The Big Apple has been polished over the last several years. Once a city in which you didn't dare wander off the beaten path for fear of being mugged or worse, New York City now ranks among the nation's safest cities. And while rents still remain insane, New York no longer claims the title to the most expensive city in the United States. That torch has been handed to San Francisco. Being bumped from that number-one spot doesn't mean much to residents of New York, however, particularly new arrivals who are still writhing in shock over sky-high rents for apartments with precious little square footage or amenities. Still, people move here every year and pay those rents willingly. A New York address means everything to those who want convenience and want it quickly. The mere fact that they're in New York seems to justify rents of $1,300, $1,400 and more for studios and one-bedrooms. Ask any adrenaline-craving resident, and you're likely to hear that it's worth every penny.

This is the time of year when New York looks most beautiful: trees wrapped with tiny lights outside Tavern on the Green, horse-driven carriage rides through Central Park, elaborate department store window displays, the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center and the Wollman Ice Rink.

The city still claims the rights to its long-standing nickname, "The Melting Pot." Today, you'll still find within close juxtaposition a series of ethnic neighborhoods: Chinatown; Harlem; Little Italy; the Lower East Side, home to a sizeable Jewish population; and the neighborhoods of SoHo, TriBeCa, and the East and West villages, all of them havens for creative types. Simply put, whatever suits your taste, you're going to find it in New York. That includes cuisine, art, dance, theater, and music. With such a rich tapestry of cultures residing here, if you can't find it in New York, you can't find it anywhere. And best of all, no matter what time you're in the mood for ethnic cuisine or a taste of culture, it's probably available somewhere in New York.

The architecture of New York also is diverse: Wander to the financial district/Wall Street area, and you'll discover that chrome and glass reign supreme. The atmosphere is sterile and corporate. But on the Upper East and West sides of the city, which are more residential districts, you're likely to find historic brownstones, private gardens, a comparatively slower pace, and yes, even occasional trees.

New York has long been revered, of course, for its museums: the Metropolitan (or by its popular nickname, "The Met"), the Modern Art Museum and a myriad of smaller art collections. Theater also takes center stage here (no pun intended). Broadway is just the beginning. Many smaller productions take place throughout the city on a daily basis, ensuring that those who love the theater will never grow tired of New York.

This wealth of cultural attractions underscores the approach many residents take to their lack of living space. In short, if you live in New York, you're probably not going to spend much time at home, anyway. And if you do, well, you're just not taking advantage of all the Big Apple has to offer. Young people relocate here in droves each year, unintimidated by high rents. Instead, they live with multiple roommates, an arrangement which allocates each roomie a tiny parcel of space. In no other city will you find people so willing to live with so little in exchange for so much.

There's such a vast array of neighborhoods from which to choose in New York that the prospect of moving here can seem overwhelming. Sometimes, it's more of a question of where there's available space. Most of us realize that New York City is comprised of five boroughs - Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island. Each is distinct in its character. Manhattan, of course, is the most fervent in its pace, dominated by skyscrapers, yellow cabs, cross-town buses and harried commuters. Due to the particularly large concentration of international corporations here and the wealth of resources, the cost of living tends to be particularly high in Manhattan. Convenience is expensive. The remaining four boroughs - Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island - are more residential in nature. That's not to say they don't have their share of businesses (they do), but low-rise office buildings, brownstones and single-family residences are more common sights in these four boroughs. All of them are within easy proximity to the pulse of New York (Manhattan), but their own pace is a few notches down on the hectic scale.

The Internet boasts many, many sites that can help you formulate your itinerary if a trip to New York is in your future. And if a relocation to the Big Apple is in your plans, the Internet may well prove to be your best friend in the months ahead. Do your homework early and online. Find yourself a good Realtor via the Internet, and begin your home search early. Perhaps in New York more than anywhere else, it's critical to have an ally who's familiar with the market and the inventory. The potential for headaches is large when you're dealing with a residential real estate market as hot as New York's, so find yourself someone who will do the legwork for you. Talk to anyone who's lived in New York; even if they didn't thoroughly enjoy the experience, they can't deny that their time in the Big Apple was exciting. New York has truly re-emerged as one of our nation's greatest cities, bolstered by a healthy regional economy, a here-today-gone-tomorrow real estate market, and its lowest crime rate in years.