Move over pickle ball, Sunset Harbour will soon have an upscale padel tennis club. Tickets go on sale this month to the biggest beach party — the South Beach Food and Wine Festival. If you’re looking for adult Halloween fun, head to the Biltmore Hotel Coral Gables. And I have the “scoop” from the Miami Herald on a “new/old” ice cream place that will be the hot new hangout.

Sunset Harbour Is The Go-To Destination For The Padel Club

Good news for all of the active sports folks in Miami Beach who play padel, a sport that is a mix between tennis and squash. It was just announced that Sunset Harbour is going to have a Padel Club. Sunset Harbour is approximately two miles north from the beginning of Miami Beach on South Pointe Drive. The area used to be referred to as “where the new Publix is located.”  Now everyone will refer to the new hip area where padel is located.

One of the reasons padel became so popular is because it’s a very social game. It’s usually played in doubles on an enclosed court surrounded by glass and metallic mesh walls. The court is one-third the size of a tennis court.

Many sports newsletters say, “It’s a great sport for players of all ages and skills, as it is quick and easy to pick up. Most players get the basics within the first half hour of playing so that they can enjoy the game.

“Padel is not as dominated by strength, technique and serve as in Tennis and therefore is an ideal game for men, women and youth to compete together. An important skill is match-craft, as points are won rather by strategy than by sheer strength and power.”

Co-founders of the club, Gianluca Vacchi, Rafi Gibly, Chris Paciello and Michael Stern, put out a statement that said, “Sunset Padel Club is set to redefine the local sports scene.”

Sunset Padel is very upscale. Advertisements say,”It has four pristine indoor courts decked with the latest lighting technology designed by Spain’s premier Padel Galis and top-of-the-line Mondo Turf, ensuring you never miss a match, rain or shine. The club’s sophisticated design—think dark courts offset by terra cotta accents—provides aesthetic pleasure and an intimate, elite atmosphere that lets you truly focus on your game.”

The club also has changing rooms complete with spa showers, a curated pro shop,  and a juice bar that serves health-conscious drinks.

The South Beach Wine and Food Festival Discount Tickets

Make your plans now for one of the most magical events in Miami. It’s happening in February. You have never seen anything like this. It’s the biggest beach party ever. All events for the 2025 Festival will go on sale online at sobewff.org at 9 AM ET on Monday, October 28, 2024. Phone sales are open Monday – Friday, 9 AM – 9 PM EST by calling 866.271.8540.

The Festival invites guests to EAT. DRINK. Eligible events:

• Thursday, February 20- Burger Bash presented by Schweid & Sons® hosted by Rachael Ray
• Thursday, February 20- Alex vs Miami hosted by Alex Guarnaschelli and Eric Adjepong
• Friday, February 21- Oyster Bash hosted by Marc Murphy
• Friday, February 21- Tournament of Champions hosted by Guy Fieri
• Friday, February 21- Fontainebleau Miami Beach presents Wine Spectator’s Best of the Best
• Saturday, February 22- FITCRUNCH Bootcamp & Bites presented by Baptist Health hosted by Robert Irvine and Rachel Robinson
• Saturday, February 22- FoodieCon®
• Saturday, February 22- The Cookout hosted by JJ Johnson
• Saturday, February 22- Tacos & Tequila presented by Tequila Cazadores hosted by Aarón Sánchez
• Saturday, February 22- A Dozen Eggs and a Dream: A One Man Show by Duff Goldman and Dessert Party
• Saturday, February 22or Sun, February 23- Goya Foods’ Grand Tasting Village featuring Publix Culinary Demonstrations sponsored by Sub-Zero, Wolf and Cove
• Sunday, February 23- Peace Love Yoga: A Soulful Yoga Experience hosted by Arlene Chaplin featuring Dawn B
• Sunday, February 23- Drag Brunch featuring Mistress of Ceremonies Athena Dion
• Sunday, February 23 –Sunday Brunch hosted by The Cast of The Kitchen: Katie Lee, Jeff Mauro and Geoffrey Zakarian
• Sunday, February 23-Asian Night Market hosted by Andrew Zimmern, Jet Tila and Aarti Sequeira

The offer cannot be combined with any other pre-sale promotions that the Festival may be running during this period. The 15% discount is applied to the base price of a ticket and is not applied to any applicable taxes or fees.

