Josh Rogers, contributing editor at Manhattan Media, is a lifelong New Yorker. Follow him @JoshRogersNYC.

Robert V. (last name withheld)
West 107th Street

Letters have been edited for clarity, style and brevity.

Screening—The Rubin Museum of Art, which houses a collection of Himalayan paintings, textiles and sculptures, screens Federico Fellini’s Academy Award-winning drama La Strada, presented with an introduction by artist Henry Chalfant. The film series at the museum is inspired by the exhibition Visions of the Cosmos, which juxtaposes Eastern and Western conceptions of how the universe is represented through art. 150 W. 17th St., 212-620-5000; 9:30 p.m., Free with $7 drink minimum.

Saturday, April 3

Music Collectors—Browse more than 10,000 music items for sale, including records and music recordings from the 1800s through the 1980s. Collectors can find posters of jazz greats, rare rock ‘n’ roll albums and eclectic sheet music selections. Tip Top Shoe Building, 155 W. 72nd St., 212-579-0689; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Free.

Stroll Through Flowers—The president of the Roosevelt Island Historical Society leads a magnolia blossom walk through the island’s flowering trees. On the 90-minute tour, Judith Berdy offers historical and botanical observations for various sites. Roosevelt Island, 888 Main St., 212-688-4836; 11 a.m., Free.

Good Friday Concert—Dr. Stephen Hamilton directs the 30 members of the Holy Trinity Choir in a performance of Faure’s Requiem during the Liturgy of Holy Friday. The Church of the Holy Trinity, 316 E. 88th St., 212-289-4100; noon, donation suggested.

Sunday, April 4

Easter Dinner—Bistro Ten 18 celebrates Easter Sunday with a four-course menu available for brunch or dinner, served family style. Each course includes seasonal, locally sourced ingredients, and the entrée is a rosemary-crusted rack of lamb with creative vegetable pairings. Bistro Ten 18, 1018 Amsterdam Ave., 212-662-7600; $20 children, $45 adults.

Art World Documentary—Symphony Space screens the critically-acclaimed independent film The Art of the Steal: The
Untold Story of the Barnes Foundation. Directed by Don Argott, the documentary chronicles the long struggle for control of the Barnes Foundation, a private collection of post-impressionist and modern art valued at more than $25 billion.
Also playing April 11 and 18. Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway, 212-864-5400; 4 p.m., $7 to $11.

Monday, April 5

Body Tuning—Physical therapist Shmuel Tatz, Ph.D., and Vladimir Mayoroff, M.D., cap off a week of free lectures and treatments in their “Hands On” series, which emphasizes the health of the hands, especially for musicians and professionals who work on keyboards all day. Today’s concert at Steinway Hall launches Tatz’s book and the newly created Healthy Hands Foundation. Tatz is known for his body tuning technique, applied to help dancers and performers as well as ordinary New Yorkers, for the relief of everything from common aches to Parkinson’s disease. Steinway Hall, 109 W. 57th St., 212-246-7308; 6:30 p.m., Free.

Tuesday, April 6

Comedic Legend—Comedian Joan Rivers presents an evening of her rants on Hollywood, pop culture, celebrities and award show fashion. A portion of the proceeds from the night of laughs goes to Rivers’ favorite charities, God’s Love We Deliver and Guide Dogs for the Blind. West Bank Café, 407 W. 42nd St., 212-352-3101; 8 p.m., $30 plus $15 food/drink minimum.

Wednesday, April 7

Floral—The Ikenobo School demonstrates the Japanese art of floral arrangement called ikebana. The event showcases the many different styles of the delicate art and explores its evolution from simple Buddhist priest flower bunches of the 8th century to today’s wide variety of materials and techniques. Explore a Mini-Ginza sale and an obento lunch prior to the show. Horticulture Society, 148 W. 37th St., 212-217-0220; 11 a.m. doors, noon lunch, 1 p.m. program, $20 program only, $35 program and lunch.

