Alicia Keys said, “If I want to be alone, some place I can write, I can read, I can pray, I can cry, I can do whatever I want–I go to the bathroom”. I assume that she’s talking about the bathroom in her house, and not any of the public restrooms in Charlottesville, but for the moment, I will humor (probably only) myself and think that she could be applying this philosophy to say, Zinc. Or Maya. Or Mas.
Here’s the thing, we all know that women treat the bathroom as something of a group retreat and that the words “I’m going to the bathroom” are a lot like yawns—once one girl says it, the others can’t resist. Before I get blasted by those of you ladies that pee alone, I will say that this is, of course, not a universal clause, just a noticeable trend. The other purposes of a bathroom: collecting your thoughts before (or after) that last drink, sending that dirty text, checking yourself out to make sure that there’s nothing insidious dangling from your front teeth, having a private dance party, catching your breath, a quick(ie) make out sesh…etc. The bathroom is, essentially, the phone booth of the 2000s.
Given that, I have to wonder, where’s my favorite bathroom in town? When the X Lounge first opened, they had all kinds of goodies in their privately stalled, nicely lit, large-mirrored bathroom. I loved the schwag and the option for privacy and the fact that music is pumped in, and the counter space. I would say overall, it was shaping up to be a great bathroom. Then the schwag died off, and the sink was always wet and the paper towels piled up, and while it’s still high on my list (I might like the bathroom as much as the venue) it’s lost a little something. A similar thing happened at Zinc and Maya—upon opening, schwag and tidiness, and as of late…well, I was at Maya not too long ago and couldn’t take in the atmosphere because there was vomit on the floor. And the door. (Not Maya’s fault.). Maya also gets points for the closed in stalls, and the good lighting, and the quality of their soap.
At this point we’re all familiar with Mas and the infamous silhouette bathrooms—a feature that I think I would happily incorporate into the Tanner Dream Home, though I’m not sure that I completely trust it when I’m there eating…or, you know, not eating in the bathroom, but other stuff. Also, I’m not sure about the black toilets and sinks and the lighting? It’s passable, but nothing to write home (or a blog? Busted.) about.
I’m working up to my first, but my second favorite bathroom in town is Zocalo—I love the sink detail, the room for privacy or for the little communal area, my only two grips are that the stalls are a little spare, and you run the risk of getting hit by the door if anyone stumbles in too quickly and you’re standing in front of their (very slimming) mirror.
I could go one (what’s up with Mono Loco? And don’t even get me started on South St and their plumbing problems, or Bang! And their freezing cold room with a toilet that has fake plants and fluorescent lights) but you want to know the truth? One of my least favorite late night venues has my favorite bathroom atmosphere. They’ve never deviated from their schwag, there’s plenty of room for said dancing and breathing (despite the fact that this is ill advised because you might get jumped by the girls that have to wait in the long line for this one-staller), it’s a little too bright, but I can’t count the number of funny pictures that I’ve taken in front of that huge mirror. OXO, I don’t want to say it, because I may never see it again, but truthfully, I love your bathroom. And you know what? Alicia Keys does too.
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Tagged as: Alicia Keys, Bang, Bathroom, Mas, Maya, Mono Loco, Oxo, Restaurant, South Street, X Lounge, Zinc, ZO.CA.LO
Ventana ownz best bathroom in CVille at the moment
I too have affection for the ladies room at OXO. Try changing in there with 6 other waitresses. It’s been done.
I like it because there’s a huge mirror and a little wicker seat to sit on and cool Sharon Shapiro works on the wall. And you gotta appreciate the free tampons and lotion. Back before the madness of late night, there used to be a little container of condoms too. Unfortunately, thanks to the drunken people, the bathrooms have taken quite a beating. Art has been ripped off the wall, stolen, and smashed. Light fixtures and toilet paper holders broken. Now the bathrooms aren’t as nice as they used to be. So thanks for giving a shout out.
As for Ventana, that TV in the bathroom trick is cool. but I’m sure it will get old. I did like the Kiki bathroom a lot with its purple walls and dresser covered with lotions and body sprays. But I am a girl. I’m sure the dudes dig the new bathroom better.
