Cirque

Funny how things are intertwined sometimes.

Catching up on my DVR queue again (always), I recently watched the charming documentary, Le Cirque: A Table in Heaven on HBO.

Foodies like me who grew up in and around NYC in the '70s and '80s know Le Cirque restaurant as the legendary and treasured hub of Manhattan's glamorous restaurant scene. The film follows the story of owner Sirio Maccioni and his three sons as they prepare for the closing of Le Cirque, through its re-birth a few years later. Running any family business is tough, but imagine doing it in the worldwide spotlight. The film offers an intimate peek at father-son and sibling dynamics, the struggle to ensure a culinary and cultural legacy, and the shift from the old guard to the new. Plus, the food looks fantastic.

The film reminded me that I had a double Cirque experience several years ago, when I visited Le Cirque's restaurant at the Bellagio before a fantastic performance of Cirque du Soleil's "O" in Las Vegas. I was quite excited recently to attend another Cirque du Soleil performance of their "Kooza" show in my neighborhood. It is just mind-boggling and completely entertaining to watch such an effort come together under the big top.

Quite a circus, indeed.