Four of my wonderful neighbours have well and truly made Halloween their own, and so here I shall provide a hairy tour of each establishment which will leave you unable to recall what it was like not to have goosebumps.
The torture begins at cafe lula, where an entire street has been overcome by the Halloween season.
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| cafe lula |
The mood on the Stone street itself seems to be unexpectedly jovial, with the likes of Bella Beekeeper, the Creepy Kid and Astronaut Suit all showing off costumes which undoubtedly took some time to prepare. There are Tombstone Tables and Ghost Chairs lining the pavement, but a number of Skeleton Lamps create a queer ambience that doesn't really have me quaking in my boots.
And some of the Trick-or-Treaters clearly share my lack of fear, since they are approaching the Haunted House with gusto despite the angry Jack-o'-lanterns out front and ghoul escaping from under the roof (the things kids do to get sweets!) All seems well, but then again the kids haven't spotted the Trick or Treat Ghost shaking a fist. This ghost has just been down at the Haunted Clock Tower gathering spiders for a not-so-tasty broth and isn't at all happy to see unplanned visitors.
I hate to be so morbid, but those kids could be paying an early visit to the cemetery in the corner. The graves here are old and dirty; it almost looks as though they've been recently disturbed. Not to worry, I'm sure the Grim Reaper will use his scythe to pat down any loose earth, right?!
Across on the other side of the street things aren't about to get any brighter...
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| Dark dining room at cafe lula |
The dining room is as dark and dingy as they come, with a long set of Haunted Tables at the centre of it. Although to reach them you'll have to zigzag your way across the Spider Stone floor which is swamped with spiderwebs. Those menacing Spider Tables have certainly made their presence felt!
Fortunately there is some excellent service to be had in the dining room. The cocktails served up by the Vampire Waiters will only ever be of the same blood type as your own, while the Violinist will offer some chilling strings to accompany the Spooky Piano which is playing itself in the corner. Then there's the Creepy Doll who will read you a horror volume from the Coffin Bookshelf. What a relaxing setting.
I really like how Lula has mixed and matched content in this area. Spiderwebs can be seen on the floor and the bookcases, and obviously link up nicely with the Spider Tables. And there are ominous hints of red throughout, be it the Red Room Curtains, Modern Asian Tables or even the touches of red on the two chair designs used.
Long tables are also a feature at our second destination, Garden party, but have been utilised very differently.
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| Garden party |
The upper tier is mostly devoted to a colourful and vibrant Halloween party, where Gran-Gran's Tables are in close proximity to the rather tasty Halloween Desserts display. Purple and orange are certainly the main colours in play, giving a slightly magical feel coupled with something more sinister. The flooring is mostly Theater Carpet but there's the clever inclusion of a selection of Happy Halloween faces to ensure that the diners don't get too comfortable.
Entertainment comes in the form of a Costume Contest where there are no shortage of keen participants, although some are getting more into it than others (come on Hip Techie, get a costume!) Superman seems to have picked up the prize for best outfit, but obviously the Mexican Dancer will walk away with the best dancing gong.
Away from the buzz of the shindig, you can enjoy a colder and altogether more dire meal downstairs. Here a pair of Creepy Dolls and a Creepy Kid are running the Carving Station, with their idea of carving quite possibly consisting of sinking their teeth into the tender meat. Stay away from the Haunted Food Cart I say! Talking of sinking teeth, it looks like the Parisian Waitress is about to get her fangs thanks to two Vampire Waiters who have grown tired of waiting. There's some really good character placement here that promotes some intriguing (and frankly disturbing!) subplots.
Luckily some of the horrors at Garden party are just an act, in particular in the near corner...
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| Halloween performance at Garden party |
The Coffin Couple are known the world over as the greatest performing vampires, and have chosen this as their venue for the Halloween leg of their tour. Skeleton Lamps light the way up to the platform at the centre of this creepy caper. But there are various props all around, including some Coffin Bookshelves and a Spooky Fireplace which is remarkably authentic. So pull up a Banquet Chair and settle down as they put on a dramatic performance.
We've joined the action at a key scene in the show, with the main protagonist ('pink cardigan man') awaking his one true love ('corset girl') from her coffin of slumber. He holds up his purple cape to show his grand vampire stature and the captivated audience applaud. An award-winning performance if ever there was one.
Next up is another restaurant where the Coffin Couple have made a stop - it's the Rose Petal Cafe.
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| Rose Petal Cafe |
There are many different attractions here, with the Haunted House in the right corner seemingly the most popular of all. They're queuing up to trick-or-treat, but the Trick or Treat Ghost is warding them off as there's a Demogorgonzola on the loose out the back. That's not putting off many others in the parkland area though, with the Zombie Lovers hanging out among the Fallen Trees and Detective Phoebe casting her magnifying glass over the Grim Reaper.
