Best Not-So-Cheap Thrill

With six snow-blowing machines, and facilities in Pahokee and Miami, Fred Abramovitch dominates the local snow business. Fred, the president of Royal Palm City Ice, hails from Toronto, Canada, and can't seem to leave his chilly past behind. He doesn't advertise his product, but especially in December and January, his phone (305-653-7500) rings off the hook with customers. Fred's fleet then hits the road for another block party, modeling shoot, bar mitzvah, or corporate hootenanny. "Of course, the only real snow is the snow that falls from the sky, but this is nearly identical in quality," Fred says proudly. "It's not ice. It's not slush. It's snowball-quality snow." Minimum purchase order: five tons, $600.