How to survive Fringe 2007 – a marathon 16 days and nights of unashamed, unabashed, unadulterated sound and vision.

WARNING!
Exposure to the Dublin Fringe Festival can seriously improve your social life! Failure to comply with the following recommendations will result in a severe lacklustre September and a possible mild depression.

Before:
Build your stamina, Get festival fit. Study the programme and schedule your plan of attack with militaristic precision. Hype your friends. Feel that buzz! Stock up on vitamins, Ginseng and Green tea.

During:
Week 1 – Hit the ground running. Be the trendsetter and see the shows first… Make a minimum of 3 Spiegeltent appearances, at least one of which must entail delirious dancing, a (re)kindling romance or a glorious reunion.

Week 2 – No flagging. Steal yourself goddammit! You cannot crack under the pressure! There are just too many good shows to be missed!

Admit it. You are a Fringe junkie, a Spiegeltent slave to the rhythm. Cement that love affair. Embrace new friends, new work and new dance moves. Regrette rien.

After:
Coming soon..How to survive the Post–Fringe Blues and the 12 Steps to Fringe 2008!

The Hop House: We're loving this new restaurant on Parnell St (close to the Cobalt Cafe, T36 and The James Joyce Centre) so much that we've stopped going anywhere else for lunch recently. Try the kimchi and the sushi and wash it down with one of the selected Asian beers in the fab beer garden before feeding your Fringe hunger.

The South William: We love everything about this place - the beers, the comfy couches, the best people watching spot in Dublin right outside and, most of all, the tastiest pies you're likely to find in Dublin - grab one before heading down to the International Bar to catch a show.

The Italian Quarter: There's a rake of Fringe venues within 5 minutes walk from any one of the restaurants and cafes on this slice of Italy on the north quays. We can't pick a favourite because its too hard: they're all worth a visit, especially if its sunny and you can grab one of the outside tables for some al fresco pre-Fringe dining.

Cafe Topolis: Everyone loves an early bird and this pizzeria on Parliament St offers great value and super good food. It's right around the corner from Smock Alley, SS Michael & John and right down from Dublin Castle, so you won't have far to go once you've finished your dessert.

The Lincoln Inn: We stumbled into this place on our way back from the Samuel Beckett centre one night and keep going back. Having been closed for years, the old Trinity stalwart is back and there's no better place to watch Dublin go by than on a chair by the huge bay windows.

Iveagh Gardens: How this beautiful garden isn't choc-a-bloc all day we'll never understand. The rose garden, the fountains, the waterfall and the sunken green: all lovely by themselves, but together they make for Dublin's finest, understated, elegant park.

Parnell St: The street ain't hidden, but its full of hidden gems. From Korean barbeques to chinese karaoke bars, sushi to go and Asahi to stay, you'll find bargains and authentic food on every block.

Temple Bar West: Its the sober end of Dublin's cultural quarter, packed with small venues like Smock Alley and SS Michael and John, cool design shops and cosy eateries. The streets might be cobble stoned, but this is far removed from the tourist trap of the Temple Bar we all know.

The Dice Bar: We've always been a fan of this rocker bar, which is right across from thisisnotashop. Its full on, rocker central and has one of the best jukeboxes in Dublin.

Mulligans: As you head down towards the Spiegeltent, stop into Mulligans on Poolbeg St for one of the best pints of Guinness in Dublin. Its an institution at this point, and is the perfect place to down a sneaky one before dancing your night away in George's Dock.

Look out for this year's brochure (it's so big, you won't be able to miss it!) in all of our venues and the coolest cafes, bars, restaurants and shops around town. It's big, its bold, its pink and yellow... and it will be indispensible during the manic two weeks of Fringe Festival fun!