So the festival’s here and I am really excited! I did manage to catch some of the shows last year when visiting but this year I really get to soak up the atmosphere.

Last night I went to the Parlure Opening party at the Spiegeltent. I turned up enthusiastically at 9 to enter the paid for part of the night (before 8.30 it was free) to be met by quite a few staff that were unsure of what they were doing. Letting them off, it was the first night after all, we queued merrily. Once I got it the tent, I found it was a fantastic venue – wooden with booths all around the side which doesn’t sound like much, but add in the tinted windows, flowers and the burlesque women dotted around the place, makes quite an atmosphere! My friend described it as an inside out carousel – which is a good interpretation.

However, sold to me as a nigh of ska, magicians and dancers, I was a little disappointed to only be met with a ska band which was great but I felt let down as we thought there would be more than one act for the night. Apparently they were waling around – but unfortunately I didn’t see any. Although it was only £9, this is one of the more expensive events for the fringe festival and so to see only one band it seemed a little steep. Undeterred, I am off tonight on more festival escapades – I’m going on a tour called ‘Murders Most Foul’ I went on a similar haunted tour last year which was awesome, so I am really excited!

Thanks ContentedMummy for your dinner suggestion of Terre a Terre. While my boyfriend took me to the Thai round the corner (I can’t resist Thai food) I did go to Terre a Terre while my friends were down – unfortunately missing the Much Crunch Menu – what a bargain! It was a very fun dinner (and there was a celebrity sat next to us which made it even more exciting). But I felt the food was overly fussy. For anyone that doesn’t know, it is a posh vegetarian restaurant. I eat a lot of veggie food anyway and think I’m the one person it doesn’t appeal to as while I am happy with a mushroom risotto so don’t need to be persuaded by the veggie choices on the menu, I am a meat eater I am not confined to the often few choices that are offered to vegetarians. These dishes were like they were trying too hard to promote vegetarian food and I think doing some of the staples such as vegetable ratatouille would have worked just as well.

I am yet to mention it is a bank holiday weekend – yipee! and with the sun shining and the festival just beginning, there so much to choose from! I will be making the most of the long weekend packing it with festival events – and will start a fringe festival blog where you can read all about them!