Ooh yeah! good post! I always check out the bathroom in a nice place anywhere I go. I feel like you can tell how much thought a designer or architect has put into the overall design by seeing how they handled the bathrooms. So many places leave them as an afterthought..
If I’m on the corner I like Zydecos ladies lounge upstairs…couches..big mirror..it’s good stuff. Also the place next door…Marthas? has a fish in the bathtub in their bathroom…I’d give em points for that just cause it’s funny.
I’m normally too polite to linger or too drunk take notice of my surroundings in bar bathrooms. I guess I should be more observant if there are freebies to be had.
[With apologies to the guys, who might want to just skip this post.]
Shen, I cannot tell you how much I appreciate a bathroom which realizes we can’t all plan our need for tampons in advance. I always note a bathroom which provides them, whether or not I’m in need at the moment, and automatically think better of the establishment. It’s a really small thing to do, but it means so much in an emergency.
Also, a big fan of private rooms rather than stalls. I always feel like I’m being stared at through the cracks of a stall, by whomever is out there. If I wanted people watching me pee, I’d join a fetish group or have children.
/still having nightmares about being dragged into stalls with my mom, as a kid
the black toilets at mas remind me of a port-a-potty. i like my incongruities, but that goes a little _too_ far.
zydeco’s ladies lounge is the size of my apartment.
@6 i’ve never noticed the toilets at mas.
I totally judge a place by it’s bathrooms - not so much bars, as I expect the revelry to destroy most everything (although I oh so appreciate any place where I don’t feel the need to “hover” to relieve myself), but definitely in nice restaurants (after the food and wine, of course). I can’t stand it when you’re in a beautifully decorated, low lit bistro and the bathroom feels like something in an airport - it’s like someone waking you up by turning the lights on.
Proprietors hear this - the only time I’m alone and aware enough to really notice decor is in a bathroom (hygene fears result in heightened senses). Plus, if my hands smell like industrial soap when I go back to my table to eat my food or drink my cocktail, that’s not exactly the aparetif (sp?) I was going for. It’s lmost as bad as servers who wear too much perfume.
I forgot about the bathtub at Martha’s cafe! I love the bathtub-fishtank! So cool! I love nothing better than peeing and hanging out with koi. Wait, what?
Have you all ever been in the bathroom at Blue Moon? It’s pretty cool but they always put this life-size cardboard cutout of Elvis in there in a different place each time and I know it’s gonna be there but it always startles the shit out of me.
Lys: apéritif
Burger King. Fifth Street. No contest.
The right-side (facing the building) bathroom at Blue Moon Diner feels like a beach house. Delightful. And I believe they supply ‘pons for the ladies, too. Blue Moon: still awesome.
still having nightmares about being dragged into stalls with my mom, as a kid
occasionally, revenge is to be had.
My sister took my then 5 year old nephew into the very crowded ladies room of a restaurant. In the stall, after she’d finished, my nephew asked (naturally, in a very loud voice), “Is your vagina empty mommy?”
Apparently, the resulting laughter was loud enough that my brother-in-law asked about it when they got back to the table.
And, yeah, I can see how the Ventana bathroom would be better for guys. Pants undone, “member” in hand, looking at a barful of lovely ladies.
/does ventana have hand lotion and paper towels? Just curious…
[Already know I’m going to regret asking this, but I can’t help myself.]
Oy, why in the world would a 5-year old boy ask such a question?
/only wearing turtlenecks to Ventana from now on
the pee came from the vagina, the pee stopped, thus, the vagina was empty, no?
that reminds me of this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T47kt6DuT-4
So “ventana” is spanish for “voyuer”?
Ahh. Allowing for the 5-year old boy version of female anatomy, that actually makes sense! Whew. Much easier explanation than I was fearing.
yeah - don’t blame me, I’m just the uncle
I TOLD his mother she should have taught him “pussy” and “cock” when he got anatomically curious…
/Best. Uncle. Ever.
