Patio season long and lucrative

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Chris Delrea (left) and Joshua Harris of group the Benefits.

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John Kolevris

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Jazz Virdi

The longest-running patio weather -- seven months -- is finally over. John Kolevris, owner of Saffron's -- the biggest patio restaurant on the Corydon strip, says, "I had the best year in 24 years of business. It was very warm in March -- and I had double the usual sales that month. Except for a cool spot in April, it stayed warm until mid-September."

With eight heaters in the fall, he got seven full months of Winnipeggers on his deck at Corydon Avenue and Hugo Street.

"But it is really finished now," he says. "One day it was 20 degrees -- and now we have England weather," he says of the clouds and cold rain this week. Kolevris says he noticed other changes on trendy Corydon this summer -- a much younger crowd after 9:30 p.m. "And it was quieter. No crime this year!"

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Osborne Village will see hundreds of wild things in fetish costumes on Saturday night streaming to the Ball -- formerly the Black 'n' Blue Ball -- at Ozzy's, 160 Osborne St. The BDSM crew and wannabes will celebrate the biggest dress-up bash of the year -- several hundred at the Halloween Ball in the basement of the Osborne Village Hotel.

Why the big numbers? Curiosity-seekers can slip in unnoticed, wearing sexy Halloween costumes. Gawkers without costumes are discouraged by a $40 surcharge at the door.

Not for the faint of heart, many people wear breezy outfits and leather gear, some have whips and chains, love slaves on leashes and total masking for well-known folks, who have gone underground for the night.

Ball newbies discover unisex washrooms, an expo of special-interest tables and toys and erotic spankings for a price. One indignant spankee in the lineup at a previous ball was heard to complain: "I've been waiting 40 minutes for my spanking!" Doors open earlier, but few creatures of the night show up until about 9:30 p.m.

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HELLNIGHT: A week later in the same venue, on Oct. 27 at 8 p.m., the Winnipeg Goth gang celebrates with a costume Halloween party called After Dark's Hellnight 2012. Local Goth devotees, such as alternative model Michael X, who has eyes tattooed on the back of his head, are spending megabucks importing kinky costume pieces from cyberspace this month.

"Look at these boots!" he said at his place of business, pointing out buckles and huge lifts that elevate him to 6-5. Organizers advertise, "This year, the night will feature a bloodbath of a party," with feature Thunder Bay Goth rockers Jordana Divinorum.

Opening act is Groit, the electro-industrial punk project of DJ Evil Bastard. Multiple DJs for the night's dancing include CZI, Macabria, Nightshade and Razed, Tickets $7 at the door. Website for organizers who call themselves Ogremind is at www.veddma.com/ogremind/

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HARRUMPH! The Benefits Concert at the Gas Station Theatre Saturday night at 8 p.m. is not a benefit concert, ladies and germs, organizer Chris Delrea confesses.

"No, we're not a charity, though we thought would be cute to try to capitalize. Either way, it works well for me -- I'm a little cheeky."

Delrea is known as Electrocutie, but plays in the duo the Benefits with Joshua Harris as an "acoustic comedy act," creating a mix of outrageous originals and parodies. Example: Delrea's parody of the song, Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) by Green Day with the famous final line, "I hope you had the time of your life," replaced with Delrea's "I'm having an affair, with your wife." Two other acts: folk blues duo Dylan Dutiaume and Chris Carson and Thunder Bay singer Nolan Dennhardt. Tickets are $10 at the door.

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TANDOOR-YA CAN'T MISS IT: People have been screeching to a halt at 598 Ebby St., off Pembina Highway, at the new Tandoor takeout with the big yellow banner and front signage -- like a car lot. Why? It's fighting to get noticed in the little industrial complex area on east-side Pembina. Owned by Pawan Uppal of popular Tandoor on Keewatin Street, the little takeout started in the summer with a few chairs and small tables for people to wait, but with a full menu of Indian food with steam tables and coolers for desserts.

Nephew Jazz Virdi -- manager/cook and bottle-washer -- says, "If you come in for a dinner for two, I can give it to you in 10 minutes."

South-end high school and university students like the "samosa factory" aspect, selling a dozen of them for $6.

"Next year, we hope to expand to a 60-seat restaurant," says Virdi. In the meantime, they supply lunches and dinners to businesses, taxi and limo drivers who used to go to Tandoor in the Maples and university students who hop on and off Pembina Highway buses to pick up food.

Virdi says he's discovered a lot of small families who are so busy they don't want to make dinner. "We sell a lot of dinners for two and dinners for four," he said with a laugh.

Why is it called Tandoor? "That's the English word for a clay oven."

Got tips, events, sightings, unusual things going on? Call Maureen's tip line at 474-1116, email to maureen.scurfield@winnipegfreepress.com, or send letters to Maureen Scurfield, c/o The Insider, 1355 Mountain Ave., R2X 3B6.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition October 19, 2012 B2