You’re all winners when it comes to creativity — it was a delight to read about your dream theme cafes in the comments of this post. But Mark Batty Publisher and I can only send out five autographed Theme Restaurants books, so here are the lucky ladies chosen via a random number generator. (I will email you with further instructions.)

1. Samina Spookiness: I’d so run a romantic gypsy-themed restaurant. Lots of candles, violin music, wooden walls with lots of scarves and fabric hangings. The servers would be dressed as Gypsies, and there would be live musicians on a stage playing folk songs, with a fortune teller booth in back. Lots of reds and golds, with bits of green thrown in, and hearty food and drink like thick stews, roasted meats, ales and wines served to tables with long and heavy tablecloths.

2. Brie Cante: My restaurant would be like a freaky circus type of place with lots of themed performers (Cirque Du Soleil daily) and there would even be rides (nothing super fast or upside down because afterall, it is a restaurant) and super cute packaging on the burgers and fries etc… Also, each table would have built in gaming systems and the floors would be clear so there would be a fish pond underneath and make you feel like you were walking on water. I forgot to add that the food would be the fun foods that you only find at a carnival such as: funnel cakes and hotdog on a stick, lemonade etc…

3. Marie: Hmm… I would have a to make a Harry Potter theme restaurant! I’m such a huge fan! When people would arrive, they would be given a property of one of the characters from Harry Potter. The café could look like The Great Hall, where the kids at Hogwarts eat. That would be totally awesome. The food they would serve will be Harry Potter inspired, and of course Pumpkinjuice and Berty Butt’s Every Flavour Beans would be awailable! Plus magical chocklatefrogs. The waitresses and waiters would have Hogwarts uniforms on them, and people would be seated after houses.

4. Laura: Oh my. I think mine’s theme would be “ethereal dreamland”. It would be all be very soft, with damasc wallpaper, and tulle curtains, and the waiters would be suspended in wire (like that restaurant that has the tower of wines, where the waiters get suspended by wire to get the bottles for the customers) but aaaalll over the place, and they would have to wear long tunics to enhance the “ethereal” element. and there would be just a tiny ammount of smoke (produced by smoke machines, or dry ice) to give a foggy illussion. About the food? Well, it would be more of a cafe, with cotton candy and sweets and tea for everyone!

5. Malone: Can I have a Basil Theme Cafe? The waitresses have to wear folded cat ears. People sit on comfy couches with Basil pillows! Complete with a fuzzy tummy to snorgle! They eat pastries shaped like Basil and the coffee mugs have whiskers. And the cappucinos can be dressed up so the foam looks like basil peeking out of the mug! And on the walls you get pictures of famous people with Basil’s face superimposed! Foremost among them has to be Basil as Buddha.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to enter the contest and spread the word; I’ll have more giveaways for you soon. I’m also blown away by your kind words about my NBC Weekend Today Show cute food demo — you’re all so good to me!

I am gnawing my teeth in anticipation for my Los Angeles book signings and events. Already planned: M/R/X New Romantic club night on Nov 28 (I went to the Minimal party last December and loved it), the Pinky Violence Japanese B-movie poster exhibit at Hyaena Gallery (where my Dienzo vampire portrait hung), possibly jazz at Matsumoto’s and a burlesque show at Bordello… and lots of good food and friends. What else should I check out while in LA? Let me know in the comments!

La Carmina – LA Cute Yummy Time book signings
WHEN: Saturday, Nov 28 and and Sunday, Nov 29; 2-4pm
WHERE: Kinokuniya Bookstore, 123 Astronaut S Onizuka #205, Los Angeles CA