Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Gabriela Arroyo and Jose Luis Rojano

A fine art proposal

Gabriela Arroyo and Jose Luis Rojano
Gabriela Arroyo and Jose Luis Rojano

Met: March 1997

Engaged: April 11, 2004

Wedding: July 16, 2005

Sponsored
Sponsored

"I picked her up with a pen,” Jose Luis Rojano says of his fiancée, Gabriela Arroyo. Mr. Rojano, 30, owns his own catering company, Bon Vivant. He met Miss Arroyo, 29, who works in sales at the convention center, in 1997. “We were both working downtown at the Manchester Grand Hyatt,” Mr. Rojano recalls on an early August evening. Mr. Rojano worked in room service. Miss Arroyo was a hostess at Lael’s.

“Every day when she came to sign in at work, she never had anything to write with. I started standing there with a pen.

“The door to Room Service was right next to the place where we signed in,” Miss Arroyo concurred. “Every day as I walked in, he would just appear with a pen in his hand.”

The couple went on their first date to Busalacchi’s about a month after they met. “He was so nervous when he asked me,” Miss Arroyo says with a smile. “He kept saying, ‘You can think about it if you want.’ I didn’t have to think. I said, ‘Yes.’”

After dinner, Mr. Rojano showed Miss Arroyo around the town. “I was born in Mexico City,” he says. “But we moved here when I was six. I consider myself a native San Diegan.”

Miss Arroyo came to San Diego from her hometown of Puerto Vallarta. “I only knew Chula Vista.”

The couple walked around downtown, then ended up at Café Lulu. “We talked until 2:30 in the morning,” Miss Arroyo recalls. “He talked about his family and about his mother. I liked that. I fell in love right away. He was so charming and genuine.”

When it came time to pop the question, Mr. Rojano consulted his friends. “They all said to get a limo and go for a hot-air balloon ride. But I knew that as soon as she saw the limo she would know that something was up.”

Instead, Mr. Rojano spoke to his brother who was studying in Boston. “He had a friend who was an up-and-coming artist,” Mr. Rojano explains. “I sent my brother some pictures of Gabi. I had already gotten the ring. I sent pictures of the ring and the box. My brother gave all the photos to his artist friend.”

Over a month’s time, the artist painted a portrait of Miss Arroyo sitting at a table. In the corner of the portrait, Mr. Rojano’s hand appeared holding Miss Arroyo’s engagement ring in an open box.

“The artist shipped the painting out to me,” Mr. Rojano continues. “I went to an art gallery in La Jolla right next to George’s at the Cove. The gallery owner was super nice. He hung the portrait and lit it for me.”

Last April, Mr. Rojano told Miss Arroyo, “Let’s go to dinner at George’s.” A friend, Chuy, is one of George’s bartenders. “Every now and then, he’ll call and say, ‘Come have dinner on me.’

“I told Gabi that I had a stomachache just in case I acted weird. I didn’t want her to be suspicious.”

“I was clueless,” Miss Arroyo confirms. “I didn’t even have a hint of what was going on.”

“We got there a little early, so I said, ‘Let’s look in here.’ I took her into the gallery. We walked around for a little bit. Then we turned the corner and saw Gabi’s portrait. We stood there for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, I said, ‘How about that one?’ and I pointed to her picture.”

“At first, I didn’t know what to think,” Miss Arroyo says. “I said, ‘That girl looks like me.’ Then I said, ‘I have a blouse just like that.’ I was concentrating on the woman in the painting. I didn’t even see the hand with the ring.”

Unable to wait any longer, Mr. Rojano dropped to one knee and pro- posed. “He said, ‘Would you do me the honor of being my wife?’ ” Miss Arroyo said yes.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Reader Music Issue short takes

Obervatory's mosh pit, frenetic Rafael Payare, Lemonhead chaos, bleedforthescene, Coronado Tasting Room
Next Article

Didja know I did the first American feature on Jimi Hendrix?

