Last night I was one of the bartenders at the DIFFA Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS at The Reef in downtown Los Angeles. We served beer and wine to approximately 400 people. There were only two bartenders but we worked well together and we handled the crowd no problem. Most of the guests were interior designers all over the country.
I have no done too many of these events, but want to do more of them. When I arrived everything was pretty much set up. I just setup the cups and bottles the way I like them and went to work. People started coming in around 7:30 and we were pouring non stop until 10:30. A maintenance guy from the building acted as a barback and was a big help. By the time we were done serving, he had taken away all of the empty bottles and leftovers. We were out of there by 10:50.
I am LEADS certified, which they required for me to do this event. There is a certification put on by the LAPD called STAR certification. I will get that certification the next time the class is offered. Right now I am preparing for a birthday party in Lancaster. The host has about ten specialty drinks he wants me to make, including the Purple Hooter, King Kong Bomb, Long Island Ice Tea, and Mojito, among others. The party should be interesting.
Tomorrow I am off to the Camp Pendleton Marine Corps bases to bartend a wedding I booked months ago. Next week I will be doing a screening event in Hollywood and a birthday party in Orange County.
Shaken Not Stirred in LA 