Goal achieved. For California native Diana Small, moving to Las Vegas and becoming a bartender was a dream she had since she was a teenager. “All the way back in my career, when I was 16 and looking for a job and I got one as a hostess, I immediately fell in love with the industry,” she said. “And I knew I wanted to end up bartending in Vegas one day.”
That day came four years ago when Small moved to town. She has since held bartending and beverage management positions at various spots, landing a model bartender position at Lavo at The Palazzo two years ago. Small works behind the bar at both the restaurant portion and upstairs at the venue’s casino club. “It’s fun to be a mastermind behind the bar and see what I can come up with,” she said. Go ahead, challenge her. “I love creating new cocktails based off what the person’s tastes are.” Small loves everything about bartending, from whipping up cocktails to expanding her knowledge about spirits and meeting new people. “It’s a community at the bar, people enjoy themselves and it’s fun to be a part of that.”
Pomegranate Lemonade
When not on the clock, Small loves attending Vegas shows. “I see a show at least twice a month,” she said. “Criss Angel, Britney, Carrot Top, I’ve seen those, like, five times each. I’ve seen all the Cirque shows.” She also loves that Vegas is a 24-hour town. “I love a city that doesn’t shut down. I really do love living and working here.” Goal enjoyed.
Pomegranate Lemonade
Fresh-squeezed and cold-pressed juices, fresh garnishes and high-quality spirits are all used to create the dozen handcrafted specialty cocktails on Lavo’s menu. A popular pick, available in an individual glass or even a punch bowl to share with friends, is the Pomegranate Lemonade, mixed with ABSOLUT.® Elyx vodka, pomegranate juice and Ripe Bar cold-pressed lemon sour juice.“It’s very refreshing,” says Small. “Not super sweet. And the pomegranate mixed with the lemon and vodka is the best blend. It’s a simple cocktail, but very, very good.”
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