New York Habitat Blog

Nowadays, religion is not exactly a main concern for most Parisian–what with all the fashion, food and politics to think about. Despite the decidedly secular mood in today’s French capital, the place is steeped in religious tradition. It’s hard to walk more than a block in Paris without crossing a street, hospital, or Frenchmen for that matter, named after a Christian Saint. But France’s twentieth-century melting pot is not all crosses and gothic architechture. Muslims have long called Paris home and as New York Habitat discovered, they too have a long tradition in the City of Light. Were not telling anyone to skip the visit to Notre Dame, but the Grand Mosque of Paris is one of the most beautiful buildings of its kind in the West.

Paris Accommodation: 2 bedroom rental in Port Royal (PA-3126)

La Grande Mosquée de Paris was  built way back in 1926 and, like the city’s famed Christian cathedrals, is a Paris must see. Constructed in traditional North African design, the mosque is a stunning piece of foreign architecture planted among rows of typical French buildings. It serves as a reminder of both the French colonial past and France’s substantial Muslim community.

Contained within the enormous structure is the Café de la Mosquée, a charming space where Parisians relax with a delicious mint tea among sprouting fig trees, a fountain, and billowing hookah smoke. The café attracts mature, laid-back crowds and contains a certain authenticity rarely found in run-of-the-mill hookah joints.

New York Habitat has many accommodation options just a short walking distance from this attraction, its café and the rest of the Left Bank.

• Gardens of Paris

  This Studio in Mouffetard, St Michel - St Germain - Notre Dame (PA-3188) has hardwood floors, exposed wood beams and Moroccan inspired tiling in the kitchen.

• This building housing this studio apartment in Quartier Latin, St Michel - St Germain- Notre Dame (PA-3548) dates back to the 17th century and also sports exposed wood beams and some interesting tiles.
• For the same convenience but a bit more space take a look at this 2 bedroom vacation rental accommodation in Port Royal, St Michel - St Germain - Notre Dame (PA-3126), an apartment with great rooftop views and classic French touches.

The French may have distanced themselves personally from a less secular past, but there might not be another city in the world that can match Paris’ tradition of diverse religious architecture.

New York’s Upper West Side is flanked by the Hudson River and Central Park on its sides and by Midtown to its south and Harlem to its north. Home to Central Park West, Broadway and myriad brownstone residences, the Upper West Side truly New York, filled with typical New York Cafes, bagel shops, Museums and music venues. Here are some tips about the neighborhood.

New york Accommodation: 3 bedroom rental in the Upper West Side (NY-9161)

Upper West Siders consider themselves less stuffy than their neighbors to the east and more refined than those to the north and south. Despite being smack dab in the middle of the New York Metropolis the Upper West Side is largely residential and maintains a neighborhood feel. Travelers looking to stay within a short walk of the park, river and opera house need not look further than New York Habitat’s Upper West Side accommodations.

Like we said, Upper West Siders are a refined bunch. They like to eat well, drink well and be entertained without leaving the neighborhood. Charming sidewalk cafes are a staple in the neighborhood and during the summer there isn’t a better place to have a drink. The neighborhood forgoes jam-packed dive bars and instead is entertained by the fine arts of ballet, symphony and the opera. Lincoln Center, Beacon Theater, the New York Philharmonic and the New York City Opera all call the Upper West Side home. Also on the Upper West Side is the American Museum of Natural History, one of the oldest and best natural history museums in the United States.

Celebrities have always had a thing for the neighborhood–Seinfeld’s fictional cast of characters lived here as did John Lennon, who was tragically killed outside of the famed Dakota building. The real star of the neighborhood though, is its geography. Central Park is unquestionably one of the world’s finest urban parks and is never more than a few blocks away from anywhere in the quarter. And to the West is the famed Hudson river and adjacent Riverside Park.  

New York Accommodation: 2 Bedroom Rental in Upper West Side (NY-4177)

At the northern end of the park, just off of Broadway, is this open 3-bedroom rental accommodation in Upper West Side (NY-9161). A bit further south on 75th street is this 2-bedroom rental apartment in Upper West Side (NY-4177). And for a touch of Old New York check out this 1-bedroom vacation rental (NY-12483) in an Upper West Side townhouse, outfitted with exposed brick, a fireplace and heaps of New York charm.

Staying on the Upper West Side is a romantic New-York experience and an essential part of any visit to the Big Apple. 

More on the Upper West Side:

Guide to Upper West Side Furnished Apartment Rentals

There are a lot of great concert venues in Paris but few can match the fine-tuned acoustics of the new Salle Pleyel. Recently reopened after an extensive two-year renovation, the Salle Pleyel is crisply minimalist in design and optimal in sound quality. The music hall is located at 252, rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, in the glitzy 8th arrondissement, a quarter where New York Habitat has been entrenched for years.

Paris Apartment: Studio in Champs Elysee (PA-3373)

New York Habitat guests looking for an ornate, old-world concert hall experience like you’d find at the Opera de Paris, won’t find it here. The Pleyel is a venue constructed around its acoustic quality. Side balconies have been created solely to improve the hall’s sound distribution, resulting in a nearly 20% optimization of the room’s volume and reverberation time. What the Salle Pleyel lacks in belle epoque touches it makes up for in its cool contemporary design and unmatched acoustics–making it a must see (and listen) for any New York Habitat guest in Paris.

The Pleyel welcomes orchestras, jazz and traditional performers from around the world. The early spring line-up includes performances by the London Symphony Orchestra and the ballet and gamelan orchestra from the village of Sebatu in Bali. A diverse offering to say the least.

