The Las Vegas Hilton is offering an intimate evening with Barry Manilow when he premieres his long-term engagement, "MusicAndPassion" on Feb. 23. Shows will be on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 9 p.m. and 7:30 and 10 p.m. on Saturday in the Hilton Theater.

Main orchestra tickets are $145 plus tax and service charge, rear orchestra tickets $115 and balcony $85. There are 30 special stage seats that are up close and personal located on each side of the stage and at the same level. These tickets are $225 plus tax and service charge. For tickets call, 702-732-5755 or 1-800-222-5361.

After more than three decades of performing and 50 albums, Manilow will begin his long-term engagement with the Las Vegas Hilton and do five shows a week for 24 weeks throughout 2005 and into 2006.

Golden Rainbow will present "The World Goes 'Round," a cabaret musical featuring the biggest hits of John Kander and Fred Ebb, one of Broadway's best collaborative teams. The fundraising show is staged for one performance only on Sunday, Feb. 27 at 2 p.m. on the Pharaoh's Theater stage inside the Luxor.

The revue that was first staged in 1991 in New York City's Westside features 29 songs, including Kander and Ebb's biggest hits such as "All That Jazz" and "Mr. Cellophane" from "Chicago;" "Money, Money" "Maybe This Time" from "Cabaret;" "Kiss of the Spider Woman" and the theme from "New York, New York."

Tickets are $25 for general admission and $40 for reserved VIP, call 702- 384-2899. All proceeds benefit Golden Rainbow's mission of providing housing and direct financial assistance to men, women, children and families in southern Nevada affected by HIV/AIDS.

The Las Vegas Walk of Stars honored entertainers Liberace and Frank Marino on Feb. 1 at the Riviera in the Le Bistro Theatre.

Fifty years ago "Mr. Showmanship" Liberace made his Riviera debut at the hotel's Starlight Theatre. Over the course of his illustrious career, Liberace acquired an astounding array of prestigious awards, including two Emmys, six gold albums and was one of the highest paid entertainers of his time.

In addition to Liberace's commemorative star, the Riviera is exhibiting his "Bicentennial Rolls Royce," the 1954 Silver Dawn convertible sedan that was designed for the "Liberace Show '76" through May 30, in honor of the property's 50th anniversary.

Twenty years ago, Marino was introduced to the Strip as the star imitating Joan Rivers in the smash hit "An Evening at La Cage" His notoriously accurate impersonation has made him the highest paid female impersonator in the world.

The Las Vegas Walk of Stars was developed in cooperation with Clark County, which has sanctioned four miles of sidewalk to the East and West of Las Vegas Boulevard South between Sahara and Russell. Similar to the "Hollywood Walk of Fame," the Las Vegas project honors people of prominence in a variety of fields including entertainment, sports, literary, humanitarian, civic, military and pioneers. Each star will be a three feet square slab of polished granite weighing 180 lbs. and inlaid with the recipient's name and specialty. As many as 3,000 stars could eventually be installed.

Comedian, David Brenner, who is headlining nightly at the Las Vegas Hilton, has a new manager, Michael Rosenberg, who has served as an exclusive national promoter for Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Rick James, and Smokey Robinson, among other music stars, and has managed the careers of celebrities such as Peggy Lee and Johnny Rivers.

Rosenberg is also acclaimed as the premier manager in the sport of figure skating, representing Olympic champions Dorothy Hamill, Oksana Baiul, Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner, and over 100 world or national champion skaters during his 25 year career. He has produced and promoted many award nominated TV specials and international ice skating tours.

After leaving an award filled career as a documentary producer / writer / director (including winning an Emmy), Brenner began his 30 plus year stint as a standup comedian. He has set several national attendance records and is recognized as having made 158 appearances on "The Tonight Show," 75 as a guest host for Johnny Carson.

Lois Mahalia from Santa Barbara, Calif., impersonated singer Whitney Houston and won the 2004 Legend of the Year contest at the Imperial Palace. She received $1,000 and the opportunity to work for a week in the long-running hit tribute show, Legends In Concert. Mahalia competed in the resort's "Be A Legend" Celebrity Impersonator Karaoke Contest in Tequila Joe's on the first night the contest was held. The next competition beginning the 2005 challenge is Thursday, Feb. 17. For information, call 702-794-3114.

"Crazy Girls" have become famous for the life cast statue in front of the Riviera showcasing their back ends, now they are promoting body paint and not much else.

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A car that was once the prize of Johnny Carson's collection is proudly displayed at The Auto Collections at the Imperial Palace, complete with a good-bye wreath honoring the late host of "The Tonight Show."

