New York Habitat Blog

When in 1604 the Dutch sent Henry Hudson to America to find the Northwest Passage, he found Native Americans who lived on the Island that is now called ‘Manhattan’. Twenty years later, the Dutch bought the land they found from the Indians for a few US Dollars. More and more Dutch arrived in Manhattan in the coming years and the Island was soon to be called: ‘New Netherlands’.

New York Accommodation 1-bedroom Tribeca (NY-12061)

After the Duke of York took ‘New Netherlands’ from the Dutch in 1664, Manhattan got named ‘New York’ and its name has never changed.

Now, almost 350 years later, Dutch history is still present in Manhattan. Great examples of this are the now called ‘Hudson River’, named after Henry Hudson, The street ‘Amsterdam Avenue’: One of the longest streets in Manhattan, and the famous Brownstone houses that are mainly located in Harlem, the Upper East Side, Upper West Side and a few in the West Village.

Now, a new Dutch landmark will be introduced to New York’s Manhattan:Van Berkel’s ‘Five Franklin Place’: A 55-residence condominium,  being built on the outskirts of Tribeca. The prices of these residences, ranging from $2 to $16 million, will be determined by the type (2 or 3-bedroom residences, lofts and penthouses), the size (1,200 to 3,400 square feet) and  features, such as a rotating bedroom walls that can create a whole new dimension to the space.

Even though the building is going to be extremely modern (eg. “Invisible” door frames and in Corian-sculpted kitchens), the Dutch architect (Van Berkel) says they ‘picked up the strong horizontal cornices and decorative details of Tribeca’s architecture, re-formed them and transported them onto [their] building in a very contemporary way that makes them truly functional’.

New York Apartment in the Upper East Side studio (NY-11910)

Again, New York City is undergoinging a change. A change for improvement, we think at New York Habitat. More accommodations will be available for rent in the future and who doesn’t want to spend a few days in such a luxurious home?

Perhaps in the future, New York Habitat will also rent accommodations in this building. For now, we have some available apartments of other Dutch influence that might interest you include a Harlem 2 bedroom townhouse apartment (ny-12256) or this studio in the Upper East Side (NY-11910).

But if you rather stay in a luxurious apartment, more like van Berkel’s ‘Five Franklin Place’, we can recommend this One bedroom apartment in Tribeca (NY-12061) for a more modern option.

We here at New York Habitat have previously told you about some of the great UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the South of France and now we have two more to add to the list.  Earlier this month, UNESCO named about two dozen new entries to their list, including the Fortifications of Vauban, a group of twelve fortified sites along France’s borders, two of which are located in the South of France and near some great New York Habitat accommodations.

Gap South of France alps

Vauban was a famed engineer and architect who worked for Louis XIV, known for both building and improving fortresses and other fortifications on France’s border, as well as developing new way of attacking such buildings.  In total, he worked on over 300 different sites in France, but only 12 have made it onto UNESCO’s list.  The two in the South of France are located in the Alps, along the border between France and Italy.  The larger fortification site can be found in Briançon (also the highest city in Europe!) and includes city walls and numerous smaller forts within them, all available for exploration by the public.  The second site is in Mont-Dauphin, about thirty minutes south of Briançon.  This site has recently undergone restoration and there has been limited residential expansion in the region so the area within the city walls closely resembles life in the seventeenth century. 

New York Habitat has some great offerings near these newly-minted historic landmarks.  You can stay right in Briançon in this two bedroom ski chalet (PR-10) located in the famed Serre Chevalier ski resort.  This rustic cabin, with wood paneling and beamed ceilings, is a great place to stay in summer or winter (and ski season is just a few months away!).  The well-equipped kitchen and bath offer everything one could want.  Enjoy your morning coffee and some spectacular views of the Alps from the large deck.

If you’d prefer to stay in the larger city, the major town of Gap is not far from either Briançon or Mont-Dauphin.  This studio apartment (PR-306) is located right in the center of Gap.  It may be small but it is not lacking in amenities with its modern kitchen and bathroom, and even includes a laundry machine.  This bright and sunny space, thanks to its southern exposure, offers some amazing views, thanks to its sixth floor location (don’t worry, there’s an elevator!) and balcony.

Ski Chalet South of France accommodation (pr-10)

Whether you’re looking for new places to explore in the South of France, or are interested in historical tourism, a trip to see Vauban’s seventeenth century fortifications (with some great accommodations from New York Habitat) is well worth it. 

