Can you imagine re-applying for your job every six months? That’s exactly what Natalya Gavic was required to do as a dancer in Jubilee at Bally’s. At just 19 years old, the Langley, Va., native had her sights set on being a Las Vegas showgirl. “I moved to town and I made it happen,” Gavic said.

Now Gavic is in the middle of a much more permanent gig as the assistant beverage director for Caesars Palace. “I wanted to transition into another career where you could still be creative, but you can also eat a double cheeseburger and not freak out afterwards,” she said. That career shift was to the food and beverage industry, where she started out as a cocktail server. She worked her way up the ladder and, a decade later, presides over a portfolio that includes the property’s bars, the pool and a few dining outlets.

“What I love most is taking something from scratch and building it and seeing the finished product,” said Gavic, who also oversees menu development and staff training. The newly opened Lobby Bar is her most recent project. “It’s an absolutely beautiful new bar,” she said. The bar was completely redesigned from its heyday as the Galleria Bar, when Frank Sinatra was a frequent guest. “We wanted to give a shout-out to the old school, but also make it modern.”

Flame of Love

Flame of Love

“The Lobby Bar is where it’s at. It’s worth coming to check out,” Gavic said. “You always want to check out the new kid in town.”

The Flame of Love

The Flame of Love was created especially for actor Dean Martin by barman Pepe Ruiz at Chasen’s in Beverly Hills. As the story goes, Martin loved the cocktail so much he dragged his old pal Frank Sinatra in to try it, who in turn loved it so much that he bought everyone in the bar a round. “The cocktail is our throwback to Frank,” said Gavic. The Flame of Love is a mix of ABSOLUT.® Elyx vodka and a splash of fino sherry, garnished with a flaming orange peel. Careful, this one’s strong, but smooth. Just the way Dean and Frank would’ve wanted it.

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