Carve Up Some Pumpkins with a Glass of Bubbly at DrinkShopDo
Pumpkin Carving is gaining an unusual amount of popularity in the last few years, with new events cropping up on almost every corner. Until recently, Fortnum & Mason's annual shindig was the only game in town – but now, some of London’s most exciting establishment are organising their own.
DrinkShopDo is an unusual mix between a craft shop, cafe, and an artisan cocktail bar, hailed as one of the best hangouts in the Kings Cross area. Their party hosts are armed with more glitter than you can handle, which is bound to sparkle up your carving experience. In true DSD fashion, they’ll throw in a glass of Veuve to help release your decadent inner artist.
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You can book DrinkShopDo’s Sparkling Pumpkin Carving on various dates during the month of October here
Want to stay in close to Kings Cross? Check out our selection of Plum Homes in Caledonian Road here.
Immerse yourself into a Halloween Cabaret extravaganza at The Phoenix Arts Club
Every Halloween, dozens (if not hundreds) of events compete to capture the attention of Londoners. Phoenix Arts Club is known for its famous weekly cabaret show, and the Halloween incarnation of The Stars of London looks deliciously promising.
A Night In Soho: The Terrifying Stars Of London's Cabaret is a best described as a string of surprise guests that come out to play at night (with a spooky twist this time), which means there’s no official lineup. The show is a traditionally styled cabaret with glitter, comedy, singing – and a touch of mystique.
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See for yourself – is Soho really worth the hype? Check out our collection of homes in Soho Here.
See a very special Nosferatu Screening at the Brunel Museum
The Brunel Museum isn’t particularly scary (those are coming later in the article), but it has lent its atmospheric Grand Entrance to host a very special screening. For one night only, this engineering museum will host a terrifying cinematic experience with a live orchestra.
The screening will, of course, be Halloween themed, with the world’s oldest horror film on display – but that’s not all. All attendees are invited to come in fancy dress, with rewards from the Midnight Apothecary bar going to the best ones.
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Take a trip to the Underworld at Pedley Street Station
Immersive dining experiences have been al the rage recently, and London has seen a fair share of boundary-pushing performances from both chefs and actors. The creators of the popular (and exquisite) Murdér Express have returned with another spectacle for all the senses – Journey to the Underworld.
Luisa Ellis, a BBC’s MasterChef finalist behind the culinary wheel, pairs an immersive dark fairytale with a mouthwatering menu, which sets the taste for an evening of adventure. Come hungry, sit down in your booth, and follow Claude, the shackled conductor, down the rabbit hole.
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Explore the Subconscious at the Uncanny Masked Ball
We’re not gonna lie – The Freud Museum is always a hoot. This year, the folks dedicated to the preservation of the great psychologist’s opus are celebrating the centenary of the publication of the famous paper title ‘The Uncanny’ (hint).
One the first of November, the museum invites brave visitors for a serious of talks, workshops, horror films, and early access to their new exhibition. Come ready to explore the depths of the human mind over a G&T, and don’t forget to wear your favourite masks.
Follow @freudmuseum in Instagram and Twitter[You can get tickets for The Uncanny Masked Ball here.](https://www.freud.org.uk/event/the-uncanny-masked-ball/ https://www.plumguide.com/search?CityId=1&expSort=true&Location=Finchley-Road--London&PlaceId=EhVGaW5jaGxleSBSb2FkLCBMb25kb24iLiosChQKEglHNW9Lfxp2SBHCn82NP6VWjxIUChIJ4bikyX8QdkgRa--QlKo4yE8)
Tired of Chelsea, but still want to stay in a posh area? Take a look at the best short stay collection in Hamstead here.
Experience the Occult Side of Bloomsbury with a Walking Tour
Bloomsbury is famous for being a magical, literary place in Central London, filled with blue plaques and universities. But it also has a mystical side, as it used to be home to a number of dark figures and secret societies who used to burn the midnight oil during séances.
Treadwells, one of the many occult shops in the area, regularly organises an Occult Bloomsbury Tour, where you can learn about the witches, druids and celebrities’ hidden hobbies, before heading back to the shop for a glass of bubbly. Act quickly, it sells out every time – but you can always just visit Treadwells and get a taste of the action.
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[You can buy tickets for the Occult Bloomsbury Walk by Treadwells here.](http:// https://www.treadwells-london.com/events-1/occult-bloomsbury-walk-3)
For a truly literary stay, check out our Bloomsbury Collection here.