To take advantage of the promotion, residents of City of Miami Beach must call 305.627.1596 during business hours, Monday to Friday (9:30 AM EST – 4:30 PM EST), for the duration of the promotion, and provide payment using a credit card with a Miami Beach billing zip code. Online ordering is not available for this pre-sale promotion. Orders must be placed via phone no later than 4:30 PM EST on October 25, 2024.

All events for the 2025 Festival will go on sale online at sobewff.org at 9 AM ET on Monday, October 28, 2024. Phone sales are open Monday – Friday, 9 AM – 9 PM EST by calling 866.271.8540.

Residents of the City of Miami Beach are invited to purchase tickets at regular price, on an as-available basis, for any Festival event after this time. Stay up to date with the excitement by joining the conversation on Instagram (@sobewffest), Facebook and X (@sobewff) using #SOBEWFF!

A Halloween Party for Adults

Here’s a chance for adults to have the same fun as the youngsters with your own contemporaries. The Baltimore is one of the most gorgeous places in Miami. You can’t have a bad time.

It will be the best Halloween party in town.  Get ready for a night full of mystery. There’s an open bar, buffet dinner, dancing, and costume contest hosted by our celebrity panel of judges. $300 per person. Saturday, October 26, 8 PM to 1 PM. GET THE DETAILS.

The Big “Scoop”

The Miami Herald Just Gave Us “The Scoop” On Some Great News. The ice cream shop that most of the “regulars” on Lincoln Road loved so much is back in business with a new name but exactly the same offerings. Get ready to put on some pounds.

This is a little complicated to understand but I will try to explain it the best way I can. The Frieze was the name of the ice cream shop that everyone loved for years. When the owners, Robert and Lisa Warren, decided to retire, Sam and Vicky Breit, took over but called their place The Ice Cream Factory.

Now the Miami Herald just revealed that the two couples decided to form a partnership to bring the South Beach favorite back to Miami Beach.

As the Miami Herald explained, “Frieze had a big history. Founded in 1987 by Robert and Lisa Warren, the shop had long been one of the go-to destinations for locals and tourists alike, the perfect ending to an evening of strolling Lincoln Road (yes, in ancient times, locals used to stroll on Lincoln Road).

“Located on Michigan Avenue just south of the pedestrian street, it served generations of ice cream lovers before movies and after dinners and supplied desserts to iconic Beach restaurants like The Forge and Joe’s Stone Crab and hotels like the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne.

“Locals really did love it. Even the famous ones like Gloria Estefan and Shakira, stopped by on occasion. So did famous non-locals like Beyoncé and Jay Z. For the shop’s 25th anniversary Miami Heat basketball star Chris Bosh scooped ice cream there for a day, gave away an autographed basketball, and got a flavor named after himself. He confided to Robert Warren that his first job in Texas was — what else? — scooping ice cream.”

Nothing lasts forever.  When the Warrens decided to retire, they hoped that the new owners would continue their sweet tradition with the same ice cream offerings. They did. However, now Sam and Vicky decided to move back to South Carolina, so they were forced to close the shop.

Everyone was heartbroken. In a very strange move, the two couples decided to become partners so they could open an ice cream shop in the same location called “The Ice Cream Factory” with the beloved old recipes. Also returning is veteran ice cream maker Martin Zelaya, who worked with the Warrens for 14 years. The shop offers ice cream and non-dairy sorbet.

This is going to be a big hangout once again.

THE ICE CREAM FACTORY Where: 1626 Michigan Ave., Miami Beach Hours: 1-11 p.m. daily More information: 305-538-0207. Read more here.