Encore (above) and other Denver restaurants and watering holes are opening their warm-weather patios soon.

It’s getting to be that excruciating, teeth-gritting time of year. The time when the trees are sprouting lovely new leaves, flowers are waving gently in the breeze, flip-flops are by the door — and then it snows.

Shake a fist at the sky, smack your forehead, do whatever it takes to release the frustration. Summer is taking its sweet time coming, but we must endure. Patio drinks are worth the wait.

Once we hit the dog days, strap on those flip-flops and explore some new places to enjoy a cold one in the sun. Just this week, two local favorites are opening brand-new patios to cater to Coloradans’ love of outdoor imbibing…

Encore (2550 E. Colfax Ave.), the upscale restaurant at the Lowenstein Theater complex, debuts its airy porch May 21 with a classy soiree. Since it just opened in December, this will be Encore’s first Denver summer. With a menu of organic cocktails and an upcoming summer wine series, Encore’s patio promises to be a great place to savor summer and take in the sights on East Colfax.

Over in Uptown, Hamburger Mary’s (700 E. 17th Ave.) has many charms — “Mary�oke karaoke, live shows, tasty burgers — so it might as well add one more with a patio. On Saturday and Sunday, Mary’s opens its patio in typically brash fashion with a big blowout. The parties feature entertainment from Tony Tripoli, Jennifer Holliday and more, and benefits the Matthew Shepard Foundation.

Tickets are $10 for Saturday and $20 for Sunday — visit Hamburger Mary’s online for a link to purchase. Doors open at 4 p.m. both days, so get there early to be among the first in the new space. It’ll be a good place to cool off when Mary’s gets crazy-busy on summer nights to come.

All the old favorites will be back in action soon, too. Sutra (1109 Lincoln St.) has one of the best patios in Denver — it’s one of those all-weather porches that can change with the temperature. Getting chilly? Light up the fire.

Sutra welcomes patio season with a happy-hour party on Fridays that makes the most of the (possible) sunshine. From 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., sip on $4 mojitos or sign up for the open-bar guest list at denver2night.com. Ladies on the list get a free open bar during the party; it’s $10 for guys on the list.

These are just a few suggestions, of course. Take a spin around Denver, and keep your eyes peeled for those patio umbrellas. They’ll be opening up all over the place soon. We hope.

– POP NOTES –

Any ’NSYNC fans out there? Justin Timberlake’s old pal from the band, Chris Kirkpatrick, is working on becoming part of the Denver scene as a music correspondent for Denver Magazine.

Kirkpatrick will toast his new gig at Below (in the 1400 block alley between Larimer and Lawrence streets), starting at 9 p.m. Friday. Stop by and have a cocktail — maybe you can ask him for the secret to “Bye Bye Bye.� Where are you going, Chris? What does it all mean?

– PURPLE HAZE –

Strange things are afoot at the Purple Martini. Co-owner Will Coleman spilled a few details in a phone conversation Tuesday night. The short version: He’s splitting from his Purple Martini partners, and he’s taking the name with him.

“I’m actually kind of excited,â€? said Coleman. “Our product was slipping to the point where it was difficult to compete.â€?

Coleman said he’s in talks with a new group of partners — he doesn’t want to name them just yet — and that he’s “excited about the opportunities.�

“It’s going to be something that’ll take me to a level I’ve been hoping to get to for some time,â€? he said.

But what does this mean for the chain of Purple Martinis in Denver and Boulder? We’ll have to see what Coleman and his new cronies come up with next. Stay tuned.

– Kathleen St. John