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Do you have a first cocktail memory, good or bad?

Yeah, I think the first cocktail memory was the Sazerac at PDT. John Deragon made it for me. I actually had that before I started working there. A friend of mine just took me for a drink. We sat down and he said you have to try this drink, it’s called a Sazerac. “Okay.” John Deragon, who was one of the original barmen at PDT, and he runs the apprentice program with Don Lee at Tales of the Cocktail, he’s fantastic. He made it for me and I never really looked back. I was going all around town saying, “Can I have a Sazerac?” And people were like, “I don’t really know what that is.”

[I point to the night’s R&D bar menu]

These are the most recent drinks you made, I imagine.

Yeah, I came up with those last night.

Tell me about your inspiration.

I love being back here. I think all the bartenders love coming back here because you really get to showcase your personality. Going back to what I said about making bartending fun again, that is something you can completely do back here. You get to showcase part of your personality. I try to have fun, and tonight is Celebrity Endorsement night. Rick Ross, also called Ricky Rozay. He likes rose wine, so I did a gin drink. I love R. Kelly. One of my first nights back here was an R. Kelly tribute night with Pablo, so I did a little Henny. The King of R&B drinks the Henn. Kim Kardashian is all over L.A. right now in a green dress, so I did a green drink – [Armenian Melons] – I put Midori on the menu and tried to make it refreshing, paired with Pisco and Orgeat, so it’s citrusy and light. And then the punch with Colt .45, beer cocktails are making a statement right now, and I love doing Micheladas and things like that, so I made a little malt liquor punch.

It Works Every Time Punch combined Sailor Jerry’s spiced rum, pineapple, fresh orange, agave and Colt .45 and referenced the Billy Dee Williams commercial for the malt liquor.

As far as naming cocktails, what’s your general approach?

I try to have them all fit together with a theme, so I did a tequila/mezcal night, and I did – some of the names were Lucha Libre and Telenovela, things like that, so when you read it, it’s telling you a story within a set theme.

What would you like people to know you for as a bartender?

I’d like people to know me for being able to sit down in front of me, get a delicious drink, and have a good time. As a personality and host as much as somebody who can make you a drink.

Who’s somebody you’ve never worked with behind the bar that you would most like to work with?

I’d love to learn a couple things from Vincenzo Marianella. I just wrote a piece that’s going up on Monday about L.A. and how it doesn’t really get the recognition that it deserves in the global community, and I talk about Vincenzo. I’ve only met him once, but he made me an aperitif drink that blew my mind. I watched him pour 10 different things in it. I was kind of in awe of him, reading more about him, asking everybody about him. I find him to be really fascinating. If I wasn’t an actress, I’d commit to that point of wanting to go to London, wanting to go to Australia, wanting to tour the world and learn from bartenders all over. If I could learn a couple things from him, that would be awesome.

Where and what do you like to drink when you’re not working?

I like wine. I really like wine. I enjoy a glass of wine with a meal, for sure. I drink a lot of spirits neat: equilas, mescals, rums and whiskeys. I love to mix with gin, but I don’t really drink it. When we were in Baja for the food festival, I had a citron Grey Goose and soda, but it was really refreshing, so I’ve actually been drinking a little bit of vodka here and there.

Wine with dinner, obviously, but any place in particular where you like to experience spirits neat?

Gosh, I haven’t been out in so long. I really like Big Bar, just ‘cause it’s close to me. They have a decent selection, and they have great food. It’s really European, that bar. Somebody’s reading a book. So Big Bar I love. I like Thirsty Crow. I drink a lot of spirits neat there. Honestly, there are so many places I haven’t gone to yet. I’ve been bad.

When you’re at home, what do you drink?

I drink vermouth. I drink a lot of vermouth. I have so many vermouths. Martinis made with Rosatto, which is amazing. I drink a lot of Bianco Vermouth and fortified wines, Cocchi, Lillets, those kinds of things.

What’s a cocktail that you would suggest non-professionals make at home?

A daiquiri. I think a daiquiri is so overlooked as far as its versatility. I kind of like to make a daiquiri for every season, and it’s really easy to do in L.A. because of our amazing weather. You might want to do a Flor de Caña daiquiri in the peak of summer, a seven-year or older aged rum, then on to a pot still like Smith & Cross in winter. A daiquiri is a three-ingredient drink with a barspoon of sugar or simple syrup. Switch out the sweeteners, lime, and then you’re done.

So two ounces of rum?

Mmm-hmm, 2, ¾, ¾ or 2, ¾ and 2 heavy barspoons.

If you could only drink one more cocktail, what would be in the glass?

I think it would be a Sazerac.

Who would you let make it for you?

Probably Sam Ross.

How come?

I’ve never had a bad drink made by that man, and I love watching him. I studied him for awhile. He’s elegant. He holds bottles, pours bottles and grabs things and it’s all very fluid. I studied him for awhile and tried to emulate some of that. Not only do I love his actual product, but I love watching him do things.

Is there anything you miss about drinking in New York?

Oh my gosh, yes. I miss Little Branch. That’s my favorite bar in New York for sure. I love the bar culture in L.A., but sometimes I miss the speakeasy classic structure, going to a dark room like a Milk & Honey or PDT and just getting cozy.