@9- Lys, I couldn’t agree more! The original post was a lot longer but I was afraid that people would fall into a coma and ruin their keyboards when their heads fell on it, but the idea for the post was just that–if you invest all that time and energy into the dining room and menu, make sure to spread the love to the bathroom too, because women really do give a shit.
Does Zinc still provide tamps in the cabinet in there? That was a big perk.
And finally, @ 16, I overheard in a dressing room recently: “Mama, your breasts are so big. They look too big for that dress. Can I touch them?”. Not to revisit Gobbler’s post on baby making, but part of me looks forward to that and part of me thinks: birth. control.
@14 one of the blogs I read frequently mentioned the downside of potty training her 2.5 year old - “Toddler accompanies me into a busy public restroom, begins clapping inside the stall and says ‘Yay mommy! You big girl pee-pee on potty!’ “
So just so Im straight, you all are mortified by a small child mentioning pee or genitals, yet are passionately endorsing an event whose traditions include sliding bodily through a urinal trough.
Y’all are an odd lot.
The men’s room at X-Lounge has a “peeing wall”: a large stainless steel cascade that spans across the whole wall. Ten has nice bathrooms too, but every time I walk in or out I trigger the automated paper towel dispenser.
@23–not mortified, highly amused!
what about the lovely bathrooms at the Cafe? always flooded and never locking… so nice… (I love you Escafe!)
@24 that wall scares me (I love you X)
I always feel like people are listening to me pee in the bathroom at Bang… I know thats weird but I do.. well maybe not listening but can hear me? yeah thats what I meant to say. (I love you Bang!)
The toilets at the Upstairs are HUGE btw. (went up there last night to checkout the progress and it looks good!) all types of top of the line brand new things to cook with (infrared grill) and some other machine that I don’t know what it does but sounds interesting (I am not really a cook) so esciting… rumor has it a soft opening is in the works like REALLY soon…
the bathrooms at Cassis are fresh!
umm I have nothing else to ad… I think.
make sure to spread the love to the bathroom too
That happened to me on a Greyhound Bus. I am still in therapy.
I love a good bathroom. I often dream about my fantasy bathroom and how long I could hang out in there. Anyhoo, the men’s bathrooms in town are often covered in filth, which is a damn shame. The most awful was the upstairs bathroom at Orbitz. It only had a piece of plywood separating the urinal and the toilet (no door), but I still walked in several times to see some drunk college kid shitting his brains out. It was by far the grossest mens room in town.
X-lounge men’s room is pretty nice. But whatever happened to having an old man handing you a towel after washing your hands and then giving you a spray of cologne or a some hand lotion? Some strip clubs still hire people to do that. Bars in town should take note. The bathroom should be sort of like a clubhouse where you can feel relaxed and comfortable, it should be cleaned regularly not once a day. It’s a horrible feeling to be in a swanky bar, have a huge bar tab and then go to take a leak and find myself in a room covered in excrement. A big NO NO. All bars should take pride in their restrooms and spruce em up real nice.
Just a side note. I had a friend walk into the restroom in the mall and heard a mom in a stall with two kids. And one of the kids said out loud: “OOH MOMMY THAT STINKS!” and then the other kid chimed in: “YEA, MOMMY STOP THAT.”
HILARIOUS!!!!!
Mostly related: Oasis Day Spa has a shower that is worth the price of a body scrub alone. Someday I am so buying one of those rain water shower heads.
/probably gonna need an extra hot water heater, too
//and a cabana boy
Lys, the rainwater showerheads aren’t terribly expensive and are tremendously easy to install.
/damn landlord and his no water pressure “conservation” shower heads
//wonder how landlord feels about cabana boys
The problem with X-Lounge’s pee wall is that the stall door opens right into the space where the left-side peer would be. This means the peer could be knocked into the pee wall, and have to go back to his table wet. Ew.
/I think I’ve complained about this before here.
@31 never thought of that… maybe I should start slamming the door open when I come out. = )
this has got to be the most memorable bathroom ive ever experienced. not exactly “sanitary” or “private,” but endearing nonetheless.
http://www.marwoodmusic.com/images/photos/gallery/264138.jpg