Great Neck man talks loving, leaving home

Things have definitely taken a turn in the last couple of years, but one thing I love about living here is the sense of community. Being in such a cultural community gives us a very necessary exposure to perspectives outside of the Long Island bubble.

What challenges do you think the community faces?

Perhaps it’s due to the bad economy, but one thing that I’ve noticed is that there aren’t as many places for people to dine and congregate. It has lowered the energy level of the town. As a 27-year-old, it seems like people are drifting away from Great Neck. Most of my friends have already moved away and people are finding less and less a reason to stay. I’m moving in October to Manhattan. I’m hesitant to think that the current generation will stay like generations before.

Gino’s Pizzeria [on Middle Country Road] was, like, the “spot.” Their house salad with mozzarella cheese on top is amazing. I still have friends that ask me to bring them a salad. It’s everyone’s “go-to” food. I like Kensington Deli, too. The Paulie special, which is a brisket on a hero with horseradish sauce, is amazing. We also just got a new organic place called bee-ORGANIC on Bond Street. There’s also Lola, which is the best in fine dining, which has a lot of rich food on the menu. And go to JulieBelles [on Northern Boulevard] to pick from like a hundred sandwiches on the menu.

Define the character of the community.

Ambitious. It’s a very goal-oriented community. We take a lot of steps to try and make it better. They decorate the streets during the holidays and I enjoy the classic car festival each year. There always has been a very vibrant feeling in Great Neck. After all, Great Neck is referred to as the “West Egg” in “The Great Gatsby.”