High school reporter Sharat Bodduluri conquered his fear of soup to attend a neighborhood gathering called the “Soup Group.”
Here’s his story about this fun local tradition…
For the last five years, the Palo Alto residents on Cowper Street between El Dorado and Colorado have been throwing a monthly get together they call the “Soup Group.” The Soup Group is exactly what you might think it is: Neighbors from the block sit down and enjoy homemade soups, along with other foods such as chips and dip and salads. I am not a big soup eater so I always avoided the Soup Group, but recently I decided to buckle down and actually attend the July gathering. Despite my hesitation, I can now safely say after my first bite (or is it sip?) of the gluten-free, bacon-infused corn chowder made by my neighbor Margie Lee, I was hooked.
Although I enjoyed the chowder and company, the Soup Group was deemed too mellow by most of the local kids, who went next door to jump on the trampoline instead. But the Soup Group continued on past this reporter’s bedtime, as the neighbors and the hostess’ dogs stayed to visit together well after the soup was finished. Based on what I saw, I would say this month’s gathering was a big success!
Sharat comes to Palo Alto Pulse through Project Safety Net, a program that addresses suicide prevention and youth well-being in Palo Alto. Photos courtesy of Sharat Bodduluri.
