Columnist John Katsilometes: Noticing a movement afoot at the Grand Canal Shops

Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2005 | 8:44 a.m.

Fabulous Las Vegas runs Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday in the Las V' 12-9812, or by e-mail at kats@lasvegassun.com

One of the sharpest shoeshines in Las Vegas (we're guessing, anyway) is performed at the Venetian on Fridays by a 24-year-old blond woman in fishnet stockings.

Summer Quinn has been buffing footwear for just a month, having moved to Vegas from Seattle to, as she says, "change things up a little." In Seattle Quinn worked as a seafood inspector, which provided plentiful and secure employment but lacked what she really valued -- contact with actual humans.

Quinn arrived in Vegas without a job, but quickly found fulfillment with a company that hires shoeshiners to work at Las Vegas resorts and at McCarran International Airport.

Quinn says she wears the stockings and short denim skirt to draw a distinction between herself and most other shoeshiners, who are usually older men in slacks. Quinn has found that women are more willing to sit with a woman to have their footwear shined.

"Women don't trust men with their shoes," Quinn said. "But they will trust another woman."

Quinn's command post, which is at the bottom of the escalators leading from the Grand Canal Shops to the Venetian casino floor, is one of the more entertaining spots in the hotel to people-watch.

"The world comes to Vegas, I believe that," she said.

And I believe that shine was well worth $7 (gratuity not included).

NoteMart

Gray area: Witnessing a muscular Barry Bonds wading through the crowd Sunday night at Gavin Maloof's birthday party at Rain wasn't all that unusual, but seeing him working the room with sportscaster Jim Gray in tow was worth a double-take. Talk about an odd couple ...

Another unlikely pairing: Or, not. Cheech Marin, famous primarily as half of the legendarily stoned comedy team of Cheech & Chong, is scheduled to serve as host of the first Fine Art Awards Oct. 28-29 at the MGM Grand's Premier Ballroom. Aside from serving as a pop culture icon for more than three decades, Marin is one of the nation's leading collectors of Chicano art, a hobby of his since the mid-'80s.

The Fine Art Awards (ARTV) are honoring artists from across the country in 13 categories, including Artist of the Year. Call 242-8811 for information ...

First, act: New City Theatre is providing free acting classes for adults (ages 17 and older) each Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. "No cost, no commitment, no catch," is the pitch. The classes are a way for the theater, owned by Josh Sofer, to audition prospective actors.

"There is some really good talent out there and we want to find it," New City Theatre administrative director Marilyn Weinmann said Monday afternoon. "We're a company theater, and this is a basic acting class." New City is putting on "Dracula's Audition" a free-to-the-public production, through Oct. 29. For information go to www.newcitytheatre.com. To register for acting classes, call 795-0487 ...

What's his sign? Mayor Oscar Goodman waxed nostalgic at the "50 Fabulous Years of Neon" event Thursday at S2 Art Center on East Charleston Boulevard in the newly named 18b downtown arts district. "Absolutely, you can have nostalgia about these signs. It is our native art form and we need to preserve it," he said. When asked if there were any signs in particular he missed, he said, "The Dunes. I loved that sign."