A Halloween showcase

The dust has settled on another Halloween, with the skeletons firmly back in the closet. But that doesn't mean we can't distribute some more fear into the world, and so I present a Halloween showcase!

At Christmas last year I offered a glimpse into some of the festive creations a few of my blog-contributing neighbours had conjured up, and so I'd like to repeat that now with a look at some of the tricks and treats that Halloween has inspired...


We'll start at Nibble and Noms, who posts regularly on the blog as Whipped Cream.

Nibbles and Noms

Sometimes I wonder why the game is actually called Restaurant Story. After all outside of the goals there's not really a story being told as such. But Whipped Cream has history for creating storylines that have all visitors gripped. Earlier this year she captured the imagination on the Storm8 Forum with the tale of 'Loretta and Hazel's Journey Around the World', and has outdone herself with her restaurant caper this Halloween.

Whipped Cream's diner is laid out in the form of a Cluedo board. Every single one of the classic rooms is in there, complete with a character. Highlights include the conservatory which is home to Cashier Lee and his collection of luscious plants and the ballroom which holds the Two to Tango who are jigging to the sound of the Violinist's strings and Gran's Phonograph.

But this is only the beginning of Whipped Cream's inventiveness. Because shortly after this wonderful theme was unveiled, there was breaking news: 'someone has turned the butler into a scarecrow'. What?!

Crime scene at Nibbles and Noms

What was a fun arrangement had taken a sinister twist. Over the next couple of weeks Detective Phoebe undertook an in-depth investigation into this incident, and things got grim as one-by-one the guests were vanishing into thin air. Phoebe had to step up her examination, and the discovery of a secret passageway between the study and kitchen meant big progress.

Eventually she solved the crime - it was the Jock and the Ice Skating Girl! They had wanted to get together but the butler disapproved, causing the Jock to take heinous action. And from there things spiralled out of control. Everything's fine now though!

The originality of Whipped Cream's Halloween story is just genius. I've never come across such an intricate and detailed plan behind a restaurant layout, and doubt I'll ever see better! It's amazing the brainwork that the mystery crimes update inspired!

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The next stop on our voyage is to Mexi's Diner.

Mexi's Diner

Having provided more comments than anyone in 2015 under the username mexispice, here we have another player with an awesome eye for detail.

There are numerous major decorations on show at Mexi's Diner, including both the Haunted House and Trick-or-Treaters. However unlike many players, mexispice has opted to keep the two separated by a rugged path of Garden Stones, and use the Haunted Clock Tower as a backdrop to the Trick-or-Treaters. This puts an alternative yet intriguing slant on the Trick-or-Treaters for me - their smiles may not be a result of being laden with candy but instead the consequence of having been courageous enough to enter the intimidating clock tower.

Something else innovative I'd like to draw your attention to is the Psychic Reader towards the bottom. She's surrounded on two sides by curtained walls, but should be exposed on the nearer sides. Yet mexispice has used some real initiative by incorporating five appliances to enclose the psychic. The colour scheme works well, and more importantly the psychic should be able to concentrate much better!

Let's zoom in on the part of Mexi's Diner where the food is awaiting.

Food section of Mexi's Diner

All the food on display here is of Halloween origin. That's some attention to detail there, and takes some work to pull off, particularly when you have an efficient layout as mexispice does. The Halloween dishes are all so bright and in your face, which fits nicely with the many colours presented within the rest of the décor.

Much of this colour bursts out from the area with the Mad Chemist at the centre. There's so much detail on each of the Potion Vials, Pumpkin Punch, Aromatics Display and Fairy Jars that when you throw them all together it really conveys the busyness of the chemist.

The organised chaos is completed by the Monster Mash, which stands loud and proud in the corner. A first prize in an ancient box, it was re-released last Halloween, and has got the zaniness to match the surroundings. It's fair to say that mexispice made a great investment!

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Time to travel to our third destination, which is long-term contributor Fat Bear.

Fat Bear

Considering that Fat Bear has a disturbing infatuation with Halloween, expectations were high. And yet she has nailed it! There are Fallen Trees dotted all over the outdoor area as per usual, but there's some real regimental structure to be found among the wild flora. There are three homes along the right wall, each separated so cleverly with a Starry Sky wallpaper. Each has it's own unique front garden scene, and leads out to the Stepping Stone street.

When tiptoeing along the road you'll pass the Haunted Clock Tower. I'm not sure that Fat Bear has moved this 4x4 giant once since buying it last Halloween! It is one of the great Halloween items, and therefore it's no surprise to see it staying put for so long.

Beyond the Fall Garden and Duval St Chickens (which are so well incorporated into an actual crossroads) there's an opportunity to visit the Haunted House. Here's you'll find the Parisian Waitress holding a tray of cakes. This is a truly magnificent catch - the Parisian Waitress is the perfect fit for Halloween since she's all set with the goodies for the trick or treaters.

However it's in the kitchen section I wish to place the focus.

