(LGBT Community Center, 208 West 13th St, New York, NY 10011) The Summer Exhibits include he work of the following: Ellen Shumsky, Portraits of Transformation: 1967- 1973. Photography capturing the political unrest of the late 60’s and early 70’s. Steven F. Dansky, Gay Liberation Front (1969-1971): A 40th Anniversary Retrospective. An archive of activism and protest, intimacy and relation, portraits of cultural icons and reinterpretations of gender. Gay & Lesbian Photography Club, As We See It: The Fifth Annual Photography Exhibition. Featuring stunning imagery from the erotic to political…from pop art to politically incorrect…from travel to portraiture…and everything in between. Boris Torres, Portraits of a Congo and Positive Paintings. A series of paintings/drawings of Congolese rape victims and effected children. Event Website

(Lyceum Theater, 149 West 45th Street, New York, NY 10036) Vanities spans the turbulent '60s through the late '80s and explores how important friends are, as one faces life’s defining moments. Event Website

(International Center of Photography, 1133 6th Ave, New York, NY 10036) Richard Avedon (1923–2004) revolutionized fashion photography starting in the post-World War II era and redefined the role of the fashion photographer. He shook up the chilly, static formulas of the fashion photograph and by 1950 was the most imitated American editorial photographer. Injecting a forthright, American energy into a business that had been dominated by Europeans, Avedon's stylistic innovations continue to influence photographers around the world. This exhibition will be the most comprehensive exploration to date of Avedon's fashion photography during his long career at Harper's Bazaar, Vogue, The New Yorker, and beyond. Working closely with The Richard Avedon Foundation, ICP curator Carol Squiers and guest curator Vince Aletti will present new scholarship on the evolution and extraordinary, ongoing impact of his work. The exhibition will feature more than 200 works by Richard Avedon, spanning his entire career, and will include vintage prints, contact sheets, magazine layouts, and archival material. Event Website

(Various Locations) Over 250 participating NYC restaurants. (Lunch = $24.07. Dinner = $35.) Event Website

(USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park) More than 720,000 on-site fans, 75 million television viewers in the U.S. and 30 million online visitors enjoy the thrill and excitement of the US Open each year. The one-of-a-kind experience, the magnificent grounds and the breakthrough innovations that have become synonymous with America’s Grand Slam keep fans coming back year after year, making the US Open the highest-attended annual sporting event in the world. Event Website

(New York Transit Museum, corner of Boerum Pl & Schermerhorn St, Brooklyn, NY 11201) (Tu - Fri 10AM to 4 PM; Sat. & Sun 12 noon to 5 PM) Incorporated in 1834, the Long Island Rail Road is the oldest rail road in the United States still operating under its original name. Initially built to be a shortcut to Boston, it has adapted to the ever-changing needs of its customers and survived competition, takeovers, hard times and bankruptcy. Today it is the busiest commuter railroad in the country and is embarking on a massive expansion project known as East Side Access which will bring LIRR trains into Grand Central Terminal. Historic and contemporary photographs, maps and illustrations ($5 adults; $3 children & Seniors (62+) Seniors free on Wednesdays) (718 694-1600) roxanne.robertson@nyct.com Event Website

(Riverside Park, Pier 1 @ 70th Street, New York, NY 10024) (Varies see website) Summer on the Hudson is the Parks Department’s annual outdoor arts & culture festival that takes place in Riverside Park South on the Upper West Side. With a mix of music concerts, dance performances, movies under the stars, DJ dance parties, kids shows, special events, and wellness activities, there is something for everyone! (FREE) Event Website

(P.S.1, 22-25 Jackson Ave, Long Island City, Queens, NY 11101) The first solo exhibition of the New York-based artist at a New York museum. Working in video, sculpture, sound installation, and photography, Horowitz critically examines the cultures of politics, celebrity, cinema, war, and consumerism. Horowitz repositions news publications like Life and Time, evocative of wholesome American ideals, to draw subversive connections. Other work addresses the inverted politics of celebrity activism, whereby celebrities align themselves with particular issues in order to construct and reclaim their identities. Event Website

(Queens World's Fair Marina) Artist Mary Mattingly's The Waterpod has been touring her floating eco-habitat to various docks around NYC all summer, with tours, classes and lectures on board. The last stop is Queens World's Fair Marina. Event Website

(Rooftop of the Old American Can Factory, 232 3rd St at 3rd Ave, Gowanus/Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY 11215) (8pm doors) Rooftop Films 2009 Summer Series, the 13th year of "Underground Movies Outdoors," will run every weekend from May 15 - September 20. Programming for the 2009 Summer Series includes feature-length films and programs of shorts, all new, all independent. Most of the feature films are either New York, US or World Premieres. Most screenings will include a filmmaker Q & A. Films represent a diverse range of documentaries, fiction, drama, comedy animation and more. Nightly: Live music presented by Sound Fix Records at 8:30pm, Film at 9pm. ($9) Event Website

