Fifteen years ago, Las Vegan Christopher Littles was working his first bartending job at a local bar. “And I’d think, ‘One day I’m gonna be a bartender on that Strip,’” he says. “Every day I’d write down on a card, my goals, ‘One day I’ll be a bartender on the Las Vegas Strip.’ It’s insane because I manifested that; I really wanted that and now I’m here.”
And the “here” is The Cabinet of Curiosities at Horseshoe Las Vegas, where Littles has been a mixologist for three years. Before he joined the curious bar and lounge (and speakeasy; ask about The Lock), he worked his skills at properties like Caesars Palace, Park MGM and Golden Nugget, but it’s at the Cabinet where “I sharpened my skills and gained a lot of knowledge,” Littles says. “I feel so comfortable here.”
Being a bartender has “helped me realize who I am as a person,” he says. “It changed me a lot. I don’t mind talking to people now—now it’s natural. I never thought I’d love mixology like I love it now. I’m always creating new recipes and posting videos on YouTube.
“We’re the Entertainment Capital of the World and I’m a bartender on the Las Vegas Strip. I don’t take that lightly,” he continues. “I’ve been doing everything I can to be here. … I want to be that bartender that people know and keep coming back to see me every time they’re in Las Vegas. That’s what I envisioned, that’s what I manifested.”
Libation: Old-Fashioned
You’ve never tasted the classic Old-Fashioned like the one Littles makes. His own recipe—bourbon, cinnamon syrup, French vanilla syrup, a dash of Peychaud’s Bitters and orange bitters, smoked with cherrywood and garnished with orange zest and a Luxardo cherry—is one smooth, chef’s kiss of a cocktail you need to try.
Benefit: While there is a large menu of libations to choose from, the bartenders love to create custom cocktails for guests.
Horseshoe Las Vegas. thecabinetlv.com
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