Services Offered
Off-site Venues

Galeria San Juan

Galeria San Juan is the private residence of well-known local artist, Jan D’Esopo and her equestrian husband, Manuco Gandía, who is also the teacher of the Puerto Rico Olympic Equestrian Team.

The History of the Galeria
The home was built in the 1600’s, and is the oldest residential structure. Originally built as the Officer’s Quarters for the Spanish Artillery, Galeria is located midway between Fort San Cristobal and Fort El Morro. Although the complex exists within the city walls, it was built before their initial construction. The home was later modified to serve as a military lookout base to foresee and subsequently protect the area from high-sea invasion. The strategically positioned balconies at various levels and angles throughout the house provide a four directional lookout upon the surrounding bodies of water. The elevated north balcony gives an expansive view across hundreds of miles of ocean horizon. Completely restored by its present owners, the beautiful colonial architecture features open arches, clay and stone bricks, and original asubo wood beams further enhanced by lush tropical gardens and trickling fountains. It stands as living testimony to almost four centuries of political and cultural prominence.

La Galeria is now the gallery, studio, and private residence of artist Jan D’Esopo. In addition, Bed and Break-fast accommodations are available, though, as is typical in any B ’n B operation, one is hardly aware of this aspect. The artist purchased the home in ruinous condition in 1961, and meticulous restoration took two years. A series of large water color paintings by the artist depicts the building’s pre-restoration condition and captures that sense of time past which can now still be felt as one walks through the labyrinth of endless rooms and gardens.

The History of the Hostess
Jan D’Esopo was born in New York City, schooled in New England and has resided in Puerto Rico since 1961. Encouraged by her Scottish mother and Italian father, her interest in the arts began at age five with lessons in music, dancing and painting. Her early years were spent in the heart of the academic and cultural environment at Yale University, where her father was Professor of Medicine. Concerts, ballet, theater, choral groups and visits to the University’s extensive art collections were daily fare. At age nine, she was already an award-winning exhibitor at the Wadsworth Athenaeum juried art shows for young New England artists. Five consecu-tive years of awards for her work in watercolor encouraged D’Esopo to pursue this medium.

Four years at Bennington College added new dimensions in sculpture with Simon Moselsio and a passion for the academic basics through work with Paul Feeley and Hans Hoffman. Studies at Yale School of Art and Ar-chitecture with Herb Gute and Dean Keller furthered her precise pursuit of anatomy and perspective. Undaunted by the market’s encouragement of the abstract movement, she quietly worked perfecting her craft, painting in sharp focus the subjects about her world, while contemporaries explored muted visions of compositions without subject.

Her move to Puerto Rico more than 40 years ago was a passionate encounter with a new culture, an even older world and an overwhelming abundance of subject matter. Hundreds of works were produced in these years and in 1985 she was honored with a show at the Bronx Museum of the Arts. D’Esopo founded two galleries in San Juan, one primarily to promote young artists. She taught watercolor at the Art Students League in San Juan for many years and has organized a multitude of workshops at her Galeria San Juan with top artists from around the world. Recently Ms. D’Esopo has re-entered the world of sculpture. The focus of her work is portraiture in terra cotta and bronze. Her Galeria San Juan boasts the only statuary bronze foundry in Puerto Rico.

Your Evening at the Galeria
We can put together virtually any evening that you would like within Jan’s home. Wandering buffets for as many as 150 persons can be executed just as easily as gracious sit-down dinners for as few as 10 persons. Jan has a full-time cooking staff on duty. They have been personally trained by her, and she is the innovator who puts together the menus not only for their tastefulness to the palate, but also keeping in mind the desirability of a totally appealing visual display. Everything Jan serves is personally selected by her for its freshness and visual appeal.

The flow of an evening at Galeria San Juan is smoothly planned – visitors are met with welcome drinks on arri-val as they stroll the candlelit path through one of the outer courtyards into the main home. Butlered hors d’oeuvres are served during a full open bar cocktail receptions, and a tour of the entire home is offered to those who are interested – this ranges all the way up to the fourth floor wine deck, probably the highest point in all of old San Juan, overlooking the rooftops of the old city.

On most evenings Jan and her husband, Manuco, are in attendance as well, acting as gracious hosts. More likely than not Jan will have one or another of her exotic birds perched on her shoulder (she has a lovely col-lection of macaws, cockatoos and parrots in her home).

Most events last three hours, ending with delicious Puerto Rican coffee served either at the table or in the main salon, following which the guests leave, having been privileged to have had a truly unique experience that only you could provide for them.

Imagine This…
Galeria San Juan, known in the old days as “La Cueva del Indio” has become one of the Caribbean’s unique and exclusive settings for very special and private group dining, openings, meetings, concerts, and other cul-tural activities. Our banquet rooms can accommodate from ten to one hundred and fifty guests who are wel-come to stroll through our patios, courtyards, exquisite gardens, galleries and exhibition rooms.

