500 K Served! Ricky, Rita and Randi -- Plus our EXCLUSIVE Tour of Teller's House of Wonders

Chill the champagne! For those faithful who miss our ticking blog counter (it'll return, don't fret), we are happy to announce that following another wondrous weekend, AOL's Luxe Life: Vegas journal has hit a watershed, with over HALF A MILLION views! Of course, thanks go to you the readers for putting us here. Keep coming back every day, and we'll keep coming to you! For those of you new to the blog, feel free to browse the archives and catch up on the astounding exclusive events we've covered in recent weeks...

From kings and queens of country and comedy to princes and princesses of pop, Vegas became a megastar charity playground this weekend. Our check-in register reads like a who's who, with Garth Brooks and Tricia Yearwood (Yes, together) Paula Abdul, Ricky Martin, Rita Rudner, Jay Leno (no, not together!) as well as 1956 World Series record holders Yogi Berra, Joe Garagiola and Don Larsen. But a private and exclusive brunch at a conjuror's castle stole the spotlight nonetheless! Only AOL's Luxe Life can bring you these intimate up-close photos, including our exclusive tour of the temple of Teller (he's the silent one of wizard wonders Penn and Teller) and his collection of Houdini memorabilia.

First, though, since we gave you photos of gorgeous gals over the weekend, being an equal opportunity blog, today we'll get up close with a handsome hunk! I was front and center for Ricky Martin's near 2-hour thrilling English and Spanish music and dance show at the Aladdin on Friday (Jan. 27), and he gave us special permission to shoot literally from onstage just for you. Seven thousand fans rocked the house, dancing, cheering, and waving flags to hits old and new. Performing songs in arrangements ranging from solo guitar to big bold brass numbers, Ricky explained his need for a two yearsabbatical with family in Puerto Rico, to restore calm and find his purpose after the 5.4 million worldwide sales phenomenon of his English debut album 'Sound Loaded.' He released the en Espanol 'Souls of Silence' in 2003, and now he's back with second English language album 'Life.'

"It's great to be back in the game, and I love Vegas," Rick shouted over the screams. The night prior, he'd taken 11 of his bandmates to see and meet the cast of Cirque du Soleil's KA show at MGM. But Martin was all-aglow mostly about his upcoming UNICEF projects. Later this month (Feb. 25), he will perform at the Taj Mahal in India to kick off ten '8th Wonder of the World' concerts for United for Children, United Against Aids, in addition to YouthAids and the Ricky Martin Foundation. Over the next five years, planned stops include the Great Pyramid in Egypt, the Parthenon in Greece, the Coliseum in Rome, The Eiffel Tower in Paris and in September this year, the Forbidden City in Beijing. The giant fundraising and awareness project will conclude in 2010 at the Statue of Liberty in New York...

Rita Rudner thought 'A Black and White Ball' was just a little too ... monochrome.

So the New York-New York comedienne suggested it be tickled pink, literally, adding her favorite color to the list of allowed clothing colors for a dinner honoring her as 'Woman Of The Year.' I even wore a pink top pocket hanky in my tuxedo. The Nevada Ballet Theatre event was hosted by Steve and Elaine Wynn (right, with Rita) at their namesake WYNN resort. "I took ballet my entire life, but I wasn't very good," Rita quipped. "In Swan Lake, I wound up as the lifeguard!" Steve wasn't about to do any dance steps, either--having busted his knee during a ski-accident in Sun Valley, Idaho, he gamely hobbled in on crutches...

The fundraiser brought an all-star turnout, including Tony Curtis and wife Jill Motown legends Smokey Robinson and Mary Wilson of The Supremes, Robert Goulet, the gorgeous and elegant Phyllis Maguire, with David Brenner as mc and Danny Gans providing his multi-voiced entertainment. In an auction that raised a total $1 million for the ballet, Paula Abdul wound up paying $10,000 to buy a teeny-weeny little Yorkie dog (to me it looked smaller than her handbag!). Paula, incoming entertainment director of the Silverton Hotel here, said she and Silverton president Craig Cavaleer (together right) would be announcing all their ambitious theatrical show plans very shortly...

Wearing a $1 million necklace on loan from Stafford jewelers (see below pic with me), Rita made two remarks that still have me laughing out loud: "Honesty is very important in a marriage -- it must be avoided... I think men who have a pierced ear are better prepared for marriage since they've experienced pain and bought jewelry." And my favorite: "I can never ask for money back after I've loaned it to a friend. The best I can do is, when I'm over at their home, I break something of that approximate value..."

Down the strip, after his show at the Mirage, late night comedy king Jay Leno surprised Garth Brooks and Tricia Yearwood by making an appearance -- on motorycycle! -- at their Teammates forKidsFoundation fundraiser at the same resort. Jay worked the hysterically funny auction, helping to raise $1.2 million from the thousand private dinner guests. Most notable among the lots was a 1956 vintage Dodge laden with Yankees memorabilia, to celebrate the 50-year anniversary of the still-unbroken record World Series game of No Hits, No Walks, No errors, with baseball greats Yogi Berra, Joe Garagiola and perfect pitcher Don Larsen, who played that game, on hand. It brought $250,000. Casino execs Bruce Himelfarb, Mirage President Scott Sebella and MGM corporate titans were there, alongside major league baseball stars Larry Walker, Greg Maddox, Reggie Sanders, Mike Hampton, Jason and Jeremy Giambi, plus courageous Olympic champion wrestler Rulon Gardner...

Highlight of the night was when the now-retired Garth took the stage to sing with wife, Tricia, including their duet 'Love Will Always Win,' which brought the house down. Garth says the only time he performs now is when it benefits his Teammates Kids Foundation, which he co-founded in 1999 with stars from hockey, football and baseball, giving 100% of all money raised to the needy kids...

