I stayed at Ellen's for a month when I first moved to New York and would highly recommend her place. It's in a great location to get to Midtown East (around 15-20 minutes on the subway) and an excellent base from which to explore the city. The room is very quiet but the neighbourhood is lively with a lot of families around (I always felt safe walking home at night). Ellen is super friendly, helpful and has lots of great tips about New York. She made me feel very welcome during my stay.