Read about other UNESCO World Heritage sites featured on our blog: Roam among the Ancient Romans in the South of France!

What do you think about UNESCO’s decision add Vauban’s architecture to their World Heritage list?  What landmarks in the South of France would you like to see added to the list?  Please share your opinions with us in our comments section.

Most visitors to London have the British Museum near the top of their list of things to see—and it certainly is an afternoon well spent. But many overlook the wonderment contained in the nearby Sir John Soane’s Museum, a curio cabinet of a house that holds the architect’s earthly treasures. No need to sacrifice one for the other—a stay in a New York Habitat rental accommodation in Bloomsbury or Fitzrovia will put you in walking distance of both, with time to spare for tea.

London Accommodation 3-bedroom in Fitzrovia LN-328

The area around Bloomsbury is among the loveliest in London, with plenty of public squares and narrow sidestreets down which to wander, as well as an increasing Eastern European influence. But its crowning jewel is the British Museum—especially after renovations that gave it a glass-ceilinged courtyard—so don’t expect to have the galleries all to yourself, especially on those not infrequent rainy afternoons. 

The main floor of the museum is by far the most popular due to the Great Court, the Egyptian/Grecian wings (which house the Rosetta Stone and the Elgin Marbles) and, of course, the gift shop. But the upper floors are where you’ll find anything British in the British Museum, and the Library Galleries are a stunning and overwhelming collection of manuscripts and music, as well as being one of the few quiet spots in the building (Marx even did some of his writing here).      

When, as the song goes, the British Museum has lost its charm, it’s time to head a couple of blocks over to Sir John Soane’s Museum, where the typical townhouse exterior belies the magnitude of what’s inside. The architect used to live here himself, and fashioned a labyrinthine home with convex mirrors to distort space, cut-out courtyards, skylights and narrow walkways crammed with every imaginable kind of sculpture (including his mummified dog) and overlooking—what else?—a sarcophagus of Seti I on the lower level, for which Soane outbid the British Museum.

Visitors are usually as impressed by the layout of the place itself as they are by all of the Hogarth paintings and historical pieces displayed throughout it. The overall effect is something between a videogame setting (where you’re stuck in an abandoned mansion without a map but with plenty of marauding zombies—trust us on this!) and a mad scientist’s laboratory if he collected sculpture as his specimens. Let’s call the style “English eccentric” for short.

London Accommodation: studio in Westminister (LN-386)

For a truly unforgettable experience, go to the Soane Museum during one of the candle-lit evening tours in which you wind your way toward the basement and its centerpiece sarcophagus. But for a truly unforgettable place to stay—minus the mummy—we suggest one of these conveniently located New York Habitat vacation rentals:

• A first-floor 3-bedroom furnished apartment in Westminster-Fitzrovia (LN-328) on a quiet mews near Goodge Street station. This contemporary accommodation has a balcony looking out on communal gardens, floor-to-ceiling windows in the kitchen and living room, and its own parking space.

• A spacious 3-bedroom rental accommodation in Westminster-Fitzrovia (LN-328) on the fifth floor of a modern apartment building, with elevator, that borders pretty Fitzroy Square. 

• For something smaller, we have a furnished studio in Westminster-Bloomsbury (LN-386) on the second floor of an apartment building, near Euston station, that employs a part-time doorman.  

Each of these New York Habitat accommodations will put you in the heart of London, near two of its most eclectic spaces. But the surrounding area is really a work of art in itself. 

What’s your favorite piece in the enormous collections of the British Museum? Have you ever been to Sir John Soane’s Museum or had a run-in with the reputed ghost in the girls’ room? Please let us know by leaving your comments below.

As any self-respecting New Yorker knows, the South Street Seaport no longer reeks of fresh fish, nor is it filled with the shady mafia types of years past. The centuries-old seaport is now a major Downtown tourist destination, mixing old-world cobblestone streets with progressive restaurants and chic boutiques. This summer, though, even the savviest New Yorker will have a hard time recognizing the city’s old port.  The South Street Seaport will kiss goodbye the wise guys and fishmongers and welcome the indigenous people and ecology (an impressive recreation) of the Brazilian Amazon. As always, New York Habitat has visitors covered for the event, there’s dozens of accommodation choices steps from the old port.

