Speaking of low-tech, King, who would have been 84 this month, would likely approve of my favorite Christmas card, which has Burl Ives singing the following neighborly advice from the “Holly Jolly Christmas” song: “And say hello to friends we know, and everyone we meet!” The great humanitarian leader would no doubt say “Amen!” to that, and also to my “everyone smiling” mission, because it’s good for our health and helping one another. His help is sorely needed in these uphill endeavors.

At the New Amsterdam Boys and Girls Choir concert on King’s birthday held at All Souls Unitarian Church, the song choices often reflect the dreams of this great American patriot and prophet. But today’s pop songs and entertainment often reflect something quite different, which might well have spurred King to remind us that “there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but one must, because our conscience says it is right.”

And surely reflecting King’s dream is how these young New Amsterdam singers will be helped get to and from school by this long-standing nonprofit organization, which also mentors and tutors the youngsters. It needs our support.

Next year, weather permitting, how fitting it would be if part of this concert were held outdoors on Park Avenue, where the illuminated Christmas trees and Chanukah bushes remain until after King’s birthday is celebrated. And just as this serenely beautiful row of trees and bushes is there to honor all who gave and are still giving their lives in this nation’s wars, so they now rightly pay tribute to this martyred civil rights leader. Thank you, Park Avenue Memorial Tree donors, for enabling this blessed New York City tradition.

But singing together is a year-round need, and future columns will note other grass-roots groups you can either join or support. Sometimes singing is better than talking, because no one is left out. We need to learn to talk, inclusively, about things that really matter. If ever a mission needed King’s help …

And he’d likely worry that the high-tech gadgets often take the place of the person-to-person, voice-to-voice communication people need most. And indeed, this anti-violence leader would consider that sometimes the lack of social interaction is among the risk factors to be overcome in the renewed war against awful crimes of violence. May they not be in vain and serve the cause of non-violence and justice as King’s wrongful death has done so magnificently.

And may it be strongly considered that the education we need most from childhood on is how to relate to one another—to do and say the just and helpful thing, including speaking the truth in love. And where kids, especially, will do more smiling, singing and talking than texting! It’s not an impossible dream!

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Don Hoffman, a representative at Beth Israel, says the new Teladoc feature is the first “virtual doctor’s office” in the city, though there are similar programs popping up all over the nation.
This innovation comes just in time for the flu season. Doctors encourage people with flu-like symptoms not to wait to go to a doctor. Hoffman says that this eliminates waiting at a hospital or doctor’s office, and will hopefully encourage more people to get treatment during this especially dangerous flu season.

THREE LOYOLA STUDENTS GO TO NEXT ROUND OF MLK ART CONTEST
The Metropolitan Museum of Art will be hosting a Dream@50 art contest award ceremony on Jan. 26 in honor of the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Three students from Loyola School on East. 83rd Street have been selected as semifinalists in the contest: Lova Blavarg, Nicole DiTolla and Stephie Brack.

The Dream@50 contest is a nationwide art contest for K-12 students in 10 U.S. cities including New York, Boston and Los Angeles. Grand-prize winners from each city will be honored at a Capitol Hill ceremony and exhibit in August.

CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON NEW MET MUSEUM PLAZA
Government officials broke ground on Monday, Jan. 14, for the new David H. Koch Plaza at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The plaza is set to open next January.

The plaza will run along Fifth Avenue from 80th to 84th streets and will be named after the billionaire trustee who donated the money for the project. The plaza will feature new fountains, approximately 100 new trees, seating areas and energy-efficient nighttime lighting. The whole plaza will be environmentally friendly.

“It will give the Met a portal outside that is truly worthy of the masterpieces that grace our galleries inside,” Museum Chairman Daniel Brodsky said.

WINTER RESTAURANT WEEK BEGINS
Restaurant Week (really three weeks) kicked off on Monday, Jan. 14. Hungry customers can choose from a wide array of NYC’s best restaurants and eat a three-course gourmet dinner for just $38 per person ($25 for lunch). The deals end Feb. 8. Hungry Upper East Siders who want to stay in their neighborhood can choose from restaurants like David Burke Townhouse (61st and Lexington Avenue) and Park Avenue Winter (63rd and Park Avenue).

17TH PRECINCT COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEETING SET
Residents of Sutton Place, Turtle Bay, Beekman Place, Tudor City and Murray Hill are invited to the monthly Precinct Community Council meeting to discuss safety issues in the neighborhood on Jan. 29 at 6 p.m. The meeting will take place at Sutton Synagogue at 221 E. 51st St.

FATAL FLATIRON DISTRICT BICYCLE ACCIDENT
A female bicyclist was fatally struck Jan. 4 by a Citywide demolition and rubbish removal truck at East 23rd Street and Madison. The bicyclist was traveling East on 23rd Street when she was hit, according to several sources. Police said that she was pronounced dead on the scene.
Private sanitation trucks like Citywide Demolition actually have the highest pedestrian kill-rate of any truck vehicle according to a 1999 study produced by Right of Way. However, city law states that large trucks like these sanitation trucks must have safety convex mirrors on trucks that allows them to see in blind spots. On its website, Citywide Demolition emphasizes the company’s “safe, reliable service.”

This pedestrian death is especially relevant in the wake of the city’s fight to increase bike lanes across Manhattan.

LULEMON TEMPORARY STORE APPEARS ON 3RD AVENUE
Lululemon Athletica, a popular Canadian yoga and sports apparel store, will be opening a small pop-up for four months across the street from its flagship store on Third Avenue between 66th and 67th Streets.

The flagship store will remain closed for renovations during this time. But with the new pop-up, Upper East Siders will be able to stay in shape in style.

“Exercising and staying in good shape are inherent to the character of the Upper East Side lifestyle,” says Joseph Aquino, executive vice president of Douglas Elliman’s Retail Group that handled the transaction. “This brand resonates with people here.”

The temporary shop is replacing a Uniqlo store.

MIDTOWN LIBRARY SET FOR MAJOR RENOVATIONS
The New York Public Library’s main branch is getting a very expensive makeover. The work will begin this summer in a renovation worth $300 million. The project will create a multi-level atrium complete with views of Bryant Park inside the Fifth Avenue landmark.
The plan stirred up some controversy when it was initially proposed that mil