The world of Las Vegas socialites has much to boast, but it’s not often that one of the nightlife industry’s own also ventures successfully into the world of daytime deadlines. In the case of 30-year-old Xania Woodman, you find a seasoned clubber who has learned to work the door guys as well a word processor. This month Clubplanet had the chance to grill Xania all about her experiences in clubs, journalism, and the steps that led her to both.
Clubplanet: Let’s talk about life before Vegas. You know, the boring part. Where were you when you decided it was time for a change?
Xania Woodman: I spent my time working at a swanky cocktail bar as a chef for 6 months and then a server for another 6 months. One of my regulars who used to sit at the end of the bar getting drunk every night kept telling me, “you gotta go out to Vegas, you gotta go out to Vegas.”
CP: And that was all it took, a little prompting from a heavy drinker?
Xania Woodman: It was one of those things where someone brings up a notion and you can’t ignore it. Pretty soon, every time I turned on the television it was all about Vegas and every time I opened a newspaper I was reading about Vegas and every magazine was talking about Vegas. So I thought, “Maybe someone’s trying to tell me something.”
CP: You continued working in hospitality positions, managing Club Rio and working at Shadow Bar— how did that translate into writing?
Xania Woodman: Actually it started as an email. When I left Shadow Bar, I maintained all my contacts and I became sort of an information point. So I set up a weekly e-blast. At first, it was sent to about 15 people and I started sending this right before Halloween of 2004. Every week, I would tell them what’s going on or here’s what just opened. Then it started getting circulated around people’s offices and it went from 15 people to 100 in about 2 weeks.
CP: So this email was essentially the brainchild for your site, www.thecirciutlv.com?
Xania Woodman: I started putting it all online and it wasn’t just a list anymore—I really started putting creativity into it. I never wanted it to look shoddy and putting it online helped me. My roommate at the time taught me everything I know, which isn’t that much, about web designing. It’s more about content, but I always try to make it look good, of course.
CP: Well we are all dying to know, how did a personal website project lead to your successful column with Las Vegas Weekly?
Xania Woodman: I was just kind of chugging along and doing it for fun when a gentleman named Martin Stein from Las Vegas Weekly sent me an email and said, “We love what you’re doing—would you like to get paid for it?” And who turns down an offer like that?
CP: Happily ever after, right?
Xania Woodman: It’s right around my three-year anniversary of when my first column was printed and I have never missed an issue. I pride myself on perfect attendance. That’s what happens when your parents are teachers.
CP: One more question I simply have to ask, who is the one celebrity you would love to interview?
Xania Woodman: Put me in the ring with Paris Hilton. I bet she burns a lot of calories pretending to be that pointless. Goldie Hawn acted that way for years—she played the dumb blonde and then you found out the woman is a genius. I am by no means saying Paris Hilton is a genius, but maybe in 30 or 40 years we will find out she actually does have a purpose.
For more info on Xania, visit www.thecircuitlv.com
