In a city like Las Vegas, it might seem strange that when Heather Rojas goes to work, she suits up in a puffer jacket, Ugg boots, gloves and earmuffs. As she puts it, “I suit up as if I’m going skiing.” That’s because Rojas is a bartender at Minus5 Icebar at The Venetian, a lounge that’s kept at a cool 23 degrees Fahrenheit and made completely of ice.
“It’s funny, ’cause I never liked the cold,” she says, laughing. “But I ended up loving it.” Rojas joined Minus5 in 2021, where she first got hired at front reception. A short time later, the company offered to train her as a bartender, and she’s been loving her new role ever since.
“Bartending is where I found my passion,” Rojas says. “I want to serve others, help others find their favorite drinks. I love bartending. One of the best compliments to me is when guests tell me I’m the nicest bartender they’ve ever met in Vegas.”
A Vegas native, Rojas watched her mom spend 25 years in the industry, and it’s what prompted her to follow in her footsteps. “I would always see my mom come home from work in a good mood and go to work happy,” she says. “So it got me interested in being in the industry. I wanted to be like my mom. I wanted to be happy with my work.”
And now she is. Being inside the freezing temps for six to eight hours a shift is truly a dedication to bartending. “It’s always busy so it distracts you from the cold,” she says. “You never get completely used to it, though. The No. 1 question I get from my guests is, ‘Aren’t you cold?’ But I love my job, so it’s mind over matter.”
Libation: Tipsy Scoop
When not drinking cocktails out of glasses made completely of ice, try the new, yummy option, Tipsy Scoop. The different flavors of ice cream are blended with different spirits, making for a sweet treat. Try the chocolate whiskey salted caramel (our personal fave!), mango margarita, vanilla bean bourbon or raspberry limoncello.
Benefit: Before 9 p.m., kids are allowed inside Minus5 Icebar. There’s even a great mocktail menu!
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