By Helaina Hovitz

For the foodie father:
Head to (2245 Broadway, 212-787-2000, www.zabars.com) and pick up the Swiss Diamond Skillet, perfect for the health-conscious cook who loves healthy, high-performance tools. The nonstick coating, reinforced with real diamond particles, is designed for virtually oil-free cooking to reduce fat and calories from every meal—and it’s recommended by the American Vegetarian Association. Plus, it’s all on sale. (10” fry pan with lid is $74.95 (normally $160.00), 10.25” fry pan is $97.95 (normally $130.00) and 8” fry pan is $49.95 (normally $95.00).)

While you’re at Zabar’s, pop some Marich Chocolates ($4.99 per box) in your cart. The Dark Chocolate Chipotle Almonds are so decadent they should be illegal. Folks also love the Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Cashews, Chocolate Cherries and English Toffee Caramels, and Natural Chocolate Toffee Pistachios. Fortunately, Zabars carries them all.7.95 (normally $130.00) and 8” fry pan is $49.95 (normally $95.00).

Lastly, nab BUILT’s Convertible Picnic Bag ($150) on the way out—it includes wine glasses, plates, flatware and napkins for a party of four, a place to keep wine bottles secure, a corkscrew and bottle opener. It turns into a placemat to eat on and also includes a removable insulated bag for food storage and dirty dishes.

If he likes to make or take his own lunch, get him the Bento Salad Bowl from BUILT ($21.99, Stevdan’s, 474 Avenue of the Americas, 212-243-42222) which keeps salad fresh and cool for up to four hours so it won’t wilt on the way to work. They also carry BUILT’s Sandwich Bag ($7.99) which is reusable and washable, so if dad likes being green, he’ll appreciate being able to nix the Ziplocs and tuck this bad boy in his bag.
This pretty much sells itself: Spoonables Spreads and Gift Baskets from Murray’s Cheese (254 Bleecker St., 212-243-3289, www.murrayscheese.com). First of all, Spoonables Caramels are just plain insane. With sweet, salty, nutty, and spicy varieties, they’re versatile and perfect for apple-dipping, ice cream topping, and even marinating steak or pork loin. Check the website for recipes like this one: http://www.spoonablellc.com/pulled-pork-with-spoonable-caramel-glaze/.

Of course, while at Murray’s, you’ll have to pick up a gift set—Murray’s has five ready to go: The Griller, The Chiller, Mountain Man, Man Cave, and Dapper Dad. The Griller ($59.99), for one, features classic bratwurst and Andouille Sausage from Brooklyn Cured, Sir Kensington’s Gourmet Scooping Ketchup, crunchy McClure’s Relish, Fontina Fontal cheese, and their BBQ all-star, Murray’s Vermont Select Cheddar. You’re welcome.
Treat him to a cooking class—or five—through Course Horse (www.coursehorse.com), a new online database that features more than 25,000 classes citywide. We suggest The Harmony of Beer and Cheese with Janet Fletcher ($75, 254 Bleecker St.), The Ultimate Burger ($95, 334 Amsterdam Ave.), Pasta Making at Spina Restaurant ($75, 175 Avenue B, snacks and wine included), and Learning the Basics, a 4-part series ($395, 236 West 26th St., #601). All local classes earn you points through the site’s rewards system, which gives you discounts on future classes.

For the guy who needs a day off and a little pampering:
AIRE Spa Tribeca (88 Franklin St., 212-274-3777, www.ancientbaths.com) Seriously, this is like a Zen/European getaway dished out in two-hour time slots. Dad can journey to this spa’s six underground pools designed to relax and detoxify the busiest of men. There’s a specia salt-water pool that makes people float, so he can literally take a load off after he relaxes in their aromatherapy sauna. No cell phones allowed, no lamps or natural or artificial light, just candles and tea by the poolside. Add a 15-60 minutes massage into the middle of his session, and hello, heaven. Bonus: dad doesn’t have to commute home with a soggy suit, because they have a special machine that sucks the water out of ‘em! Any service or combination thereof is available on a gift card, and they’re open late if he wants to go after work.