Visit a Curiosity Museum Hidden in a Cocktail Bar
The Last Tuesday Society is dedicated to subverting life, the universe, and anything boring. It’s hard to describe the full scope of what they do, but if you visit their headquarters in Bethnal Green, you’ll quickly see how difficult it is to put a label on it. Think cocktail bar, an absinthe appreciation club, museum of Victorian (and other) curiosities, a charity, an art installation…and that’s just the beginning.
Over Halloween, it’s business as usual over at Last Tuesday Society, which means they have a number of events on planned all month long. The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities in the back only holds twelve people at a time, but it’s an absolutely brilliant way to spend a weekend in East London. Have a look at their calendar or pop in to see what’s cooking.
Travel Back to Dickensian London for a Night
The Dickens Museum has long held the spot as one of our favourite hidden gems in Holborn. With poignant commentary on modern poverty and industrial development in Britain, the Dickens Museum is so much more than just a nod to the author’s life. It also has one of the nicest secret garden cafes in Central London. There, we said it.
For Halloween, the Dickens Museum plans to give you the most authentically frightening experience of living in a Victorian House. As you make your way through the creaking house, you’ll encounter live music, storytelling, tarot and a few more surprises we just can’t spoil.
Keen to stay in Zone 1, but just don't want the noise? Find your perfect stay in Holborn here.
Learn More than You Ever Wanted to Know about Victorian Surgery
Now it’s time for something truly spooky. First off, The Old Operating Theatre Museum is wonderfully educational, and by no means wants to be creepy or unsettling. But as fascinating as it is, common mortals tend to cringe at the sight of old operating equipment and other healing methods our ancestors had to settle for in times of turmoil.
For the ultimate experience, the museum offers Victorian Surgery Talks on Saturdays and Sunday, which detail how surgeries used to work. The knowledgeable speakers will show you what it was like to study or undergo an operation back in the day – in detail.
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It's not falling down anytime soon, trust us. Visit our London Bridge Collection here.
Come to City’s trendiest Temple at London Mithraeum
The Temple of Mithras was discovered by accident, during a post-war construction in 1954. It had a wild history of restoration until it was re-opened as part of Bloomberg’s headquarters a few years ago and has since become one of the most fascinating attractions in the City of London.
Dedicated to multiple Roman deities, The Temple of Mithras (et al.) is a great way to explore the city noise and go on a multi-sensory journey through one of the biggest excavation sites of Roman Londinium. Who knows what you’ll discover?
Follow @bloomberg for more updates about the London Mithraeum.
Go for a Cemetery tour at Highgate Cemetery
Paris has Père Lachaise, and London has Highgate Cemetery. Both were constructed as burial places were rich folks could display their wealth, which means that this green burial place is full of elaborate tombs and monuments dedicated to famous residents.
But Highgate Cemetary can’t escape the urban legends that speak of multiple haunting and odd occurrences – in fact, the daily tour is equally split between visiting notable gravestones and places of legend. During October, the cemetery has prepared several morbidly fascinating talks on the Egyptian Book of The Dead and Literary Suicides. It doesn’t get more off the beaten path than this.
Jazz the Night away at the Café in The Crypt
Speaking of hidden gems, even your London-based friends will be impressed if you show them the wonders of actual The Crypt of St Martin-in-the-Fields. When the lovely lunchtime concerts are over, this venue becomes one of the cosiest and jazziest places in London after dark (even though it’s actually always dark).
We’ve got a special Halloween recommendation that’s bound to get the juices flowing – Miss Hoodoo and the Delta Boys are one of the hottest tickets on the blues scene. Come for a drink and enjoy the acoustics of the underground.
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Have a Tarot reading at real-life Diagon Alley
Cecil Court doesn’t feel like a real street – it’s full of antique shops, old bookstores and is quite literally the set for a Harry Potter movie. But there’s one shop in particular that attracts an alternative crowd, and that is Watkins Books. The esoteric bookstore is open to all who want to dip into the new age side of things, and they’ve also got the perfect incense to go with it.
Aside from the many events, Watkins Books also has skilled Tarot readers in-store every day, who will take you behind a curtain to do a reading, continuing a hundred-year-old tradition that’s been exciting curious minds since the shop’s conception in 1893.
