Nightlife

From the Gulch to Ghostbar

MacKay has come a long way since trial-by-fire

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Photo: Iris Dumuk
Jeff MacKay
Bottled Energy
Hometown:
San Diego, CA
Age:
37
Profession:
Head bartender, Ghostbar
Profile:
MacKay isn’t shy in admitting that he lied through his teeth to get his first bartending gig back in 1996 at the Glitter Gulch. His first night in the well was a trial-by-fire scene right out of Cocktail, starring a roomful of Comdex execs and a cocktail server with a weak spot for educating attractive young bartenders . Since then, he’s worked PT’s, Pinky’s, The Drink and Eat Too and finally Ghostbar, since its opening.
Why I do what I do:
“I always go into work wanting to be there. (The passion) is in the challenge of meeting people from all over the world, always testing yourself personally.”
Personal tidbit:
Outside of bartending, MacKay’s mission is to enhance the lives of others. A teacher of Tai Chi, yoga and Qigong (energy work), MacKay is blessed with the passion and ability to inspire others, to put them on that path to a better life. In a series of videos, MacKay introduces and reinforces the idea of how to integrate visualization into a meditative-style workout, combining visualization, coordination and breathing to put the body into complete unity and to heal the stresses of the fast-paced lifestyles we lead here in Vegas.
What I’m reading:
Entering the Tao: Master Ni’s Guidance for Self-Cultivation, by Hua-Ching Ni.
Latest accomplishment:
Jeff’s first video, InnerChi Fitness: Level 1, was filmed on the beaches of San Diego and was released in April 2007. The follow-up video will be available by winter 2008. Live Level 1 workshops will begin every Sunday on the beaches of San Diego starting June 22 and in Vegas, he hopes, shortly thereafter. Find the info here.
Quote:
“It’s great to be alive.”
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