Street Talk—The Municipal Art Society of New York hosts “Are New York’s Streets Out of (Design) Control?” a discussion about the aesthetics of city streets. Architect Michael Sorkin moderates the panel, which includes professionals in urban design, development and from the Department of Transportation. Participants consider the best and worst elements of New York streets, from sleek bus shelters to hodgepodge outdoor furniture and graffiti, comparing the Big Apple to other cities and brainstorming future plans to keep design in check. Reservations required. Scandinavia House, 58 Park Ave., 212-935-2075; 6:30 p.m., $15.

Cocktails and Science—The SciCafe series continues with “The Future of Stem Cells,” with Dr. Kristin Baldwin from the Scripps Research Department of Cell Biology. Baldwin, who cloned a mouse from a single neuron from its nose, discusses the latest stem cell technology in relation to the often-misunderstood science of cloning. The museum remains open after hours, and the café offers music and drinks. The American Museum of Natural History, Gottesman Hall of Planet Earth, West 81st Street/Rose Center entrance between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue, 212-769-5200; 7 p.m., Free with cash bar (21 and older).

Latin Cinema—The Havana Film Festival New York runs April 16 to 23, with special free short film screenings at El Museo del Barrio today. The museum’s “Nuevo Cine” screens the Columbian documentary Desterrados, about a group of violently displaced Afro-Columbians, and El Play, about a small city in the Dominican Republic famous for its world-class baseball players. The festival celebrates 15 of the best Latin American films in the industry, all competing for the Havana Star Prize, and convenes screenings, panels and programs to promote Latin American film throughout the city. El Museo del Barrio, 1230 Fifth Ave., 212-831-7272; 6:30 p.m., Free (other films at various locations).

Thursday, April 8

Classic Revival—New York City Center Encores! Program, which celebrates rarely heard works of America’s most important composers and lyricists, presents a four-night run of Stephen Sondheim and Arthur Laurents’ Anyone Can Whistle. Raúl Esparza, Edward Hibbert, Jeff Blumenkrantz and John Ellison Conlee join Broadway stars Sutton Foster and Donna Murphy in the cast of this 1964 musical, directed and choreographed by Casey Nicholaw, with musical direction by Rob Berman. Through April 11. New York City Center, 131 W. 55th St., 212-581-1212; 8 p.m., $25 to $95.

Story Behind the Book—As a complement to its exhibition Curious George Saves the Day: The Art of Margret and H.A. Rey, the Jewish Museum hosts a lecture by Louise Borden, who wrote a book about the true wartime escape of the Reys from Nazi Germany to the United States. The talk explores the Reys’ journey and how their treasured manuscripts became the children’s books we know today. During the day, children’s book historian, author and critic Leonard Marcus presents “Picture Book Bohemia: The Reys of Greenwich Village,” an illustrated talk about the Reys’ creative home. The Jewish Museum, 1109 Fifth Ave., 212-423-3337; 11:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., $15 to $20.

Making snowy and windy weather safe for the not-so-sure-footed means able-bodied people looking out for those are not. Related is Council Member Jessica Lappin, who is now head of the City Council’s Committee on Aging. Elder-related, too, is Mount Sinai School of Medicine’s Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Adult Development, where its head, Dr. Rosanne Liepzig, is uniquely aware that “eldercare” requires the teamwork of doctors and patients’ families. She may even intervene when existing families don’t do enough.

And here’s to wearing visuals, like my “Smile!” cap and Minneapolis Star newspaper handbag, a wistful farewell tribute to the morning Star daily that was absorbed by the afternoon paper. If only those handbags had been given out earlier to save it. Editors and columnist must really beat that drum to save print newspapers. Ever wish the Internet hadn’t been invented? Maybe TV and non-
emergency cell-phoning too?

But no comments on my “Smile!” cap, or the Star handbag; when you’re innately shy and also can’t get around very easily, you can be overlooked.

Our Town named Matilda Raffa Cuomo East Sider of the Year, mostly for her mentoring and educational work with children. But I commend her for coming over during the OTTY event to talk to two white-haired women with canes who were standing against the wall for support. She gave us more than a perfunctory hello. So did two other OTTY recipients, Jeff Gold, whom we know well, and Marjorie Wilson, who somehow remembered me as a patient at Beth Israel North, where she volunteered.

