All photos by Arlyene Marie Ponce

At 6:59 a.m, the first customer was already waiting at the door. As of today, Panther Coffee's second location is up and running. They're calling it a soft open, which means gently feeding the caffeine frenzy while working out the kinks. Aside from a couch on the way and some missing pastries, these guys were ready to go at 6:30 with plenty of smiles and tasty cold brew. Enjoy a free drink today from 10 a.m. to noon at the new location.

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Smashburger

Show your team spirit and get a free burger.

Can you believe it's playoff time again? And, of course, the Miami Heat are in it to win it.

The Heat will open the 2013 NBA Playoffs against the Milwaukee Bucks at 7 p.m. on Sunday, April 21, at American Airlines Arena, starting yet another quest for basketball domination.

But why wait until Sunday to celebrate our home team? We say break out the Heat jersey early (like, right now) and drop into Smashburger in North Miami or Kendall for a free burger with the purchase of a side.

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Free sammy and soup shot.

Peruse any one of those wacky "holiday" calendars on the internet and you're bound to find some pretty weird stuff to celebrate.

For instance, did you know that April 23 is "Talk like Shakespeare" day or that May 16 is "National Sea Monkey" day? Now you do.

For every holiday that we plan on skipping (we'll take a pass on celebrating "National Rat-Catcher's Day" on July 22, thank you very much), there's one that we embrace -- like "National Grilled Cheese Day" (which happens to be today).

Read also:
- Ms. Cheezious Opening a Restaurant
- Daily Melt Midtown: Big Mac Prices, Much Better Chow

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Ben & Jerry's Truck

Miami New Times gets free Ben & Jerry's.

Today is Free Cone Day, a made-up holiday that's celebrated throughout the land. And why not? It's not every day a company celebrates by giving something away. But then again, Ben & Jerry's is no ordinary company. The ice-cream manufacturer is politically incorrect, satirical, and socially conscious. Its business model is a corporate nightmare. But, with it all, it has garnered a loyal fan base that includes rock stars who clamor to have an ice cream named after them (rumor has it the company turned down the Rolling Stones).

In 1978, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield took their life savings of $8,000 and opened an ice-cream shop in an old gas station in Burlington, Vermont. They celebrated their one-year anniversary by giving away free ice cream. Thus, the very first Free Cone Day was born.

Now, more than 30 years later, Ben & Jerry's is no longer a small Vermont shop. It's a division of Unilever, with multiple factories and "scoop shops" around the world. But travel to Burlington and you'll soon see that the simple joy of making ice cream remains. The offices and main factory are covered in cow murals. Meeting rooms are named for ice-cream flavors, and a fully operational ice-cream parlor sells treats to employees for a dollar.

See also:
- Ben & Jerry's Free Greek Fro-Yo: You Invite the Truck
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Ben&Jerry's via Twitter

Free FroYo!

"Free Ben & Jerry's" just might be the happiest phrase in the universe.

The Vermont-based ice-cream company that believes treating people well is as important as making a great product, has a long history of giving away its frozen goodies. It began with the first Free Cone Day in 1979 when the two friends and partners celebrated surviving their first long winter selling ice cream -- while it was snowing! When the partners realized they could actually sell ice cream year-round in Burlington, they thanked their customers in the sweetest way possible -- by giving away the store!

Not only does the company still celebrate Free Cone Day annually, but it also conducts ice-cream tours where company representatives drive around the United States on a single mission -- to hand out free ice cream.

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Sony Open

The Sony Open starts today.

Forget Ultra for a minute, because there's another huge event beginning in Miami today that offers far greater pleasures for those of us into sports.

Sony Open Tennis matches start today, March 18, at 10 a.m. and continue through Sunday, March 31. Like Ultra, the tournament can be exhausting -- especially for attendees during the first week of matches when they're running from court to court as multiple matches are played simultaneously.

Buddy Fruits, the official healthful fruit snack of the Sony Open, is giving away 100 percent all-fruit snacks, smoothies, and bites at Crandon Park Tennis Center.

Look for the company's booth at the entrance. The smoothies and drinks come in handy pouches, and the bites and chips are made from 100 percent fruit with no preservatives, colorings, or artificial flavorings. Plus, they're handier than carrying around a bag of fruit at the event (a banana in your pocket is always awkward) -- and more healthful than grabbing a hot dog.

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culintro.com/timeout.com

Like free stuff?

Course ya do.

Like winning?

Probably more than getting free stuff.

That's why we're bunching the two together and giving you a chance to win two tickets to Trade Talks 2013. The SoBeWFF satellite event will give you the chance to rub elbows and speak candidly with the likes of celebrity chef Marc Murphy and restaurateur Danny Meyer.

Find out how you can score tickets after the jump.

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last.fm

No body puts Big Gay Ice Cream in the corner!

Disney World: Where dreams come true.

Florida: Where dreams of equal marriage are crushed. Well, for now, at least.

Ah, Florida... we have such a happy place nestled right in the bosom of our state, but all around us, gay couples are advocating for the right to marry. How can we be truly happy if we can't marry the one we love?

Big Gay Ice Cream, the New York City storefront that started out an experimental summer ice cream truck, wants you to join in on the cause.

So they're throwing a gay ol' ice cream social during SoBeWFF where you (that's right, you!) can pick up some delicious soft serves and assorted confections for free.

Yes, free.

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sagetrifle.blogspot.com

Food of the gods.

There is nothing else in the world that can beat a delicious Cuban sangwich.

EXCEPT for one thing.

Free Cuban sangwiches.

That's right. Gratis. Calle Ocho's favorite ventanita, Versailles, is teaming up with Smithfield (as in, the ham people) and they're giving away free Cuban sandwiches from midnight until 2 a.m. on the first two days of South Beach Wine & Food Festival.

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Laine Doss

The Tropical Heat Roll

About a week ago RA Sushi extended a challenge to me and other food writers in Miami -- create a sushi roll for an event at the popular restaurant. If it gets the most votes -- both online and in person -- it will be featured on the menu for 30 days -- with a portion of proceeds donated to your favorite charity.

Who could turn down the opportunity to make a sushi roll, co-host a fabulous party, and raise money and awareness for a local charity?

I couldn't, so I went down to the South Miami restaurant and worked with their chef to make a sushi roll that best represented the flavors of our city.

The Tropical Heat roll features fresh mango, avocado, jalapeno, and tuna. It's accompanied by some sweet and savory mango salsa. As a finishing touch, a drizzle of sriracha is served on the plate for people who like a little more spice in their lives.

The charity I'm playing for is Tri-County Humane Society, a small no-kill animal shelter serving  Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. The shelter, which runs on a tight budget, rescues many dogs and cats from dire situations. Recently, they took in over 50 chihuahuas from a hoarding situation in Hialeah, where they were housed in an industrial warehouse bay.

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