Magician James Randi's Educational Foundation conference ('The Amazing Meeting 4') was held through the weekend at the soon-to-be-smashed Stardust, for skeptics and students of the paranormal and supernatural. The highlight had to be magic maestro Teller (the silent one of the 31-year-old team Penn and Teller playing here at the Rio) hosting a 12-person brunch at his nine-year-old 10 acre desert hideaway, for fans who had traveled in from as far away as Seattle, Philadelphia, Florida and Texas (see our carousel above for all the exclusive pics!). Teller auctioned off the final seat on E-Bay over the holidays, but when Susan Girndt of Houston bid $10,000 to celebrate her birthday and 6th wedding anniversary, her husband John was added as the lucky 13th guest! All told, Teller's homemade brunch of ham, corn, egg and cheese pudding, rosewaterstrawberry smoothies, carrot waffles, cornmeal rye pancakes with homemade turkey apple sausage and pork rolls -- which the magician both cooked and served himself -- raised $30,000 for Randi's foundation.

Teller gave all his houseguests an autographed copy of his private breakfast recipe book, saying "It's the most important meal of the day for me. I actually prepare it the night before as a way to wind down after each show, so it becomes really easy just to finish the final steps quickly next morning, complete with a timer, so the oven's preheated ready to go the moment I'm out of bed." Despite his avid interest, Teller added, "Cooking is not my hobby. I don't enjoy spending five hours making something I'll eat in five minutes. I just like to eat what tastes good and isn't too hard on my arteries."

AOL 's Luxe Life Journal was the only media permitted to attend as Teller provided a private tour of his self-designed home, complete with collections of Houdini memorabilia (from handcuffs to Christmas cards), 'The Simpsons' (in every shape, manner, and form) and 'Gone With The Wind' -- the latter including an actual chair used in the film! There's also the diving helmet from his recent underwater TV special filmed in The Bahamas. The intriguing and eclectic home -- complete with crocodile on the entry driveway and a mechanical card-trick playing bear in the backyard -- is a source of wonder and amazement wherever you turn. It features the first and only architectural use of the mirror box principle, and sure enough I scared myself trying to look through a non-existent window at the end of a gallery walk reminiscent of a ship's bow!

The house is dotted with medical photos, bones and skulls. Teller explained: "My parents gave me a skull as a present on my 12th birthday, and ever since I've been fascinated with the human brain." His library, which includes an extensive collection of magic books (including a copy of 'Magic for Dummies'), also features numerous paintings of magicians including Siegfried, plus one of himself styled after the 'Portrait of Dorian Gray,' which he has the artist return annually to make older! Spending private time with Teller revealed that the truly talented entertainer is also a real nice guy -- and a pretty darn good cook!

TAM4 wrapped with my friend Jamy Ian Swiss (right) performing four sold-out shows of his amazing close-up card magic. As Teller said: "He is James Bond with a deck of cards for a pistol," and they will talk for the rest of their lives about how he brilliantly manipulated four aces from every conceivable combination of a deck of cards -- both with and without fronts and backs. No wonder he practices 4 hours each day to keep his fingers so nimble and quick!

Don't dare miss the debut episode of my friend, high-powered criminal defense attorney James "Bucky" Buchanan's new Court TV Series tomorrow night (Tues. Jan 31) at 10 PM. He's the boisterous and highly flamboyant 70-year-old star of 'Las Vegas Law,' striding into court sporting diamond-studded rings and watches, a blue pinstriped suit and $5000 boots made from the skin of an alligator that he killed himself! Check the stuffed leopard above the desk of his office modeled to duplicate a high-roller suite at the Bellagio resort hotel! A Pittsburgh native, Bucky (left) graduated from the Naval Academy in Annapolis in 1958 in the same class as future US Senator John McCain. He won his law degreefrom Southern Methodist University in Dallas and then worked at a nuclear test site in Nevada before taking a job with the D.A.'s office here. Buchanan might be known for his expressive scraggly eyebrows and liberal use of expletives, but is respected for winning 413 of his 509 high profile jury trials. We'll be celebrating the debut with his beautiful wife Gianna appropriately at the Courthouse Grill downtown while watching the show tomorrow evening. Knowing Bucky, I can vouch for his claim: "There's never been a show like this before. It deals with every part of the law, plus the little things I do in Vegas. How shall I put this? I'm a party animal." I can swear on the good book to that!

Nightclub life of course continued to be as hot as ever here this weekend. UFC fighter Tito Ortiz along with Jason Giambi and Paula Abdul partied at Tryst... Body English hosted rockers INXS, The Killers, Disturbed and Flavor Flav... Twenty-five members of the NY Mets took over a private banquet room at TAO (Vivica A. Fox was there too!) ... Speaking of which, in recognition of TAO's recent "Best Nightclub" win at the Las Vegas Nightlife awards -- with less than 4 months open! -- we've decided to memorialize its arrival with a special photo gallery tribute this Wednesday, so definitely join us for that! In fact click here, or on our 'Alert Me' tab up top, and we'll ping you promptly as it's posted. But first, tomorrow, a rare backstage photo visit with Harvey Fierstein and Susan Anton at the Vegas rehearsals of 'Hairspray, ' the musical, which will open for previews next Monday (Feb. 6) and premiere on February 15 (click here for tix). Meantime, you can nudge us at robinsvegas@aol.com with your notes -- musical or otherwise.

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500 K Served! Ricky, Rita and Randi -- Plus our EXCLUSIVE Tour of Teller's House of Wonders