Drink up, dreamers, you're running dry.

Continuing the mostly chilled weekend vibe, we spent lunchtime in Portobello on the promenade, and a pleasant few hours in a bar with neice64, before pottering off in search of free amusement. There comes a point, you see, when your credit card spontaneously combusting is a sign you've probably overdone it on the Fringe ticket front, and this is precisely where the Free Fringe comes in. Up and running for a few years now, it does what it says on the tin, providing everything from music through comedy to children's shows and theatre for free (but donations are appreciated). As we found out when we first started this bit of the Fringe, the quality is highly variable; and for the most part, last night's acts at the Counting House left us pleasantly surprised.

( Well, except the first act. )

( The other two were good, though. )

Fringe Refreshments of the Day- disappointing part-cooked chicken burger amid the modern art in Portobello, expensive but refreshing beer and mojito at the Rutland, cheap and very cheerful all you can eat Chinese at Jimmy Chungs (with chocolate fountain for dessert!), a swift pint at the Counting House.

I am incredibly late updating! This is because the Saturday crowds ate me, you see. Bad luvviecrowds, no biscotti. Nevertheless, have some prose about things on stages and all that.

( Dare Protoplay )

( Café, Showstopper )

Fringe Refreshments of the Day: Unfussy giant extra hot chicken at Nando's on Lothian Road, incredibly overpriced Kopparberg at C SoCo, whose very name makes me weep almost as much as I did when the previous Gilded Balloon died, nice giant glass of Chardonnay, dahling, in the Gilded Balloon Mk II's Wine Bar.

Coming in your next thrilling installment- Comedy Manifesto, and Otherwise...!