Castle Manor - Milwaukee, WI

Castle Manor may not have much in the way of arts and culture, but a trip to neighboring Greendale takes residents straight into the canvases of Norman Rockwell, who based many of his pieces on this Wisconsin township. Explore the iconic American’s work, from early sketches to Saturday Evening Post covers, at the Norman Rockwell Village Collection. Part museum and part gallery, this building houses the world’s exhibition of Rockwell art. For a more informative experience, let the in-house listening tour guide you around his exhibits.

At the Polish Center of Wisconsin, locals pay tribute to the European immigrants who first settled here with events, courses and clubs. While the Center’s sponsored Polish Fest draws thousands of national guests to the Milwaukee Summer Fest grounds each year, smaller regional events include bingo, food festivals, art exhibits, and traditional dance and music performances.

Though limited by the distance between its borders, Castle Manor crams in more restaurants than other neighborhoods of similar size. Chinese take-out, sit-down Mexican and Sonic drive-through challenge any definition of the dining options you find here.

When craving something ethnic, order out or dine in at Pho Cali Vietnamese. With a bigger menu than other pho kitchens, you can start with traditional egg rolls and end by exploring the list of specialty drinks. Locals often recommend the mung beans and boba tea.

Spring Gardens Café cooks up regional classics with a twist of Greek flavor. The eatery opens for breakfast through dinner, serving favorites such as its signature pizzas and Greek eggs and hash browns. The owner often swings through the dining area, welcoming patrons and making recommendations.

After dinner, Scuttlebutt Sports Lounge is a terrific place to go for a drink and some fun -- Saturday is karaoke night, and there's also live music on weekends.

Cyclists and pedestrians can cross Castle Manor in 20 minutes, making a private vehicle unnecessary here. However, nearby I-94 and I-43 often prove too tempting with their easy access to the city center. Thus, most residents own a car to make the 14-minute trip downtown on I-94. As most of the neighborhood has a residential identity, parking poses few problems.

Milwaukee County Transit System’s fast and efficient buses service the neighborhood. Route 55 runs east-west along West Layton Avenue and all the way to the Lake Michigan waterfront. Route 46, the Loomis Southridge Flyer, stops on West Layton Avenue and West Edgerton Avenue on its way downtown. The trip takes about 50 minutes, and buses depart every half hour.

You can also travel around the city using a local taxi company or Uber, the national ride-sharing service. Uber utilizes a convenient mobile application to connect passengers with drivers in the area.

While cyclists ride comfortably around Castle Manor’s residential streets, they also enjoy an official bike lane, which connects West Layton Avenue to Grange Avenue before continuing on to the downtown area.

The neighborhood’s nearest park, Barnard Park, lies to the west. Its 10.1 acres next to Greenfield Middle School create a peaceful open space for relaxing in the grass, playing Frisbee or walking your pet.

Just below Barnard, Creekwood Park’s simple green squares offer a picnic shelter and gazebo as well as a playground with a climbing wall. Follow the meandering Honey Creek through the park, or ride along the unpaved Boy Scout trail.

Both parks happily welcome dogs. However, they also both require them to remain leashed.

While goods and services in Castle Manor cost about the same as they do elsewhere in the city, housing and rental rates push the average cost of living up three percent higher than the Milwaukee average. Expect to pay about $590 for a one-bedroom rental unit.

A one-way bus ticket from the neighborhood costs $2.25, or you can pay $5 for a day pass. Fill up your car instead to pay approximately $11 less than the national average, with the average price of gas running about 9 percent less in Castle Manor. One pint of Wisconsin craft beer costs $4.50 to $6 at the corner pub, and enjoy a meal with your beverage for $11 or more for a plate.

Over-the-counter drugs, discount carpets, tobacco and car stereos fill the shelves of Castle Manor’s limited retail venues. Walgreens Pharmacy and a neighboring Target provide one-stop shops for basic goods. However, if you want a fashionable boutique or family-run specialty store, you have to look in Greendale or greater Milwaukee.

Your Florist is one of just a few locally operated stores nearby. Besides floral arrangements, it sells jewelry, balloons, candy and stuffed toys. Local drivers ensure correct deliveries. If you can’t decide what you want, let its specialists put together a themed gift basket, and save time by ordering online.

At Blue Flame Music, knowledgeable staff sell and repair instruments with a focus on guitars and accessories. Opened in the 1980s, this musician’s haven also provides beginner- to advanced-level lessons. Feel free to play around with in-shop instruments and equipment until you find what you want.

What Castle Manor’s surroundings lack in retail, they overcompensate for in food supplies. Inside the neighborhood, family-owned Wisconsin chain Festival Foods meets residents daily grocery needs.

Just outside the neighborhood, the Europa Grocery store caters to Polish, German and European populations. Pacific Produce, one of the city’s largest Asian markets, features Thai, Vietnamese and Chinese goods, selling everything from duck heads to fresh lemongrass. The Indian Bazaar specializes in southern Indian and Pakistani spices, puja supplies and DVDs. After a busy afternoon shopping, try its takeout dosa.

The nearest farmers market, Garden District Farmer’s Market, takes place in Tippecanoe, which lies some 8 miles to the northeast.