The ceremony’s greatest applause went to Loretta Ponticello for decades of civic involvement, including her recent work in saving the Cherokee Post Office. But let’s hear more about this vigorous elder’s decades of looking out for elder residents in her no-doorman, walk-up apartment complex.

Civic friend and neighbor Ruth S. and I were fortunate to have a concerned doorman help us into a cab to the event. But we two cane-carrying elders found getting out at Mount Sinai, at East 98th Street and Madison Avenue, a bit scary, thanks to wind gusts and no doormen. As for getting home around 9:30 p.m., when three of New York’s Finest were heading for the exit door, I jokingly asked, “Hey, you wouldn’t have a police car outside, would you?”

“Nope,” they smiled and hurried off, not thinking these two elders could use help getting a cab. This column, incidentally, has always been a strong police supporter.

Yes, we managed, but not without some “boarding stress.” I’m also a white-knuckled cab rider who never seems to get the seat belt buckled. But unlike so many elders and otherwise disabled persons, we both have doormen to help us safely disembark and get into our lobbies.

Incidentally, I left a reproachful message on the 19th Precinct’s community relations’ answering machine. But consciousness needs to be raised, and to the fact that many elders’ fear of falling precludes their input at civic meetings and events held after dark. Lack of Internet access further disenfranchises.

Again, heartfelt thanks to all the OTTY winners for making this a more livable city. And thank you for suggestions on how to help overcome the commonplace but critical “oversights” I’ve noted here in this community weekly, which also needs our utmost support—and thanks!

dewingbetter@aol.com

On Sept. 18, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal, Borough President Scott Stringer and Council Member Gale Brewer and tossed dirt from their shovels on to an almost waist-high mound to symbolically break the grounds of the 59th Street Recreation Center construction site. The idea for a new facility has been in discussion since 1993.

Nadler told crowds he remembered fighting for the recreation center to stay open; more than 50 children showed up in swim trunks to protest the potential closing.

“The 59th Street Recreation Center is getting a total makeover,” said parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe.

Construction started this past June, after $12 million was raised to build new facilities and renovate existing facilities. The project will offer yearly low-cost exercise and recreational equipment for only $75 to adult members, $10 for seniors and free of charge to residents under the age of 17.

To bankroll the new nursing home, a project that has long been in the works and was originally planned for the south side of West 106th Street between Columbus and Amsterdam avenues, Jewish Home was going to sell part of its property to a developer. But with the economy faltering and developers reluctant to buy, the only offer came from Joe Chetrit, who has taken community heat for his Columbus Square project, consisting of five luxury rentals and retail space at Park West Village.

Building 1 is a rendering of the 22-story nursing home Jewish Home plans to build on West 100th Street.

In the deal, Chetrit will own Jewish Home’s current property, at 120 W. 106th St. Jewish Home will then build its proposed 22-story nursing home on top of land that was to be used for 180 parking spaces, on West 100th Street between Amsterdam and Columbus avenues. Those spots will be moved to an indoor parking area without an increase in rates for owners. Newly built park space, gardens, outdoor seating and an indoor auditorium for the nursing home residents will also be open to Park West Village residents.

“Relocating to West 100th Street will have a net positive impact on Jewish Home’s Upper West Side clients, family members, employees and neighbors,” said Bruce Nathanson, senior vice president of marketing and communications for Jewish Home Lifecare.

By building a new facility elsewhere, Jewish Home can continue to operate at full capacity without staff layoffs and construction disruptions for its residents.

However, community groups fear that Chetrit will build a massive luxury tower on Jewish Home’s West 106th Street property because of the 2007 Upper West Side rezoning plan.

That year, Jewish Home collaborated with community groups in a deal with the City Council that carved the nonprofit’s parcel out of the 51-block Upper West Side rezoning plan, which drastically reduced neighborhood building heights. The concession was meant to allow the nursing home to rebuild a larger, state-of-the-art facility that could update the service provided to clients.

