Only about four blocks wide, Kensington is a quiet, affluent village that sits off Middle Neck Road in Great Neck, where dozens of boutiques, shops, restaurants and services provide a cosmopolitan ambience.

Neighborhood streets, absent of overhead wires, are dotted by tall black streetlamps. Houses on manicured properties range from modest to ornate and include Colonials, Dutch Colonials, Tudors and manors. The village has its own police department.

The compact village of Saddle Rock is bounded by Little Neck Bay, where views of the Manhattan skyline, bridges and sunsets can be stunning.

The village's signature though, is the circa 1700 Saddle Rock Grist Mill, one of the few remaining tidal mills in the country. The mill's wheel, which was rebuilt by hand with period tools, became operational again in 1997, said Mayor J. Leonard Samansky. The mill, listed in the Federal Historical Landmark Registry, is owned by Nassau County and is open to the public from about May through October.

Just beyond several bustling thoroughfares lies the tiny, affluent village of Russell Gardens, which showcases about 250 single-family homes amid gently rolling roads, canopied by mature trees.

The community is bordered in part by Northern Boulevard, as well as Great Neck and Middle Neck roads, where there are dozens of shops, restaurants and services.

"It's an easy walk to the stores on Middle Neck Road," said Camille Pisciotto, owner-broker of Great Neck Realty Elegant Homes and Gardens. Russell Gardens, she adds, has the benefit of a suburban atmosphere with all the conveniences of a city.

Buyers want a quick commute into the city, plus they have the convenience of city living at home," says Pisciotto. "It's a real treat to be able to walk to town from your house."

Residents can take advantage of several local cultural and recreational venues, such as the Great Neck House on Arrandale Avenue, which shows films and hosts special events. The Parkwood Sports Complex, also on Arrandale, has an indoor tennis center, ice skating rink and pool.

-Lisa Doll Bruno (2004-2005)