We arrived at Louise’s room for a whirlwind four-day stay in New York to see theater and enjoy good food, and it was an excellent home base. We really appreciated Louise’s extra little touches to make our stay pleasant -- bottled water in the mini fridge, yogurt, breakfast things, snacks, even a bottle of wine, not to mention good-quality towels in the bathroom and decent toilet paper (it’s important!). Because we were on a tight itinerary and Louise’s work schedule was especially demanding that weekend, we never did get to meet in person, but she checked in via text every day to make sure we were doing okay and recommended a good car service for our return to the airport at an ungodly morning hour (Junior’s in Brooklyn, if you’re in the same position). We did finally have a good phone conversation on our last night, though, and I realized how much she knows about her historic neighborhood – plus she has good stories! The next time, we’ll definitely want to take better advantage of her knowledge. Speaking of the neighborhood: It is beautiful and charming, with lots of turn-of-the-last century houses that make the blocks around Louise’s house seem not “like New York” and, in some ways, not even what you might imagine Brooklyn to be like. Lots of activity (shops, etc.) a long block or so away in two directions, and the house is literally a 2-3 minute walk from the subway station. Two things would be important for travelers to know. Calling the property a “studio” might be just a little bit generous. What it really is, is a room with a private entrance, and it’s pretty snug. It is spotless and attractive with, as I say, all the extra touches Louise offers, as well as a wide verandah with a comfortable couch, but keep the size in mind. The other is that, while the Q train is close, it’s a long ride to midtown (obviously only an issue if that’s where you’re going): 45 minutes plus. Now, what we found out a little too late was that you can take the Q (which runs very frequently) a half dozen stops to Barclay’s Center/Atlantic and connect with all the subway lines you would want and/or do a subway/bus combo. We’d never used the busses before but will definitely in the future. (It cost nothing extra beyond a MetroCard, e.g., to come from LaGuardia on the bus to the nearest subway and then transfer to the Q.) The busses are cleaner and less crowded although, depending on where you’re going and time of day, they can be slower. But they’re a great option a lot of the time. So: do a little research and figure out your connections so you’re not a slave to the Q! All in all, we were very happy and much appreciated Louise’s attentiveness.