“We had a whole deal and process. We spent a long time putting it together,” said Blanca Vazquez, co-coordinator of the Manhattan Valley Preservation Coalition, which worked on the 2007 zoning compromise. “And now, everything is out the window and up in the air.”

Vazquez said the group was upset by the deal because the exemption was based on Jewish Home’s goodwill with the neighborhood and the promise of a community facility.

“This is not a simple swap or trade,” Vazquez said. “They made a commitment to community use.”

Although Jewish Home’s nursing home will now be located elsewhere, Chetrit will still be allowed to build tall, market-rate residential towers without zoning restrictions, per the 2007 agreement.

Assembly Member Daniel O’Donnell, who opposed Jewish Home’s exclusion from the rezoning plan, said he was troubled by the new proposal.

“The City Council carved out an exception for that site on West 106th Street because it was to be used for health care facility,” O’Donnell said. “Now, that exception seems to be used for a for-profit housing developer. It’s changing the rules in the middle of the game.”

O’Donnell is calling on the Council to have Jewish Home’s West 106th Street property conform to surrounding zoning.

“If someone wants to build a for-profit development, they should build within the context [of the neighborhood],” O’Donnell said.

Council Member Melissa Mark-Viverito, whose district covers Jewish Home’s West 106th Street property and Park West Village, said she will start to remove all zoning exemptions for the property that were enacted during the 2007 rezoning process. One option is to submit a new land-use application.

On Aug. 15, Mark-Viverito held a rally blasting the deal with O’Donnell, State Sen. Bill Perkins, Council Member Inez Dickens and two district leaders from the Three Parks Independent Democratic Club.

“No for-profit bad actor should benefit from an exemption that was made solely to allow Jewish Home and Hospital to build a state-of-the-art skilled nursing facility,” Mark-Viverito said in a statement. “This recent development defies everything we have been working towards during the past two years.”

Words to live by, surely, are these offered 10 years ago at the memorial service for plane-crash victims Lauren Bessette, Caroline Bessette Kennedy and John F. Kennedy Jr. They were delivered by the women’s uncle, Jack Massina. And this will be a short column so they can be “boxed” for you to clip, reproduce and post anywhere and everywhere: share with family, friends and also power people in government, media, and mental and physical health care, including the spiritual kind.

About the spiritual care—the last column’s assertion that “clergy need to change what they preach,” should be tempered to read, “We must share our thoughts on what needs to be preached.” Mine include sermons and lessons about how to fulfill the “love one another” creed central to most religions, how to find the balance (in all things), how to cherish our dearest—who are often not the physically nearest—and how to contribute to and be part of the community, which encompasses not only where we live, but civic, philanthropic and religious ones as well.

And, of course, the balance between work and family means including family members too often excluded from “the couple” or “parents and dependent children nuclear family” unit. John F. Kennedy Jr.’s paternal grandfather strongly believed that the clan’s greatest strength lay in its close extended family support system; would that the surviving Kennedys would make this a societal dictum or platform.

And here’s to setting Massina’s words to music; if ever a balance were needed, it’s equal time for family and friendship love songs. Ditto for all entertainment themes! As for beneficent lyrics, America the Beautiful’s aren’t for patriotic holidays only, especially the line, “God mend thine every flaw, confirm thy soul in self control, thy liberty in law.” Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church’s July 5th prelude, postlude and congregational hymn so thankfully featured this most movingly beautiful anthem, with so many lessons to teach and subjects for sermons, including drug and alcohol dependence.

Ah, but we’re losing another physically “nurturing” everyday place: the bank at 80th and York with its large picture windows and wonderfully high ceilings about which the manager said wistfully, “They don’t make them like that anymore.”

“First do no harm,” should be climate environmentalists’ oath, so only safe and healthy energy-efficient/pollution-reducing ways are employed, not depressing lights and claustrophobic ceilings (or small cars). But thanks, dear bank and sweet-natured tellers and managers, for making it a comfortable place to do business all these years. The “everyday place ambience,” like the “everyday people temperament,” matter—a lot!
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dewingbetter@aol.com