South Street Seaport New York

The South Street Seaport exhibit, titled Amazonia Brazil, is the perfect place to families or inquisitive couples out on a stroll. The main exhibit features a 13,000 foot recreation of the Brazilian Amazon jungle, impressive in its scale and attention to detail. The recreation replicates the sounds of birds calling and the scents (no, that’s not today’s fresh catch coming into port) deep within the mythic rain forest jungle. The exhibit also introduces visitors to the human life within the jungle. Demonstrations are performed by indigenous peoples and shamans and local artisans are on hand to discuss their craft and sell handmade goods. A main focus of the event is to raise awareness for the Amazon’s problems and highlight several organizations working hard to solve said issues. Of course, global warming is a major topic of discussion as well, and rightfully so, the health of the “green ocean” affects the entire world.

New York Accommodation studio in the East Village (NY-11966)

New York Habitat has dozens of apartments available near the Seaport this summer, here’s a few worth looking into:

-This 1 bedroom rental accommodation in Bowery, East Village – Lower East Side (NY-12317) features exposed brick, hardwood floors and loads of direct sunlight.

-This 2 bedroom rental apartment in East Village – Lower East Side(NY-11250) boasts a hip, retro feel and a private outdoor deck.

-This studio in East Village – Lower East Side (NY-11966) is drenched in afternoon sunlight and the kitchen and bathroom are adorned with exposed brick walls.

What scares you the most; The massive mosquitos of the Amazon jungle, or the fearless taxi drivers of the urban jungle?

Mention a green oasis in the middle of Manhattan and most New Yorkers immediately think of Central Park. And rightfully so, the park has earned its reputation as the place to go for a bit of grass and space amid the city’s concrete walls and cramped cubicles. Just south of its very big brother is Bryant Park, tucked into an 8 acre lot on 42nd street. The park is buttressed by the Beaux-Art New York Public Library building and surrounded by the awe-inspiring towers of midtown Manhattan.

Bryant park in New York City

More than just an open green space, Bryant Park has a busy schedule of free events planned for the summer. Bryant Park is named after New York poet William Cullen Bryant and has a literary feel to it. Besides sharing its space with the library, the park is home to sculptures of Gertrude Stein, German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and, of course, Bryant. During the summer, students and intellectuals pour out of the library onto the main lawn to tap away on their computers or catch up on a novel—at lunch time the lawn fills with professionals from the nearby office buildings. In keeping with the literary tradition, the park holds outdoor readings with international authors all summer and houses an outdoor reading room for children. Virtually everyday the park has some sort of activity; from morning Tai Chi classes to screenings of live Yankee games at night. Bryant Park also has chess and backgammon tables, a functioning carrousel and a special area for Pétanque, the French game similar to the Italian Bocce. Also on site is the Bryant Park Grill and Café and four ‘Wichcraft sandwich and coffee kiosks. Bryant park is located only a few blocks from Grand Central Station, one of New York’s major transportation arteries and notable buildings.

New York Habitat has always had a love affair with New York’s smaller parks including Fort Tryon Park in Northern Manhattan, and Bryant Park happens to be steps from dozens of New York Habitat accommodations. This modern 1 bedroom apartment in Midtown East (NY-12109) is within 5 blocks of the literary park that could. This 1 bedroom loft apartment rental in Midtown East (NY-12330) sports big windows and a typical New York feel. This studio in Midtown East (NY 4364) may be a bit on the small side, but for a couple or solo traveler there is no better deal in the city.

Do you have a favorte tree to sit under in Bryant Park? Comment below!

Patti Smith is a modern rock legend. However like many musicians, Smith’s creativity doesn’t begin and end with the strumming of a guitar–it travels to the tip of a poetic pen, lense of a inquisitive camera and table of a cluttered drafting board. Smith will always be known more for her music than anything else–she’s a member of the Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Fame–nevertheless Paris’ Fondation Cartier has found enough merit in her diverse creative pursuits to dedicate an exhibit to her vast artistic conceptions. New York Habitat has dozens of accommodations in the same quarter as the modern-art gallery, with many still available for this spring/early summer.