Richard Meltzer goes through the Germs, Blue Oyster Cult, Ray Charles, Elvis, Lavender Hill Mob
Gabriela Arroyo and Jose Luis Rojano
Gabriela Arroyo and Jose Luis Rojano

Met: March 1997

Engaged: April 11, 2004

Wedding: July 16, 2005

Sponsored
Sponsored

"I picked her up with a pen,” Jose Luis Rojano says of his fiancée, Gabriela Arroyo. Mr. Rojano, 30, owns his own catering company, Bon Vivant. He met Miss Arroyo, 29, who works in sales at the convention center, in 1997. “We were both working downtown at the Manchester Grand Hyatt,” Mr. Rojano recalls on an early August evening. Mr. Rojano worked in room service. Miss Arroyo was a hostess at Lael’s.

“Every day when she came to sign in at work, she never had anything to write with. I started standing there with a pen.

“The door to Room Service was right next to the place where we signed in,” Miss Arroyo concurred. “Every day as I walked in, he would just appear with a pen in his hand.”

The couple went on their first date to Busalacchi’s about a month after they met. “He was so nervous when he asked me,” Miss Arroyo says with a smile. “He kept saying, ‘You can think about it if you want.’ I didn’t have to think. I said, ‘Yes.’”

After dinner, Mr. Rojano showed Miss Arroyo around the town. “I was born in Mexico City,” he says. “But we moved here when I was six. I consider myself a native San Diegan.”

Miss Arroyo came to San Diego from her hometown of Puerto Vallarta. “I only knew Chula Vista.”

The couple walked around downtown, then ended up at Café Lulu. “We talked until 2:30 in the morning,” Miss Arroyo recalls. “He talked about his family and about his mother. I liked that. I fell in love right away. He was so charming and genuine.”

When it came time to pop the question, Mr. Rojano consulted his friends. “They all said to get a limo and go for a hot-air balloon ride. But I knew that as soon as she saw the limo she would know that something was up.”

Instead, Mr. Rojano spoke to his brother who was studying in Boston. “He had a friend who was an up-and-coming artist,” Mr. Rojano explains. “I sent my brother some pictures of Gabi. I had already gotten the ring. I sent pictures of the ring and the box. My brother gave all the photos to his artist friend.”

Over a month’s time, the artist painted a portrait of Miss Arroyo sitting at a table. In the corner of the portrait, Mr. Rojano’s hand appeared holding Miss Arroyo’s engagement ring in an open box.

“The artist shipped the painting out to me,” Mr. Rojano continues. “I went to an art gallery in La Jolla right next to George’s at the Cove. The gallery owner was super nice. He hung the portrait and lit it for me.”

Last April, Mr. Rojano told Miss Arroyo, “Let’s go to dinner at George’s.” A friend, Chuy, is one of George’s bartenders. “Every now and then, he’ll call and say, ‘Come have dinner on me.’

“I told Gabi that I had a stomachache just in case I acted weird. I didn’t want her to be suspicious.”

“I was clueless,” Miss Arroyo confirms. “I didn’t even have a hint of what was going on.”

“We got there a little early, so I said, ‘Let’s look in here.’ I took her into the gallery. We walked around for a little bit. Then we turned the corner and saw Gabi’s portrait. We stood there for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, I said, ‘How about that one?’ and I pointed to her picture.”

“At first, I didn’t know what to think,” Miss Arroyo says. “I said, ‘That girl looks like me.’ Then I said, ‘I have a blouse just like that.’ I was concentrating on the woman in the painting. I didn’t even see the hand with the ring.”

Unable to wait any longer, Mr. Rojano dropped to one knee and pro- posed. “He said, ‘Would you do me the honor of being my wife?’ ” Miss Arroyo said yes.

Comments
Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Nation’s sexy soldiers stage protest at Pendleton in wake of change in Marine uniform policy

Semper WHY?
Next Article

Making Love to Goats, Rachmaninoff, and Elgar

Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.