HOT POTS
SOUP FOR THE SOUL
Soup is a winter comfort food staple, and a favorite way to
treat a cold. You can find any number of varieties in restaurants
throughout the Bay Area, including near-legendary chicken
tortilla soups at Vive Sol (solrestaurant.com) in Mountain View
and Bill’s Café (billscafe.com) in San Jose’s Rose Garden area.
Boudin SF spots throughout the South Bay ladle out
delicious varieties like butternut squash, clam chowder and
broccoli cheddar in soft and crunchy sourdough bread bowls
(boudinbakery.com). And Panera Bread, also with locations
throughout the area, serves up simmering chicken noodle,
creamy tomato and bistro French onion soups, among several
others (panerabread.com). Check out local grocery stores and
cafes for other tasty soup selections, usually made fresh daily.
This season, Sur La Table (surlatable.com) and William
Sonoma (williams-sonoma.com) demonstrate in classes how to
whip up your own soups for the season.
December 2017/January 2018 63
FROM TOP: COURTESY OF PANERA BREAD; COURTESY OF LIFT EXERCISE STUDIO
FEEL THE BURN
GO FOR A SPIN
Spin classes through the Bay Area are all the
rage, and torching 400 to 600 calories per
hour will get you into shape in a jiffy. Expect
to pedal and work up a sweat like crazy.
Among several local facilities offering
classes is Flywheel Sports in Sunnyvale,
where a single, first-timer class is $15, and
after that regulars pay $23 (flywheelsports.
com). At CycleBar (cyclebar.com), Los
Gatos, the studio offers a 30-minute free
session for newbies. At San Jose’s Lift
Exercise Studio members pay monthly
and first-timers can purchase an introductory
$99 month pass with unlimited classes
(liftexercise.com).
Spin classes usually are conducted in
a dedicated room packed with stationary
bikes. Lighting is dim and the room cool.
Find out if the class requires that you bring
special shoes or if the studio rents them.
Once inside, ask someone to help you adjust
your bike, so that the seat height and
the handles are at a correct distance. Get
ready for extremely loud music. All cycle
studios recommend you drink and bring
water and eat a light snack before class so
you have energy for the ride.
PANERA BREAD
LIFT EXERCISE STUDIO