nsomniac art lovers rejoice: Nuit Blanche has returned. The 3rd addition of the beloved, nightlong art extravaganza can prove exigent on even the most fortitudinous attendee. Here are some basic principles to get you through unscathed.

Plan a Route
Nuit Blanche is massive. It stretches from Lakeshore in the south to St. Clair in the north and from Landsdowne in the west to the DVP in the east. No matter how much of an art-lover/marathon runner you are, you won't have time to cover it all on foot. Thus, you have a few options: limit your geographic coverage to a more specific area, invest in a bike, or utilize the TTC's extended (until 7:00am) subway hours. Though, if you choose to traipse a vast area - no matter your mode of transport - you'll have to hurry through exhibits. The best option is always a thorough glimpse of a specific zone. From there it's simple: start at the farthest point from your home or ultimate destination then walk back.

Oh, and remember to hydrate.

Choose Your Companions Wisely
I can't stress this enough: select your cohorts judiciously. Personal Anecdote #1: during Nuit Blanche 1.0 my companions and I wandered down Ossington, stopped at Sweaty Betty's, drank a little too much, then stumbled into every bar between there and Parkdale. I was at home passed out by 2:00am; I squandered it. Personal Anecdote #2: I began Nuit Blanche 2.0 with 27 friends. It was too many. Though I moderated my drinking, communal concerns nearly killed enjoyment. We couldn't settle on an ethos. Dogmas, taste, and proclivities clashed. The going was slow. However, when the group splintered into like-minded factions, the pleasure tripled. I ended up watching sunrise on a rooftop with a strange cabal: a mad doctor, his henchman, an up-market florist, and my ex-agent's consort. The bottom line: toeing a line between art and revelry is a difficult trick and every one has a different idea of the right ratio, so be selfish and sacrifice dissenters.

Rest Up
Personal Anecdote #3: Every year, I get wasted the night before my friend Desh's birthday. The next evening, around the time he prepares to do his first shot, I'm typically already ready to surreptitiously vomit on the presents. If you want to maximize your Nuit, either take it easy Friday night or sleep all day Saturday. Oh, and remember to hydrate.

Proverbially: Timing is Everything
Bar hour legislation has covertly indoctrinated almost everyone in the world. Since you made your first fake ID, you have had an entrenched, subconscious notion of acceptable hours for revelry. For tonight, you'll have to break free of that tired ideal. The sun goes down around 7:00pm and the streets and their attendant exhibits will be immediately crowded. The multitudes will last well past last call. Find something to occupy you for regular bar hours (i.e. Johnny Flynn's playing the Rivoli). Don't drink yourself out of the game, wait until the faint-of-foot and weak-of-bladder head home, and then go explore. Standing in line substantially limits your progress; this way, you can avoid the throngs and take in many more curios.

Find an All-Night Eatery
Noting concludes a night of wandering like a hearty meal. Exploring the art aspect of Nuit Blanche (i.e. the ostensible point of the entire affair) should be paramount. You can spend 51 weekends a year with the drink-and-fall-down set; try to broaden your horizons for once. That said, Nuit Blanche is perhaps the social event of the season. While 24 hour restaurants are typically rammed of a weekend night, they take on a special social-centre importance come Nuit. Though usually filled with loudmouths and muttering drunkards, this Saturday they will become egalitarian gathering spots. Settle into your favourite for post-event talk-through, recount, and analysis. I suggest Sneaky Dees, Rol San, or Mel's, depending on your taste and location.