Most women dread putting on one piece of clothing more than any other: the bikini. For Larissa Galford, the bikini is her bread and butter. Not only does the Redondo Beach native wear one for work, she’ll also wear one when she competes in a fitness competition next April.

“Working in a bikini all day, you want to look your best,” said Galford, one of Moorea Beach Club’s cocktail servers. To look her best, Galford watches her diet and works out with a trainer about four days a week. Working for two seasons at the Mandalay Bay pool club is what prompted her to train for the competition.

“I never thought of competing at all. Not till I got this job—and now, I’m looking forward to it,” she said. And although she might be on a strict diet, that doesn’t stop Galford, who’s half Lebanese and half Native American, from baking some sweet treats now and then.

“I love to bake and cook. I bake really good baklava, the staff here is always begging for it,” said Galford, laughing. “My grandmother taught me how to bake baklava and every other Lebanese dish.”

Larissa Galford FWB

Larissa Galford FWB

And while working poolside has guided Galford to a healthier, fitter lifestyle, what she loves most about working at Moorea “is that I get to be a part of people’s vacations. Making people happy, making an impression on them, so much so that they come back just to see me, that’s definitely the best part about working at the pool club.”

Berry Mule

Among the many signature cocktails, mojitos, frozen concoctions and margaritas that Moorea Beach Club offers, the Berry Mule is a tasty and refreshing choice. The signature cocktail mixes together Belvedere Wild Berry vodka, fresh muddled berries and ginger beer. For some extra fun, guests can order Jell-O shots and any of the cocktails in a souvenir cup or pitcher size.