It was the last day of auditions. The long line, averaging a two-hour wait time, snaked around the building. “My friend really wanted to audition, and she suggested that I come, too,” said Las Vegas native Gia Crimi.

By the end of that day, Crimi was one of the new faces of cocktail servers ready to represent Tao Beach at The Venetian for the 2015 summer season. “I wasn’t planning it at all, but I ended up walking out with a job!” she said.

Growing up in Las Vegas, Crimi thought she might one day work on the Strip. When she turned 21, she began cocktail serving at Bellagio’s pool. With Tao Beach, she transitioned into a high-energy, fast-paced daylife scene. “At first I was overwhelmed working here; I’d never really been to a party pool or nightclub,” she said. “But now I’m used to it. Now, I love it.”

Crimi’s responsibilities are the cabanas and daybeds. “I’m there to make sure the group is taken care of,” she said. “But what makes the job fun is that you’re a part of each party.” Crimi knows that her guests “save all year to come to Vegas, and I know they’re ready to have fun and let loose.” And Crimi is ready to rock right alongside them—during working hours, of course.

Gia Crimi

Gia Crimi

“People might be surprised that I don’t usually party; I like spending time with my family, going hiking with my dogs,” she said. “But, I’m not married, no kids and I’m young—I might as well enjoy this, work hard and see where it can take me.”

Bubble & Berries

When it comes to specialty cocktails, Tao Beach offers one of the largest menus at a pool club. Tequila, vodka, rum, bourbon, champagne—these are just some of the spirits that get mixed with fresh fruits and fresh-squeezed juices. A popular pick on the handcrafted cocktail list is the Bubble & Berries, a blend of Veuve Clicquot champagne, Belvedere vodka, St-Germain elderflower liqueur and muddled strawberries.