Paris Accommodation: 1 bedroom rental in Champs Elysees (PA-3607)

Just a few blocks from the concert hall is this eclectic furnished studio apartment rental in Champs Elysee (PA-3373). On the same street as the Pleyel and myriad boutiques is the organic feel of this 1-bedroom vacation rental accommodation in Champs Elysees (PA-3607). And for a bit more space New York Habitat offers the open and contemporary design of this 2-bedroom rental in Champs Elysees (PA-3625).

Paris is home to some of the world’s finest music venues and, acoustically speaking, the Salle Pleyel just might have the best sound in the capital.

Other sites to see in Paris: 

• New York Habitat’s Favorite Paris Views
• Apartments Around Paris’ Flea Markets
• New York Habitat Accommodations and a Paris Museum’s Shadow

New York Habitat continues it market report series with the release of the 2nd half and full year market report for 2007 New York Apartments. Our report covers the following divisions: furnished rentals, vacation rentals and roommate share apartments. We are excited to offer you an opportunity to see more information about our company and look forward to hearing your reaction to the report. To read this report: New York Furnished Apartment Market Report.

In this report we look at data and analysis for the results of the 2nd half of 2007, compare that to the 1st half of 2007 and provide the full year results. Some of the graphs in the report include:

• New York Furnished Apartment Market Reports

  Length of stay averages

• Average, median and mode prices by apartment type
• What types of apartments were chosen
• Neighborhoods selected
• And much, much, more

The company’s founder Marie-Reine Jézéquel comments on the 2007 market by saying, “2007 has been an interesting year, laws regarding short-term rentals in New York City continue to toughen and our legal team has worked to ensure that all of our new apartments meet the necessary requirements.” She goes on to say that, “For 2008 we will continue our push to offer the best alternative accommodation options in New York City.”

Visit our website New York Apartment search to view all apartment listings in New York City including Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens.

To find this report and previous reports visit the New York Furnished Apartment Market Report webpage. We will periodically update this page with the latest reports for the New York City market. Check back in the summer of 2008 for the 1st half 2008 report.

Our market report has been designed with you in mind; owners, renters, real estate and travel professionals should find this Furnished Rental Apartment Market Report to provide interesting and informative information about New York Habitat’s niche within the New York City Market. Because we have tried to design this report to benefit the readers we ask that you submit any comments or suggestions either by posting a comment on this blog or e-mailing marketreport@nyhabitat.com

We will continue to build this report and expect to be able to include data on our new unfurnished apartment rental department in the future as that segment continues to grow for the company.

We hope that you enjoy reading this report and New York Habitat’s entire team of real estate professionals looks forward to sharing more information about our segment of the market.

Previous market report blog:

• New York Furnished Apartment Market Report: 2007 1st half

The rich cultural history of the Upper West Side is one of its most distinguishable characteristics. As the home to numerous historical institutions, classic apartments and some the city’s most prestigious universities, the Upper West is one of the most popular residential neighborhoods in Manhattan.

Upper West Side pic

The Upper West Side stretches from 59th Street to the south, lined by Central Park to the east and bound by the Hudson River to the west. Once a shipping, transporting and manufacturing corridor, the Upper West Side soon attracted a diverse, eclectic mix of peoples as cityscape grew and developed.

Some of Manhattan’s most notable residential streets and avenues intersect within the Upper West Side. Riverside Drive, West End Avenue, Broadway, Amsterdam Avenue, Columbus Avenue and Central Park West serve as the setting for some of the most recognizable scenes in movies and TV shows. Due to the pre-War architecture, colorful community and rich culture life, movie and television film crews are no strangers to the Upper West Side.

Restaurants featured in TV shows and movies are mostly found along Amsterdam Avenue which is home to various unique restaurants, bars, cafes and bodegas. H&H Bagels, known for its affiliation with Seinfeld, is at 80th Street and Broadway. Gray’s Papaya, a hot dog and juice stand frequented by Carrie and the Sex and City gang, stands at 72nd Street and Broadway.

As the city’s most popular filming destination, it’s no surprise for two major broadcasting c

Museum of Natural History: New York City picture

ompanies have headquarters in the Upper West Side. Time Warner Center, at Columbus Circle, and the American Broadcasting Company, at Lincoln Square, house studios for regular tapings of various television programs.

In addition, some of the City’s most famous and prestigious universities have campuses located in the boundaries of the Upper West Side. Columbia University, Fordham University and Barnard College bring an air academia to the neighborhood as it serves home to many professors and students.

Cultural institutions also attract people to the Upper West Side from all over Manhattan. Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, located between 61st and 66th Streets on Broadway, is home to the New York State Theatre, the New York City Ballet, the New York City Opera, the Metropolitan Opera House, and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. In addition, the American Museum of Natural History, the New York Historical Society, and the Children’s Museum of Manhattan are all located in the Upper West.

New York Accommodation: 1 bedroom rental in the Upper West Side (NY-12157)

If looking for accommodations in the Upper West Side, New York Habitat has much to offer for either a short vacation or an extended stay. This studio accommodation in Upper West Side (NY-12090), located at 75th Street between Riverside Drive and West End Avenue, is situated in a picturesque Brownstone and can hold up to four guests. Another option is this one-bedroom rental in Upper West Side (NY-12157), on Riverside Drive between 69th and 70th Streets, is in a luxury high-rise building overlooking the Hudson River. Or if looking for something for a longer visit, consider this studio apartment in Upper West Side (NY-11024), on 73rd Street between Broadway and West End Avenue, is housed within a high-rise complex complete with on-site laundry and work-out facilities.

Other West Side Manhattan neighborhoods:

• Chelsea Accommodations
• Hell’s Kitchen / Clinton Apartments
• Rentals in Morningside Heights

Ever stayed or lived in the Upper West Side? We’d like to hear about the unique and unknown neighborhood hot spots! Please leave recommendations for restaurants and nightlife in the comment section below!