Give him some luxury via Lush (7 East 14th St., 212- 255-5133, and 529 Broadway, 212-925-2323 , www.Lush.com). Dad probably wouldn’t be caught dead buying these for himself, but we guarantee he’ll love it if you do. Individual items of interest are their Fair Trade Foot Lotion ($23.95), made for keeping little piggies soft, supple, and stimulated—spearmint and peppermint essential oils are circulation boosters, which also have antifungal and antibacterial properties and are excellent at bringing cooling relief to hot, aching feet. The Volcano Foot Mask ($22.95) refreshes feet, removes odors, and blasts bacteria that causes unacceptable stinkiness—organic potatoes, papaya and kaolin draw out and dissolve dirt. Especially helpful to the cycling dad is their Stepping Stone ($4.95), which scrubs away dry, rough skin. The invigorating fragrance of lemon and lime oils help to deodorize, and (hard to pronounce) lycopodium powder helps to absorb odors, and Jojoba oil and cocoa butter sink in to keep feet soft and moisturized and keep him treading softly.

As for gift sets, they have several, the most bountiful of which is Ka-Pow! ($86.95), a big ol’ box filled to the brim with stimulating pieces like Whoosh shower jelly, Wiccy Magic Muscles massage bar, solid Sugar Scrub, Dirty soap, Ocean Salt face and body scrub, Buffy body butter, Happy Hippy and Grass shower gels. Dad, get ready to take over the shower and take on the world!

For the smooth-shaven, “all-natural” dad with sensitive skin, try Weleda’s wild-crafted, biodynamic four-step skincare regimen (Earth Matters, 177 Ludlow Street, 212-475-4180, www.earthmatters.com, and Healthfully Yours Organic Market, 98 East 4th St., 212-598-0777, www.healthfully.com). Designed to ensure dad enjoys a clean, close shave that leaves skin feeling smooth, calm and refreshed on Father’s Day and beyond, the shaving cream ($14.50), crafted with Pansy extract, Goat’s Milk, and Almond Oil, forms a luxurious lather and helps tone skin and reduce post-shave irritation. The Moisture Cream ($21) does the same, and so does the After-Shave Balm ($23) made with Organic Chamomile and Myrrh extracts) and Smooth Shave Toner ($23).

For the on-the-go man:
For the outdoorsy dad, stop by Urban Angler, 381 5th Ave. 2nd floor, 800-255-5488, www.urbanangler.com) for Montauk Tackle Company Shirts ($59 and up), which are perfect for all outdoor activities, like biking, hiking, paddle boarding, and working out. The material features 50 UV sun protection, moisture wicking, stain release and anti microbial technologies. Some of the shirts have been described as “beach to dinner wear!” More of their styles can be found at www.montauktackle.com.

AIRBAC Backpack ($109.99, Adorama, 42 W. 18th St., 212-741-0052, www.adorama.com) is the only backpack with a patented air support system that cuts the weight of its bag contents in half. For the dad who needs a backpack that’s going to hold all of his gear this summer, this bag lets him travel or exercise without the pain!

For the cycling dad, grab Ibex’s new Rim Short Sleeve Jersey ($110, Bicycle Habitat, 244 & 250 Lafayette Street, 212-431-3315, www.bicyclehabitat.com) made from the company’s newest technical Merino wool fabric (nylon and wool knit together). It’s built specifically for endurance sports, so even though it’s a snug fit, the fabric is exceptionally breathable. Best of all, it’s naturally odor resistant, so dad will still smell pleasant after his ride.

Jay Pritchett of Modern Family.

By Magdalena Burnham

In the early days of TV, there was nothing more sacred than the idea of the American father, so TV dads tended to be all-knowing figures of unquestioned authority. This makes those old shows seem stale and unrealistic. Eventually, shows like The Simpsons and Married with Children took down the idealized father figure in a big way and showed that fathers could be far from perfect—in fact, they could be moronic jerks. This was a refreshing and deeply necessary change, but at the same time TV would be pretty depressing if there had been a complete shift into cynicism. I know I’m probably biased towards my own generation, but I have to say that I think current TV shows really have it right. Now we get on-screen fathers who struggle and have weaknesses, which makes it that much better when we see them overcome it all to protect their children. With that in mind, I present the best dads currently on TV.

