This year’s Bruce High Quality Foundation and Vito Schnabel’s Brucennial billed itself as the “The single most important art exhibition in the history of the world. Ever.” And judging from attendance it didn’t disappoint. 376 names (famous, semi-famous, and total unknowns) participated in this year’s salon style extravaganza at 159 Bleecker and thousands more paid tribute at the opening. Here are the highlights:

Capacity crowd: “We’re expecting 15,000 people tonight,” said Vito Schnabel at 6:20 PM. Exactly three minutes later, the joint was filled to capacity.

Artist cameos: Francesco Clemente, Aurel Schmidt, Dustin Yellin, Terence Koh, Danny Fuller, Michael Avedon, and maybe 200 others.

Other notables: Mary-Kate Olsen, Bob Colacello, Yvonne Force Villareal, Casey Fremont, Waris Ahluwalia, Bill Powers and Cynthia Rowley

Most recognizable wall pieces: Cindy Sherman, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and George Condo

Best curatorial advice: “Julian Schnabel told me to blow up my work to 70 by 70 inches, and so I did,” Danny Fuller on of the show’s big highlight pieces.

Best rain outfit: Terence Koh’s clear raincoat finished off his signature white fur.

Most notable sculpture: Dustin Yellin’s first floor centerpiece. “They told me recent, and I chose this baby,” he said.

Best parting gifts: “Harderer. Betterer. Fasterer. Strongerer.” scarlet BHQF tees..

Best indications that people are having fun: More beer can recycling bins than we could count.

Best homage to the Hirst Spot Challenge: Why…a Hirst spot painting! Though someone named Victoria Campbell claimed it as her own with a pencil signature.

Aaron Young opened his anticipated Built Tough showcase on Saturday at Bortolami and he didn’t disappoint. His Americana themed works ventured where the artist hasn’t gone before: full scale entrancing paintings, polished youth propaganda sculptures, and meaningful prints. He had plenty of support during the weekend as he co-hosted his opening and party with Nate Lowman at Jane , who also had a fair amount of stars and stripes in his show.

Young supporters: Jane Holzer, Tom Hooper and Tara Subkoff, Richard Phillips and Josephine Meckseper, Terry Richardson, Dustin Yellin and Linda Yablonsky.
Most supportive art girlfeind award: Young’s favorite woman, Laure Heriard Dubreuil who’s always smiling and wearing better clothes than others in the room
Guest who most resembled one of Young’s sculptures: James Franco
Jane hotel patrons in Young’s support: Waris Ahluwalia and Vito Schnabel among others
Best surprise: DJ Aziz Ansari taking over the bash

When event organizers started musing about fall art benefits way back in the spring, somehow three big shindigs were planned on the very same night. And that meant that we had to scramble to three different black ties, dinners, and auctions in less four hours, all in distinct neighborhoods. Let’s recap, shall we?

What: New York Academy of Art’s Take Home a Nude Annual Auction Gala
Where: Sotheby’s
Concept: Lots of affordable art up for grabs during the silent auction, face time with honoree Eric Fischl
Best Feature: The auction Marshalls who looked liked the happy extras from The Truman Show
Top guests: Samantha and Aby Rosen, Padma Lakshmi, Mary Boone, Will Cotton, Gretchen Mol, and Eileen Guggenheim
Best quotable: “For all the candy in my life, I can be very boring for breakfasts. I eat oatmeal every day but I do mix it up by putting dates and nuts into it,” Will Cotton.

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What: Museum of Arts & Design METALBALL
Where: See above!
Concept: A mult-floor celebration featuring a sit down dinner, young artist metal themed auction, opened exhibits, and yes, a seventh floor for happy boozing and sighseeing
Best Feature: David Victor Rose’s interactive art piece full of metal art sculptures which Lisa Edelstein, Paul Sevigny and Waris lined up to sign
Top guests: Richard Meier, Michael Stipe, Lazaro Hernandez, Kalup Linzy, ThreeASFOUR crew, and Joe Manganiello (that dude from True Blood).
Best quotable: “I know there’s a party going on downstairs, but you need to run to Dead or Alive exhibit right now. Because once it closes, you’ll regret it,” Lorenzo Martone to friends.

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What: Americans for the Arts 2010 National Arts Awards
Where: Cipriani 42nd Street
Concept: A sit down dinner featuring awesomely gifted Americans…like Angela Lansbury
Best Feature: Angela Lansbury happily posing with Kate & Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte and Alec Baldwin. Brilliantly random.
Top Guests: Fresh from LA Jeffrey Deitch, Josephine Meckseper and Richard Phillips, Jeff Koons, Kim Gordon, Cameron Silver, and Todd Eberle.
Best quotable: “I wouldn’t even know how to begin to learn how to dress myself. Every morning, I sit back and surrender to the genius wardrobe department of 30 Rock,” Alec Baldwin.

There always comes a time for the very first dinner party, and ART RUBY’s premiere big bash took place this week in New York. We happily hosted an evening at The Lion to celebrate Richard Phillips, one of our very favorite artists who’s having one hell of a spring. Phillips co-curated Your History is Not Our History exhibit with David Salle (that closes at Haunch of Venison on Friday) and is part of the group showing at the Swiss Institute that will unveil on May 5.  Both Salle and our honoree made it out to West Village last night and even playfully posed with a custom crystallized Moët et Chandon bottle that celebrated their superior wrangling skills and many sleepless hours. Phillips’ better half Josephine Meckseper (who’s a big hit at The Whitey Biennial this time around) was of course there to support her favorite man.

In fact, it was a big night for golden artist couples like Rachel Feinstein and John Currin and Lisa Yuskavage and Matvey Levinstein all came by to toast good friend Phillips with pink champagne, lobster bisque, pan seared sea bass and filet mignon. Others gallery certified guests at the tables of yet unopened eatery included Tom Sachs and Gagosian’s Sarah Hoover, Sean Landers,  Les Rogers, and frequent Art Box contributor Todd DiCiurcio who was accompanied by his lovely wife Megan. There was table hopping, appetizer sharing, and lots of mutual admiration.

Beyond the artists and the gallerinas, other ART RUBY supporters included actress Melissa George with director husband Claudio Dabed,  Jimmy Choo czarina Tamara Mellon, Waris Ahluwalia, Emma Hall, Casey Fremont, Lorenzo Martone, designers Claude Morais and Brian Wolk (of Ruffian), Prabal Gurung, and wild card dinner seatmate Oksana Baiul. Yes, the one that beat Nancy Kerrigan when you still owned a Walkman in 1994.  Artistically inclined surfer and model pair of Danny Fuller and Tori Praver fully enjoyed their dessert of Art Ruby velvet cupcakes and Phillips’ sweet toast to his buddies and our little site.  Until the next dinner and honoree, we hope you enjoy our favorite images from last night’s event.