The 1939 Chrysler Royal Sedan carried special meaning to Carson as it was owned by his father when Johnny was a small child in Nebraska.

A video-taped presentation shows Carson telling the story of how he saw the car for sale and recognized that it was the same make and model that his father had owned. When he showed up to inquire about purchasing the car, Carson found out through documents and the vehicle identification number that the Chrysler was the actual car his father had owned years before.

The owner of the car was honored to have Carson own it and sold it to him for just $1. The Auto Collections acquired the car from Carson approximately 10 years ago at the suggestion of Jay Leno.

Jerry's Nugget Casino, located near the Las Vegas Motor Speedway at 1821 Las Vegas Blvd. North, will host its 5th Annual Racer's Appreciation Car Show on Sunday, March 20, in the parking lot. The show will feature classic vehicles, hot rods, trucks, motorcycles, street rods, classics, drag bikes, late models and more. All entrants will receive a gift pack, event t-shirt, and discount coupons for area businesses. The event that runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. is free to participants and spectators.

All vehicles will compete for trophies and prizes in select categories (racers will judge all entries). For information, contact Cindy Ferris at Jerry's Nugget Casino 702-399-3000 or Dennis Evans at Evans Racing at 702-521-4575.

Starting Monday, Feb. 7 from 6-7 p.m. on KLAV 1230 AM, local and internationally recognized Chef Les Kincaid will start a new and specialized radio show in Las Vegas. Every Monday, Kincaid will be spotlighting a fine dining restaurant with his third weekly radio broadcast titled "Tableside du Jour." His Web site www.leskincaid.com features the show and a schedule of locations.

Kincaid's other two nationally syndicated shows are "Kincaid's Lifestyles Las Vegas" that is done live from Mariposa at Neiman Marcus at the Fashion Show and his "Les' Wines & Vines."

The next Las Vegas audition for "The Apprentice" will take place on Friday, Feb. 11 at Green Valley Ranch.

The Silverton has created a new monthly Speaker Series, featuring prominent U.S. officials. The next speaker is Scott F. O'Grady, the Air Force Captain who evaded capture by Bosnian Serbs after his F-16 was shot down in hostile territory. O'Grady will speak on Feb. 24 at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $30, call 702-914-8557 or 866-946-4373.

Mentioned a couple weeks ago that the Antique Sampler Shoppes on West Tropicana had closed after 10 years. The good news is most of the vendors from that location are relocating under a different company to Vegas Point Plaza at 9151 Las Vegas Blvd South at the end of this month.

Sonya Thomas, a 105-pound woman from Alexandria, Va., won the nine-pound Barrick burger-eating contest last month. Thomas, a.k.a. the "Black Widow," finished the burger, which is the equivalent of 36 McDonald's quarter-pounders with cheese, in a record 48 minutes and 10 seconds. The International Federation of Competitive Eating ranks Thomas, who received $3,250 for her first-place win, as the No.1 competitive eater in the United States and No. 2 worldwide.

One of the city of Las Vegas centennial events is inviting graduates from high school over the last 100 years to experience a prom... again. Put on your dancing shoes and fashions from your graduating class to enjoy an evening of reminiscing, dancing, non-alcoholic refreshments and fun at Cadwallader Middle School cafeteria on Saturday, Feb. 26, from 6 to 8 p.m. Cost is $40 per couple, payable in advance by Feb. 19, call 702-229-1633 or 702-229-5072. Cadwallader Middle School is located at 7775 Elkhorn Road.

Out at Lake Las Vegas located 17 miles from The Strip, there are many Valentine promotions in the works. Strolling violinists and cupids will walk through MonteLago Village on Saturday, Feb. 12, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Limited horse-drawn carriage rides will take place Friday, Feb. 11 through Sunday, Feb. 13 in the MonteLago Village gazebo for a minimal fee. In addition, a special $500 Retail Shop Giveaway and drawing will be held Saturday, Feb. 12 and Sunday, Feb. 13 at 4 p.m. in the village. Guests can earn tickets by making village shop purchases.

For romantic dinners, restaurants including Mira Lago Lakeside Mediterranean Café, Como's Restaurant and The Vineyard Ristorante and Bar have created special menus.

Treasure Island is offering the opportunity to get married on the TI's Siren Ship in Sirens' Cove. The ornate ship, which overlooks the Las Vegas Strip, is part of the new outdoor production, "The Sirens of TI." Now the ship's captain can unite couples while invited guests view the vow exchange from the adjacent boardwalk. For the right amount of gold, rogue pirates will serve as witnesses to the nuptials. This Enchantment Package ranges from $1,999 to $2,999 plus tax, call 702-894-7700.

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