Search Results for: blog portland backspace

Portland, OR: Put on Your Walking Shoes!

Portland is one of our favorite day trips. It’s about three hours from us, and worth the drive. It’s even better when we take the train and don’t have to worry about parking or traffic. The City of Roses is one of the cleanest cities in the United States. Part of that is because it’s nearly impossible to drive downtown. Almost everyone bikes, walks, or uses the free public transportation. That’s not a bad thing, but you should plan it into your day. Parking can be quite expensive, generally more than a dollar per hour. It’s best explored in 2 … Continue reading →

Portland, OR: Ground Kontrol

Around the corner from Backspace is The City of Roses’ favorite arcade, Ground Kontrol. It’s a huge collection of classic pinball and arcade games. What a find! Eons ago, when I was in high school, every Friday night my sister and I would go hang out at The Castle. Miniature golf, go-karts, bumper boats, rides, and, of course, a huge arcade to eat your quarters. We’d take our money and save the last quarter. After we’d spent the rest, we took that last quarter and headed over to Eight Ball Deluxe, our favorite pinball machine. We knew we’d be able … Continue reading →

Portland, OR: Backspace

We make frequent trips to Portland, sometimes for a cultural activity and other times just to play. It was on one of these play trips that we discovered Backspace. They bill themselves as Portland’s “hip, uncool place”. It’s a 4000 s.f. space that reminds me of the beatniks of old. Yes, this conservative, Bush-loving, gun toting Christian mama likes a hotbed of insurgent thought. I just look past the anti-W stickers, the slogans of disillusioned youth, and the propaganda of the left, knowing that as they grow and have families, they’ll recognize the error of their ways ;-). Seriously, though, … Continue reading →