(Nederlander Theatre, 208 West 41st St, New York, NY 10036) This revival of the classic musical about gamblers, showgirls, and the Salvation Army, stars Oliver Platt and Lauren Graham. Event Website

(Morgan Lehman Gallery, 317 10th Ave, New York, NY 10001) Acutely aware of being different in a world of New York society, Smith struggled for years with her identity as a lesbian and an artist. As she came to terms with her sexual orientation, Smith found herself searching for positive role models within the gay community. While portraiture has been used for centuries to memorialize the family lineage, these visual depictions have focused almost entirely on the heterosexual family unit. Smith conceived of a project that would not only provide the role models she so craved, but would also contribute to the current cultural debate around homosexual unions by finding monogamous and stable exemplars. Event Website

(Riverside Park South, 72nd St & the Hudson River) (10am - 5pm) Join the Downtown Boathouse for 20-minute instructional paddles, and explore the Hudson River firsthand. Weather permitting. Kayaking will be available Saturdays & Sundays, May 16 – October 11. No registration required. (FREE) (212.408.0219) Event Website

(The Putting Lot, 12 Wyckoff Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11237) (Wed-Fri, 12 - 8pm; Sat & Sun 10 - 8pm) You're invited to play nine holes of miniature golf in a previously vacant lot in Bushwick, Brooklyn, each designed by a different team of artists or architects. Enjoy local Brooklyn-based bites at the snack-shack, participate in a variety of activities and events, or just stop by and hang out in the shade. The Putting Lot explores the possibilities of vacant lots in the city with an emphasis on community spaces. ($5/$3 children) Event Website

(Al Hirschfeld Theatre, 302 West 45th Street, New York, NY 10036) The revival of the American Tribal Love-Rock Musical premiered last summer at the Delacorte Theatre in Central Park. Event Website

(Whitney Museum of American Art, 945 Madison Ave at 75th St, New York, NY 10021) Holzer’s pioneering approach to language as a carrier of content, and her use of nontraditional media and public settings as vehicles for that content, make her one of the most interesting and significant artists working today. Event Website

(Tyler Rollins Fine Art, 529 West 20th St, New York, NY 10011) Considered to be one of Singapore’s preeminent contemporary artists, Ong has been noted for his large scale, figurative charcoal works on paper since his first solo exhibitions in the 1980s. During the past year, he became fascinated with the Ramayana, the ancient Indian epic that recounts the exploits of Rama and his dutiful wife, Sita. Ong has brought his own unique viewpoint to this classic story. Inspired by the Ramayana’s characters and its dramatic themes of love, combat, and heroic adventure, he has created new narratives that are informed by his sensitivity as a gay man to the way gender roles play out in contemporary relationships. Event Website

(Madame Tussauds, 234 West 42nd St btwn 7 & 8th Aves, Times Square, New York, NY 10036) Madame Tussauds is offering a history lesson alongside its wax figurines this month: Beginning on Martin Luther King Day, visitors can participate in a special scavenger hunt, with clues based on African-American icons (like Malcolm X and Rose Parks) whose likenesses are in the wax museum. The clues can be downloaded from the website. ($22.40 - $35) (212-512-9600) Event Website

(LGBT Community Center, 208 West 13th St, New York, NY 10011) The world's oldest and largest not-profit agency dedicated to serving LGBT senior citizens. Activities include Daytime Discussion, Art Studio, 75+, Support Group, Scrabble & Bridge and Women's and Men's activities. Event Website

(CBST, 296 9th Ave, at 28th St, New York, NY 10001) (7pm) Event Website

(Rififi, 332 E. 11th St, Between 1st and 2nd Ave., New York, NY 10003) (11pm) The Only Free, Gay AND Lesbian Friday night dance party in NYC. The night at Rififi features hot Go-Gos, the best DJs, crazy drink specials and NO cover charge. (Free)

(Natural Gourmet Institute, 48 W. 21st St, 2nd floor, New York, NY 10011) (6:30pm) Friday Night Dinner at The Natural Gourmet has become a culinary magnet for savvy New Yorkers and visitors alike. Savor a delicious and unique experience when Chef Instructors and students of our Chef’s Training Program pour their expertise and enthusiasm into a three-course vegetarian dinner that is both innovative and beautifully presented. ($40) Event Website

(Natural Gourmet Institute, 48 W. 21st St, 2nd floor, New York, NY 10011) (6:30pm) Friday Night Dinner at The Natural Gourmet has become a culinary magnet for savvy New Yorkers and visitors alike. Savor a delicious and unique experience when Chef Instructors and students of our Chef’s Training Program pour their expertise and enthusiasm into a three-course vegetarian dinner that is both innovative and beautifully presented. ($40) Event Website