[HDNG]THE CITY:[EHDNG][PARA][GRPH]E3[EGRPH][STAT][BULL] Price of a pint of beer: ú1.50 [BULL] Glass of wine: ú1.20[ESTAT][PARA][BOLD]Festivals: [EBOLD][ITAL]Edinburgh is never short of entertainments,[EITAL] but there is [ITAL]a positive glut[EITAL] during August when the city is overrun by Festivals, not just the main Edinburgh Festival (in itself the largest arts event in the world), but at the same time the Fringe (which includes hundreds of student productions), Film, Dance, Jazz and Book Festivals (and probably many others; the whole thing has been described by Robert Llewellyn (aka Kryten from 'Red Dwarf') as the 'Festival of theatre, music, dance, poetry, opera, jazz, film, television and shagging'). [ITAL]The city springs into life with buskers and performers and it's impossible not to enjoy it, even if all you do is walk (slowly) around the streets.[EITAL] Of course, this is outside term time, but students should take advantage of their situation at least 1 year out of their 4-year stay. (See 'Accommodation' for a money-making idea for students who don't stick around for the Festivals).[PARA][BOLD]Cinemas:[EBOLD] There are 6 cinemas around town with a total of 28 screens. The Filmhouse and the Cameo are both fairly arty and host the Edinburgh Film Festival.[PARA][BOLD]Theatres:[EBOLD] Strictly speaking there are 13 theatres, but each year the Festivals find literally hundreds of performance venues. The Festivals have a knock-on effect for the rest of the year and Edinburgh brims with exciting and experimental theatre and dance, as well as mainstream arts, throughout the year. The Royal Lyceum and King's Theatre are among the hardy perennials. The new Traverse Theatre is the first theatre dedicated to new writing since Shakespeare's Globe.[PARA][BOLD]Pubs:[EBOLD] [ITAL]Quite apart from being as popular as Take That's pants[EITAL], most pubs are open till 1am. [ITAL]Students who want to make the most of an Edinburgh education will develop a taste for whisky. The best places to do it are Maggie Dicksons (good grub), Sneaky Pete's (for the serious quaffer), Black Bo's (cheap) and Rekties which has a back wall mirror - beware.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Clubs/discos:[EBOLD] [ITAL]Just because there's so much fun to be had watching and listening, Edinburgh doesn't slack on more active entertainment. [EITAL][PUSH]push[EPUSH][ITAL]plugs: Pure (industrial techno at The Venue, ú3-ú5); Shaft at Moray House (funky fun student venue, ú2.50); indie/studenty goings-on at Wilkie House and the Vaults (ú2-3). For the perverse, there's Misery at the Venue, where the point is to have a foul time, with crap music. [EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Music venues:[EBOLD] [ITAL]The remarkable thing about the number of live music venues is how they can all continue to make a profit. Maybe they don't. Maybe they do it for fun[EITAL]. Apart from the following, live music spills out from many a pub, club and meeting place. [PUSH]push[EPUSH][ITAL]plugs: [EITAL]Usher Hall (classical, including the Scottish National Opera); Queen's Hall (classical and jazz, converted church); Playhouse (Proclaimers, East 17); The Venue (dancey stuff); Rocking Horse (metal mayhem).[PARA][BOLD]Others:[EBOLD] Among the many other [ITAL]endless [EITAL]entertainments, [ITAL]it's worth mentioning the phenomenal amount of cabaret and[EITAL] the Tattoo, a military parade at the castle. [ITAL]Americans like it.[EITAL][HDNG]UNIVERSITY:[EHDNG][PARA][GRPH]E2[EGRPH][STAT][BULL] Price of a pint of beer: ú1.15 [BULL] Glass of wine: 90p[ESTAT][PARA][BOLD]Bars:[EBOLD] There are 3 bars run by NSA. The most popular is at Merchiston (cap 200), known as 'the Merky' or 'Bertie's Bar', because it's run by the [ITAL]ebullient[EITAL] Bert. A new bar is now open at Sighthill (300) and the smallest is near the hall at Craiglockhart (125). They all serve snacks as well as a swift pint.[PARA][BOLD]Theatres:[EBOLD] Students didn't even manage to muster a production for last year's Edinburgh Festival on their own doorstep.[PARA][BOLD]Clubs/discos and music venues:[EBOLD] There's a spanking new venue, the Shack (cap 500), where terpsichorean trickery is possible 4 nights a week. The Grid, Oui 3 and the Wishplants were recent visitors, in a musical capacity.[PARA][BOLD]Cabaret: [EBOLD] Last year, the Shack played host to ho-hos from Stevie Starr and Alan Parker.[PARA][BOLD]Others: [EBOLD]NSA usually manages to arrange at least one event each week including quizzes, ceilidhs and the like. Occasional balls too.[HDNG]EATING OUT:[EHDNG][PARA]There's a University refectory at Merchiston and 2 at Craiglockhart, open from 8.30am until 5pm. All 3 NSA bars serve snacks - pie, beans and chips at Merchiston, fast food lunches at Sighthill and Craiglockhart. Don't get caught in the stampede. [BOLD]Eating out in Edinburgh:[EBOLD] see [ULNE]Edinburgh University[EULNE].[PARA][PARA]
