Fodor - Fodors New York City 2012

Gotham doesnt stay on the mat for long, and thats most certainly the case in 2011. After a rough 2008 and 2009, the city has staggered back to its feet. Are things as peachy as they were pre-recession? Not quite. But real-estate prices are starting to climb again, restaurants big and small are opening apace, and new neighborhoods are gentrifying. This city, which thrives on work, is very eager to get back to business.

Indeed, things are businesslike thanks to our mayor, Mike Bloomberg, now in his third and final term. Any major gripes locals may have had with City Hall seem mostly to be in the rearview mirror. As for the mayor, most of the time youll see bemusement at his gruff assessment of political problems in the city, from the Ground Zero mosque to MTA fare hikes.

As always, the state of the citys real estate is a top-of-mind for all New Yorkers. Despite hard times elsewhere in the country, prices continue to rise here. Rents in Manhattan are up, with vacancy a shade under 1 percent. Apartments in Manhattan, meanwhile, sell for an average of $1.33 million. So while Brooklyn continues to enjoy a steady influx, Manhattan is hot again among real-estate moguls in the know. The East Village keeps expanding east, SoHo keeps expanding west, and the Upper West Side gets more and more upper with each passing week.

On a more day-to-day level, a slice of pizza is usually $2.50, a glass of wine is rarely less than $10 (and can easily creep as high as $17), and a pack of cigarettes sets smokers back $11. Cab meters seem to hit $10 seconds after you get in, and even a bagel with a schmear is verging on $2 in some hoods.

What has really hit locals wallets hard is increases for subway and bus fares the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) has passed. A 12 to 2 vote at the end of 2010 bumped a single ride ticket to $2.50. Prices on 30-day unlimited cards made a 17 percent jump from $89 to $104. The only good news, if it can even be called that, is that a weekly unlimited passwhich tourists often rely upon heavily to sightseeonly went up $2 from $27 to $29.

So savvy New Yorkers are more attuned to bargains than ever before, signing up for restaurant discounts from Web sites like Groupon and Blackboard Eats, rummaging through the sales racks at the new airplane-hangar-size location of Century 21 in Queens, and taking advantage of free concerts on Governors Island in summer.

The TKTS booth, overhauled in 2008, is popular with locals and visitors to Times Square alike, and on weekends, many a New Yorker finds his or her way to the Brooklyn Flea, with its cool knickknacks, inexpensive furniture, and a wide array of affordable street food, from pupusas to lobster rolls.

Despite the rising cost of living, New Yorkers eat out just as much as ever, and many restaurants have transitioned to small plates as a way to offer a variety of options, big or small, depending on ones appetite and checkbook.

As for Broadway, the lack of tourist dollars channeled to buy expensive tickets means that the Off Broadway scene is once again ascendant, with musicals such as Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson making the transition to the Great White Way.

Concerts are rife, from arena rockers at Madison Square Garden to the hottest new act at the Bowery Ballroom; heck, theres even a distinct possibility that the Knicks will start winning again. (Dont count on it.) In other words, things are on the way up.

As history will attest, New York is always changing into something new in response to a fresh set of challenges. Given the tiny residences, high prices, and complexities of daily living here, locals are resourceful, and theyre also capable of putting up with just about anything. Let us show you what we can do.

Whats on a New Yorkers plate these days? Its probably something from the mind of one of the citys two hottest restaurateurs, David Chang and Michael White. Chang is a media darling but continues to expand and evolve the Momofuku concept, while White has high-end Italian covered, from the seafood delights of Marea to the fried lardo of Osteria Morini.

Also on the foodie front, the food-truck craze is in full swing, and its hard to walk a couple of blocks in well-traversed neighborhoods without seeing at least one parked on the corner. Office workers love em for fast, inexpensive, and often gourmet-quality lunches, as do tourists much for the same reason. Luckily, their addition hasnt pushed the hot-dog and pretzel stands off the streets, although now intersections seem even more crowded.

Escaping the city in summer is something locals think about way in advance of the season, making plans early in the year for housing shares in the Hamptons or Fire Island. But for those without the means, the summertime hotspot of late is Governors Island. The short ferry ride, free concerts, easy biking, and cool history make it popular with out-of-towners and locals alike.

An unfortunate continually discussed topicand the number of subway ads reveal its presenceis bedbugs. Street furniture is shunned, offices are fumigated, and relationships are ended over these tiny critters that can infest mattresses and often cost of fortune to get rid of. Bring it up and youre sure to hear some strong opinions.