Kitchen section of Fat Bear

The delirious expression on the face of the Mad Scientist has taken on all new meaning! Here he is looking upon the results of his messing with a Food Replicator. Instead of cloning food he seems to have successfully duplicated the Mad Chemist, with a stream of them taking control of the kitchen.

This is a great concept, but I don't think it would have quite the same effect if it wasn't for the way the kitchen has been given a makeover for Halloween. There are some great choices on display, from the Halloween themed appliances and Steampunk Lamps to the Digital Solar System and Lab Experiment. Together it gives for a frenetic scene which can be looked at for ages, and you'll continue to spot something new!

But something that's certainly not new in Fat Bear's kitchen is the spoilt pot of Eyeball Stew. Originally cooked last October, this famous stew stood unspoilt for longer than any other recipe in the history of the game thanks to a shocker of a coding bug. With the Eyeball Stew long since removed, this is an artefact that Fat Bear is keeping forever!

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Now to your fourth venue in this spooky showcase, which is The Red Chair.

The Red Chair

Home of blog commenter Laura Beth, The Red Chair housed four distinct areas this Halloween. The kitchen zone is the one at the front, where the Witch's Kitchen is in place. You really see here how well the final prize from this year's goals combines with the two appliances. The deep purples allow the floor decoration and cookers to subtly merge into one, and allows Laura to save some space exquisitely. I think it can be very easy to allow a kitchen section to overflow and dominate your restaurant (I speak from experience!) so you can't underestimate how well it's been confined here.

The two outdoor zones at the sides host the three most coveted decorations yet again - the Haunted Clock Tower, Haunted House and Trick-or-Treaters feature in each of the three traditional Halloween styled places we've visited thus far! The Venetian flooring makes for an excellent pathway from the Cemetery Archway up to the clock tower, and the added touch of Potted Plants around the Tombstone Tables is really poignant.

I can't help but notice that the Haunted House and Trick-or-Treaters are positioned in the same way they are in my diner! It's no surprise though - they work so well as a combination, and Laura has taken it a step further by dropping the Mad Chemist in as a fifth member of the costumed party. A very canny move!

But it's the last of the corners I want to take the closest look at.

Crystal Room corner of The Red Chair

Who would have thought the Crystal Room would be such a successful inclusion in a Halloween theme? Yet Laura has proven it's worthiness here, with the dark purple tones playing beautifully into the whimsical side of Halloween. Normally a box first prize, Laura picked up the Crystal Room for a bargain price in the Christmas 2014 sale.

But alone I don't think the Crystal Room would have much impact. The fact that it has been positioned alongside the Psychic Reader and Coffin Couple is what makes this corner so impressive. Each of these major decorations has a purple element to it, and together you get a cool setting. Also, having the Potion Vials and Chilled Drink helps draw the items together. I reckon the guy from the Coffin Couple could really do with a chilled drink, just to encourage him to chill out and put those fangs away!

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The showcase is almost over, but there's one last restaurant we need to visit. And that is Garden party, who is another long time reader and contributor.

Garden party

I'd suggest that Garden party took something of a risk with her Halloween restaurant, since it breaks from the tradition of having lots of different types of item in place, usually with an outdoor area. But it has paid off in the grand manner!

Here we have a gigantic laboratory, with several beautifully designed elements. On the left is the experimental section, where the Mad Chemists are juggling beakers. The Lab Experiment is a natural choice for the centrepiece, but there are some more unusual choices too which are inspired. The Robot Chef is one of these (presumably a work of the chemists!) as are the Futuristic Displays. They are right at home in the lab, which leaves me wondering why I hadn't thought of that!

Towards the top there's another Lab Experiment in place, but this one stands at the front of a classroom. Who'd have thought we'd be seeing science class for Halloween! But Garden party has pulled it off with the rows of tables and chairs, and has added a special touch with the Holographic Greeter being the teacher. Suddenly science class seems really enticing!

But for the closer inspection, there is only one possible part of Garden party to home in on.

Cloning section of Garden party

It's a cloning machine for Phoebe! With the Mad Chemist at the Cash Register and Steampunk Arcade controls, he's breaking the laws of physics big time. The entire system has been put together with such flair - from the Bubble Pillar and Seoul Towers to the Futuristic Dividers and Steampunk Lamps, Garden party has come up with something very special here.

The floor tile choices also help convey the flow of this scene, with the Sparkle tile used so intelligently. And at the end we have an army of Phoebe's being churned out. So far Hanbok Phoebe, Barista Phoebe, Arbor Day Phoebe, Manager Phoebe, Detective Phoebe and Captain Phoebe have all been produced, and are lined up to attention. I take back any complaints I've ever had about there being too many Phoebe decorations!

To top things off, this army has a general, with the Robo Dog quite clearly in charge. I have no idea what his intentions are, but I'm sure he could run an excellent restaurant with all those Phoebes!

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So that is the end of this Halloween showcase. It's been a real joy to bring you some of the great creativity I'm privy to day in, day out from my wonderful neighbours. My only regret is not having done more of these showcases. This is only the second one after the Christmas 2014 edition, so I promise it won't take quite so long to produce the next!