Your evening will begin with a Welcome Drink in the North Garden entrance where you will be personally greeted by Jan D’Esopo, husband Manuco Gandia and a bevy of exotic colorful birds perched in hand and nearby in garden trees. After a visit to the Print Room refreshment bar, accompanied by hand passed hors d’oeuvres, the Gandias will invite you to visit the upstairs living quarters and the Music Room, complete with a Concert Steinway, outfitted with the Piano Disc System. Antique brass candlesticks and high polished Ausubo floors further enhance this beautiful room. The tour will be culminated at the fourth level Wine Deck, the high-est view in town, where guests will experience a spectacular view over San Juan and the Atlantic Ocean.

Following your cocktail hour (premium brands) with butlered hors d’oeuvres your group will be invited to stroll through the Main Gallery to the candlelit San Sebastian Dining Room. More than seventy-eight candles are lit to celebrate your event. Each table is beautifully adorned with silk brocade and velvet fabrics. Massive bronze candlesticks, original sculptures and ornate sculpted charger plates, all fashioned by D’Esopo are set on each table. Dinner plates and soup bowls are also the artist’s creations. With such a setting, only the most delicious creations will be turned out of our kitchens. From the chilled or hot soups, to our signature desserts, your guests will feel an important part of a special artistic event!!

Rates are from 2004. While we have not yet received any price increase, it would be wise to cost in an addi-tional 10% for 2006 as protection for any possible increase that might occur. Once we have a signed function sheet, even if at 2004 pricing, your rate is guaranteed.

Menu Selections
2004
(Add 17% gratuity to all rates)

The prices listed below include the total dinner package:
* Welcome drink, full open bar, premium brands with hors d’oeuvres
* Personal tour through the gallery’s four levels
* Visit to The Music Room and hear the concert Steinway
* Six course candlelit dinner with red and white wine included
* Personalized menus in a lithograph binder, signed by the artist
* Coffee and dessert included
• Note also that our menus have been created to introduce guests to the fruits, herbs, and foods of our island.

TO START we offer a full open bar during the cocktail. In addition,

Please choose 2 of the following appetizers:
Crudités with a Mustard Cream Sauce, Frituras de Yautia (A fried root vegetable of the potato family), Plantain Tostones with Spicy Caribbean Sauces (Fried green plantain), Breadfruit Tostones (in season), Casava Bread (Indian flat bread, Yucca) & Local Cheeses, Almojabanas (Rice, Flour & Cheese Fritters)

And one from this section:
Shrimp in Coconut, Lemon & Garlic Shrimp, Stuffed Mushrooms Caps , Smoked Salmon, Cilantro Stuffed Chicken, Mock Crab Soufflé

THE MEAL:
We begin each meal with a soup of your choice. Please choose one of the following:
Hot Soups: West Indian Pumpkin, Plantain, Yucca with Vegetables, White Bean
Cold Soups:Gazpacho, White, Gazpacho, Red Chayote & Chervil, Carrot & Orange

THE SECOND COURSE:
Please choose one from the following:
Wild Rice Salad (cold), Spanish Ratatouille, Manicotti D’Esopo, Filet of Fish (various), Shrimp (various), Scallops in Caribbean Herb Sauce

Or

Sea Salad: Marinated Maine Lobster, Caribbean Lobster, shrimp served over mesclun with spicy lime & orange juice dressing. (Add $10.00 p.p., and subtract salad course, which we normally serve after the main entree.)

Then

Homemade Sorbets: Lime, Passion Fruit or Melon

THE MAIN COURSE
(For combinations of any 2, there will be a surcharge of $9.50 p.p.)
Tenderloin of Baby Lamb, with Fresh Mint Sauce $170.00
Veal Rib eye with Honey Walnut Crust and Papaya or Mango Sauce $170.00
Lobster Teresina (Lobster, Shrimp, and Scallops in a Sun-Dried Tomato,
Mustard and White Wine Sauce) $170.00
Chef’s Choice Beef Tenderloin $165.00
Seagrape Wood-Smoked Roast of Beef $155.00
Medallions of Pork Tenderloin, Baked with Passion Fruit $155.00
Roasted, Tropical Fruit Stuffed Pork Tenderloin $155.00
Seagrape Wood-Smoked Breast of Turkey $150.00
Baked Filet of Fish of the Day (with Sauces) $160.00
Chicken Breast Baked with Passion Fruit $150.00

All of the above are served with 3 vegetables, and Basmati and Wild Rice, Pasta or Potato. Special sauces can be cre-ated at the request of the client.

HOMEBAKED BREAD and butter will be served in several varieties.
THE SALAD COURSE: Mesclun, Baby Greens, Arugula and Nasturtiums (edible flowers) served with Homemade House Dressing and Reggiano Cheese
THE DESSERT COURSE: Guava Tartuffo (Coconut or Pineapple Bread Pudding with a Hot Caramel Guava Sauce and Vanilla ice cream), Guava Parfait or Apple Torte.
COFFEE: Yauco Selecto Gourmet Coffee is served in the Main Gallery. Cordials and Cigars are also available at addi-tional cost.

Authorized clients can view current rate and availability information by accessing their online accounts.