Elsewhere there's some serious alchemy going on with the Witch Chef operating her Wicked Spell Station. Her current brew includes a few 'bits' from the Brain Jar and is coming along nicely. Just as well since the Psychic Reader next door needs extra brains in order to get a good read of her crystal ball.
Across on the other side of this place is a Haunted Elevator from which a bellboy has emerged. He's looking somewhat traumatised, but I'm not sure if that's because of the reaching hands he's left behind or the cup of coffee Barista Phoebe is offering from the Expresso Bar. Surely Phoebe's coffee is perfect? Then again, in a diner where brains are used as an ingredient you'd be forgiven for being sceptical about any drink thrust in your direction.
And that leads us neatly on to the bar area at the Rose Petal Cafe.
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| Bar at Rose Petal Cafe |
It's one thing to have a glorious Halloween decoration such as the Vampire Bartender, but it's another thing altogether to then implement it to maximum effect, and yet that's been done here. The vampire looks downright angry as he pours a drink, quite possibly because he has spotted a Werewolf making advances on the young and innocent Hip Techie.
I'd call the Haunted Butler over for assistance in escorting the Werewolf off the premises but that would be pointless given how slow the butler moves in his old age. He's been serving that same Ghost Table since long before it died. Customers might have to help themselves from the buffet of Potion Vials or ask the Zombie Waiter for service. Actually, after seeing the bulging eyes and congealed blood of the zombie I think I'll just park myself at a bar stool next to the much friendlier looking Haunted Tree.
The colour scheme in this bar is fantastic, with purples, blacks and greys each blended together to give a lively scene with lots of quirky touches. A lot of thought has clearly gone into integrating and doing justice to the Vampire Bartender as comprehensively as possible.
Refreshments such as Potion Vials are also available at our final venue, the Snowbun Cafe.
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| Snowbun Cafe |
Here the party has been taken outside despite the falling autumn temperatures. The Trick-or-Treaters are hanging out with the Ring Barker and Scarecrow, with Spendthrift the Clown hoping to join in their fun. Elsewhere the Snow Suit has realised that the only accessory he's not wearing is a mask so is perusing the stock of Creepy Masks. Detective Phoebe is interrogating a Handy Chair which is eerily reaching out of the earth. And the Trick or Treat Ghost is telling off his Floor Ghosts for running off without permission. Parents will be parents and kids will be kids!
Under the Cemetery Archway we find the Haunted Clock Tower, guarded by the Headless Horseman and roamed by the Werewolf. The girl in the Leaf Pile has some bottle to visit this natural Spider Table habitat, but when you're as obsessed with leaves as she is it's difficult to turn your back. It's not all dark and danger around here though, since the Phantom is remembering the Living Dead which is... nice.
Snowbun has a beautiful river flowing through the middle of the restaurant, with a gate for crossing manned by the Creepy Kid. The integration of multiple different floor tiles is something I wouldn't have considered, but the Tranquil Waters and Bubble Tiles compliment each other well. Of course you could just swim across but that would mean opening yourself up to a poisonous pink octopus and a Monster on Ice.
On the other side of the not so friendly waters there is a bustling laboratory.
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| Laboratory at Snowbun Cafe |
There are scores of lab experiments being undertaken here by numerous illuminaries from the field of twisted science. Stacks of Brain Jars and Spooky Supplies guarantee that there won't be any shortage of ingredients, and that's just as well since the Mad Scientist's facial expression suggests that he may be starting over with his current work.
The Mad Chemist is having more success with his efforts to create every colour of the rainbow in turn within the flames of the Spooky Fireplace, while the Lab Assistant reckons that she has concocted the perfect potion to wake Frankenstein. She'll just need to persuade the flanking Creepy Dolls to let her in about...
Of course the group as a whole have already enjoyed great success once before with bringing a monster to life, with Frankie now the resident IT guy. He developed the Robo Dog as a companion, focuses his work around the Creepy Computer and is presently on the way to re-calibrate the Space Console.
This might just be the best lab I've ever seen in Restaurant Story. Snowbun has such a wide range of content on show, but it all links snugly and there's strong character interaction with the decor which gives for a really interesting scene to look at.
Recent showcases
02/07/17 July 2017
30/04/17 April 2017
14/02/17 Valentine's Day 2017
25/12/16 Christmas 2016
31/10/16 Halloween 2016
30/04/17 April 2017
14/02/17 Valentine's Day 2017
25/12/16 Christmas 2016
31/10/16 Halloween 2016
I've always felt that Halloween brings out the best in the community when it comes to decorating, and these four fine players have demonstrated that, and then some. Each has provided an alternative interpretation of Halloween and has imposed their own style in such effective ways. As always it is a pleasure to be able to call these folks neighbours and even more of a pleasure to be able to bring their sparkling creations to the blog.
I hope everyone has had and is having a great Halloween, unlike some of the unlucky characters in our showcase restaurants!
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