Columnist John Katsilometes: Wayne Newton giving thanks with shows at Flamingo Las Vegas

Thursday, Oct. 27, 2005 | 6:47 a.m.

Fabulous Las Vegas runs Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday in the L' s Vegas Sun. Reach John Katsilometes at 259-2327 or 812-9812, or at kats@lasve' assun.com

As Wayne Newton would say, "This holiday season is hot!"

Euphemistically speaking, of course. But "Mr. Las Vegas" has announced his holiday schedule at his new home, Flamingo Las Vegas. He will perform his standards-laden holiday show from Nov. 24 through Dec. 23 (expect an extended engagement of Newton's regular show after Jan. 1).

Tickets at the Flamingo Showroom are $65 and $75; a limited number of "Golden Circle" tickets -- which include a meet-and-greet with The Wayner -- are priced at $100. Tickets go on sale at the Flamingo box office on Friday.

The newly announced dates mark the first time Newton will perform a show in Las Vegas tailored to the holiday season. As usual, he will be backed by his powerful orchestra and ensemble singers, and also promises "exotic animals and other surprises."

In a release, the 63-year-old Vegas icon said, "I'm thrilled to bring this show home for the holidays."

NoteMart

Mix match: The Mobil Travel Guide announced its annual five- and four-star restaurant and lodging awards Wednesday, and Las Vegas hotels and restaurants were shut out of the five-star (Mobil's elite rating) class. However, Chef Alain Ducasse's Mix at The Hotel at Mandalay Bay made its first appearance on the four-star ratings list.

Other Las Vegas restaurants earning four stars were Aureole (Mandalay Bay), Bradley Ogden (Caesars Palace), Picasso and Michael Mina (both at Bellagio). Listed in the four-star lodging class were Ritz-Carlson, Lake Las Vegas; Bellagio; Four Seasons and Venetian.

Tito-mania: The staff at the Riviera was left scrambling Wednesday with late word that the show "Intense," featuring Tito Jackson -- an original member of the Jackson 5 -- would be held at the hotel on Monday. The show features a person said to be one of the top Michael Jackson impressionists in the country, E'Casanova.

This is said to be a "90-minute kaleidoscope" of music, dance and variety acts that are woven together in a way that includes personal recollections by Tito. The show starts at 10:45 p.m., is for adults (21 and older) only and tickets are $25 ...

Mine! All mine!: This week is Nevada Mining Week, and to cap it in fitting fashion a re-creation of an actual working mine is on display at Gordon McCaw Elementary School (57 Lynn Lane, across from the Henderson police station). The exhibit is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday ...

Dead on arrival: Mentalist Jason Scott performed a Halloween seance at noon Wednesday at the House of Blues Foundation Room. We were not there, livin' it up elsewhere, but an eyewitness said that Scott claimed to have contacted Ted Binion, coerced a pen to write the name of a deceased person, and made wine glasses move off the table. "Truly astonishing" is how it was put to me ...

Owl be there: The Hooters Hotel, scheduled to open in February, has announced it will conduct a job fair at the new property (which today is the San Remo) from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Nov. 8-9. Auditions for Hooters Girl positions are Nov. 8 and a news release says the hotel and casino are seeking "vivacious, friendly and fit women" to fill those positions ...

Dang, just an 'S' away: Spotted a woman driving a Saturn Ion on Interstate 215 on Sunday morning with vanity plates reading "KAT LVR" ...