Issue 75

21 September

Meal Deals and Food Offers 

This weekend, Hospital Street behind the Old Dutch Hospital will be transformed into the Fairway Colombo Street Food Festival. From 6.00pm on Friday and Saturday you can sample food, snacks and drinks from a dozen vendors including Charuz Kitchen, Butterlicious, Hazze Cafe, Baker's Blend and many more. There's also live band performances on both nights.

Sunday Brunch is an occasion, a meal to be enjoyed, and there are few better ways to enjoy it than in the grand and historic surroundings of the Galle Face Hotel. Their Sunday Brunch Buffet takes place at the Verandah and Chequerboard from 11.30am to 3.00pm and costs Rs6,000 per person.

As an alternative, this weekend only, there is a Mexican Brunch at The Re.pub.lk on Sunday. Prepared by Chef Thanushra "Nash" Samaratunga, the brunch will be on from 11.00am, and accompanied by live music from Cold Sweat, unplugged.

If you like a nice high tea but want more time to enjoy it; or do you find the mid afternoon time a bit restrictive? Then we have some good news! The Mandarina's All Day High Tea Platter is available... well, all day. Yes, from 10.00am to 5.30pm to be precise, priced at Rs4,000 per person. So you can enjoy your high tea favourites morning, noon and night!

The Radisson Hotel has launched a weekly Sri Lankan Street Food Dinner on Saturday evenings. Offering a variety of classic dishes that will be familiar to many of us, it is available from 5.00pm to 10.00pm costing Rs2,999 per person.

Drinks Deals

Turf is now open, the new lounge bar at Disques. Located on the 2nd floor of the Racecourse building, just above Disques itself, Turf has an introductory happy hour deal with buy one, get one free on beer pitchers and all cocktails, from 6.00pm to 10.00pm, Wednesday to Saturday, on offer until 30 September.

Turf has also introduced a ladies' night on Wednesdays, with a buy one get one free offer on all cocktails, just for the ladies, from 7.00pm.

There's a ladies' night next Tuesday, too, at King of the Mambo with free cocktails for the ladies from 5.00pm to 8.00pm and live music from Dillon.

Oktoberfest season is about to start. One of the first will be the WMA Oktoberfest on 29 September, running for four nights to 02 October, with a different band and artist each night. This was originally planned for the 80 Club but is now at the Cinnamon Lakeside Waterfront.

From 5 October Lion Pub starts its Oktoberfest celebration with live music, meal deals and beer deals, continuing until 16 October.

Then there's "Bavaria on the Beach", an Oktoberfest at Port City, with a German band, authentic food, kids' play area, local bands and more, which will run from 12 October to 16 October. 

Live Music and DJs

The big gigs this weekend are, on Friday, "Summer Fest" at Excel World featuring eight leading performers, with Point5. Then on Saturday, "Tropical Jam", has six local bands playing at Beach Park, Port City from 4.00pm on Saturday to 2,00am on Sunday.

Also on Saturday, the instrumental band X-Calibre will be playing at the Cinnamon Grand Tea Lounge from 7.00pm.

On Sunday you can join Umara, Lahiru with the band Black at Waters Edge for a Sunday Sundown Chat, starting at 4pm.

Looking ahead to next week, "Interstellar" on Friday 30 September has four performers and Infinity on stage at Excel World. The following day, 1 October, "Amplify" sees Lahiru and Chitral on stage with OiC at the Cinnamon Grand Ballroom, from 7.00pm.

Also on 1 October, "Mosh Scream Rock" brings together five local metal bands: Trishira, Sevexth, Whirlwind, Nefertem and Abyss. The event is being held at the Women's International Club, starting at 6.00pm, tickets cost just Rs2,000.

Looking ahead to a week later, Stigmata will be playing on Saturday 8 October - as a five piece again! - at Darley Road, from 7.00pm. Tickets again cost Rs2,000.

For fans of piano music, the Chamber Music Society's event, The Piano Trio, was apparently sold out so quickly that they have added another date. So if you could not get a ticket for 29 September, you can still go on Saturday 1 October. This is also at the Goethe Institut at the slightly earlier time of 7.00pm.

For DJ music, this Friday "A Claess Act" at Chiller Room features four DJs including a father-son combo, Tim Tim and Dr Green, along with Kyze and Mercue. On Saturday, "Social Circle" is back, this time a Love Bar Edition.

On Sunday there's a Brunch Pool Party at the Colombo Court Hotel starting at 11.00am with a total of nine DJs on the decks throughout the day. It's free admission, too!

Next weekend, something different: a 90s party cruise? Top Deck are offering a five hour 90s party cruise on Diyawanna Lake, with music from DJs Jasper and Sync. Bites and appetisers are available, drinks are BYOB, it starts at 7.00pm and the cost is Rs1,500 per person.

If you prefer your feet on dry land, "1001" on 1 October at Zouk features DJs Ultra, Echo Daft and Dr. Green, supported by Sheran and Starburn.

And further ahead, on 8 October there's two massive parties: "Mystery Land" places you with seven of the top DJs up the Lotus Tower. At the same time, "Groove is in the Heart" by the Ceylon Disc Jockey's Association has 20, yes twenty, DJs at Cinnamon Lakeside.

More news next week.

Other Events

Kandy GS Handlooms in Thimbirigasyaya Road are hosting a pop-up sale this weekend featuring 16 local brands offering a range of crafts and products from local designers local designers and businesses. The sale is on Saturday and Sunday, 24 and 25 September, 10,00am to 7.00pm.

Any budding artists? Ever wanted to learn to paint? There's a good chance this weekend as the artist Safiya Sideek is hosting a watercolour class at Cafe Kumbuk on Saturday from 11.00am to noon. You'll be painting a cocktail, Cafe Kumbuk's new dragonfruit infused coconut water - and you get to drink it afterwards!

The Goethe Institut has been hosting a German film every Monday through September. Next week is the last one, which is a film called "Undine" which will be screened at 6.00pm. Admission is free.

If your business exports to UK, you may be interested in an online event next week introducing the UK's new "Developing Countries Trading Scheme" which is replacing the UK's GSP programme. The event is on Thursday 29 September, online and is free of charge.

Next weekend, Gallery FourLife is hosting an exhibition of paintings by Juan Carlos Rodriguez. Titled "A Colombian Story", the exhibition runs from 30 September to 02 October, from 10.00am to 7.00pm.