What the heck is pickleball?

If badminton and table tennis had a baby, it would be pickleball. Pickleball is a paddle ball sport played on a court, and actually, it’s been around since 1965. It was created one summer day when the Pritchard family wanted to play badminton, but only had a wiffle ball. There’s even a US Pickleball National Championship, among other national competitions.

The rules of the game are quite simple to understand, but we thought we’d leave it to the Youtube professionals.

How does Courtside Kitchen work?

The most important thing to know is you don’t have to play pickleball to eat at Courtside Kitchen — though we’d recommend you take the brand-new facilities for a spin. For dining, there’s an indoor restaurant and outdoor beer garden. Grab entrees like fish and chips, hot chicken sandwiches, and chile relleno, or small bites like ranchero fries and fried pickles (ahem). Courtside Kitchen also has a kid's menu.

To play pickleball, reserve a court (the facility recommends downloading its app for ease). If you’re brand new to the sport and shakin’ in your boots, sign up for Courtside’s classes — there’s options for private lessons or lessons with a small group too.

Our recommendation: Reserve a court with family + friends, play some pickleball, and treat yourselves to Courtside’s food and drinks afterward.

Where else can we play pickleball?

Check the community center nearest you — there’s several open pickleball sessions around Fort Worth. Outside the city, there’s a restaurant + pickleball combo Chicken N Pickle in Grand Prairie and coming soon to Grapevine.

Share this story with anyone wanting to check out Courtside Kitchen or the game of pickleball.

EVENTS

Today

Second Thursdays at the Carter: Culture & Creation | Thurs., Jan. 13 | 5-8 p.m. | Amon Carter Museum of American Art | Cost of purchase | Enjoy drinks, viewing artist Sandy Rodriguez’s work, curator Maggie Adle’s remarks, and more. 🍸
Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration | Thurs., Jan. 13 | 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. | Future City Hall, 100 Energy Way | Free | Join the City of Fort Worth in an MLK Day celebration, featuring an I Dream A World video station, cupcakes + spoken word. 🧁

Friday

Southwestern Exposition Livestock Show and Rodeo | Fri., Jan. 14-Sat., Feb. 5 | Times vary | Will Rogers Memorial Center | $30+ | Grab your favorite boots + enjoy 23 days of rodeo performances. 🐎

Saturday

Starting Your Garden from Seed | Sat., Jan. 15 | 9-11 a.m. | Virtual | $25 for members, $30 for non-members | Learn best practices for seed starting from Learning Lab Manager David Cole. 🌱
Cowtown Cabaret | Sat., Jan. 15 | 7-10 p.m. | Red Goose Saloon, 306 North Houston St. | $20 | This adult show is about "Hell's Half Acre" and the debaucherous past of downtown Fort Worth.
Machine Girl | Sat., Jan. 15 | 7-11 p.m. | Tulips FTW, 112 St. Louis St. | $17+ | Enjoy $5 frozen cocktails and Tallboys as Machine Girl rocks the stage. 🎤

We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

MORE JANUARY FUN

NEWS NOTES

Weather

70º | Sunny | 0% chance of rain

Outdoors

Yesterday, funding partners Dickies + the VF Foundation broke ground on Dickies Skate Plaza at Fire Station Park in Near Southside, made possible by their $300,000 donation. The 15,000-sqft skate plaza will feature skateable pathways throughout the park, along with a dog park, community green, and market plaza. 🌳

Development

Transform 1012 N. Main Street has purchased a former Ku Klux Klan meeting hall located near downtown. The site will be redeveloped into the Fred Rouse Center for the Arts and Community Healing, which will support art exhibitions, LGBTQ youth services, and community history lessons. (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)

Eat

There’s a new grab-and-go sandwich option in town: Houston-based Antone's Famous Po' Boys has expanded to North Texas and is now available at these Kroger + Market Street stores in Fort Worth. Sandwiches include The Original, which has ham, salami, provolone cheese, chow chow relish, mayo, and pickles. 🥪 (CultureMap Fort Worth)

Health

A new COVID-19 testing site was added by the city at Heritage Church of Christ, 4201 Heritage Trace Pkwy. Free PCR tests are available every Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. — no appointments needed. See more Fort Worth testing sites here.

Arts

Calling all bakers and pâtissiers — the Arlington Museum of Art is looking for more DFW bakeries to be part of Eat Your ART Out and showcase their amazing treats + cakes in the Sat., Feb. 19 event. Learn more here (psst, non-bakers — you can still purchase tickets for the event). 🥐

*This paid content, brought to you by our advertising partners, helps make this newsletter free.

📸 @fortworksart

With the FWSSR this week, everything’s coming up rodeo, and the local art scene is no different. B Shawn Cox’s work “3-Way Steady Hands” was highlighted by Fort Works Art — you can catch this piece at the organization's gallery (2100 Montgomery St.) alongside other new works starting Fri., January 14 , for just one more slice of rodeo in your weekend.

Bonus — We loved peeking at B. Shawn’s other western-inspired works.

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THE WRAP

Editor's Pick: Have I mentioned the Courtside Kitchen desserts? There's lemon pots de crème, pear apple crisp, and a fudge brownie. Why, oh why am I on the January Whole30...

Missed yesterday's newsletter? We're talking the Fort Worth Botanic Garden's Master Plan.

Today's Edition by:

Sarah

FTWtoday Team

Editorial: Rebecca, Sarah, Dayten, Josh

Sales: Rachel

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