Halloween at the shell grotto

There will be an evening of ghoulish folkloric story telling at the Shell Grotto on the 31st of October Halloween. Too scary for kids apparantly!

"For the first time ever the Shell Grotto will be hosting an event on the night of Halloween. And the mysterious temple is the perfect venue for spooky goings on!

Down in the eerie depths of the Grotto, the Theatre of the Small will present Devil Tales; a puppet show based on early European folk tales, portraying how the Devil tricks mankind and mankind tricks the Devil. Meanwhile, Sandwich storyteller and honorary King of Fools Tony Cooper will spin sinister tales and gruesome stories by candlelight - enter if you dare!"

2 days later 2008

How time flies when you're having... well, how time flies. It's come around again. Time for the 2 Days Later short film competition. The theme as usual is horror. There will be a halloween screening at the Theatre Royal Margate on Saturday 25th of October. The competition is now in it's 6th year and is going from strength to strength. Always good to see good things going on in town.

[Still from Alistair Crow/Alan Mandel/Rozi Owen's On Ice]

Andy Warhol's TV

Went to the Andy Wahol's TV exhibition at Substation on Friday night where they've re-constructed the inside of Kate Jackson's shop, Style Counsel. I think Margate really misses shops like Kate's. There was a time, not so long ago when there were quite a few antique and second hand vintage shops in the Old Town. This was before my time unfortunately. The exhibition has a nice twist to it, where kids can get a £5 voucher to take up to Scott's, another of my fave haunts in Margate and pick up an item and bring it back to the exhibition. The kids then get to keep the object after everything is finished.

Favourite Places - The Harbour Cafe

I think The Harbour Cafe is really the best place in Margate for decor. It's situated on the ground floor of a lovely grand old building, The Royal York Mansions, on the Parade, situated next to the Harbour on The Parade. The owners renovated it from a regular pizza takeaway place about five years ago. It's stripped back bare brick walls and raw floor boards. It's got a slightly vintage feel that isn't trying too hard.

The fave things on the menu are the homemade burger and fat hand cut fries. The Sunday lunch is good. The deserts are lovely, fresh fruit tarts and if they have it in the wonderful chocolate tart.

If they ever closed I'd be lost for somewhere to have an afternoon coffee and cake. They're also dog friendly.

Royal York Mansions
10 The Parade
Margate
CT9 1EZ
01843 290110

O Margate

On now, a Radio 4 play on Margate by Annie Caulfield.