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FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | AUGUST 2024 13 Meet the Palacios! Back row (L-R): Angel, Paulina, and Juan Front row (L-R): Juan Jr., Yesenia, and Ariana ATTENTION FOUR SEASONS RESIDENTS! The onerous task of foraging near and far for meals and food supplies in excessive heat will come to an end this month. The Bistro is being refurbished and will reopen on or about Aug. 7. Check the Daily Report for updates on the actual opening date. The new Bistro operators are Juan and Paulina Palacios. The couple will be celebrating 22 years of marriage in October. They have five children, three girls and two boys ranging in age from 22 to 10. The family is very close. They love to spend time with each other and do things together; outings, vacations, church, and celebrations with extended family. As a matter of fact, some of the children will be employed at the Bistro. Yes, it's a family affair. Juan loves to cook, so working as a chef was a natural fit. He has been in the culinary industry for more than 20 years and has worked at venues such as Outback, Chili's, and Texas Roadhouse. For several years, he has worked here at the Bistro as the chef with both Stacy and Mike. Juan has met many of our residents and is aware of the type of food they want and like. They have listened to feedback from residents and will be offering some smaller meals at lower prices, happy hour meal specials from 2 to 4 pm, and daily specials. Both Juan and Paulina will be involved in operating the Bistro. It will be easy for customers to identify the employees since everyone will be in uniforms designed by the Palacios. All employees have been or will be trained in proper service and cleanliness per restaurant culinary standards. Residents will be able to order food for pick-up or delivery. They will also be able to drop in for freshly made grab-and-go items like sandwiches and salads. For residents who enjoy afternoons at the pool, there will be poolside service on special items. The name of the Bistro will be the same, but the menu is being revised. Some of the favorite menu items will be continued, but the Palacios want to offer more fresh foods and foods cooked on- site from scratch. They will be making soups, sauces, gravies, baked goods, and other items on-site. Juan and Paulina and the entire Palacios family said they are looking forward to operating the Bistro and becoming part of the Four Seasons family. Hopefully the Four Seasons residents will feel the same and embrace this new addition to our family. The Bistro will be open Monday through Saturday from 8 am to 7 pm. It will be closed on Sundays. ~ Tina Soeten and Irene Welker The Bistro Committee was formed as an Ad Hoc Committee to review applicants interested in operating our Bistro as a restaurant. Review of applications was done and interviews of three of the six applicants was conducted. The Ad Hoc Bistro Committee also inspected the Bistro's kitchen for cleanliness and assisted the Board of Directors in equipment review for working condition. They also made many recommendations to the Board of Directors to help the new vendor be successful. The Ad Hoc Bistro Committee was quickly established as a standing committee with regular meetings, recommendations to the Bistro vendor as needed, and provide information to and advise the Board of Directors about operations of the Bistro. The Committee members are Brenda Brazeal, Charles Caldera, Barbara Dipoma, Bob Ferrier, Donna Gilbreath, Mike Mendoza, and Pam Morales. The Board liaisons are Gracy Luna and Jerry Monahan. FirstService representatives are Eric Zarr and Lynne Cesario. As mentioned in my Message from the Board article, it is anticipated that the opening of the Bistro may be around Aug. 7, allowing for deep cleaning, equipment installation, and carpet replacement in the sitting area of the Bistro. Thank you to all our residents for your patience during our review and renovation process. Please join the Bistro Committee and the Board of Directors in supporting our new vendors Juan and Paulina Palacios and their family in making their restaurant a success. ~ Jerry Monahan, Board President The Bistro's New Caretakers: It's A Family Affair The Bistro Committee

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