200 DINING HOT SPOTS Joya, 339 University Ave., Palo Alto. 650/853- 9800. The hip modern décor mixes well with the contemporary Spanish and Latin tapas and the tasty variety of new age cocktails. $$$ La Catalana, 3720 N. First St., San Jose. 408/ 324-1321. Unique Spanish dishes are prepared from family recipes in an ideal setting for business, social or romance. $$ Picasso’s, 62 W. Santa Clara St., San Jose. 408/298- 4400. Authentic Spanish cuisine made from the freshest ingredients and served in a relaxed, athome atmosphere. $$ TapaOlé, 18818 Cox Ave., Saratoga. 408/379-1677. TapaOlé brings a little taste of Spain to the South Bay with its unique take on traditional Spanish cuisine. The restaurant offers a wide selection of tapas, or small plates, as well as larger offerings for two. Compliment each dish with a classic wine, sangria or another beverage to rinse the palate. Centered with beef, pork, poultry, seafood or fresh vegetables, the tapas are enhanced with mouth-watering seasonings and sauces that accentuate their flavors. Adding to its traditional Spanish flair, TapaOle occasionally features live music and flamenco dancing. Catering services also are available. $-$$ Zambra Tapas Bar, 250 Lorton Ave., Burlingame. 650/344- 5655. Variety of Spanish-influenced dishes anchored with seafood, steak, chicken or pork. $$ Bella Saratoga 104 South Bay Accent THAI Amarin, Mountain View, 650/988-9323; San Jo s e , 408/253-8424; Santa Clara, 408/988-2982. Fresh, contemporary Thai menu with traditional accents and vegetarian dishes. $ Bangkok Cuisine, 407 Lytton Ave., Palo Alto. 650/322-6533. Very charming ambience with lovely patio dining. And the curries are especially tasty. $ Siam Orchid, 496 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto. 650/ 325-1994. A menu that mixes traditional Thai dishes with more modern cuisine, all infused with the finest quality organic ingredients. $$ Thaiphoon Restaurant, 543 Emerson St., Palo Alto, 650/323-7700. Well-appointed restaurant with a mix of traditional and contemporary Thai dishes and a tropical themed outdoor patio. $ VIETNAMESE Bleu Ginger, 90 S. Abel St., Milpitas. 408/ 719- 9998. Eatery specializes in Asian fusion, with enticing Vietnamese overtones. $-$$ Fuel Restaurant, 385 S. Winchester Blvd., San Jose. 408/248-0018. Stylish dining room sets the stage for tasty, contemporary Vietnamese fare. $-$$ Tamarine, 546 University Ave., Palo Alto. 650/325- 8500. Elegantly presented dishes, such as crab wontons in a consommé of lime, coriander, lemongrass and coconut milk served in a warm atmosphere.$$ Three Seasons, 518 Bryant St., Palo Alto. 650/ 838-0353. Chic restaurant and bar offers fresh take on traditional Vietnamese flavors. $$ Vung Tau, San Jose. 408/288-9055; Milpitas. 408/934-9327. This authentic Vietnamese cuisine has a distinct focus on fish preparations. Be sure to try the shrimp cupcakes! $ Xanh, 110 Castro St., Mountain View 650/964- 1888. Trendy, upscale restaurant featuring Vietnamese cuisine that pleases both the eye and palate with creative combinations. $-$$ n STUDENT STRESS (continued from pg 65) empower students, that takes fear away.” Thus, GAIS recently moved to qualitative assessments with rubrics. “We’ve incorporated a feedback process,” says Afshar. “The assessment is a conversation between teacher and student.” But GAIS’s shift took some getting used to. “We’ve been teaching parents that if a child meets expectations—and ours are high—that’s good. But some parents still want to see the letter A,” says Monika Hoge, special support coordinator. Pope advocates new assessment approaches. “Instead of taking a picture of one moment of your life—that test on Thursday morning—build a photo album,” she says. Interdisciplinary projects are helpful, she believes, because kids have time to work on them, they use multiple skill sets, and students receive feedback during the process instead of when it’s too late. At Palo Alto Prep, according to Keck, “If a student doesn’t test well he could go to the teacher and ask for the opportunity to improve the grade and retest. Talk about removing anxiety. I really don’t care if they don’t get it the first time; I just want them to get it.” Education today definitely extends beyond the three Rs. “We’ve had more schoolwide discussion about wellness and the signs of depression,” says Taylor. “We’ve tried to get out in front by talking with freshman parents on how to alleviate (anxiety). The theme here is life prep. There’s a lot more to Bellarmine than getting your kid into college.” At Saint Andrew’s, “I see that more students seem to have language for the stress they are feeling,” says Carlson. Middle school students want to form a meditation club, he adds, and school chaplains are introducing breathing and meditation practices to all grades. While academic anxiety is still an issue, Tennant wonders, “How much of that is because it’s more permissible for kids to tell us? I don’t know. Before maybe families weren’t acknowledging it. In that sense this may be similar to learning disabilities, which 15 years ago families would try to hide but now are more open about.” “Parents need to realize that you’re not trying to raise your child to reach the age 18,” Pope says. “You want a happy, healthy 35-, 45-, 55-year old. That one body has to last a whole lifetime.” n STEP IT UP! (continued from pg 71) ness but also to meet new friends and experience a sense of belonging. U-Jam definitely pulls from the hip hop culture—instructors and many students wear hats, clothing and shoes that come straight from the street—but the dance routines and music are not strictly hip hop. Marks pulls together independent music from around the world, including K-Pop from Korea and Dance Hall from Jamaica, with its reggae influence, as well as sounds from the Philippines, China, India and other countries. “It’s a hook, line and sinker,” he says of the music choices. Suzy says it’s not uncommon for immigrant students to light up when they recognize a beat from their native countries. Unlike hip hop or Zumba classes, which vary from instructor to instructor, certified U-Jam instructors around the country use the same choreographed routines and music mixes provided by Suzy and Marks. FIT TIP Wear loose-fitting, comfortable workout clothes and shoes, and bring a water bottle and small towel. Students aren’t required to sport hip hop fashion, but some do, with hats, baggy pants and high-topped shoes. LINKS TO GET A MOVE ON BARRE Barre3, barre3.com The Dailey Method, thedaileymethod.com Pure Barre, purebarre.com BOLLYWOOD BollyBeatz, bollybeatz.com Bombay Jam, bombayjam.com Dance Identity, danceidentity.com CAPOEIRA Capoeira of San Jose, capoeiraofsanjose.com Capoeira Irmandade, capoeirairmandade.com Brazivedas, brazilca.com HIP HOP Studio 10 Dance, studio10dance.com Clarice Let’s Dance Fitness, claricedancefitness.com Uforia Studios, uforiastudios.com HOT HULA FITNESS Hot Hula Fitness, hothulafitnesssanjose.com NIA Nia, helpyouwell.com or sfnia.com U-JAM FITNESS U-Jam Fitness, ujamfitness.com n
South Bay Accent - Feb/Mar 2015
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