Did you feel it in the air this morning? Something a little different’Ķan aura of excess and indulgence normally not experienced outside a Republican convention or Trump wedding. What you’Äôre sensing is the entire international art community descending on Manhattan for what has become the pre-eminent U.S. art fair. And this year, there is a supporting cast of some really great events scheduled around it.

The Armory Show 2005 takes place March 11-14 on Piers 90 & 92 at 12th Avenue and 52nd Streets. The seventh annual edition of this contemporary art show presents an impressive 162 galleries from 39 cities around the world. And while the show’Äôs main purpose is commerce, (2004 sales totaled $43 million) the fair offers the non-purchasing art fan a great opportunity to witness the latest trends and rising stars of the international art scene.

Across town, Art Rock, a show of 10 solo art projects, opens at 30 Rockefeller Plaza at Rockefeller Center, Mar. 7-14. Initially organized by Clementine Gallery as a protest to their not being admitted in the big deal on the piers, the show took on a life of its own when art lover Jerry Speyer offered his little parcel of land next to Radio City to throw the event. Art Rock features both outdoor works and installations in custom-built structures on the plaza.

The fourth annual Scope Art fair, featuring 75 exhibitors (plus live music in the lobby, a performance festival, something called "Cinema-scope" and a benefit auction) is slated for the Flatotel, 135 West 52nd Street, Mar. 11-14. The fair draws obvious comparisons to the hotel art fairs of the nineties, as the mood is much more casual, and the prices much less severe.

And finally, Greater New York opens on March 13 at PS1. Showcasing over 150 artists from the New York area, the exhibition builds from the Greater New York show of 2000, as it showcases artists who have emerged since the last show, as well as exploring how the city has changed since then. Personally speaking, the 2000 show was amazing! It was my first introduction to many of the artists I follow to this day. The show gave many future stars their first platform in front of a broad audience, and hopefully this latest incarnation will live up to its predecessor.

So there’Äôs no excuse...forget about Celebrity Wife Swappers or whatever else you were gonna tivo, and join in the fun. Never to late to start collecting