Cash Caterine has walked the hallowed halls of 4455 Paradise Road for more than two decades. “On July 10 of this year it’ll be 25 years that I’ve been walking on this property,” Caterine says. He started off as a barback in 1996 when the hotel was Hard Rock Hotel, and today, the property has been rebranded, redesigned and reopened as the all-new Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. “Right before the Hard Rock closed, we heard that Richard Branson was buying the hotel and I was like, ‘Hell yeah!,’” Caterine says. “Going from one iconic brand to another—I was stoked about it.”
For many years, Caterine worked his bartending skills at Hard Rock, and today he continues his legacy behind Virgin’s lobby bar and lounge, The Bar at Commons Club—one of the most beautiful lobby bars in the city.
“After 25 years at the same property, especially bartending during the height of Hard Rock, man, I got all kinds of stories,” he says with a wicked little laugh. Actors, athletes, politicians, models, rock stars—Caterine has served them all. “I love interacting with people,” he says. “I tell a lot of stories. Tell the history of this place. I’m a bartender’s bartender. I can handle people, whether you’re a customer or a co-worker. I know how to deal with people. I’m good at reading people and chatting them up.”
What could be better than sitting inside The Bar at Commons Club with a delicious cocktail and hearing the slew of stories that Caterine has? When he moved to Las Vegas from Tulsa, Okla., in 1995, little did he know he’d become a part of the fabric of the city.
“I wear my time here as a badge of honor,” he says “I’m very proud. Just knowing what Hard Rock did for the city and being a part of that. And to continue with Virgin, I’m very thankful for that. Working here, its changed me. Its made me what I am. How could it not? I’ve spent half my life in this building.”
Libation: Miss Money Penny
The Bar at Commons Club serves up specialty and classic cocktails. For a twist on the margarita, try the popular Miss Money Penny. It’s a blend of Casamigos reposado tequila, Luxardo maraschino cherry liqueur, agave syrup and lime juice. If you want Caterine to whip it up for you, stop by the bar during the day. “Bartending—it’s been very good to me,” he says. “I’ve made a very good life. As long as I’m physically and mentally capable I’ll keep doing it. I enjoy it for sure.”
Benefit
From midnight-2 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, enjoy 50% off cocktails at The Bar at Commons Club.
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