Columnist Muriel Stevens: Bellagio, chefs boost Ruvo center

Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2005 | 8:18 a.m.

Watching Guy Laliberte being interviewed Sunday on "60 Minutes" was almost as captivating as watching a Cirque du Soleil performance. Laliberte is the brilliant virtuoso whose imagination begat these extraordinary shows.

His magic works on all of us, infusing our senses with the staging and performances. Nothing is impossible in Laliberte's world. He travels the world seeking acts that can perform impossible feats, and he finds them.

Laliberte was recently honored at the "Keep Memory Alive" benefit at the new Bellagio Spa Tower. This annual event is a benefit for the Lou Ruvo Alzheimer's Center. The revolutionary treatment and research center will offer services never before available in our community. For the first time I was unable to attend this always terrific fundraiser.

With Ed McMahon and Robin Leach serving as auctioneers, more than $6 million was raised. The event chaired by Donna Baldwin and Camille Ruvo with major support from their spouses, Bobby Baldwin and Larry Ruvo, was flawless -- this according to my surrogate (we used to call them "leg men").

Dinner was a splendid affair orchestrated by celebrity chefs Wolfgang Puck, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Martin Heierling and Jean-Philippe Maury.

More Laliberte: Laliberte's newest extravaganza, "Ka," at the MGM Grand, is superb. The stage is a wondrous thing and the special effects, especially the beach and the sea life, are mesmerizing.

We arrived early for the first show and ate at the Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill. Our meal was perfection, the service lovely and the short walk to the gorgeous theater was doable for the pesky back problem I've been babying in the hopes that it will go away.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if all the new theaters on the horizon were designed to limit the walking distance from valet to restaurants, shopping or party areas?

Relais & Chateaux gift certificate: TravelSmart, one of my favorite newsletters, suggests an extravagant gift certificate, $50,000, good for any of the 450 luxury hotels and restaurants that belong to this upscale association. Fifty countries are represented. The lucky recipient is bound to find a castle, mansion, spa, resort or other choice that suits his or her taste.

Each member of this alliance of privately owned posh establishments promises to give its guest the ultimate experience. It's surprising that only two Americans are on the R&C Board of Directors: Patrick O'Connell of the Little Inn at Washington (outside D.C.) and David Garrett of The Point on Lake Saranac, N.Y. A gift certificate can be charged to a credit card or paid for by check.

More Relais & Chateaux: I've traveled this circuit. It's great if you are driving. Many of these beautiful places are off the beaten track.

I remember a trip to Wales. We were traveling by train. Once we let our driver go, we were without transportation.

We managed to get a taxi to the next town, talked our way into a funny little room and managed to get dinner at a pub when the publican was able to find an open market. He then cooked dinner while we walked the town -- all three blocks of it!