The Best Bathroom in NYC

Bryant Park is not only the most elegant, best-kept part in New York City. It now has the town's best bathroom. A cool $200,000 helped pave the way to today's grand reopening of the park's Beaux Arts restroom, which has been closed for renovation since Jan. 15. How lavish is this public toilet? Get a load of this paragraph from the New York Times article:

"The new interior has grand 10-foot coffered ceilings, mosaic tiles, a crown molding of painted wood, illumination from brushed stainless-steel wall sconces, indirect cove lighting, a wainscoting of mosaic vines and floweres, mirrors framed in cherry wood and, yes, sinks and a baby-changing table capped with Bianco Verde marble from India."

Now, I don't know about you, but when I conjure up a description of my bathroom (or any bathroom), the words "coffered," "wainscoting" and "Bianco Verde marble" don't come to mind. That said, this is the kind of architectural decadence I approve of—the kind that benefits the public. Apparently, this WC is the most frequented in the entire NYC park system. And why not? With that decor, you exit feeling refreshed in two ways.