Annual...And Justice is Served dinner - enjoy a live and silent auction and the presence of area celebrity waiters serving up some good times and fun! All the money raised support's CASA' efforts. Dr. Tom Middlebrook, one who has given a lifetime of service to our youth, will be the special guest for the evening. Tickets are available at CASA 560-4711. Donations and auction items are welcome as well.

Again, thank you for enjoying the hotel and giving back to a special cause.

We love having comedy night each month and bringing an enojyable evening to the area. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Susan

January 29, 2010 | Susan (spackreents@hotelfredonia.com)

Susan, thank you for including me in the evening! Hotel Fredonia is one of my favorite places to visit, and to perform. It was a double honor to take part in an event conducted to help such a noble and needed cause. Like you said, it is a shame there is a need, but thank goodness for all of the work they do. I wish CASA all the success in the world. In fact, after talking to some of the CASA principals at the event, I am resolved to become more involved here at home. Again, thank you for allowing me to be part of such a special evening, and thank you for your wonderful accommodations and hospitality.

January 30, 2010 | Lee Marvin Adams (ladams4@bellsouth.net)



It is hard to believe 2010 is here! Since June 16, 2008, we have embarked on restoring this beautiful historic Nacogdoches hotel. Originally opened by the citizens of Nacogdoches on April 1, 1955, we are looking forward to celebrating Hotel Fredonia's 55th birthday this year!

We have been blessed to have so many new and returning guests who have experienced the continued transformation and hard work of our dedicated team of employees. We still have more to do and hope you will continue to stop in, stay a while, enjoy a drink, dine in Cafe Fredonia, listen to the live music and see our newest addition, The Vault Coffee and Lobby Bar. Its name is derived from the fact that we have a new bank in town, and in our lobby no less, Texas State Bank . You can bank, sip on a latte and/or enjoy some vino and good company while watching the Hotel Fredonia lobby truly come alive and become once again the living room of Nacogdoches, the oldest and most historical town in Texas.

I can not ever say thank you enough to all those who have continued to support us. Thank you, thank you , thank you to the Man above who through all things are possible; my family; friends; investors; banker, Mark Lowery with Texas State Bank; Marty Barnhill with Zeleskey Lawfirm; Lori Lamb with Axley and Rode; all our Fredonia family; and of course you the guest who make it all worth while. We are blessed to have your presence amongst us and take great pride in providing you, the local and surrounding community members and travelers from all over the world, an escape and place for you to relax and enjoy whether here for business or pleasure.

I look forward to seeing you and visiting with you at the hotel.

Fondly,
Susan

January 27, 2010 | Susan