My retired parents and I stayed at Joanna's house in October. Joanna was warm and welcoming from her first email and this continued when she met us at the house to settle us in. Her home is located very centrally right amongst the action of Union Square. We enjoyed exploring the neighbourhood and especially the Union Square market with all its wonderful produce. Subway and bus stops were nearby making it easy to venture around Manhattan and beyond.
The house is a home, filled with objects from Joanna's life there since the late 1970s and the style of the home reflects her interest in art and the environment and felt a little like you might be in one of Woody Allen's films from the 80s (think Hannah and her Sisters). Family photos, paintings and books lined the walls and the kitchen was equipped for serious cooking. The upstairs bedroom had a very comfortable bed, the second bedroom is a study with a pull out bed that would be fine for a short stay - that both rooms had their own bathrooms was very convenient and allowed us to feel quite self contained.
The weekend we stayed was a long weekend and there was a lot of noise in the street all night. Joanna has said she will provide ear plugs for her guests use in future and this will make a difference for anyone who hasn't adjusted to the hustle and bustle of NYC.