Martin Bohm, Touch (played by Kiefer Sutherland)

A lot of fathers have trouble taking an interest in their kids’ pursuits, but not Martin Bohm. The man basically starts going on wild international adventures based on numbers he see his son Jake write down. Martin’s total faith in his son is definitely the most compelling part of the show. It’s also heartbreaking to see how badly he wants to communicate with his son and the moments when Jake returns his affection are the most satisfying parts of the show.

Chris Brinkley, Up All Night (played by Will Arnett)

A lot of what makes Chris Brinkley such a great TV dad is Will Arnett’s infectiously adorable performance. He really glows with enthusiasm, pride and love every time he talks about baby Amy. Couple his obvious love of being a dad with his total support for his wife and Chris is easily one of the best TV dads currently on air.

Jay Pritchett, Modern Family (played by Ed O’Neil)

Whether he’s bonding with his daughter Claire who is essentially a female version of himself, navigating the more tense relationship he has with his son Mitchell or trying to understand his step-son Manny enough to properly guide him through life, Jay is always there for his kids. Some of the best scenes of the series show him fighting his instincts to stay stuck in his ways and trying earnestly to understand the rest of his family.

Burt Hummel, Glee (played by Mike O’Malley)

How can I properly describe just how perfect Burt Hummel is? Throughout the inconsistent mess that is Glee, there has been one constant: scenes between Burt and Kurt are a joy to watch. The only thing better than watching how kind he is when he encourages Kurt’s dreams is watching how ferocious he turns the minute anyone insults his son or puts him in any danger. Seriously, I could watch Burt yell at Finn all day.

Bob Belcher, Bob’s Burgers (played by Jon Benjamin)

Characters play off each other and a TV father is only as good as his on-screen children. Bob works as a character because his children are weird. Tina has raging hormones and is very vocal about it, Gene is a gross fart machine and Louise might be a supervillain. But, Bob reacts to all of this with patience and understanding. He even shaved off his mustache just to give his daughter the perfect birthday party. And the man looks terrible without his mustache.

The Elderhood Revolution is a longtime a-comin’. Indeed, it seems headed in the wrong direction, with everyone obsessed with staying young and indifferent to those who need, say, “assisting devices,” like the man in a wheelchair outside the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ monument on Memorial Day. And yes, he had lived long enough to remember when TV and radio humor was always G-rated, including late shows like Steve Allen’s. He may dislike the change. Let’s hope he says so.

The mayor did shake the man’s hand as he left the Memorial Day ceremony, but too many milled about for this cane-dependent columnist to risk getting close for a photo shot. The able-bodied need to learn what it’s like needing “assisting devices,” even a cane.

Ah, but it was worth the wait to learn that the companion of the man in the wheelchair was his son—a person who loved him. And we sure could use photos, stories and songs about filial love, which this son shows every day. He regrets, however, that “for now, it has to be in a nursing home setting.” But the father quietly demurred, “My son’s being there every day makes it almost like living at home—couldn’t ask for a better son.”

And isn’t it strange why we don’t ask why a wheelchair is needed? Often it’s taken for granted when someone is old. But the reality of losing one’s mobility, or any faculty (and maybe support systems), needs to be widely and candidly discussed—and in media which so shape customs and views. The emotional and physical pain involved should become common knowledge and common cause, and not written off as just “part of growing old,” which even its “victims,” especially males, are conditioned to do.

If ever empathy were needed, dear Mr. President, it’s for all of the above conditions that rarely make the medical shows and sure aren’t “hot” enough topics for that unfathomably hugely popular and influential program, The View.

And the mayor’s elder mother’s splendid health may blunt her son’s elderhood empathy level. For starters, let’s send him and the president—both of whom are urging greater volunteerism—the Jan. 27 New York Times letter from Vivian Fenster Ehrlich, director of Dorot, a most respected elder-services group.

Ehrlich so movingly writes about the “millions of Americans” who gave so much to their communities and their country, but who are now alone and “prime candidates for volunteer assistance and companionship…and yet they often fall to the bottom of everyone’s list of volunteer opportunities. This is especially regrettable when just a few volunteer hours a week can make an enormous difference in a senior’s life.”

Amen! That’s surely an immediate need, but my so deeply held dream is for change that expects and enables elders to be an integral and respected part of any existing family network, community and society—including the custom and view-shaping media. It’s not an impossible dream if enough of us share it. I hope that you do.

dewingbetter@aol.com