Paris 3-bedroom accommodation Montparnasse (PA-1600)

Designed by–you guessed it–Jean Nouvel, the Fondation Cartier is one of those rare ultramodern buildings that melts seamlessly into the landscape of Haussmannian Paris. The Patti Smith exhibit, titled “Land 250″ for the name of one of Smith’s vintage Polaroid cameras, focuses as much on her personal pursuits–drawing, photography, poetry–as her professional life. Ms. Smith draws heavily on her own inspirations for the exhibit, presenting photos taken by Constantin Brancusi, reading poetry from Virginia Woolf, and displaying a rock from the river where Woolf committed suicide. Running until June 22nd, the Fondation Cartier is holding a “Nomadic Nights” series to run in conjunction with the Smith exhibit. Organized by Smith herself, the series allows visitors to peruse the exhibit while rocking out to a band or listening to an insightful discussion–all with the hope that the two aesthetic forms will productively illuminate each other. Act fast, tickets are being gobbled up and must be purchased in advance at the F.C. ticket booth or FNAC store. The Fondation Cartier is located at 261 boulevard Raspail. The closest metro stations are Raspail and Denfert Rochereau.

Paris accommodation 1-bedroom in Alesia (PA-2851)

Tickets for the Patti Smith Nomadic Nights series are going fast and so are New York Habitat accommodations. This 1-bedroom rental accommodation in Alesia, Montparnasse-Porte de Versailles (PA-2851) is a quick stroll from the Denfert Rochereau metro station, Fondation Cartier, and the entrance to the Catacombs, Paris’ subterranean graveyard. For a bit more space visitors should look into this bright 3-bedroom apartment rental in Montparnasse-Porte de Versailles (PA-1600). The apartment has a modern, bookish quality and soaks in natural light all afternoon.

What other Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famers can claim extensive artistic portfolios worthy of a Paris exhibit?

As we continue our look at summer festivals in the South of France, we’re going to focus on two notable Jazz festivals this week. The cities of Nice and Avignon each play host to their own excellent jazz music festivals. Luckily, they do not overlap but instead are held one right after the other. And with top-rate vacation rentals from New York Habitat, it couldn’t be easier to attend them both!

South of France vacation rental: Nice Apartment (pr-67)

Nice kicks off its festival on July 19th and runs through July 26th. Celebrating its sixtieth year, the Nice Jazz Festival offers outdoor concerts at three different venues each night. Each concert highlights two artists. This year, the festival will feature such notable, and international, artists as: Rufus Wainwright, Diana Krall, Leonard Cohen, Pink Martini, and Joan Baez, among others. What could be better than spending your days along the sunny Mediterranean beaches and your night listening to world class music?

New York Habitat also has some world class accommodations in Nice. This one bedroom apartment rental in Nice, France (PR-675) is located in the medieval neighborhood of Vieux Nice but has been thoroughly updated to include all the modern conveniences. This three bedroom apartment rental in Nice, France (PR-600) is located in town but within walking distance of both Vieux Nice and the Promenade des Anglais and the beach. Past renters have said that this apartment made them feel like a local in Nice. This one bedroom rental in Nice (PR-67) is right on the Promenade des Anglais and steps from the beach and the Mediterranean. It also features a beautiful garden for mealtime or naptime!

After the festival in Nice, leisurely make your way over to Avignon. Le Tremplin Jazz d’Avignon Festival will be held from July 29th to August 2nd of this year. Created in 1992, this festival features jazz combos and includes a juried competition. Though it is a smaller affair than the jazz festival in Nice, Avignon is still able to attract some big names, like award-winning French jazz pianist Baptiste Trotignon. And there is plenty to do, see, and eat in and around Avignon when you’re not enjoying some great music.

For your trip to Avignon, you may want to stay in this one bedroom rental in Avignon (PR-617). Located in the heart of the historic area of town, this sunny, open apartment features a modern kitchen and bath and some amazing views of the city from its rooftop terrace. Past renters have described it as “superb at every level”! If you need some more space, you should look into this two bedroom rental (PR-137). Recently renovated, this apartment still features exposed beams to give it that Old World charm. It is beautifully decorated and will make you feel right at home in Avignon!

South of France Apartment:Nice vacation rental (pr-600)

If your jazz aficionado, or just appreciate live music, then the jazz festivals in Nice and Avignon, in the South of France, are not to be missed. Not only will you see some A-list musicians perform, you’ll also be able to explore two wonderful French cities. A rental apartment from New York Habitat would just be icing on the cake of this vacation!

For more on Nice and Avignon, see our past articles: Top Towns to visit in the South of France: Nice, French Riviera: #4, Nice is getting nicer and a vacation rental from New York Habitat is the nicest!, and Top towns in the South of France: #2 Avignon, Provence.

Do these festivals peak your interest? Are there any jazz artists that you’re dying to see live? Please share your thoughts with us in our comments section below.